Your Tatler doesn’t tarry much at Facebook these days, but I was alerted to a post by Fr Peter West, an estimable man and an estimable Catholic. The list he compiled, posted below, speaks for itself (res ipsa loquitur) and requires no commentary. None is offered, save for thanks to Fr West.
You may find Fr West’s original list here.
‘Drugs’ found at NY seminary actually priceless relics of Brooklyn’s Saint Raphael
NY Post: “Drug-sniffing dogs swarmed St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary last week when cops were alerted to possible illegal narcotics that had spilled out of their special container on the scenic, tree-covered campus, WABC reported.”
It turns out it was a seminarian who took the relics for smack, instead of the American saint, St Raphael, who died in Brooklyn in 1915. The poor fellow will likely have a tough time living living this down among his fellow seminarians. Still, there was no harm done and Father Michael Nasser used the occasion to do a good deed.
“We got to meet the K-9 units who came out here for a special prayer and blessing and allowed us to thank them for all they do for us at the seminary and the whole community,” Nasser told WABC.
All dog lovers should heartily approve of Fr Nasser’s worthy act.
Kids, don’t try this at home without an adult present . . . oh.
(A newly commissioned mural at St Patrick’s Cathedral opened to the public yesterday.)
h/t GWR
Someone please inform our Catholic leadership.
The excellent journalist and artist Maureen Mullarkey, whom all reasonable people should read, has posted on her website Studio Matters, a fine essay about the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the likeable and earnest founder of the conservative advocacy group, Turning Point.
In prose both clear and lucid, she describes how Kirk’s assassination has been the long-awaited catalyst that has, at last, transformed millions of Americans’s attitudes from resigned complacency into genuine anger, with reaction against the increasingly violent, left-wing activists infecting this nation, and a host of others. The awakened citizenry, in this and other nations, are finally standing up and firmly informing the radical left, we will no longer meekly acquiesce to your thuggery, nor pay the least heed to your sycophants in major media who, like a cancer, have taken over most of it. Already, some of the overpaid newsreaders have been cashiered, or have quit their cushy jobs. These newly unemployed rich are taking it about as well as a toddler having his favorite sucking toy snatched away from him, while simultaneously needing a diaper change.
Mullarkey singles out for criticism perhaps the most useless organization in the Holy Catholic Church, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (the USCCB). You will not find in our Holy Church a more ineffectual bunch of wimps, who go about wringing their hands, speaking platitudes and little else. Lately they are half-apologizing for the increasing terror attacks on the good people they ought to be lionizing, such as the late Charlie Kirk, who, though not a Catholic, vigorously promoted our Catholic morals. Instead, the brave souls of the USCCB, following Kirk’s brutal murder, issued a milquetoast response in which they expressed, again, their abhorence of terrorist violence. Your Graces, just how many observant Catholics would you hazard are comforted by such uninspired, banal words?
Your Tatler’s disappointment was compounded Sunday by the words coming from the pulpit by our new pastor, who up to now has impressed by his cleaning up the considerable liturgical detritus left behind by his predecessor. What did we hear? A statement sounding as if it were dictated to be read by all priests in New Mexico by our yet-to-resign Archbishop of Santa Fe. In it, we heard, of all things, an abhorence of violence, but zero reference to Charlie Kirk’s murder. To be fair, I like our new pastor, but his fear of going out on a limb was a disappointment. Reverend Sir, you are far better than that, and capable of far better, by a wide margin. I pray for you because you and other priests are on the battleground.
98 years old and still working.
Blomstedt is the subject of an Australian Broadcast Corp report about him, with some memorable quotes. Excerpts:,
“I’m not so naïve that I think everybody goes out of the concert hall after a Bruckner symphony saying, ‘I won’t do so many bad things tomorrow. I’ll treat my wife nicer.’
“But to experience the order and beauty of great music brings the listener in contact with something that is greater than himself, something that is meant to be perfect and beautiful and positive, and this is one of the greatest blessings of great music.”
