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A publication of Traditional Catholics of America t Editor: Fr. Francis E. Fenton, STL
Volume No. 2 t March 1, 1985
The hurc ere
Fr. Francis E. Fenton
I n the natural order of things, life is man's most pre-
cious possession and, because it is, any sane
person will go to almost any length to preserve it. Of all
Roman Catholics possess today. If the day should ever
come when open and bloody persecution would con-
front us in the USA, would we do what so many of our
of the tendencies and inclinations which are part of hu- heroic predecessors in the Faith have done? Is our love
man nature, the strongest is that of self-preservation. for Christ and our loyalty to His Church of such a
Such is a simple and obvious fact of life. And so it is caliber that we would, if faced with the prospect, be
that a person who takes his own life, who commits sui- willing to make the supreme sacrifice of our lives in
cide, is rightly presumed to have been unbalanced, martyrdom? Unless we live the Faith here and now, will
mentally deranged. And so it is too that a person who we, if the day comes when Roman Catholics are con-
knowingly and willingly gives his life for another or in fronted with persecution and death, will we lay our
testimony to some noble cause is said to have made lives on the line in testimony to that Faith?
the supreme sacrifice. What more convincing proof
can there be, what more powerful testimony can be of- But what is meant by living the Faith? Well, it certainly
fered of one's love for one's fellowman or of one's ded- means living our daily lives in harmony with the mind
ication to an ideal? "Greater love than this no man has, and teachings of the Church: attending Mass, receiving
that a man Jay down his life for his friends." "We are the Sacraments, observing the Commandments of
willing to give in proportion as we love and, when love God and the precepts of the Church, saying the rosary,
is perfect, the sacrifice is complete." Some there are, and so on. Living our Faith means that our personal
of course, to whom life is so exceedingly precious that lives reflect favorably upon the Faith we profess. And,
the very thought of voluntarily parting with it for any in general, it is safe to say that traditional Roman
reason is abhorrent. To such people no cause, how- Catholics do live their Faith to that extent. But, regret-
ever exalted, however sacred, is worth sacrificing their tably, for the vast majority of such Catholics, living their
lives. From the ranks of such people come traitors. Faith means little or nothing more. As long as they
have the Mass and the Sacraments available to them,
The history of the Church is replete with accounts of they are, from my observation, quite content to let the
the extraordinary lives of personal sanctity of the saints rest of the world go by. They're going to save their own
and of the heroism of the martyrs. All down through the souls-and, undoubtedly, are concerned about the
Christian centuries multitudes of men and women, spiritual welfare and salvation of their family and close
both young and old and from all levels of society, have friends-and that's about it. Never mind the propaga-
willingly and joyfully made the supreme sacrifice of tion of the Faith, the conversion of non-Catholics to the
their lives in martyrdom in testimony to their love for one true Church, standing up and speaking out against
God and for His Church. Undergoing every imaginable the attacks made upon it, etc. Let someone else take
kind of suffering and torture, they sealed with their care of those things. Is this living the Faith? Hardly. Do
blood their proclamations of loyalty to Christ and fideli- such people actually belong to the same Church in loy-
ty to the Faith, even as they prayed for their persecu- alty to which multitudes of their predecessors in the
tors to their dying breath. To them (and their ranks Faith have been martyred? Is this the Church Militant?
included kings and queens) life literally meant nothing Some militancy! And I'll wager that there isn't a tradi-
if, to preserve it, they had to deny or compromise the tional group in the USA in which such traditional Catho-
Faith by word or deed. Truly this legion of martyrs is lics do not form the great majority of its membership.
one of the greatest glories of our beloved Church. And
the Faith which they professed and for which they lived The Roman Catholic Faith which we traditional Catho-
/ and died is the very same Faith which we traditional lics possess and profess is the greatest thi,ng in the
world, a jewel of inestimable worth, an incomparable outlook, a provincial frame of mind which always and
treasure. There is literally nothing of value under the everywhere ill becomes a Roman Catholic and, again,
sun to be compared with it. It is a thing of priceless especially here and now when the traditional remnant
merit to be cherished above all else. Indeed, so in- of the Church so desperately needs dedicated, apos-
comparably magnificent is membership in the Roman tolic, self-sacrificing men and women. Where are
Catholic Church that, in the words of Pope Pius XII, they? Yes, there are some-but precious few. Prayer
"nothing more glorious, nothing nobler … can be alone is not enough.
