Heavenly Helpers

 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”

Psalm 91:11

Today is the feast of the Archangels on the Church calendar. Each of the three angels honored today have specific assignments with humanity, according to the Bible.

Michael is revealed as the protector; Gabriel is the communicator; Raphael is the healer. I can't think of an era in history when they all were more needed. Perhaps, especially in our morally troubled times, Michael is critically necessary.

The St. Michael Prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII in the 19th century following a vision of demons released from hell to wreak havoc on Earth and St. Michael's ongoing battle against them. The short, popular version of the prayer appears below. It was recited at the end of Mass until the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Many Catholic churches still pray it at the end of mass, including both my children's parishes. 

The much longer, detailed version of the St. Michael Prayer is in this link.

Saint Michael Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

September 29 ~ The Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

Well Said

An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told. - William Shakespeare

Now, having listened to the entire speech by President Trump at the UN this week, I find little to disagree with in what he said. He laid down several what the British might call "home truths."

It is true that Europeans are sacrificing their nations and heritages to uncontrolled immigration. It is true that "green" is not the best way to go in every circumstance. It is true that we in the West need to call out enemies promoting ongoing war and destruction.

It's past time to confront the global nonsense. Like him or not, I think President Trump did that very well.

President Trump addresses U.N. General Assembly - FULL SPEECH

The Ageless War

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ~ Ephesians 6:12

I've been blessed with many years, and I've seen a lot of history unfold. Many assassinations and attempted assassinations, wars, riots, terrorist attacks, mass murders, coups, cultural revolutions and institutional corruption have all been disturbing facets of my life experience.

But I've never witnessed anything quite like the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination.

There were media figures reporting that they first got the shocking news through their teenagers, who called them immediately frantic for information on Charlie's condition. Although I didn't follow Charlie Kirk closely, of course I had heard him speak. If you follow conservative media, as I do, he was unavoidable the past few years. I was devastated at his death, and at first, I couldn't quite figure out why it affected me so deeply.

But then I watched the reactions unfold--the grief-stricken fans and followers, and the hate-filled opponents. The latter spilled the most venomous, evil filth I've ever heard or read after an assassination. I later learned that my own teenaged grandson was grieving Kirk's death. The impact of Charlie Kirk's death began to make sense.

This murder was personal to millions of Americans--especially the youth. The opposing extremes of reactions outlined in stark relief the ideological divides that split our country. It was instantly obvious that we are immersed in spiritual warfare: faith against secularism, free speech against totalitarianism, education against indoctrination, charity against selfishness--good against evil. I was sad not only for Charlie's death and his family, but for the loss of his future to help heal the dangerous division in our country by teaching young people our national values so effectively.

Charlie Kirk was reaching young Americans in countless numbers. Reports are that churches across the country were overflowing on Sunday. Thousands of additional colleges and high schools nationwide have applied for Turning Point USA (TPUSA) memberships in the past week. So many people, young and old, across the country are asking what they can do next in Charlie's honor to make this a better world. People are galvanized and inspired to take positive action. It's a glimmer of hope for the USA.

I signed up as a monthly donor to TPUSA, and I'm considering what I can do next. As the Bible promises, God can bring good from anything. Believe it.

Click for The History of the St. Michael Prayer

A Day for Remembering

Hell is empty, and all the devils are here. ~ Wm. Shakespeare, The Tempest

9/11 Memorial ~ New York City

The Death of A Patriot

Well done, good and faithful servant. ~ Matt 25:23

Charlie Kirk evangelized the values of faith, family, and love of country better than any influencer of his generation. The inspiring story of Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk started when he was a teenager and built into a national institution, is a powerful force through which he presented his Christian faith and the founding principles of United States to the youth of America.

Charlie Kirk was a happy warrior. While he was firm in making his points, Charlie was always respectful to those he debated and optimistic about the future. He was plain-spoken, honest, and unafraid to bring facts and speak the truth. By his symbiotic connection with so many college students and all young people, he was educating the next generation to see conservative values in a new way, a way they had never been shown. Charlie Kirk was changing young minds.

For all those reasons, Charlie Kirk was murdered today on a college campus in Utah. That's the state of today's USA; if we don't like what you say, we will kill you. Any outspoken conservative who believes in faith, family, and country is fair game. 

We can't continue as the United States of America in this condition. I don't believe we will. Something has changed in the country today. It was, in fact, a turning point. I think most US citizens know that we all need to speak out for our values as fearlessly Charlie Kirk did, or we don't survive as a nation. 

Time will tell if we have the courage to meet this moment. I hope we can do Charlie proud.

Rest in peace.

Ignorance in Office

Well, this is more than a bit disturbing. Apparently, we have a sitting United States senator who has never read the Declaration of Independence. Or, if he has read it, he doesn't believe a word of it. How frightening for the country.

