Tradition, Family and Property (Magazine) 1996 by Nestor

MAGAZINE

January-February, 1996 $4.00

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From Austria to Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

from France to the world

9 . ^/ n 1683 the Turks invaded Hungary and, completely overrunning the country, reached

On September 12 of

the same year (1683) John Sobiesld, King of Poland,

Vienna, to which they laid siege, for the second time in

utterly routed the Turks, drove them back into their

its history. Incidentally, they nearly succeeded in cap

own country, and Vienna was saved. As a reward for

turing it. During the siege, bakers' apprentices were at

the intelligence shown by the baker-boys, they were

work one night in underground bakehouses, preparing

granted the privilege of making and selling a rich kind

the bread for next day's consumption. The lads heard a rhythmic "thump, thump,

thump," and were much puzzled by it. Two of the apprentices, more intelligent than the rest, guessed that the Turks were driving a mine, and ran off to the Commandant of Vienna with their news.

of roll (into the composition of which butter largely entered) in the shape of the Turkish emblem, the crescent. These rolls became enor

mously popular amongst the Viennese, who called them Kipfeln. When Marie Antoinette married Louis

XVI of France, she missed her Kipfeln, and sent to Vienna for an Austrian baker to

They saw the principal engineer officer and told him

teach his Paris confreres the art of making them. These

of their discovery. He accompanied them back to the

rolls, which retained their original shape, became as

underground bakehouse, and at once determined that

popular in Paris as they had been in Vienna, and are

the boys were right. Having got the direction from the

known as croissants, and that is die reason why one of

sound, the Austrian's drove a second tunnel, and

the rolls which are brought you with your morning

exploded a powerful countermine. Great numbers of

coffee in Paris will be baked in the form of a crescent.

Turks were killed, and the siege was temporarily raised. Lord Frederic Hamilton, The Vanished Pomps ofYesterday,(New York: 1934) pp. 56-57

Crusade

Contents Cover:

January-February, 1996

Home Schooling ❖ News Flashes

❖ Unconditionally Pro-Life

- out of the Citacombs

Religion Lourdes and the Age of Unbelief

"We Are Not in the Business of Miracles"— A Doctor's View of Lourdes

Commentary Plinio Correa de Oliveira: Distinguished Apostle, Ardent and Intrepid Polemist

Lourdes: A constant challenge to unbelievers

Interview

Cuban Chernobyl—Not In Our Backyard

Forgotten Truth Inequality Is a Condition for Social Harmony

Cover Article Home Schooling—Out of the Catacombs

Home schooling:

"Keep ihein away

Dr. Mary Kay Clark Speaks to Crusade Magazine

from schools where there is risk of their

AmbienceSy Customs and Civilizations True Glory Can Only Be Bom of Pain

drinking in the poison of impiety." 26

Commentary Combating the Culture of Death

The American TFP in Action Impressive Response to America Needs Fatima Campaign

Basic History Course of Western Civilization The Prophets

Family Series The Cuban

The Legend on the Locket

The third secret of Fatima:

Chemobyl

Is the wait over?

Crusade Magazine is a publication of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property

(TFP). Subscriptions in the United States and Canada, $24.00. Foreign subscriptions, $30.00. List of other TFP publications available upon request. Direct all subscription requests and inquiries to: The American TFP, P.O. Box 1868, York, PA 17405. Tel.:(717) 225-7147, Fax:(717) 225-7382. Copyright © 1995. Permission is granted to reproduce, in whole or in part, any article of this magazine with credit given to Crusade Magazine.

Crusade M.AG.AriNE

Crusade:

Editor;

C. Preston Noell III

A Quest for the

Associate EDrroRs:

Earl Appleby Eugenia Guzman

Gary Isbell Jack Bumham

Future in the Past

Steven F. Schmieder Photography: Todd F. Kamuf

TO some,our new name will invoke a memory ofthe day when Crusade for a Christian Civilization, the American TFP's first magazine, crossed their path. This name reflected the spirit of the late founder of the

CircuiwAtion: Steven A. Herrera Foreign Correspondents:

AUSTRALIA: John S. Tucker

BRAZIL: Orlando Lyra CANADA: John Misek

Brazilian TFP, Plinio Correa de Oliveira, a crusader of the twentieth century.

CHILE: Nelson Farias Blanco

Since the American TFP's founding in the early seventies, the means of com munication we have used to get the message out have had many incarnations, but the underlying principles have always been the same. What has been changing, however, is the context in which we work. The

FRANCE. Mario Beccar Varela GERMANY: Beno Hofschulle PORTUGAL: Mauricio Sucena PHILIPPINES: Allen Bandril ROME: Juan M. Monies

world in which we live continues on its path to destruction, and the Revolutionary process described by Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira in

SOUTH AFRICA: Michael McKenna

SPAIN: Felipe Barandiaran

Revolution and Counter-Revolution goes on. The reality that confronts us is not one of a mere crisis in this or that aspect

The American TFP

of society. It is an all-out assault on every form of decency, on every aspect of our religion and on our very right to exist as Catholics. The impious feel they have a total license to treat the objects of our Faith

The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and

while the innocent are slaughtered. All around us the last vestiges of 2,000 years

Property (TFP) was founded in 1973 to confront the profound crisis shaking the modern world. It is a

of Christian civilization are disappearing.

civic, cultural and nonpartisan orga nization which, inspired by the tra

with a contempt they would not allow for animals. Immorality is enthroned

In analogous circumstances, the Popes convoked crusades. These times of crisis were occasions of unity for Christians and for heroism. The crusade tran

scended the petty interests of everyday existence and raised men to new peaks of virtue.

Today the assault on our civilization does not come in the unsophisticated form of a physical aggression but in the much more devastating form of psy chological war designed to demoralize, deform, and pervert. It is a total war for

ditional teachings of the Supreme Magisterium of the Roman Catholic

Church, works in a legal and peace ful manner in the realm of ideas to

defend and promote the princi of private ownership, family . perennial Christian values with their twofold function: individual and social. The TFP's words and efforts

have always been faithfully at the

the ruin or salvation of souls, for the ruin or salvation of a civilization.

Against this it is inappropriate to speak merely about a campaign or a move

service of Christian civilization. The first TFP was founded in

ment. The imperative of the day is a crusadeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a crusade that uses every licit

Brazil by the famous intellectual

means of ideological persuasion, one that convinces instead of conquers.

and Catholic leader Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira in 1960. His

These considerations brought many of our readers to request a return to our original theme. We wholeheartedly agree! With this issue, then, Tradition,

Family and Properly Magazine becomes Crusade.

â&#x2013;

work has inspired the formation of other autonomous TFPs in 26 coun

tries across the globe, thus consti

tuting the world's largest anticommunist and antisocialist network.

CRUSADE

NEWS FLASHES generation

been corroborated by archaeological dis covery, these experts now take the position that since the rest of the Old Testament has no such corroboration it must be false.

While discounting a document that has enriched the theology, philosophy, litera ture, and history of Western Civilization for

Thou shall not inherit

well over 2500 years, their fellow experts

0 Vermeer fascinates

ly-owned firms fail to make it to the second

(quoted in USN&WR, Nov. 27, 1995) had no trouble constructing non-existent crea tures from a handful of bones. Using three teeth and two fossils the size of broken pen

generation and over 90 percent do not reach

cils that were found in China, these "scien

Art in Washington, D.C., closed its special

tists" speculate that some primitive species

exhibit of twenty-one paintings by the sev enteenth-century Flemish artist Johannes

The American Alliance of Family Businesses reports that 60 percent of fami

the third generation.

One of the principal reasons cited for

of pre-man left Africa two million years ago. One wonders what predisposition

while obstinately ignoring the value of a time-tested document whose veracity has been proven numerous times.

cold temperatures before being able to enter

causes them to elaborate such a fanciful

60 percent of an individual's assets upon

scenario based on such scanty evidence

"It's basically cheaper to give away a business than to die owning it," claims

Frank Rainaldi of the American Society of Chartered Life Underwriters and Chartered Financial Consultants.

In 1994, estate and gift taxes accounted

0 Atrocities against Catholics in Bosnia ignored

for only 1.2 percent of total federal govern ment revenue.

0 Science suggests that mankind descends from Adam and Eve

On February 11, the National Gallery of

Vermeer (1632-1675). From its opening in mid-November of last year, the exhibit has beena surprising success, attracting more than 4,000 visitors every day, many of

this failure is the current system of estate and gift taxes, which can claim as much as death.

Americans

Amidst

the

reports of atrocities against the Moslems

by the Bosnian are

authentic, one the

press for a proportional treatment of the devastating anti-Catholic

whom waited in long lines despite record the gallery to enjoy a few moments of esthetic pleasure. The artistic genius of the painter and the

I the works of Verme r be n gathered

unique circumstances of this event help explain the success. Never before had and shown in such number due to the

difficulties of obtaining loans of them

from public and private collections around the world. Many millions of dollars were necessary to insure their

safety in transit. Certainly a long time will pass before another such exhibit is mounted.

persecution. Late last spring, the Catholic bishop of Banja Luka, Franjo Komarica, complained

join the guild of painters in his native Delft.

that the murders, beatings, and destruction in his diocese were increasing in intensity.

known that he converted to Catholicism

Little is known with certainty of Vermeer's life or the reasons that led him to

He appears to have left no self-portrait. It is

He also complained of the indifference and

when he married Catharina Bolnes, and this

lack of justice from international organiza

greatly inspired several of his works.

tions. While in Washington. Cardinal Vinko

Vermeer fascinated Americans not so

Puljic, Archbishop of Sarajevo, protested

much because of the narrative chara>. â&#x2013; 'â&#x20AC;˘ nf

that the number of Catholics in his diocese

his paintings, but because of his talci

was reduced from 520,000 to 125,000.

transforming commonplace scenes into

with a previous statement eight years ago

Later, in August, when the Croats recaptured

expressions of balance and harmony. He

that the genetic family was traced back to

Krajina, they were shocked to discover the extent of the campaign of terrorism there. Now Cardinal Puljic is speaking out

knew how to capture details of daily life

was a master of perspective and colors and

one woman, this information certainly defeats the attempt of the evolutionists to claim that man emerged from a multiplicity of parents fpolygenism) in various locations around the globe. True science again cor

again. He has added to the horror stories by reporting that in the diocese of Banja Luka the Catholic population dropped from

roborates the Bible, which should not to be

180,000 to 6,000 and that 614 Catholic

surprising, since God is the author of both.

churches in Bosnia have been destroyed. He

However, another popular newsweekly in a recent cover article attempted to dis

criticized the Dayton accords for "granting territory to the Serbs and Moslems, but

Johannes Vermeer, more than any other

credit the Old Testament with some rather

none to the Catholics who are disappearing

master, purified and idealized what he saw,

illogical reasoning by some of its "experts." Although much of the Old Testament has

from their homeland as the nation under

giving permanence to life's fleeting and

goes Islamization."

ordinary moments.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

that otherwise might have escaped atten tion. The "Yoiinf^ Woman w ith a Water Jug." the "Lace Maker" and the "Young Woman Adorning Herself with a Pearl Necklace" are some examples of the purity and bal ance that Vermeer's genius knew how to express in colors and shades.

Unconditionally

... VT

As we renew our total commitment to defending all innocent

they purport to provide a "moral frame work" to describe the "abortion decision."

life, let us never compromise with the culture of death.

Many pro-lifers see in this new lan guage a bridge for some form of under

by Orlando Lyra

standing with the abortionists. "But there really can't be an agreement, a fundamental

Neither the cold nor the floodmg of

agreement, between those on the one hand

enthusiasm of the 125,000 people

Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua of Phila delphia rightly maintains that transforming the way people live is more important than

who came from all over the country for the 23rd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on January 22. This election year, grassroots pro-lifers

political action: "I think that Catholics have to change people's attitudes and convic tions by their persuasion and their example. Yes, they have to pass laws protecting the

are lining up to elect a president with a pro-

unborn, but laws are ineffective unless the

Cardinal said, "because I believe that with

life stand. According to Congressman Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), "grassroots pro-lifers are growing almost exponential

people them.selves are convinced.

out a dialogue we will never be able to con

the

Potomac

could

lessen

the

"We have laws against murder, but there

who think this is the taking of human life and those on the other hand who think we

arc dealing with a fingernail," says Bernard Cardinal Law of Boston, who does not rule

out discussion with the pro-choicers with a view to convincing them of their error. "I hope there can be discussion." the

are a lot more murders being committed.

vince them. I think the facts of biology speak for themselves. We .should be able to engage

ly. We have people all across the ideologi

We have laws against stealing, but stealing

the debate. You know, one of the dilT Hltics

cal spectrum who are united by the one

is still going on. Until you have the con

issue of protecting the unborn and their mothers from the atrocity of abortion. They will be working at the local grassroots level

sciences and the convictions and the atti

in this country is that we never \ engaged the debate. There has been a s\stematic exclusion of the pro-life side; we tend to be stereotyped. And our message

to make sure that their local congressional candidate wins if he or she is pro-life, and

important is the changing of the convic

really is not heard. I think we need the press

tions, the attitudes, and the minds of the

for that."

to make sure that the presidential election swings in favor of life," But watch out! While admitting that we have "much better representation in the U.S. Congress now than...some years ago,"

people." public opinion, the pro-abortion movement

ing of abortion, or even to discourage its

is endeavoring to replace its threadbare propaganda with more sympathetic rhe

abortion takes a human life, they present

John Cardinal O'Connor of New York

toric.

tudes of the people supporting life, any law in favor of life will not be effective. Most

In the hope of more readily deceiving

warns that "We cannot depend on politics. They can be very volatile and people who

their repertoire, along with "moral con

are elected this year might not be elected

science," "good and evil." and the like.

the next time around."

With such termsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which touch the soulâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Abortionists have even added "God" to

Of course, the abortionists aren't using this new language to encourage the outlaw practice. For even when they admit that

the choice to kill as a private decision that precludes any government interference.

Thus they cynically exploit the general dis content with govemment and the pervasive strain of moral libertarianism infecting our

CRUSADE

Pro-Life U II T II

"We cannot depend on

politics. They can be very volatile and people who are elected this year Nation to perpetuate the abortion holocaust.

But a decision is private only insofar as it refers to the exclusive inter ests and rights of the person who decides. When it involves the interests and rights of others, a decision is no longer private, but delegated. No one can delegate a right that is not his. Accordingly, no person can delegate the right to his own life—much less another's. Life belongs to its Creator alone to give and to take.

might not be elected the next time around."

John Cardinal O'Connor, New York

Just as it would be absurd to condone child abuse by parents on the

grounds that it is a private matter, it is absurd to sanction a woman's right to murder the child within her womb. Abortion, after all, is the 'Wes,they have to pass laws protecting the unborn, but laws are

ultimate child abuse.

A woman's legitimate rights over her own body end where the body of another—in this case, her prebom child—begins. No one, alleging

privacy, can trespass these bounds and trample upon the rights of

ineffective unless the

another. This would extend the limits of privacy at the expense of another's rights.

people themselves are

To end a person's life in the name of "privacy" is to undermine the foundation of privacy's very reason for being: the enhancement of the

convinced."

dignity of man as created in the image of God. Abortion, the slaughter

Anthony ^^4||||||^ Bevilacqua, Philadel^lP

of the innocent, is not a private choice but a public crime that cries out to God and man for justice. In any civilization worthy of the name, the government must use the full power of the law to protect the lives of its citizens—born and unborn.

As we renew our total commitment to defending all innocent life, let us resolve never to compromise with the culture of death in any of its anti-life tendencies.

As the Holy Father rightly reminds us: "This situation, with its

lights and shadows, ought to make us all fully aware that we are fac

ing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the culture of death and the culture of life. We find oui^selves not

only faced with but necessarily in the midst of this conflict: We are all involved and we all share in it, with the ine.scapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life" (encyclical The Gospel of Life, n. 28). ■

JANUARY-FEBRUARY. 1996

"One of the difficulties in

this country is that we never really engaged the debate. There has been a

systematic exclusion of the

pro-life side." Bernard Cardinal Law, Boston

Lourdes and the

Age of Unbelief

by Paul Folley

i I

It has been 138 years since the news first broke of extraordinary happenings in a remote town in the Pyrenees. At the time, the reaction of the world scientific community was fiercely hostile, but now science and religion have formed an unbreakable alliance at Lourdes.

When Our Lady first appeared to Bemadette Soubirous, the unex

ceptional and sickly daughter of an impoverished miller, on the banks of the Gave River, Lourdes was the epitome of an obscure provincial hamlet in southern France. Today, countless Catholic churches,

Among Catholics the rea.son for the fame of Lourdes is obvious.

The apparitions at Lourdes were the sec ond in a sequence of visits the Mother of

Lourdes, where her message was brief and

back from the abyss to which sin was lead ing it. These visits began in 1830 at the con

to Fatima, where she foretold the disasters

vent of the Sisters of Charity in Bac Street,

Lourdes or Saint Bernadette, and Lourdes

Paris. There she warned Saint Catherine

has become the most famous Catholic

Laboure of impending calamities for France and the world if humanity persisted in its revolt against God. There she also gave us

tors annually.

ters to heed Her admonition, and at

God has made to the world to call mankind

schools, and hospitals boast the name of

shrine in the world, with five million visi

ishment continued at the apparition a Salette in 1846, where Our Lady wept oitterly over the failure of Her sons and daugh

pointed: "Penitence, penitence!" And so on that would befall the twentieth century and the eventual triumph of her Immaculate Heart.

Beyond the Catholic world, the story of

the Miraculous Medal. (See Tradition,

Lourdes has caught peoples' imaginations in a way no other Catholic devotion has.

Avenue style promotion by the Catholic

Family and Property Magazine, September-

This in due to the endless list of astounding

Church. Indeed, Church authorities were at

October, 1995.)

This fame is not the result of a Madison

first reluctant to encourage the devotion.

The theme of sin and its resultant pun

cures for which Lourdes has become

famous: cures of every imaginable illness;

CRUSADE

Religion nology could overcome every problem, per haps even death itself.

The events at Lourdes broke upon this

This work continues today in the Medical Bureau, the successor to the BMV,

cocksure world like a thunderbolt in the

This Bureau has its own laboratory and con ference facilities, the latest equipment, and

night. Cynics might dismiss Bernadette as a simpleton and these requests for repentance

time staff works to the highest professional

as the babble of fanatic clerics. But these

standards and maintains permanent liaison

an extensive library and archive. The full-

cures, how could they be explained away? If

with medical research centers and laborato

they were true, what would they mean for a world that had banished religion as an

ries in France and elsewhere.

enemy of.science and progress? At first the scientific community, and the medical profession in France in particular, simply laughed at Lourdes. Miracles? Impossible! This is the nineteenth century!

can draw on the expertise and services of

But the miracles continued. The fame of

in all examinations and discussions, to

Lourdes grew. The crowds flocking to Lourdes grew. In 1905 a young research doctor at the University of Lyons was dismissed for dar ing to suggest that a case he was studying

study all records in the archive, and to chal

Besides its resident doctors, the Bureau hundreds of doctors who visit Lourdes

every year, among them non-Catholics and even doctors of no religious persuasion. The Bureau fully encourages them to participate

lenge as much as they wish. This provides a level of objectivity and professionalism that has earned the Bureau a worldwide reputa tion as a world-class research center.

might have been cured at Lourdes. The

An exact count of cures is unattainable,

physician, Alexis Carrel, resumed his

since some who receive favors wish to

research in New York and later won a Nobel

avoid publicity and keep the news to them

Prize.

selves and their families, but the Bureau

"Whom we doctors cannot save"

already has records of thousands. Of the great number recorded, only a tiny fraction — 64 to date — are registered by the

In the following year, however, when a fierce press campaign broke out against Lourdes in an attempt to close the shrine on trumped-up charges of bad hygiene, it was the medical profession itself that came to its defense. Dr. Vincent of

Lyons gathered the signatures of three thou sand doctors on a letter attesting that Lourdes benefited the sick "whom we doc

tors have been powerless to save."

Bureau as beyond medical explanation.

This is due to the Bureau's exacting stan dards of investigation and documentation. (See the interview with Dr. Bernard Colvin

beginning on p. 10 of this issue.) The Bureau does not declare any cure a miracle. That is reserved to the Church after

it has completed its own exhaustive investi gation. Nor does it say that the cures that

fail to clear all the hurdles required for offi cial registration are not cures. It simply does

cures that arc thoroughly examined and ver ified by the best scientific methods; cures that can only be explained as miracles, incontestable testimony to the supernatural in an age of unbelief!

By 1930, while the world might still jeer, a large portion of the medical profes sion had cea.sed to laugh. In that year. Dr.

Miracles? Impossible!

claimed the great rival of religion, had

Bernadette in a secluded deli

become the most credible witness to the

great

Henri Monier was awarded a doctorate by the University of Paris for a thesis dealing

with cures at Lourdes. Science, falsely pro

When Our Lady appeared at Lourdes, the Faith was at a low

ebb in France, beleaguered by more than a century of the spirit of doubt and materialism unleashed by atheistic

philosophers. That spirit had already pro duced the anti-religious bloodbath of the French Revolution. Now it pervaded the Industrial Revolution, convincing men that they no longer needed God, even if He did exist. The machines, factories, banks, and

growing cities of the nineteenth century offered the false promise of a coming age of perfect earthly happiness. Science and tech

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

not guarantee them.

With childlike faith

Our Lady chose to appo • u^ limestone

bulk

the

truth of Lourdes.

Massabielle, a spur of the Pyrenees range.

Perhaps the main reason for this was the appearance of a Bureau for Medical Verification (BMV),established in Lourdes

Here one finds the very heart of Lourdes, the famous grotto that. 138 years after the

in 1883 to apply the latest and most rigor ous methods of scientific investigation to

sacred presence. Here, too, is the source of

all reported Lourdes cures. The Bureau, a strictly scientific research institute, never

concerned itself with the theological or miraculous aspect of cures. Its only con cern was whether the cures really were cures and, if so, whether they could be explained as natural or were outside the

laws of biology.

apparitions, is still imbued with Our Lady's the miraculous Lourdes water.

When Our Lady first appeared in the

grotto there was no spring there. During the sixth apparition she told Bernadette to "go and drink at the fountain and wash there."

Our Lady indicated a spot, and Bernadette,

with her habitual candid faith, began to scrape the loose soil.

"What is she doing?" gasped the crowd

Religion of onlookers, who neither saw Our Lady nor

had exhausted him. Now he moaned and

Ordinary water

heard her instructions. Bemadette found

gasped in his crib while his distressed moth er did what she could. "It's hopeless," said

That the cures at Lourdes are entirely

She then did exactly as Our Lady had told her. The crowd gasped again as she smeared

Dr. Dozous, "it is only a matter of hours."

her face with the mud. Laughter broke out among the scoffers, and embarrassed disap pointment settled over the believers. People began to leave, shaking their heads; this girl

her son, Mrs. Bouhohorts bundled up the toddler and ran to the grotto. She took no

just enough water to turn the soil into mud.

became wetter. A trickle of water became a

Her husband, seeing the boy blue and

miraculous is borne out by the fact that chemical analysis shows the water to have no inherent therapeutical properties. Its salts are those commonly found in any spring in calcium-rich regions. The small spring bubbles up from the ground and flows through a channel into a system of reservoirs and pipes, then to the line of faucets where pilgrims fill their bot tles and to the specially constmcted baths.

steady flow. There was indeed a spring

livid, was aghast. "Well, are you happy

The water flows at the rate of almost 30,000

there! Word of it spread. To many it seemed quite odd that Bemadette knew of a spring

now? Have you finished killing him?" he fumed, but she did not give up. She watched

of this is not needed so it is stored in reser

there if she was only a charlatan, for the place was always known to be bone dry.

and prayed. "Look, he's breathing sound ly!" she replied at last.

pilgrimages. Recent rumors in local papers

The first cure

When Dr. Dozous and Dr. Lecrampe went to the house next morning they were

On that very day, in a nearby cottage,

dumbfounded to find the child running

at Lourdes that the spring is drying up are entirely without foundation. A series of large sunken troughs com

about and playing. The long series of

prise the separate baths for men and

young Louis-Justin Bouhohorts lay dying. He had spent his two years of life slowly succumbing to consumption. His

Lourdes cures had begun. Not only was Louis Bouhohorts cured: He lived a long and healthy life and was a guest of honor at

women. Several steps lead down into each trough where attendants assist the pilgrims, sick and well, and wrapped in large towels,

legs were paralyzed, and endless seizures

Saint Bemadette's canonization in 1933.

to immerse themselves for a moment in the

is no saint, she's a lunatic!

Only a few stayed long enough to see

what happened next. The muddy dirt

In one last desperate attempt to save

heed of the small crowd gathered around Bemadette, but just plunged the boy up to his neck into the new spring. Fifteen min utes later she took him out and went home.

/ 4^"-''-

gallons per day. In the winter months much voirs to meet the demands of the summer

'vN ■ •"s: •'Vs .X^

•

... .

• 'h-

'• .

Pilgrims praying at the grotto where Our Lady appeared in 1858

CRUSADE

Religion water. Everything is done in an atmosphere of utmost decorum, modesty, and prayerfulness.

Every day long lines of sick people pass through the baths. Every known sickness, some very contagious, has been seen. That there has never been a case of cross-infec tion in the baths is itself miraculous.

But there is more. Some years ago the

Pasteur Institute ran a controlled experi ment in infectious diseases using water drawn from the baths at the end of a busy

day. Samples of the water were found to contain various harmful bacteria. But the.se

proved completely inert and harmless when cultured and injected into guinea pigs. At the same time, when water drawn from the

river Seine, containing much the same bac

teria, was similarly cultured and injected into another batch of guinea pigs, all the animals sickened and some died.

Some critics of Lourdes claim they found the water of the baths filthy, mal odorous, and revolting. Nobody I spoke to who has been through the baths found it to be anything other than clean and clear.

Confounding the skeptics

While almost every ailment known to

man

has

been

cured

Lourdes, we cannot say there is a standard way this happens. The cures have no common denominator. Some cures are

really spectacular, others quiet and less dra matic. Some are sudden and instantaneous,

others gradual. Some patients feel a delight

The miraculous^

spring atrLourdes, at the spot where Our Lady had.Saint Bernadhtte

trv ••

dig,a hple ih'the ground wlt}i^ her hands. "'■ 'M

When Our Lady first appeared in the grotto, there was no spring there. During the sixth apparition she told

Bemadette to "go and drink at the fountain and wash there."

ful sense of warmth and well-being while

being cured, others feel a brief, sharp pain. Some cures are so complete that the patient

place at Lourdes, they do not fi gure in the records of the Medical Bureau. Though per

fectly valid cures of very real illnesses, they are difficult to verify empirically.

The only cures examined at Lourdes are those of organic diseases caused by infec tion, accident, or malfunction. They are dis

eases that have been diagnosed with the usual medical techniques: X-rays, laborato ry tests, blood samples, and so forth. The cures of these diseases are perfectly mea

surable and verifiable by the same methods. Take, for instance, the case of Marie

Bire, of Lucon, France. She was blinded by

atrophy of her optic nerves. Other problems complicated her situation, as her medical records attest, so that she was gravely ill

reminders of the disease — and the cure.

going to the baths seemed bothersome folly. But he grudgingly gave in to the urgings of friends. Even then, he said, he would only dip his legs. He gasped as he felt a pain

Cures may take place in the baths, on the grounds of the basilica, or even on the jour

"like someone thrusting a red-hot iron under my skin." He was cured — unexpect

eye specialist. Dr. Lainey of Rouen. .

ney home. Cures may happen on a sick per son's first pilgrimage, or on a later one.

edly, totally, and permanently. In the face of mounting evidence, metic

astounded. She was seeing but had no optic nerves, a biological impossibility! He wrote

Some cures take place far from Lourdes, at facsimiles of the grotto, while using

ulously gathered and preserved by the

Lourdes water, or simply while praying to Our Lady of Lourdes. There have been

miss Lourdes as the fantasy of religious fanatics trying to exalt their religion. So the

in an official report: "The diagnosis was forced upon me: Here was white atrophy of the optic nerve. This...is recognized by all

cures on every continent.

critics turned to other arguments. The devo

Bire...could read the fi nest print, and her

tees of Lourdes may mean well, but the so-

distant vision was just as good."

appears never to have been sick. Others leave scars or other slight effects as

Faith certainly plays a pan in obtaining

Medical Bureau, it became difficult to dis

cures. But even more telling of the mercy and goodness of Our Lady are the cures of

called cures are just auto-suggestion, hyste

skeptics and unbelievers.

this line forget that the cures recorded and registered at the Medical Bureau are incon-

ria, or mass psychosis. Critics following

when she made a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

While she prayed at the grotto her sight was suddenly restored. Several doctors at the Bureau immedi

ately examined her. Among them

authorities

incurable.

But

an ^ as

Madame

We also have the case of Pierre de

Rudder, who lived near Jabbeke, Belgium. One day a falling tree crushed his leg.

solely to please his archbishop. He scoffed at the idea of being cured of his tormenting

cures of psychological disorders, mental ill

Surgeons removed bone fragments but were unsuccessful in getting the bone to mend. After eight years of attempts, amputation

and ulcerating varicose veins. The idea of

nesses, and the like have certainly taken

was advised. But de Rudder turned to Our

Abbe Fiamma came down from Paris

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

testably cures of organic diseases. While

Religion The statue in the

grotto where Our Lady appeared

"We Are

A Dock Lady. Unable to afford

"When one reads

the trip to Lourdes, he went to

the

about such things," he said, "one can

Lourdes

shrine at Ghent. By now

not help suspecting some kind of charla

Dr. Bernard Colvin, a specialist in

tanism. But here is a

orthopedic medicine, has lectured

his broken leg swung like a rag

and

was constantly

These must be recorded, they must be con

in this field and has been orthope dic surgeon at the Royal Infirmary Hospital in Dundee, Scotland, for many years. Since 1976 he has

scientiously studied."

served as a member of the

Repentance, the greatest miracle

for the study and verification of

Many have been cured at Lourdes,

Lourdes cures. The Committee, usually comprised of 20 to 30 doc

cure I have seen with my own eyes. I have seen an

infected. Even if it did mend it would be shorter than his other

leg since part of the bone had been removed.

While praying at the shrine he felt a

sudden shudder throughout his body.

apparently

chronic

invalid

restored to health and normal life.

Spontaneously he began to walk around the shrine — without his crutches. And he

had no trouble walking back to the train, Returning home, he found his leg com pletely cured; even the missing bone had been replaced, all in a few instants.

International Medical Committee

but many more have not. Why this is so must remain one of the

tors from many countries, reviews

His doctor. Dr. Van Hoestenberghe, an

inscrutable mysteries of God. But we don't

the findings of the Lourdes

agnostic, wrote to the Medical Bureau: "Pierre is undoubtedly cured. I have seen

understand Lourdes unless we look beyond

Medical Bureau and has final say

the cures, intriguing though they are. This

him many times during the last eight years,

as to whether a reported cure is

is, after all, only a part of the story. Our

and my medical knowledge tells me that

Lady never spoke of cures and miracles.

such a cure is absolutely inexplicable. He has been cured completely and instanta neously, without any period of convales

Saint Bemadelte never showed the least

beyond medical explanation. Dr. Colvin graciously consented to

interest in them. And although the whole

this interview for Crusade.

cence. Not only have the bones been unit ed, but a portion of bone .seems to have

devotion of Lourdes began with her, she never asked a cure for herself. She once

Crusade: Could you give us a gen

been created to take the place of those frag

said her mission was "to be sick," to offer her sufferings for the conversion of sinners

ments I myself have .seen taken from the

out of love of God. She died of tuberculo

wound."

sis at the age of 35.

Twenty-eight other doctors studied the case, some of them men of no religious

Our Lady spoke very little during the apparitions. When she did speak, it was to

exhaustive. A sick person who is cured at

beliefs. They questioned all the doctors who had worked on de Rudder. They ques

call mankind to repentance. This, then,

for a thorough examination, both phy^i'-nlly and psychologically. This begins u

tioned his neighbors. They went to Ghent

penance, and prayer for the conversion of

to question everyone who had been at the shrine at the time of the cure. They thor

sinners, for the conversion of mankind

straying far from God — Who wishes to

If the Medical Bureau is satisfied that an

oughly examined de Rudder himself.

show His goodness and mercy through so

extraordinary cure may have taken place,

When he died at the age of 75, an autopsy showed his leg bones perfectly joined "as

many cures and so many graces freely

the patient is invited to return one year later

given to all, whether sick or well, whether

the most skillful of surgeons would have

cured or not.

with all his documents, test reports. X-rays, and so on. for another thorough examina

done."

The greatest miracle that takes place at Lourdes is the torrent of grace poured upon

tion. This is to see if the cure is permanent. At this stage the case has only a file. There is as yet no decision.

Confronted with irrefutable evidence

eral idea of how reported Lourdes cures are authenticated?

Dr. Colvin: The process is elaborate and

must be the theme of Lourdes: repentance,

Lourdes is invited to the Medical Bureau

study of their medical history. Witnes>..>. are questioned. A report is made.

like this the modern world has two choic

all who visit there, a torrent bursting forth

es. It can either exclaim with Zola, "Even

like Bernadette's spring, from the infinite

During that year, a sort of probation

if 1 saw a miracle 1 wouldn't believe!" Or it

period, a doctor who lives near the patient

can humbly agree with Dr. Carrel, who said he would believe only if he saw a mir

reservoir of God's goodness. This contact with the supernatural, with Our Lady, is the preeminent reason for the Joy to be

is appointed by the Medical Bureau to make a local investigation. The patient's

acle. Well, he did see one at Lourdes.

found at Lourdes.

■

GP is consulted, medical records are cross-

CRUSADE

Religion

OT IN THE Business of Miracles" -

r's View of Lourdes checked, the clinic or hospital where the

diagnosis was made is visited. Family and

Interview with Dr. Bernard Colvin

Some cases take years to get to this point. Most never get this far.

This keeps the Bureau autonomous and free from any kind of pressure or influ

friends are interviewed, and so forth.

If the International Committee finds the

Above all, the patient is monitored to see

cure to be extraordinary it sends the case to

how the cure progresses. After this process,

often non-Catholics and even atheists, are

the patient's local bishop. He appoints a team of canon lawyers to examine all the facts from the point of view of their partic ular specialties. They are interested in the

asked to examine the case objectively as scientists, whatever their religious beliefs.

patient is using the cure for gain or notori

question is a theological one,so we leave it to the theologians. What we have to decide

Their input is appreciated because it safe

ety. A team of five doctors advises the

is whether the case can or cannot be

guards the Bureau from accusations of

canonists on medical matters. Finally, the bishop has the responsibility to say

explained according to the laws of biology.

whether or not the cure is a miracle.

was an illness to begin with; if the illness

the patient returns to the Medical Bureau for the re-examination. Visiting doctors,

bias.

By this stage most cases have been

moral life of the cure, if, for instance, the

ence.

Crusade'. What criteria do you fol low during hearings? Dr. Colvin: The first criterion is that we don't discuss if the case is a miracle. That

It boils down to deciding if there really was actually cured; if the cure is permanent

dropped for one reason or another, not nec essarily because they are fraudulent, but

is all done by doctors and paid for by doc

or at least stable, since diseases can tem

because some link in the chain of evidence

tors. The Church does not fund any of it.

porarily decline only to rebound later; if

I should add that the medical end of this

is faulty. But if, after all

this, the Bureau people are still satisfied that an extra

ordinary cure has really happened, they pass the case

us,

the

International Committee.

We now have the job of reviewing all the evidence. We get about two cases a week from the Medical Bureau. Most of these we

sift out, leaving about five

to seven a year that we seriously consider.

Then comes the final

stage when the cure is declared to have no med

ical explanation. And this is all we doctors are asked to do. We are not in the

business of miracles; we are to stick to hard medical facts. All this takes time.

The incorrupt body of Saint Bernadette Soublrous lies in

Nevers, France.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

Pilgrims come to Lourdes from all over the world in

hope of some cure.

there had ever been

any treatment which could explain the cure. We follow a questionnaire, giving a yes or a no to eighteen questions. Then a yes or a no to whether

someone

declared miraculously cured the Bureau publi cizes it fully. But we have to

be totally rigorous. The last thing we want is to have any discredit

it is scientifically explainable. A majority

because the moment we do the Church has

vote decides.

many enemies who will blow it up.

Crusade: Could you explain what

"What we have to

you mean by "ever had any treat

ment"? Surely anybody sick today receives some treatment. Dr. Colvin: Of course. We must make a distinction between a treatment that is

aimed at eliminating a disease and one that

is only intended to ameliorate it. In the lat

Crusade: So it's really rigorous then?

decide is whether the case can or cannot he

explained according to the laws of biology."

ter case, obviously, treatment could not

Dr. Colvin: Yes. That's why only 64 cures have been declared miraculous to date.

Crusade: How many have cleared the medical hurdles and await pro nouncement by canonical authori ties?

have cured the patient. can give a temporary cure. Why not? It's

atric unit, more X-rays were taken. But the originals mysteriously got lost, so we had

still a cure if He cures you for just one

nothing to compare the new ones to. The

month, but we don't even consider cases

case had to be dropped.

like that.

So, if you don't get co-operation from the doctor, or if the radiology department

Another word about the criteria. God

Crusade: What about mental ill nesses?

says, "We're not co-operating," then that's

diseases.

Crusade: Do you consult individu als or organizations outside the Committee?

Dr. Colvin: Oh yes, and not all Catholic resources either. But you do like to know

who your sending things to reasonably well, because some people might say "Lourdes? I'm sure its a miracle." while others would

say "Lourdes? No way!" What you want is impartiality. We have had very good cases that have fallen through because X-rays mysteriously

Crusade: Finally, your work has

enabled you to see a lot of suffering over the years. Has Lourdes influ enced your views on suffering? Dr. Colvin: Yes, as a doctor one is

bound to think a bit about the purpose of

it!

Dr. Colvin: Not considered either, becau.se you can never be sure with mental

Dr. Colvin: Perhaps another 4 or 5.

Crusade: It has been claimed that the number of cures has been

dropping recently. Would you have a comment on that?

Dr. Colvin: I wouldn't necessarily agree that the number of cures is declining, but

the number of registered cures may be. Remember, in the early days of the Bureau there were no X-rays and other technolo

gies. Diagnosis was by examination and history. A lot of the early cases were tuber

suffering. Why does God allow it? Several

reasons, I think. First of all it is a purifica tion process. It gives us the chance to atone

for our sins. And why shouldn't we' We inherited suffering as we inherited tli of Adam. But on a higher level, suffei utg lets us share in Our Lord's crucifixion. 1

suppose it is something we should be grate ful for because it is a sign that we are in

God's grace. We see the Psalmist ask why evil men always seem to triumph here on

earth. They all .seem to do so well. They live a life of luxury, never suffer, that .sort

culosis and relatively easy to diagnose. As medical procedures became more sophisti

of thing. But the good men are like Job.

cated. verification became more elaborate

Everything goes wrong for them.

and rigorous. This may mean that we are

Above all, it is the Faith that makes

got lost. We had a child with an autogenic

missing a lot of miracles. But a miracle

sense of suffering. 1 often wonder, what's

sarcoma of the skull, The mother, told that

doesn't have to be labelled one by us for it to be true. It's really between God and the

the point of living if you don't have the

the child was going to die, went to Lourdes

where the child recovered. Back at the pedi-

patient.

die well. That is the important thing.