imagined.'' As multitudes of saints and martyrs and
others have incontestably proved all down through "But What Can I
the Christian centuries, no sacrifice is too great to Upon reading this article, some may likely ask the above
make in testimony to the unique truth and beauty and question. One of the things a Roman Catholic can do is
greatness and grandeur of our God-given Faith. In a to take action against the corporations which subsidize
word, there is absolutely nothing on earth-be it the very objectionable TV programs presenting illicit
fame, fortune, power, possessions, loved ones, even sex, violence, vulgarity, etc., some of which are also
life itself-which is comparable in value to the pre- anti-Catholic. Some of those corporations also advertise
cious, the priceless, the supreme treasure of the Faith in pornographic magazines or are the parent companies
which is ours through membership in the Roman of stores which sell pornography. Among the major
Catholic Church. Nor would any traditional Roman sponsors of immoral and irreligious TV programs are:
Catholic dispute this. So what? If our God-given Faith Proctor and Gamble; Sears, Roebuck and Company;
is ail that we firmly believe it to be, why is it that the American Home Products; Lever Brothers; Johnson
average traditional Catholic-however praiseworthy and Johnson; Coca-Cola Company; Helene Curtis In-
his personal life may be-leaves so much to be de- dustries: American Motors Corporation; Sterling Drug;
sired in terms of dedication, apostolic spirit mission- General Foods. There are scores of such corporations
ary zeal? and they produce hundreds of items. Among the many
stores selling pornography, the 7-Eleven stores are the
Thank God, there are notable exceptions every- largest retailer of pornography in the country.
where. But, so help me, I see more dedication to
physical fitness in the jogger panting along the high- As to what you can do, the answer is simple: You can
way than I see dedication to the cause of Christ and refuse to purchase any product of the offending corpo-
His Church in the average traditional Catholic; and rations and you can refrain from shopping in any store
more enthusiasm for, say, this or that professional which sells pornographic literature. Beyond that, so that
football team than I observe in the majority of tradi- your action may be more effective, you should write or
tional Catholics for the preservation and propagation phone the parent corporations to inform them of the rea-
of the Faith. This is simply unpardonable at any time son why you feel obliged to take such action. If enough
but especially in this our day when the enemies of concerned individuals across the country will do like-
God and Church are themselves so dedicated to their wise, it will get results in due time because the corpora-
satanic cause and have been so eminently successful tions involved will be affected financially-and, if sub-
to date in their subversion of religion. Just what. for stantially affected, they will cease their immoral prac-
example, does this average traditional Catholic do in tices. Every time an individual purchases any item pro-
terms of bringing the true Faith to his Conciliar Church duced by one of the corporations promoting immorality
and other non-Catholic associates or of counteracting or anti-Catholicism on TV or advertising in pornographic
in any way the immorality in which this nation is wal- magazines or selling such material, that individual is, in
lowing? Does he suppose for an instant that he is fact, collaborating with those corporations. Is he not?
doing the will of God solely by attending Mass and re-
ceiving the Sacraments whiie hardly raising a finger to The organization doing, far and away, the best work in
bring the impact of the Faith to bear upon the society the matter dealt with in this article is the National Fed-
in which he lives? eration of Decency (Post Office Drawer 2440, Tupelo,
Mississippi 38803). This organization is headed by a
Truly, the devil and his cohorts are winning the day non-Catholic clergyman, Rev. Donald E. Wildman. He
because of the apathy and passivity of good people. and his staff deserve the commendation and encour-
Evil is in the driver's seat because those who have the agement of all decency-minded Americans. They pub-
truth and who profess to be on God's side refuse to lish the NFD Journal ($15 a year for ten issues). That
fight. The generality of traditional Roman Catholics publication provides all of the information one needs to
has a tunnel vision with regard to the Faith, a selfish 11.v"""''""" on page 8, col. 1)
THE ATHANASIAN 2 MARCH 1, 1985
t re t
fter a prolonged illness, Mr. Robert Welch died on this, one person above all others deserves the undying
January 6, 1985, the Roman Catholic of the gratitude of all Americans: Mr. Robert Welch.
