The movie Braveheart dramatizes the heroic struggle, led by the commoner William Wallace, for Scottish independence. In one scene, the Scottish nobles gather after some initial victories by William Wallace over the English. The nobles begin bickering over how best to negotiate with the English King, Edward Longshanks, for they fear losing their lands and moneys if they push Longshanks too hard. Disgusted, Wallace begins to walk out of the room when he is stopped and asked his plans:
Wallace: I will invade England and defeat the English on their own ground.
Lord Craig: Invade? That’s impossible.
Wallace: Why? Why is that impossible? You’re so concerned with squabbling for the scraps from Longshanks’ table that you’ve missed your God-given right to something better. There is a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with possession. I think your possession exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it.
I’m often reminded of this scene when I see how Catholic leaders today – clerical or lay – act in relation to the world. Although the Catholic Church has been given the words of everlasting life, most Catholic leaders seem content to squabble over the scraps from the world’s table – working to make Catholicism palatable to polite society, simply satisfied with the continued existence of the Church and doing nothing to expand her footprint. When anyone suggests that perhaps we should “invade England,” i.e., resist the world’s lies completely and work for its total conversion to Catholicism, these same leaders are quick to say, “That’s impossible,” for all sorts of timid reasons – “No one will listen to us,” “We have to meet people where they are,” and “We can’t be triumphalistic.” But it is fear of rejection – and fear of losing their current comfortable positions – that is driving their timidity. All the while faithful Catholics are denied their God-given right to something better – a full and unadulterated proclamation and practice of Catholicism.
What would such a proclamation and practice look like? Here are some starters:
Full-throated defense of the Church’s moral teaching. No more tepid justifications for why we should go along with the death march that is our modern culture: “We must accompany people on their journey.” “We are just making a pastoral, not a doctrinal, change.” Instead we need a robust defense and explanation for why the Church’s moral teachings are the only sane ones in an insane world, and an exhortation to follow them, that we may find true joy and peace.
Condemnation of error and those that promote it. No more acting as if orthodoxy is an option, while souls are falling deeper and deeper into sin and error. Leaders need to treat theological error for the serious danger it is: something that can separate us from God for all eternity. Further, those who promote error need to be publicly and strongly resisted, not given tenured positions at “Catholic” universities (or promoted to Cardinalate dioceses).
A liturgy that reflects the grandeur of what it is celebrating. No more insipid, uninspiring liturgies that either would be more at home in a Gilbert & Sullivan show or reflect a deep-seated apathy toward the Faith. We need liturgical celebrations to be reverent, serious, and awe-inspiring. Did I mention reverent?
Proclamation of the superiority of Catholicism. No more acting as if every Tom, Dick and Martin Luther has more religious wisdom than Thomas Aquinas and Augustine put together. We need to start proclaiming that the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus Christ, and that eternal salvation comes through her. Souls are depending on it.
A concern for the next life more than this life. No more treating recycling campaigns and government social programs as if they are more important than the eternal destination of souls. Our sights have been set so low over the past few decades that we forget that it is only the Church that has the means to solve the greatest problems in existence: sin and death. The guiding principle of every action of a Church leader must be “Will this help or hinder souls getting to Heaven?”
For far too long Church leaders – again, lay as well as clerical – have thought that their positions exist to provide them with prestige, invitations to dine with the Important People, and as a means to book deals, TV shows, and speaking engagements. In reality their positions exist to provide people with the path to eternal life. Only if they stop squabbling for the world’s scraps and instead “invade England” – i.e., confront the world head-on and work for its complete conversion – can the Church fulfill her mandate, given to her by Christ, to “make disciples of all nations” and thus conquer, instead of conform to, the world.
Spiritually, intellectually, morally, artistically, politically… our choice is to be Warriors or Martyrs.
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
What force or guile could not subdue,
Thro’ many warlike ages,
Is wrought now by a coward few,
For hireling traitor’s wages.
The English steel we could disdain,
Secure in valour’s station;
But English gold has been our bane –
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
I love to hear this song unaccompanied by any instrument, a voice alone. It is powerful and damning. The Scots and my people, the Irish, always seemed to lose on the battlefield, but they also ended up with the most enduring music because of their defeats.