Retirement is not a question of age . . . it should be flexible. I just love the music so much that I just can’t give up. There are always things that I want to learn. I’m happy for the results we get now and then, but I’m not really satisfied. Satisfaction lies in the hope of even better possibilities in the future, and I want to take all those chances.”
He ends by quoting Robert Schumann.
Schumann said: ‘The task of the musician is to send light into the depths of the human soul’. Light in the darkness — all of us, each of us, have a dark room in our soul. It could be illness, or disappointment in life; we all have something. You need light in this darkness and music can do that better, than any other art.”
Blomstedt is an observant Seventh-Day Adventist, but Catholics and all others can learn from him, especially musicians.
The incident leading to the apology by Office Depot was detailed in yesterday’s New York Post. Specifically, an Office Depot employee refused a customer’s request to print a poster consisting of a photo of the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk and an announcement of a vigil to mourn his death. The employee claimed it was “propaganda” (so what if it were?). The customer shrugged off the rejection and went over to the local Fed-Ex, which was pleased to print the poster gratis.
The brass at Office Depot, when learning of the incident, apparently became apoplectic and fired the employee responsible.
It’s too early to see this incident as a turnaround in the corporate culture, but it certainly can be seen as a hopeful sign.
The responsible employee; not someone you’d want to meet in a dark alley, no?
The slain Charlie Kirk, a truly righteous and godly man is seen in the video above, politely mopping the floor with a college woman (with purple hair) on her knowledge of scripture. As one would expect of the late Mr Kirk, whose young life was cruelly snuffed out a few days ago, he debated the young women with courtesy and respect and ignored her many unneeded reminders that she was a Catholic.
Her ignorance of scripture was an embarrassment. Still, this is not the fault of young Catholics like her, it is the result of their lazy and sloppy instruction. This is a common problem in the Catholic Church.
Since my conversion, I have found, especially among young Catholics, that many of them have insufficient knowledge of scripture and church teachings. I was blessed when catechized, as it took place at the Church of Our Saviour, Fr Rutler’s church. Two eminently knowledgeable young men led the weekly classes, at which we read, or were assigned to read, all or most of the Catechism. Occasionally, we were even tested and given writing assignments. The classes met weekly for seven months, until Easter Eve, when were received (all of us made it, happily) into the Holy Catholic Church, a memorable and happy day for me.
Whatever your religion, though, we must pray for the repose of the soul of the good and pious Charlie Kirk. Also we should pray for his widow and two young children.
As for Mr Kirk’s murderer, may God have mercy on his soul.
President Trump announced today that a suspect has been arrested for Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump told “Fox & Friends” during a live interview at the cable giant’s Manhattan studio.
I wonder how this case will be handled in our present justice system. It wasn’t long ago that when someone was charged with capital murder, the indictment, trial, verdict, and one appeal, if the sentence were death by hanging (later, by firing squad, electric chair–Edison successfully demanded alternating current, the rival to his direct current, be used–and in California, the gas chamber) took around six weeks. No endless appeals dragging on for years and even decades.
Our justice system has been hijacked. If it isn’t returned to the people, then we do not stand a chance winning our battle with the radical left, and their brutal acts will continue and worsen.
If this nation is serious about ridding itself of the brutal and increasing terrorism of the radical left, it is essential we return to the swift execution of justice we had only 50 years ago, especially in cases of murder. Years of appeals serve no one, save the convicts, lawyers, and do-gooder groups.
The look of knowing you have only seconds to live
The 23-year-old victim,[Iryna Zarutska] had come to the United States to escape the war in Ukraine.
She loved America. We’re going to bury her here,” the family told [FBI Agent] Barnacle—NY Post
Meanwhile, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, displaying great compassion, has instructed those appalled by this brutal crime: “This is a tragic situation that sheds light on problems with society safety nets related to mental healthcare and the systems that should be in place,”
No need to identify the mayor’s political party.
THE TAOS TATLER. 