Epiphany. Known far and wide as the founder and head
of The John Birch Society, it is doubtful if any public It was my good fortune to have known Mr. Welch quite
figure of this century, was more misrepresented and ma- well for a number of years. While he was a man of many
ligned by his enemies than was Robert Welch. Almost talents, I admired him most for his integrity, his courage
from the time he founded The John Birch Society in and his humility-perhaps especially for his humility. As
December, 1958, until he suffered a stroke in December, proficient as he was in many fields, he always impressed
1983-a span of years-relatively seldom was he dealt me as being a truly humble man-and humility is one
with by the so-called American press except in terms of sign of genuine goodness. And, in my opinion, it was this
belittlement and ridicule and half-truths. So it has ever quality of humility, along with his vast comprehension of
been, of course, with anyone who has stood up without history, which, by the grace of God, led to his conversion
compromise or apology and spoken the undiluted truth to the Roman Catholic Church. The Lord alone knows
about this nation's enemies. But Mr. Welch was given how many Catholics, including the writer of these lines,
particularly vicious treatment by the prostitute mass prayed that this would eventually come about in God's
media of the The inevitable result was that multi- own good time. "More things are wrought by prayer than
tudes of the American people, conditioned as they were this world dreams of!'
and are in so many ways by the false propaganda of that
mass media, considered him to be, well, a zealot, a threat A few weeks after Mr. Welch had suffered a severe stroke
to "democracy," a "right-wing extremist." And he was an in December, 1983, Father Michael Jarecki, a longtime
extremist in one sense: he was almost invariably extremely acquaintance and admirer of The John Birch Society
right. founder, visited him in the hospital and found him to be
alert and lucid, though naturally weak and capable of
And what was Mr. Welch's principal "crime"? was in- speaking but a short sentence at a time. Learning that
telligently and articulately and staunchly anti-Commu- Mr. Welch had at one time taken instructions in the
nist. Being of brilliant mind and with an exceptional Roman Catholic Faith, the priest asked if he wished to be
comprehension of history, he knew Communism inti- baptized. Upon receiving not only a positive response
mately and the dangers that this satanic conspiracy pre- without hesitation but Mr. Welch's request as well for the
sented to the welfare and ultimate survival of this nation Sacrament then and there, the priest him for a few
and the free world. Being as well a man of honor and of minutes, asking him to give the matter careful and
courage, he fearlessly proclaimed the truth at whatever prayerful consideration in the meantime. \Xlhen the priest
cost to him personally, not hesitating to name the names returned Mr. Welch was asked once more if he wanted to
of "respectable" public figures, past and present, whom he become a Catholic. He answered "yes" and "now" even
knew to be in fact enemies of our nation. Firmly con- more emphatically than before. And so it was that, on
vinced as he was that, once enough of the American January 1984, the Feast of the Conversion of Saint
people knew the awful truth about Communism, its ut- Paul, Father Jarecki administered the Sacrament of Bap-
terly evil designs would be thwarted and the Communist tism to Robert Welch. Several months later, Father
conspiracy itself eventually destroyed, he established The Clarence Kelly gave him the last rites of the Roman Cath,
John Birch Society for that primary, though not sole, pur- olic Church.
pose. And, in the 26 years of its existence to date, no
organization has done more, through its vast educational There could not be a more fitting termination to the life
apparatus, towards the accomplishment of that objective of this great man. Please God, he will one day be accorded
than The John Birch Society. Surely there is today a far the place in history he so richly deserves. May he rest in
larger percentage of the American people aware of the sa- peace!t
tanic menace of Communism than ever before-and for F. Fenton
THE ATHANASIAN 3 MARCH 1, 1985
Jill Wiesner
or many Ireland was a of eventually escaped and way over two
to the rest the world. Its schools were cradles hundred miles to the seacoast. Though he did not
of learning and sanctity. !ts monasteries, known as the have money to pay for his the pagan sailors
greatest in produced missionaries who of a ship bound for Scotland allowed him to sail with
carried the light of Christianity to England, France, them.
