Why the Left Despairs

In 1903 the young Bertrand Russell gave ultimate expression to the tragedy which is implicit in the Cartesian separation of mind from matter. Here is how he viewed life:

"That man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of though and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins – all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built."

With a worldview like this, is it any wonder that so many in the left must practice "unyielding despair!" They cannot practice the virtue of hope.

Taken for the book of Lynn White Jr., Machina Ex Deo: Essays in the Dynamism of Western Culture, Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1968, p. 60-61.

We Grow Old by Deserting Our Ideals

Gen. Douglas MacArthur found a way to stay young by keeping his ideals.

General Douglas MacArthur was so inspired by Samuel Ullman’s poem that he popularized it and kept a framed copy in his office while Supreme Allied Commander in Japan. He quoted it so often in his speeches that it became known as “MacArthur's Credo.”

The Poem:

Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years.
People grow old only by deserting their ideals.
Years wrinkle the skin but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.

Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair . . .
these are the quick equivalents of the
long years that bow the head and turn
the growing spirit back to dust.

Whether 70 or 16, there is, in every being’s heart the love of
wonder, the sweet amazement of the stars, and the star-like
things and thoughts, the undaunted challenge of events,
the unfailing childlike appetite for “What Next?”

You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt,
as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear,
as young as your hope, as old as your despair.

So long as your heart receives messages of
beauty, cheer, courage, grandeur and power from
the earth, from man and from the Infinite, so long are you young.

When all the wires are down, and all the
central places of your heart are covered with
the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism,
then, and only then, are you grown old indeed,
and may God have mercy on your soul.

Can't the Pro-Life American Be Treated with Civility?

Written by John Horvat II
About the only thing more certain than the fact that hundreds of thousands of pro-life Americans go out into the streets nationwide every January 22 is the fact that the official establishment media will ignore or belittle their efforts.

As activists nationwide gather on the date of the fateful Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, they know they will not get a fair hearing. If media do print stories, they will generally minimize the numbers and passion of those who brave cold winter weather to appear in Washington and other capitals. Reporters will always find a few pro-abortion counter-protesters amid the pro-life throngs to present disproportionally “both sides” of the story. More often than not however, the media will simply ignore this groundswell of Americans who enter the public square to voice their concerns. It is as if there is an unwritten rule that this story be forever unwritten.

Such treatment speaks volumes of the state of the nation. There has been much talk about a lack of civility in our society. The blame has curiously been shifted to a lack of public discourse.

Yet, the March for Life and other such rallies are healthy expressions of a desire for public discourse. These are striking manifestations of Americans asking for a voice in the public square. This huge movement has converged upon Washington for 38 years, for example, without a single incident of violence in its whole history. With the greatest of civility, participants have been courteous, compassionate and prayerful. At similar peaceful events all across the country we see a cross-section of every major group in America–all without any violent rhetoric. They are ever younger and more enthusiastic. They are as American as apple pie.

All they ask for their effort is a fair hearing–a voice in the debate, some recognition and respect for their great efforts. They want the other side of the issue to be told. All they receive from most official media is to be ignored, belittled if not scorned. Pro-life Americans are blamed for creating a climate of hostility and hate for the “crime” of merely disagreeing with establishment media on these issues. They are unjustly condemned as guilty by association when crazed individuals (with leftist anarchist views) like Jared Loughner fire upon a crowd. That is to say, the pro-life American is treated like a second-class citizen without any civility in this one-sided debate which hardly qualifies as discourse.

Massive 38th March for Life Reflects Youthful Resolve to Stop Abortion

Written by Thomas Schneider

When abortion activist Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL, saw last year’s March for Life in Washington, D.C. she was utterly astounded: “I just thought, my gosh, they are so young,” she told Newsweek. “There are so many of them, and they are so young.”

Abortion advocates like Keenan must be uneasy with the "so-many-so-young" trend. However, as leaders of the pro-abortion movement get older and focus on retirement, the pro-life movement is ever more youthful, numerous and vibrant. And nowhere is the resilience and vitality of the pro-life movement more apparent than at the annual March for Life, where hundreds of thousands of Americans stand against the slaughter of the unborn.

An Estimated 300,000 Marchers
On Monday morning, January 24, busload after busload of pro-lifers rolled into the Capitol eager to peacefully oppose abortion and roll back the culture of death. Bishops, priests and religious were also there as parishes and schools came to protest the slaughter of the innocents.

Over 300,000 pro-life marchers filled Constitution Avenue on their way to the United States Supreme Court.

As the march proceeded up Constitution Ave., its sheer size was massive. The crowd–estimated at 300,000–filled the width of the avenue from side to side and stretched into the horizon as far as the eye could see. What a sight.

Why don’t the major media networks give this any real attention? The reason is simple: Like a barometer, the march indicates that the pro-life movement is alive and well. The liberal media would rather ignore this fact.

But marchers brave the cold not for media attention but to make reparation before the throne of God for the sin of abortion. Many recite the rosary. Banners and signs fill the esplanade. The event, so ably organized by March for Life president Nellie Gray, also brings together a veritable who’s who in pro-life America with cardinals and bishops, senators and congressmen.

A statue of Our Lady of Fatima is carried by a TFP honor guard wearing the TFP ceremonial habit. Many in the huge crowd prayed the rosary and would reverently make the sign of the cross as they passed.

TFP in Action
Tradition Family Property Student Action volunteers were present together with a large contingent of over 120 members, supporters and friends, who carried banners and eighteen-foot TFP standards and distributed this year’s TFP statement: “Ten More Good Reasons to Fight Against Abortion.”