Faith? We live to die, and if we live well we

â&#x2013;

CRUSADE

Commentary

Plinio Correa de Oliveira

Distinguished Apostle, Ardent and Intrepid Polemist by Bernardino Cardinal Echeverria Ruiz, O.F.M. Bernardino Cardinal Echevern'a Ruiz

The unexpected news of the

inspiring that aberration and thereby preserved many Catholic circles from its unhappy influence.

death of Plinio Correa de

Oliveira has moved us to pon der some chapters of his life and to

Now that attacks on Nazi-fascism

reflect that the more intense the evils

are commonplace — in part because

of an epoch, the more exceptional

errors having a minimal following

are the figures Divine Providence

are easy to excoriate — one not

calls to face them. It is a reflection

infrequently finds its accomplices of

on His design to fight crises, calling

yesterday among its pretended ene mies today. These continue.to silence

souls of fire.

It happens that such souls are vic

or calumniate Plinio

Correa

nacy that often pervades the spirit of

Oliveira, who clearly and coura geously criticized that fraud when it was close to dominating the world. After World War II, history turned

some classes of men. When the fig

around. Many of the old followers of

ures are truly great, however, their adversaries neither bring them down

saries, now looked toward Marxism

tims of the most passionate and unfounded attacks, which attempt to silence them and illustrate the obsti

Nazi-fascism, becoming its adver

attacks ultimately emphasize —

with their same propensity to com promise with mortal enemies. Com

against their wishes — the qualities

munism

of tho.se elect souls. This is what

mentous progress in the whole

nor silence them, for their unfair

thenceforth

made

happened with the Divine Saviour:

world, to the harm of tens of millions

He was attacked, reviled, and mar

of victims.

tyred by His executioners, but His light, despite the efforts of so many to destroy it, will shine in His

Plinio Correa de Oliveira remained

Once again, and for decades, steadfast in the trenches of the

polemic against communism,

Church until the end of times.

ism, and its collaborators whik mc

Christiamis alter Christus — the Christian is another Christ. Some

thing analogous happened

Prof. Plinio

with

Correa de Oliveira participating in a ceremony

on the steps of Sao Paulo's cathedral in 1970

Plinio Correa de Oliveira over the

decades until his recent and regretted

which had not been immune to Nazi-

death. It was difficult to mention his name

ing response dissipated objections and

in recent times on our continent and even in

placed things in their proper place. This, raising the level of the debate, deserved the

the greater part of the West without unleash ing applause and admiration on one side

and, on the other, true verbal storms, always

fascist infiltration, did not escape that of Marxism either. Rather, there are numerous

gratitude of his enemies, but frequently

examples of grave complicity with that error and abusive fury against those who

unleashed hatred, resentment, and disdain.

attacked it.

so sodden in passion and so devoid of basis.

In the 1940's, when Nazi-fa.scism was in

Indeed, the fury of the attacks he suf fered were frequently not accompanied with

fashion and when many in Europe and

arguments. But his serene, always courte ous and incisively rich, clear, and convinc-

Oliveira's pen courageously denounced the

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

Revolution relentlessly promoted that aberration everywhere. Unfortunately, Catholic circles,

America wavered before it, Plinio Correa de

neo-pagan, socialist, and gnostic imposture

Obviously, Plinio Correa de Oliveira's position was not merely anti-Nazi or anti-

communist. Rather, these stands grew out of an entirely consistent and notably fervent Catholic doctrinal position in defense of all

Commentary great future crisis in the Holy

Church. Considering recent history in retrospect and recalling his clear warning and the veritable cataclysm,

in the best years of their history. The Catholic faithful should thus fully apply the wise and severe sentence of Our

Church in the last decades, we

Lord that no one can serve two masters. It

must exclaim: Ah, if only that

was for this reason that Plinio Correa de

voice had been heeded!

Oliveira dedicated all the energies of his long and fruitful life to the dauntless fight against that process, to the re-Christianizing of the temporal order along the ways of the

erful and obvious evils, but

both qualities are indispens able for seeing the potential risks when they are just being born.

Plinio

Correa

Reign of Christ, to the Reign of Mary. His last book. Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites in the Allocutions ofPius

XII— which we already had opportunity to praise — appeared several decades after the

Oliveira knew how to see the

last speeches of the much-missed Pontiff,

dangers from afar and to

ransoming them from the deep oblivion in which they had been left and showing how

denounce them, taking care

symposium against divorce in 1966

it and for Christian civilization a full

strength and a brilliance even greater than

not yet passed, that shook the

In truth, it is unnecessary to have great wisdom or zeal to see the danger from the pow

Prof. Correa de Oliveira speaking in a

dominating the world, but should desire for

especially to reveal the most

much good they could have done to the con

hidden

temporary world had they Inspired religious

of them

—

even

though he would suffer for

and lay leaders.

doing so since those attitudes

frequently frustrated the plans

His work spread to 27 countries — including Ecuador — where the fighting

of the Church's enemies.

zeal of the master kindled idealistic enthu

His desire was that the

siasm in his disciples, .stimulating their

the principles of the Church, especially

teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ deeply

those harmed by Her most bitter enemies.

imbue contemporary society, according to

piety and orienting their studies and action at a time when doctrinal errors, religious

His first concern in the apostolate was apologetics, desiring that the Church be

the motto of St. Pius X,"Omnia instaurare in Christof which so touched the Catholic

indifference, self-interest, and the obsession

to compromise with the worst situations are becoming increasingly frequent.

served by logic and doctrine in all their

world at the dawn of this century and has

vigor. Even in his youth, more than half a cen tury ago. he published In Defense of

since inspired the action of the best apos His book Revolution and Counter-

dedicated his life to her, to bless the future

Catholic Action, a book that pricks con sciences yet today. For this he received the warm congratulations of Pius XII, sent on his behalf by Monsignor Giovanni Battista

Revolutinn, published in 1959, analyzes the

continuity of his work, especially as current

history of the last centuries and the situation

events presage more crises and conflicts. It

tles.

and, decades later, elevated to the Pontifical

of the contemporary world, showing that a process has corroded Christendom, fights to destroy its remains, and seeks to establish a regime opposed in everything to the Law of

throne as Paul VI, The book produced

God.

Montini, then Substitute Secretary of State

It remains that we ask the Most Holy Virgin, who has called to herself him who

is indispensable to have her maternal help to avoid and vanquish them, as the life of Plinio Correa de Oliveira shows.

Quito. November 8. 1995

enthusiasm in .some and irritation in others,

In the face of that process, the authentic

for it denounced errors germinating in Catholic circles that were being met with

Catholic — as St. Paul points out — cannot conform with the pre,sent century and the

indulgence by some and with indifference by others. But Plinio Correa de Oliveira saw

situation of the contemporary world (Rom. 12:2); he cannot wish for a modus vivendi

(Translated from an article on^ .ily published in El Universo. Guayaquil.

— as history has confirmed — seeds of a

between the Church and the tendencies

Ecuador, Sunday. November 12. 1995.)

Bemardino Cardinal Echeverna Ruiz, O.F.M, was bom in Cotocachi, Ecuador, in 1912. Taking the Franciscan habit in 1928, he was ordained in 1937. In 1941 he received his doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Institute Antoniano

in Rome. He was appointed bishop of Ambato in 1949 and served there for twenty years until being named Archbishop of Guayaquil, which see he held from 1969 to 1989. He was successively elected as secretary, vice-president, and president of the Equatorian Conference of Bishops, and remains as honorary president and representative of that body to the Latin American Episcopal Conference(CELAM), of which he is a cofounder. He was honored with the title of Assistant of the Apostolic See. During the consistory of November 1994, John Paul II named him a Cardinal and titular of Saints Nereus and Achilleus.

CRUSADE

Interview

us,

BAN Chernobyl T IN Our Backyard .Florida

Crusade:

What

does

Castro's

nuclear project amount to?

ment between Russia and Cuba for the

completion of a major nuclear power facili

and complete the project as virtually the

Mr. Robinson: As you know, this agree Havana

ty on the island was originally con Cienfuegos

who would have their business activities in

Cuba 100% covered by taxpayer credit and insurance coverage, that is, the government export support programs of these countries. Russia would thus be able to avoid any risk prime contractor.

cluded back in the 1970s. The

plant was under construc-

Crusade:

Where

does

Castro

intend to get the money for such a costly project?

Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is at it again. With at least $800 million in help from friends in Moscow, Europe, and Latin America, he hopes at last to bring on-line a troubled nuclear reactor 180 miles from Key West, Florida, near the city of Cienfuegos on the central stretch of Cuba's southern coast.

For Roger W. Robinson, Jr., president of RWR Inc., a Washington-based consulting firm, and

formerly Senior Director for Inter national Economic Affairs at the

National Security Council under President Reagan, it has been clear for several years that should Fidel Castro succeed in this, it is just a

Mr. Robinson: As I mentioned, there is a division of labor envisioned in the com

pletion of the deal. I suspect that both reac tors will cost a little over a billion dollars to finish. The estimates on the Moscow side

are around 750 million dollars, but that

tion until 1991, when, with the collapse of

what it would take to finish. So we have

left insufficiently sheltered in the corrosive tropical air. The project was resurrected in

three central components: the Russian con

the spring of 1995 with a dedicated effort to complete it as quickly as possible to bring it on-line. Castro already has about 1.2 billion

which no one really knows how they are going to acquire; and then roughly 200 mil

year's annual hard-currency income for the

lion and probably considerably more from

island, so he is very unlikely to want to

Western and Latin American suppliers.

abandon the project. Moscow has recently pledged around 330 million dollars to com plete the reactor, and Cuba is supposed to

Western suppliers, several of them from

see these reactors come on-line if our

other Latin American countries.

attempts to stop the project are unsuccess

much of the United States.

Mr. Robinson: The revival came about

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

regarding the Cuban reactor '

Europe but aLso possibly even Brazil and

lion dollars is envisioned to come from

Crusade: Why is the project now

this problem.

Crusade: What is Clinton's policy Afr. Robinson: Frankly, it ha.s ucon a vacillating policy, unclear in its intentions. On the one hand Department of Stale press releases have indicated that it is prepared to

find 208 million dollars from somewhere to

contribute to its completion. Some 200 mil

melts down with catastrophic Chernobyl-style consequences for

Crusade, Mr. Robinson discussed

tribution, something estimated in the area of 350 million dollars; the Cuban component, supposedly 200 million dollars or more,

dollars in this deal, the equivalent of a full

matter of time before this reactor

In an exclusive interview with

seems to me to be deliberately lowballing

the Soviet Union, sensitive equipment was

being revived?

ful. The Administration seems content with

the notion that if this deal is going to be completed over American objections, that it be made safe, that is, meet all of the inter

when Russia's Ministry of Atomic Energy

national safety standards. There is even an

decided that not only was it an appropriate

implication that we would assist that safety

time to complete the deal but that in the end they could secure a consortium of West

process.

European and Latin American suppliers

shown sensitivity to the concerns of Cuban

On the other hand, President Clinton has

Interview

Roger W. Robinson, Jr., president of RWR Inc., a Washington-based consult ing firm, and formerly Senior Director for International Economic Affairs at the

National Security Council under President Reagan.

Americans and the Florida political struc ture, if you will, in the course of these upcoming elections. So it is, as usual, unclear where the Clinton Adminl.stration

stands, but I think it is fair to say that it has not been sufficiently forceful with Moscow

and Americas allies who are prospective

hood of a major accident affecting the

suppliers to this deal. They have made, as they put it, demarches, or approaches, to these respective suppliers, but to date they

American mainland.

seem to be accepting a brush-off with a

good degree of acquiescence. That is not, fortunately, the view in

Why is this? Some 60% of the Soviet-

supplied materials were defective, including valves in the emergency cooling system and other vita! components. We have talked

management point of view, not to mention again that the area in which the project is being constructed is seismically active.

So. there is a series of reasons—any one of which would immediately halt construc tion in the United States—that taken togeth er demonstrate that there is only one viable

Congress. The Congress is absolutely dedi

about exposure to the elements of these sen sitive pieces of reactor equipment. We have

.solution here: that this reactor must be torn

cated to stopping this project on a bipartisan

a containment dome that cannot withstand

down to the ground and rebuilt, presumably

basis. As was stated several times in the

overpressures associated with a prospective

by an American contractor, in a post-

August I hearings, this is not an anti-Castro

accident. The upper portion of the domes

Castro—hopefully in a post-Castro—Cuba

thing, this is an American security thing. It

are designed to handle only 7 pounds per

in a way that tiieets all of the rigorous safe

is not Just the Cuban American community

square inch, whereas all American reactors

ty standards of the United States.

that shares this concern, and we can get into

are required to withstand 50 psi. There were

why there is such a broad-based alarm going off in this country when we talk about

some 5000 welds in this particular reactor

the safety features and what would happen

to date. Some 15% of those welds join pipes in the auxiliary pumping .system, the con

when—not if—an inevitable accident takes

tainment dome, the spent-fuel cooling sys

place.

tem. The.se welds were X-rayed by the

Crusade: That Is linked with my next question. Why do you consid

Cuban nuclear scientists and workers on

project? Is there not some danger

site and were found to be defective because

to the ecosystem involved in this project?

er the future Cuban nuclear reac

of air pockets, bad soldering, heat damage,

tor a new Chernobyl?

other problems. One defective weld in the

Mr. Robinson: First we have to look at

instantly until it was repaired—if it ever

United States would shut down a reactor

the design of the reactors. These are VVER 440 reactors. They are water-cooled and are the same type that were shut down in East Germany immediately after reunification, NBC News reported that there was a near-

meltdown in one of those reactors. They are fundamentally unsafe, poorly designed. They have never tried to build a VVER 440

reactor in tropical conditions, with the cor rosive air and the seismic activity being far

more pronounced than elsewhere. The pro ject is irretrievably flawed at this stage. There is no way it can be made safe or com

pleted in a way that would avoid the likeli

Crusade: Environmental organiza tions like Greenpeace and World Watch usually mobilize their activ ities to oppose the building of nuclear reactors. Why are they so quiet regarding Cuba's nuclear

Mr. Robinson: This project is an ronmental catastrophe waiting to hapj-i.ii.

opened again.

These are arguably going to be the most

Well, there is no way to fix this particu lar problem. Cuban intelligence destroyed

dangerous reactors in the world today;

the X-rays that showed where the defective welds were located. They erased the serial

dangerous than the graphite reactors of the

numbers. Frankly, it would be a national embarrassment to find shoddy construction of this magnitude. So they erased any possi

Regulatory Commission and the General

bility of fixing this problem through the tra ditional nuclear safeguards that we know today.We have not even di.scussed that there

is no safety culture in Cuba, no training of nuclear operators, no simulators that repli cate what we are looking at here from a

because of the defects, arguably even more Chernobyl variety. In the U.S. Nuclear Accounting Office, among defectors from

Cuba who have been working on this deal, and in our own Dep;ulment of Energy there is a consensus that it is not a question of if but when, that an accident is probable. You see this in virtually all the reports out on this subject. First we should discuss what this means.

CRUSADE

Interview

not only to the environment but to the

atively speaking, such a minor problem

complex, Brentspar is relegated to insignif

American mainland. The answer, as report

compared with what we have just discussed

ed in the hearings on August 1, in the esti

that I have to discount seriously that the

icance. So what we may be seeing at work here is the environmentalists politically dif

mate of the General Accounting Office, is

environmental movement of the world is

54 million Americans affected by a radioac

paying any particular attention to this pro

tive plume from Cuba. The House

ject at all. If you compare the Brentspar Mobil Oil

International Affairs Committee's internal

estimates put that number at over 80 million Americans. Press reports more recently

have put the number as high as 120 million. By day four of a nuclear accident in Cienfuegos in the spring or summer, a

ferentiating projects in the world. Perhaps they are still intrigued by the revolutionary mystique of Fidel Castro. Perhaps a social ist nuclear power plant is okay, but a

storage facility, which received such world wide publicity because of Greenpeace and

Western governments and big-oil plant is

others, with the dangers of the Cienfuegos

evidence in this case.

not okay. That seems to be suspiciously in ■

radioactive plume like Chernobyl's would sweep over the lower third of the United States to Texas. In the winter months it

would race up the East Coast and pass Washington, D.C., on day four. So, wc are talking about a cataclysmic circumstance for the American people, not to mention the fisheries, the ocean-oriented pollution.

The irony here is that Greenpeace, which was almost completely silent—as was World Watch and the other environ

mental organizations—has more recently recognized this lopsided attention, this

seeming,almost politically inspired inatten tion to the Cuban deal, and has now come

out with its biggest concern, which is that the spent fuel storage pool on the Aragua site is only sufficient to hold the waste from this plant for a period of twenty-five years, and they would like that to be longer Well,

with all due respect, spent fuel waste is. rel

Robinson:"This project is an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen."

y^orgottm njutHs Inequality Is a Condition for Social Harmony Just as a perfect condition of the body results from the conjunction and composition of its various members, which, though differing in form and purpose, make, by their union and the distribution of each one to its proper place, a combination beautiful to behold, firm in strength, and necessary for use; so, in the commonwealth, there is an almost infinite dissimilarity of men, as parts of the whole. If they are to be all equal, and each is to follow his own will, the State will appear most deformed; but if, with a distinction of degrees of dignity, of pursuits and employments, all aptly conspire for the common good, they will present a natural image of a well constituted State. Pope Leo XIII

Encyclical Humanum Genus, April 20, 1884

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

by Thomas Becket

Cover Article

Times of persecution and cri

their children to public schools that:

sis have always been times of

reinvigoration for Christians. Persecutions have dismally failed as

[I]t is a well-known fact

that, according to Catholic

means of stamping out the truth,

moral teaching, such parents, should they persist in their

and heresies have provided occa

attitude, cannot receive abso

sions for the clarification of dogma. No matter how irreversible a situa

lution in the Sacrament of Penance.^

tion seems. God raises up new saints, new movements, and new

methods to call His people back to the truth.

Two centuries of vigorous edu cational innovation, social change, and revolution had promised us that Utopia was just around the comer. Fueled by the wave of enthusiasm for public schools in the nineteenth century, self-proclaimed reformers

spearheaded the implementation of the modem school system. And they insured that attendance was

obligatory. In some places they even attempted to stamp out all pri

You Can Home School Too Where to start if you are thinking about home schooling You do not have to be Super-Mom or Super-Dad and have Super-Kids. The people who home educate

are ordinary human beings concerned with the same problems as you. Fed up with sex-education, poor or

It would have been hard to put that in stronger terms.

Pope Leo XIII also reminded Catholic parents of their duties as

non-existent religious instruction, drugs and violence, they are just looking for a way to save their children. The prospect of teaching at home could frighten

anyone. New ideas usually do.

primary educators of their children in the encyclical Sapientiae Chris-

vinced me that ray original preconceptions were

lianae.

flawed. I found out that:

It is incumbent on parents to strain every nerve to ward off such an outrage [the destruction of the family through the subversion of

parents' rights], and to strive manfully to have and to hold exclusive authority to direct

vate education.

the education of their off

Catholics, sensing the dangers, responded by building their own

spring, as is fitting, in a Christian manner, and first

Two months researching home education con

• The era of home education has arrived.

• Home schoolers are not far-out child prodigy types with strange backgrounds. • Home education is effective.

• It is possible. • It costs very little. • It is entirely legal. You will find a universe of support groups enthu siastically wanting to help. Start by looking up your State home-education organization and write to them. You will be surprised

schools. Primary and secondary schools for Catholics were operat ing from almost the beginning. In 1884 the Third Plenary Council at Baltimore ordered the building of

and foremost to keep them away from schools where there is risk of their drinking

Catholic .schools in every parish. Soon there was a completely paral

Pius XI quoted Leo XIII in the encyclical Rappresenianti in Terra

lums, that test, and give support on the phone. The

lel system at every level.

in 1929.-'

of any legal problems you might run into.

Reaction

The Holy See recently reaf firmed this teaching in guidelines on sex education, stressing the fact that parents are the primary educa

Was this an over-reaction? Not

in the poison of impiety.^

There are schools that provide whole curricu-

if you are concerned with the salva

tors of children, especially in regard

tion of your children. The new ideas

to chastity.^

tions of man and .society springing from the Utopian Socialism of the nineteenth century. The Catholic hierarchy had a

The situation in

Catholic schools

direct danger to Faith. Even where

instruction

the influence of these new ideas

began to alarm parents. A Catholic

was felt less, the public schools still inculcated a Protestant spirit. Secondly, the public schools were

priest affirms about his own experi

moral threat to children.'

The Holy Office raised these

objections in an 1875 instruction to the Catholic bishops of the United

asking will go a long way towards getting in touch. I came across several families that meet on Fridays to home school together. They share each other's talents.

tems provide all the material and support nece> Seton Home Schooling in Virginia is one.

Both the tragedy of sex educa tion and new methods in religious

teaches that co-education presents a

Home schoolers help other home schoolers. They can provide support. They live all around you. A little

almost every State. Contact them. Once you know the regulations, the next step is to choose a method. Several complete Catholic home-schooling sys

two-fold concern. First was the

often mixed, while the Church

Home School Legal Defense Association can take care

Catholic home schooling associations exist in

flowing into the .schools came from the Enlightenment and the concep

by the response, I was. Discover for yourself the amount of material around.

Catholic

schools

ence:

I discovered that the chil

dren in the full-lime Catholic

grade school now did not know the basics of the Faith.

Catholic students in the local

high .school, most of whom

Some schools are accredited. This helps when answering questions from school board authorities and applying to college. The wide variety of options makes

it possible to cater to specific needs. Secular educators feel threatened by the home

school alternative. They try to scrutinize home schooling. The result: now more that ever the empirical data justify home education. Home-schooling supportgroups ensure the effectiveness of their materials. They want your home-schooled child to succeed.

If you try it and you are committed, it will work

for you.

had gone through the local

States, warning parents who sent

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

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B99

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This new current in educational philosophy

and method faced an uphill battle. In people's

Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. They

minds, compulsory attendance at schools was

had

no idea that the Mass re-enacts

almost a constitutional mandate. Even if the law

throughout all time the Sacrifice of the

permitted it, neighbors or relatives who did not

Cross.^

understand might report you for child abuse or

By the late 1960s the situation in both public

neglect. It has taken great efforts to give home education the reputation it is beginning to enjoy. The law on home schooling developed during

and Catholic schools was becoming intolerable. The unfounded hopes of the nineteenth century had not led to the promised Utopia but instead had given way to declining academic standards and free distribution of contraceptives, abortion coun

the early part of this century. The State of Oregon tried to ban private schools in 1922, but the Supreme Court tested the law in Pierce v. Society ofSisters in 1925. Following an earlier decision in Meyer v. Nebraska, the Court held the law to be

seling services. And the list goes on.

unconstitutional. It said that "The child is not the

A nation at risk

the Court recognized that the parent had a "pri

achievement, metal detectors in schools, drugs,

mere creature of the state."" In Wisconsin r. Yoder

mary role" that was more important than the

Regarding academics, the Reagan administra tion's National Committee on Excellence in

State's in educating children. The exact limits of these rights still need defi

Education (NCEE) came to depressing conclu

nition. The Constitution does not address the issue

sions in its 1981 study "A Nation at Risk." The

of education. It does not establish a right to be educated. The law generally considers education to be a State matter or to rest residually with the

study pointed to a "rising tide of mediocrity" in public school education. Americans scored below other developed countries right across the board.^

people.

Richard J. Herrnstciri and Charles Murray

Lobbying by powerful organizations like the

state the same problem in The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life.

Home School Legal Defense Association and the grass-roots efforts of thousands of home .schoolers

They conclude that American education is acade

has brought these issues out in the open. The legal

mically okay, as long as you do not happen to be

questions are quickly disappearing and problems

intelligent," While

for home-schooling families are too. An expert in academic

levels

declined, crime

increased. At the same time, parents were horri

fied by the destruction of innocence taking place with the introduction of new pedagogic methods and the implementation of programs designed to create a new morality through the teaching of cor

rupt sexual practices and the means to avoid their consequences. They grouped together to protest, but they often found themselves ignored or even ridiculed by people who held what pas.sed for avant-guard ideas. Home schooling came into being in response.

the field affirms;

Statistically speaking, only one home.schooling family in a hundred will ever be contacted in any sort of negative way. and

only one in one hundred of that group will have any kind of serious legal trouble such as a trial or charges filed against ihcm.'" There are now home-schooling organizations, even specifically Catholic ones, in evei7 state. There are sixty-eight support groups in the State of Maine alone. Estimates of how many children are being taught at home put the number between

An uphill struggle At first it seemed like an unusual, almost

underground, thing to do. Its legality was uncer tain, its effectiveness unknown. It was a leap in the dark, taken by parents who found themselves

increasingly frustrated by the lack of feasible alternatives.

300,000 and 500,000, They come from main stream backgrounds that differ vei^ little from others except in their educational methods."

The truth ahout home schooling emerges Parents are finding out that there is more

potential in home education than their original

CRUSADE

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motives had suggested. "Perhaps the most dynamic and creative educational movement in

Academic viability

decades, says one couple."'- A survivalist tactic has become a whole movement and is growing

When home schooling began, one of the obvi ous questions asked was about its academic via bility. One answer that could have been given

into a full-nedged philosophy of education. They are finding out that home education may be more than just a catacomb to hide in while the storm of immorality rages. The home-schooling parent has the potential to tailor the curriculum to the specific needs of the child. In a world that is becoming increas

ingly de-standardized, this has a modern appeal.

would echo St. John Chrysostom's advice to par ents in the fourth century. The choice lies between two alterna

tives. a liberal education, which you may get by sending your children to the public schools, or the salvation of their souls,

For the child there is often only one choice of school. The choice of subjects is very limited.

which you may secure by sending them to the monks. Which is to win. learning or salvation? If you can unite both, do so; but

With home .schooling the possibilities are infi nitely variable. Demand has driven the develop

if not. choose the more precious.'"'

ment of a universe of resources. Part of the crisis in education is due to the

perception that the "traditional" school setting does not prepare the child for the world in which

he must live. The school seemed practical in an age when society required basic academic stan

dards. A "hidden curriculum" produced workers that knew how to show up on time and follow simple instructions.

Today there is a universal trend away from regimented industrial-style mass-production. Experts say the office or factory environment is outdated.'' The home is now taking the place of the office. When the move is not directly to the home, the tendency is still toward more individ ualistic work. Living-room-educated young

sters who have developed a high degree of selfmotivation to learn at home may be better pre pared.

This response may no longer be necessary. As home schooling has come under scrutiny, the

truth that emerges from the data shows its effec tiveness. A recent study puts home schoolers in the seventy-ninth percentile in reading and in the seventy-third in both math and language.'-'' while the national average for public school students is the fiftieth percentile. Other studies consistently find home schoolers well above average.

Parent's rights restored Home education represents innovation, but at the same time it is a return to the past. It was the norm before the long flirtation with universal public education began. If the current trend con tinues. it may be so once again. Home education ree.stablishes the possibility for parents to give their children an excellent edu

The home environment can provide an island

cation and put them on the road to sanctity at the

of stability in a world of change. As families

same time. It has circumvented the attempts by the secularists to implement their soul-robbing

become more mobile, home schooling reduces

the trauma that children suffer from being

agenda. It has restored to parents their right to be

uprooted from one learning environment and

the primary educators of children, and it has cre

transplanted to another strange and often hostile

ated a way for fervent Catholics to preserve the Faith for future generations. _

one.

Notes 1. "Instructions of the Holy of the Holy Office to Home Schooling: A Handbookfor Parents, p. xi. the Bishops of the United States." November 24. 7. John W. Whitehead and Alexis Irene Crow, 1875, cited in Mary Kay Clark, Catholic Home Home Education: Rights and Reasons (Wheaton, Schooling: A Handbook for Parents,(Rockford, IL.: Crossway Books, 1993). p. 19.

IL; Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1993), p. 46.

8.(NY: The Free Press, 1994), p. 417.

2. Ibid., p. 47.

9. Whitehead and Crow. p. 120,

3. Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christimae (January

10. Kenneth Clark,"Responding to Authorities,"

10, 1880).

4. Pius IX. Rappresentanti in Terra (December 31, 1929). 5. The Wanderer, January 25. 1996. 6. Robert J. Fox, from the Forward to Catholic

in Catholic Home Schooling, A Handbookfor

Parents, p. 361. 11. Dr. Brian Ray, A Profile of Home Education Research (Home School Legal Defense Association. 1992), p. 5.

12. David and Micki Colfax, whose three home-

schooled sons were accepted at Harvard. Cited in

Home Education: Rights and Reasons, p. 75. 13. See Alvin Tofler, The Third Wave and Power

Shift.

14. Cited in W. Kane, S.J., An Essay Toward A

History ofEducation (Chicago: Loyoia University Press, 1938), p. 85. 15. National Center for Home Education, News

Release (Paeonion Springs, Virginia, 1994).

interview

"Home Schooling Strengthens the Family" An interview with Dr. Mary Kay Clark Dr. Mary Kay Clark has taken an active part in education and policy issues for over 25 years. She and other Catholic parents established a private Catholic elementary school, Mater Dei Academy, in 1971, in

grown from a few hundred students to more than 9000 cur rently enrolled in the United Stales and many foreign coun

Columbus, Ohio, where she served as principal for nine years. In 1980, Dr. Clark left Mater Dei and began teaching her own children at home. She helped found state home-schooling associations in Ohio and in Virginia, serving as Executive Secretary in the latter for .several years. In 1983, she joined

school administration, and a doctorate in education. She is a

Seton Home Study School, and under her direction, Scton has

Crusade: Would you say that it was

exterior factors that led you to home schooling, like the state of

the schools, or was it something intrinsic about it as a better form of education?

tries.

Dr. Clark holds master's degrees in library science and

frequent speaker at home-education and family conferences around the country, and a frequent guest on radio and televi sion programs. She has written many articles on home-school

ing, edits a monthly newsletter, and authored the best-selling book Catholic Home Schoolitig: A Handbookfor Parents.

Offering, say prayers before and after all meals, and participate in various customs related to the liturgical feast-days. Father John Hardon, S.J., noted theolo

gian, said one of the reasons the Pope is supportive of home schooling is what it

in order for them to grow into making cor rect decisions latter when they mature. Discipline was not a problem for me. I

was the oldest in a large family, and helped Mom and Dad with the younger children. 1

does for parents. Parents learn the Faith,

was never unsure about disciplining. There was never any interior doubt or question

Dr. Clark: When people started home

learn to live the Faith more fully, through

such as "Should 1 reason with them?" When

schooling back in the sixties and seventies, they were unhappy with the school situa tion. Parents were upset with the curricu lum, primarily with the religious program.

teaching their own children. There are young adults now who have

do not want to sit down and have a conver

been home schooled and are considering

sation. They just want a yes or a no, they

marriage and starting their own families.

want to know where they stand. And they

Sex education came into the schools at that

They are thinking about what they are going to do. Home schooling is very much on

expect the discomfort of the consequences

time, which many of us parents knew was strictly forbidden by the Church to be taught in a classroom situation. In the nineties, parents are choosing home schooling because they see the posi tive benefits. Home schooling strengths the family, gives Dad time with the kids, builds the relationships of the kids with each other, and helps children to score, on average, in

their minds.

you are dealing with young children, they

when they are disobedient.

Crusade: Could you tell us a little

Crusade: How do you .suggest p: cuts overcome the discipline pro

about some of the ups and downs

lem?

you have experienced with home schooling?

Dr. Clark: I suggest "tough love." According to the Bible, Dad is the head of

Dr. Clark: I receive phone calls from parents telling me what their problems are.

the family and the chief disciplinarian. Dad needs to oversee home schooling. Just

achievement tests. Above all, there is the

The basic one is discipline. Young parents do not know how to discipline. Society and

not mean he cannot be involved. In the

the eighty-forth percentile on standardized

because he goes off to work at seven does

huge benefit of passing along the Catholic

television are telling parents, "These little

evening, he should ask,"How were the chil

Faith to the children.

people are children but should be treated as

When children go to school, they come home too tired to have a religion class. With

little adults, who should be allowed to make

dren today? Was everyone good to Mom?" He should set down rules of discipline. One of the greatest challenges in home schooling is persuading some dads to exer

home schooling, the family can learn their religion together, pray the Rosary every day, start the day with the Morning

their own decisions so they can have .selfesteem and feel good." We need to encour age parents to understand that children need

their true authority and parental supervision

cise their role as head of the family and as "headmaster" of the home school. Many

CRUSADE

Interview

Dr. Mary Kay Clark presents her book to His Holiness John Paul li

mothers are truly heroic in seeing the need

ing when they teach their own children.

not hearing about that issue much anymore.

for home schooling and proceeding with it

There is a real joy in learning together, in

despite great obstacles. Nevertheless, moth

praying together, in struggling together, and in sacrificing together.

After all, the newspapers are filled with the stories of drugs and violence in the schools. This question about children learning to

ers should not have to be always heroic. They should receive the firm backing and

support of their husbands. I tell mothers to call Dad at the office

Crusade: Parents must derive a lot

of satisfaction from teaching their own children.

and say, "You have to talk to little Joey

because he just spoke back to me." Dad is

Dr. Clark: Yes. The high points are

get along with their peers is a false issue. Except for the classroom situation, no one

spends his life working or living with peo ple of his own age. The Church documents are very clear

essential, Just for Mom to know he is there

times when the children say something spe

supporting her.

cial about the importance of Jesus in their

home, from their mother and father, from

lives, or when they read a saint's biography stand a difficult concept in math or religion.

their relationship with their brothers and sisters, interaction with their grandparents and with their neighbors. The difficult thing

Dr. Clark: Most Children, especially at the elementary level, love the idea of being

It is sad that parents are relinquishing to strangers these precious times. You would

same level of intellectual or emotional

home with Mom. At the high school level,

not want to miss their first step or their first

sometimes teens want to be with their friends more than at home for academics.

word; and you do not want to miss the first step they take in math, or the first word they

development. The difficult thing for chil dren is learning from others who are older and more mature, and then growing them

However, some teens have terrible emotion

can read.

selves.

Crusade: How do children react to

home schooling?

on their own, or when they finally under

that children learn the social virtues at

is not learning to get along with peers at the

al conflicts when their peers and school pro mote certain ideas which are opposed to the ideas which they are learning at home. These teens want home schooling.

surprise to parents is seeing how much the children can learn at an early age. Some

However, there are many Catholic home school support groups, and Christian sup port groups, which provide ample r i-

kindergarten-age children are reading third-

iiities for socializing. They usuall> ..a\e

Home schooling also brings about better relationships among family members.

and fourth-grade level books. One fiveyear-old girl has read all the Little House

Brothers and sisters come to like each other,

books and while this is not the rule, it is cer

and to be friends, an older brother may be help. Meanwhile, sister is having trouble in

tainly by no means a rare exception either. Many parents tell me that their children are way beyond where they themselves

math, and brother can help.

were in their educational and spiritual

having trouble in English, and sister can

Siblings begin to develop a real appreci ation of their gifts and differences. Nobody

has to say, "I'm dumb," or "I'm stupid." They come to find out that Mom is strug

gling with diagramming too. That is fine because they are learning. Parents tell us how much they are learn

JANUARY-FEBRUARY. 1996

A satisfaction that has come as a real

growth at the same age. Crusade: What about socializa tion? Don't children need time to

weekly recreational activities, monthly edu cational field trips, and annual events such as science fairs and musical productions. Crusade: Is harassment by author ities a problem for the home schoolers?

Dr. Clark: It is not as much of a problem anymore. Every community has home

schoolers now. There are local support

be with their own age group?

groups and state home schooling organiza

Dr. Clark: Sometimes dads are con

tions, even Catholic ones, which help par ents to deal with the local and state regula tions. In fact, we now have home schooling

cerned about the socialization, but we are

interview

they need to regulate the home school.

But the Catholic Church is very

clear in this area. Parents not only

have the right but the responsibility to educate their children in the

Faith, and even to prepare their children for the sacraments. Of

course, home schooling parents realize that pastors have the right

and responsibility to make sure the children are adequately prepared for the sacraments, which is the

Church's teaching. Crusade: Then what Is the

problem reported in Catholic World Report'l

the

Dr. Clark: Conllicts arise when

diocesan or parish policy mandates that all children not in the parochial

Thomas Becket interviews Dr. Mary K. Clark at her office in Front Royal, Virginia.

school preparing for the sacra parents, and home schooling graduates, in

similar situations in Virginia and in other

state legislatures and on school boards, as principals and as congressmen, as school

states. Many priests are excited about the

young home schooling families and chil

as deficient, or geared for the public school

administrators and as lawyers. For parents concerned about school

dren who have become so interested in the

student, rather that for the child receiving

Church and in their religion.

authorities, there is the Home School Legal Defense Association, to which a family pays $100 a year for legal advice as well as

ments attend the parish CCD classes. Many home schooling parents view these classes

religious instruction everyday at home.

Some parents view the CCD program as even dangerous to the Faith of their child, especially now that many of these classes

legal services. The only real harassment for home

"The Church

.schooling parents these days is filing the paperwork. In New York, for instance, par

documents are very

send their children to these classes.

ents must send grade reports to the state

clear that children

teachers and administrators not being Catholic; these are people married to

every quarter, but this is more of an incon venience rather that a hindrance.

Crusade: A few months ago. Catholic World Report ran an arti cle saying that pastors were not responding well to home schooling. How do you find the reaction from pastors?

Dr. Clark: As time has gone by, more pastors have come to understand, and have even become involved with, home school

ing families. Parents ask, "Father, would you teach Latin? Father, would you explain the Trinity?" Some pastors like seeing their church

filled every morning with home schooling families attending Mass. It is the home

learn the social

virtues at home,from their mother and

father, from their relationship with their brothers and

sisters, interaction with their

grandparents and with their neighbors."

schoolers who are serving at daily Mass,

We recently heard from a priest who is

teaching religion every day to different groups of home-schooled children. He has about 100 students each week. There are

believe that in good conscience, they cannot

We have received reports about CCD

Catholic parishioners. We have received reports that students are taught that "theolo

gians disagree" about the use of contracep tives.

A big problem is the Confirmation Retreat Weekends for adolescent students

run by people hired by the diocese, often

with activities unknown to parish religious

education directors and parents. I planned activities are frequently inappni, ate, to put it mildly, and contrary to the teaching of the Faith. Such activities often

include physical contact "games" among teenagers of the opposite sex, and include

Eastern. Hindu, or Indian New Age medita tions. such as thinking of the earth as your mother.