and Switzerland. Ireland, the "Isle of Saints Schol-
ars," had a influence throughout world. The ship was forced onto Scotland's rocky coast, and
Patrick and the company of sailors had to cross a
But for the first four hundred years after Lord in- wasteland in search of food and shelter. As they jour-
structed the apostles to "go and teach nations," neyed, educated his companions in the truths
Ireland was a in darkness. Though Christianity of the Christian Faith. After several days without food,
had spread throughout the Roman as far as the others asked Patrick why he did not pray to God
England and Scotland, Ireland was firmly in the for relief. replied that if they would pray with all
grip of the demon-worshiping druids-until the arrival their heart to the true God, He would help them. They
of one man whose devotion to God was so complete did so and the same day found a herd of pigs. From
that he was the principal instrument by which "the old then on, they never went hungry and soon came to a
serpent" was driven from the land. settlement. Though for a time they had nearly starved,
Patrick refused to eat any meat which had been
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, was born in the year in offered to idols.
the village of Taberniae (present-day Kil-
patrick) in Scotland. His father, Calphurnius, was of Reunited with his family, Patrick had a vision in which
the Roman-British aristocracy and his mother, he saw the children of Ireland, including those not yet
Conchessa, was a niece of Saint Martin of Tours. born, reaching out to him for relief. It was at this time
that he began the long years of preparation for the
At the age of 1 Patrick was kidnapped by pirates priesthood.
and sold as a slave to an Irish chieftain named Milchu.
The teenaged captive was forced to tend his master's For 18 years, he studied under Saint Germaine in
cattle on the mountains in rain, snow, freezing Gaul. After his ordination, he was chosen by Pope
weather, often suffering from hunger and cold. His Saint Celestine I to be the new Bishop of Ireland.
captivity lasted for years under conditions of ex- (Palladius, the first bishop sent to Ireland in 431 , had
treme hardship. But the rigors of captivity formed the managed to found three small churches but a year
boy into the saint. Patrick often referred to this as the later, thoroughly discouraged, he had returned to
period of his conversion. For, though he was always a Rome to report his lack of success.) Patrick's rela-
Christian, his religion had not meant much to him be- tives, as well as the clergy in Scotland, did their ut-
fore. In his written near the end of his life most to dissuade him from accepting the mission.
as a testimony to his mission, he says that, as a slave, They tried to entice him to stay with them while at the
"the love of and His fear increased in me more same time attempting to frighten him with the terrors
and more, and the faith grew in me, and the spirit was awaiting him in Ireland. They even brought up a sin he
roused, so that, in a single day, I have as many as had committed at the age of 15 to make him feel un-
a hundred prayers, and in the night nearly the same, worthy. he turned to God in fervent prayer and
so that whilst in the woods and on the mountains, was rewarded with the will to persevere. He "forsook
even before the dawn, I was roused to prayer and I felt his family, sold, as he says, his birthright and dignity
no hurt from it, whether there was snow or or rain; to serve strangers, and consecrated his soul to
nor was there any slothfulness in me, such as I see God." 2
now, because the spirit was then fervent within me." 1
Pope Celestine bestowed on him the name "Pater-
1Charles Hebermann, Ph.D., L.L.D., et al., editors, 2
Rev. Butler, The Lives of Martyrs,
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. XI (New The and Principal Saints, Vol. I (Sarto Books, 1982),
Encyclopedia Press, Inc., i 913), p. 554. p. 366.
THE ATHANASIAN 4 MARCH 1, 1985
cius" or "Patritius" (Patrick), his name previously I bind to myself today
having been Maun. The name Patrick was given to The virtue of the love of seraphim,
him in anticipation of his mission through which he In the obedience of angels,
was to become "pater clvium" (father of the people). In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In the spring of 433 Patrick and his companions In predictions of Prophets,
landed on Irish soil. The druids immediately attacked, In preaching of Apostles,
forcing them to turn towards Dalriada, the province In faith of Confessors,
where he had been a slave. One of his first converts In purity of holy Virgins,
there was a chieftain named Dichu, who gave the In deeds of righteous men.
saint a large sabhall (barn) to be used as his first
church. The modern town of Saul grew up around that I bind to myself today
first church and monastery. The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
From Dichu Patrick learned that Leoghaire, the Ard- The brightness of the moon,
Righ (Supreme Monarch) of Ireland, had summoned The splendour of fire,
all the chieftains to a feast at Tara, to be held on March The flashing of lightning,
26. Bishop Patrick determined to go before Leoghaire The swiftness of wind,
and his assembed chieftains to speak for the true The depth of sea,
Faith. The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.
