Two Williams, Two Losses
By one of those historical coincidences that are all part of God’s good providence guiding all things to their final end, besides being Guy Fawkes’ Day (1605), this is also the anniversary eight decades on (1688) of the landing of William of Orange at the coastal town of Brixham in southern England, instantiating what some call the ‘Glorious Revolution’, the final and complete triumph of the Protestant monarchy over the tragic reign of the Catholic King, James II, who threw his Great Seal into the River Thames in disgust, as he retreated to France.
What made this more tragic was that James was the father of Mary, William’s wife, who was also his cousin – it was all in the family back then. Mary had been brought up in the ‘new religion’, and so was all on her husband’s, and not her father’s, side. On what side of God she was on, we will allow Him to discern.
What we can say is that England’s loss of the Faith has led inexorably to where she is now, a disintegrated nation with little in the way of identity or cohesion, a fragmented society descending into feralism. For all the valid principles involved – cutting the fetters of the bloated European Union and seeking noble independence – I have my serious doubts Brexit will save Britain; but, then again, crises can always lead to repentance, if seen in that light.
And while on the loss of merrie England, the ‘Greater Essex County School Board’, which may now be termed the lesser, is jettisoning Shakespeare in favour of ‘indigenous authors’ in its mandatory Grade 11 course. A certain Carolynn Howett, who is deputed to teach the said course, was at first taken aback by the loss of the Bard, and all the he represents, teaches, embodies, to be replaced with contemporary works of dubious value, besides, one may think, being ‘indigenous’. Would these works be read without the coercion of public law? As Ms. Howett put in in her capitulation to the statist powers-that-be: it’s just a different format, a different style, a different author, but it’s still all of the same things that we do in an English course.
Hmm. The ‘same things’?
As T.S. Eliot put it, no mean bard himself, there are two epochs that divide literature: Dante and Shakespeare, and the loss of either, or, worse both – whatever one thinks of indigenous works – is a lacuna from which I’m not sure we will recover. Shakespeare-less students will be left all the poorer.
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→