Sometimes parents say,"No way! I have

who attend the novenas and May crown ings, the Lent and Advent services.

include sex education. These parents

allowed my child to be in this class for the

The Catholic World Report article is really more about problems with the dioce

last year and a half, putting up with a lot and keeping my mouth shut just so my child can

san bureaucrats who don't know what home

receive Confirmation. But 1 put my foot

schooling is all about. Some of the diocesan departments of religious education think

down when it comes to a co-ed retreat

weekend." Then the Diocesan director says.

CRUSADE

Interview

"Sorry. Maybe your child has attended every class for the last year and a half, but

Council for the Family, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, which just

your child cannot be confirmed if he does

appeared this past November, both testify to

not attend this co-ed weekend."

the Church's traditional recognition that the family shapes the individual. The family is

Another problem is that many CCD

need to take time and energy to fight for their basic fundamental rights and responsi bilities, even within their own parish. But parents are organizing at the stale and local level. There are even two national Catholic

home schooling organizations now. I firmly believe that the Catholic home schooling

teachers do not appreciate the home-

the foundation of the Church, is the founda

schooled children in their classes. These

tion for the parish and diocese. Home

kids are learning fundamental doctrine all day at home. If you look at our Seton text

schooling is helping to strengthen the

movement is in the forefront of a revival to

Catholic Faith in the family.

preserve the traditional Catholic Faith and

books, you can see the Catholicism in their speller, in their history, in their readers, in their vocabulary lessons. Catholic home

I would make a plea to faithful Catholics studying theology that they do more theo

cultural heritage. Your readers might be interested to

logical thinking about the meaning of the

know that I was in Rome in November, and

schoolers are learning their Faith every day

"domestic church" and the meaning of par

met with the heads of almost all of the

in every subject. If home-schooled children attend CCD classes, comprised of public

ents' rights and responsibilities in relation

Pontifical congregations and councils. They

school students, the home schoolers always have their hands up giving the answers from the Catechism. They have more information than the teacher gives, maybe more that the teacher even knows, maybe what the teacher does not want to hear. These little

to education.

were extremely happy about the home

There has been a great deal of theologi cal development about marriage, about hav

school movement. Archbishop Bertone of

ing children, the meaning of human life, when human life begins, and so on. However, educating the children is equally important, and takes many years and a great

ones know their Rosary, the Stations of the

deal of work. But there has not been the

Cross, the Ten Commandments even from

same degree of theological concern. Catholic theologians should be con cerned that we have a government which imposes its secularist ideas on children and

first grade. Teachers often tell them to keep quiet. Crusade: Would you have any sin

gle piece of advice to give parents who are considering home school ing?

Dr. Clark: I think they have to ask them

the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote to me after my visit and said he

was very "impressed." He wrote that he has "spoken with enthusiasm about your pro gram in a number of settings, including within my own Archdiocese of Vercelli and

in an interview on Vatican Radio." Pope John Paul II himself, as I showed him my

teachers even in Catholic schools, It is

book Catholic Home Schooling: a Handbookfor Parents said,"Good luck!" Catholic home schooling is important

shocking when our own parishes or dioce

for the future of the Catholic Church in

ses allow it.

strengthening the Faith and the family. His

It is outrageous that parents, busy with raising and providing for their children.

Holiness and all the other Vatican officials

we met recognize this.

â&#x2013;

selves what kind of Catholics they want to be. and what kind of Catholics they want their children to be. Do they want to live the Catholic life in the fullest way? Do they want to be the "domestic church" in the

fullest meaning of the words? Home schooling provides the best dayto-day opportunities for the family mem

bers to spend time together, to learn togeth er, to pray together, to grow together. It pro

vides many more opportunities to celebrate together, whether it is birthdays or First Holy Communion, and to sacrifice together, whether it is the loss of a Job or the Lenten fast.

Crusade: How do you see home schooling as a movement in the Catholic Church today?

Dr. Clark: I think the home schooling movement, small though it tends to be, is

going to have a profound effect on the new revival which is coming now into the

Catholic Church. The emphasis on family, family responsibility, and the importance of

"Home schooling provides the best day-to-day opportunities for

the family members to

spend time together, to learn together, to pray together, to grow together."

the "domestic church" is going to be more recognized. The Pope's Letter to Families which came out a couple of years ago, and the new document from the Pontifical

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

Amblences, Customs and Civilizations

True Glory Can Only Be Born ofPain by Plinio Correa de Oliveira

quick and agile movements,in mud,through

^rom every side of the parade grounds, with habitual and quite natural enthu siasm, a huge crowd watches a troop

thickets, over steep hillsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all under the relentless action of the battle.

ing of the Queen's Royal Grenadiers in their

Everything in this man is ordered toward

fighting, resisting, advancing. The light of a smile is rarely seen on his face. His gaze appears to be fixed in ceaseless vigilance against men and the elements.

ceremonial uniforms.

New military tactics forced uniforms like these into obsolescence long ago. Never theless, these black trousers, red coats with

white belts, gloves, and ornaments, and these distinguished bear-skin hats are preserved for higher moral ends: maintaining the tradition of the armed forces and showing people the splen dors of military life.

Glory must be expressed in symbols. Indeed, God uses symbols to manifest to men His own grandeur. In this, as in all else, we must imitate God. Thus we see the

This man is not concerned with grand movements or theatrical gestures. He concen

trates on the thousand details characterizing the real daily life of soldiers. He does not want to play a great role, showing off for himself or for others. He wants only the victory of a great cause. It is this

which explains his seriousness, his dignity, and his will to resist.

Royal Grenadiers' uniforms and their impeccably rhythmic and

Although permeated to his last fibers by great exhaustion

aligned marching. One senses the pride with which the standard-

and pain, his inflexible resistance of soul and body overcomes his

bearer carries the national flag and the troop commander indicates

weariness. He feels his pain vividly, but accepts it to its ultimate consequences out of love for the cause for which he fights. This is the painful and perhaps tragic face of military life. Yet, this is where the merit is; this is what gives birth to glory. Beautiful uniforms, gleaming weapons, cadenced marching, great parades with trumpets and drums, endless applause of enrap tured crowdsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all of these are legitimate and even necessary appearances, but only to the extent that they express a desire for fighting and sacrificing for the common good. All of these would amount to nothing but theatrics were it not for authentic and proven courage such as that of the Queen's Royal Grenadiers.

the direction of the parade. One can almost hear the beating of the drums and the sound of the trumpets. All of these symbols express the moral beauty inherent in military life: the elevation of senti ments, the willingness to shed one's blood; the strength for striving, risking, and winning; the discipline, gravity, and heroism.

There is glory, and true glory, shining in this whole ambience.

But, is glory this, after all? Does glory consist in dressing in anachronistic uniforms, executing maneuvers having no relation to

modem battle, playing drums and trumpets, and advancing with firm step to give oneself and others the impression that one is a hero? Does glory consist in advancing "courageously" on a field without obstacles or risks, launching attacks against a nonexistent enemy, with the only reward being the inebriating applause of a crowd? Is this glory, or is this theatrics?

True, these are considerations of a natural order. However, iiuin

them we may draw conclusions that reach a higher sphere. The life of the Church and the spiritual life of each faithful

Catholic are ceaseless struggles. Sometimes God gives souls admirable moments of interior or exterior consolation, and some

times He gives His Church days of splendid, visible, and palpable The young American soldier of the Korean War illustrates anoth er aspect of military glory. Entirely immersed in the tragedy of

armed warfare, he seems not to have a defined age; he has the vigor of youth, but his freshness and brilliance are gone. His skin, tough

ened by endless days under the sun and entire nights of wind and storms, seems to have taken on an almost leather-like firmness. He

hasn't the least concern about the elegance of his attire. His cloth ing serves to shield him from the harsh elements and to facilitate

grandeur. But the true glory of the Church and of the faithful comes from

suffering and from fighting.

It is an arid fight, with neither palpable beauty nor defined poet ry. In this fight, one sometimes advances in the night of anonymity, in the mud of indifference or misunderstanding, under the storms and the bombardment unleashed by the conjugated forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. But this fight fills the angels of Heaven with admiration and attracts the blessings of God. â&#x2013;

CRUSADE

Commentary Publications at the delegation's exhibit, one of the most frequented by Congress

participants, were available in several lan guages. Thanks to the gracious assistance of Famiglia Domani and the Rome TFP Bureau, Italian translations of CURE'S

"Life Matters" brochures, including "La Morte Cerebrale: La Presa in Giro Dura a

Morire" (Brain Death: The Hoax That

Won't Die), were a popular resource. An Italian edition of CURE'S life-affirming advance directive for mandatory treatment, the Life-Support Directive, was also dis seminated.

A palpable grace The Congress was launched with a Mass concelebrated by Cardinal Trujillo with the several cardinals and bishops in attendance. The second highlight of the first day was to

have been a papal audience, but the Holy Father asked that it be rescheduled in order

that he might greet Spanish dignitaries, including King Juan Carlos, attending the beatification of martyrs of the Spanish Civil

The author implores the Pope's blessing on CURE'S apostolate and all who fight the Revolution and its culture of death, as a young Tyrolean friend looks on.

War in St. Peter's Square. The fact that mar tyrs of the glorious Vendee during the

Combating the

French Revolution were beatified on the

same occasion imbued the Eternal City with a counter-revolutionary grace, whose pres

Culture of Death

ence was palpable at the Congress and was

to deepen inestimably as divine history unfolded thousands of miles away. Thus, the program began a day early

While many would relegate abortion and euthanasia solely to

with expositions addressing diverse themes

"pastoral concerns," the Vicar of Christ reminded us and them

of Evangelium Vitae by Cardinal Trujillo; His Eminence Fiorenzo Cardinal Angelini,

that the defense of life is a political imperative as well as a

president of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers;

moral issue.

and His Excellency Bishop Elio Sgreccia, secretary of the Pontifical Council on the Family. Bishop Sgreccia, whose erudite .uidrcss

by Earl Appleby, Jr.

Rome. At the invitation of His

John Paul IPs encyclical Evangeliiim Viuie

Eminence Alfonso Cardinal Lopez

(Gospel of Life). CURE'S delegation

highlighted bioethical themes, was cious host and an encouraging presence throughout the Congress. His fatherly bless

Trujillo, president of the Pontificium

reflected the international character of the

ing of cure's apostolate will be a constant

Consilium Pro Familia (Pontifical Council

Congress with representatives from the

challenge to renewed dedication to the gospel of life.

for the Family), Citizens United Resisting

United

Euthanasia (CURE) participated in the Third World Congress for Pro-Life Movements. Conducted in Italian, English,

C. Preston Noell 111, American Society for

States: Steven

Schmieder

and

the Defense of Tradition, Family and

The language groups

Property (TFP), and Earl Appleby, Jr.,

French, and Spanish, the Congress was held

CURE; Germany: Beno Holfschulte, SOS

October 2-4 at the Pontifical University Saint Thomas Aquinas, better known as the

Leben (SOS Life); and Italy; Alberto

Angelicum. More than 1,200 delegates from across

Family), and Julio Laredo, of the Rome

ducted by the language groups. Of three working groups, the English-language sec tion was the next largest after the host

Bureau of the TFP. Arthur HIebnekian of

nation's Italian.

the globe attended the Congress, whose

Young South Africans for Life-TFP, was to

focus was an in-depth discussion of Pope

join us later.

The encyclical was discussed with enthusiasm and insight by the delegates.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

Carosa, Famiglia Domani (Future of the

The real work of the Congres.s was con

Commentary who comprised a rich blend of seasoned veterans. Our group included Julie Grimstead and Christopher Bell (USA), Fr. James Morrow (Scotland), and Paul Barrie (Australia), and the real heroes of the

Congress: the courageous youth, whose spontaneity was both infectious and inspir ing.

Concerns were voiced that politi

trend-setter for the culture of death in

cians and even pro-life leaders would use or abuse Evangelhan Vitae to jus tify legislation that, the Declaration ing, would admit the liceity of abor

nations espousing a tradition of English common law (pace abortion). As Dr. Paul Byrne of the Catholic Physicians Guild was unable to present his workshop, "Brain Death: Rhetoric and

tion.

Reality," due to a conflicting commitment,

on Procured Abortion notwithstand

it was my privilege to conduct it. Citing the Pope's warning in Evangeliuin Vitae that serious and real forms of euthanasia

could occur, for example, when, in order to increase the availability of organs for transplants, organs are removed without respecting objec tive and adequate criteria which ver ify the death of the donor, 1 observed that the .scientific and legal fictions of "brain death" clearly fail the standard His Holiness sets forth.

Papal Audience The delegates to the Third World Congress for Pro-Life Movements were honored with a paternal invitation by the Holy Father to an audience in the Vatican's Paul VI auditorium.

While many would relegate abortion and euthanasia solely to "pastoral concerns," the Vicar of Christ reminded us and them that

the defense of life was a political imperative Above: General view of the Third World Congress for Pro-Life Movements held at the Pontifical

University Saint Thomas Aquinas In Rome.

as well as a moral issue. Indeed, Pope John Paul II declared, the defense of life should

be the very reason for the existence of polit

Inset: At theTFP's booth.

ical society. Space permits neither a detailed account of the workshop's discussions nor doing justice to the summaries presented at the plenary session the following day, but a few themes should be noted. Coinmitnient

As one young gentleman aptly

proclaimed, being pro-life is not an activity but a vocation. The commit ment expressed by college and high school students was, above all, to

purity. An American student, bemoa

Totality

As America's abortion holocaust threat

In keeping with their commit

ment to the principle of uncompro mising defense of all innocent human life, delegates noted that sim ply opposing abortion did not make

one pro-life. After interventions by the Center for the Rights of the Terminally 111 and CURE, our work ing group went on record against the practice of utilitarian euthanasia at Catholic hospitals through the har vesting of vital organs.

ning the failure of his Catholic uni

versity to promote chastity, recom mended that the Holy See strip the word "Catholic" from institutions

that fail to uphold the moral teach ings of the Church. Principle The veterans of decades on the

euthanasia, we would do well to remember

these prophetic words from Evangelium Vitae:

Democracy cannot be idolized to

the point of making it a substitute for

morality or a panacea for immorality. Fundamentally, democracy is a "s>> tem" and as such is a means and not an end. Its "moral" value is not auto

matic, but depends on conformity to

the moral law to which it, like every other form of human behavior, must be subject; in other words, its moral

Workshops While not part of the official program,

workshops, whose subjects and speakers

ity depends on the morality of the ends which it pursues and of the

means which it employs.

had been approved by the Pontifical

Council on the Family, were an integral aspect of the Congress.

front lines in the fight for life empha sized the importance of not compro

James Bogle, an English barrister, gave an excellent presentation on a radical pro-

mising with the culture of death.

euthanasia

initiative

the

United

Kingdom, which tragically often acts as a

ens to be dwarfed by the genocide of

The value of democracy stands or falls with the values which it embodies and pro motes, the Pontiff rightly proclaims. If America does not stands for God, she will

not only fall for everything...but in every thing and justly so. â&#x2013;

CRUSADE

The American TFP In Action

Impressive

Response to

America

Needs Fatima

Campaign by Robert Ritchie

I HE PHONE RINGS. The callcr. unmistakably excited, tells his story:

"I found one of your leaflets tucked under my windshield as

I left the store. I ordered the book Foiinia: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope? After reading it, I turned my life around. I came back to the Faith!" Again the phone rings:

"I was mugged on my way home. 1 gave the mugger everything I had. But when he saw the flier of Our Lady he silently gave it back to me and walked off, Our Lady saved me!" Welcome to the America Needs Fatima campaign.

The phone rings all day long. Callers have so much to say. But our receptionist does not mind. Some people tell stories that are really incredible, wl,

ers simply yet gratefully describe the way the Blessed Virgu. nas helped them and their loved ones. Everyone wants to talk and share their love and indebtedness to Our Blessed Mother. As

our untiring young volunteers continue educating more Americans about Our Lady and her impressive Fatima mes sage, the calls multiply. So far, we have distributed over a million leaflets â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

"Instant-Impact Fatima Fliers," as we call them. The name

fittingly describes the arresting effect they have over peo ple who receive them. Yet the leaflet's message and layout are extremely simple. It has an eye-catching picture of the Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima on the front with a caption that reads:"Look deep into her eyes and let

her look into yours," Our Lady's warm and penetrating gaze goes straight to people's hearts! This combination of

The American TFP In Action

Distributing continuous waves of leaflets is only the first step in our spirited nation-wide effort to educate America about Our Lady

and her maternal warnings at Fatima. Spreading the fascinating jfW.V'

I I

Fatima story as described by the renowned Fatima scholar Antonio A. Borelli in the expanded, revised and updated English language edition of his best-seller Fatima: Prophecy of Tragedy or Hope? is the campaign's natural second .step.

Happily, this book has contributed to banishing much of the confusion over what Our Lady really said and meant. We have

found that older people have forgotten her serious predictions and that young people do not know why she came—or even that she came at all!

This best-seller, with nearly three million copies sold across the globe, contains brief, concise descriptions of the apparitions and Our Lady's exact words to the three little children at Fatima. In a

AMERICA NEEDS FATIMA

few hours reading, anyone can know — with peaceful assurance — exactly what the Blessed Virgin said, what she predicted, her mater nal warnings and promises, and what she wants from us. But most

importantly, this power-packed book has impacted the lives of countless souls.

Our Maty in Eveiy Home campaign, in which we enthroned thousands of beautiful pictures of Our Lady of Fatima in homes, was another tremendous success. Numerous thank-you notes like

this one arrive all the time: "I am very honored to have Mary's pic ture enthroned in my home. I feel Mary has come right into our home and bles.sed our entire family!" Other promising projects, such as a Fatima story book for children, a handy new Rosary Kit, and an updated audio-visual presentation on Fatima, will keep our feet to the fire throughout 1996. At Fatima, Our Lady told the three seers that if mankind did not

repent, God would "punish the world for its sins by means of war, hunger and persecutions of the Church." Today, there is widespread concern over events like the recent comniunisl electoral victory in Poland, the uncertain alliance of full-fledged hard-line communists with extreme nationalists and fascists in Russia, and the terrible

lack of morality among our youth and the breakdown of tradition al family values in the United States.

Clearly, Russia has not converted, and Our Lady's Fatima Message is more relevant than ever. We all remember her words:

text and photo has proven powerful, to say the least. While one of our volunteers was distributing Fatima leaflets at a supermarket in Westchester County, New York, he met a middle-

aged lady. When she saw Our Lady's beautiful picture on the leaflet, she stopped. Her eyes remained fixed on the leaflet, and for

a moment she seemed lost in Our Lady's heavenly gaze. An extra ordinary personal communication was taking place between Our Blessed Mother and that good lady. And then, to our volunteer's

great surprise, tears began streaming down her cheeks. It was a very moving experience!

A good number of enthusiastic youngsters have also joined our crusade. One teenage girl even pledged to support the campaign by sending in $10 every month. A student at Harvard Business School wrote a heartening letter asking if there was any way she could help spread devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. Oh, I almo.st forgot to mention the 12 year-old boy — a karate

"Russia will spread its errors throughout the world, promoting wars..." Our Lady's Fatima message contains a maternal yet grave warning. But it also brings a hope, for her next words were. "Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph! As our America Needs Fatima campaign expands acros-; the immensity of our nation, the facts show that countless Ami.

thirst for exactly what Our Lady came to give the world at PcUuiia in 1917: a clear direction, a great purpo.se, and the means to achieve it! That is why our friends and supporters, under the direction of Fr. Kevin J. Beaton, are putting our hearts and souls into the America Needs Fatima Campaign.

The reception extended to our apostolate has filled all of us with great hope. We are constantly swamped with letters, requests for prayers, and book orders. One of the letters we received said it all:

"Mary gives hope, hope, and hope! We received Mary's picture at the shopping center. It was great seeing her face in this sick and dying world."

expert from Florida — who gets a real kick out of distributing

God .sent His own Mother Mary to save our "sick and dying

Fatima leaflets to his friends at class. He has discovered that not

world!" And every day we see evidence that America really does

only the students, but their parents as well, are thrilled to receive the leaflet and promise him they will order our book.

.she gave the world in 1917.

need her maternal love, care and protection, and the timely message ■

CRUSADE

Basic Histmy Course

drifted quickly into decadence because of its thirst for pagan novelties. Father

Ricciotti compared the event to a shipwreck

Weste

with the two halves of a doomed ship drift ing apart, bravely riding out a storm, but nevertheless eventually sinking to the bot tom of the sea.

IVILIZATION Elias by Jeremias Wells In order to attract allies, it became the

CHAPTER

FIVE

practice of the two hostile kingdoms to make shameful compromises with their

pagan neighbors. Thus a wicked king of Israel,

THE

Prophets

Achab,

married

Jezabel,

Phoenician princess whose name to this day is synonymous with brazen immorality. At

her request, Achab built a temple to the sun-

Revelaxion

the

god Baal. Besides murdering the priests of

God, he introduced the horrible worship of Moloch, for whom children were slain as a

E)yna]V[ism of History

sacrifice.

With the true faith in jeopardy, God raised up the prophet Elias. Appearing out

While the great Mesopotaniian

Individual and collective actions of man

empires turned to savagery to maintain their weakening grasp on civilization. God intervened in temporal

have a decisive influence on his destiny, and not just in the negative sense. It is the resis tance of the faithful that breaks the power of

of the desert, wearing sheep's skin and car

rying a staff, the courageous, unrelenting prophet appeared before Achab where he

affairs and showed mankind a glimpse of

the world. The prayers and sufferings of the

His constant concern for our salvation and

saints and the blood of the martyrs can force

well-being, In the last millennium before

the hand of God.

"stood up as a fire and his word burnt like a torch" {Ecclus. 48:1). He pronounced the sentence: a severe drought for the next three and a half years. God then ordered Elias to flee to avoid being murdered, first to the

Christ. He sent His messengers to commu

In showing the connection of historical reality and Divine Will, the prophets of the

fed by ravens; then, after the brook ran dry.

encing the direction of history. The faithful

Old Testament saw God's hand on all the

to the Phoenician city of Sarepta where he

prophets of the Old Testament denounced sin and attempted to recall the people from their wicked ways to the true service of

events in the world. They fully realized that

was lodged by a widow. In return for her hospitality, he raised her .son from the dead

nicate directly with those who were influ

God.

Since they obstinately persisted in their rebellious ways, however, He revealed that

His justice demanded that their iniquity would not go unpunished much longer. He told the Israelites that He would destroy their capitals of Samaria and Jerusalem by the hands of the Assyrians and Chaldeans

and that the marauding empires in their turn

through a few faithful people God intended to save the world, that there was a divine

and miraculously extended her supply of

plan being accomplished, and that it would entail enormous suffering. But in their supernatural vision, they deeply understood

flour and oil.

that the recurring pattern of suffering, if humbly accepted, always brought men clos er to God.

The divided kingdom After Solomon's death, the division

would send the Messias, the long-awaited

threatened by God split the troubled nation asunder. Tired of supplying manpower and material for the aggrandizement of Solomon's interests and those of his impru

The writings of the prophets reveal not only the Chosen People's vocation in prepar ing for the Redemption but also the Divine purpose in history. This embrace of the

supernatural with the temporal found its cul mination in the Incarnation when the eternal,

The mountain battle When, after three and a half years, the trees were withered, the gardens and fields

were bare, and the parched earth ci

would also face destruction. In the end He of all mankind.

brook Carith where he was miraculously

for life-giving rain, God sent Elias to >.iuil-

lenge the wicked Achab to a magnificent battle between the 450 prophets of Baal and himself on Mount Carmel. The people of Israel flocked to the holy mountain to watch

the contest, for which both sides prepared a sacrificial bull atop their separate altars.

dent, arrogant son, Reboam, the northern

"Call ye on the name of your god," chal

ten tribes rose up in revolt and established the Kingdom of Israel.

lenged Elias,"and I will call on the name of

Although inferior in territory and popu

my Lord; and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be the God."

consubstantial Son of God became man.

lation, the Kingdom of Juda in the South at

The priests worked themselves into a

Man is not an actor caught up in the whirlwind of blind fate, whose destiny is

least possessed the city of Jerusalem, which gave it a moral and religious unity that

frenzy dancing around their altar, crying out to Baal to send fire to consume their sacri

worked out regardless of his actions.

saved it for awhile. Israel, on the other hand,

fice. But no fire came. Elias heightened the

JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1996

History great was this urge that he and Jezabel con spired to kill the owner. The Lord com manded Elias to reveal to the wicked pair

ed about their savagery. Dr. Hans Zacharias in his Protohistoiy listed several gloating

that on the very spot that their crime took

claimed that he flayed captured rulers alive

bodies with knives and covered themselves

place the dogs would lick up Achab's blood

and hung their skins on the walls of their

with blood. This agitated madness contin

and the queen would be devoured by dogs.

cities and that he cut off the hands of others.

ued until the evening when the bloody

This prophecy was literally fulfilled (cf. 3

prophets of Baal gave up.

Kings 22:38 and 4 Kings 9:32-37).

Several kings particularly delighted in beheading corpses and making a variety of

tension by mocking them; "Cry louder, for perhaps your god is talking to someone, or

is on a journey, or he is asleep." The frenzy continued as the false priests hacked their

admissions by bloodthirsty monarchs. One

Elias then placed his ox on top of pieces

After Elias had anointed EHseus as his

of wood and, to emphasize the effect,

successor, he was swept up into heaven in a

monuments from them. Assurbanipal, who is frequently associated with fine architec

poured water over the victim and the wood until it ran down every side and filled a

fiery chariot by a whirlwind, without tasting

ture and library building, boasted that he

death, to return before the final judgment.

forced captured rulers to march around

After that the two kingdoms entered into

wearing a necklace of their general's heads

fidence and zeal for God's glory and to bring the people back from their sad defec

alternating periods of affluence coupled with moral decay and spiritual revival, but

before their own tongues were cut out.

tion. When Elias prayed, "May the people

with the general trend downwards.

tion of the sadistic details would go past the

trench around the altar. He prayed with con

bounds of decency.

learn that Thou art the Lord God, and that

Thou hast turned their hearts again," a fire flashed out of heaven and broke over the

Gruesome as these reports are, full revela

The Assyrians During the first centuries of the last mil

offering, consuming both the bull and the wood, and licking up the water from the

lennium before Christ, chaos and anarchy

trench. The people fell on their faces to

ranged throughout the cradle of civilization.

adore the true God; whereupon the just prophet ordered them to seize the idolatrous priests and drag them to a nearby river where he slaughtered all 450 of them.

Occasionally rising out of the confusion, a

During the reign of Tiglath-pileser III (745-727 B.C.) the Assyrian juggernaut began to roll, and when it stopped it had crushed virtually all the Near Eastern peo

group of Semitic bandits called Assyrians

ples in its wake. Under this monarch, mili tary campaigns turned from mere plunder to enduring conquest. He was responsible for

gained control of the Tigris-Euphrates val ley by the use of ruthless aggression, only to

formidable military force of its day.

developing the Assyrian army into the most

fall victim to a more brutal neighbor. Finally the Assyrians, whom God called

Extensively utilizing iron weapons for the

flee the wrath of Jezabel. There he was

miraculously provided with food by an angel to sustain him on a three-hundredmile journey to Mount Horeb (Sinai) where he was consoled and strengthened by God.

"the rod and staff of my anger" (Is. 10:5) came into their vicious prominence in the last half of the eighth century, becoming the third of the four major empires in the

machines, the Assyrians anticipated the great Roman armies of the future. Wherever they marched they left a trail of ruin and

The Council of Trent tells us that this food

Mesopotamian Valley. But more than their

Since they advanced the science of

was a figure of the Holy Eucharist, which strengthens us on our pilgrimage of misery

predecessors, the Sumerians and the

administration, road-building, and logi.stics,

Babylonians, they acquired a reputation for

the Assyrians were able to subdue and hold the entire Tigris-Euphrates valley and the petty states to the north and east. With their rear and right flank protected, they directed their plans of expansion westward toward

Afterward Elias went into the desert to

in this world and brings us at last to our heavenly fatherland.

cruelty almost without parallel in history.

Sometime later, Achab became obsessed

tribute faced the penalty of mutilation, blinding, and impalement. They even boast-

with possessing a neighbor's vineyard. So

Those who refused them submission and

first time and efficiently using huge war

desolation.

the Mediterranean Sea in order to control

the major trade routes.

Damascus, the most important city in the West, formed a coalition to block the

Assyrian advance but was captured in 732

B.C., leaving Palestine vulnerabi Kingdom of Israel, to forestall an As^_., uin

invasion, at least for the moment, agreed to a payment of a large tribute.

The disappearance of the Ten Tribes of Israel This story of horror, bloodshed, and cru

elty is intimately entwined with the lives of the four major and twelve minor prophets who wrote accounts of their sufferings and experiences in some of most sublime litera The prophet Elias dispenses justice to the 450 idolatrous priests of Baal.

ture ever produced, In the Northern King dom, with the terrible Assyrian army at its

CRUSADE

History was the capital, which prepared to make a

very borders, Amos, the earliest prophet, thundered against immorality, luxury, and

However, Isaias's divinely inspired pro nouncements went far beyond his warnings

idolatry. He emphasized God's authority

of moral failure and imminent chastise

The people wanted to surrender, but

over the universe and Israel's obligation to Him. Interestingly, he noted that God pun

ments, for in memorable passages he pro

Isaias urged them to resist. "Thus saith the Lord concerning the king of the Assyrians:

claimed that God Himself would come in

ishes all who violate the natural law, but

His own person to redeem mankind. With

Israel more so because she received special

remarkable accuracy, he revealed, "Behold,

final stand.

He shall not come into the city, nor shoot an arrow into it.... And it came to pass that

divine favors. Amos also introduced the

a virgin shall conceive and bear a son"(Isa.

night that an Angel of the Lord came, and

idea, later developed by Ezechiel, that God

7:14). "For a child is bom to us...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor.

slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand" (4 Kings

God the Mighty.... He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom; to

withdrew; Jerusalem was saved.

would take pity and protect His people in the persons of those who remained faithful and who would become the basis for a restoration.

However, the chaotic decline of Israel

continued, and its political stability deterio

establish it and strengthen it with judgment and justice, from henceforth and for ever"

19:32,35). The next morning Sennacherib

Second Babylonian Empire

(Isa. 9:6.7). Concerning Our Lord's passion, he prophesied, "Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows.... He hath

ings of the prophets declared that the divine

borne our infirmities.... He was wounded

judgment was not confined to the Chosen People. Each of these Middle Eastern

ment, some leaders attempted to compro

for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins,...and by his brui.ses we are healed....

mise with the ferocious invaders. Finally, in

The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us

rated to the point where five of its last six kings were assassinated. Despite prophecies indicating that God had chosen the Assyrians as His instrument of chastise

As world empires rose and fell, the writ

empires had a divinely appointed task to perform, and when that task was finished

721 B.C., the infamous warrior Sargon II crushed Israel's capital city, Samaria, and, after impaling most of the inhabitants, car ried off 27,000 of the remainder. The Ten

Tribes of Israel disappeared forever from the pages of history.

Isaias The moral and political deterioration in Juda paralleled that in the Northern

Kingdom. One king, Achaz (742-727), allowed his own son to be butchered to

appease the Canaanite god Moloch. After the fall of Samaria in 721, the situation

The Assyrian King Assurbanipal portrayed on a brass-relief from his palace in Ninive

became precarious; so much so that the very existence of the Chosen People stood on the

all..,. He shall be led as a sheep to the

their power came to an end, to be replaced

brink of annihilation. At this moment God

slaughter" (Isa. 53:3-7).

by another. The destruction of Assyria

sent Isaias. not only a great saint, but one of the greatest figures in human history. This magnificent personage, because of his aristocratic birth, belonged to the ruling

classes. One of those rarities, a mystic and a man of action, he was able to move through the royal palace with ease and exercised an undoubted influence on public life. This prophet of Yahweh (God) proclaimed loud

ly and continually that if the kingdom were to escape destruction it must follow one guiding principle: confidence in God, not in war-like preparation, nor concessions to Assyria, nor a suicidal alliance with a

During Our Lord's life on earth. He

because of its fierce pride was prophesied

referred numerous times to the Messianic

synagogue in Nazareth, He indicated that

by Isaias and by the prophet Nahum, who used such vigorous images in his denuncia tion that they are stirring today even in

the prophets led to Himself as the teacher

translation. Nevertheless, Jerusalem was

and Redeemer of the world, and all found

warned not to gloat, for anothei r would arise to execute justice. Toward the end of the seventh century B.C., the Assyrian Empire, while having

prophesies of Isaias. On one occasion at the

this fulfillment in Him.

With disaster impending, one king, Ezechias(726-697), finally paid attention to the great prophet. He undertook a muchneeded religious reform, purified the

Temple, and built up the fortifications of Jerusalem. Unfortunately, against Isaias's

advice, he made an alliance with Egypt.

reached the height of its wealth and its greatest territorial extent, had become

exhausted by the constant military cam paigns. Nothing solid can be built on a foundation of power and terror alone.

declining Egypt. But the kings and the peo ple were obstinately attached to their evil ways. Isaias warned that the time of God's

Sennacherib (705-681), Sargon's successor,

Although feared and hated by the surround

tired of the irritation and rebelliousness of

ing nations because of its ruthless military

these petty states, decided to finish with the

policies, Assyria first began to disintegrate

judgment was coming and would leave the kingdom in ruins. The scourge was even

whole lot of them. First he broke the oppo sition of Juda's allies; then he besieged

from within. Like so many Middle Eastern

then descending, and the scourge was Assyria.

Jerusalem while he reduced the rest of the

JANUARY-FEBRUARY. 1996

kingdom's cities. The only city that was left

empires before it, the Assyrian people became luxurious and relied on foreigners to staff their army. Finally the Neo-

History

coalition army and smashed the great

Babylonians or Chaldeans put together a

Who also wept over Jerusalem, Jeremias was peculiarly sensitive to suffering. Time

Assyrian capital, Ninive, to the ground. So complete was the devastation that for twen

couragement; yet he refused to succumb. In

ty-five centuries no one even knew where it

order to serve God, he sacrificed every

stood.

Babylon once more became the center of the civilized world. The renovations and

and again, he was sorely tempted by dis

thing. He did not marry, for he did not want to bring children into the world to be slaughtered or subject to lengthy captivity.

beautification undertaken by its famous King Nabuchodonosor blazed with such

He also was told to go no more into the

brilliance that its name has been associated

that eat and drink, to no longer hear the

with luxuriousness ever since. Nabucho-

voice of mirth and the voice of gladness.

donosor's famous Hanging Gardens were so impressive that they were included in the

house of feasting and not to sit with them The prophet Jeremias contemplating the words of God

Jeremias repeatedly advised the last

Seven Wonders of the World. But the

kings of Juda, especially Sedecias, that with paganism came its constant companions:

sanctuaries they bowed down to the vile creatures that creep and crawl (Ezech.

Babylonian king, who reigned for forty-two years (604-562), turned out to be just as

immorality, thievery, and murder. Numer ous

chaps. 8. 9). No longer could the nation be converted, nor punishment avoided. God's patience had been exhausted. (In chapter 20,Jeremias sums up many of these ideas in

times

warned

that

the

Neo-

cruel and rapacious as his Assyrian prede

Babylonians would act as God's instrument

cessors.

of punishment. Sedecias sincerely believed

the sorrowful prophet, but lacking initiative

Jeremias After Ezechias died, six decades of

and determination, he fell under the influ

ence of his wicked counselors. They had Jeremias tortured and placed in stocks.

gross impiety and idolatry followed.

Released, he cried out all the more defiant

Sparked by the finding of Deuteronomy, the

ly that his tormentors would be struck with the sword and be carried away to Babylon. For his effort, they threw him into prison.

law of Moses, a mild reform was invoked in

the reign of Josias; but it was only a formal

some of the most powerful and magnificent prose ever written.) The Babylonians, the manifestation of

God's power, descended upon Juda in 587 and laid siege to Jerusalem. A terrible

famine resulted, then pestilence, but this time no angel came to the rescue. Amid scenes of desperation and depravity that

Josias's death his successors proceeded to

When Sedecias released him and inquired, "Is there any word from the Lord?"

plunge Israel back into the pit of abomina tions and immorality. The tragedy of a

Jeremias replied, "Yes, thou shalt be deliv ered into the hand of the king of Babylon."

own dead children. Finally, after eighteen

nation constantly returning to its own filth is

The frustrated counselors then cast the mes

tiresome, but this repetition shows that the drama of the spiritual war is played out in the individual soul of man. Success is only

senger of God into a filthy dungeon to die.

city stormed. Thousands were killed and the streets ran red with blood. Sedecias, the last

Unmoved

king of Juda. was captured and, after seeing

prophet was eventually hauled out of the

his sons murdered and with that memory

provisional; sin must be continually chal lenged.

filth and imprisoned elsewhere where he

forever in his mind, had his eyes ripped out.

observance and not from the heart. After

and

unbroken, the faithful

remained until Jerusalem fell.

During the forty-year period that sat astride the year 600, the enormous responsi

bility of holding Juda back from the brink of disaster fell to Jeremias. His foreknowl

edge of the trials and misfortunes of the people he loved so much caused him such afflictions that he was known as the "Man of Tears."

A prefigure of the suffering of Our Savior,

anticipated a similar event in the same city in 70 A.D., mothers cooked and ate their months, the walls were breached and the

The Babylonians then proceeded to put the

city to the torch and leveled the Temple to

The final collapse of Juda In the final years of the nation, the reli

gious life of the people reached complete decadence. They listened to false prophets, resisted grace, and persisted in their impen itence. In the courtyard of the Temple they worshiped the rising sun and in the inner

the ground.

Juda as a nation had been destroyed. Although still a religious community, yet it no longer possessed the Promised Land,

nor the Temple. The remnant of about 20,000, hungry, desolate, and parched, marched in chains under the hot do

â&#x2013;

to Babylon.

Bibliographical essay Among the references already mentioned in previous chapters, two were of particular value here; A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture and Giuseppe Ricciotti, The History of Israel, also Dr. Paul Heinisch, History of the Old Testament

(Collegeville, Minn., 1952) and the biographies of the various prophets by Dom Hubert Van Zeller. Two books on Elias can be highly recommended. Rev. Edward F. Garesche, S.J., The Prophet

of Carmel (Wheeling, 1924) and Most Rev. RE. Magennis, The Life and Times of the Prophet of Carmel(New York, 1925).

No effort was made for an independent, in-depth study of Assyrian histoi7 beyond the Cambridge Ancient History (1976 ed.). Since they added little to the overall growth of Western Civilization except in developments related to warfare, the gener al coverage in the above named books on the Old Testament was

sufficient. Moreover, because the Old Testament is the inspired Word of God, its historical value is held in higher esteem here

than by those critics who have a predisposed antagonism toward supernatural Revelation.

CRUSADE

The Legend on the Locket by Francis J, Finn, S.J.