Yes, all that is written is the ideal but we are not experiencing it at this time. When God intervenes perhaps it will become reality? It must start in the grass roots for now with the laity because we do not have enough shepherds with the moral courage, holiness, and fortitude to stand against the gale winds of worldly respect to lead. When climate change and illegal immigration are on the front burner and the ‘accompaniment’ of those in sin while refusing the hard truth to them, then we surely are lacking shepherds to point us in the ways of holiness and the salvation of our souls.
St. Augustine said that the road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops.
I think it was St. John Chrysostom who said that. But it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Augustine said something like it.
Do you know his bit about how if it were for the bishops of the Church he wouldn’t belong to it, but only because it is founded by Christ is he connected?
The Path to Hell is Paved with the Skulls of Bishops: 8 Quotes and Sources
http://www.stpeterslist.com/7334/the-path-to-hell-is-paved-with-the-skulls-of-bishops-8-quotes-and-sources/
Catholic Pride? Catholic Warriors? We are so far from that.
In Spain, where an ‘artist’ deliberately desecrated 242 consecrated hosts, ( pilfered by attending Mass where he received in the hand), the bishops response to this profanation is woefully inadequate.
Father Jerabek in his blog relates this, and asks all of us to make reparation for this desecration?
http://fatherjerabek.com/2015/11/24/shocking-desecration/
It is interesting that he even claims that they are all the Blessed Sacrament:
A) If it’s meaningless and symbolic, then why?
B) If he believes it is truly Christ, then again, why?
He is working for Satan.
He can’t kill Christ Himself, so he does the next best thing ? Makes sense to me.
Someday I wish someone would explain why the movie Braveheart is often brought out as a source of inspiration in discussions of Catholic identity, The conflict between Wallace and the English was not about religion and both sides were Catholic.
I anticipated this exact response when I published this today, but I was hoping I’d be disappointed.
The movie was a major pop culture event, and began a string of historical epics in cinema. It had a huge following, particularly among men, and it inspired in them a sense of finding a thing worth fighting for.
It’s really simple. We needn’t look for a deeper religious connection.
You were hoping you’d be disappointed? Are you disappointed anyone would pose my question? I was not trying to be snarky; I honestly don’t get it.
If people like that movie, fine. It’s hardly the first story about people fighting for something they believe in. What were all those Errol Flynn swashbucklers about?
The point found in Braveheart is not about swashbuckling. It has far greater dimension than that. Reread the post and watch the video again, and you might get it.
Flynn never articulated a principle beyond standard throw-away lines, and many of them were scripted as taunting or humorous for entertainment.
Gibson was making a significant point, and there were others in that film as well which spoke deeply to men open to being called to be manly leaders in a seemingly hopeless cause.
Like Steve, I’m disappointed to see your comment, but it also worries me. Your reactions are much too framed in a literal reception of what you think you see on-screen and the non-salient facts you draw from history are blocking your view of what is.
How can we be steeped in this culture and NOT be tricked by some elements? Goodness knows I believed a lot of bunk that clear thinking could reverse, but not all at once. There are layers and layers of lies and stupidity heaped on everyone exposed to the culture. Kids are simply not equipped to navigate even public schools, say in the 70’s or 80’s without being fooled at least some of the time. I sure was. Today the lies are layered FAR more deeply than then.
And Errol Flynn was a flaming homosexual? Sorry….I could not resist.
There’s that masculine doing what needs to be done.
For the same reason Stephen Ambrose entitled his history of an American parachute regiment “Band of Brothers”–despite the fact none of them were fighting for the English crown against France.
Not that it makes that much difference but I think William Wallace is saying position, not possession. It works either way though.
I hear that too. There is no doubt a screenplay somewhere that could remove doubt.
Didn’t someone once say that the truth will set you free? Let us proclaim the splendor of the truth, and that the joy of the Gospel is overcoming sin and living in grace.
a
Braveheart style quote came to mind from reading the article, “These
people steal our faith, steal the beauty of Catholic Worship, Music and
Tradition, give me one chance I tell you and we will beat them, because
they can try to take it, but they can never take our Faith!”
