All Hallowed Eve, the Goats and the Sheep

‘Tis All Hallowed Eve, the vigil of All Saints’ Day, first officially instituted by Pope Gregory III (731 – 741), during what we know ironically as the ‘dark ages’, for during which many things of light occurred, such as this glorious feast, in an oratory in Saint Peter’s (not the glorious structure we now stands on that spot, constructed during the renaissance). Since then we have celebrated with great joy all the saints, known and especially those unknown, our own ancestors, grandparents, parents, relatives and friends, now enjoying heavenly bliss.

This is also, less felicitously, the 502nd anniversary of the restless Augustinian monk Martin Luther posting of his ’95 theses’ to the church door in Wittenburg. Its contents, about the nature of indulgences and such, would read rather picayune to our ears accustomed to far more vivid scandals. But that sheaf of paper set off the still-continuing conflagration and fragmentation known as the Protestant reformation. Small events may mean a lot more than their size may at first indicate

On that note, this October day is also the anniversary of the accession of Romulus Augustulus, the last Emperor of Rome, named after one of the two brothers who founded Rome in their legends. His ‘real’ name was Augustus (a title first adopted by Caesar’s nephew, under whom Christ was born), but was so pathetic and powerless that the moniker Augustulus, ‘little Augustus’, stuck. His deposition in 476 by the barbarian general Odoacer – on September 4th, is seen by some as the ‘fall’ of the Roman Empire, even if others see this as more of an alteration, shall we say, from rule by descendants of nobility to rule by a more barbaric code – hence, the ‘dark ages’.

We are in our own dark ages, ruled now by different, and more sinister, kind of barbarian, as Chesterton was wont to point out and prophesy. Witness Peter McKay, a self-styled ‘conservative’, a rather pathetic figure, always chasing leadership and never quite grasping it, recently claiming that Andrew Scheer lost because of the ‘stinking albatross of social conservatism’ – yes, those are his words – hanging around his neck. And we all know what is meant by ‘social conservatism’ – any belief in objective morality, that certain actions are wrong semper et pro semper, to use Pope Saint John Paul’s words. We are so far from that in Canada, allowing our children to be indoctrinated in a Godless school system now for more than two generations, that we call evil, good, and good, evil, to paraphrase Christ, and the transvaluation of all values, to quote a devoted enemy of the Galilean, Nietzsche.

A significant number of Canadians now see Hallowe’en as their favorite holiday, and not in the sense of the vigil of All Saints, but all the glorification of horror, evil, blood and mayhem in which we are all too steeped in reality. As Sean Fitzpatrick points out this morning in Crisis, we are dressing up as ourselves.

As a cultural artefact, here are some lyrics to a popular song by the band One Republic, one I have listened more than once, but never caught the lyrics. Then again, does one have to ‘catch’ the lyrics to have them seep into our brains in some insidious way?

I feel something so right by doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong by doing the right thing
I couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie
Every thing that kills me makes me feel alive

A fitting memento to our generation in love with Thanatos, with death itself. It bodes not well to consort with the goats.

We, as Catholics, are hopefully frolicking joyfully with the safely grazing sheep, celebrating life in all its fullness offered by Christ. To return to Pope John Paul on this holy evening:

Life will triumph: this is a sure hope for us. Yes, life will triumph because truth, goodness, joy and true progress are on the side of life. God, who loves life and gives it generously, is on the side of life

Amen to that, and keep those candles burning.

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→

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→

Remembering Father Alphonse de Valk

(Today marks the sixth anniversary of the death of Father Alphonse de Valk, C.S.B., a faithful, courageous and indefatigable Basilian priest, pro-life-and-family apostle, and the founder of Catholic Insight magazine. Here is what we wrote those on his entering into eternity five years ago, as we continue to remember him in our prayers and thoughts)[…]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→

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→

Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów

We celebrate Saint Stanislaus today (+ April 11, 1079), in light of this Easter Octave, a bishop and martyr who accepted the episcopacy only at the direct order of Pope Alexander II. He proved a wise and courageous leader of his flock, put to death by his own king, Boleslaus, for rebuking the monarch’s ‘immoral[…]Continue reading→