Iwas in my first sleep when the sound of the doorbell awakened me, whereupon

over the wan spectral snow-covered land

hair that fell in graceful ripples about her shoulders. She was lightly dressed, this lit

hurried preparations, hastened to throw

scape. The sharp gust that swept into the hall as I opened the door made me pity the delicate-looking child who stood at the

open the door.

threshold.

once so beautiful and calm and earnest that

It was a bitter cold night in January, and the moon without threw its pale light

Her hair gleamed with a strange and rare effect in the moonlight, long golden

I shall never forget it.

I sprang from my bed, and, after a few

tle child, as she stood gazing straight and frankly into my eyes with an expression at

Her face was very pale, her complexion of the fairest. The radiancy about her hair seemed to glow in some weird yet inde scribable fashion upon her every feature. These details I had not fairly taken in when she addressed me.

"Father, can you come with me at

once? My mother is dying, and she is in trouble."

"Come inside, my little girl," 1 said, and warm yourself. You must be half frozen."

"Indeed, Father, I am not in the least

cold." I had thrown on my coat and hat as she made answer.

"Your mother's name, my child?"

"Catherine Morgan, Father; she's a widow, and has lived like a saint. And now

that she's dying, she is in awful trciihle. She was taken sick about a few hours "Where does she live?"

"Two miles from here. Father, on the

border of the Great Swamp; she is a stranger in these parts, and alone. 1 know

the way perfectly; you need not be afraid of getting lost.

A few minutes later we were tramping through the snow, or rather 1 was tramping; for the child beside me moved with so

light and tender a step, that had there been flowers instead of snowflakes beneath our

feet 1 do not think a single petal would From Fr. Finn's Mnxilv Bo\s (New York: 18%). pp. 90-95.

Family Series was gone. Somewhat

have been crushed under the

airy fall of her fairy feet.

startled,

was

peering out into

Her hand was in mine

the pallid night, when a groan called

with the confiding clasp of childhood. Her face, for ail

her tones:"My darling Edith's." "I know her," 1 continued."She brought

me here, you know." I stopped short and caught my breath. The woman half ro.se in her bed; she looked

at me in wonder that cannot be expressed. 1, no less amazed, was staring at a golden,

me to the bedside of the

home, wore a gravely serene

dying woman. A glance told me there

oval locket fastened to the bosom of the

was no time to lose. The

child's dress which the woman was holding

the

trouble

that

was

air, such as is seldom seen in

years of sprightly, youthful inno

woman lying in that room had hardly reached middle life, but the

cence.

How beautiful she looked!

in her hands.

"Madam," I cried, "in the name of God,

More like a creature fresh from the

hand of Death had touched her brow, upon

tell me, where is your daughter? Whose is

perfect handiwork of God than one who walked in the valley of sin, and sorrow, and

which stood the drops of sweat, and in her

that locket?"

face I read a great trouble.

Upon her bosom I observed a golden locket fashioned in an oval shape. She noticed my glance, and with a quick movement of her fingers released the

be thanked for it, soon calmed and quieted the poor creature. She made her confession,

"The locket is Edith's. I placed it here on the bosom of her dress when my little girl lay dying a year ago. The last thing my darling did was to hold this locket to her

and in sentiments of faith and love such as

lips, and say:

locket and handed it to me.

Sacraments of the Church.

trouble, and death.

I was at her side in an instant; and, God

1 have rarely seen, received the Last Standing beside her, I suggested those

"It's a heart," 1 said.

"Read what's on it, Father."

"I can't, my little friend; my eyes are very good, but are not equal to making out reading on gold lockets by moonlight." "Just let me hold it for you. Father.—

little prayers and devices so sweet and con soling at the dread hour. 1 noticed as the time passed on that her eyes frequently turned toward a little box at the farther end

How this child contrived, I cannot say;

She nodded as,sent.

but certain it its, that at once, as she held

On placing it beside her, she opened it

the locket at a certain angle, there stood out clearly, embossed upon its surface, the leg

with trembling hands and took out the dress

"She died a year ago." Then the mother's face grew very sweet and very radiant. fixed her eyes straight before her. "Edith, my dear Edith, we are at last to be

united in the Sacred Heart. I see you, my darting: "Cease! the Heart of Jesus is with me.'"

Her voice faded with the last syllable

of a child.

"Your little daughter's dress?" 1 said.

end—

Jesus is with me.'

Still holding the locket in her hands, she

of the room.

"Shall I bring you that box?" I asked.

Now look."

'Cease! the Heart of

She whispered, and there was love in

into silence.

She and Edith were again united.

■

"Cease! the Heart of

Jesus is with me."

"Mamma placed that upon my bo.som one year ago, when 1 was very sick. Father." And kissing the locket, the child restored it to its place. We went on for a time in silence. I car

.0 #

ried the Blessed Sacrament with me; and,

young as she was, the girl seemed to

appreciate the fact. Whenever I glanced at her, I observed her lips moving as in prayer, and her eyes .seemed, in very truth, fixed upon the place where rested in His sacramental veil the Master of Life and of Death.

Suddenly the girl's hand touched my sleeve—oh, so gen tly! 'This is the place. Father," she said in soft tones that thrilled me

as they broke upon the stillness; and she

pointed to a little hut standing back in the dim shadows of three pine trees. 1 pushed open the door, which hung loosely upon its hinges, and turned to wait her entrance. She

CRUSADE

Special Update

The Third Secret of Fatima: Is the Wait Over?

water of the oceans will turn to vapor, and the tide will rise and submerge everything. Millions and millions of men will die by the

hour, and the living will envy the dead. In every country, on all sides, everything will be anguish, ruins, and misery." "How did Cardinal Ottaviani react to

this?" was the next question. Msgr. Balducci answered: "What I am about to

tell you I could repeat under oath. I encoun

On January 13, 1996, the Roman daily II Tempo published an interview with the famous demonologist Msgr. Conrado Balducci, in which he reveals that the secret of Fatima speaks about a terrible nuclear conflict that will shake the entire world sometime

tered the Dominican Provincial, Fr. Cinelli,

at a reception during the conclave for the election of John Paul II in October, 1978.

The Ossen'atore della Domenica had just published my article describing how, according to the prophecies of Malachi, the new Pontiff's motto would be 'De labore

before the year 2000.

solis.' Thinking that this was a reference to the destructive effects of nuclear energy, I cited the secret published by Louis Emrich,

by Robert E. Ritchie

the director of Neues EuwpaT Msgr. Balducci continued: "When Fr.

The third secret of Fatima has kept the

a letter addressed to the Most Reverend Jose

Cinelli saw me, he told me that I had done

world on edge for decades. Everyone

Alves Correia da Silva, bishop of Leiria. It

wants to know its contents—whether

was sent to him through the titular bishop of

well in citing this document. He had had a problem to resolve: Another Dominican,

menacing or hopeful. But why? Why all the

Gurza, the Most Reverend Manuel Maria

whom I also knew. Fr. Mastrocola, director

prying? Is it the mere thirst for sensational

Ferreira de Silva, her old confessor in Porto.

of he Santa Rita Institute, wanted to mail a

It was taken to the apostolic nuncio in

leaflet containing the text of the third part of

Lisbon by the Most Reverend Joao Pereira Vcnancio, auxiliary bishop of Leiria. The

file. So he went to ask Fr. Cinelli what he

ism? Or is it because people are really wor ried that the secret warns of the coming of a

great worldwide chasti.sement—something that would profoundly affect their lives? People have attempted by various means

nuncio (later Fernando Cardinal Cento)took

to discover the content of the secret, espe

it to the Vatican, which it entered on April 16, 1957. It is not known whether Pius XII

cially since 1960, Time has utterly failed to

came to know it. It was, however, read by

erase the keen attention paid to the third

Pope John XXIII and by Alfredo Cardinal

secret whenever it is mentioned.

the Fatima secret to the 20,000 names in his

thought. Fr. Cinelli told him it was vital to first know Cardinal Ottaviani's opinion on the matter, and the two of them obtained an

Sacred

audience with the Cardinal. They were familiar with His Eminence's famed rigidi ty and skepticism. Great was their surprise

Congregation of the Holy Office (now Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith).

exclaimed: 'Go ahead. Father! Publish the

Ottaviani,

secretary

the

when, after they had explained their plan, he

In 1941, the bishop of Lciria ordered

Immediately thereafter, the document,

Sister Liicia to recall everything of interest

which was not to be made public before

can.'"

in Jacinta's life for a new book that was

1960 according to declarations of Sister

going to be published. She then revealed two of the three parts of the July secret after obtaining permission from heaven.

Lucia, was sent to the Vatican's secret

The interviewer's last question to Msgr. Balducci was, "Is there hope for humani ty?" His answer was simple, to the point,

archives. Until today, the third secret of

text. Distribute it to as many people as you

Fatima has not been officially revealed by

but not very optimi,stic: "If men amend their

the Vatican.

lives, the conflict can be postponed i

However, the renowned demonologist Msgr. Conrado Balducci. formerly a mem

ened in its consequences."

Our Lady foretold the coming of World War II. In order to prevent this war, she said that she would come to request the conse

recently revealed what he knows about it in

In face of the chasti.sement that threatens

cration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart

an interview published in // Tempo. The

and the Communion of reparation on the

interview was widely reported by several major European newspapers.

today's unrepentant world, only one thing will not fail: prayer! "Unto thee I lift up my

We know that the first part of the secret pertains to the vision of Hell. In the second,

first Saturdays. Our Lady added that if this

request went unheeded, Russia "will spread its errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will

have

much

to suffer.... Finally, my

ber of the Vatican's Secretariat of State,

eyes, unto thee, who dwellest in the heav

In reply to the first que.stion, regarding

ens. See how the eyes of .servants are fixed

exactly what the text has to say about the

on the hands of their masters, the eyes of a

third .secret, Msgr. Balducci said that it men tions the coming of a teirible war. His words are: "A great chastisement will fall upon the world, not today, not tomorrow, but in the

Immaculate Heart will triumph." The .seer wrote the last part of the secret

second half of the twentieth century.... Fire

between January 2 and January 9. 1944, in

and smoke will fall from the heavens, the

handmaid on the hand of her mistress"

(Psalm 122:1-2). So our eyes are fixed on

Our Lady and Mother, waiting for her to have mercy on us and looking forward to her prophetic promise: "Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph." ■

ana

,ow to describe this picture to our readers? A beautiful tapestry? A richly decorated carpet?

Behold the result: an enormous carpetâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;of flowers! This is no illusion. Here we contemplate a stupendous

We are overlooking the Grande Place of Brussels. The

rug made entirely of petals, a generous project in homage to

people of the city are gathered around an attractive work of

the city, a fruit of the collective eagerness of all of her Inhabi

art. What mighty industry would have spent so much money to weave this colossal rug? Is this perhaps the extravagant advertisement of some multinational corporation?

tants.

No, dear reader! For a few moments,let us forget about

On the four sides of this harmonious combin.,

of col

ors and shapes, we can see Belgium's coat-of-arms with its handsome heraldic lion. The motto surrounding the lion

business, the personal interests and the myriad concerns that

reads "Union provides strength," written in the two official

affect every inhabitant of any great modern city.

languages of the country, French and Flemish.

Let us imagine ourselves as participants in a great cele

In fact, the Belgian state is formed by tlie union of two

bration. A rich and abundant liveliness pervades the city; joy

nations: the French-speaking Walloons and the Flemish.

is contagious; Brussels is celebrating its birthday. On this day, following a centuries-old tradition, the

Whence the strength of the country. Not only strength, but beauty and splendor as well are expressed in this awe-inspir

Belgian people demonstrate all of the splendor of life and the high significance of beauty in the history of a nation. For, just as the lungs breathe oxygen, so also does the upright

ing carpet..made of simple flowers! A work of art, of popular character, made of petals, is, in the fullest sense of the word, a monument of praise to beau

human soul aspire to beauty.

ty itself.

May-June, 1996 $4.00

merican Â»oc

ense of

American TFP In Action

TFP \■

Outreach In April 1 a conti-

V>/gentofTFPvol-

unteers traveled to

"5*1.^ J>

'liji

^ Washington, D.C., to

participate in a candlelight

vigil convoked by James !

Cardinal Hickey to pray

that President Clinton not r

veto the then-pending

I '' partial-birth-abortion bill. ^

J*;

\ :

-r* 4

^ ■■

; /i

^ ^

Bostons Bernard Cardinal T i-aw JOinea r'.it-^inol L./arainai

TFP Vice-Presldent Steven visits Cardinal Hickey during the Schmleder White House vigilwith on the

Hickey in leading the pro- partial-blrth-abortion bin.

^ cession. About 500 people

participated, carrying carrying candles, candles, praying praying the the rosary, rosary, and singing , ijj^ 15' participated, and singing hymns beseeching God s intervention. The pouring rain may have flooded roadways but in no way dampened the spirits of these dedi-

I at: l£ <

cated anti-abortionists.

I,I .

Left;TFP's contingent gathers in front of the Whit© House to begin

the candlelight vigil

X The TFP choir parlcl-

^pates in a Lenten Tenebrae service in

Philadelphia.

Youths from across the

country gathered for

the TFP's popular annual Easter

program.

#• m

May-June, 1996

FAITMA

Cover: International

and the

pilgrim statue of Our

Enigma of the

Lady of Fatima ❖ In Brief

superimposed over Red

Communist Revival

Square

Societv Considcraiions on Calholic Culdiro

Cover Article Fulimu and the Revival of Coinnuinisni

Interview Russia Is Still E.\pt>rline Its Hirors

Tlie Fatiina Message Pierces The Enigma of Comniunisin's Demise

Considerations on

Catholic Culture, by Plinio Correa de Oliveria

Prophets, Martyrs, Saints, and Heroes Angel of the Court

Family Series The Three Pearls

Commentai Lessons Ironi Nature

Foreotten Truths "Ciod Is Merciful, hut He Is also Jusi"

Cover Article: If Russia didirot convert, the threat remains

Basic History Course of Western Civilization (ireece: An Arlisiic .Success. A Moral Pailun

❖ I saw the miracle of the sun!

Crusade Magazine Is a publication of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition. Family and Property (TFP). Subscriptions in the United States and Canada, $24.00.

Foreign subscriptions, $30.00. List of other TFP publications available upon request. Direct all subscription requests and inquiries to: The American TFP, P.O. Box 1868,York, PA 17405.

Insights into the real Russia by Russian specialist Virtue amidst the splendor of temporal life

Michael Wal er

Crusade "iMM Miv'iizinc

Editor:

The Message of Fatima: Prophecy and Appeal for Conyerison

The modem academic world is

C. Preston Nocll III Associa'I'K Editors:

Earl Applcby Jack Burnham

Eugenia Guzman Gar)' Isbell Steven F. Schmieder

scientist, our Faith in everything the

Photoorai'my:

at a loss to predict the probable

Church proposes for our belief gives

direction of world events as the of the second millennium

us a torch to illuminate the way. There is little consensus in many

Circui-ation:

approaches. The great certainties

areas of interpretation of the Fdtima messages, which, being private reve lation, Catholics are not obliged to accept. It is not our intention to be controversial or to provide definitive interpretations but to keep alive the uncontroverted central point of the message of Fdtima, which is amend ment of life and conversion. Every thing that Our Lady asked for—daily Rosary, First Saturday devotion, the

Forkion Corrksrondknts:

end

derived from a world steeped in Newtonian science that assured us that if we knew "a" and "b" we could

work out "c" are rapidly evaporating in the face of global instability. The mechanical clock in which

everything seemed to work deterministically, the pendulum swinging back and forth with precise rhythm and predicting time with what was for all intents and purposes perfect accuracy, no longer provides a useful metaphor

consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart—^had amendment

to describe the world.

of life and conversion as an end.

In its place turbulence, chaos, uncertainty, complexity, and unpre dictability overturn the old paradigms

To map out the events of the twen tieth century, as Our Lady did in 1917

Todd F. Kamuf Steven A. Herrera

AUSTRALIA: John S. Tucker

BRAZIL; Orlando Lyra CANADA: John Misek CHILE: Nelson Farias Blanco FRANCE: Mario Beccar Varela GERMANY: Beno Hofschulte

PHILIPPINES: Allen Bandril PORTUGAL: Mauricio Succna ROME; Juan M. Monies

SOUTH AFRICA: Michael McKenna SPAIN: Juan Barandiaran

The American TFP

for the three children, and to decide

The American Society for the

of the world where science, it was

how her words conform with those

Defense of Tradition, Family and

thought, would one day clear up all our doubts.

events is an important task for histori ans. It is also an essential part of the

Today chaos has become the object of scientific inquiry. In the lan guage of this new science, our ulti mate destiny may depend on some thing as minute as a butterfly flapping its wings—"the butterfly effect."

Fdtima apostolate, because few things are as powerful a means for convinc ing someone as the fulfillment of a prophecy about what will happen in the future. The validity of a theory in science stands or falls on its ability to

Nothing can be taken for certain.

predict what will happen. So, in the

Reason is kicked out the door, and

case of Fdtima, the folfillment of the

intuition is in.

prophecies stands in the face of the skeptics. But it is essential to remem ber that all this has one objective: con

The

scientific

revolution

that

began with the exaltation of human reason ends perhaps with the procla

Property (TFP) was founded in 1973 to confront the profound crisis shaking the modem world. It is a civic, cultural and nonpartisan orga nization which, inspired by the tra

ditional teachings of the Supreme Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church, works in a legal and peace ful manner in the realm of ideas to

defend and promote the prii of private ownership, famil\ i perennial Christian values with thentwofold function: individual and social. The TFP's words and efforts

version, the amendment of life.

have always been faithfully at the

Equally for us, the task of piecing together the events of the last few years in Russia and looking at them in the light of Fdtima, which this issue of

Unfortunately, this is the one thing that has not yet occurred. If it does not, the consequence for the world was made very clear by Our Lady: "The good will be martyred; the Holy

service of Christian civilization. The first TFP was founded in

Crusade Magazine attempts, presents

Father will have much to suffer, and

work has inspired the formation of

several nations will be annihilated." ■

other autonomous TFPs in 26 coun

mation of its ineptitude.

great difficulty. Of course, unlike the

Brazil by the famous intellectual and Catholic leader Prof. Plinio CoiTea de Oliveira in 1960. His

tries across the globe, thus consti

tuting the world's largest anticommunist and antisocialist network.

CRUSADE

IN BRIEF 0 Et tu, Antonine? Anlonin Scalia, a Catholic and reputed ly one of the most pro-life justices on the

psychological counselling, have sought redress from their local court system. Not only have many judges sided with the schools, but the Supreme Court has refused

U.S. Supreme Court, said in Rome that if

to take cases on appeal.

the majority in a democratic society want abortion, then the state should permit it.

Undaunted, Christian groups such as Eagle Forum and Focus on the Family and

0 Parents'rights successfully defended In a case where an aroused parental

Scalia made the remark

conservative Republicans have

May 2 during a speech at

turned to Congress and state

reaction achieved at least a tentative goal, the dioceses of Tucson and Gallup have abruptly halted a controversial research pro gram designed to increase respect for homosexuals. The program, for grades 3-8,

the Pontifical Gregorian

legislatures for help. As a result, Senator Charles Grassley of

Association and administered jointly by the

Iowa has introduced the Parental

National Institutes of Health and the

University in which he

argued that government should not determine poli-

cies according to moral '"'N principles unless a majority

of voters agree with those H

Rights and Responsibilities Act and 28 states are considering amendments to their constilu-

These efforts have aroused

towards the vice, the researchers admitted

make the children more sympathetic

I Such is not the teaching

I fierce animosity from numerous

of John Paul II. The Pope

groups that favor a more per missive, self-indulgent lifestyle

democracies must answer to an objective moral law. Pope Leo XIII expressed the same teaching in his encyclical Immortale

for today's youth. Such groups as the

Dei.

Liberties

As Saint Thomas Aquinas says, "It belongs to the ruler to procure the common good of the people in such wise as to enable

them to obtain celestial happiness. Accord

University of Arizona. Intending to use the destructive methods called "values clarifi cation" and "behavior modification" to

has repeatedly affirmed that

was developed by the National Educational

National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, the American Union,

Educational

and

Association

the have

Civil

National

that the effort posed potential psychological and emotional risks to the students.

When a group of parents objected, a long and arduous battle ensued. A partial victory was gained in April when the

Bishop of Tucson postponed the programâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; but only for a year.

banded

together to deny parents their God-given rights.

0 Thus die the impious

If parents and their supporters remain

ingly, he ought to command what leads

steadfast, another extensive conflict seems

thereto and, as far as possible, forbid what

unavoidable. A statement of Fr. Reginald

irreligious

Garrigou-Lagrangc, written in 1947, seems

writer, died drinking his own urine and desperately hurling his last blasphemies against

is opposed to it."

even more apropos today: "Good can exist

in this life only in a state of conflict, and

0 Parents battle for rights

ijjBl

eighteenth-century '

that is why the Church is called militant; for

The law of the land, in conformity with the

Voltaire, the notoriously

precedent of centuries

she must fight without ceasing against the maxims of the world and the spirit of evil."

century, similar unsavory episodes continue

0 Seal of confessional

"refinements" of impiety.

Christianity, has recog nized that the principal responsibility for the

this

twentieth

to take place, albeit with some necessary

deliberately violated

education of chil

dren belongs to

Timothy Leary, 75, widely and sadly known for his proselytism in the early 1960s for the use of LSD is dying of

There seems to be no end to the aggres sive insults heaped on Catholic sacramental

prostate cancer. In his mansion in Beverly an unending procession of his fans

his deathbed. He has created a weh^

"the rights of par

rites. In Eugene. Oregon, a prisoner's con fession to a priest was surreptitiously taped on orders of the county's district attorney.

ents to direct the

The confidentiality of the confessional ritu

parents. In 1925

the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that

upbringing

Hills, Leary has established something of

the Internet to continue his impious promo tion of sexual perversion and drug use.

and

al, which historically has always been

vita, finis //o"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;one dies as one

education of their

respected in this country by non-Catholics

livesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;says a Latin proverb. How will the guru

as well as Catholics, was pragmatically vio

of drugs ajid licentiousness of youth die?

children

shall

not

infringed." However, in recent

years, an immorally indul gent educational establishment

lated to facilitate the investigation of a triple homicide.

Numerous groups, some usually antago nistic, are vehemently opposing the effort to use the tape in court. An attorney for the

As soon as the cancer enters it's terminal

phase, the former Harvard professor and

founder of the so-called "psychedelic counter-culture" intends to kill himself in

front of television cameras with a fatal dose

with powerful judicial help has sought to

Rutherford Institute commented, "It's a sad

of drugs. "It will be a last act in support of

usurp the parents' fundamental rights.

day when the state takes action to discour

euthanasia," Leary cynically wrote on the

Parents, indignant over school policies that

age the nourishing of religious faith in jail.

make contraceptives available to students,

They deny freedom of religion to those who, arguably, need religion the most."

website."By doing this, I will have inaugerated "interactive suicide' through the

mandate explicit sex-education, and require

MAY-JUNE, 1996

Internet."

.J'it

Considerations on Catholi

I :*x

What is culture? The question has

which it has been clothed by the language

These entities or social groups directly

received a variety of responses,

of so many peoples, social classes, and

some inspired in the study of lit erature, others in philosophic or social sys tems of every kind. So complicated are the

schools of thought. We begin by showing

seek the refinement of the spirit, or ' h-ast pursue ends that in themselves rel, o

that in all of them, "culture" contains an

spirit.

invariable basic element, the refinement of

contradictions surrounding this term and

the human spirit.

We also recognize that a university or any other cultural institution may work

another related to itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;civilizationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that

At the heart of the notion of refinement

international congresses of professors and

is the idea that every man has in his spirit

other learned men have met especially to

qualities susceptible of development and

define them. As usually happens, much dis cussion shed little light on the subject.

defects that can be restrained. Refinement,

It is impossible in the space we have here to mention all the theses and argu ments of the various currents, to affirm and

justify our own thesis, and afterwards to treat of Catholic culture. We can, however,

seriously consider the subject, taking the term culture in the thousand modes in

then, has two aspects: one positive, signify ing the growth of what is good, and the other negative, the removal of what is bad. Many current ways of thinking and feel

ing about culture are explained in light of this principle. Thus, we do not hesitate to recognize as cultural a university, a school of music or acting, or even a chess club.

against culture, however, as happens when, because of errors of any kind, its action

deforms the spirit. One could affirm this, for example, about certain schools that impress upon their students disdain for everything philosophical or artistic. A per son whose state of spirit moves him to

adore technology as the value supreme and the only foundation of the soul, to deny every certainty not derived from laboratory experiment, and to scornfully reject every

thing beautiful is. without a doubt, suffering

CRUSADE

self more, less, or even entirely from this

Culture and instruction

effect, according to the case, but in itself At first sight and in the general under

each measure of knowledge acquired tends

standing, the distinction between instruc

to exercise an effect over him. As we

tion and culture is less clear. But, things

already said, cultural action consists in

being well analyzed, one sees that such a

accentuating all the effects that refine and in

distinction exists and rests upon a solid

curbing those that do not.

foundation.

Well understood, reflection is the first of

A person who reads a great deal is gen erally considered very cultured, at least as compared with another who reads little.

the positive means of action. Much, much

And, between two who read a lot, the one who reads more will be seen as the more

man of culture ought to be a thinker. And for the man who thinks, the principal book

cultured. As instruction in itself refines the

is the reality before his eyes, the author

more than a bookworm, a walking encyclo pedia of facts, dates, names, and texts, the

spirit, it is natural that, all else being equal,

most consulted is himself, while the other

one who is better-read is considered more

authors and books, albeit precious ele

cultured. The danger of error in this propo

ments, are clearly subsidiary.

sition arises from the fact that many people inadvertently simplify notions and end up considering culture a mere consequence of

the number of books read. It is a flagrant

Nevertheless, mere reflection is not

enough. Man is not a pure spirit. Through an affinity that is not just conventional, there exists a link between the superior real

error, for reading is advantageous not so ^ssgm

much in the quantity as in the quality or the

books read, and principally in function of the

quality of the one who reads and the reason

for which he reads.

That is, reading, in

thesis, instructs—in the sense of merely providing information. Plinio Correa de OUveira

ities

Much j, more than a hookwOl bookworm, a walk, 1112 GIICV mg encyclopedia of rt IBCtS^ Q3 i3cts, d3tes, nsmes, i , x . a , « 3110 tCXtS 3na texts, the man or

and instructed, or as it be, a

informed

|, ix

hp a UC ^ iX thinkpr UlillKCI.

lesser store of knowledge. Instruction only fully refines the spirit when followed by profound assimilation

any worth to art, poetry, or even more mod

resulting from sound reflection. And for this rea.son, he who has read little but assimilat

and culture, such as technology. We would

ed much is more cultured than he who has read much but assimilated little. For exam

propagate a false culture.

In this current sen.se. fencing is recog nized as an exercise of a certain cultural

ple. a museum guide is usually quite informed about the exhibits he shows visi

tors, but, not infrequently, he is little cul tured. He limits himself to memorization and looks not to assimilation.

value, for it supposes physical dexterity, vivacity of soul, and elegance. But it would be contrary to common sense to attribute

entire essence of the

values his inteiu-

considers. Song, poetry, and art have exactly this as

est activities that also require intelligence

entations exercise an anti-cultural action or

perceives The cuimrai effon is only complete when man absorbs, through these sensible channels, the through his senses.

their end. And it is

well be less cultured than another with a

say that universities which form their stu dents according to some of these false ori

sounds, rorms, and

many

entific, historical, or artistic interest, may

would be the spirit that, moved by an inor dinate philosophical appetite, were to deny

considers

person

facts or notions of sci

from a deformation of spirit. Deformed also

1 X i.

culture Cuillir( ought to

But a person well-read may

with his intelligence

through an accurate and superior interrelationship with what is

beautiful (rightfully understood, it is clear) that the soul entirely absorbs truth and good.

Catholic culture

For a culture to be founded upon true principles, it is necessary that it contain exact notions concerning the perfection of man—be it in the powers of the soul or in

the relations of the soul with the body—and concerning the means by which it ought to attain this perfection, the obstacles it may encounter, and so on.

How one acquires culture

It is easy to see that culture, thus under

stood, must be entirely nourished by the

any cultural value to boxing, which, aiming

Everything a man learns with the senses

doctrinal sap of the true Religion. For it

heavy and brutal blows at the very face of a

or intelligence exercises an effect over the

belongs to the true Religion to teach us in

man, is inherently degrading to the spirit.

powers of his soul. A person may free him

what man's perfection consists, the ways to

MAY-JUNE, 1996

Society

The Church gives us an incomparable element of culture

by opening the doors of the super

natural order.

attain it, and the obstacles opposed to it. And Our Lord Jesus Christ, the ineffable

naught but a pallid figure in the most liter al sense of the word, loses much culturally.

personification of all perfection, is thus the

But there is more. The Church is the

embodiment, the sublime model, the focus,

Mystical Body of Christ. In her circulates grace, coming to us through the infinitely precious Redemption of Our Lord Jesus

the vigor, the life, the glory, the standard, and the delight of true culture.

This is to say that true culture can only be based on the true Religion, and that only from the spiritual atmosphere created by the interrelationship of profoundly Catholic souls can the perfect culture be bom, as the dew is formed in the sound and

Christ. By grace men are elevated to par ticipation in the very life of the Most Holy Trinity. It suffices to say this in order to

affirm the incomparable element of culture

And from this it follows that if non-

Catholic

Therefore, the highest ideal of culture is contained in God's Holy Church.

peoples

are

able

have

admirable cultural attainments, their cul-

Non-Catholic

cultures

vels with which God filled the universe are

made so that the human soul, considering

Can man develop a

them, may refine itself. But the realities

true culture outside the

that transcend the senses are intrinsically

Church?

more admirable than the sensible ones.

No one would deny

And if the contemplation of a flower, a star, or a droplet of water can refine man, how

that the Egyptians, the

much more the contemplation of that

possessed authentic and

Greeks, or the Chine.se

which the Church teaches us concerning

admirable

God, His angels. His saints, paradise,

culture. However, it is

elements

that

grace, etemity, providence, hell, evil, the

undeniable

the

devil, and so many other truths? On earth,

Christianization of the classical world gave it

the image of Heaven is the Holy Church, God's masterpiece. The consideration of

On the other hand, a human society is only in its normal state when the greater part of its members observe the natural law.

of the supernatural order.

other considerations.

of the body or the soul. All the natural mar

Church, are those who do manage to prac tice all the Commandments.

the Church gives us by opening the doors

vivacious atmosphere of the early morning. This is also demonstrated in the light of We said above that man is susceptible to the influence of all he sees with the eyes

more, without the help of grace, no one can

enduringly practice the law in its entirety. And though grace is given to all men, we know that the Catholic peoples, with the superabundant graces they receive from the

much higher cultural val

The four sons of

the Church, her dogmas, her sacraments, her institutions, is for this very reason a

ues.

supreme element of human refinement. A

that human intelligence is able, of itself, to

man born in the tunnels of some mine, who

know the principles of moral law but that,

the Maharaja of Kapurthala

in the beginning of this century

Saint Thomas teaches

ture is always gravely lacking in some cap ital points, depriving it of integrity and full harmony, so necessary to all that is excel

never sees the light of day, would lose a

in consequence of Original Sin, men easily

precious, perhaps even capital, element of

lent or even simply normal.

cultural enrichment. He who does not

deviate from the knowledge of this law, wherefore it became necessary for God to

know the Church, of which the sun is

reveal the Ten Commandments. What is

and perfect culture.

Again, in the Church alone is found true

â&#x2013;

TRADITION. FAMILY AND PROPERTY

What is

Confidence: O voice of Christ, mysterious voice of grace that resoundeth in the silence of our souls. Thou

murmurest in the depths of our hearts words of sweetness and of peace. In response to our mis eries, thou repeatest the counsel so often given by the Divine Master during His mortal life:

"Confidence, confidence!"

To the guilty soul, crushed by the weight of sin, Jesus would say: "Confidence, son, thy sins are forgiven thee," Again, to the sick woman,suf fering for long years from an incurable malady, who touched the hem of His garments in the firm belief that she would be cured, he said: "Confidence, daughter, thy faith hath made thee

whole." When the Apostles saw Him one night walking on Lake Gennesareth they trembled with

You willfind

fear. He calmed them with these reassuring words:"Have confidence, it is I, fear ye not."

'he answÂŁK,in

And, on the eve of His Passion, at the Last

Supper, knowing the infinite fruits of His sacri

fice, He comforted the Apostles with these words of triumph: "Have confidence, I have overcome the world."

These divine words, so full of tender compas sion as they fell from His adorable lips, effectet. marvelous transformation in the souls of those to

Confidence by Fr. Thomas de Saint Laurent

whom they were addressed. A supernatural dew transformed their aridity; rays of hope dissipated their darkness; a calm serenity put their anguish to flight. "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life"; "Blessed are they who hear the

word of God, and keep it."

Order todayfor only Write to:

^? 95

The American TFP

P.O.Box 1868 York, PA, 17405

. ^

7 2^

Our Lord exhorts us now, as He did the

Apostles long ago, to have confidence in Him. Why should we refuse to heed His voice?

fc-"'

i'fl n

^ 4~ÂĽ'"

Immaculate Heart

I will triumph.... Russia...will conAvert."' These words arc taken from

pious exhortation. It implied an ideological struggle, perhaps even a military one. In the months that followed the appari

what is, arguably, the most important super natural event of the century: the apparitions of Our Lady to three children at Fatima, Portugal in 1917.

tions, the meaning of this statement became munist banners became identified as one

called the Union of Soviet Socialist

Republics. The errors that had hitherto been the patrimony of a few obscure conspira

visits there, one in 1982 and another in

Fatima's significance transcends what

or a few perhaps well-meaning Utopian dreamers, became the political program of the largest geopolitical unit in history, the

has become a comfort zone of separation

USSR. The most enduring ideological-

between the social-political field and the

political-economic-niilitary struggle of the century had begun. It would claim the lives

not amend their lives.

"Russia will spread its errors throughout the world, promoting wars, and persecu tions of the Church."- This was not merely a

Conversion?

and the same thing with what would be

Since then, Fatima has become one of

world of piety. It made specific remarks about what was going to take place in the twentieth century politically, if people did

West. The Cold War had been won in the

estimation of the capitalist world. The only problem was. nobody really felt any safer.

clear. Revolution struck Russia. The com

the most well-known private revelations in recent history. Pope Paul VI visited the Shrine and Pope John Paul II has made two 1991.

general euphoria spread throughout the

tors, a few lunatic anarchists and terrorists,

Some Catholics asked themselves

demi.se of communism was the beginning of the conversion of Russia foretold by Our

Lady of Fatima. The question was perhaps a little premature. But in a world where almost all the news reported by the media is bad, the tendency is to grab on to the least little hope. Were the events of 1989-1991 in Russia

of millions: the Second World Wtir would

the fulfillment of a prophecy? To answer this question, two prior ques

be its greatest territorial and psychological

tions must first be answered. What, precise

victory, and finally, in the mid.st of econom ic debacle, it would be pronounced dead.

ly, are the errors of Russia to which Fatima

When the Communist Party was unseat

ed from its dominant position in Russia.

referred? And, what is the nature of the

changes taking place in Russia?

Considerable confusion has crept into

CRUSADE

communist threat: an enigmatic life after death

1 Becket

this. The Marxist-Leninist philosophy was

views morality as entirely pragmatic:

not just interested in taking over the world;

Whatever favors communism is moral. In

it wanted to reform the whole of man and to

his words:

create, as it were, a new manâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Soviet

"We say that our morality is wholly sub

man. In final analysis, it proved highly effective at spreading a subtle revolution

ordinated to the interests of the class-strug

throughout a West which, without armed

gle of the proletariat. We deduce our moral ity from the facts and needs of the class-

struggle, gradually adopted many of the reforms proposed by the communists.

say that a morality taken from outside of

In 1917 no other civil government had the courage to officially promote the things that became state programs in the Soviet Union. The communist nations were among the first to promote abortion on demand, the

imposition of immoral teachings in schools, and the subversion of parental authority.^

struggle of the proletariat.... That is why we human society does not exist for us; it is a

fraud. For us morality is subordinated to the interests of the proletarian class-struggle."^ Communism can also count as one of its

lasting successes what it has achieved by undermining religion. Although not all those who promoted the secularist agenda in the West did so for Marxist reasons, these

Abolish the family!

"Abolition of the family!"-* the Marxist cry of revolt against morality, projected it.self to the West in the form of liberaliza

tion of divorce laws to the point of no-fault divorce. Marx and Engels proclaimed in the Communist Manifesto that "The commu

the Western mind over the years about the

nists have no need to introduce community

errors spread by Russia. In most minds,

of women; it has existed almost from time

those errors have become identified with the

immemorial." "[Wjhat Communists might possibly be reproached with is that they

aberrations resulting from state capitalism, the control of the economy by the govern ment, and its necessary corollary, political

oppression. This notion was also intrinsical ly linked to the idea that the communist countries were a constant threat to interna

tional peace, keeping the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation.

A more radical agenda

desire to introduce, in substitution for a

hypocritically concealed, an openly legal ized community of women."^ Communists believe the family is a con sequence of the institution of private prop erty, and they affirm that "the theory of the communists may be summed up in the sin gle sentence: Abolition of private proper ty."*' This, according to their theory, would end up in the disappearance of the family,

What most people have forgotten or

The moral agenda of communism does

missed is that the communist revolution of

not stop with the destruction of the family.

1917 had a much more radical agenda than

Lenin made it clear that the communist

"A morality taken from outside of human society does not exist for us; it is a fraud. For us morality is subordinated to the interests of the proletarian class-struggle." Lenin

errors became clearly identified with Russia. The program of the Communist International proclaimed this as a goal. Opium of the people "One of the most important tasks of the

cultural revolution affecting the wide mass es is the task of systematically and

Cover Article

Will

Russia put away its missiles?

What

leral, the nfluences

about the

ussia

are

family?

iillllllPiu'liiPi and th

And

the KGB?

Cover Article

"If they listen to my

a power was not going to risk self-annihila

emerge

tion by starting World War III. But some

cocoon, transformed

Russian version of the Unabomber with an

and

arsenal of ICBMs might just wake up on the wrong side of his bed one day and decide to

vitality. While the

blow up the world.

from

with

requests, Russia will

the

convert and there will be

peace; if not, it will spread its errors throughout the world, promoting wars and

renewed

shape has changed dramatically, they are in essence the same

Instability

creatures.

persecutions of the

The revolutionary

The attempted coup in 1991 and the 1993 shelling of the Russian White House,

process

Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy

likewise

undergoes

meta

the Parliament, are indications that the

morphoses, not only

Russian situation is far from predictable.

to advance but also to

Father will have much to

That Yeltsin had to use tanks to crush a

carry out the tactical

rebellion when his attempt to dissolve

suffer, and several nations

retreats that have so

Parliament ran into opposition indicates that

frequently been nec

the forces of chaos are not limited to the

essary. Prof. Plinio

break-away republics. There is generalized

Correa

instability. A coherent interpretation that takes into account this chaos as well as the pseudo-

writes of this in his

death of the communist ideology seems impossible.