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia asserts that our rights come from government--not from God, as is clearly stated in our founding document. Kaine likens the primary foundational principle of our nation to the philosophy of Iran's mullah dictators. He completely ignores the fact that there are four distinct and direct references to God written into the text of the Declaration of Independence. Our Creator endows us with "certain unalienable Rights."

Sen. Kaine evidently thinks he knows better. God help us. 

The opening and the final paragraphs of the US Declaration of Independence

References to God are highlighted

Unseen News

Coverage of the European protests against illegal immigration is ignored by American media. However, if you have an X account (thank you, Elon Musk), you'll see increasingly frequent postings about the growing crowds of native citizens demanding that their corrupted, globalist governments return control of their countries to them.

Just type "Europe protests" in the X search field and you'll get up-to-the-minute information on this weekend's protests across Europe. Even Australia and Japan have had enough. It's interesting that the news organizations aren't covering the immigration protests, at least here in the US so far. But with media coverage or not, these events certainly are news.

Snip from "X" posting - August 31, 2025

Cleaning Countdown

I've begun work on one of my primary retirement goals. In Sweden, they call it "death cleaning."

At first that may sound a bit grim, but when you reflect a while it makes perfect sense. You don't want your children/heirs to be stuck rummaging through all your collected garbage (that's what most of it will be to them). I know this for a fact, because my siblings and I had to clean out more than 70 years of accumulated belongings that my dear mother left behind.

I called my mother's desk "the land that time forgot." I found drapery receipts from 1948, memorial prayer cards going back to the 1930s, canceled checks that were 50 years old. In her later years, Mom had become so fearful of identity theft that she refused to throw out a single piece of mail. For more than two decades, she stuffed all her mail into plastic grocery bags that were so tightly knotted I needed scissors to open them. She had shoved all the bags underneath her queen-sized bed. Every square inch of underbed flooring was jammed with mail bags; you could have removed the boxspring and the mattress wouldn't have descended an inch.

Friends would often suggest just throwing out the bags without opening them. But there was the occasional stock certificate nestled in the midst of junk mail, necessitating my going through all paper--which included completely impersonal flyers for the HOA's Fourth of July picnic 20 years before. (Why, Mom?? Why??)

I remember actually talking to her in the midst of this many days-long task, asking "Who did you think was going to clean up this mess, Mom?" If God allows me enough time, I'm determined to prevent my kids from voicing similar frustrations over my detritus.

Therefore, I've begun my death cleaning with timid, tentative steps. The mismatched Tupperware is gone, along with baby dishware that my pre-teen grandkids have many years outgrown. Gone, too, are Christmas decorations that haven't been touched in more than 20 years. Heaps of office clothing, untouched in retirement, are boxed up and ready for my next run. My local Goodwill store volunteers have recently been excited to see my car pull up.

I've started picking at the photos, but that's a gargantuan chore that will take months to organize. Meanwhile, I'll keep chipping away at closets and drawers. There are more than enough forgotten stray items that I've squirreled away to keep me motivated to fill my recycle bin. (For example, last week I found some 1980s thank-you notes from people I don't remember!) 

There is a light and airy feeling to this decluttering project. One caveat I've quickly learned is to set aside anything that tugs at heartstrings to keep for further consideration. The rest of the junk? Dump it! I'd prefer that my children not be left wondering "Why was Mom saving this?" Let the death cleaning continue, and hopefully I'll have a few years to enjoy my streamlined home.

Vanishing Heroes

When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun. 

~ William Shakespeare

Jim Lovell, the American astronaut made famous in the film Apollo 13, died earlier this month at age 97. He was the commander of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, played by Tom Hanks in the 1995 Ron Howard movie. Lovell's passing leaves us with one less hero of a golden era for my generation.

When I was a schoolgirl, the astronauts were akin to rock stars. Most children knew their names, their missions, and their successes and tragedies. Alan Shephard was the first American in space; John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth. Virgil "Gus" Grissom was also an early astronaut , the second American in space, and I remember his capsule hatch had a serious problem upon splashdown. When Grissom died in the devasting fire on Apollo 1, I wondered if the faulty hatch had been an omen foreshadowing his tragic end.

While growing up, NASA launch days were memorable in my house. My mother never watched daytime television--except when a rocket was scheduled to launch. Then the TV would be on at dawn, the spacecraft that was filling the screen poised for takeoff. News anchors chattered in the background giving updates, and as I left for school it was such a rare sight to see Mom perched on the living room sofa, intently listening and watching the motionless rocket in anticipation of the countdown that would blast it off into space.

The days of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs were an exciting time to be an American. Today there are many who do not believe we landed on the moon. I wonder how they explain the visibility of all the "Earth trash" left behind by the astronauts? As for the safe return of Apollo 13 against all odds, that reality is impossible to deny. Called the "successful failure," that miracle mission was more scientifically challenging than a mere moon landing.

