Emiliani, Magisterium, and Mohawks

Today, with Saint Josephine Bakhita, we also celebrate Saint Jerome Emiliani (+1537), who ran away from his home in Venice at the age of 15 after his father’s death, becoming a soldier in the wars then raging, taken prisoner, and underwent a deep conversion from his youthful indifference to religion, after what he deemed a miraculous escape at Our Lady’s intercession. He then devoted his time to the study of theology and works of charity, being ordained in 1518, and focused his apostolic ministry on the care of the sick and orphans – of whom he is the patron. Others joined him, and an Order was established in 1540 under Pope Paul III, the same pontiff to whom Copernicus dedicated his 1543 De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium on his own deathbed, the summing up of his astronomical theory that the Sun, not the Earth, was at the centre of the cosmos, causing quite a revolution, pun intended, or not.

I hope soon to write a summary of the consequent Galileo affair – the great Florentine scientist championed Copernicus’ complex theory as the ultimate, physical truth (when actually Kepler’s model with elliptical orbits was far closer the physical truth). Galileo was condemned by the then-Magisterium, a disciplinary decree that was not infallible.

We Catholics are now perforce to ponder more deeply the limits of Magisterial authority – specifically papal pronouncements – in light of the current holder of the office. As we await whatever is in store for us in the Amazonian post-synodal exhortation, the reader may peruse this hard-hitting article from National Review writer Daniel Mahoney.

We should recall the quip of the great Oratorian Cardinal and Church historian Venerable Cesare Baronius, that what matters most is not how the heavens go, but how to go to heaven, which I, with Mr. Mahoney, wished the Magisterium, and the Church universal, spent more of its time and energy doing.

The Mohawk ‘nation’ has blocked Via Rail trains from travelling on the Toronto-Montreal corridor, in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, protesting the proposed LNG pipeline out west.

I only have two questions concerning the whole Indigenous debacle:

Who counts as ‘Indigenous’, and how is this determined? Bloodline? Genetics? Adoption? Self-identification? Marriage? And is not this some sort of ironically inverse racism? The reader may recall a ‘law’ passed on Kahnawake reserve outside Montreal a number of years ago – that anyone marrying a non-Inidgenous person would be exiled. Is this still allowed in Canada? Or does a reserve still count as ‘Canada’?

The second question follows upon this rhetorical one: However one defines ‘indigenous’, are those who belong to this group under the rule of law in Canada? If not, then we are tottering towards a state of chaos and anarchy, if certain individuals of a certain ethnicity or religion can flout the law, while others cannot. The law either applies to everyone, or it applies to none, and becomes an arbitrary use of force.

A final note on violence, with a soldier in Thailand just shooting up a shopping mall, killing at least 16 people. We know not the motive or intent, but, as per our custom, pray for the dead, the wounded, the perpetrator and all those affected.

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→

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→

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→

Weronika Krawczyk and Injustice in Poland

Catholic Action in Poland has issued a formal statement appealing to the President of the Republic of Poland to pardon Weronika Krawczyk—convicted for warning other women against an abortion-performing gynaecologist. Catholic Action (AK) emphasizes that no apology is owed to a doctor who has performed numerous abortions and proposed others; furthermore, the organization considers the[…]Continue reading→

Three Easter Musical Gems: Bach, Palestrina and Byrd

A very blessed and glorious Easter! Christus surrexit vere, alleluia! As we begin this Easter Octave with the great Solemnity of Easter, music to lift the soul would be one of Bach’s Easter cantatas, composed during his time at Leipzig in the early 1700’s, for the six Sundays of this festive season, leading up to[…]Continue reading→

Saint Isidore of Seville, the Internet and Industriousness

Today, April 4th, muted this year by Holy Saturday, is the commemoration of Saint Isidore of Seville (560-636) a bishop and doctor of the Church during a tumultuous age, when civilization was crumbling, coming apart at its very seams, which may sound sort of au courant. Then again, the form of this world has always[…]Continue reading→

An Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday

The time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is one of waiting, in silence, as the world wonders – anticipates – what will happen, after the death of Christ. We re-live this time each year in the anamnesis of our liturgy, and in turn look forward to the glorious re-creation of all things at the[…]Continue reading→