Heh, heh. Watch this. Just what every encampment needs.
Have this. Highly recommended.
No Moms Beyond This Point
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Monthly Archives: August 2007
Paternal Bureaucratic Red Tape
This is just what the guard dad needs for his dating age daughter’s prospective suitors.
Nothing like red tape to produce complete discouragement.
Retreat!
Peter Hermit Preaching to the Crusaders
No, that’s not “run away”! kind of retreat, but “pray and fast” kind of retreat.
It takes a lot out of a friar-priest to preach to all you raucous knights and men at arms. Try to be good while I am away.
Back on Thursday. Not a long retreat, but I’ll take anything I can get.
While I am away, here is something to think about from Blessed Raymond Lull, Franciscan tertiary, martyr and philosopher. Previous to his religious profession, he had been a knight, and had formulated the earliest known manual in the West on Chivalry, his Book of Knighthood and Chivalry:
Strength and Chastity
Strength is a virtue which remains and dwells in noble courage against the seven deadly sins, by which men go to hell to suffer and sustain grievous torments without end. The sins are Gluttony, Lechery, Avarice, Pride, Sloth, Envy, and Ire. Then a knight who follows such a way, goes not in the ways of nobility of heart, nor should he make these sins his habit. Gluttony causes feebleness of body by overmuch eating and drinking. In overmuch drinking, Gluttony causes Sloth and laziness of body, which grieves the soul. All vices are contrary to chivalry, therefore the strong Courage of a noble knight fights with the aid of Abstinence, Prudence and Temperance that he has against Gluttony.
The translation is by Brian R. Price, who is founder of the Company of St. George, and who advocates a code of chivalry minus God. “A knight must have faith in his beliefs.” One hesitates to ask how it could be otherwise. Deep.
Fare ye well.
A Resolution to Defend the Weak
From Headquarters
WHEREAS, every human person is created in the image and likeness of God to whom all life belongs,
WHEREAS, therefore, every human person has an inviolable dignity and a fundamental right to life,
WHEREAS, that right is upheld by the infallible teaching of the Roman Catholic Church,
WHEREAS, abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia are sins against Almighty God, gravely contrary to human dignity as abominable acts of murder, and contrary to the Church’s teaching,
WHEREAS, every baptized Catholic is bound under the laws of the Church to accept the condemnation of a abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia, and are subject to the penalty of excommunication for notorious and obstinate dissent from this teaching,
WHEREAS, every Knight of Lepanto is a baptized Catholic, and has further sworn by a chivalrous vow to defend the Church and the weak,
WHEREAS, any public support of abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia on the part of a Knight of Lepanto is gravely contrary to both their obligations as a Roman Catholic and a Knight of Lepanto, is morally reprehensible, a public scandal and subject to the above mentioned penalties; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Knights of Lepanto will do all in their ability to defend the rights of the unborn, infirm and hopeless with every legitimate exercise of their power and resource; and be it further
RESOLVED, that any and all public dissent on the part of a Knight of Lepanto in whatever form from the Church’s teaching on abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia will absolutely not be tolerated under any circumstance; and be it further
RESOLVED, that every attempt to fraternally correct the brother will be made by the Tower Master and the brethren of the Tower, and in the event of the obstinate persistence of the brother in dissent from the Church’s teaching on abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia, the case will be referred to the Sovereign High Council ; and be it further
RESOLVED, that in the event of persistent and obstinate refusal on the part of the dissenting brother to reform his opinion and behavior, the Sovereign High Council must do its duty and issue a decree of expulsion, stripping the aforesaid brother of all insignia of our fellowship, breaking the spurs bestowed upon him at his investiture, and obliterating every sign of his association with the Knights of Lepanto; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Knights of Lepanto will direct all their power and every legitimate means against any all who publicly oppose the Church’s teaching on abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia, including any former Knight of Lepanto, and pursue canonical remedies against them.
The Knights of Columbus do great work around the world in support of life, but come on, guys, throw the bums out.
“Shunning,” it seems, is a word used to bring up all kinds of unsavory associations. Excommunication is used by the Church, not only punitively and to protect the common good, but also as a remedy for the sin of dissent. Heresy has consequences, eternal consequences. Temporal consequences help to make that clear. No one is served, least of all the dissenter, by leaving him in good standing.
Head and Heart
On Christian Marriage
CASTI CONNUBII
Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI on Christian Marriage
Issued on December 31, 1930
Section 27:
This subjection, however, does not deny or take away the liberty which fully belongs to the woman both in view of her dignity as a human person, and in view of her most noble office as wife and mother and companion; nor does it bid her obey her husband’s every request if not in harmony with right reason or with the dignity due to wife; nor, in fine, does it imply that the wife should be put on a level with those persons who in law are called minors, to whom it is customary to allow free exercise of their rights on account of their lack of mature judgment, or of their ignorance of human affairs. But it forbids that exaggerated liberty which cares not for the good of the family; it forbids that in this body which is the family, the heart be separated from the head to the great detriment of the whole body and the proximate danger of ruin. For if the man is the head, the woman is the heart, and as he occupies the chief place in ruling, so she may and ought to claim for herself the chief place in love.
Of course, the archetype for this is Christ on the Cross, leading and protecting his Bride the Church, and the Church, personified by His Mother, remaining wholly docile in loving solidarity. The ideal of a Knight and his Lady.