The druids also gathered at Tara and, under their influ-
ence, leoghaire gave orders forbidding vigil fires to 1 bind to myself today
lighted on the eve of the feast by anyone other than God's Power to guide me,
the king. That night being Easter Eve, as well as the God's Might to uphold me,
feast of the Annunciation, Saint Patrick courageously God's Wisdom to teach me,
lighted the Paschal fire at his camp on the hill of Slane, God's Eye to watch over me,
across the valley from Tara. The druids warned the God's to hear me,
king that "this fire, which has been lighted in defiance God's Word to give me speech,
of the royal edict, will blaze forever in this land unless God's Hand to guide me,
it be this very night extinguished." 3 In spite of re- God's Way to lie before me,
peated attempts to kill him and to put it out, the fire God's Shield to shelter me,
lighted by Saint Patrick burned brightly throughout the God's Host to secure me,
night. Against the snares of demons,
Against the seduction of vices,
As he waited for the dawn, Patrick composed the Against the lusts of nature,
beautiful prayer known as "Saint Patrick's Breast- Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Plate": Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.
I bind to myself today I invoke today all these virtues
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity: Against every hostile merciless power
I believe the Trinity in the Unity, Which may assail my body and my soul,
The Creator of the Universe. Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
I bind to myself today Against the false laws of heresy,
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ Against the deceits of idolatry,
with His Baptism, Against the spells of women, and smiths, and drnids,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial, Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgment Day. Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
3
Hebermann et ai., The Catholic Encyclopedia, p. 555. That I may receive abundant reward.
THE ATHANASIAN 5 MARCH 1, 1985
Christ with me, Christ before me, pealed to the chieftains, then to the bards and
Christ behind me, Christ within me, lawyers, and finally to the common people. He built up
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, a native clergy by sending young men to Gaul to be
Christ at my right, Christ at my left, trained. These methods proved enormously success-
Christ in the fort, ful. But the example set by Patrick himself was the
Christ in the chariot seat, main reason for his victories. He spent every free mo-
Christ in the poop, ment in prayer, and practiced continuous penance,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, which included using a hard rock as his bed. In his
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me, Confession he frequently mentions his own faults and
Christ in every eye that sees me, temptations, including a great desire to see his own
Christ in every ear that hears me. country again. He thanks God for his successes as
well as for helping to preserve his humility by the ex-
I bind to myself today treme contempt with which he was treated by the
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity, heathens. Though he was severe with himself, he
I believe the Trinity in the Unity, was mild and gentle in his treatment of others. He
The Creator of the Universe. 4 never accepted gifts, though many were offered, but
he always gave everything he had to give. He en-
On Easter morning, Patrick proceeded to Tara. The dured persecution and success, praising God equally
young convert Benignus (Saint Benen) led the proces- for both.
sion, holding a copy of the gospels. Saint Patrick fol-
lowed, in full episcopal attire, with mitre and crozier. In His triumph over paganism assured, Patrick died at
spite of the fury of the pagan druids, Patrick and his Saul on March 17, 464. As he lay dying, he had a
company reached the assembly at Tara unharmed. vision in which all of Ireland glowed with the light of
Faith. He saw this light continue for centuries; and
Though the king had commanded that no one was to then clouds began to gather around the island until, as
show them any sign of respect, Patrick succeeded in the centuries passed, the light only glimmered in a
converting the king's brother, Conall, and the chief few remote valleys. Saint Patrick prayed that the light
bard, Dubtach. It was at Tara that Patrick picked the would never be extinguished and, as he prayed, the
shamrock and, by its triple leaf and single stem, ex- flickering light grew again in brightness until all the
plained the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. hills and valleys of Ireland glowed with the holy light.