I'm grateful I grew up during that time of great pride in our country. The space programs united us with a sense of achievement and purpose and made us feel that for the United States, the sky was quite literally the limit. 

Instead of the News

Epstein files...Russiagate...runaway Texas Democrats...California crises...New York City communists...tariffs...wars, wars, "all over the place," as President Trump might say.

Are you as weary of the news as I am?

I find that I'm weaning myself away from straight news podcasts. Maybe I'm a tender soul (doubtful), but I just can't take it anymore. I probably was listening to too many shows in the first place, so this is a positive step.

But I needed to find some filler to keep me company while I'm driving, doing yardwork, folding laundry, cleaning the house, cooking, etc. Occasionally, depending on her topics, I'll tune in for The Nerve with Maureen Callahan. She delivers extensive celebrity gossip with quite tangy panache. If I get a couple of giggles from one of Maureen's podcasts--and I usually do--it's a win.

I've already recommended Battle Ready with Fr. Dan Reehil. He gets a few listens from me each week, always edifying. Also in the Catholic category, I recently discovered Beyond Saint hosted by Ira DeWitt. Depending upon her guest or topic, I'll dip in and always find it interesting.

This week I really scored when I found The Plot Thickens, a Hollywood podcast that goes in-depth on various stars, shows, and movies. The current season is immersed in the story of filming the Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton film Cleopatra, but for me that will have to wait. Being an I Love Lucy fanatic, I dove right into Season 3, which covers Lucille Ball's entire life story in juicy detail. I'm halfway through the episodes, and I'm enjoying every second

Enjoyment rarely ensues from listening to or watching the news. In today's hyper-connected world, we can't avoid hearing the news; we will be informed whether we want to be or not. But we don't need to dwell on it. I'm liking my new varied podcast lineup more by the minute. If you're a pod fan and haven't already done so, I recommend branching out. There's plenty to listen to instead of the news. As an added bonus, I usually end up learning something besides which politician flung a four-letter word today.

Butler

I've been reading, watching, and listening to Salena Zito for several years. I follow her because she is an old-school reporter who actually drives around the country on backroads and talks to people. She doesn't talk to celebrities; Salena talks to real people. Working people such as farmers, waiters, barbers, steel workers, and small business owners are the subjects of her columns and commentaries.

Because I knew that Salena Zito was a few feet from President Trump when he was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July last year, I awaited the publication of her book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland with great impatience. The book is an immediate success, with a debut in the top slot of the New York Times bestseller list. 

When she predicted Donald Trump would win the 2024 election, I tended to believe her. Salena is a western Pennsylvania native who never left her roots. She has what she describes in the book as "a sense of place." This grassroots understanding, which she has called a "Midwest power," gives her a direct connection to the pulse of the country, its citizens, communities, and voters, that few reporters today possess or even comprehend.

I got my copy of Butler earlier this week and finished reading it today. It is hard to put down and educational in the best sense of the word. Salena Zito has an easy, comfortable writing style, and she imparts her observations and wisdom with simple facts stated plainly but not in a critical manner. That expressive finesse is no small achievement. If you want to obtain crucial insights into Middle America as well as a dramatic eyewitness account of the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump, I recommend Butler by Salena Zito most highly.

Flirting with Danger

"The difference between a welfare state and a totalitarian state is a matter of time." ~ Ayn Rand

What's going on in the primary elections is quite concerning, with major American cities such as New York City and Minneapolis considering socialist (read communist) mayoral candidates. This flirtation with tyranny is perilous to our way of life. Unfortunately, there is a regrettable lack of historical knowledge among the voting population today. Universities do not teach our national history or the story of Western civilization--at least, not in a positive way.

Critical thinking skills are in short supply, also. We have had it so good for so long in the United States. No one seems to see the harm in experimenting with our constitutional republic.

The people who escaped the horrors of communism have either passed away or are ignored. There is no way of explaining how bad it can get. As the wise saying goes, you can vote your way into socialism, but you'll have to shoot your way out of it.

I hope we won't have to learn that grim lesson the hard way.

Pots vs. Kettles

"Freedom of religion? Not in Donald Trump’s America. People now have to choose between their faith and their freedom."

~ Gavin Newsom, California governor

Oh, Governor. You are hilarious.

Aren't you the one who kept the bars open during the Covid pandemic but ordered all the churches closed? Nice priorities. Yet now you're suddenly worried about "choosing between faith and freedom." You're quite the dirty pot yelling at the kettle, Gavin. As if you care about either faith or freedom--not to mention honesty.

