Courts, Cardinals and Constantine

Where does one even begin, as events outpace our capacity to absorb and assimilate them?

The U.S. Senate, by a rather slim majority (52 to 48) has confirmed Mrs. Amy Coney Barrett as the newest member of the Supreme Court of the United States. We should bridle our enthusiasm, for if our hope is not in armies, arms and horses, as Scripture sayeth, still less in the arm of lawyers or courts, supreme or otherwise. The theme of the Book of Judges is that we should not place our hope in judges, but rather in God. There is some concern over some of her Kennedy-esque statements on the them of her faith not influencing her judicial decisions – precedents and all that. At some point, sheer moral sanity must take over, before we mutilate another gender-confused child, or murder another one in the womb. Then again, the Almighty does work through secondary agents, and we may hope that things may improve, or at least the slide off the cliffs of insanity may be slowed for a time, and half a time.

The fallout from Pope Francis’ comments on homosexual civil unions in his recent biopic continue to wreak what havoc they might, however they were intended. And his recent appointment of 13 new cardinals – 9 of whom are of voting age (under 80) – brings the college of this august body up to 232 by my counting. Of those, 129 may now cast a ballot in the next conclave (unless some turn octogenarian in the meantime), which is 9 over the current limits of canon law. Can the Pope waive that? Well, with ‘supreme, universal authority’ it seems he can, and might – but I leave that for the lawyers. Certainly, there now seem to be a plurality of the cardinals are on board with whatever agenda Pope Francis has under his pectoral cross. Things don’t seem to be boding well, but, again, we should recall that the Holy Spirit has ways and means of moving events, and even the hearts of the most dogmatically unorthodox, which we know not.

After all, this is the traditional anniversary of the pagan emperor Constantine’s ‘vision of the cross’, as described, in different ways, by the contemporary historians Lactantius and Eusebius (the latter, he claims, from the emperor’s own mouth). On the eve of the battle of the Milvian Bridge in October of 312, Constantine saw in the sky (or a dream) the ‘sign of the cross’, in some accounts with the ‘Chi-Rho’, the first two letters of Christ’s name in Greek, superimposed, with the voice of God telling him Ἐν Τούτῳ Νίκα – ‘in (or through) this sign you will conquer’.

Constantine had the symbol engraved on the shields of his soldiers, and conquer they did, over the persecuting pagan Maxentius – who, somewhat symbolically, drowned in the Tiber – after which Constantine legalized Christianity by the Edict of Milan the following February (313), and was himself eventually baptized on this deathbed, by the aforementioned Eusebius, in 337.

Who would have thought, back in 303, in the midst of the worst of persecutions under Diocletian, that such would ever come to pass, and ‘Rome’ would become synonymous with ‘Catholicism’? (No jokes, please – whatever the current state of the Vatican, the Bishop of Rome is still the Vicar of Christ, and Rome still the centre of Christendom, from now unto the end…).

So, trust in God and praise Him still – that is our primary task, to be found doing what is our duty; He will act in His own good time.

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→