At Tara, Patrick was given permission to preach the Through his example of piety, humility and courage,
Faith throughout the land. For the next 40 years, he Saint Patrick led a nation out of darkness to the light.
continued his missions in all of Ireland's provinces. He As we celebrate his feast day on March i 7, may we
underwent constant hardship as the pagans opposed emulate his selfless devotion to our Catholic Faith.
him everywhere. Twelve times he was taken prisoner Through his intercession, may its holy light burn
and condemned to death. But each time he was freed brightly once again in America (and in Ireland as well
and continued his mission. On one occasion, Odhran, where, I understand, the public offering of the traditional
Saint Patrick's charioteer, overheard a plot to kill the Latin Mass is today nowhere to be found-Ed.). t
saint in revenge for Patrick's having knocked down the
demon-idol Crom-Cruach. Odhran asked Patrick if, as
a favor, he would take the reins and allow Odhran to
ride in the place of honor. The saint willingly agreed
and the devoted charioteer received the lance thrust
meant for Patrick, saving Patrick's life and winning the
crown of martyrdom for himself.
The pagans had reason to fear Patrick, for his tireless
efforts resulted in the conversion of a pagan nation into
one of fervent Christianity. His years as a captive had
familiarized him with the Irish language, customs, and
political organization. In each province, he first ap-
4
Ibid., p. 556.
THE ATHANASIAN 6 MARCH 1, 1985
umili Foundation of
ride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, is the Alpha and the Omega, the first beginning and
sloth-these, as all knowledgeable Catholics the last end of all things, the Author and the Source of
are aware, are the seven capital sins, so-called be- all that is good and noble and beautiful and true in the
cause they constitute the source of all other sins. In world. Of ourselves, in the natural order we can't even
other words, every moral evil which man commits has continue to live from one moment to the next without
its root cause in one or another of the capital sins. Of the supporting hand of God, while in the supernatural
all of them, pride, objectively, is the most serious for it realm we can't perform a single act which will help us
is in its most extreme form a refusal to submit even to to merit Heaven without the actual grace of God. Such
the will of God Himself. is the teaching of the Church. Christ said it very plain-
ly: "Without Me you can do nothing." All of our worth
Pride is defined as an excessive or immoderate love lies in the gifts and the graces that God has given us
of oneself resulting from some real or imagined supe- or, as Saint Paul puts it: "What hast thou that thou hast
riority. Vanity, while closely associated with pride, not received? And if thou hast received it, why dost
differs from it in that vanity is an excessive love for the thou boast as if it were thine own?" Whatever, then,
praise and esteem of others. For practical purposes be our skills, our talents, our abilities, our virtues, it is
here, the two vices may be treated as one. A proud only in God, with God and through God that we are
person, we might say, is one who has a superiority what we are; and so not to us but to Him belong the
complex. He forgets or ignores the fact that-what- praise and the honor and the glory. "It is God," says
ever be his gifts, his talents, his abilities-they are Saint Paul, "who works in you both to will and to
God-given and, consequently, whatever praise and accomplish."
commendation he receives for them are not rightly
due to him, but rather to God belong the honor and Humility, the virtue opposed to the capital sin of pride,
glory. is that supernatural virtue which inclines us to see our-
selves without rose-colored glasses, as we really are,
A person is proud who acts for his own selfish ends. as God sees us-and to think and talk and act accord-
Others must organize their lives so as to please him ingly. A humble person does not disavow whatever
for he is the center of attention and importance to talents or aptitudes may be his, or belittle himself be-
whom all else must conform. A proud person is prone fore others in his efforts to be humble, incessantly
to flaunt his good qualities but is blind to his defects proclaiming how unworthy and insignificant he is.
and shortcomings. He rarely, if ever, makes a mistake That's not being humble; it's being ridiculous! A per-
and if, perchance, he does, he is most reluctant to son is truly humble who, while recognizing the fact
admit it. According to Saint Benedict, one is proud that he has, say, this or that gift or talent or ability,
who seeks singularity, is boisterous in laughter, and readily acknowledges its divine Source and directs to
avoids menial tasks. Other spiritual writers tell us that God whatever praise and distinction may come his
a person is proud who is boastful, obstinate in opin- way because of it.