Also, the Catholic Diocese of Los Angeles is granting a dispensation to all parishioners who fear the federal authorities. Illegal immigrant Catholics don't need to go to Mass on Sundays, for fear that ICE agents might storm the churches and haul them off. I hadn't heard that Catholic churches on Sunday are a prime target for federal agents, but go ahead and make your point, Bishop Rojas. Too bad you weren't concerned about breaking the law when your diocese was assisting in those secret night flights resettling illegals all across the US. 

President Trump's administration is enforcing the law, which so many supposedly law-abiding leaders seem to have a real problem with--oaths of office notwithstanding. So, the pots will continue to object to the kettle's authority. But, as a dedicated tea drinker, I know that the kettle can out-whistle a pot any day of the week. It's time for tea.

Celebrating Independence Day

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

~ John Adams

Evil, Uncovered

"This was a total ambush. These firefighters didn't stand a chance."

~ Kootenai County Sheriff, Bob Norris

I've discovered that it's quite difficult to find news about the sniper murders of Idaho firefighters, and I'm wondering why that is. Politics does not come close in importance to the atrocity that took place on an Idaho mountain this past Sunday afternoon. I shouldn't need to hunt down information about the deliberate murder of firefighters responding to an emergency, but I do. There just isn't much news coverage.

The murdered men were public servants who had dedicated their lives to helping, saving, and protecting others. Firefighters are unarmed and don't wear body armor. When on a call, they have about 60 lbs. of gear to handle in the midst of life-threatening circumstances. Firefighters on scene act as one, focused on a single purpose--do the job. 

There was a third firefighter, Engineer Dave Tysdal, who was shot and is recovering in the hospital following life-saving surgeries. If firefighters and other first responders now have to think about being shot dead by a sniper, in addition to all the other crucial concerns they must consider at a fire scene, then this country has much bigger problems that politics.

Battalion Chief Frank J. Harwood, Kootenai County Fire & Rescue
Battalion Chief John Morrison, Coeur d'Alene Fire Department
Died in the line of duty, shot by a sniper ~ Rest in Peace

 

Engineer Dave Tysdal
Coeur d'Alene Fire Department
Recovering following two surgeries

Judicial Lightweight

The Supreme Court seems to be doing its job and preventing the country from descending into total chaos, at least for the moment. This is despite one justice in particular who seems woefully ill versed in the law, Ketanji Brown Jackson.

It's rare to see such an acerbic takedown of a fellow justice in a formal written Supreme Court opinion, but Justice Amy Comey Barrett goes there as she presents the Court's majority decision on nationwide injunctions against President Trump.

Justice Brown Jackson appears to be out of her league on the nation's highest court. It's more than a bit frightening to have her involved in deciding cases of national importance, but we can hope that the commonsense majority will hold--for now.

A Thought for the Moment

Thank you to the US military and to our Commander-In-Chief, President Donald Trump, for the successful strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. 



 

The Bard Says It Best

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

~ Julius Caesar 4:3 by Willliam Shakespeare

As usual when dealing with human truth and consequences, Shakespeare has the best pearls of wisdom for our contemplation during the tension of current events in the Middle East.

The United States is indeed caught up in a tide of momentous implications for the future, of our own country and of the entire the world. President Trump faces the most consequential decision of his life. Whatever his decision may be, all of our lives will be marked by it, "to the last syllable of recorded time." May boldness be his friend.

War, Again

 The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous.

~ George Orwell, 1984

War. It seems to be our inescapable human fate.

Current events in Israel and Iran have seemed inevitable for a long time, and now we are living with the violent results of that collision course. For America, this is a television war--so far. There is no predicting where or how far the conflict will go, but that's not the point. The point is, it's on. 

I understand why Israel took the action that it did. As President Trump has so often emphasized, Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb. It became obvious that the price of stopping Iran is war. Again.

There's a Christmas carol that was written during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Do You Hear What I Hear? The song was an appeal for world peace. Although unseasonable, more than 60 years later it is appropriate to our moment. As the last stanza puts it:

Bing Crosby's 1963 recording of Do You Hear What I Hear?

Battle Ready

Put on the full armor of God... Ephesians 6:13

I have a new podcast addiction. Battle Ready, with Father Dan Reehil. I've been following him on Instagram and yesterday I finally added his podcast to my collection. The episodes are less than 30 minutes, so I've been bingeing on them all weekend.

Fr. Dan has a fascinating backstory. He grew up on Long Island, not far from my hometown. At the age of eleven, he was sexually molested by his parish priest; because of that terrible event, he fell away from the Catholic Church for many years. He became a Wall Street banker and was married for five years before divorcing; he also obtained a Church annulment. 

His priestly vocation story began on a 1998 trip to Medjugorje. There are many videos documenting this, including a marvelous in-depth interview on the The Shawn Ryan Show #141, so I would direct you there for more details.