Well written, Eric. Your points are spot on. I believe our church has been emasculated. We need strong leaders who no longer need to hide their pectoral crosses inside the pockets of their jackets unless they’re at dinner.
Your description of the faults of today’s church fall under the category of dialogue, (ecumenism) which accepts the culture and ends up being ashamed of the truth, a concept adopted by the spirit of V2. Ecumenism is solemn nonsense. Proselytism as was done by missionaries and priests through the centuries needs to be returned to.
Yes to all of these, but especially, “Proclamation of the superiority of Catholicism.”
Bravo. A great first step would be for the next successor to Peter to replace the current Archbishop of Washington, D.C. with someone who will start informing alleged Catholics like Anthony Kennedy and various pro-abort politicians that they must either repent of their public sins or no longer present themselves for Holy Communion anywhere in the Archdiocese.
Respectfully to the author, if Europeans were to attempt to preserve their nations the way that Wallace’s Scotland did, they would have to embrace a Catholicized white nationalism. One only need to look at Front National or the Christian traditionalist web sites run by Orthodox and and other Christians. They are vilified for their advocacy as is the identitarian movements in France, which are led by young people bequeathed the sexually degenerated culture of the 68ers.
That won’t fly with most Catholics, even the traditional types, who believe that love of your people and love of your nation makes you a National Socialist. Let’s not tip-toe around what Braveheart was really about: ethnic and national identity.
One of the reasons for Braveheart’s success is that it appeals on a very primal level to love of your own, love of your land and love of your history and the traditions that flow from it. If the same movie were released today, it wouldn’t do that well. Cultural Marxism has made such inroads at this point that young men have deeply internalized the message of self-loathing, hatred of their own kind and blind obedience to global capitalism as the only sure path to a mediocre but tolerable existence. Men like Pope Francis are there to make sure that the self-hatred sticks and sticks good among the few remaining practicing Catholics in the West.
Charges of racism are constant and crippling against any who stand against the islamification of Europe, but I haven’t seen much evidence of it in those groups. It’s a cheap shot that casts great fear these days. Unfortunately, many nationalistic groups are almost entirely secular and the culture they want to save is pretty depraved already. Thus if Catholics were to speak firmly in defense of an authentic Christian culture, no doubt the racism charge would then be joined by all sorts of other invective, since very few people anywhere understand the breadth and depth of the faith.
The slow-motion train wreck we’re watching is the moral vacuum of the West being filled by the primal fierceness of jihadis, who love death more than we love life. I believe Mr Sammons is correct in his assessment, but those who will choose to stand upright for truth against both enemies will probably be few in number — but all the more glorious for their singularity. Such is the nature of heroic virtue at all times.
White nationalism is mostly a failure from the start since most of its adherents are secular. I use the word “secular,” “atheist,” and “agnostic” interchangeably along with “materialist” because at the end of the day, their metaphysical view is no different from a modern Jew, humanist or Freemason. They ignore the very institution which preserved Europe’s racial and religious identity — the Catholic Faith — and so cannot be taken seriously. As Jones pointed out in an interview on YouTube, one cannot really take Kevin MacDonald seriously when he criticizes Jewish behavior while completely ignoring that the Catholic Church placed very strict limits usury and the promulgation of impious writings (cf. the banning and burning of Talmuds in medieval Europe). MacDonald is, like most of those in his orbit, irrationally afraid of the physician who has the cure for a serious, life-threatening ailment.
When the spirit leaves, the body dies. Most white nationalists are trying to revive a corpse, thinking that there is no such thing as a “soul,” and are confused as to why their efforts are to no avail. White nationalists are understandably upset by the sudden uptick in rapes caused by the refugees (aka, rapeugees). What they miss of course is that atheists don’t reproduce and they don’t fight to the death to save their people. (Those who don’t reproduce have no skin in the game so to speak.) Christians did these very things repeatedly in the face of Islam because they knew that their reward was in the next life. Since nationalists are largely atheist, they are not in any position to do anything except complain. The key though is linking ethnic and racial identity to the Faith and making it clear that all traditional cultures must be preserved from the onslaught of global capitalism and debt bondage. Porn has already made its way to India and that nation is experiencing social destabilization and bondage to the money power.
