Hope Amidst Hopelessness
One wonders why, but the mysterium iniquitatis may never be fully answered. An abortionist in Illinois – he seems to have been the only one willing to fulfil the ghastly deed for years – kept the bodies of over two thousand fetuses – that is, babies – in his home, his car. They will now be properly buried, which is required by law in the state, even if they ironically and tragically still allow pre-born murder. After all, if the bodies should be buried, are they not human? And, if human, deserving of life? But we pray that these children may see the fullness of life, and that the morally blind ‘doctor’ see the truth before he faces his own judgement.
This reminds me, in an inverse sort of way, of the story of Stojan Adasevic, the Serbian abortionist who killed over 45,000 babies, and was one day visited in a dream by none other than Thomas Aquinas, whom he did not know and of whom he had never heard. Around the Angelic Doctor in the heavenly vision were a number of angelic children of varying ages – when Stojan asked who he was and who they were, Thomas replied with his usual brevity: “My name is Thomas Aquinas…And they are the ones you killed with your abortions”. Shaken, Dr. Adasevic after awakening committed one more abortion, on his own cousin, and the baby’s heart came out beating. He realized then and there that he had killed a human being, and never did another, and, like the late Bernard Nathanson, took up the cause of a pro-life warrior, to this day. One may always hope.
And while on hope, I had never heard of Caroline Flack, nor of the shows she hosted, her media presence, but was saddened to hear of her recent suicide, which struck me in a particular way. I glanced at the trajectory of her life – a series of failed romances, including Prince Harry; constant exposure by the press; keeping up appearances for her fans; and, most recently, an assault charge against her boyfriend, not long after her 40th birthday. Was she looking for love? For children and family life? There are so many that seek the apparent good, but know not, and never are given, the true good. I know not if she had faith, but we may hope that whatever of the truth she did have, she reached out to in the end. As we witness the growing encroachment of euthanasia – the apparent ‘easy way out’ – we should recall with the full firmness our faith offers that taking one’s life is always a tragic thing, so if you hear of anyone leaning that way, reach out to them, pray for and even with them, and, remember, each stage of life has its own joys, and one may always begin to do the good that God wills, which may be done in a short or long space, as the parable of the workers in the field – one hour or twelve hours – makes clear.
And on idle workers, the roadblocks continue, with Trudeau’s pathetic dithering, his seeking of peace, peace, when there is no peace. The emptiness of his rhetoric – and one wonders, trying not to judge the man, of his own principles, insofar as he holds any – are becoming daily more evident. As Augustine says, peace is the ‘tranquility of order’, and there is no order without law and its consistent application, via coercion if need be. As another saying goes, si vis pacem, para bellum, if you want peace, prepare for war. And it may be a war of some sort towards which we are headed, as citizens begin taking things into their own hands.
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→