One of the most interesting facts about Fr. Dan, at least to me, is that he's an exorcist. One doesn't just "become" an exorcist. A priest is selected for this demanding duty by his bishop. Currently there are only 18 exorcists in the US. Reehil's exorcism stories are chilling and remarkable. He leaves no doubt about the reality of Satan's relentless and increasingly intense spiritual warfare against us.

Fr. Dan has a relaxed demeanor and is an easy conversationalist. He presents his spiritual points in a simple, disarming way that makes so much practical sense in our troubled world. 

Put on God's armor and give Battle Ready a try. At the very least, it will make you think.

Big Trouble

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse...

~ Genesis 12:3

The United States has an anti-Semitism problem.

Leaving aside all of the street demonstrations and college campus chaos since October 7, 2023--which are all horrifying enough--extreme acts of violence against American Jews have shot up dramatically in just the past few weeks.

In April, on the first night of Passover, Pennsylvania's Jewish Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence was set on fire in an attempt to murder his entire family. In May, a young couple about to become engaged were shot to death leaving the Jewish Museum in Washington DC, murdered by a Hamas supporter. Now, to start off the month of June, peaceful protestors honoring the Israeli hostages were attacked--again by a Hamas supporter--by fire bombs in Colorado. Jewish people were literally set on fire in our country. Not insignificantly, the Colorado criminal was an illegal alien.

I think we are in dire peril. Tom Homan says that the 2 million illegal alien "gotaways" that entered the US under the Biden administration "scares the hell" out of him. Homan is convinced that another 9/11 "or worse" is coming.

 

I agree. If you haven't done so yet, say a prayer for the USA. We need it; we are in very big trouble. 

Honoring Memorial Day

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. Please take a moment to pause and remember, it's not about the beach, burgers, and beer.

I'm praying that all our fallen heroes may rest in God's peace.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord...

Interview with An American Hero

Since I first heard him speak, I've dubbed our U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan "my boyfriend." The man personifies traditional, foundational, positive American values. Among his good qualities are courage, honesty, sincerity, humility, and complete dedication to national service.

When the daily negative news cycle can make one despair that our country is lost, I need only remind myself that Tom Homan is working in a high-level government position to preserve and protect the USA and all of us living in it. I'm convinced we are in the best hands.

The Shawn Ryan Show, Episode #200, is a three-hour interview with Homan. It took me two days to finish, but I watched every second of it. Given that much time, hearing the excruciating details of Homan's many decades of experience in border enforcement are bone-chilling. But Americans who are concerned about our border and national security should watch, listen, and be educated about what law enforcement is facing at our borders.

Tom Homan is a constant reassurance to me that things are getting better. If you want to have some confidence that our country is on the mend, I recommend that you tune in.

May 15, 2025

When the White Smoke Cleared

Holy smoke! An American pope? I never thought such a thing could occur, either in my lifetime or any time after.

Yet today we have Robert Francis Prevost, Chicago native, Villanova University graduate, and cardinal of the Catholic Church for less than two years, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. Go figure!

Pope Leo addressed the massive crowds at St. Peter's Square in Latin, Italian, and Spanish. He did not speak any English in his initial speech. There's a significant message there; he's the pope for all the world. I think that's a good thing to communicate, especially for an American pope.

Although he's been pope for a matter of minutes, the media talking heads are already yammering about how liberal or conservative Leo XIV may be in his approach to the papacy. Could we please give him a moment? I'm viewing this American-born pope as a blessing for the United States. God knows we could use the help.

Pope Leo XIV ~ May 8, 2025

Speculations and Qualifications

Since Pope Francis died last month, a person can barely open a phone or computer without seeing a headline touting the latest "contender" for becoming the next pope. I move to the next story at top speed and have never read a single word of any of those breathless predictions, I'm glad to say.

There is absolutely no way of predicting who the next pope will be. Please don't waste precious time with empty media speculations. It's not a presidential campaign, where polls can make a difference, or a horse race, where odds can matter. God works in more mysterious ways. We will know who the next pope is after the white smoke rises, and not before.

To add to the mystery--and to the fun--most people (even most Catholics) don't realize that the pope can be elected from among any baptized Catholic man who is practicing his faith. Seriously! The Vatican even posted the job requirements on its LinkedIn page in response to a flood of inquiries.

Although you'd have to go back to the early Church for such everyday leaders, the new pope doesn't even have to be a priest. However, he must agree to be ordained a bishop if he accepts the weighty papal assignment. 

With the conclave of cardinals now preparing to choose from amongst their own preferred ranks as they have for centuries, we don't need to be concerned with such a startling scenario. But I can't help thinking that a layman pope might be a healthy and refreshing change for the Church in our troubled times.

I know a couple of men who would qualify quite well--even better, perhaps, than many a cardinal.