When, however, the larger picture is considered, when the process of the com

will be annihilated."

Oliveira

book Revolution and Counter-Revolution:

"This movement, always alive, has at limes feigned death. This is one of its most interesting metamorphoses. On the surface, the situation of a certain country looks

entirely tranquil. The counter-revolutionary

cooperationist state of things in which—so the communists say—man will have

attained a heretofore inconceivable degree of liberty, equality, and fraternity."'-* This can be contrasted with the failure of

munist revolution is seen as a whole—from

reaction slackens and dozes. But in the

established Sovietology over the last four decades to anticipate the fall of commu

its germination in the nineteenth century

depths of the religious, cultural, social, or economic life, the revolutionary ferment is

occurred, or to discern the shape of things to

opment with the so-called scientific com

continuously spreading. Then, at the end of

come."

munism proclaimed in 1848 by Marx and Engels, the failed 1870 communist revolu

this apparent interval, there is an unexpect ed upheaval, often more severe than the pre

tion in the Paris Commune and, finally, the

vious ones."''

As the spectre of uncertainty rises, the Fatima message comes more and more into focus. Few other prophecies have been so

Russian Revolution and the establishment

For tho.se familiar with the dynamism of the revolutionary process, the current

with the Utopian socialists, its further devel

of the first durable Utopian regime in 1917, a different picture emerges. That picture is not of collapse, or death, but of metamor phosis. Metamorphosis

In nature, as certain insects mature they enclose themselves in cocoons, seemingly quite inactive or even dead. But closer examination shows that inaction or death is

anything but the case. In time, the in.sects

demise of communism was not difficult to

nism, to explain the changes when they

clearly fulfilled as that regarding the spread of Russia's errors throughout the world. Few other prophecies made such ominous

foresee. In a 1977 supplement to the work

warning as "various nations will be annihi

just quoted. Prof. Correa de Oliveira fore

lated." This century, opening with optimism

saw the end of the dictatorship of the prole

and the promise that society would over come all human suffering through science, draws to its end in perplexity.

tariat:

"This revolution will necessarily be the overthrow of the dictatorship of the prole

Whatever happens, the continuing devas

tariat as a result of a new crisis. Pressured

tation wrought by the errors of communism

by this crisis, the hypertrophic state will be a victim of its own hypertrophy. And it will disappear, giving rise to a scientistic and

grips the whole earth. For those who believe

in Fatima, one certainly remains. "In i' my Immaculate Heart will triumph."

Notes 1. Third Apparition of Our Lady of Ffltima, July 13, 1917, cited in Antonio A. Borelli, Our Lady at Fdtima: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope? 3rd English ed. (York, Pa.: The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, 1994), p. 50.

in Charles J.

12. Mary Buckley, "The Politics of Social

McFadden, The Philosophy of Communism (NY:

7. Lenin, Religion, cited

Issues," in Developments in Russian & Post-soviet Politics, ed. by S. While, A. Pravada, and Z.

Benziger Brothers, 1939), p. 141. 8. "Program of the Communist International,"

Gitelman (London: MacMillan Press. 1994) p

cited in McFadden, p. 141.

204.

9. Marx

and

Engels,

The

Communist

2. Ibid.

Manifesto, p. 351.

3. Karl Marx and Preidrich Engels, The

10. Cited in Paul Johnson. The Birth of the Modem (NY: Harper Collins, 1991), p. 479. 11. Michael Burawoy, "From Sovietology to

Communist Manifesto, in Capital, the Communist

Manifesto and other Writings of Karl Marx, ed. by

Max Eastman (NY: Carlton House, 1932). p. 339. 4. Ibid., p. 338. 5. Ibid., p. 340. 6. Ibid., p. 335

MAY-JUNE, 1996

13. Plinio Correa de Oliveira. Revolution and

Counter-Revolution 3rd. English ed.(York. Pa.: The American Society for the Defense of Tradition. FamUy and Property. 1993), p. 25. 14. Ibid., pp. 157-158.

Comparative Political Economy," in Beyond Soviet Studies, edited by Daniel Orlovsky

Knowledge: Soviet Political Studies and the

(Washington: The Woodrow Wilson Center Press,

Problem of System Stability," in Beyond Soviet

1995), p. 74-75.

Studies, p. 159.

15. Thomas

Remington, "Common

Interview

"Russia Is Still

Exporting Its Errors Interview with Dr. Michael Waller Dr. J. Michael Waller is vice president of the American Foreign

Policy Council In Washington, D.G., where he pioneered and directs a program to assist Russian lawmakers, journalists, and others to develop theories and mechanisms of civil control over law enforcement, security, and military services. Waller earned his doctorate in International Security Studies

at Boston University. His doctoral thesis, which forms the core of his book Secret Empire: The KGB /n Russia Today, won the 1993 University Professors' Alumni Award for best dissertation. He Is executive editor of Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization. His articles have appeared in

numerous publications, including National Security Law Report, Perspective, Reader's Digest, Strategic Review, and the Wall Street Journal, and he has contributed to several published and forthcoming books on Russia.

Crusade: Could you give us a rundown on what the American Foreign Policy Council does? Dr. Waller: We were set up fourteen years ago by Senate staffers

Senate staffers and individual experts. We have since expanded

who wanted a private source for information on foreign policy ques

activities, doing exchange programs, mostly with Ukraine and

tions and for connections with people in the U.S. Government,in the

Russia.

private sector, or from other countries who make or influence poli

What I do on a daily basis is work with Congressional staff and other people in government and public education programs on prob

cy.

There are many official means for informing Congress; the Congressional Research Service, U.S. Government sources, the press. We were set up to help create discussions between senior

lems pertaining mainly to Russia, We have a one-page fax buMetin that is a chronology for following Russian government polii. American policy toward Russia.

Crusade: Much confusion exists today about the "death of Communism."

Could you tell us to what extent you agree that communism is dead? Dr. Waller: I think that the nuances of the Marxist/Leninist

communism the societies have been completely contaminatedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not

dialectic have certainly lost their appeal in most of the world. But the

only the government structures and journalism and education, but culture and religion. In most of these countries, aside from Poland

mentality that communism created and institutionalized remains very strong. In countries that were formerly one-party communist regimes, where the people might not necessarily believe in commu nist theory, they still think like communists. Their worldview is that

and a small group of other countries, religious leaders were more

collaborationists than shepherds, or they were bad shepherds, so

they have lost their moral standing. People really don't have any

of a communist. And I don't care if it's Nicaragua or Albania or

place to turn, they have no guideposts to follow; they are stuck in a

Russia; the worldview remains. In places that have had decades of

self-perpetuating rut.

CRUSADE

Interview

Crusade: What chance do you see of a resurrection or reestablishment of the Soviet Union and what significance would that have for the West? Dr. Waller. I think that Russia will

expand its borders. What we are begin ning to see now is not so much the rebuilding of the Soviet Union as an anschluss style of expansion to neighbor

ing countries with large Russian speaking populations. There still is no real definition of what

is a Russian. Are you a citizen of the Russian Federation? Are you an ethnic Russian? Or are you someone who just speaks Russian as a first language, as everyone in the empire was forced to do?

Some places would be just too trouble some to reinclude in the empire, although

they are spending heavily in Tajikistan, one of the most troublesome spxjts. But they are

so incompetent in handling their own coun try that 1 don't see how it would be to their benefit to start conquering other countries.

On the other hand,Russia is not run by ratio nal people.

I think that you will definitely see a Russian merger with Belarus, as is start

ing to happen. I think that some sort of federation is likely for Ukraine, but then

that would most likely also precipitate a substantial civil

war. Kazakhstan

another possibility, and the new treaty with Kirgiztan also shows that the states need not be contiguous with Russia or predominantly Russian. So, we will see

an emerged empire, but it won't be quite like the previous Soviet one.

Crusade: How is that likely to affect the way we deal with the Russians? Dr. Waller. 1 think that the West will continue to appease them, and make this anschluss possible,

Crusade: Who controls the old Soviet military now and especially the nuclear weapons? Where is the focus of safety and control?

Soviet nuclear weapons. The ones that were left in the other j

It is pretty clear that there is no civilian control over the

Russian military or the Russian nuclear arsenal. When

three countries, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Ukraine, were never

Âť push comes to shove, the military is the ultimate authority. We saw this happen in the August '91 coup when not

Dr. Waller: Russia is the only state that controls former .

under the control of those governments. Russia always had jfeh and still has operational control of the weapons stationed in those countries. Those countries are gradu-

only Gorbachev but his defense minister lost control of nuclear weapons. We saw it in October 1993. I was in

ally transferring at least the warheads to the Russian Federation. \

^ Moscow at the time. Yeltsin almost lost control of the

With all our aid programs, the U.S. never once attempted to *

^ military then in the showdown with Parliament, to the

account for those nuclear warheads. We do not know how many

point where the former KGB had to cut communica

warheads Russia has. We do not know what they are doing with them. We do not even know where they are being stored. We simply

tions from the military general staff headquarters. It was clear that Yeltsin felt he did not control the military if he had to cut their

don't know who controls them.

communications.

Crusade: Does the military there see itself as having a political role,

"We do not know

how many war heads Russia has. We do not know

what they are

doing with them." MAY-JUNE, 1996

like, for example, some of the militaries in Latin America?

Dr. Waller: Since the Red Army was creat ed in the first months of the Bolshevik regime

believers in some sort of militant socialism or national socialism, or in ultra-nationalism.

it has had a fundamentally political role. It was never an army of the Russian or Soviet govern ment; it was the Communist Party's army. The army wore the Party hammer and sickle. Today they have a similar political role, but

There are some who are just plain old thugs who want to make a lot of money, like. I would argue. Defense Minister Grachev.

They played a political role in October 1993 when they completely violated any semblance

it is not monolithic. You have everyone from

western-oriented officers, most of them no

Parliament. They continue to exert a lot of

constitutional

order

and

smashed

longer in positions of responsibility, to fervent

political pressure, mostly from the ultra-nation

believers in communism. Some are fervent

alist end.

"Our main priority is building new strategic missile-firiug submarines and new missiles to put on them, because they

Interview

Crusade: You hear about Russian naval exercises in the Atlantic and movements

of troops and so on. What do these operations signify for the West in terms of our national security? Are they something to be worried about? What are the Russians trying to say internationally with these operations?

are uudetectable and

unstoppable."

to the Duma last July describing their new submarine missile modernization program. They have laid the keels for a new gen

Dr. Waller: Well, their conventional surface fleet

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a top Russian

is in terrible shape.

eration of ballistic-missile-firing submarines that are much more

naval comander

They completed an air craft supercarrier that

capable technologically than anything the U.S. has. That should

broke down in the Mediterranean on its first run because it could not

put most of its resources.

The number two Russian navy commander spoke at a naval con ference in London on April 30. When asked what the Russian navy's main priority for the next decade was, he replied, "Our main priori ty is building new strategic missile-firing submarines and new mis siles to put on them, because they are undetectable and unstop pable." That would give them the first-strike capability that

They keep their "doomsday" patrol, a nuclear missile subma rine on patrol ready to launch. The general staff gave a briefing

Gorbachev had renounced and that Yeltsin has since revived. It pre sents a great danger.

tell us something.

generate its own fresh water. Its sister ship was not even completed and now may be headed for the scrap yard. A lot of the ships are just rusting away, so the surface fleet is not in great shape. However, the strategic missile fleet is a different story. That is where the navy has

Crusade: In the event that Yeltsin wins the election in June, do you think that would diminish the military threat to the West? If he wins, that is bad news, because he's going to

Dr. Waller: Whatever way it goes is bad for the West. Yeltsin has become much more reactionary over the past three years, acting

continue these policies and he is going to contin

about as we would expect Zhirinovsky or the communists to act. Given Russia's terrible economic situation, it is certainly making the best with what it has. They are making their military officers work

ue them with our dollars. If he loses, it is bad news

because the communists will be firmly entrenched

and they will have nothing to gain by being friendly

in the fields picking turnips and potatoes like Fidel Castro is doing in his sugar fields. They are pouring all that money into new nuclear weapons systems, and this is under Boris Yeltsin, friend of the West,

and everything to gain by being hostile. They just might not do this with our dollar.

friend of Bill Clinton, who can do no wrong. The West keeps pour

win even if it means canceling the elections.

I don't think Yeltsin will let himself lose, that he will

ing more and more money over there.

Crusade: What is the secret to Russia's ability to maintain this

huge military establishment? Is it Western finances or is it the communist system? What keeps the thing going, because apparently everything is an economic debacle? Dr. Waller: The first thing that keeps it going is that they still think like communists. They would rather

have a completely destroyed economy â&#x2013; â&#x20AC;˘> V

fits they all have this little Pavlik

Morosov pin. They [the pins) are the mo.st recognizable child figure in all of Russia. In many .schools iu

than lose their "great power" status with their nuclear weapons. They all

Russia they are still using those II n,

have the Soviet worldview. They've

stuff to them.

all been brought up that way, their parents were brought up that way.

think, especially if we don't demand

books and they are still teaching that So, what should we expect them to

And that's all they know. They are raised in a system where the role

internationally acceptable norms of

model is not a George Washington or

President of the U.S. actually con

behavior from

them, and

if the

an Abraham Lincoln or the saints but

dones atrocities like the extermination

instead this little boy Pavlik Morosov who informed on his parents to the

campaign in Chechnya, and if the American secretary of defense literal

KGB, whereupon they were arrested

every Soviet child was taught to emu

ly voices his total approval for the lev eling of an entire village in Chechnya? And this is just one small

late. And on their Young Pioneers out

example.

and executed for treason. That's what

CRUSADE

Interview

Crusade: Would you say this flirtation with Western-style liberal democracy is superficial and won't last? Dr. Waller: It's a complicated

nothing of the sort. Yet, he still

question. Yeltsin was thrown off the

embraced that rhetoric, he still

Politburo because he had a falling-

brought these people around him in

out with Gorbachev. He found it in

his inner circle. That was his means

his own interest to express extreme sentiments and actions against the communist system. So he came across as a great anti-communisl.

of taking control. As soon as he was

able to take control, he dumped every last one of the Western-orient

And then those people who look at

ed people, but he never dumped the KGB-types or the military people.

the world through rose-colored glass

They are firmly in his inner circle

es actually thought him a democrat, as most people did, when he was

instinct to push the reforms out.

and have ended up reinforcing his

The bureaucracy "is still in place, it is not efficient, but it works."

Crusade: In any event, do a certain number of political libertiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;freedom of speech and so onâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;really exist? You don't gel thrown in jail? Dr. Waller: Well, you do sometimes. The thing is, there are no

rules of the game anymore, Back in the Soviet .system at least peo ple knew what to say and what not to say.

People just don't know. People can get away with reporting a lot

KGB. corruption, because of the free press. The thing is that these freedoms are relative. The government controls most of the newspa per printing presses in Russia; the bureaucracy is so huge that they are able to make anybody miserable if they want to.

and, in fact, we have learned much about their military secrets, the Crusade: Is that system still in place and still efficient? Dr. Waller: That system is still in place. It is not efficient, but it

works. In the last few years they've been resorting to physical intim

into the truth, as they did with Dimitri Korolov, a journalist who investigated the defense minister's corruption. He was blown up by

idation and even murder of journalists who stick their noses too far

a briefcase bomb.

Crusade: Do you have some information about that military installation in the Urals? Dr. Waller: It is just one of 1600 facilitie.s, and the Russian gov ernment has been spending huge amounts of resources expanding

siles. Last November they signed an agreement with Ukraine to use

and modernizing these nuclear-proof bunkers all over the country,

the old Soviet early-warning radar still in Ukraine as pan of a joint

particularly around Moscow and then with this new facility. Their

Russian-Ukrainian ballistic-missile defense system.

demanding that the West not have any defenses against nuclear mis

intent is to fight and survive a nuclear war, while at the same time

Crusade: The Orthodox establishment is said to be aligned very much with the nationalists. How do they relate to each other and what importance does that religious background have to the whole problem there? Dr. Waller: The Russian Orthodox church has great importance, first of all, as a nationalist .symbol. I do not know how many of those

rallying around the Orthodox church actually participate in the sacra ments or remain in any sort of grace. Yeltsin is rather like Ted Kennedy: He will be seen in the church if there are TV cameras there.

Patriarch Aleksei and the other metropolitans. Their actual KGB cryptonyms came out!

The real Christians over there are not protected by the hierarchy, and the hierarchy has also become suddenly quite hostile to the Holy

They are about as orthodox as Teddy is Catholic. The Russian

See and to his Holiness in particular because he did so much to strike at communismâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even though he is a Slav and could have been

Orthodox church has been an instrument of the state for hundreds of

one of them because the Poles should naturally gravitate toward

years. Under the Soviet regime it became almost an appendage of the Communist Party. With the revelations of 1991 they confirmed

Russia. He is really enemy number one in terms of the KGB coopted hierarchy, and represents such a strong moral force because he

what many of us long .suspected, that the upper hierarchy was col-

is the number one religious leader. The Calholie Church is still

lahorating with Ihe fiCip. We llnally learned the cryjilonyins ol

viewed as a P<nen(ial thrpMl.

The revelations of 1991 confirmed what many of us long suspected, that the upper hierarchy of the Orthodox church collaborated with the KGB.

Crusade: Do you think that the fact that the Orthodox Church was so linked with the KGB and with the communist establishment... Dr. Waller. And continues to be...

Crusade: ...has resulted in a massive loss of credibility and therefore an openness on the part of many Russians to other

religions, the Catholic Church—I've heard that even Eastern and New Age type of religions are becoming popular... Dr. Waller. ...and evangelical, fundamentalist...in a big way. The Russian people are thirsting to have faith in something. It

intensely spiritual people, so they are eagerly embracing anything that comes along.

may be faith in a person as a hero or a spiritual faith. They are

"Everything is still there, and there is no sense of

national repentance. There is no sense of'we were

wrong—our country was wrong, we all have to sort of accept the blame, reassess what we have

done, and start anew.'"

Crusade: As an expert in Russian affairs, what would you say to those Catholics who believe that communism is gone and that the prophecies of Our Lady have been fulfilled? Dr. Waller. Russia is still exporting its errors: selling submarines to Iran and China, and nuclear reactors; supporting Gadhafi and Sadam Hussein; and keeping the very instruments of the KGB that

built Soviet power and crushed people of faith as well as everybody else. They are still there. As long as they arc still there, just as in Nazi Germany, as long as the Wehrmacht and the Gestapo were intact, you had this horrible potential for resurgence. But after 1945,

Look at the former Soviet Union leadership now: The president of Ukraine used to head a Soviet nuclear missile factory; the presi

dent of Russia was on the Politburo; the president of Azerbaijan was on the Politburo; the president of Turkmenistan was on the Politburo; all the other presidents save one were member^ the

party central committee. Looking at structures, at the individ,

the political culture, you see that, indeed, the hammer and sickle is

on both sides there was thorough de-Nazification, making it a felony

no longer flying over the Kremlin, at least not in May 1996. Maybe

to display a swastika, for example. West Germany became a fully

in June.

democratic country. That party was banned, there was a screening of

Everything is still there, and there is no sense of national repen

Nazi officials from the system, they were banned from participating in certain walks of life for a number of years. There were trials for the leaders; there was a complete exposure of all the crimes com mitted and you had a world-wide rallying of "never-again."

tance. There is no .sense of "we were wrong—our country was

Anyone who spoke against communism would automatically be branded crypto-Nazi or the like. The world was so paranoid of any type of resurgence that Nazism was completely ground into the

commission. No Nuremberg, for one. when there should have been.

earth,

Argentina, El Salvador, you name it. but none of the former Soviet countries has one. Until there is something like that then this force

We have yet to do that with communism. The President of the

wrong, we all have to sort of accept the blame, reassess what we have done, and stail anew." There is none of that. There were no trials. There was no truth

Nothing even as mild as a truth commission wherein no one is pros ecuted but the truth comes out. South Africa has one, Chile.

U.S. rubber stamps everything the former Soviet Politburo member

will not be discredited. As we can see, far from being discredited, it

Boris Yeltsin does.

is reviving.

■

CRUSADE

The Fatima Message Pierces the Enigma of Communism's Demise Among its many endeavors since its founding, the American TFP has always included promotion of the message of Our Lady of Fatima. Lately, a more intensive effort has been devoted to this, with ever growing and most encouraging results. Given the great importance of the prophecies entrusted by the Mother of God to Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, prophecies which have proven notably accurate, we

have dedicated this issue of Crusade Magazine to Our Lady of Fatima, whose appari tions many specialists do not hesitate to call the most important event of our century. Dr. Antonio Borelli Machado is a noted authority on the apparitions. His Fatima: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope? now in eleven languages, has attained a world cir

culation of nearly three million copies. We here present our readers with some of Dr. Borelli's thoughts on Our Lady's message in the light of current events. Dr. Antonio A. Borelli Machado

Crusade: Your book Fatima: Prophecies

of Tragedy or Hope? has sold nearly three million copies around the world. How do you explain such success?

work, special mention is due the French TFP for

its campaign "Lumieres sur I'Est," (Light over the East). Since the downfall of communism in eastern Europe, this effort has distributed

310,000 copies of the work in Russian, 100,000 Dr. Borelli: The work is owed to the obser

fpropf^^

vation of a friend. He found the full story of Fatima extremely interesting: the reaction of family members and the general public— some believing in the reality of the appari tions and others not—the furious opposition

or fiope- h

of the atheists disgruntled at this "inconve nient" obtrusion of the supernatural into the

in Lithuanian, and 50,000 in Ukrainian, seeking to satisfy the thirst for religion among peoples suppressed by Marxist atheism. More recently, the immense distribution of flyers printed with a

touching photo of the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima that shed tears in New Orleans has

brought my book into the lives of literally mil lions of people across the globe.

life of a lay republic—as Portugal then was—the acts of virtue and the spiritual ascension of the three seers—Lucia. Francisco, and Jacinta—and so on. But he also found it difficult, in the volumi nous accounts, to locate the core of Our

Lady's message. When the director of a Catholic month

ly asked me in May of 1967 for a com memorative

article

the

fiftieth

anniversary of the apparitions, it seemed an opportune occasion to respond to my friend's difficulty. My article aimed to fix the readers'

attention on the essence of the message. From this came a small volume intended for those who

wanted to put the prescriptions of Our Lady into JUfMuimtlgttSa

practice with special determination, The work was greeted with enthusiasm,

Regarding efforts of others to promote the

Fatima flyers

'WMCKa^i BecTtt ■*•'?'

ffuphccicsof '-S-'

TpareflHfl hjih

tracfdyor hope for (lie •^"'ppmo/

Haaewna?

itnd the «0fld7

f' v; m.

a Justinpasing,Imentio heimportan

AHTO.W, A.BopMM

The stupor and joy were so great that almost no one

This timely and massive outreach conforms to Pope John Paul II's statement that Our Lady's Fatima Message "...is addressed to all men. The love of the Mother of the Savior reaches wherever the

Wall fell, the Iron Curtain collapsed, the fear of a r

/'/

nuclear hecatomb disappeared. Rejoice! No one

work of salvation extends. All men of our epoch and, at the same

thought of holding a trial to discover and punish those responsible for decades of monstrous crimes!

time, all societies, nations, and peoples are objects of her concern— the societies threatened by apostasy, threatened by moral degrada tion.... The overthrow of morality brings with it the overthrow of

Then Fatima comes to mind. As Our Lady predicted, many may think, communism is overthrown, Russia has converted—"Let us all

societies....

give thanks to Our Lady of Fatima!"

"The content of the appeal of Our Lady of Fatima is so pro foundly rooted in the Gospel and in all of tradition that the Church feels interpellat-

theme of the consecration of the world to

the Immaculate Heart of Mary made by

by Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima is

Pope John Paul II on March 25, 1984, which, according to .some, is at the root

gifted with a special charisma that attracting ever more souls. It

bothered to analyze what had taken place: The Berlin

accompa-

nied by a grace that makes the devotee

of perestroika, which, in turn, led to the collapse of communism. But, there was no special mention of Russia in that con

quickly perceive that the devotion is uni-

versal—in no way contradicting other

secration, contrary to the express request

devotions to Our Lady.

ii(

of Our Lady. Also the adhesion of the bishops to the Pope's act, another condi

In sum, it seems to me that the book's

success is owed to three factors:

• the book's character as an objective

A ^ J

tion set by Our Lady, does not seem to

1 MBB

have been very enthusiastic. Under these

historical-critical synthesis—ideal for wide diffusion; • the fact that the TFPs have made this work their own;

conditions, the theme is highly contro verted among specialists themselves, and it would detain us excessively. Therefore, I leave it aside in this interview.

• the evident reality that Our Lady

Other considerations, however, permit

herself deigned to pour out a shower of graces in the wake of this book, touching

us to raise hypotheses that may explain

souls and calling them to

through the simple sight of her photo on

this enigma. I would contradict the facts to deny that in Russia and the former satellite coun

the flyer distributed to the multitudes or through attentive reading of

tries there is a certain march toward privatization and a market econ

the book.

omy. In this sense communism (understood as state capi' di^m) is

Crusade: Our Lady said: "Russia would spread its errors throughout the world." After the collapse of communism in eastern Europe and the subsequent dissolution of the USSR,

very slowly being left behind. Paradoxically, however, the onetime communists are retui mug to power in these very same countries. Who will be so naive to imag

could one say that this part of the prophecy is already ful filled? Some even say that Russia has converted. What do you think about this'.'

ine, with the bonds of the communist prison broken, that the whole

Dr. Borelli: Without a doubt, the collapse of communism in

ering the reigns of power. Nevertheless, they somehow continue the

Russia is one of the greatest enigmas of this end of the millennium. The sensation of relief world public opinion felt with this has not yet

march towards privatization. Will the next elections in Russia represent a halt in this process? Will the reconstitution of the USSR, already endorsed by the par liament, continue? We must call attention to these possibilities.

induced those versed in the matter to examine it with sufficient pro

fundity. It is as if in a prison the bars were to suddenly and myste

riously fall away. The fi rst movement of the prisoners would evi dently be to run and fi ll their lungs with their new-found liberty, And as each would be looking out for himself, few would stop to consider the causes of the lucky phenomenon.

punitive apparatus would dismantle itself, and the jailers would return home to look after their own particular affairs? The evidence is that hidden networks exist, and now, little by little, they are recov

But the true explanation of this enigma probably lies el.sewhere, which moves us to question the authenticity of the collapse of com munism, beginning with communist doctrine itself. It is known that the "classical" communist authors foretold that

CRUSADE

A«M1»

A. uoctijfi;

p^f. ^^'irna:

ored^ie^yagettu

P^niru luine'>

fatima „,mjr«CTU»

djiral""

czy nadziei.

Countries where Dr. Borelli's book

has been published and the number of

copies in each:

Argentina

51,000

Austria

2,500

Australia

6,000

state capitalism and the dictatorship of the proletariat

world became de-Christianized, the vigor of the faith

would give way in the evolutionary course of history

ful waned, and the world inside and outside the

to a new phase in which the State itself would be dis

Bolivia

The communist ideal, egalitarian and massifying, will have made the human ego disappear, so all will

Church lost its Catholic vitality. However, Our Lady had already warned in 1917 that the world was distancing itself from God and that if men did not amend their lives, chastisements would

work for the common good, without the necessity of

Canada

23,000

come. The Second World War did not suffice to make

Chile

23,500

Colombia

35,000

Costa Rica

20,000

Equador

47,000

France

85,000

solved.

any state apparatus, not even police. Engels points this

men return to the path of virtue. Moreover, the spread

out in the famous concluding passage of his book The Origin of the Family. Private Property and the State:

of the errors of communism, in themselves constitut

"The society which organizes production anew on the basis of free and equal association of the producers

ing a new scourge, took place after this conflagration. The outcome of all this was analyzed above. What awaits us? In the second Secret of Fatima,

will put the whole state machinery where it will then belong—into the museum of antiquities, next to the

ed," which, until now, has not literally occurred.

spinning wheel and the bronze ax." Could the fall of the Iron Curtain, the dissolution

foretold in the second Secret have not yet entirely

of the USSR, and the consequent liberation of the satellite countries signify that the agents of the Revolution consider it timely to push on to this new step of communist evolution?

What is intriguing about this hypothesis is that this maneuver of the

mentors of the Communist

Revolution finds a counterpart in the Western nations,

which, as one, are conducting a monumental globaliz ing operation embracing the social, economic, cultur al, and political spheres of each country, to the evident reduction of national sovereignty.

This description itself leads once again to Fatima, for it permits the very probable conjecture that the Third Secret, still not revealed, speaks of a crisis of the

Faith. A crisis of Faith brings as a consequence the softening of Catholics' opposition to a one-world gov

ernment in which there would no longer be barriers between countries, ideologies, or religions, Fatima touches upon very delicate points, explainable perhaps because it constitutes, in a certain way, the topic of the century.

Crusade: At Fatima Our Lady promi.sed.

"Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph," How do you interpret this promise? Dr. Borelli: This is another peculiar point of the revelations. There once prevailed in certain Catholic

ambiences the notion tliat if the parish was well,

everything was well. Packed churches, crowded pro cessions, fervent vigils and novenas marked by the sermons of great preachers; these were signs that all was well. What took place outside the sacred walls of

the Church had little importance. As a result, the

MAY-JUNE, 1996

Our Lady speaks of "various nations being annihilat Everything leads to the belief that the chastisements unfolded.

Crusade: Does this mean that Fatima

Brazil

Germany Italy

13,000 1,645,000

500 46,000

is only threats?

Lithuania

100,000

Dr. Borelli: Happily not! Our Lady promised that

her Immaculate Heart will triumph, and this triumph implies not only the reestablishment of the religious life in the churches, but the restoration of society in

Philippines

5,000

Paraguay.

5,000

accord with the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According to the expression of Pius XII, a con-

Peru

secratio mundi is presumed, that is, a sacralization of

Poland

.21,000

Portugal

202,500

back to God, or worse, is stoning God and the Church.

Romania

2,000

It is impossible!

Russia

The triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart is the tri umph of Catholic principles in the laws of the State, in

South Afric

25,000

the temporal world.

I cannot conceive of the world within the churches

functioning properly if the world outside still has its

310,000

,000

education, in culture, in social life, in business prac tices, and in familial and individual life. It is the

sacralization of temporal life, of which Pius XII spoke, and which, in accord with the Second Vatican

Council, constitutes the primary mission of lay Catholics: to impregnate temporal life with the princi ples of the Gospel (cf. Apostolicam actuositatem 7.) It is the implantation of the Reign of Christ through the victory of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Or, as Saint Louis de Montfort used to say: "That the Reign of Mary may come, so that thus the Reign of Christ may come" {True Devotion to the Most Holy Virgin, #217).

In my opinion, it is to this grand perspective that the message of Our Lady of Fatima leads. ■

Spain.

47,000

Ukraine

50,000

United States

48,000

Uruguay

13,000

Venezuela

23,000

Total

2,854,000

by Virginia Carmeli

The French Revolution: a hideous scar on the face of

Christendom. Numerous accounts vividly relate the lives of

the people involved: the king and queen of France,

bluntness,...seemed to be dispelled as the graces of her sex devel

oped under the refining influence of education and the restraints of a religion that she took very seriously. Her voice alone, ^

the revolutionaries, the poor, and the great body of

which her young will did not command and which up until then had been raucous and brusque,

the nobility who perished under the blade. Yet,

henceforth became gentle."'

if we can for a moment leave them all aside,

we discover in the very center of that

chaotic tragedy the existence of an angelâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a human angei created of the ..

noblest blood in France: Madame

As the years passed, the

princess grew in piety and charm, was not exactly beautiful,

Elizabeth, the royal princess.

Born May 3, 1764, she was the youngest child of the Dauphin of France and granddaughter to Louis XV. Her father

died

freshness and gaiety lent her the kind of vibrant beauty

perfect beauties ^

unexpectedly

somehow

lack.

Her

main

charm, however, was her

before she was even a year

old, and her mother a year

utifailing

^HP

devotion

and

warmth to all those who sur-

later. She, her older sister Clotilde, and her three brothersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the new Dauphin, the

rounded her in daily life. For brother the King, she pro-

Count of Provence, and the

fessed a boundless affection,

Count of Artoisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;were left

although his weakness worried

her. She surrounded him with

orphans.

The royal

were

entrusted to the care of the

Countess of Marsan, and this good

her devotion, hovering around him like a guardian angel. When royal princes from foreign countries sought her hand in mar-

W' i/

i y/

lady dedicated long years to their upbringing. She sheltered them from court life as much as possible; the King and his daughters saw them but once a day.

riage, she refused them, preferring to remain by his side. "I can marry no one

but the son of a king," she once said, "and

the son of a king will one day rule over the

Princess Elizabeth, unlike her docile sis-

l^nd of his father. Then I should no longer be

ter, needed a stronger influence over her, and for this, sometime in 1770, a new governess. Baroness de

French, and French 1 never wish to cease beinc. I prc-

Mackau, was appointed to assist the excellent but aging

Madame Elizabeth =llzabeth

Madame de Marsan. The Baroness was a woman of high

ince of France

remain at the foot of my brother's thron^

ascend any other." This loyalty of spirit was to

i the

taken with her. The new governess educated her charges as though

princess her life. As she grew older, court protocol demanded more of her. Yet, A

they were her own daughters, She focused especially on young

in of her soul, a different and much stronger protocol in the the stillness 5

virtue and great kindness, and Elizabeth was .soon quite

Elizabeth, who was known to tremble with rage at the slightest

beckoned, a mysterious call to solitude and prayer. She began beckon

provocation.

spending spendit more time in the Convent of Saint-Denis, where her aunt was One of the Carmelites has left a most touching account was abbess. abl

Painstakingly and patiently, the Baroness taught the royal

princesses the di.spositions expected of them: simplicity, graciousness, and amiability come what may, supported by self-denial. By

of of one one of her visits.

"One "Or day she arrived fairly early at Saint-Denis and expressed

careful nurturing and example, she moderated Elizabeth's tempera-

the the wish wis to serve the community dinner. Our venerable Mother sug

ment. But the greatest influence in Elizabeth's life was to be reli-

gested gested that she fulfill this charge according to the form followed by the religious. She was delighted to comply. She entered the refecto the reli

gion. As one author wrote,

ry, P^t put on an apron, and after kissing the floor, went to the kitchen t7'

"It was as if her First Communion changed her completely. Her

door. door. She S was given a tray with the portions for the sisters. She

ardent temperament, which showed a tendency to petulance and

served served them carefully until, all of a sudden, the tray tilted and one

CRUSADE

Prophets, Martyrs, Saints, and Heroes

"When we truly belong to Gfod, we can never fee nnhafp,no matter what trouJ)le, no matter what grief we may he called upon to bear, because we are always ik sustained hv an all-uowerful ileing Who

ni;. \ii<n'aTi \«gi^tfi^iroMinn itn(ginTi;|f W-J iilld portion fell to the floor. Her embarrassment was acute. To relieve

her of it, the august abbess declared,'My niece, after such clumsi ness, the guilty one should kiss the floor.' Elizabeth immediately prostrated herself and then resumed her task without further mishap."-

Her brother, increasingly anxious about the growing frequency of these visits, affectionately told her, "Nothing pleases me more

Uo!

hood orphans. This project boasted such success that she enlarged it and obtained more cows from Switzerland, along with a Swiss cowherd, Jacques Bosson. As his parents loved him a great deal, she sent for them as well and employed them on her farm. Still, Jacques grew melancholic, for he had left his fiancee in the faraway moun tains of Switzerland. Upon learning the cause of his sadness, the

than to see you going to visit your aunt, but do not imitate her.

Princess exclaimed, "I thought I had made one person happy, but I have made two miserable! But never fear, the evil can be repaired."

Elizabeth, I need you with me."^ To a heart as loyal as Elizabeth's, this royal appeal was sufficient to keep her in the world. She already

She forthwith sent for the young lady, provided for her marriage to Jacques, and appointed her milkmaid of Montreuil.

sensed the ominous shadow threatening the luster of her brother's

court and doubtlessly felt her support to the King more important than private inclinations.

How sweet the thought of eternity

In a letter from a friend, her sacrifice was succinctly defined:

Yet, her good works only mirrored her deep spirituality.

"There are lives of abnegation as worthy as monastic careers;

Elizabeth's heart grasped sublime realities with the ease of a soul in

actions that surpass the prescribed silence; deeds of service to oth

love. In a letter to a cherished friend whose mother was dying, her pen echoed the song of her own heart: "How sweet the thought of

ers that excel conventual austerities."''

Her devotion to the royal family never wavered; from then until her death, her energy in the service of all would prove unceasing. How many accounts are left to history that tell us of her self-denial,

eternity becomes when at the moment of death it can be said,"^I have

her good works, her wise and tender counsel, her heartwarming assistance wherever sorrow or distress was brought to her attention!

happiness reserved for those who have served Him!"' After the good lady had died, she wrote another letter, more like a beautiful prayer: "Your letter, my dearest, filled me with admiration and with sor

Her friendship was dear to all, and to those who received succor

lived my whole life for God;I come into His presence with but a few infidelities, and with much love and a strong desire to enjoy the

from her sweet hand, her sublime character stirred something akin to veneration. The following engaging story captures the exquisite

row. Yes, certainly your mother was already experiencing the happi

charm of her friendship. She kept a barn filled with cows that supplied milk to neighbor

soled to see her filled with the love of God and the desire to possess

Many saints of noble birth

renounced their social condition to practice the perfection of

virtue in the earthly self-denial of the religious state. How splen-

ness that lay in store for her. We could not be otherwise than con

HarmOniOUS divefS Harmonious diversityy in the practice of ViftUGS" thfOUOh virtues: through self-denial elf-denial in the .. . " ® .. , , religious amid lid grandeur and rGligiOUS state; StatGj 3 splendor in temporal te iporal society

did were the examples they gave

exemplary practice of

Christian charity. Indeed, there

are innumerable beatified md

canonized nobles who, wiii renouncing the earthly honors ui

to Christendom and the world!

Other noble saints, however, remained amid the splendors of temporal life. With the prestige of their station, they stressed in the eyes of the other social classes the magnificence of the Christian virtues, and set a good moral example to the collectiv ity they headed. They did this to the advantage, not only of the salvation of souls, but of temporal society too. In this sense, nothing is more beneficial to the State and society than having in its highest ranks persons shining with the sublime respectability

the multitudes due to their con-

their rank, stood out for their

particular love for the needy. They earnestly practiced a prefer ential option for the poor.

Many nobles who chose the admirable self-denial of religious

life also shone in this solicitous service to the needy. They became poor with the poor to lighten the earthly crosses of the destitute and prepare their souls for heaven. It would unduly prolong this work to mention the numerous

nobles of both sexes who, for love of God and neighbor, prac

that emanates from the saints of the Catholic Church.

ticed the Evangelical virtues amid the grandeur and splendor of

Moreover, these saints—so worthy of reverence and admira tion because of their elevated station—were especially loved by

temporal society, as well as those who practiced them in the selfdenial of religious life.

From Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites in the Allocutions ofPius XII, pp. 111-112

1 ''r":-

"iPfllJ-1 â&#x20AC;˘. <

fe- -r'

Madame Elizabeth at Montreull, by Richard, Versailles. She spent her whole life doing good and yet was condemned as a criminal.

Him eternally. You are most fortunate, my dearest, to have profited so well by the example of so excellent a model.... "All I can say is what has been the conclusion of all our reflec

Madame Elizabeth, having refused all offers of escape from other members of her family in order to remain with her brother, now shared imprisonment with the King and his family. The few

tions, that when we truly belong to God, we can never be unhappy, no matter what trouble, no matter what grief we may be called upon

to bear, because we are always sustained by an all-powerful Being

servants who had been allowed to accompany them were gradually dismissed. By calculated intention, some of France's vilest creatures had been assigned to watch over the royal prisoners, causing them

Who shares our sorrows, Who feels them as we do, and Who, when

untold humiliation and torments.

we turn to Him in complete abandonment, relieves us, strengthens us, and consoles us....

"Let us then humble ourselves, my dearest, for it is always our

own fault. Why do we place so high a value on the conviction that God loves us and is interested in us? Because it satisfies our self-

love. Let us eliminate that. Have recourse to God quite simply; let

On January 21, 1793, the King was guillotined, followed on

August 2 by Queen Marie-Antoinette. The Dauphin, a child of eight, was separated from the rest of his family, eventually dying from ill-treatment and abuse.

After the Queen's death, only Madame Elizabeth and her niece,

the Queen's fifteen-year old daughter, survived. They spent the win

faith teach us that He never abandons His children.... Say to Him,

ter and the ensuing twenty-one months in terrible isolation, their

"My God, Thou seest into the depths of my heart; it is Thine and Thine alone. I cannot know if Thou acceptest all the sacrifices I

only comfort being the loving company one afforded the other.

offer Thee, for which it is my intention to have the proper disposi

Madame Elizabeth employed all her goodness to distract the young princess from her misfortune and sorrows. She recalled the beauti

tions; but Thy Son died to atone for all my sins; look upon Him, my

ful days of past glory to her young niece, who recounted these times

God, and from His Cross, to which our cruelty and sins have nailed

in her memoirs:

Him, hear Him Who asks grace for us. Who consoled the good thief

"My aunt, who could see much new unhappiness in store for mc. had taught me to serve myself and to be independent of all asso

who had recourse to Him. I wish to imitate him, O my God, to happen what may. Thou wilt never abandon me.'" In this way Providence continued preparing her for the tragedy

from others. She had planned my life so that each hour would luivc it's dutiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;care of my room, prayer, reading, handiworkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all was regulated.... She made every effort to take good care of my health.

ahead.

She taught me to sprinkle water around my room to freshen the air

acknowledge Thy sovereign power and, above all, to believe that,

and insisted on my walking very rapidly for the space of an hour,

The Revolution The tempest had now overtaken France. The Revolution's dark

machinations ravaged not only royal persons, but all forms of nobil ity. By mid-August of 1792, the royal family lay imprisoned in the

Temple Tower, where they remained until their deaths. What histo ry relates of the unfortunate royal family during that time should have stirred every court in Europe to indignation. While they sat and

watch in hand, to prevent stagnation of the humors of the system."'^ The princess's memoirs provide much of what is known of the royal family's tragedy, as well as precious information as to the

character and saintliness of Madame Elizabeth during her trials. Of her aunt, Madame Royale also wrote:

"She performed her Lenten duties fully, though deprived of fastday food. She look at dinner a bowl of coffee and milk; in the

waited, one of the most heinous plots in history threatened France

evening she ate only a piece of bread,.., Nothing could be more edi fying. From the time they refused her the fast-day food, she never

and its throne.

on any account neglected the duties prescribed by religion."''

CRUSADE

Prophet, Martyrs, Saints and Heroes

Her Calvary

Come with me! We shall mount the scaffold together."® The white silhouette of the Princess was thus seen to spend the

In the middle of the night of May 9, 1794, the princesses were suddenly and rudely awakened by their jailers. Madame Elizabeth

last night of her life, passing from one to the other, drying bitter tears, encouraging the fearful, sowing seeds of hope in the despair ing, elevating all their hearts to the reality beyond—Heaven! At the first ray of dawn, the women are prepared for the knife,

was told to dress quickly and made to accompany the guards. Being told that she would never return to the prison tower, Elizabeth embraced and kissed her young niece, telling her to remain calm.

'The guards loaded her with insults and coarse speeches," narrates

their brown, gold, and silver tresses severed. The doors of the prison open, and the tumbrels are filled with the

the princess. "She bore it all with patience, took her cap, kissed me again, and told me to have courage and firmness, to hope always in

destined victims. Jerking to a start, they head for the Place Louis XV. Even now, Madame Elizabeth continues her exhortations.

God. She then went out."' The Princess could have no doubt where she

Suddenly, the cart turns into the square and the

was headed. In that dark hour, she was taken by cart to the Conciergerie, a former royal palace

ment of death, the guillotine. The princess is the first to descend. The executioner offers his hand,

prisoners are confronted with the infamous instru-

turned into a mournful prison. She then appeared V \

but the princess looks the other way, needing no

before the Revolutionary tribunal and was "judged" along with twenty-three other victims. It

assistance.

was a scene to dishearten any just witness: The

Madame de Crussol. She stands up and sweetly

small group of innocent prisoners fearfully expec-

curtsies before the royal Princess."Ah, Madame, if your Royal Highness would deign to kiss me, I should be perfectly happy!" "Very gladly," responds the Princess, "and with all

The first name called by the executioner is that of

tant of the verdict; Madame Elizabeth, barely thirty, standing in their midst, tall and erect. Her white dress drew all eyes in her direction, but there was

something more than the whiteness of her gown that

attracted attention, as even those wretched judges resentfully admitted; something radiated from within, of which the white dress was but a symbol. "Your name?" "Elizabeth of France."

of my heart!"

One after the other, the victims ascend the scaffold, each performing a last act of respect to the sister of their late King as they go. According to orders, Madame Elizabeth is to be the

last executed in the cruel hope that the gruesome ritual taking place before her eyes may break her courage. But they are disappointed to

"Where were you on the tenth of August?"

the last! Through it all, Madame Elizabeth has recited the De

"In the chateau of the Tuileries with the king, my brother."

Profundis without so much as a change of color. At last, it is her

"What have you done with your diamonds?"

tum.

"I do not know. But all these questions are useless. You want my death; 1 offered God the sacrifice of my life, and I am ready to die—

The noble maiden climbs the scaffold with unfaltering step. When the moment comes to tie her to the board, the linen fichu cov

happy to rejoin my honored relatives whom I loved so well on

ering her shoulders falls to the ground, revealing a silver medal of

earth."

the Immaculate Conception hanging over her breast. At this

All twenty-four prisoners were condemned. This meant death

within twenty-four hours—after a stretch of psychological torture. They were left alone in the hall where prisoners spend their last night.

Yet, O happy group of unfortunates! They had in their midst an angel of mercy. Elizabeth would now be called to fulfill a last act

of love. By habit of her virtue, she immediately responded to the call. She began to address her companions with inexpressible sweetness and calm, settling their fears, consoling their agony by the sheer transparency of her serenity. "Dear friends." she said, "it

is not exacted of us, as it was of the ancient martyrs, that we sacri

moment, and only at this moment, doe.s the saintly virgin betray some emotion. "In the name of your mother, sir," she begs the exe cutioner, "please cover my shoulders." Touched by her appeal, the man silently complies. These are the last words uttered by the sister of Louis XVI.

The drums roll to a thundering crescendo, beckoning thr 'nv d to cry out its usual "Long live the Republic!" But this tin o silence is profound. The blade falls, but not a word is heard in the whole square.

The "angel of the court" has at last fled this earth for a higher "■

court.

fice our beliefs: all they ask of us is the abandonment of our mis

erable lives. Let us make that feeble sacrifice to God with resigna tion."

Madame de Montmorin was weeping inconsolably; her son was to die with her. "I wish to die well," she sobbed," but I cannot bear

to see him die." The angel of mercy replied suavely,"You love your son, and yet you are unwilling that he should accompany you. You are about to enjoy the happiness of heaven, but you wish him to remain on earth where, during these days, there is nothing but tor ment and sorrow." The good lady drew strength from these inspiring words and, clasping her son to her heart exclaimed,"Come with me.

MAY-JUNE, 1996

Notes 1. Yvone de la Vergne, Madame Elizabeth of France (St. Louis: D. Herder Book Co. 1947), p. 14. 2. Ibid, p., 57.

3. Ibid, pp. 57-58. 4. Ibid, p. 58. 5. Ibid, p.388.

6. Duchess D'Angouleme, The Life and Letters of Madame Elisabeth de France

(Boston: Hardy, Pratt &

Company, 1902), p. 281. 7. Ibid, p. 281

8. Madame Elizabeth of France, p. 226.

Q-

There once lived in the small town ofSigmaringen

a couple happy in their poverty, loving God and practicing His Commandments. Christmas Day was approaching and Gretchen and Hans Wit, for these were their names, wished to surprise their daughter Zela with a beautiful Christmas tree. The girl, three years old, had been the only fruit with which God had blessed the union of that happy couple. On the afternoon of December 24, Hans set out for the woods to

cut the pine tree on whose branches were to hang, along with bows,

Zela, with her mother's love and tenderness, grew phys

ically and morally, lightening her mother's sorrow. She was the first in school, and on her mother's birthday she presented

her, blushingly and with lowered eyes, a delicate piece of lace and a pair of stockings she had made herself. Two big tears filled the poor widow's eyes. She pressed the girl's head to her breast and whispered in her ear, "May God bless your effort, my child, but never forget that true wisdom is in loving God and that the best effort is that which virtue sanctifies."

flowers, and lights, the gifts that the Infant Jesus would send Zela on the night of His birth.

There had been a heavy snowfall, so all the roads and pathways

had disappeared beneath the deep mantle of snow that blanketed the whole valley.

Hans walked briskly, smiling to himself at the thought of the sur

Zela always kept her mother's words in her heart and, imitating her example, grew in virtue. She grew at the same time in beauty, a

beauty that was grave and serene. Her skin was a beautiful rose and her hair golden blond. The composure and modesty of her face

prise being prepared for his dear Zela. Suddenly, his foot slipped on a rock by the road and he tumbled down a steep cliff toward the river flowing at its base. Three villagers, seeing him fall, ran to his aid,

seemed more than human, and her big blue eyes seemed to have

but it was too late. The torrential waters, swollen by the snowfall

The time of Zela's first Holy Communion approached. On the eve of that precious day, Zela

and aggravated by a terrible wind, swept away the unfortunate man

something of heaven, above all in their purity.

as he shouted the name of Jesus and clutched a pine branch that was

went to church with the other

a last remembrance of his daughter.

girls to hear from the priest the last instructions and to

receive the sacrament of Penance at his feet.

Meanwhile, Gretchen, afflicted by her husband's delay, had put

All these girls, daughters

Zela to bed, promising to wake her an hour before midnight to receive her gifts from the Infant Jesus. Zela was already asleep, smiling in her dreams at the Infant Jesus for whom she waited so impatiently, when the village priest and some of Hans Wit's rela

of prosperous farmers, had blue sashes and white dress

es prepared for the coming day. Only poor Zela would

tives arrived to tell Gretchen of the terrible tragedy. The poor moth

have to go barefoot and

er fell on her knees by the crib where her daughter slept so far from

unable to change her black

even imagining that she would awaken fatherless. Gretchen's tears fell silently on the girl's face. Before long, this caused Zela to open

and patched orphan's dress for another. The poor girl felt

her eyes. Raising her little head and smiling, she asked her mother,

a shadow of sadness slip in

"Is it the happy night yet?" "Bad night, my daughter, bad night!" answered the mother tear

among the holy thoughts that filled her heart, like a poiso

fully.

nous serpent among the

The smile instantly faded from the girl's face. She fixed her eyes for a long moment on her mother's countenance. Then, pushing

flowers

the

meadow.

Frightened by this, she

away her mother's hand, which held some fanciful clay figures that

turned with folded hands to

were to have adorned the Christmas tree, she said dryly, "I don't

the Virgin to beseech her

want them."

help.

Burying her face in her mother's breast, she began to cry, not

When going to bed that

with the noisy crying of children, but with the quiet weeping of maturity that leaves grooves on the cheeks. Her tender heart had

night she said to her mother, "How bad I am. Mother!

perceived that she was fatherless!

This afternoon in church I

Happiness retreated from Gretchen's home with Hans's death.

Gradually, weakened by sorrow, Gretchen's health gave way and, having no strength left for work, she saw her poor savings dwindle away little by little. Her neighbors, seeing her pale and thin figure going to the village market to look for miserable and meager nour ishment, used to comment,"Gretchen has little life left! What will become of poor Zela?"

wished

could

receive

Communion tomorrow with a white dress and blue sash

like the other girls!" Gretchen answered sadly: "There is nothing wrong in

desiring a white dress, my

CRUSADE

bv Father Luis Coloma

daughter, but to be envious and sad that the others have these, that would be a sin."

"I am happy," replied Zela, gazing at her mother with her pure eyes,"but a white dress and a blue sash would be so nice!"

"Don't be ashamed of being poor, my dear daughter," said the mother, kissing her forehead. "Do you not see that the Infant Jesus goes barefoot like you? His tunic is purple and around His waist He wears a rough cord."

Zela nodded, prayed for her father's soul, and tranquilly fell sound asleep with her hands in her mother's. Gretchen, remaining a long time watching over her child, heard her murmur with a sweet

smile,"The Infant Jesus walks barefoot also. His tunic is purple and full of patches like mine."

Little by little, it seemed to the girl that she was being transport ed in her dreams to the foot of an old apple tree at the back of her house. Leaning against the tree was an Infant more beautiful than

the angels. His white tunic emitted a most brilliant light, pleasing to the eyes and not hurting them. The fragrance of His breath was

harp: "The dress of a just soul is Faith, Hope, and Charity." Zela felt in her heart an unknown joy and awoke excitedly in her straw berth. Poor Gretchen lay asleep at her feet, her head resting on the girl's patched dress. The morning's soft twilight illuminated the room, and the church bells were already ringing, announcing the Joyous feast and sounding God's praises in the highest.

sweeter than a field of violets, and His feet and hands bore marks of wounds. Around His neck

hung a necklace of pure three pearls that seemed to have taken their colors from the rainbow

itself. One was as green as

v'\l'

1' ' 1

iU \

i\^

leaves of spring,

another was as red as a

fiery ruby, while the third

- was as blue as a cloudless

side. "Stay here, don't go out. I will go to the church by my.self, and

looked for the most beautiful apple on the tree and, kneeling, pre-

"It is nothing, my daughter," protested Gretchen as she finally raised herself up. "Let us go to the church. I do not want to deprive

'M ^ \ \^'V1 - -

sented it to the Infant. The

f "x V ^1 f

\ 'A 1 1 In A Mill h\ "

V /^y\

ypple she offered. On

- touching that wounded

M / il

\/ry I W/ iU I

Infant placed His hand on her head as if to bless her — ^ smile, accepted

iV V

Zela noted with fright that a deathly paleness had spread over her mother's features and that her breathing sounded like a moan. Shaking her by the arm,Zela called to her in a voice full of anguish, "Mother! Mother! What's wrong?" "Nothing, nothing," responded her mother, awakening with a start. "Let us prepare for church, for the bells are already calling us." Trying to get up, she fell heavily into her daughter's little bed. "Are you feeling ill. Mother?" pleaded Zela. kneeling by her

7.Q\2i felt that her whole being was trans-

when the Infant Jesus comes to my heart, I will ask Him to make you feel well again." Having said this, poor Zela wept bitterly.

myself of the greatest joy of my life." Leaning on one another, the two walked to the village church, a church as simple as the inhabi tants of Sigmaringen. The modest altar in the center of the sanctu

ary served as a throne for a statue of Our Lady, surrounded with wreaths and bouquets of flowers. Six candles burned befi"

Blessed Sacrament, as the souls who really love God burn h Him.

The girls who were to receive their first Communion stood in

formed into the being of

\^,gX

jfc that Divine Infant. She saw

line near the sanctuary, all wearing white dresses and blue sashes. Zela walked up, with her little bare feet and her patched dress, and

\:i A \ iZr— 1 ((p //j^ her shabby dress trans\ /Vrr^-^p-^\ \ formed into a tunic as

•"""——

white as snow, while shin-

took her place among them. Her serious face, the intensity of her countenance, and her innocence and simplicity gave her the aspect of a heavenly being as she waited in sublime expectation of the

: \^/J v/'Ml

—f /

her breast was a

j'' ^ ~

necklace with three pearls, exactly like the one adom-

. -»—-^~'r —

ing the Infant's neck. At the same time, there sounded in the air the mel low tones of a voice as

MAY-JUNE, 19%

sweet as the notes of a

Sacrament she was about to receive.

The solemn moment finally came. The organ began to play the chords of the Paiigc Lingi<a, and clouds of incense rose up, as if to show the girls the way to heaven. In her turn, Zela approached the altar rail to receive Our Lord Jesus Christ, and everyone saw her bare feet and her black dress.

Gretchen. praying fervently, followed her with her gaze. Suddenly, the poor widow's eyes opened wide, and she put her

hands to her heart as if to hold in her very

whom are you looking, poor

life. She saw Zela receive Our Lord dressed

Zela?"

upon Zela kneeling in the middle of the path, he sud

denly halted. "Who are you?" demanded the impi

in a white tunic of such brilliance that out

"I am looking for my

shone all the dresses of her companions. On her breast glistened a necklace of the most pure gold and three suspended pearls, one green, another red, and the third blue.

she fell to her knees without knowing why.

Gretchen extended her arms toward the altar

find her," said the Boy. Lifting to

"Give me, O angel of

and exclaimed with joy, "Who has dressed

His shoulders the cross on which

God, give me this blue

my daughter like the soul after the resurrec tion!"She then slumped to the floor, never to rise again. Some neighbors gathered up the motionless body and took it to her

mother," the girl answered as

girl's breast, he added: pearl

He had been leaning. He set off

both children walked, one in her humble orphan's

church, she still did not know. No one, cer

Little by little,

the way became narrower and

that

hangs

around your neck

ff/iMi

and I shall recover

the Faith I lost by

after the other. He in His

Zela remained long in prayer, unaware of her mother's death. When leaving the

ff//m /M

I' J_

narrower, and \^-//

door sat a beautiful boy. His head was lean

thorns began to

ing on a cross as if in rest, and His hair,

prick and wound

which fell down His back, was parted on His forehead in the style of the Nazarenes.

two travelers. The

Zela recognized Him as the Boy she had

in silence. Serious and sad, ff/jJf/m t tunic of penance and she

bered the poor orphan girl. On a large protruding stone near the

ous lad. Then fixing his astounded eyes on the

"Come with Me and you shall jaA

house.

tainly by Divine permission, had remem

^ ^

the bare feet of the

Boy suffered without

seen sitting under the apple tree in her dream, although His attire was now very different. A purple tunic, old and patched

complaint, and even though His wounds bled, He bore this without any sign of afflic

my worldly ways!"

tion. On the contrary, Zela, wincing with

put her hand to her

covered His small body, and the same rough

pain, extended her little hands to try to brace herself on the rocks by the path. The

breast but could not find any

cord that was around His waist also encir

cled and cruelly wounded His neck, which

Boy then turned His most beautiful face to

without understanding the meaning of the

was as white as a swan's. Zela, absorbed at

her and said with infinite mildness, "Place

man's words. She then felt the man take

the sight of Him, found it quite strange that

your feet in my footsteps and you shall not

from her neck a pearl as blue as the sky.

the men and women passing by did not look

weaken." Zela followed her guide's counsel and, although the pain tormented her,

emotion, the faithless man fell on his knees

at Him.

Perplexed, Zela

pearl there. "Take it if you want it," said she

Touching it to his lips with a most profound

The Boy fixed His beauliful tear-filled eyes full

strength and fortitude never abandoned her soul. Sometimes the Boy disappeared, so

and blessed the name of God.

^ on Zela and asked her

Zela would follow His bloody footprints

flew off into the darkness on its heavy wings.

tenderly,

"For

full of anxiety. But soon she would see Him

again and her alarm would cease. Suddenly, she found herself in a dense forest. At the foot of an oak tree some dis

tance away sat a young man of good appear

ance, holding in one hand a book that he read with great attention. His lips were part ed with a skeptical smile and his already

The owl let loose a frightful screech and

Zela then understood the excellence of Faith.

Meanwhile, a dense fog had enveloped the whole region. Zela walked on. searching

the ground for the bloody footsteps

'ho

mysterious Boy. Then a sad wailing iv 1 her ears and, .seized with fear, the orphan

weakened face showed the marks of vice. A

hurried in that direction, for in that very

huge owl hooted now and then from a

direction she could distinguish the Boy's

branch of one of the trees nearby.

footprints. She soon came to a miserable

The young man suddenly cast the book aside and, gesticulating with despair, blas phemed against God.

of age was sobbing bitterly, her little head leaning on the doorstep.

"What is Faith," he asked, "and where can I find it?"

Filled with terror, Zela fell on her knees

and prayed for the man.The owl hooted still more dreadfully.

hut built against a rock. A girl of a few years

"Why are you crying, little girl?" asked Zela through her own tears.

"My father has died," replied the girl without ceasing to cry. Zela stepped into the hut where a terrible scene met her eyes. The

"Let us enjoy life today because we die

still warm corp,se of a man lay on a heap of

tomorrow," continued the young man as he walked toward the forest edge. Coming

straw. Five small children huddled at his

side, crying. Seated nearby, their mother

mj.

the mountains were left behind. An immense desert extended all around before

from the old man's breast. "Pray for me,

her eyes and met the horizon like a sea of

knees.

divine angel," he exclaimed as he fell to his

fire. A scorching wind hampered her

With great eiTort, Zela put her hand to

breathing and raised thick whirlwinds of sand, roaring at intervals like a chained

her breast and pointed out to the old man a

demon. Zela felt a terrible anguish wringing her heart and an ardent thirst burning her throat. Around midday, she saw a large steep rock rising out of the â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

beautiful green pearl that shone there. He took it with an infinite longing, and two streams of tears sprung at last from his eyes, while his thin bony hands beat his now contrite breast.

sand in the far distance. In

"I hope in God," said Zela

front of it, in its shadow, grew //fy a palm tree.

{ h] ^

"There I shall find held a newborn child to her breast. Zela

noticed in all of their grief-stricken faces a

twinkling of the beauty of the Boy who had been guiding her, and tears filled her eyes. So she did not notice the impression her presence had caused in that miserable abode where nothing disguised the horror of death.

The children continued crying, and the

i--W-

U K

for the last time, and her soul

^ l,j

^|lj !1

water," thought Zela, making an effort to reach the crag, But it was steep,

jagged, and without vege-

sublimity of the virtue of moment, the

Divine Infant whom she had first seen at the foot of

tation, and the palm tree

understood the sweetness and

was dry as the cursed fig

the apple tree reappeared before her. His white tunic shone like the sun in all its

tree in the Gospel.

Her strength gone, the orphan girl fell on the sand with a moan.

might, and on His breast shone that same pearl necklace. At His right, Hans Wit, wearing a white tunic and a

poor widow threw herself at Zeia's feet,

Crossing her hands on her breast, she pre

exclaiming almost in delirium: "Who are you? Are you my husband's

pared to die.

necklace like that of the Infant, extended his

"I believe in God, I love God, I hope in God," she murmured sweetly. Then, from a cave hidden in the crag there emerged an old man of sinister appearance. His eyes were ferocious and grim looking, and in his

arms toward Zela; at His left stood Gretchen

angel who has come to bring me consola tion? Ah, give me that red pearl that shines on your breast like a burning flame. Then

dressed the same way and motioning to her with her hand. Heavenly voices sang in magnificent harmony,"The dress of the Just soul is Faith, Hope, and Charity."

my children will have bread, my sorrow will be relieved, and my husband's soul will

face there could be seen, along with signs of

have eternal rest."

despair, the marks of crime. In his hand he

body at the foot of the palm tree. A water

held a rope, and his bared neck seemed

fall springing from the crag enabled fresh

ready to receive it.

is no hope?" exclaimed the man, looking all

violets and lilies to grow together continu ally at her grave, just as the virtues of humility and purity had grown together in

around with his serpentine eyes.

her soul.

"Take it. Take my heart if it will be of

help to you!"exclaimed Zela, inclining her neck to the widow.

The woman drew from the girl's breast a

ruby-red pearl whose brilliant and resplen dent rays gave the hut a note of consolation. "How sweet it is to love God in souls," exclaimed Zela as she dried the children's

tears. At the same time, a Divine light made

her soul understand the beauty of Charity. Leaving the hut, Zela took a very narrow path that quickly descended the side of the

hill. A strong wind had dissipated the fog .so that only wisps of it lingered among the trees, like the torn strips of a light dress. Little by little, the trees disappeared, and the meadows in the valley and the green of

"Who hopes in God, when for me there

The repentant old man buried Zeia's

â&#x2013;

"I hope in God," murmured Zela even sweeter and firmer.

The desperate sinner approached her, and a strange emotion took possession of him. He wanted to cry and could not; he wanted to curse and his lips

refused to move.

"I hope in God," repeated Zela in a voice so low that it

sounded like a sigh. A tremendous sob

finally

â&#x20AC;˘

escaped

About the author Luis Coloma was bom of a distinguished family in Jerez, Spain, in 1851. From his youth he showed signs of a brilliant intelligence and a great aptitude for literature. He studied law at the University of Seville and received his doctorate in 1874, but his career was not to be in law.

Having felt for some time a strong religious call, he entered the Society of Jesus in that same year. His life as a Jesuit was spent, among many other things, in teaching, sickness, and writing. Father Coloma occupies an eminent place in Spanish literature as a

MAY-JUNE. 1996

novelist and biographer. A great part of his work was written in the

form of short stories that he used as an efficacious tool in his aposiolate. The stories, animated and laden with moral significance, reflect a keen p.sychoIogical sense. In 1908 he became a member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Letters, a much belated honor according to some. He died in 1915 at the age of 64.

"The Three Pearls," but one of his many children's stories, is taken from Obras Completas de P. Luis Coloma (Madrid: I960).

Commentary

virtually condemned to death, to say noth

ing of the risks of humans being contami

Lessons from Nature

nated with an illness akin to BSE.

If it is dangerous to transform the natur

al life cycles of animals, imagine what hap

pens with human beings. The case of AIDS by Orlando Lyra

well demonstrates the devastating conse

quences of this inversion of nature. It is well known that the scourge of

I Ihough you chase away nature

AIDS began its spread principally among

I with a pitchfork, it will return at A a gallop," says a Latin proverb.

homosexuals. Recent statistics from the

World Health Organization(WHO)paint an

Âťt

Now more than ever, nature seems to be gal

loping over the foolishness of modem man who, in the name of scientific progress, is

apocalyptic picture of the disease. Despite all the efforts to control the epidemic, the rate of contamination has grown much more

defying the order God established in the

than previously imagined. Six thousand

Universe. A most recent example of this

Cattle, naturally herbivorous, have,so to

new cases of infection appear every day. It is predicted that in the next three years there will be forty million people infected world wideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;equivalent to the population of

speak, been made to practice cannibalism.

Spain.

A pharmacopoeia of antibiotics and other drugs also came into play. Everything hav ing become artificial, stress grew and illness

Before such figures and the fallacy spread by the media that condoms prevent

still reverberates throughout Europe: "mad cow

disease."

Bovine

Spongiform

Ecephalopathy (BSE) has caused the great est crisis in England's cattle-breeding industry in recent history. Anti-natural methods, introduced into

animal husbandry solely for immediate

contamination with AIDS, even WHO

Director General Hiroshi Nakajima reached

struck, including "mad cow disease." Decades ago, scientists of good sense

the obvious conclusion that "conjugal

technology is scorning nature's laws. The

warned of the risk of not respecting the

animals no longer graze. They are confined,

laws of nature. As early as 1979, in England

fidelity is more important than condoms in the prevention of AIDS."

profit, have transformed cattle raising into a kind of factory process. So-called modern

One does not violate the order of the

and few see the light of day. Thus caged,

itself, scientific reports had pointed out the

they are given poultry by-products, sheep

dangers of providing animal protein to her

entrails, and cow brains a.<^art of their daily feed. Naturally herbivorous, they have, so to

bivores, but did not attract much serious

universe with impunity. It is a simple lesson that modem man seems to have forgotten,

attention. Today, because of such negli

and which he is now leaming again the hard

speak, been made to practice cannibalism.

gence, a large part of the English herd is

J^orgotten ^rutfis "God is merciful, but He is also just." From St. Alphonsus Liguori's Preparation for Death (Consideration XVII,2)

"Be careful," says St. John Climacus,"when that hellish dog, the devil, and not God, promises you divine mercy to induce you to commit sin!" St. Augustine writes: "Woe to him who hopes in order to sin! How many have gone to their perdition relying on the shadow of vain hope!""Unhappy the man who abuses God's mercy to offend Him!" says St. Bernard.... In short, God is patient, but He will not be patient forever. If God were to bear with sinners forever, no one would go to hell, but the most common opinion is that a great number of adults, even among Christians, are damned. "It is a broad gate and a wide road that leads to perdition, and those that go that way are many indeed"(Matt. 7:13).

According to St. Augustine, he who offends God with the hope of being forgiven "is a scoffer, not a penitent." But St. Paul writes, "You cannot cheat God"(Gal. 6:7). And it would be indeed cheating God if we offended God whenever it pleased us, in order to repent

later on and go to heaven. He who sows sin will reap only punishment and hell, because "a man will reap what he sows"(Gal. 6:8). The net with which Satan drags sinners to hell is the vain hope that he gives them, saying,"Sin freely, because even with all your sins

you will be saved." But God curses the sinners who sin with the hope of mercy, for "no rescue shall ever reach them; no other prospect have they but de.spair"(Job 11:20). Such vain hope provokes God's anger,just as in the case of a servant who,taking advantage of his master's goodness, insults him.

Basic HistIry Course

Weste

MLIZATION

Black and Mediterranean Seas in great waves, carrying their culture with them. Hundreds of new city-states arose in Sicily, in the southem half of Italy, in France, and along the southem coast of Spain. Hostile resistance, however, set limits to the expan sion. Carthage, a Phoenician colony in North Afirica, and the civilized Etmscans in

Northem Italy barred any further coloniza tion. The former even rolled back some

by Jeremias Wells

CHAPTER SIX

Greek expansion in the Westem seas by 500 B.C. as they built a powerful empire that would threaten the Romans in subsequent centuries.

Greece: Aist Arxisxic Success, A Moral Failure

While Isaias and Amos were

council of landowners, took over the reins

denouncing the Israelites for their infidelity to God (750-700

of govemment and the idea of kingship slowly receded into the background.

B.C.) and the Middle East was reduced to a

As the centuries progressed down to 500 B.C., the rise of commercial and moneyed interests influenced the form of govemment to what historians like to call an oligarchy,

bloody playground for Assyrian depreda tions, the

future

standard-bearers

Western Civilization were emerging from their own barbaric past on the lands that sur rounded the Aegean Sea. Never a unified

nation, the Greeks, or Hellenes as they called themselves, reentered the civilized

world after centuries of poverty and obscu rity by organizing their characteristic politi cal system around the city-state. The core and essential bond of the city-

states (and this applies to early Roman political organization as well) was the fam

ily. However the family units, isolated by themselves, faced insuperable dangers because of life's hazards; so they formed extended families or groups, what the Greeks called a phratry and the Romans, a curia. From these, tribes were formed in

order to achieve greater security. When the association continued to grow larger, a citystate was bom. Although the latter occa

sionally joined others in a temporary alliance or confederation, the permanent

that is, from the mle of the few best to the

mle of the few most powerful. Control of the political machine then swung back to the mle of a single leader called a tyrant, who usually gained power by violence and maintained it by championing the lower classes in their stmggle with the landown ers. When the Greeks grew tired of the lat ter, who were initially benevolent, they expelled the usurpers and settled into a type of undisciplined, popular rule called democracy by Aristotle and other critics.' That brief but enduring culture was nur tured on the rocky, unyielding mainland, the island-studded Aegean Sea, and the Greekspeaking cities on the west coast of Asia Minor(modem Turkey). In this study, then, we are not dealing with a political and mil itary history of a nation, but with an extra ordinary culture, one which made an enor

In the East, however, another powerful, growing empire came into bitter conflict with the nascent Hellenic civilization. The

Greeks and the Persians engaged in the first clash in that unending enmity between Europe and Asia.

Rapid IbniGver in the Eastern Empires and the Chosen People As previously mentioned,^ the NeoBabylonians or Chaldeans demolished the centuries-old Assyrian Empire in 612. Nebuchodonosor, their most noteworthy leader and general,inherited the throne while he was defeating the Egyptians at the Battle of Carchemish seven years later. This defeat established him as the undisputed master of Westem Asia. In order to control Juda's con

stant mischief-making, Nebuchodonosor began taking hostages to Babylon even before the final devastation of Jemsalem in

587 B.C. Both Daniel and Ezekiel, the last

two of the four major prophets, were carried off to the sumptuous, sensual city in the ear lier deportations; Daniel in 605 and Ezekiel

along with 7,000 of the Jewish nobility in 597.

Ezekiel Ezekiel, who must have enjoyed a high rank and standing to be included among the Jewish aristocracy, began to prophesy soon after his arrival in Babylon. Although a con

mous contribution to Westem Civilization.

temporary of Jeremias, Ezekiel faced differ

political unit of the Hellenes remained the city-state.

The bubbling intellectual ferment, however,

Since it was patterned on the family and its lines of hierarchy or paterfamilias, its political and military leadership was initial ly directed by a king who depended on nobles for support. By 600 B.C., however, the developing aristocracy, represented by a

tumed outward to the entire Mediterranean

ent problems, especially since the Jews, tak ing advantage of the agricultural and com mercial opportunities, eventually estab lished themselves comfortably in their adopted land. This gave rise to an unwar ranted optimism. He constantly warned that their exile

MAY-JUNE, 1996

quickly spread as the Greek mentality Sea.

By the eighth century, the population of

the Greek cities increased until geographic confinement threatened their growth. The people moved out of the Aegean into the

would be a long one and that they must

History In one famous vision, Daniel saw a

resist the seduction of their pagan surround

between a degenerating and culturally stag

nant empire and the imperfect but viable

ings by practicing a deeper interior life.

colossal statue made in successive layers

With the thread of humanity riding on his efforts, Ezekiel in the years before the

from top to bottom of gold, silver, brass,

Western World that would become the seat

and a combination of iron and clay, repre senting four empires. This succession of empires give us a broad outline of the last centuries leading to the birth of Jesus

of Christianity.

Fall aroused only an amused curiosity. However, when the miserable remnant of

587, along with the blinded king, trudged into the city of impure worldliness on the banks of the Euphrates, the dedicated

prophet began to realize some measure of success. God's prophet of the Restoration dispelled their despair and prepared the hope of mankind for their eventual return to

Fifth Century,Apogee and Decline

Christ. Then a stone cut from a mountain

without hands crushed the fourfold image

of world empires and grew until it filled the whole world. The universal Kingdom of the

Son of Man will destroy the earthly king doms and will endure for ever.

Jerusalem.

The Greek world in 500 B.C. Politically and socially, the two most

important city-states, Athens and Sparta, were developing in two different directions

The ascendancy of Persia

based on their internal needs. Although they

toral power in an assembly of all the citi

The Christian interpretation of history is

During the 1800s B.C. when the IndoEuropeans descended on Europe and the

zens rather than a council of noblemen and

an essential element of Christianity itself. It

Near East, the eastern branch broke into two

landowners. Nevertheless, the latter still

does not result from laborious mental activ

groups with the eastern tribes wandering

ity, but is a necessary part of God's revela

southeastward and eventually settling in India and the more westerly tribes pushing

ruled, especially a new aristocracy based on wealth and military experience. The citizen

Daniel

both shared a truly aristocratic heritage, the Athenians were increasingly placing elec

tion to man. The whole temporal process of

ry, moreover, constituted a narrow, heredi

into the mountains bordering on the Fertile Crescent. The latter group called them

tary group, since women, the foreign-bom,

selves "Aryans," thus attracting the name that identifies them today: Iranians.

allowed to vote or participate in govern

Some short time after the fall of Nineve, a chieftain of one of the rude, mountain

Sparta, on the other hand, because of its military conquests, had developed into a

Isaias and Jeremias were not limited to the

tribes gained the support of the warrior

Chosen People, but extended to the sur

nobles and led them in a sudden outburst

closed society of soldiers. Through their superior training and prowess, Sparta had conquered the southern half of the

mankind finds its meaning and purpose in this immediate association with God's numerous and benevolent acts of assistance

that we call divine governance.^ Daniel's prophecies go far beyond those of his predecessors. The predictions of

rounding nations that were inflicting such

which eventually created the Persian

great suffering on them. Assyria was the rod of God's anger but would be broken when

Empire. This extraordinary organizer, Cyrus the Great—one of the few who truly

God's work was done. However, Daniel,

deserved the title—then absorbed the relat

who formed the model for later apocalyptic literature, advanced to a higher plane with his universal view of world history. With his vision consistently on the future, his voca tion was to announce and contemplate the

ed Medes, an act which sent an alarming message to their surrounding neighbors, Lydia, Babylonia, Egypt, and Sparta. Croesus, the legendary Lydian king of great

coming of the Kingdom of God. ^ T H R A C{ I

y'MAkMOtlA

Arjo.*

PEtpPONNESUSs Jl MESSENIaV <4 „ pAfMor'Q-Haiicar

la into a Panhellenic union.

Persian wars One year into the fifth century, the Ionian Greeks, located along a thin strip on

the rise of Mohammed eleven centuries

the west coast of Asia Minor, revolted

later.

against the Persian Empire. The Athenians, who had originally colonized the area and

neglected by his Semitic predecessors,

also spoke the Ionian dialect, lent them

allowed the Jews who so desired to

some valuable assistance. After the Persian

return to Palestine. Egypt, the last Di

I E

population in subjugation. By 500 B.C. Sparta had become the greatest military

ancient Semitic power in the Near Ea.st, a power which would lay dormant until

^ remaining independent bastion in the

lifetime on active duty to keep the captive

known as Ionia. Cyrus easily toppled the

^ Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C. After

a n

for every male citizen had to spend an entire

power in Greece, and Athens the most intel

Cyrus, showing a more humane side f ^jrtal. tal A.f^lACONIA

people, the highly trained Spartan soldiers could not enjoy the fruits of their success,

lectually inventive. Neither, however, pos sessed the capacity to organize the peninsu

V•

Peloponnesus. While rich in resources and

wealth, marched against Cyrus and met a

only 74 years of control, the Chaldeans witnes.sed the complete collapse of the e

ment.

crushing defeat which gave to the Persians control of Asia Minor, including the 1 Greek city-states on the Aegean coast

r MACEDONIA

and slaves, who were numerous, were not

King Darius I crushed the revolt, he decid

ed to punish the offenders and in the process

Near East, fell to his son in 525 B.C.,

annex the whole Hellenic world to his

thus setting up the great clash between the powerful Eastern military machine

empire. In 490 he sent a large fleet west ward across the Aegean Sea to strike at Athens and her ally Eretrea on the island of

and the nascent Western Civilization,

CRUSADE

History Euboea. Easily subdu ing

the

latter,

turned around and went home.

the

Ten years later the Persians mounted

Persians crossed over to

another expedition. Utilizing the same attributes of intelligence, courage, and reso lution, the Athenians, with the Spartans as

the mainland, landing at the Plain of Marathon, twenty miles east of

allies, again defeated the Persians in a series

Athens across mountain

of battles that ranged across the Aegean.

passes.

