Greta’s Green Grapes

I was going to write about Greta Thunberg, the Swedish moppet who has some serious sour grapes about climate change, and is famous for organizing the now-worldwide ‘Climate Strike’, where students walk out of class to protest inaction on ‘climate change’. So, students do nothing because governments do nothing.

Readers may expect that I would harp on yet again that for a hypothesis to be ‘scientific’ it must be open to falsification. Yet, since the climate is always changing, how is one ever to prove or refute that the climate is, er, not changing? Or is it not changing enough, or too much, or, perhaps, too violently? Is it getting too hot or, as I sit here in frigid late-April in Ontario, too cold? Are there more or fewer hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, or doldrums, than in 1900, 1000, or perhaps 4000 years B.C. or whenever Abraham made his pilgrimage? Who’s to say?

Now we see that the Holy Father, who personally believes in ‘climate change’, an opinion not particularly binding on the consciences of Catholics as outside of revealed doctrine, has personally and publicly encouraged young Miss Thungberg – given a V.I.P. seat in a recent audience – to continue her efforts, which began with her organizing a one-day school walk-out in protest. Not that I mind her playing truant, given the sad state of the statist school system, not least in Sweden, where homeschooling is illegal, and students indoctrinated in such things as ‘climate change is the greatest threat humanity has ever faced’.

Better papal advice might have been for Greta to hit some of the good and great books, to learn something of science, statistical methodology and how these might be misused in the service of ideologies; the philosophical roots of the environmental movement and the place of Man in the order of creation. In a word, to be taught before teaching others.

Instead, little Greta has ended up on the talk-show circuit, giving speeches to the United Nations, and even being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. A child prophet, one might think, but not quite what Joel had in mind in reference to the future prophetic gifts of Israel’s sons and daughters.

By the bye, one might legitimately wonder what climate science has to do with peace. Does war cause climate change, or climate change, war? I suppose people might prefer to fight when it is nice outside, rather than windy and rainy, or frigid cold, as Napoleon’s troops discovered in their attempt to take Stalingrad. But then, on the other hand, warm and sunny weather might produce more irenic dispositions of camaraderie, to frolic and make peace and throw frisbees instead of spears, to say nothing of an increase in crop yields, including grapes and barley for wine, Scotch and fine ales; and one is loathe to fight on a full belly and a warm glow. So why not bring on a bit of global warming?

Of course, at a deeper and more serious level, whatever good there is in proper Catholic ecology, care for the Earth and its resources, the environmentalist movement as a whole is compromised by an anti-human moral rot, which principle we must resist with might and main, with a clear mind and conscience, and a solid pro-family and pro-child message, not something you hear much in Swedish school system, nor the U.N., and definitely not a message that will get one a Nobel Peace Prize.

Then again, such would be a cause worth walking out of class for.

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→