From the Vatican website:
"The apostolic seat is vacant"

Thoughts on Pope Francis

Pope Francis died early Monday morning, Rome, Italy time. It was surprising news following his Vatican balcony appearance to bless the crowd, the “popemobile” ride around St. Peter’s Square, and his Easter audience with Vice President J.D. Vance. In the photos of these events, Francis looked like death warmed over, which in a few hours proved to be the case.

The pope has been unrecognizable since last year, especially in photos published at the start of his long hospitalization. Having had some firsthand experience seeing up close the slow yet unrelenting progress of a death march, I realized the pope would most likely be gone by summer. So, I certainly was not shocked at the news of his passing.

However, I’m not sad. First of all, the man was very sick and probably suffering. It was time for him to go. Secondly, I haven’t been a fan of Pope Francis for many years. This is unfortunate, as I am a practicing Catholic. But, as my mother might have said, “I just can’t take to the man.”

His papacy seemed promising in the beginning. Francis started off with a humble approach to the papacy. He moved into a modest apartment rather than the lavish Vatican rooms. He wore a simple iron cross and a silver Fisherman’s ring instead of the usual golden accessories. For everyday wear, he appeared in only the pope’s white cassock, not in the additional embroidered robes of past popes. There were no frills, nothing fancy from the start. So far, so good.

Then he opened his mouth and, in my humble opinion, inserted his plainly-shod foot. “Who am I to judge?” was his response to reporters asking about a priest's sexual orientation, igniting a wildfire of speculation that he would “normalize” LGBTQ+ relationships--a doctrinal challenge, to be sure. “All religions are paths to God,” he declared in non-Christian Singapore where he, as Christ’s most visible and prominent representative on Earth, flubbed a perfect opportunity to proclaim Jesus. That would’ve been the only answer a responsible pontiff could provide.

Francis was highly critical of capitalism and the USA. I got tired of his frequent harangues chiding us against building a wall and admonishing us to welcome illegal immigration. As “Border Czar” Tom Homan (a Catholic) pointed out, the Vatican has a wall. Homan added that the pope should “fix the Catholic Church” and let him fix the border. (Go, Tom!)

Pope Francis did some good work. I liked his ministry to prisoners and his attention to the poor. I admired his dedication to his ministry and his determination to work until his painful end. But his politics were too far left for me. Politics is not the pope’s job; saving souls is.

I remember being sad when St. John Paul II died, and I was upset when Pope Benedict XVI resigned. With the passing of Pope Francis, I’m mostly relieved. I’m relieved that his suffering is over, and also that the confusion he sowed within the Church may now be resolved. His successor will need a steady, clean-up attitude--and a lot of courage.

 

The silver Fisherman's ring and iron cross of Pope Francis.

Easter Morning

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ | Last scene in the 2004 Mel Gibson film,

The Passion Of The Christ 

Good Family

Elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park moved to protect

their youngsters during the April 14 earthquake.

History Rhyming

What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.

~ Ecclesiastes 1:9

I recently finished reading The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher. It was a fictionalized depiction of events in an English town during the plague of the late 1340s. 

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and the Black Death has always held a morbid fascination for me. So, when Hatcher's book popped up in my weekly BookBub offerings, I couldn't resist downloading it.

The book's format was both creative and informative. Hatcher researched an English town that kept good records and wove his story from that foundation. The chapters are written as though by a contemporary narrator, with the town's pastor serving as the main character around whom the panic and trauma of the time swirls. 

The descriptions of the townspeople isolating themselves from their neighbors and being fearful of social interactions reminded me exactly of how people behaved during the Covid lockdowns. 

In the aftermath of the Black Death, the social and economic structures changed. Prior to the plague, farmers who lived on the manors were subservient to the ruling lords and accepted small payments for working the land. Afterwards, with so many dead in the villages, the farmers knew they could charge more money, and the lords had no choice but to pay if they didn't want their large harvests to go to waste. In addition, the peasant classes were trying hard to maintain their own farms and gardens; they were not inclined to prioritize the manor in these circumstances. 

Many of the farmers now enjoying a larger payday languished in the taverns rather than do more work. In response to the pleas of his desperate ruling class, the king issued an edict ordering the farmers to work the lands of what was often called "their betters."

This rapid social change put me in mind of our modern-day vaccine mandates, remote work schedules, dampened work ethic, and companies demanding that employees return to the office.

The Black Death: A Personal History was a sage reminder that times and circumstances do change, but human nature does not. 

Answering the Chat

About the Signal group text screwup, I have two words of advice for the Trump team: Shut Up!

The crazed lefties are like rabid dogs chewing on a bloody bone. Stop feeding them. Any further questions I would respond to with "Asked and answered. Next question?" If they persist, excuse yourself and leave the venue. If it's a congressional hearing or other official proceeding where you're stuck, rinse and repeat your reply. But stop giving oxygen to what President Trump rightfully describes as a "witch hunt."

