Nota in Brevis, November 20th
Masked, armed Muslims stormed the Radisson hotel in Bamako, Mali, taking 170 hostages. As I write, there is an operation underway to free them, but I suppose we should get used to this, and not just in Islamic countries like Mali. The tentacles of the ideology of ISIS, a virulent form of Islam, which bears many similarities to the early days of the ‘religion of peace’, spread pretty much all over the world, even in our own ‘peace-keeping’ Canada. It may be a while before this happens to your local Holiday Inn, but, as the Parisians sipping Bordeaux on a cafe terrace so recently and tragically found out, one never knows the day nor the hour, does one?
Justin Trudeau is already in over his head, at least financially. The young-ish man brought up on wealth and privilege has apparently little idea of economics. The Greek term oikonomia is literally the art of running a household, and, one may presume, it is one of the primary tasks of our leaders to ensure that our financial house is in reasonable order. For nearly the past century, our dear leaders have failed to a greater or lesser extent in this fundamental task, resulting in our current, and growing exponentially, unmanageable debt, but I fear Trudeau Jr. will put them all to shame with his financial extravagance, especially should he actually keep all the election promises he made. A report from the Canadian Press calculates that bringing over the proposed 25,000 Syrian refugees will cost an estimated 1.2 billion dollars. The Liberals have also spent $500,000 on advertisement trying to convince the public of the wisdom of this endeavour (after promising to cease such partisan, biased, taxpayer-funded ads). And they are still talking about Mike Duffy’s 64,000 dollar cheque. We have only seen the beginning, I fear, of what the Liberal majority will do.
Finally: Feminist backlash against transgender men. Germaine Greer, noted feminist activist, has come out, so to speak, against such mutilated sideshows as ‘Caitlin’ Jenner, claiming that such men have no right to usurp her gender. I cannot print in this family-friendly magazine how Ms. Greer so eloquently put it, but let us just say that removing part(s) of one’s anatomy does not a woman make. Rather, I would add, what it does make one is a eunuch, but not the way Christ euphemistically intended, as in ‘putting to death’, or, more properly, sublimating, one’ s sexual desires for the sake of the kingdom.
Most Reverend Marcel Damphousse, until now bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall, has been appointed bishop of Sault-Sainte Marie, after the resignation of Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe. Bishop-elect Damphousse received his theological training at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, after completing a degree in psychology. Let us pray for our bishops, that they truly implement the teaching of Vatican II, liturgically and spiritually, as it stands within the whole history and tradition of the Catholic Church. I will have more to write on this in the future.
Carney’s Amoral Majority
After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→
Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress
This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→
A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop
As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→
A Tale of Two Benedicts
A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→
My Name is Bernadette
April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→
Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk
As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→
The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus
As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→
Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace
Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→
Payette’s Payout
I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→