What has been done to West will also be done to Africa. Obama has already made one trip to that continent in order to bolster support for sodomy. NGOs and corporations will increase pressure in the coming days to make Africans tolerant to sodomy. I pray that Africa remains strong against Western predations.
Too despairing. Hope, one of the Theological Virtues, is much needed at this time. It allows one to push past the “reality” of a situation and see God’s victory here and now.
Amen.
Thanks Eric. Very well said. Our clergy has largely surrendered to the culture and are in the process, particularly since Vatican II, of marrying Catholicism and Secularism. We now have Catholic externals and Secular internals thus having the appearance of being Catholic while serving the gods of materialism. Bottom line: we are losing big time. And even worse we now have a Pope who is leading the retreat with trumpets blaring.
One prays that God will raise up a William Wallace of the Catholic Church to encourage us in the battle for the heart of the Church which has grown lukewarm it it’s desire to be acceptable to modern society.
We must remember that Christ was never acceptable in the polite society of His time and neither should we.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10
From your lips to God’s ear, my friend. Check out this article on the church in France (France!). It’s a nice companion piece to your article above, showing what a confident and unapologetic church can look like in a post-Catholic environment.: http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/4385/frances_catholic_revolution.aspx
Dean speaks here of the hopeful article in CWR on the Church in France. In the same vein:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb7zokdXbnY
Here (URL above) is the perfect marching song for all of us as we prepare (I hope) to do battle with the Mohammedan cutthroats everywhere. For those who understand French, no explanation of its stirring message is needed. For those who don’t, suffice it to say that the text (by Ste Thérèse de Lisieux) is as stirring as the music (written by Vincent Lecornier). I am convinced that till France reclaims her title of ”fille ainée de l’Église” (eldest daughter of the Church), she hasn’t a prayer [no pun intended] of prevailing against the onslaught of the Islamic hordes. Here is the text in French and an English translation:
Jeanne, Seigneur, est ton oeuvre splendide
(Joan, Lord, is your splendid handiwork)
Un cœur de feu, une âme de guerrier
(A heart of fire, a warrior’s soul)
Tu les donnas à la Vierge timide
(You gave to the timid Maid)
Que tu voulais couronner de laurier.
(Whom you wished to wear the laurel crown.)
Refrain
Sainte Jeanne de France
(St. Joan of France)
Notre espérance repose en vous
(Our hope rests with you)
Sainte Jeanne de France
(St. Joan of France)
Priez, priez pour nous.
(Pray, pray for us.)
Jeanne entendit dans son humble prairie
(Joan heard in her humble meadow)
Des voix du Ciel l’appeler au combat
(Voices from Heaven call her to battle)
Elle partit pour sauver la patrie
(She went to save the land)
La douce Enfant à l’armée commanda.
(The sweet Child took command of the army)
Des fiers guerriers elle gagna les âmes
(She won the hearts of fierce warriors)
L’éclat divin de l’Envoyée des Cieux
(The divine brilliance of the Envoy of Heaven)
Son pur regard, ses paroles de flammes
(Her clear gaze, her words of fire)
Surent courber les fronts audacieux….
(Bowed the foreheads of bold men)
Jeanne, c’est toi notre unique espérance
(Joan, you are our only hope)
Du haut des Cieux, daigne entendre nos voix
(From on high, deign to hear our voices)
Descends vers nous, viens convertir la France
(Come down to us, come convert France)
Viens la sauver une seconde fois.
(Come and save her a second time.)
Eric, I’m pretty much a sucker for anything Braveheart, (regardless of possible historical errors). The connection you make, and the call for genuine leadership on the part of both the laity and the clergy will hopefully be heard.
Very minor quibble: Wallace says “. . . provide you with position,” not “provide you with possession.”
“Condemnation of error and those who promote it…” Well this would have been a good time for the author to state who he means. Give us the names of the professors bishops (and pontiffs?) you have in mind and why… Why the timidity? Isn’t that what this article is deploring?