Not detecting an unapproved phone number in the group text/chat was a bad mistake, no doubt. Was it worse than the horrific Afghanistan withdrawal? No. Worse than four years of unenforced borders? No. Worse than Biden ignoring Supreme Court decisions on forgiving student loans? Worse than the legacy media and Democrats covering up for a demented president? No.

I could go on for quite some time, but you remember the debacles of the previous administration as well as I do. The "press" and the left-wing media pundits are very picky about which "scandals" they will latch onto and run into the ground. Their code is easy to crack: Anything Democrat, good; Anything Republican, bad; Anything Trump/Musk, instant destruction of "our democracy" (our democracy = our power).

In fairness, Republicans would be all over a similar misstep by the Democrats. That's politics. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz has publicly accepted responsibility for the error--a novel approach in recent years. I have my own criticisms of how this controversial chat unfolded. Why wasn't each member's phone number verified in advance of such a high-stakes conversation? If I had been Waltz's administrator, that would have been my course of action. (Don't get any ideas; I'm retired.) 

But Mr. Waltz, you are at the highest level of government, reporting directly to the president, and you are responsible for the security of the entire nation. Can't you be a bit more careful? Hopefully, going forward Waltz can now respond to that question as "Asked and answered."

Welcoming Committee

There's so much negative news in the headlines this past week that it overshadows a wondrous event. Watching the safe return of the SpaceX capsule was a like a breath of fresh air. The splashdown went perfectly on a gorgeous sunny day off Florida's coast.

The astronauts were even greeted by a lively pod of dolphins that seemed as interested in and excited about the proceedings as I was.

We could all use more news coverage like this. Recognition of America's achievements and successes are just plain good for the soul. Even the dolphins seem to know that.

Dolphins welcome home the astronauts - March 18, 2025

Baby Brains

"We're still pretty young for a country. These are, like, our angry teenage years. ...We want this, we want that, and what do you do when you have a teenager threatening themselves and others? You just try to get them through this period alive so that their brain can fully form..."

~ U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)

Okay, we get it. Senator Slotkin reminds everyone that Republicans are immature idiots who voted for a moron. It's the standardized Democrat slur to underscore their lofty moral standing over the great unwashed masses of ignorant conservative voters. 

But the sage senator forgot one major detail. Even to an angry teenage-minded voter such as I, it's pretty obvious. 

If Republican voters are angry teenagers that the virtuous Democrats want to keep alive so that our brains will "fully form," then why do Democrats support allowing twelve-year-old children to lop off their breasts and genitals? Shouldn't such vital organs be allowed to "fully form," also? Then, using their fully formed brain, the mature adult individual can make an informed decision about gender surgery.

It seems like a fair and logical question to me. Unfortunately, we'll just need to be patient until Sen. Slotkin's brain catches up. It could be a long wait.

Our "Nice Ocean"

I suppose everyone has an opinion about the meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. I don't want to be too hard on the arrogant little Ukranian leader; after all, he has been in a brutal war with Russia for the past few years. That's bound to take a toll on anyone's equilibrium.

However, there is a limit to how much bad attitude a person can take. I watched the video of the full 49-minute meeting, not just the few-minute clip of the blow-up that has been running on an endless loop. Trump let quite a bit of Zelenskyy's guff slide by. He was more tolerant than many others would have been. Our president reached his saturation point near the very end, when Zelenskyy, in responding to a chide from VP Vance, issued a veiled threat that "you have nice ocean" but would "you will feel" future consequences. 

That lit up President Trump immediately. He admonished the Ukranian president "You don't know that. Don't tell us what we're going to feel...." The ensuing dialogue was brief, direct, and harsh. The wheels flew off and the meeting crash-landed. Good. Since "cards" were also a discussion point, Zelenskyy needs to know he's been dealt a new hand.

But let's back up to that smug comment about our "nice ocean." The implication was that we are completely ignorant of war because of our geography. Yes, we actually have two nice oceans. Neither one has kept Americans from dying by the thousands in wars. 

A few questions for the Ukranian president: Did our "nice ocean" protect us from the September 11 terrorist attacks (2,977 dead) and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan (2,459 dead) and Iraq (7,054 dead)?

How many United States service men and women died in World Wars I and II? Added together, the fatal casualties for those two wars approach one-half million American dead. Thousands of our servicemen died in the D-Day invasion operation alone, at the foreign shoreline of our nice ocean. Another 36,000 Americans died in the Korean conflict. And what about the 2,403 US service members dead in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? I can't even think about the 58,220 US fatalities in the Vietnam war.