The impact of these victories launched

he aristrocratic Pericles

extreme danger, the Athenians

Athens, whose navy played the decisive role, into its great period of prosperity and

put aside their petty squabbling and silly democratic rules and chose one of those extraordinary leaders who change the direction of history. Miltiades, a robust man of energy and

growth, however short-lived.

nerve, alertly read the enemy's tactics. With

The fifth century can be easily summa rized as the Golden Age of Greece, sand wiched between two wars; the first gave rise to the glory of Athens, the second brought about its downfall. During the brief but magnificent interval, the Athenian genius

a 20,000 to 10,000 advantage, the Persians placed their strength in the center of a line

stretched out along the beach. Blocking the mountain passes and narrowing the battle field by keeping rocky hills on either side, the wily general placed his better-trained and more heavily armed troops on the

Glory, democracy, and decline

then there could be no quarrel. However, if it means that all authority, moral and other wise, resides in the hands of the unlettered masses to the exclusion of God, the natural

law, and the tradition of qualified and trained leaders, as many modem politicians seem to think, then it serves as the corrup tion of an orderly society. In any event, the reality of Grecian political life has hardly provided the world with a model for imita tion.

In Athens during the middle of the fifth century, many high officials, including judges, were chosen by lot, which, of course, eliminated any deliberation on their

qualifications. The legislative function rest ed in the assembly of all the citizens, inex perienced and uneducated as many of them were. Obviously lacking the capacity to

literary achievement to which the world has

govern, this over-gorged, unwieldy body allowed smooth-talking, rabble-rousing orators, known then as now as demagogues, to direct them. The Athenians were particu

paid homage ever since. This burst of creativity either began or

larly fortunate in having Pericles, an aristo crat of statesmanship ability, to guide them

ered their long, heavy spears and the first

refined most basic forms of literature. In

during the middle of the century. After his

rank of the Persians went down to a man.

particular, the Greeks produced such mas terpieces in poetry, drama, and history that

the system surfaced and political chaos set

wings. As the lines clashed, the Athenians low

blossomed into an unsurpassed artistic and

death, however, the inherent weakness of

But the Orientals fought back bravely and their superior numbers began to tell. The Greek center collapsed and the Persians rushed in, pushing the Athenians

they are regarded as classics in these fields. They also excelled in mathematics and physics. Hippocrates, famous for his code

back towards the hills. The strong Greek flanks, on the other hand, cut their way for

of ethics, is considered the father of medi

mostly along the Ionian coast and in the

cine.

Aegean, formed a defensive league under

ward. At a certain point, the compact, well-

drilled spearmen on the wings spun around

The stately architectural wonders on the

Acropolis are among the most pho

in.

At the end of the Persian War in 479

B.C., several hundred Greek city-states,

Athenian leadership to protect against any further invasion. Gradually Athens began to

in coordinated units and faced the Persian

tographed ruins in the ancient world. Their

center. The trap was sprung. The Greek cen

sculpture adorns museums the world over,

ter then halted their pre-arranged flight and faced their surprised adversary.

can be seen as an irritant for those who

dominate and oppress her erstwhile allies and entered into a policy of aggressive exploitation that generated hatred, fear, and one war after another. Many of Athens's

deem this a form of naturalism and its atten

allies, resenting her mounting coercion,

dant vices.

A stupendous achievement was reached

were brutally attacked, and, even at times, the males of the conquered cities were ruth

in a short period from a very small area.

lessly exterminated. Athens, which was

Surrounded on three sides, the Persians,

with their slight wicker shields, no body armor, and shorter weapons, were at a severe disadvantage. As evening fell the previously unvanquished lords of Asia

although the Greek penchant for nakedness

Athens was creating a cultural legacy to

quite zealous in extending political i ' â&#x20AC;˘ lo

its own citizens, denied the privilege

lowed, cutting them down to the water's

which Western Civilization is indebted, but it concealed a moral decay that would

edge.

undermine it.

turned their backs and fled. The Greeks fol

The Persians had suffered a shattering defeat. The

victorious Hellenes

were

exhausted and seemingly out of the fight.

An adoring public has even extended its

generosity of praise to politics and govern ment, for the Athenians have been accorded

Taking advantage of the situation, the

the rather dubious distinction of

remaining Persian troops boarded their ships and swung around the tip of the Attic coast to attack the unprotected civilians of

introducing democracy to the world. Few words inspire such loose thinking and downright

Athens. As they approached the city in the

falsehood as "democracy." If it is HJp

morning, there in front of them was

understood to mean the dignity 9''

Miltiades and his 10,000 Greeks. They had

and individual rights of man,

performed another stupendous feat, a forced march of twenty miles during the night.

especially the right to know the pjScjpt

Completely discouraged, the Persians

to achieve .spiritual perfection, Iji 11 Ij I:

MAY-JUNE. 1996

truth and to have the opportunity |W11 r 1

one-time confederates.

Finally, the Athenian imperial conquests provoked a disastrous war with Sparta and

her allies that ravaged all Greek-speaking territories. In describing the Peloponnesian Ruins of the Parthenon, Athens

History

Bibliographical essay

War (431-404 B.C.), the Athenian general

The standard authors in general

Thucydides produced the first brilliant nar rative of historical writing, but little else of

any good came out of the terrible conflict that left as its legacy a wounded Hellenic culture that never recovered.

Plato, whose speculations brought him close to Christian principles

In Athens,the mob spirit triumphed over

Greek history, A.R. Bum, J.B. Bury, and M.I. Rostovtzeff were consulted, but the story was largely

pieced together Ifom G.W. Botsford

rooted in Plato, he has been credited with

and C.A. Robinson, Jr., Hellenic

tradesmen, the fickle electorate deposed or

providing a great building block for the

executed one general after another based on

scholastic philosophy of the Christian

frivolous whim. Then, with the treacherous

Middle Ages. His unequaled range of learn ing formed the groundwork for numerous

History, 5th ed. (New York: 1969). (Please be advised that most works on .Greek history are full of illustrations of statues of undraped youths.

reason. Dominated by demagogues and

oligarchs bent on betrayal alternating with the radicals, Athens succumbed to class

divisions that destroyed any continuing cen tral authority or consistent policy. After thirty years of savagery, stupidity, and treachery, Sparta eventually triumphed,

brilliant studies in metaphysics, logic, moral science, psychology, physical nature, rhetoric, botany and zoology, among others. Yet the Greeks' speculative theories never formulated any moral code to restrain

only to fall victim to Thebes because of its

the increasingly vice-ridden behavior of

own internal corruption.

their fellow citizens and certainly never

arrived at the necessary worship of their

Triumph of philosophy

creator.

amidst final decay

seen in the abysmal descent from the tradi

The decay of Greek culture can easily be

For the most part. Western intellectual

tional institutions, especially the family bond, to a society where men found their

history began with the Greeks, and their shining glory lay with the great philoso-

pleasure with the women of the streets or, in far too many cases, with other men. Family

phers of the fourth cen-

life was further damaged by the practice of

Aristotle. So great was

torians from Polybius to Christopher

Modesty was not a Greek strong point.) Another valuable study, if one disregards the first chapter on evolu tion, is C.G. Starr, History of the Ancient World, 3rd ed. (New York: 1983).

Since the Oriental empires no

longer contributed to the cultural growth of civilization, they have been studied, not in themselves, but only so

far as they come in contact with other more viable cultures. The histories of

the Old Testament previously listed have been more than sufficient for that purpose.

Excellent accounts of Greek phi

abortion and infanticide. In fact, many his Dawson see the deliberate restriction of the

losophy can be found in Frederick Copleston, S.J., A History of

family as the main cause of the decline of

Philosophy, vol. 1 (Westminster, Md.:

Ancient Greece."*

1948), and Rt. Rev. William Turner,

What light emerged from Plato and Aristotle was obscured later by the Stoics of

S.T.D., History ofPhilosophy (Boston; 1929). The relationship between Greek philosophy and supematural law is explored with great success in the sec

the third century, who made little attempt to account for or to correct the conflict between man's reason and his animal nature. Aristotle, itotle, a forerunner

only speculative, of the

According to them, whatever virtue was

f Scholasticism Scholasticism of

existence of God, the

achieved in his search for happiness was

freedom of the will, and the immortality of

man's own work, without any assistance

the soul. His ethical doctrines included the idea that virtue, which he defined as the

from God. This made man equal to God.

order and harmony of the soul, is essential to happiness.

Some Greeks did indeed make progress towards Christian civilization, but it was left to Our Lord Jesus Christ to establish a new

Aristotle, more than any other Greek,

order resting on faith in Divine Providence

profoundly influenced later generations of

and the moral responsibility of the human soul aided by sanctifying grace. â&#x2013;

mankind. Even though his philosophy was

ond volume of T.W. Allies' monumen

tal work. The Formation Christendom (New York, 1903).

Dom Hubert Van Zeller wrote

biographies on Ezekiel and Daniel. Joseph Chaine, God's Heralds pro vides a fund of information on

four major and twelve minor pru^ ..^is in this one volume.

Notes 1. Neither Aristotle nor Saint Thomas

undisciplined and unvirtuous. See Crane Brinton, Ideas ofMen (Englewood Cliffs, NJ:

York: 1937), Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange discuss

listed the forms of government, monarchy, aristocracy, and polity (popular government of virtuous citizens), and their corresponding

1963) and Saint Thomas Aquinas, On The

es the end purpose of divine governance and the relationship between the prophets and

Governance ofRulers (Toronto: 1935).

Jesus Christ.

perversions, tyranny, oligarchy, and democra

Jan.-Feb. 1996, pp. 33,34.

Aquinas after him favored democracy. Both

cy, which Aristotle described as rule by the

2. See chap. 5, "The Prophets," Crusade, 3. In his last chapter in Pwvidence(New

4. See Christopher Dawson, The Dynam ics of World History (New York: 1956), p. 161.

CRUSADE

Spring f

Flowers T^or Easter

X Czar Alexander

Russia wanted to offer his

ÂŤ

wife, the Czarina Maria \ Feodorovna, a gift symbolic \ of the joys of the Savior's \ Resurrection. Uncertain about

what the gift should be,Alexander

III turned to the Saint Petersburg \

''^||||

jeweler Peter Carl Faberge. The Czar, certain that this celebrated craftsman of

French descent would know what to sug-

gest, was not disappointed.

That gift initialed a series of fabulous artistic creations that lasted until the Bolshevik Revolution in

1917â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Imperial Easter Eggs. In the Creator's plan for Nature,each dormant egg has within itself a new life. In the Creator's plan for mankind. Our Savior's Resurrection brought a new spiritual life to a world bereft of eternal life. The symbolic analogy between the natural life emerging from an egg and the

new spiritual life of men gave rise to a tradition of Easter eggs in many countries.

Peter Carl Faberg^(1846-1920) raised this tradition to a height of artistic splendor. Each magnificent bejeweled egg was a masterpiece, but his prolific imagination was at its best when contriving the unexpected surprises hidden within them: a carriage, a peacock, a bouquet of flowers. Our picture shows "Spring Flowers," from the Forbes Magazine Collection, one of the fifteen Imperial Eggs recently on display in the 'Taberg^ in America" exhibit at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The enameled egg stands on an alabaster pedestal ringed with a gracious circle of gems.When the egg is opened,a flo ral bouquet in a platinum basket encrusted with pink dia monds emerges from its gilded interior. The flower's petals are of white chalcedony,encircling a green garnet set in gold, and its leaves are of transparent green enamel. Just over three inches high, the ensemble is remarkable for its simple beau ty and ingenuity.

God created man with all his qualities and surrounded him with other created marvels. Human creativity, taking simple elements from God's handiwork, raises them to new splendor, engendering further marvelsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;"God's grandchildren," as Dante aptly described art. The good taste, perfect balance, and quiet elegance seen in Faberg6's masterpiece well illustrate this simple truth. Photo: courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

^ Protect your children

JK't.il

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September-October, 1996 Cover:

The New Age spectre

Prophets, Martyrs, SaintSy and Heroes The Baptism of Clovis:

Founding Event of Western Civilization

4 Plinio Correa de

Oliveira, in his

Interview

Regine Pcrnoud—The Baptism of Clovis is a Milestone

own words

Cover Article Johnny, The X-Files, and the New Religious Consciousness .... 8

Religion The Angelic Virtue

❖ A Philosophical Self-Portrait —Plinio Correa de Oliveira

The Baptism of Clovis—marking an era

Interview Interview with Prof. Roberto De Maltei. author of The Twentieth Century Crusader

Religion Suppliant Omnipotence

Basic History Course of Western Civilization World Empires Prepare the Way for the Word of God Part I—The Greek Connection

26 Cover Article: The desire for an

experience that

Family Series Jacinta's SI017

transcends life.

Crusade Magazine Is a publication of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP). Subscriptions in the United States and Canada, $24.00.

Foreign subscriptions, $30.00. List of other TFP publications

available upon request. Direct all subscription requests and inquiries to: The American TFP, P.O. Box 1868,York, PA 17405. Tel.: (717) 225-7147, Fax; (717) 225-7382. Copyright © 1996. Permission is granted to reproduce, in whole or in part, any arti cle of this magazine with credit given to Crusade Magazine.

Listen to Jacinta

tell her story

Crusade Magazine

New Ageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Editor: C. Preston Noell III

Associate Editors:

A New Threat

With the upcoming elections in mind it is difficult not to think about what might result from the scandals surrounding the

presidency. Apart from any political allegiance, the First Family is, whether willingly or not, a moral and cultural model for the nation.

This role transcends the political functions of the presidency. It may even have a more direct impact on our lives than government spending cuts, the debate about the role of the United Nations, or health care.

Whether we agree with the specific powers allocated to the office, the particular policy decisions it makes, or the ideology it adopts, its very dig nity plays an essential role in the maintenance of social harmony, public morality, and civil peace. When the public perception of this dignity decays because of scandal or any other factor, everyone suffers. This decline in integrity at the national level, real or reputed, merges with the chaos of international disunity, bloodshed, and upheaval. Even institutions long seen as symbols of stability and uprightness collapse,

Earl Appleby Jack Bumham

Eugenia Guzman Gary Isbell Steven F. Schmieder Photographv: Todd F. Kamuf Circul/VTion: Steven A. Herrera

Foreign Correspondents: AUSTRALIA: John S. Tucker

BRAZIL: Orlando Lyra CANADA: John Misek

CHILE: Nelson Farias Blanco FRANCE: Mario Beccar Varela GERMANY: Beno Hofschulte PHILIPPINES: Allen Bandril PORTUGAL: Mauricio Sucena

ROME: Juan M. Monies SOUTH AFRICA: Michael McKenna SPAIN: Juan Barandiaran

shattering old certainties. The fairy-tale weddings of the British Royal Family turn out disasters rivaling Hollywood melodramas. Speculation has even surfaced regarding the future of the Papacy.

The American TFP

The young, in the formative years of their moral character, may be marked for life in such a climate. Where do they see integrity anymore? The media brings graphic details of every public scrap and scandal right

The American Society for the Defense of Tradition. Family and

into their homes in real time.

Arribivalence about the future increasingly surrounds every human institution. Is it any wonder that statistics show substantial increases in searches for meaning and what is called a new religious consciousness?

This issue of Crusade focuses on one of the consequences of this ambivalence, the New Age movement.

Property (TFP) was founded in

1973 to confront the profound crisis shaking the modem world. It is a

civic, cultural and nonparlisan orga nization which, inspired by the tra ditional teachings of the Supreme Magisterium of the Roman Catholic

Church, works in a legal and peace

Bom in the late seventies and early eighties, a result of the aging of the

ful manner in the realm of ideas to

hippie generation whose philo.sophy it articulated, the New Age movement has come to exercise a relentless influence on public opinion today.

defend and promote the principles of private ownership, family and

Projecting the dynamism of the sixties into the nineties, it attempts to rede fine man, society and, above all, religion. It has produced seemingly lim

perennial Christian values with their twofold function: individual and

social. The TFP's words and efforts

itless amounts of literature and countless schools of thought, and it is dif

have always been faithfully at the

ficult to identify the main tenants of its doctrine and objectives for the out

But to protect ourselves and children from its influence, it is necessary

service of Christian civilization. The first TFP was founded in Brazil by the famous intellectual

to understand it. The New Age movement's philosophy projects itself in

and Catholic leader Prof, Plinio

multifarious way into our lives. An understanding of its key doctrines will help identify it when it shows up. A clearer idea of its agenda will provide the background necessary to react rationally and effectively against it. â&#x2013;

other autonomous TFPs in 26 coun

side observer.

Corrca de Olivcira in 1960. His

work has inspired the formation of

tries across the globe, thus consti tuting the world's largest anticonimunist and antisocialist network.

CRUS,'\DE

Crusade Magazine honors Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira on the first

anniversary of his death. See page 14

Prophets, Martyrs, Saints, and Heroes

The Baptism of Clevis: Founding E

With the conversioit of the Franks, Catholicism was no longer the

religion of the conquered, but of the conquerors. by Orlando Lyra

This year marks the fifteenth centenary of the baptism of Clovis, the first

combining elements of paganism with vague notions of Christian doctrine.

barbarian king to convert to Christianity. Crusade Magazine has the joy of

The principle mysteries of the Catholic

participating in this celebration, calling to mind the historical context in

Faith were eliminated from Ulfilas's Gothic

which this remarkable historical event took place.

"catechism," and Our Lord was presented not as True God and True Man, but as a kind of semi-divinized man—much like the

It was in the night of barbarian times, more than any other historical age, that

the civilizing influence of the Church was felt with greatest intensity. In that

somber epoch—from the fifth to the seventh century, justly designated by historians as

Germanic god Thor and quite in keeping Their customs varied between ridiculous

with barbarian mythology.

superstitions and abominable ferocities. They adored "sacred" trees, fountains, and

accessible to the pagans, who were stupe

This adulterated Christianity was easily

rivers, and their religious customs included human sacrifice and orgies around bonfires

fied by the idea of a God-Man conceived in

in the forests.

for the love of men. The cult of this strange

the womb of a virgin and killed upon a cross

the Dark Ages—humanity .seemed to be

Their greatest happiness was to die on

groping, amidst the clatter of weapons and cries of desperation, under a total eclipse. A sort of bloody chaos had reduced the grand

the battlefield. To die of old age or by acci dent was a disgrace and cowardice repudiat

brated in the forests by barbarian "clerics"

ed with horrible invectives. To kill a man

proper Christian priests. In practice, the ardor for Arianism var

Roman empire to ruins. The former domain

of the sons of the wolf had become a patch work quilt of barbarian peoples devouring one another in an endless sequence of inva sions, sacks, and assassinations. Christian

Africa groaned under the weight of the Vandals. Visigoths and Sueves dominated Spain. Burgundians camped on the banks of

was a heroic act beyond praise: the most glorious trophy, the beheaded adversary's hair, was used to ornament warhorses. The Influence of Arianism over the barbarians

melange of heresy and paganism was cele more like warlocks and witchdoctors than

ied in accordance with the psychological

make-up of each barbarian people. Relaxed in the Burgundians and suspicious in the Visigoths, it was transformed into a terrible persecution by the Vandals, who invaded southern Spain and devastated all of north-

In consequence of the preaching of a

em Africa in the first decades of the fifth

heretical Gothic bishop. Ulfilas. who was consecrated in 341 by the

century. Among the innumerable cities

Alsace and Lorraine, and the Franks inhabited the

Arian Eusebius of Nico-

Arius was Hippo, the city of the great Saint

north

of Belgium. The

media, Arianism perverted

Augustine.

Anglo-Saxons dominated England, while the Ostro goths and the Lombards fought over the lands of Italy. Generally tall and mus cular, with fair hair and long beards, and with blue eyes

almost all of the Germanic

Goths and devoted himself

Arianism of their neighbors. Thus, they constituted virgin ground in which the good

to long commentaries on

seed of the Gospel was still to be sown.

ablaze with blood, the bar

them, contaminated

barians knew no law save

Arianism. Christianity was

A people of unknown origin, they first

that of the sword. War was

appear in history around the year 240. when

and

adapted to the simple and superstitious mentality of

destruction and pillage were

those northern barbarians,

the Emperor Aurelius overthrew them at Mainz. In the following century, they were

resulting in a syncretism

allowed to occupy a region near the river

the Rhone. The Alamanni were the lords of

their

profession,

their principle

passions.

peoples. Ulfilas, possessed

destroyed by these violent followers of

The Franks

of three culture.s—Greek.

Latin, and German—trans

lated the Sacred Scriptures into the language of the

Saint Clotilde

with

Unlike the majority of the invading peo ples. the Franks were not seduced by the

But who were the Franks'?

CRUSADE

Prophets, Martyrs, Saints, and Heroes

nt of Western Civilizati Schelde, in the Low Countries, from which the Salian Franks originated. The

when the Alamanni invaded the terri

tory occupied by the Franks. A

bloody battle was joined in the region

Ripuarians, another branch of these barbar ians. fixed their capital in Cologne and gradually extended their domain along the

of Alsace in 496. If the Alamanni

Rhine valley.

acquire a force of expansion capable

The Franks were stout, fair-haired, and

of an extremely light complexion. Lovers of independence and averse to the idea of Germanic solidarity, although they spoke

the Germanic language. They were fearless

were victorious, Arianism would

of threatening Catholic Europe. During the combat, seeing his men discouraged and almost in despair with the perspective of imminent defeat, Clovis appealed to the God of

in combat and given to agriculture in the

Clotilde, promising Him entire and

fleeting moments of peace.

formal adhesion were he to emerge

When the Huns invaded Gaul in 451, the

victorious. The

historian

of the

Prankish king, Meroveg, helped the "uni

epoch, Saint Gregory of Tours,

fied front" of western peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;composed

recorded the prayer the King of the

of Romans and barbariansâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to defeat the

Franks directed to our Lord in that

fearful Attila in the battle of Campus

decisive

Mauriacus. From then on a modus vivendi

Europe:

moment

for

Catholic

with Rome was established, whereby the

"0 Jesus Christ, whom Clotilde

Franks occupied the lower Rhine as allies of

declares to be the Son of the living

the great Empire. But the Franks definitively entered his

those who falter, and to give them

tory when the grandson of Meroveg, the young prince Clovis (a Latinization of the German Chlodovech) assumed leadership of his people in 481 at 16 years of age. The firstborn of King Childeric and Queen Hasina, Clovis, although pagan, married Princess Clotilde of Burgundy, known for her beauty and fervent Catholic virtue. The first son bom of this union died

shortly after being baptized. This provoked

God, Thou who dost desire to aid

victory if only they believe in Thee, 1 devoutly beg Thy glorious aid. If Thou dost deign to grant me victory

over my enemies, and if I experience this power of which those who bear Thy name assert that Thou hast given many proofs, I will believe in Thee and have myself baptized in Thy Name. I have called on my own gods and have had no help from them,..."

the wrath of Clovis, who admonished his

The sainted historian continues:

spouse, "My gods would have cured him; yours did not save him!" The second son

"And at this very moment, the Alamanni turned and took flight.

also suffered from a grave infirmity, but God heeded Clotilde's ardent prayers for the child's recovery. The Hour of Providence

Seeing that their king was slain, they surrendered to Clovis, saying 'Have mercy, we are yours.' Thus the war ended. Returning in peace to the palace, Clovis related to the queen how he had gained the victory by invoking the name of Christ"

Saint Remlglus baptizes Clov

The Baptism of the King of the Franks

For more than five years the pious Clotilde unsuccessfully sought to bring her

(Saint Gregory of Tours, in Henri DanielRops, The Church in the Dark Ages , p.

fulfilled his promise and asked to be bap

husband into the bosom of the Church. The

414).

tized. Providence had at last attended

hard heart of the Frankish king would not

be moved by the example of his spouse, nor

This episode, so reminiscent of Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge

Clotilde's supplications. On Christmas of 496, on that august day

With the Alamanni conquered, Clovis

would it submit to the arguments of the mis

two hundred years before, marks one of the

on which the Church commemorates the

sionaries. But, as with Saint Monica, who

greatest dates in the history of Christianity.

with a torrent of tears obtained the conver

Along with the vision of Constantine and

birth of the Messias, Christianity witnessed the birth, by the waters of Baptism, of the

sion of Saint Augustine, the prayers of Clotilde did not go unheard in Heaven.

the coronation of Charlemagne, it is one of

The hour of Providence tolled for Clovis

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

the three events that directed the political

first Louis of the French dynasties, the new Constantine upon whom rested, from that

destiny of the Christian West.

moment on, the hopes of the Church in rela-

Prophets, Martyrs, Saints, and Heroes tion to the nations of Europe. The voca tion of Catholic France, the "work of

God through the Franks" that would bring so many benefits to Christian civ ilization, began in that solemn moment in which Clovis approached the bap

to life. The king's followers enter behind

handsome

Prankish officers, wearing green, fur-

The magnificence of that religious ceremony is described for posterity by Saint Gregory of Tours and innumerable

trimmed cloaks, tunics of crimson silk,

high fawn boots next to their fair skin;

"There is the young king, making his way through the gaily decked streets of

the Germanic soldiery, their long hair hanging over the shaven napes of their necks, brandishing in their right hands the Prankish battle-axe; and the Franks'

the town, amid the cheers of an entire

Gallic allies, in breastplate and helmet,

people. He is thirty years old and has

many candles that, although it is a grey

like the legionaries of old. Clovis is the first to disrobe; he goes down into the baptismal trough where he is to be cleansed of the long-standing leprosy of his sins. 'Bow your head, Sicambrian,'

wintry day, the spectator imagines him self in the full brightness of an August sun. 'Is paradise here already?' the Barbarians exclaim. Waiting in the choir

cries the bishop. 'Worship what you have burned, and bum the things which once you worshiped!' Behind him, in groups of three hundred, three thousand

there is quite a gathering of ecclesias

of his followers receive the sacrament of

just been victorious in battle. The church is decorated with white hangings

and is fragrant with incense; there are so

Rheims cathedral, the traditional coronation

their leader: the

tismal font.

other testimonies of the time:

church of French Kings

tics, clad in dalmatics of white, richly embroidered with gold, surrounding St. Remigius, the living saint, the man who is said to have brought a dead man back

Regine Pernoudâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Baptism ofOovis-I^^^HM Crusade: As a historian, how do

enormous significance for the destiny of

ed, "I am content knowing that he is in

you view the baptism of Clovis?

Christian Europe. Now, when speaking of the baptism of Clovis, I would like very much that some

strength!

Regine Pernoud: Evidently, it stands as a very important event, not only for the his

tory of France, but for the history of Europe. The Church acquired liberty, enabling it to

thing be said about Clotilde. To whom do we owe Clovis's baptism if not Clotilde?

When one studies the history of Antiquity,

celestial beatitude." What admirable interior

Their second son was also baptized, and fifteen days later he fell sick. It was a new and crucial trial. In the end, however, the child recovered. We must consider what

put an end to the difficulties some heresies

of Crete, Greece, Rome, and so forth,

Clotilde's faith must have been, in order to

had occasioned. The temporal power

women do not exist. When one studies the

overcome these trials prior to the baptism of

became amicable to the Church, Clovis

Clovis.

is necessary to emphasize that after his con

history of Christianity, one is obliged to begin with the women: Clotilde, Radegunda, Queen Blanche of Castille, and

being considered a new Constantino. And it

version, so many heresies were spread that,

others. The Middle Ages was populated

save for an intervention of Providence, we

with women who had administrative duties,

would perhaps not be Catholic today. The conversion of Clovis and the liberty granted to the Church are an undoubted sign of that

and the first of these was Clotilde. On the

intervention, enabling the Church to more

readily enter into combat against those heresies.

Crusade: Perhaps it was because of these sufferings that Saint Clotilde

obtained the grace.s necessary her husband's conversion. Hou

anniversary of Clovis's baptism, let us

you view the criticisms that many are making about the commemo

speak of Clotilde's role, for it is to her faith that we owe his baptism.

ration of the baptism of Clovis?

She managed to have her first son bap tized, but he died fifteen days later. One can

Regine Pernoud: There are people who

don't want to hear about the baptism of

The Visigoths, the Goths, and the

well imagine the faith this woman must

Clovis, under the pretext that it is national

Vandals, although Christian, were Arians.

have had to overcome such a trial. Clovis

ism. I consider this pure and simple non

Arianism in Europe was as consequential as

was pagan, and we cannot forget that he worshiped Wodan, the god of Germania.

sense. We are not speaking of nationalism,

Protestantism and persisted for a long time, four centuries. The Arians denied the

Well then, that the first effect of a Christian

but of the conversion of all of Europe. An article in Le Monde last February sought to

Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is

of special importance. Evidently, the fact

baptism was the child's death in fifteen days could have entirely obstructed his path to

endowed with high symbolism for us all. I

that Clovisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who really wanted to con

conversion. Even for Clotilde herself! What

can affirm one thing with certainty: The

vertâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;chose the true Catholic Faith had

is extraordinary is that this woman respond

writer of that did not study in the School of

pervert this commemoration, which is

CRUSADE

Prophets, Martyrs, Saints, and Heroes

baptism likewise. And many years

with him his worthy

later men were to relate how, at the

people.

moment

when

that

on,

the

The military victories of the Catholic

Firstborn Daughter of

king had favorable repercussions among the pagans and even among the Arians them

moment

St. Remigius

wished to proceed to the ritual unction of the Chrism, a

the Church became the

defender of the Papacy

dove was seen, descend

and the guardian of civi

ing from the highest heavens, holding in its beak the phial filled with holy

oil"(Daniel-Rops, pp. 239-240).

the intent to assume leadership of Europe by the strength of their lances.

From

selves. Living for war, these barbarians showed themselves sensitive to the argu

lization and progress. In a

ment of arms. The successive victories of

word, regenerated by the

the Catholics made it clear to those warlike

waters of Baptism, France assumed the magistracy of

and superstitious men that they had no rea son to refuse Christian baptism, seeing that

the Christian West.

the God of Clovis showed Himself more

After his conversion,

proficient on the field of battle than the

The Firstborn

Clovis gained a number of

Daughter of the

notable victories over the

Beginning with the Franks, Catholicism

Church

Arian barbarians. The most

ceased to be the religion of the conquered, of those who inhabited territories held by invaders, and became the religion of the conquerors, of those who carried before

celebrated was the battle

With the baptism of Clovis there arose a great

of Vouille, joined against the Visigoths of Alaric II,

nation, another tribe of Juda.

in 507. This Arian king,

Converted by the miraculous action of Providence, the

Prankish king entered the life of sanctifying grace, bringing

who was killed during the

battle, had attempted to establish a kind of league Saint Remigius

of heretical sovereigns with

Germanic gods.

them the sign of victory. The victorious march of the Firstborn Daughter of the Church shattered the complex of inferiority and impotence that had dominated certain Catholic populations. â&#x2013;

Interview

French historian Regine Pernoud enjoys world ren ments are studied]. What seems most

ions entered, they heard the monks singing this passage of a psalm, "You

important in history to him are ideologies in

will be victorious..." They returned to

Chartres [a university where ancient docu

their various nuances. It is an article desti

Clovis, saying,"All is well, you can go

tute of any coherence, without foundation,

to war." They told him what they had

just abstract and ideological speculations.

heard, and this encouraged him.

Therefore, we must prepare ourselves to hear a certain number of stupidities,

learnedly profes.sed, in Le Monde and else where.

Crusade: Could you tell us some other event relative to the baptism

By the way, I mentioned the tomb of Saint Martin. 1 was asked to write a book on

him. I never imagined that Saint Martin was such a captivating personality. The work is finished and will soon be delivered to the

readers to take an interest In histo

detractors, the conversion of Clovis was more a political maneu

to some

ver than an action of grace. having made an alliance with them which did not turn out well. Clovis was victorious

at the battle of Tolbiac in 493, and the

chronicler of the time affirms, "The Goths were beaten, as always." It is said that Clovis went to the tomb of

Saint Martin of Tours before engaging in

that battle. He asked his companions to

Her studies have earned her numer ous

awards

and

have served to dispel the black legend that has long disparaged the Middle Ages as well as the Church in those cen turies of faith. She founded the Center

for Studies of Saint Joan of Arc, in

number of French museums. Many of

Crusade: According

Regine Pernoud: There are several. Clovis went to war against the Goths, after

and speaker on Medieval history.

Orleans, and serves as a director for a

editor.

of Clovis, one that would move our ry, especially in view of this event?

own as an author

Regine Pernoud: I don't believe we are dealing with a great political maneuver, for

the greater part of the country had turned to the Arian heresy. If there was any political calculation, it was certainly not of high diplomacy. Crusade: What advice do you, as a historian, have for today^s youth?

her more than thirty published bi available in English, including hi

e le

of CastUle, The Retrial of Joan of Arc, and The Glory of the Medieval World.

basic love of one spouse for another, in view of spiritual progress. And that this spiritual progress may stir them to raise

their sights to a sublime ideal, for the good of the family, society, and the nation.

Clotilde, through the conversion of her hus

band, gave birth to the First-bom Daughter of the Church. Through a sense of dedica tion and an elevated ideal, we may once

enter the basilica raised over the tomb,

Regine Pernoud: That they live in a

while he himself, because he was not yet

manner similar to that of Clovis and

more restore to our countries their Christian

Christian, did not enter. When his compan

Clotilde, who knew how to go beyond the

characteristics.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

â&#x2013;

Cover Article

Johnny, ThE and the New

Religious Consciousness The dead soldier later comes back a

zombie. A Voodoo priest at the camp is suspected. Others die and then mysterious ly come back to life. Scully points out that tetrodotoxin, a powerful toxin produced by Japanese

puffer fish, can be used to produce a death like coma that might explain the zombies. Mulder and Scully are helped a bit by a

He used to go out with friends on Friday night, but they have been preempted by the The X-Files. Johnny is fifteen, and The X-Files is his favorite TV show. He watches all the

reruns, reads X-File novels, and is taking an interest in the paranormal. In tonight's episode, FBI agents Fox

Dangling perplexity

The dangling perplexity left by the question of the supernatural' appeals to a problem deeply ingrained in Johnny's psy chology. Throughout the series. Fox Mulder, played by David Duchovny, is the believer who wants to have a more direct

experience of the paranormal. A UFO

young boy they meet at the camp, but he

poster in his office proclaims, "I want to

has an uncanny ability to evade them when they want to question him. He sells Scully a good luck charm that later comes in use

believe."

ful.

is to debunk Mulder's nutty ideas. Si doctor and a rationalist. Throughout uic series her skepticism confronts Mulder's belief and the "reality" of the paranormal.

While investigating the cemetery where the zombies come from, Dana is

bothered by a cut she received on her hand

His partner, Dana Scully (Gillian

Anderson)is a skeptic. In part, her nii^^ion

from a Voodoo fetish found in the car. She

begins to hallucinate and sees a horrifying finger bursting from the cut. She struggles, then grabs for the good luck charm. A power is released into the air. She recov ers.

"The truth is out there." "The truth is out there" and "Trust no

one" are slogans well tailored to Johnny. The first episode was the only one to

Mulder and Dana Scully investigate deaths

Scully and Mulder confront the bad

include a notice that it was based on a real

at a Haitian refugee camp. A soldier had

guys and escape unhanned. The mystery

case, but many of the episodes take off on

been acting psychoiically, then turns up dead in an unexplained car accident.

of the zombies seems to be a clear case of

issues recently covered in the media. Other X-File episodes deal with UFO

Strange markings in the form of a cross

drug-induced coma and psychosis... or is it? The young boy who had helped them

show up near the site of his death.

turns out to have been long dead.

phenomena, reincarnation, multiple-per sonality di.sorders, government cover-up

CRUSADE

Cover Article

Fileg, by Thomas Becket

of infectious disease, psycho-kinetics, and

The appeal of programs like The X-Files

just straight-out monster-murder mystery. The show has topped the list for the

is a symptom of the era in which he lives.

macabre, and its make-up and special

Reaction to rationalism

That a Roper Organization survey shows three percent of Americans believing they

esteemed as the ultimate source of truth.

For two centuries, science has been

effects stretch Fox television's own limits of

have been abducted by aliens, or that other

The scientist, even when religious, went to

tolerance.

surveys put the number who believe in rein

The attraction for the paranormal, the desire for an experience that transcends life's everyday humdrum, surrounds Johnny

carnation at twenty-five percent, indicates a

extremes to separate his privately held beliefs from his "objective" perception of

rising tide of fringe beliefs wa.shing into the

reality.

not only in his entertainment but every where in what might be called post-raiio-

Most people have an intuitive idea of what New Age religion is. But it is difficult

those who adopted it. First, it states that

nalist society. Street-corner psychics have proliferated in recent years; 900 numbers offering the guidance of professional psy chics abound and are big business. â&#x20AC;˘Commercial advertising campaigns increas ingly use UFO and paranormal themes. The X-Files has something special about it. Johnny's other favorites, like Star Trek.

for them to give a precise reason why some

everything real can be measured. This

are stories about the conquest of the

paranormal. This comes at a time when

unknown, basically extensions of the fron

mainstream.

particular New Age thing is evil. They don't know exactly what New Age is and where it is heading. A reading of the literature reveals sever al main tendencies, starting with an attack

on reason and science and ending with the

This view of the universe has two prin ciples that influenced 'all the thinking of

means that if a statement is true it can be

observed under laboratory conditions in an experiment and. given the same conditions, can be repeated. The second principle

states that everything that exists has a mate

technology seems to be reaching its limits.

rial cause. This means that the higher things in the universe, like life and con sciousness, can be explained by lower things like chemical reactions and physical

tier spirit. Men and technology push back

Many are fed up with change that leads

effects. The

the limits of mystery or overcome the for

nowhere and often causes more problems

bidding voids of space. In The X-Files,

than it solves.