Dangerous Boys
Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Rio
At our father-son encampment last month during a talk, I asked the young boys who was their hero, the one they admired more than anyone else. (I told them to mention someone other than Jesus). I mostly heard the names of saints that I knew, but one little five year old boy shouted out “Blessed Luis!” I was perplexed at first because I thought he said “Blessed Louise,” but even after his father clarified, I drew a blank. I said “You’ll have to tell me all about him after,” and then went on to finish the talk.
Later on that day, the father and son did give me lowdown on Blessed Luis, and I sure was glad I had asked for the story. Heap awesome.
Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Rio was born in Sahuayo, Mexico on March 28, 1913. When he was 13 the Cristero war broke out. Catholic rebels against the anti-Catholic Masonic government escalated their resistance and took up arms. Blessed José Luis’ two older brothers joined the rebels, but he was held back by his mother.
The boy went to the rebel general, Prudencio Mendoza, and begged for an opportunity to give his life for Christ. In the end the general agreed to let him be flag bearer, and off the youngster went to war.
During one battle, the general’s horse was killed, so Blessed José Luis gave him his horse and then headed for cover, where he fired on the enemy until he ran out of ammunition. He was eventually captured by the government forces, who ordered him to renounce his faith. José Louis remained undeterred.
His captors forced him to witness the execution of one of his fellow Cristeros, thinking that this would frighten him. Instead he exhorted the man to die for Christ, and promised that they would soon meet in heaven.
Unable to break his resolve, the government ordered Blessed José Luis’ execution, and on February 10, 1928 they cut the bottoms of his feet and forced him to walk to a cemetery, all the while tempting him with promises of freedom if he would deny Christ. Through his tears, he refused and continued to walk.
His last words were a shout of “Long live Christ the King!” The government troops fired on him and he fell to the ground mortally wounded. He dipped his hand in his own blood and traced the sign of the Cross on the ground. His enemies fired again, and Blessed José Louis died kissing the cross. He was only 14 years old.
Pope Benedict beatified him on November 20, 2005.
The little five year old boy, who holds Blessed José Luis as his hero, heard the story read to him by his father and he loved it. It is a story of Knights and Dragons. It’s even better than that, because this story is true in the Primary World.
A boy loves danger, even if sometimes he is are afraid of the dark. A boy knows what a real hero is, and if given a chance will become one.
¡Viva Cristo Rey! ¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!
Source for biographical information: Wikipedia
Common Stereotypes of Men in Media
Media Awareness Network gives a good summary of the pathetic media attitudes towards men.
The Joker is a very popular character with boys, perhaps because laughter is part of their own “mask of masculinity.” A potential negative consequence of this stereotype is the assumption that boys and men should not be serious or emotional. However, researchers have also argued that humorous roles can be used to expand definitions of masculinity.
The Jock is always willing to “compromise his own long-term health; he must fight other men when necessary; he must avoid being soft; and he must be aggressive.” By demonstrating his power and strength, the jock wins the approval of other men and the adoration of women.
The Strong Silent Type focuses on “being in charge, acting decisively, containing emotion, and succeeding with women.” This stereotype reinforces the assumption that men and boys should always be in control, and that talking about one’s feelings is a sign of weakness.
The Big Shot is defined by his professional status. He is the “epitome of success, embodying the characteristics and acquiring the possessions that society deems valuable.” This stereotype suggests that a real man must be economically powerful and socially successful.
The Action Hero is “strong, but not necessarily silent. He is often angry. Above all, he is aggressive in the extreme and, increasingly over the past several decades, he engages in violent behavior.”
Another common stereotype…
The Buffoon commonly appears as a bungling father figure in TV ads and sitcoms. Usually well-intentioned and light-hearted, these characters range from slightly inept to completely hopeless when it comes to parenting their children or dealing with domestic (or workplace) issues.
Needless to say there is no category The Knight.
When will Fathers defend Fatherhood?
AirMaria has posted a link to a disturbing article on the relationship of fatherlessness to the rising crime rate in Newark, New Jersey. The author Steven Malanga is astonished by the fact the the starkness of the situation has been largely ignored by those in positions of responsibility, including the clergy.
No problem could be more obvious, nor silence on the matter more devastating. Nevertheless, instead of coming out swinging in homilies against the disparagement of fatherhood, too often homilies begin with “My sisters and brothers”–a bone tossed to the feminists for no good reason. Why should anyone apologize for the fact that women are not men? Women are not being helped by this, and most of them are not impressed by men who wring their hands over bogus feminist gripes.
Angry women are angry because fathers have not been fatherly, not because fatherhood and manliness are brutal. Our effeminate age is one of the main culprits behind male irresponsibility and brutality.
Angry children are angry, because they have no guidance and no control. No one makes reasonable expectations of them, and then gives them the means to achieve them. In a word, they are without fathers.
It is so frustrating that “fathers” in civil life and in the pulpit think themselves acting on behalf of the common good by giving us more mush, and less fatherhood.
The dysfunctional family is both nuclear and societal. It is a crisis of fatherhood. It needs to end now.
Men of Honor: Masculinity and the Faith
In the face of the attacks upon the sanctity of human life, of marriage and family life Catholic men are called upon value their Christian honor, and to consider inaction in the face of peril to be a blemish upon their person, a breach of their duty to protect the weak, and most of all, a failure to serve faithfully their Lord Jesus Christ, and His Queen Mother Mary. We can take courage from the example given to us by our holy and late pope, John Paul II. But admiration is not enough. Throughout history, evil times have given rise to great men. We must not be afraid to be heroes. Continue reading