ions (stubborn, that is), and who monopolizes conver-
sations. A humble person is genuine; a proud person is artifi-
cial. A humble person is honest with himself and with
Pride caused the downfall of the angels who aspired others; a proud person is hypocritical and prone to
to be other gods. Pride it was which brought about deceive. A humble person readily faces up to truth; a
original sin wherein our first parents sought to pos- proud person tries to avoid doing so, particularly if
sess the knowledge of God Himself. How many rulers that truth is embarrassing or hurtful to him.
of nations throughout history have been infected with
this insidious vice which eventually brought them to The supreme example of humility is, of course, the
ruin. In our own day and land we behold the consum- divine Person of Christ Himself Who, though God,
mate arrogance of those in high places who presume became Man and like unto us in all things but sin. The
to know what is best for everyone and who would lowly circumstances of His birth; His hidden life of ob-
regulate the lives of all from birth to death, even de- scurity for thirty years; His washing of the feet of His
ciding who should be born and who is to die. Apostles on the first Holy Thursday; His ignominious
passion and death; His Presence in the Eucharist
Now the great remedy against pride, in whatever form under the appearances of ordinary bread and wine.
it may be, is true humility, a vivid realization that God Such are but a few of the many examples of humility
THE ATHANASIAN 7 MARCH 1,
provided us in the life of the greatest Person Who ever
trod the earth, Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the
Blessed Trinity, the Creator and Redeemer of the
world.
ttt
One of the most powerful and destructive influences at The December i, 1984 issue of The Athanasian
work today in both Church and State is the atheistic featured the article, "Opus Dei: Doing God's
philosophy of secular humanism which has dethroned Work?". Since the organization, Opus Dei, has
God and deified man. God is outlawed in human affairs been receiving considerable publicity of late be-
and the finite mind of man is the measure of ail. Divine cause of John Paul ll's favorable attitude towards
truth is obsolete, and situation ethics and the "new it, we intended to reprint the article if we re-
morality" have replaced the Ten Commandments of ceived enough requests to do so. A grand total
in the lives of multitudes. Man is the be-all and of four such requests was received and so we
end-all. Who needs God? Such is the diabolical philos- will forget the reprint. Opus Dei being a ques-
ophy of secular humanism, so prevalent in this our tionable movement, it is, of course, regrettable
day-the vice of pride in its most extreme manifesta- that Mr. Weiskittei's expose of it could not
tion-the usurpation of the rights of God, the rejection given a wide circulation.
of divine authority, the refusal to submit even to the i' t t
sovereign will of the Almighty. Also in the December i , i 984 issue of this news-
letter we made some observations about The
Humility is the antidote to pride, that paramount and A thanasian and emphasized the necessity of
most reprehensible and insidious of all the vices. As doubling or tripling its circulation if we were to
charity is the queen of the virtues, humility is the foun- make any real impact on the American scene.
dation of all virtue. Sacred Scripture tells us: "God re- We have received a significant number of new
sists the proud and gives His grace to the humble." subscriptions, yes. but the prospect of even
True humility, then, is a guarantee of divine grace, as it doubling our subscription list is presently but a
is also one sign of true greatness. Not all humble pipe dream of the editor.
people are great but all truly great people are humble. ttt
"Without humility there is no sound virtue in anyone; In the next issue of The Athanasian we will carry
with humility all other virtues grow in depth and in an article by Mr. Weiskittel on what I personally
perfection." t believe to be one of the most vital subjects of our
day, namely, Freemasonry and the Roman Cath-
olic Church.
t+t
ttt SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS
"The Church MILITANT," continued from 2 The date on the envelope address label indicates
the month and year in which the recipient's sub-
do something concrete and constructive for the moral scription is due for renewal. At the proper time, a
well-being of the USA. To subscribe to the NFD subscription envelope will be enclosed with the
Journal and to take action in accordance with what is newsletter. One may enter a new subscription at
read therein is one sound thing a traditional Catholic any time, of course, and will then receive the eight
can do for God, Church and country-and be assured, following newsletter issues. t
you will find plenty to do. t
THE
Published by Traditional Catholics of America
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