A TFP honor guard wearing the TFP ceremonial habit escorted the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The student body of St. Louis de Montfort Academy of Herndon, Penn. was also present, and The American TFP was pleased to receive contingents from organizations in Italy (Voglio Vivere), Germany (SOS Leben), and France (Droit de Naitre).

As in past marches, the TFP’s Holy Choirs of Angels marching band played a selection of patriotic hymns and American marches. The ensemble included brass, fifes, drums and bagpipes, which were greatly appreciated by the passing crowds.

Student Conference
Before the march, students gathered at the TFP headquarters for a two-day conference on the leadership role of Catholic men. The seminar was honored by the presence of Prince Bertrand of Orleans-Braganza, a direct descendant of two crusader kings, St. Louis IX of France and St. Ferdinand III of Castile.

A line-up of informative lectures sparked lively study circles and thought-provoking discussion. “I really learned a lot during Mr. Gustavo Solimeo’s talk on the Dictatorship of Equality,” said Joseph Jordan, age 17. “My generation is facing very challenging times, but after this conference, I feel well prepared to meet the challenge and fight the good fight.”

This year also marks the first Louisiana Life March which gathered over 3,000 people who marched to the steps of the State Capitol in Baton Rouge.

Rallies Multiply
The March for Life in Washington is the largest of many similar events held nationwide to protest the tragic anniversary of Roe v. Wade. For the seventh consecutive year, the Walk for Life in California has been gaining momentum. An estimated 45,000 participants attended this year.

While many TFP Supporters, led by TFP member Philip Calder, joined this West Coast rally, for the first time, a Louisiana Life March also kicked off in Baton Rouge on January 22, which members of TFP—Louisiana were happy to support.

Persevering and Confiding
For the last 38 years, the pro-life movement has organized, protested and prayed. It has challenged the pro-abortion movement and put it on the defensive. What is needed now is confident public action to finish the task at hand.

“With an unshakable confidence and determined insistence, we must continue our peaceful and legal fight against abortion.”

As the TFP 2011 pro-life message states: “With an unshakable confidence and determined insistence, we must continue our peaceful and legal fight against abortion. It is with certainty of the justice of our cause that we have recourse to Our Lady who at Fatima added a final certainty that these evils will be overcome and we will see the triumph of her Immaculate Heart.”

Prince Bertrand Speaks on Our Lady in St. Louis

Why does Our Lady weep? This was the timely theme of a talk given by Prince Bertrand of Orleans-Braganza to a large crowd of Marian devotees.

On January 14-16, Prince Bertrand visited the city of St. Louis, Mo., named after his ancestor, to deliver the keynote speech at the Twelfth Annual Marian Conference at the Millennium Hotel near the Gateway Arch. The Saturday afternoon talk was warmly received by the nearly 900 who gathered in the main ballroom.

The theme of the whole Marian conference was “Trust in Mary, Mother of Christ and of the Church. St. Louis’ Archbishop Robert Carlson officially opened the Marian event. The well-organized conference also featured notable Catholic speakers like Father Bill Casey, Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J., Dr. Robert Moynihan, and Mr. Carl Malburg.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima was present throughout the whole weekend adding to the atmosphere of graces and blessings. The statue which shed tears in New Orleans in 1972 coincided with the topic of the Prince’s talk.

Prince Bertrand raised the question as to why Our Lady as a mother would weep over her children. He spoke at length about the great accomplishments of Christendom, which were fruits of the Redemption. The fall of Christendom was obviously a cause for the sorrow of Our Lady.

Statue of the International Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima photographed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1972 miraculously weeping real human tears.

In this respect, he outlined this fall by citing the central thesis of the book, Revolution and Counter-Revolution, by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. He showed how Christendom fell through a series of Revolutions that attacked Christian civilization. He emphasized modern examples of this process especially those secular trends that aim to persecute the Church for holding true to Her teachings and morality. This rejection of the fruits of the Redemption, he said, was one major reason why Our Lady weeps.

The Prince also cited the crisis inside the Church. The process of self-destruction of the Church mentioned by Paul VI and subsequent Popes have caused enormous confusion, abuses and chaos among the faithful. This process is another great cause of the tears and sorrow of Our Lady.

However, while the Prince showed the gravity of the present hour, he stressed reasons for hope. He spoke of the prophecies of many saints like Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Blessed Mary of Agreda who foresaw not only the tribulations of the present times but also the restoration of Christian civilization. Several apparitions of Our Lady especially those of LaSalette and Fatima mention this restoration.

“While it is clear why Our Lady weeps,” Prince Bertrand concluded, “it is even clearer that we cannot be indifferent in face of so copiously shed tears.”

Our Lady asks of her children that they ammend their lives, do penance and offer up prayers and sacrifices. She asks that they live up to the privilege and glory of being soldiers of Christ conferred upon them in the sacrament of Confirmation. Thus, the Prince called on all to make of these maternal requests a program of life especially in light of the Fatima Message.

Prince Bertrand of Orleans-Braganza (left) visits Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion in the Benton Park neighborhood of St. Louis, Mo.

The Prince is the brother and heir to Prince Louis, the present Head of the Imperial House of Brazil. In his own country, he actively pursues his many activities in defense of Christian tradition, the family and every man's right to private property and free enterprise. Faithful to the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church, he is outspoken in defense of the innocent unborn and is active in the pro-family and pro-life movement around the world.

While in St. Louis, Prince Bertrand was warmly welcomed at Saint Francis de Sales Oratory by Canon Michael Wiener where he attended Holy Mass on Sunday in a place of honor in the sanctuary, a privilege traditionally granted to royalty. He also visited the Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion, an historic home that reflects the city’s rich French and early American culture.