‘Conservatives’ Inc, and Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize

The saying goes that politics is a mugs’ game, the art of the possible and the practical and all that, and we must take what we can get – the crumbs off the master’s table, so to speak.

Perhaps there be some truth in this, but it’s sort of looking at things backwards. To paraphrase Chesterton, who is in turn paraphrasing Christ, we must keep our eyes on the ideal, and the practical will – almost – take care of itself. If we lost sight of the ideal, of the ‘goal of all our striving’, then nothing practical will work – in fact, it all falls apart.

How can we build houses, when we know not what houses are for? (As homes for thriving families, and not childless ‘partners’). What of schools, when we have lost sight of the purpose of education – ultimately, to form souls for heaven? And laws, whose primary purpose is to protect those who otherwise cannot be protected?

And what is the purpose of a ‘conservative’ party that knows not what to conserve, and even what it does purport to conserve, cannot?

Hence, the election of someone like Erin O’Toole, whose squishy ‘principles’ mirror those of his party, and the broader culture, was nearly a foregone conclusion. I write ‘nearly’, since God can perform miracles, but usually allows nature – itself a sort of miracle in a way – to take its course.

Hence, we need to rebuild and reform culture, one person, one small society, at a time. For if we all had our eyes on the ultimate prize, we would never have ‘pro-abortion’ politicians – under the mantra of ‘pro-choice’, of course. In fact, we wouldn’t even have abortion, nor all the other infernal policies infecting the body politic.

So, we in the trenches plod along, striving to hold our stations, to stand on guard, to do our duty, so that we may be found faithful by the just Judge, Who will judge all things, and all people, in that truth that will stand until He comes again.

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→