It is true that the US has not suffered from ongoing war inside our homeland since The Civil War, 1861-65. Estimates vary, but between 600,000 and 800,000 Americans died fighting in that conflict. But Atlantic or Pacific, "nice oceans" have been beside the point as protection for our countrymen in wartime. Over the past century, Americans have died in faraway wars by the hundreds of thousands. Most American families in every war were marked by loss and tragedy.

So, Mr. Z., I must agree with President Trump: don't tell us how to feel. And stop interrupting a leader who is trying to pass you an ace.

The far side of our "nice ocean" - June 6, 1944

Reporting In

Is it really so outrageous to be required to record your work achievements? The lingering indignation of federal workers at being called upon to actually account for their time is a source of endless entertainment to me. Can they not justify their well-compensated employment--funded by the taxpayers, no less--with a few bullet points?

At almost all of my jobs, a weekly or monthly report of my job activities was required. It went to the department manager, then to the next executive, up to the CEO. In my last position, I was the contact point for all department managers to submit their reports by a certain recurring date. I sent reminders if needed and never missed a deadline. That routine will likely sound like business-as-usual in the real world of most working Americans.

I'm retired now and if asked I can still submit a report of my productivity. Let's see, in the past week I got the car smog checked as required prior to this year's DMV registration, submitted my 2024 tax documents to my CPA, trimmed the shrubs in the back garden, finished the book I was reading, and wrote and posted a blog piece. There, easy! I'm also planning for a family event in April, but that's been an ongoing project and is not confined to one week. (I'll save that one for the quarterly report.)

If you're working, it's really not hard, and it's not an unfair question. Tell us, what the heck are you doing all day? This taxpayer, for one, would like to know.

Save It

Are you having as much fun as I am watching the Democrat hysteria over The Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.)? I find it absolutely hilarious.

So D.O.G.E. will have access to my "sensitive information"? Well, join the club. I'm sure even Beijing has my sensitive information. The IRS, Social Security, Medicare, all of my past employers, all the credit card and insurance companies I've ever worked with, plus all the hackers in the extensive Home Depot, Target, Visa, AT&T, Scripps Healthcare, and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breaches know all about me, including my social security number. Let's not forget the doctor's and dentist's offices. Oh yes, the oral surgeon and endodontist have it, too.

The one that bothered me the most was the 2015 breach at OPM. Those data files were compiled for my security clearance and contained information about my entire family, not just me. No one in politics or the media seemed overly concerned about "sensitive information" at the time. As I recall, they all moved on from the story rather promptly.

If it will save the country from bankruptcy and benefit U.S. taxpayers, I say go for it. The overwrought media and Democrat obstructionists are also screaming about the 20-something-year-old D.O.G.E. employees working on the government savings project. It's quite ironic that these are the same people who were captivated by the teenaged Greta Thunberg scoldings a few years ago, as Vice President Vance noted in his recent speech in Europe.

I visited the D.O.G.E. website today. It's quite impressive, even this early in the process. Keep digging, D.O.G.E. Based on the opposition's reaction, you're definitely on the right track. And by the way--thank you.

From the D.O.G.E. website - doge.gov

Sore Losers

Over the course of a 40+ year career, I was laid off from my job four times (or was it five?). So, while I empathize with anyone who has been let go, I find great amusement in reading the reactions of federal workers who suddenly find themselves in the unthinkable position of being unemployed.

News flash to these outraged, newly out-of-work workers: Nobody owes you a living. I've been let go at highly inopportune times, left without income when I was paying a child's tuition, when my husband had cancer, and when I was a newly self-supporting widow. There were no lavish, half-year severance packages for me, either. On one occasion I received one month's severance pay; all other layoffs offered only two weeks' pay. Yet it never occurred to me to carry a placard and march around my former employer's building protesting this cruel and unfair treatment.

There was no time for such self-indulgence after being let go from my job in trying circumstances. Each time I lost my job I sat down and polished my resume, called my network contacts, set up interviews, and got myself re-situated in a new position as soon as I possibly could. I wasn't picky, either. Any job offer that was reasonably comparable to my lost position would do and was accepted promptly.

This was back when five days a week in the office was required. There was no such concept as "remote work." You got yourself into work on time Monday through Friday for at least eight hours each day or you would find yourself job-hunting again quite quickly.

Having recently retired and experienced Medicare glitches, I've had occasions to contact federal workers. I've spent up to three-and-a-quarter hours on telephone hold times. When I did finally reach a live person, there was either a dog barking or a child crying in the background. There was extreme indifference to my issues, and it took three months to find an interested federal employee (who happened to be in the office) who possessed enough work ethic to straighten out the problems in my account.

For the most part, the laid off federal employees had an entitled and unrealistic impression of the working world. A good job is not a birthright; it's a privilege, and it needs to be earned every workday. Put down your protest signs and get busy networking and job-hunting. There is precious little sympathy for you among most American workers. Good luck in the real world.