Everything written about in your proclamation was exactly how the Faith was taught to me when I attended Catholic school 1954-1966. The 2nd Vatican Council put a stop to all that; hence our current situation in which I’d guess that at least 75% of baptized Catholics do not know the true Faith. I think the stats would bear that out. Just read some of the Encyclicals before VII. They were quite clear in expressing the unchanging Faith. Since VII, the Pontiffs have actually apologized for the Church. Not only is that insulting, it borders on blasphemy. They have tried to make us ashamed of our Church and with many, they have succeeded. To truly know the Church is to love the Church. This is the gift Our Savior left us.
The problem this article is referring to has a name: “Vatican II.”
And if VII isn’t in error technically, it errors by omission (due to ambiguity) and by providing some justification for a passive compromising attitude to the world.
The whole problem is that we have forgotten Our Lord’s warning about the world and the Church’s historic attitude of contempt for the world and keeping its influence at arm’s length.
STM the Church deserves much better than to be associated with unhistorical garbage like “Braveheart”. Thirteenth-century Scots did not wear kilts or woad, any more than Archbishop John Carroll wore a tartan jumpsuit or spoke Klingon. Please don’t associate the One True Church with trashy films 🙁 They are not worthy to be associated with her.
“Condemnation of error and those that promote it.” What happened to “Love the sinner but hate the sin?” It is not our place to condemn people! Judge not! To condemn people is an error in itself.
Oh, boy.
You’re putting us on, right, Ann? I mean, you’re doing a stand-up of Pope Francis and his favorite schtick, isn’t that it?
I do as my priest instructs us to do, and that is “Never judge.” When you sit in judgement of others (i.e. “condemn”) you have just promoted yourself to the position of God. Condemnation of others by us is in direct contradiction of Catholic teaching. I am amazed at how many commenters supported the ideas in this piece. The author and all you supporters are professing heresy. I am stunned also that One Peter 5 ran it. This is not Catholicism.
What amazes me is the way you carelessly sling around the word “heresy”. Only slightly less amazing is your sanctimoniousness.
her·e·sy
ˈherəsē/
noun
noun: heresy; plural noun: heresies
belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.”Huss was burned for heresy”
synonyms:dissension, dissent, nonconformity, heterodoxy, unorthodoxy, apostasy, blasphemy, freethinking; More
agnosticism, atheism, nonbelief;
idolatry, paganism
“an age in which scientists were often accused of heresy”
opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.”cutting capital gains taxes is heresy”
So if you want to put yourself in that proud class of bigoted haters, go right ahead. You’re not ashamed of going around judging people?
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:17
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who
was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding
for us.” Romans 8:34
Ann, you’re a bloody bore.
I hope you will listen to God’s word and keep it. May you go with God.
Eric-You keep on keepin’ on and never stop saying this. Those comfortably in bed with the Powers That Be almost faint if you add this to your proclamations and practices: It is a mortal sin for a Catholic with a well formed conscience to vote for any Democrat. Of course this is true for some other individuals of some other parties, but it is now true for ALL democrats at all levels of government. Guy McClung, San Antonio, Texas
Once again, we need a convert to remind us “cradle Catholics” why it was worth their struggle and sacrifice to cross over the Tiber. And the fight doesn’t end once that crossing has been made, because Truth is worth fighting for.
Excellent!
Leadership must come from the top. We won’t have any for the foreseeable future. Next Pope, please. Robert Cardinal Sarah.
wellcome to the church not long ago
http://nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm
here is the german pope ratzi
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/01/26/pope.holocaust.denial/index.html?iref=24hours
What Would Mel Gibson and Hollywood Do? No.
Well done. Thank you, it gives me hope to see that there are still a few real men around with supernatural faith. That faith which inflames the hearts of many. That faith which is not willing to compromise with lies, deception, disorientation, and political correctness. In a word, the true Faith which by the grace of God, care little for human respect and cares more for spreading the truth about Christ crucified and His Church.
Spot-on, indeed.
“Ridged” of course, but spot-on.
Well written, indeed.
Nevertheless, William Wallace is anathema to the current Vatican powers-that-be.
He is much too “ridged”, which is a code word for having a spine.
John the Baptist and Joan of Arc would also be a bit too “ridged” for the current bishop of Rome.
Meanwhile, did everyone enjoy the ightshow which profaned the most sacred place in Catholicism? Good one, Francis, well done.
I think we DO need to meet people where we are. However, I would agree that we CAN’T JUST STAY THERE.