Church are only apparently supernatural. One day, chemistry and physic^ will

most fantastic imaginable forays into the

something different but very significant happens. An uneasy relationship is estab lished with the extraordinary. "The truth is

out there," but it might just be more that

explain everything, even the humai

The desire for an

experience that

ter, but the marketplace is full of p.seudoreligions claiming fantastic powers and offering sensations far beyond anything the Church has.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

everything had no limit. Technology produced marvels that sur passed the imagination. Man on the moon, supersonic flight, medical miracles, and the

computer gave the impression that Utopia

New Age background

tries to give him a healthy religious charac

The belief that science held the ans\\L. to

you expected.

New Age religion, spiritualism, and eso teric teachings form the philosophical sub strata of Johnny's psychology. His mother

miracles of the Catholic

transcends life's

everyday humdrum

surrounds Johnny

lay just around the comer.

At the moment that Utopia began to look attainable, something curious happened. Problems with the rationalistic scientific

approach surfaced. Pollution, environmen tal destruction, and modem diseases (often

called "diseases of affluence") caused by overeating, overwork, and stress began to take their toll.

Cover Article

This exasperation with rationalism

the Church's loss of cultural preeminence

Experience [and] Teilhard de Chardin's

comes at a time when most people feel and

were positive developments. But the time

Phenomenon ofManP*

believe profound changes in society are underway. The end of communism, the end

has now come to tear down scientific

thought and what remains of traditional

The term "Perennial Philosophy" was coined by writer Aldous Huxley. He held

of the millennium, the beginning of a post-

Church teachings.

industrial society, all set the stage for this

What will take their place? The answer

conviction.

stands out in New Age literature today.

This kind of thinking leads to the idea that the foundations of society and culture

Perennial wisdom

that every religion has an exoteric doctrine, which is known to the public. At the same time each has its esoteric doctrines, secret

teachings based on the mystical experiences of its members.

are shaking to their depths. Out of the upheaval will emerge a new man in a new

The term used to identify the proposed

These experiences, he says, happen when the "mind is subjected to certain

age and a new society with a new religion.

system is often referred to as "Perennial

The belief that humanity is on the verge of

Philosophy" or "Perennial Wisdom." This

ment, of which it [the mind] is at least in

a major social and psychological change

brings together a collection of esoteric

part composed, becomes manifest, not only

runs throughout the literature that could be classed as Futurist- or New Age. This is the

teachings ranging from Tibetan Buddhism

to the mind itself, but also, by its reflection

to Western Occultism.

first and fundamental notion of the New

Age movement. The abandonment of ratio

As New Age philosopher Mark B. Woodhouse puts it:

in external behavior, to other minds."^ The drastic treatments Huxley refers to are "yoga, meditative disciplines, ascetic

nal thought based on the scientific method typifies this.

"Dating back as far as 3000 B.C., the Perennial Philosophy was first distilled in

vision quests, and shamanic rituals."^

the East from the contemplative experiences

Pantheism

of Indian forest-dwellers (the original yogis)...

Paradigm shift

rather drastic treatments, the divine ele

The collection of beliefs about "God"

that stand out as common to the New Age

of the most common terms its advocates use

"In Western mystical and philosophical literature, Perennial Wisdom is fueled by a

is "paradigm-^ shift," referring to a profound

broad spectrum of outlooks. Among them

somehow

change in mentality coming about through the cultural revolution in the West. The par

are Plato's classic Republic, kabalistic thought in the Zohar, Plotinus's Enneads,

Everything makes up God, or at least some

adigm shift concept appears in the major

Meister Eckhart's Sermons, and the Sufi

particle of God is present in all creatures. This notion, called pantheism, is the oppo

works on the New Age, such as Marilyn Ferguson's Aquarian Conspiracy and Fritjof Capra's Turning Point. They focus on the increasing difficulty in incorporating man's religious dimension, his consciousness, and his mystical experi

mystic Rumi's Mathnawi. Spinoza in Ethics and Hegel in his Phenomenology of Mind

site of the Christian understanding of God, in which He is entirely above His creation

indirectly lend their insight and dialectical

and distinct from it. Creation, in turn, is

skills to the cause. The tradition is carried

entirely dependent on Him. Pantheism has

This view goes by various names. One

verse. In the field of

thought they stress the

replacement of reason by intuition.

But some new artifice

has to fill the gap left when

classical

reason

and science are aban doned. Various forms of

immanent

His

creation.

forth into the twentieth century by William

been called the most radical form of athe

James's

ism. Unfortunately, many do not see the dif ference between thinking everything, our selves included, is God and recognizing

The

Varieties

of Religious

ences into a materialistic

conception of the uni

mentality lead to the belief that God is

Out Of the upheaval will

God as transcendent and Lord of Creation.

New Age literature constantly mentions

emerge a new man in a new

age and a new society with a new religion

"God," "the Divine Source," the "Great

Chain of Being," and so on, thus capitaliz ing on the general lack of religious educa tion so common today.

The variety of doctrines and practic"< nf the New Age movement seem to divt continuously. New Age philosophers ii?<i

oriental mysticism, spiri

Mahayana

tualism, witchcraft, and

Theosophy, Taoism, Systems Theory, New

esoteric teachings seem to do the trick. Perhaps more importantly, a very

Biology, Transpersonal Psychology. Chaos Theory. Kabbalism. Zen, Holism, New Physics. Ecofeminism, and sustainable cul ture as elements in the new paradigm litera

rational attack on ratio

Buddhism,

Gnosticism.

nalism creates a new con

ture.' Pantheism weaves itself though all of

sciousness in which any

them.

belief is valid.

This pantheistic doctrine comes out even when dealing with health. In his book Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford

According

the

"new paradigm" think ing, the destruction of

makes a curious statement. He says that at

classical thinking by the

the Last Supper Our Lord "identified his

scientific revolution and

food as his body and blood." Pitchford

CRUSADE

Cover Article

explains that "On the most profound level, this act,

repeated countless times over

l^ew Age

thousands of years, implies that the essence of food and

all things is Christ-conscious ness."ÂŽ

In the same book appear admonishments to avoid eat

ing foods from plantations in Latin

America

where

Protect your children

the

profits supposedly stay in the hands of a few rich land own

from Its influence

ers.^ At this level the litera ture drifts into .standard left ism.

App

But there is yet another important ele ment.

Reincarnation

The belief in reincarnation, a third

plank in the New Age pantheon, constitutes one of the more fundamental doctrines.

Belief that the mind or soul is essentially divine leads to the conclusion that it has

always existed and will always exist. A common New Age teaching about souls is that they came from the "divine source"

and must go through various incarnations to grow spiritually and eventually return to

NEW AGE

the "source."

The terms soul, spirit, and angel are

often used interchangeably. In New Age lit erature, reincarnation is even linked in

many instances to the existence of extra ter restrial life. Extraterrestrials

Religious cult of UFOs ranks highly as a feature of new paradigm thinking. Its sig nificance does not leap out at the casual

Television

observer unless he bothers to take a deeper look. Most people dismiss UFO hysteria as nothing more than supermarket tabloid sen sationalism. This approach makes it hard to understand the real significance of much of the literature on UFOs. Some UFO advocates stick to the clas sical life-on-Mars and alien-abduction

scenario. But the tendency today is to incorporate extraterrestrial experiences

into a religious system. This system neatly combines reincarnation, the search for a

"higher state of conscience," and the evo

lutionary conception of man and the uni verse. As Woodhouse puts it, "The ulti mate significance of extraterrestrial con

tact is spiritual."'"

September-October. 1996

Books

Cover Article

watertight evidence, but Strieber has quite a following.

He gives an interpretation of

hope that their appearance will finally

the significance of his knocking experience, however: "...in cer

undermine forever the authority of the Church.

tain Masonic initiations the pat tern of three knocks is important.

looked at an amazingly consistent picture

The rhythm also appears in

emerges from the confusion. The end of sci

Mozart's Masonic opera. The

entific reasoning, leading to the uncritical

acceptance of any subjective experience,

a move from a lower level to a

the adoption of a synthesis of Eastern reli

higher.""

gions and Western pagan traditions— including various forms of witchcraft, spir itualism, channeling, reincarnationalist

Buddhist tradition it refers to

progress in past, present, and

beliefs, and an ardent desire to contact

future time.'- The books on the

extraterrestrial beings—adds up to the adoption of the most crass polytheistic

subject tend to take the reader through a kind of initiation

process that introduces him step

on rationalism One of the most popular series of books on the subject is Whitley Strieber's, which

began with the best-selling Communion in 1985 and has continued more recently with

Transformalion and Breakthrough. He writes about clearly spiritual alien entities. They seem to wander in and out of his life, terrifying him, appearing at night and tak ing him on nightmarish voyages that (for him) waver between dream and reality.

His proof of these experiences is that he

When the movement as a whole is

Magic Flute. It's the indication of

He also notes that in Tibetan

New age litercture-a very rational attack

Whatever the interpretation given to the sightings of UFOs, New Age advocates

paganism. This comes packaged from the most sophisticated propaganda machine the

by step into the real nature of

modem market can produce. When dis

extraterrestrials. Indeed Strieber's

cussing the advent of a more explicit con

"visitors" only reveal them.selvcs to him little by little, never going

tact with extraterrestrials, Woodhouse

further than he is ready or willing

points to the fact that Hollywood has done a good job of creating an extraterrestrial-con

to go.

tact mentality.

Unconventional aliens

Overuse in recent years has given the New Age label something of a stigma. This

Unconventional aliens appear to him

has provoked a search for alternative ways of identifying the movement and produced

when he meditates at night. They disappear

such terms as "new paradigm literature"

into thin air, walk through walls, and com municate foreboding emotions to him. They

and "new religious consciousness." But despite a sense of ambivalence, the rising

seem more interested in some kind of spiri tual discipleship than might be expected of

specter of New Age neo-paganism will not

conventional aliens.

go away. It brought beliefs that were way out on the fringe into the mainstream. It has

The theme of personal and social trans formation through extraterrestrial contact

consolidated its erstwhile fickle following,

appears time and again in the "new para

widely accepted. This new religion brings back to

and its proposals are increasingly more

heard three .sets of three knocks at his house

digm" literature. Some writers suggest the

and that other people have also heard

"collective unconscious" manifests it.self

memory the wise words of Psalm 95:5;

knocking sessions at their houses. This is

through them because man is on the verge

not what would usually be considered

of great change.

"Omne.'i dii gentium daemonia'"—"All of the gods of the gentiles are devils." ■

Notes 1. The word supernatural is used through out this article with its current popular meaning, which includes the preternatural, and refers to

5. Aldous Huxley, The Perennial Philosophy, cited in Willis Herman, Global

tional and restrict themselves to belter docu

Mind Change: The Promise of the Last Years of

mented studies of modem society that make lin ear projections of the future. They are best rep

the Twentieth Ceniuiy (Indianapolis: Indiana, 1988), pp. 83-84.

resented by such writers as Alvin and Hiedi

6. Ibid., p. 84.

any phenomena that cannot be explained with

Tofflcr {Future Shock, The Third Wave and

reference to the visible world. This is a wider

Power Shift) and John Naisbitt {Megatrend.%, Reinventing the Corporation and Global Parado.v). New Age writers often quote futurists

7. Woodhouse, Paradigm Wars, p.72. 8. Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole

definition then is usually applied by Catholic

theologians, who class as supernatural only what pertains to God or Hi.s Grace, or results from His direct action. The wider definition has

but go much further. They are more interested in personal transformation and less concerned

its disadvantages because it easily leads to con

about objectivity.

fusion about the meanings of Nature and Grace,

3. From the Greek paradeignia, pattern.

but its current usage makes the use of other pos sible terms like preternatural awkward.

4. Mark B. Woodhouse, Paradigm Wars: Worldviewsfor a New Age (Berkeley, CA: Frog,

2. There is a distinction between Futurist

and New Age writing, but they do overlap con siderably. The futurists tend to be more conven

Foods:

Oriental

Traditions

and

Modern

Nutrition (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic books,

1993), p.l3. 9. Ibid., p.I69.

10. Woodhouse, Paradigm Wars, p. 523.

11. Whitley Slrieber, Breakthivugh: The Nest Step (NY: Harper Paperbacks, 1995), p. 33 12. Ibid, p. 34.

Ltd., 1996), p. 96.

CRUSADE

Religion

The Angelic Virtue By purity the body becomes spiritual, so to speak it lets the soul shine through the gaze.

Chastity practiced in its perfection*' â&#x20AC;˘

V'*''

' 4^

y purity the body becomes spiritual, so to speak; rfi from time to time it lets the soul shine

makes man live in mortal flesh

through the gaze especially, like the

a spiritual life which is

look of a saint in prayer. By this

like the prelude of eternal life.

virtue the body becomes sim

Since it frees man from matter,

ple: in proportion as the atti

it makes him in a manner

tude of a worldly woman

like the angels. It even has for its effect to make his

is complex, in the same

body increasingly like

proportion that of a vir

the soul, and the soul

gin is simple. As some

more and more like to

one has said: "There

God.

are two very simple

When

the

beings: the child, who

body

lives only for the soul, it

does not yet know evil;

and the saint, who has

tends in fact to resemble

forgotten it by dint of con-

it. The soul is a spiritual '

substance that can be seen

body grows beautiful, for all

immediately only by the spiri

tual gaze of God and the angels. It

quering it." By purity the

Saint Gem ma GalganI

is simple because it has no extended parts; it is beautiful, especially when it keeps a continually upright intention, beautiful with the

that is pure is beautiful; '

exam

ple, an unclouded sky, a diamond

through which light passes without any hin drance. Thus the bodies of the saints represented in

beauty of beautiful doctrines, of beautiful actions; it is calm, in the

the frescoes of Fra Angelico have a supernatural beauty which is

sense that it is above every corporeal movement; it is incorruptible

that of a soul given entirely to God. By purity the body becomes

or immortal because it is simple and immaterial, because it does not

calm and, in a certain way.even incorruptible; whereas vice withers,

depend intrinsically on a perishable body.

ravages, and kills the body prematurely, virginity preserves it.

â&#x2013;

Fr. Reginald Garrigou-L^range, O.R, The Three Ages ofthe Interior Life, (St. Louis; B. Herder Book Co., 1948). p.111.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

Plinio Correa d( On October 3, 1995, Prof. Plinio CorrEa de Oliveira, a

man of faith, thought, and action, the Founder of the Brazilian Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) and inspirer of the great family ofTFPs and kindred organizations in 26 countries, surrendered his admirable soul to God.

Nearing the first anniversary of his death, we pondered ways to suitably express our homage to this unique figure and to introduce him to those ofour readers who may not yet be acquainted with him. We decided that we had no more fitting way to accomplish this than to let him speak for himself, as it were, and thus we turned to his "Philosophical Self-Portrait," a succinct statement of the ideals underlying his apostolate.

Iam a convinced Thomist. The aspect of philosophy that most attracts me is the philosophy of history. In view of this I find the connection between the two kinds

of activity to which I have dedicated my life: study and action. I have exercised the latter in a very

Professor Plinio originally composed this essay in 1976 at the request of Fr. Stanislaus Ladusans, S.J., who wanted to include it in the Encyclopedia ofBrazilian Philosophical Thought that he intend ed to publish in several volumes. Not being able to include it in his first edition, Fr. Ladusans later requested an updated version, but Professor Plinio, absorbed by numerous other tasks, was unable to comply with this request before Fr. Ladusans died in 1993. When,in 1994, a compilation ofail the wridngs ofProf. Corr^ de Oliveira was undertaken, those working on this project asked him if he could provide this update. Happily, it was completed the same year. We are pleased to be able to publish a translation of a substantial part of this essay here.

tial elements of my thought, explains my ideological orientation. Religion and philosophy move history

cumstances in which they find themselves

and receiving in variable measure the influ ences of lhe.se same circumstances.

One of this book's presuppositions is

defined field, the diffusion of doctrine, car

that the course of history, contrary to the

ried out now in the manner of dialogue, now—and I say this readily, anachronistic

claims of so many philosophers and sociol ogists, is not traced exclusively or prepon

as the thing and the word may seem—with polemics.

derantly by the dictates of matter over men.

The book Revolution and Counter-

in human action, but the direction of hi.sto-

Revolution, in which I condense the essen

with free and rational souls. In other words,

it is they who direct the course of events, acting more or less profoundly over the cir

Without a doubt, these have their influence

ry belongs to men, endowed as they are

Now, human action normally takes place in accordance with man's view of the uni

verse, of himself, and of life. That amounts

to saying that religious and philosophical doctrines dominate history, that the most dynamic nucleus of the factors that trans form history is found in the successive atti

tudes of the human spirit in face of religion and philosophy. Christian civilization—entire consonance with Natural and Divine Law

From this 1 pass to another presupposi tion of Revolution and Counter-Revolution.

A Catholic view of history must above all take into account that both the Old Law and

the New. of themselves,contain not only the precepts by which man should model his soul in order to become like unto God, thus

preparing himself for the Beatific Vision, but also the fundamental norms of human

Plinio Correa de Oliveira—December 13,1908 - October 3,1995

conduct in conformity with the natural order of things. Thus, while man advances in the life of

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Oliveira

piinio Correa de Olivetra speaks In front of the Cathedral of Sao Paulo

after a solemn Mass cele brated for the victims of

Communism,1971.

-T*T •

"A Philosophical Self-Portrait grace by the practice of virtue, at the same time he elaborates a culture—a political, social, and economic order—in entire con

sonance with the basic and perennial princi ples of Natural Law. This is what is called Christian civilization.

Obviously, the good arrangement of

earthly things is not exclusively composed of these basic and perennial principles. It

also comprises much that is contingent, transitory, and free. Christian civilization embraces an incalculable variety of aspects and nuances. This is so true that, from a cer

tain point of view, one can speak not just of Christian civilization but of Christian civi

lizations. Nevertheless, given the identity of the fundamental principles inherent to all Christian civilizations, the great reality hov ering above them all is a powerful unity, which merits the name Christian civiliza

tion through antonomasia. Unity in variety and variety in unity are elements of perfec tion. Christian civilization remains one in

all the variety of its realizations, so it can be

said that, in the most profound sense, there is just one Christian civilization. But it varies so prodigiously in its unity that a legitimate freedom of expression permits the affirmation that there exist various

by means of grace. Even so, in order to safe guard man against his own malice and

Christian civilizations.

weakness, Jesus Christ endowed the Church

Given this clarification—analogously applicable to the concept of Catholic cul ture—I will employ the expressions Christ

with an infallible Magisterium that unerr ingly teaches man not only the religious but also the moral truths necessary for salva

ian civilization and Christian culture in

tion. Man's adhesion to the Magisterium of

their "major" sense, that of unity.

the Church is a fruit of Faith. Without Faith

Likewise, I do not contest that civiliza

tion may contain important traces of Christ ian tradition in countries where the popula

tion is preponderantly schismatic or hereti cal. Only with the Catholic Church, howev er, can Christian civilization blossom in its

plenitude, and only in Catholic peoples can it be perfectly maintained.

I dispense myself from refering those

man can neither enduringly nor entirely

assertions to texts of Saint Thomas or the

know or keep the Commandments. Thus,

**There was once a time when the

Magisterium of the Church, these being so

nations can attain perfect civilization, which

numerous and so well known by those who seriously .study the subjects that the work

is Christian civilization, only by corre

philosophy of the Gospels governed the States..."

would become, at one and the same time,

sponding to grace and Faith, which includes a firm recognition of the Catholic Church as

tedious and superfluous. This observation

the one true Church and of the Ecclesiastical

likewise applies to other considerations that

Magisterium as infallible.

Someone might ask when, historically, did this perfect Christian civilization exist'? Is this perfection attainable in this lilV

will follow.

History's most profound and central point thus consists in knowing, professing,

My respon.se will shock and irniaic many readers. Nevertheless, 1 affirm that

and practicing the Catholic Faith.

there was a time in which a large part of

Evidently, in saying this 1 do not deny that there have been elevated aspects in non-

On the basis of these presuppositions it is easy to define the role of the Church and Christian civilization in history. Nations attain perfect civilization only by corresponding to grace

Christian civilizations. However, all of

humanity knew the ideal of perfection and fervently and sincerely tended toward it. In con.sequence of that tendency of the souls,

these civilizations were disfigured by one or

the fundamental traits of civilization became

and to the Faith

another trait shockingly divergent from the

as Christian as the circumstances of a world

very elevation they displayed in other

slowly raising itself out of barbarism per

While man can with firm certainty and

aspects. It is enough to remember the great

mitted. 1 refer to the Middle Ages, of which,

without contamination of error know that

extent of slavery and the vile condition

which in divine things is not per se inacces sible to human reason, it is impossible for him, because of Original Sin, to durably fol

imposed upon women before the advent of

despite this or that defect, Leo XIII elo quently wrote:

tion displayed the eminent perfection inher

losophy of the Gospels governed the slates.

low the Law of God. This is possible only

ent to Christian civilization.

Then it was that the power and divine virtue

Our Lord Jesus Christ. Never has a civiliza

"There was once a time when the phi

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question is that of reestablishing it and

of Christian wisdom had permeated the

Roman conscience and best sons to the very

laws, institutions, and customs of the peo

universal mission [of the Papacy]..."

restoring it without delay on its natural and

ple; imbuing all ranks and relations of civil

(Allocution to the President of the Italian

divine foundations against the continually

society. Then, too, the religion instituted by Jesus Christ, firmly established in befitting

Republic, January II, 1964).

repeated attacks of the wicked Utopia of rev olution and impiety"(Apostolic letter Vo/rc

dignity, flourished everywhere thanks to the

charge apostolique, August 25, I9I0). Therefore, Christian civilization has

mined epoch, effectively achieved. Finally,

favor of princes and the legitimate protec tion of magistrates. Then the Priesthood and the Empire were

happily united in concord and friendly interchange of good offices. So organized, civil society bore fruits beyond all expectation, whose

Thus, Christian civilization is not Utopi an. It is something possible and, in a deter

ample, living vestiges even in our days.

"Civilization has not yet to be founded, nor has the new State to

remembrance is still, and always

will be, in renown, registered as it is

be built in the clouds. It existed

in innumerable documents that no artifice

of the

adversaries

can

destroy or obscure" (Encyclical Immortale Dei, November 1, 1885).

This manner of seeing the full ness of the Church's influence in the

and exists; it is Christian civiliza tion; it is the Catholic City"

Middle Ages is also found in the fol

Pope Saint Pius X

Crises arise from

disordered passions inflamed by the Powers of Darkness

Some may imagii

( all

the crises of culture ano ^

iliza-

tion are necessarily born of some thinker, from whose vigorous mind issues the clarifyingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or destructiveâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;spark that, first .spreads in the ambiences of high

lowing text of Paul VI, referring to

culture and afterwards reaches

the role of the Papacy in Medieval Italy:

the entire social body. Clearly, some crises are born in this way, but history

"Let us not forget the centuries during which the Papacy lived in [Italy's] history,

it is something that in a certain manner endured even after the Middle Ages, to such

a point that Pope St. Pius X could write:

does not attest that all were thus bom. In

particular, the crisis that precipitated the decline of the Middle Ages and gave rise to

defended its frontiers, guarded its cultural

"Civilization has not yet to be founded,

and spiritual patrimony, educated its off spring for civilization, elegance of manners,

nor has the new State to be built in the

Humanism, the

clouds. It existed and exists; it is Christian

Protestant pseudo-reformation did not orig

and moral and social virtue, and united its

civilization: it is the Catholic City. The only

inate this way.

SEPTEMBER-OaOBER, 1996

Renaissance, and

the

.•

a'.'

w-'nyr,

A Philosophical Self'Portrait The influence of the Church over every

to shamelessness, inviting man to trample

soul, every people, every culture, and every

every law underfoot and to reject every

civilization is continually threatened by the

restraint as unendurable. Its effects are

traditions lose their lifeblood, good customs are replaced by risque customs that degen erate to the point of being frankly cen

very fact that she asks of men an austerity of

added to those of pride in order to occasion

surable and eventually scandalous.

customs that decadent human nature finds

arduous. The disorderly passions, inflamed

in the human mind all kinds of sophisms capable of undermining the very heart of

Principal doctrinal elements of

by the preternatural action of the Powers of Darkness, continually incite men and

the principle of authority. The tendency that pride and sensuality

Revolution

nations toward evil. These tendencies

awaken aims at abolishing all inequality,

exploit the debility of the human intelli gence. Man easily invents sophisms to justi fy the evil actions he wants to practice or is

authority, and hierarchy.

already practicing, or the evil customs he

already has or is acquiring. As Paul Bourget wrote, "It is necessary to live as one thinks, under the pain of, sooner or later, thinking as one has lived" {Le Demon du Midi).

All this being said, I recapitulate here the principle doctiinal elements on which I

Faith leads to love of hierarchy;

based Revolution and Counter-Revolution:

corruption, to anarchical egalitarianism

a) the mission of the Church as the only master, guide, and fount of life of the peo ples advancing toward the perfect civiliza

Clearly, these disordered passions, even

Church

b) the continuous opposition of the dis

encounter in a

ordered passions, especially pride and sen

foment Christian

revolt

against

Morals

and

Faith. Pride leads man to

reject any superiority in another and generates in him an appetite for preeminence and command that easily

suality, to the influence of the Church;

spirit of a peo

c)the existence of two opposing poles in

ple—counterbal

the human spirit, towards one of which it necessarily heads: on one side, the Catholic

ances posed by convictions, tradi tions, and the like.

Two passions in partic ular, pride and sensuality,

tion;

when one gives in to them, can soul—or in the

The weight of pride and sensuality in the revolt against the

Revolution and Counter-

Faith, which instills love for order, austeri

tality of the people—

ty, and hierarchy; on the other, the disor dered passions, which provoke immodesty and revolts against law, hierarchy, and any form of inequality, and which finally lead to

becomes

doubt and entire denial of the Faith;

In that case, the soul—or the men divided

between two opposing

d) the notion of a process—the expres

poles: on one side, the

sion understood without prejudice to the

Faith, inviting it to aus terity, to humility, and to the love of all legiti

free will—by which individuals or peoples, feeling the attraction of the two opposing poles, gradually draw nearer one and away

mate hierarchies; and on

from the other.

the other side, corruption,

e) the influence of this moral process

leads to a parox

inviting it to complete

ysm. This parox ysm is the end

egalitarianism, "anarchi

dencies incline toward error, good tenden

cal" in the etymological

cies toward truth. The great modifications

towards which all disorders tend. At

sense of the word. As we

its apex, pride takes on various metaphysi cal hues: No longer content with shaking

will see a bit further on, cor

of the spirit of peoples are not the mere result of doctrines elaborated by small retreats of intellectuals serenely elucubrat-

off this or that specific superiority or hierar chical structure, the proud person desires the abolition of any and every superiority in whatever field it may exist. Therefore, he imagines that only omnifarious and com plete equality are endurable and, for that

ruption eventually leads to religious doubt and complete denial of the Faith. poles is not usually made from one moment

ing at the margins of society. For a doi trine to find resonance in a people it is u necessary that that people have an altimi)

to the next, but rather little by little. By

for the doctrine. And it is not rare that the

The option for one or the other of these

means of successive acts of love for truth

very lucubrations made by the learned in

and good, a person or a nation can progress gradually in virtue and even be completely

their studies is influenced more than one

very reason, the supreme maxim of justice. Pride thus ends up engendering its own

converted. This is what took place with the

morality, at the heart of which is a meta

Roman Empire under the influence of the

physical principle: The order of being

Christian communities, the prayers of the

requires equality, and all inequality is onto-

faithful in the catacombs and deserts, the

logically bad. For what I would call "inte gral pride," absolute equality is the supreme value to which everything must conform.

examples of virtue they gave in everyday

Sensuality is another disordered passion of decisive importance in the process of revolt against the Church. Of itself, it leads

over the development of doctrines. Bad ten

heroism they displayed in the arena, and the life. It is a process of ascension. The process can also be one of deca

dence. With the impact of the disordered passions, good convictions are shaken, good

thinks by these appetites for the ambience in which they themselves live. Some fundamental deflnitions

Having all this in sight, it is easy to define the fundamental concepts of Order, Revolution, and Counter-Revolution:

1) Order: not only the methodical and practical disposition of material things but, corresponding to the Thomist concept, the

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upright disposition of things according to

gent creatures; of the Law pro

their proximate and remote physical, meta

mulgated by God, which it is

physical, natural, and supernatural end; 2) Revolution: not essentially a riot in the streets, a volley of gunfire, or a civil war, but every effort that aims to dispose beings against Order;

necessary to obey; of Revelation, which imparts truths beyond the human

3) Counter-Revoiution: every effort that aims to circumscribe and eliminate the Revolution.

mind's natural capacity of knowing; of the infallible

Magisterium

the

cal and aristocratic struc ture

Revolutions A and B

Church; of the monarchi of

the

Church.

Everything, after all, even

the notion of a judgment As one can see. Order, just as the

that will reward the good

Revolution and the Counter-Revoiution,can

and chastise the evil, irri

exist in a) tendencies; b) ideas; c) laws, structures, institutions, and customs.

tates the egalitarian and tempts him to defiance.

Thus, we call the Revolution "lendential" while it exists in the tendencies, and

Catholic learns from Saint

"sophistic" when it develops itself in the terrain of doctrines, under the influence of the tendencies. These two modalities of the Revolution

On the other hand, the

Thomas (Summo Theoligica, I, q. 47, a.2) that

inequality is a prerequisite for the perfection of created

order. And in consequence, the inequalities of power, sci

constitute an eminently spiritual phenome non; that is, they have the human soul and the mentality of societies as their field of

ence, social class, and fortune

operation. They form a whole that we call

are intrinsically legitimate and

"Revolution A."

indispensable to good order, so

When the Revolution passes from the interior of.souls to acts, producing historical

long as they are not accentuated to the point of denying the dignity and the

convulsions, disordering laws, structures, institutions, and so forth, it constitutes what

sufficiency and stability of life that is each one's right by virtue of his being a

we call "Revolution B."

man, by his work, and so forth.

Evidently, these notions, here presented with utmost brevity, demand a series of

The First Revolution:

qualification and adaptations that I expound

Humanism, Renaissance,

virtual elimination of ecclesiastical hierar

in Revolution and Counter-Revolution and

Protestantism

chy. Of course, an ecclesiastical status

that are impossible to explain here. I limit myself to clarifying that in delin

exists in almost all the Protestant sects, but

This said, we encounter the profound

the clear and profound difference between

eating what is most essential in history in these matters, I do not claim that history is reduced to this. The most elementary obser

sense of the sophistic Revolution developed

the clergy and the laity that exists in the

in plan "A" and that of Revolution B, which

Catholic Church

took place in fifteenth-century Europe in

them in accordance with their undcxtnnd-

was debilitated within

vation indicates that innumerable factors,

consequence of the preceding tendential

ing of the priesthood. Furthermore, i

including ethnic, geographic, and economic

Revolution A.

archical structure of the ecclesiastical >iaie

ones, powerfully condition the course of history.

The decline of the Middle Ages was marked by an explosion of pride and sensu ality. That explosion generated egalitarian and liberal tendencies that did nothing but progress in the subsequent centuries,

as it exists in the Church was also pro foundly mutilated in the Protestant sects by

The egalitarian will have ardent objections against the Faith There remains a word to be said about

the nexus between absolute and metaphysi cal egalitarianism and the Faith. One who is radically egalitarian will necessarily have innumerable objections against Catholic doctrine. He will object to the concepts of a personal, perfect, and eternal God, hovering infinitely above His imperfect and contin

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

their denial of the monarchical element, the

Papacy. If among Anglicans the egalitarian tendency did not abolish the episcopal dig

Because of this, in Humanism and the

nity, already among the Presbyterians there

Renaissance we find hostility towards the supernatural, the Magisterium of the

are no dignitaries entitled "bishops," but only "presbyters." In other sects the flurry of egalitarianism came to the point of abol ishing even the class of "priest."

Church, and customs. In Protestantism we

find free examination; minimalism in the

face of the supernatural; the acceptance of divorce; the abolition of the religious state and the submission expressed in the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; and the

In emphasizing the liberal and egalitari an factor in Humanism, the Renaissance,

and Protestantism, I clearly do not claim to deny that other causes may have contributed

A Philosophical Self-Portrait to the generation and expansion of these movements. I say only that in origin, psy

ry, Protestantism, already aged and tired,

Protestantism,

showed itself lacking force of expansion,

Renaissance were nothing save aspects that the spirit of anarchy and egalitarianism assumed in its long historical trajectory.

Humanism,

and

the

chology, doctrines, and in what we would

undermined from within by growing doubt

call today the successful propagation and

and skepticism, yet maintaining a vestige of

realization of these movements, tendential

life thanks principally to the State, while in

Revolution A, in a radically anarchical and

France the liberal and egalitarian tendencies

egalitarian sense, played the role of the

attained an apex. Humanism and the

These aspects died in part because the spir it that occasioned them, destructive par excellence, had destroyed them in their very

Renaissance had been dead for some time,

center. The French Revolution was nothing

main force. 1 also do not mean to affirm that this

main force acted only in those countries that separated them.se!ves from the Church. The Renaissance and Humanism blew with

all intensity even in the Catholic world. And even though ten dential Revolution A did not

and

everything

dynamic and fundamental in these three movements—the spirit that occasioned them—survived them and was stronger than ever. This spirit would neces sarily precipitate France, and after

wards Europe in its entirety, into a liberal and egalitarian cataclysm.

still awakened within them forms

exhausted

Protestantism. But that which was most

manage to cause their formal rupture with the Church, it larval

was

The

Europe, carried in the rucksacks of Napoleon's troops. The wars and revolu tions marking the period from 1814 to

Protestantism, principally

the politics of the ab.solutist monarchs, in everything that did not pertain to their own authority, was marked by a certain egalitar

ian spirit. The progressive reduction of the privileges of the clergy and the nobility by

Through well-known historical vicissi tudes, the French Revolution, although the Empire, spread throughout all of

Jansenism. This produced a progressive religious cooling, which culminated in skepticism.

radical than in Catholic France, shows that

The French Revolution spread through Europe in the rucksacks of Napoleon's troops

apparently ending with the establishment of

French

An attentive study of royal absolutism, which in no Protestant country was more

more than a new and even more energetic

aspect of this same spirit.

1918—that is, from the fall of

Napoleon to the fall of the Habsburgs, Romanovs, and

Luther, Danton,

Hohenzollerns—were

Lenin

Key figures

that transformed all

In the Three Revolutions

Europe according to the

spirit

French

the absolutist monarchs moved toward a

Revolution was marked in such a way by

power of the State. The continual favor of the kings for the most active and developed part of the plebeian class, the bourgeoisie,

the spirit of Protestantism that the consti

save

tutional church it organized was nothing

this

save a poorly veiled instrument for the implantation of actual Protestantism in

dozen

France. The egalitarian, anti-monarchi cal, and anti-aristocratic orientation of the

Encyclopedlsm, Absolutism, the

French Revolution is the projection in the civic sphere of the egalitarian tendency that

French Revolution

led Protestantism to reject the aristocratic

The Second Revolution:

and monarchical elements of the ecclesias

The corruption of customs, growing

tical hierarchy. The communist ferment that

since the end of the Middle Ages, attained

worked the extreme left of the Revolution

in the eighteenth century a degree that frightened even some of the leaders of this school of thought. French society, swollen with the factors that had produced Protestantism in the Nordic countries, prepared itself through Encyciopedism and Absolutism for a pro found convulsion that would be nothing other than the projection into the religious,

and eventually made itself explicit in such

philosophical, political, social, and eco nomic sphere of the essence of Protes tantism.

Thus, at the end of the eighteenth centu

the

Revolution.

The Second World

political leveling of all citizens under the

contributed even more towards political equality.

ensemble of convulsions

War did nothing accentuate

transforma

tion. Only a halfof

the

ancient European monarchies remain today—all of them too timid to as.sert themselves and so docile in

permitting themselves to be increasingly formed by the republican spirit as to "'ve the impression that at any moment the going to ask pardon for still existing. In making these observations by no means do I affirm that there were no royal

movements as that of Babeuf, was nothing

abuses needing correction in the structures

save the secular analogy of the communist

destroyed. Nor do I wish to say that adop tion of an elective and popular form of gov

movements,

the

Moravian

Brotherhood, that produced what could be

ernment can result only from the egalitarian

called the Protestant extreme left. The

and liberal spirit we have been analyzing. This would be neither doctrinally true nor

effects of Humanism, the Renaissance, and

of the Slate, the Greco-Roman masquerade,

historically justified. The Middle Ages had various aristocratic political structures, if not monarchical, such as the Republic of

and the continual evocation of the republics of classical paganism.

Venice, and various structures with neither monarchical nor aristocratic character, such

Encyciopedism in the French Revolution

were evident in the complete secularization

behooves

insist

that

as diverse Swiss cantons and the German

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■j-

free cities. All these forms of

government among

lived

themselves,

pacifically for

they

by what right do the rich exist? By what right do children inherit, without working, the goods of their parents?

understood the legitimate diversi ty in forms of government

according to time, place, and

Utopian communism proclaims bourgeoisie politics a farce without economic equality

other circumstances.

The Revolution that exploded at the end of the Middle Ages

was moved by a spirit differing completely from that which had

Even before industrialization

led to the formation of the aristo

cratic or bourgeois states of

had formed great concentrations

Medieval Europe. This spirit

of malnourished proletarians,

amounted to the affirmation of

HHiimmi

complete equality and absolute and anarchic liberty as the sole maxims of order and justice, valid for all times and places.

instituted by the bourgeoisie a sham and

and at last, under the most auda cious of its affirmations, eventu

demanded absolute

social and economic equality.

In its turn, this spirit under mined the politically egalitarian bourgeois society it had spawned,

Utopian communism had already proclaimed the political equality

Prof. Pl lnio Correa de Oliveira devoted all his writings and lec

tures to explaining themes related to the Revolution and the Counter-Revolution, and all his actions to opposing the former and fostering the latter.

ally flared up in the third great revolution of

revolutionaries in 1789 there were persons

the West, the communist revolution.

who desired nothing save a just restraint of

The principles of 1789—towards complete liberty and equality

the public power and who understood the liberty and equality promulgated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man in their most favorable sense.

Anarchism, dreaming of a soci ety without authority, spread. These radical principles, which had a restricted number of mili

tants in the phase of Utopian communism, still attained a prodigious dif fusion in the West. Little by little they undermined the mentality of numerous monarchs, as well as civil and ecclesiasti

cal rulers and persons of note, instilling in a great number of the beneficiaries of the

In the Declaration of the Rights of

But the text of the famous Declaration

existing order a certain sympathy for the

Man—the Magna Carta of both the French

was excessively general, affirming equality and liberty without noting any restriction.

"generosity" of libertarian and egalitarian ideas and a "guilty conscience" about the

This favored a broad and adverse interpreta tion: absolute and universal equality and liberty. Well understood, this interpretation cor

legitimacy of their own vested powers. As I see it, Karl Marx's great accom plishment was not the elaboration of so-

responded to the spirit of the nascent

and indigestible doctrine known to few. Marxism is as unknown by the communist

Revolution and the historical era it inaugu

rated—the egalitarian thesis expressed itself in all its nakedness: "Men are born and

remain free and equal in their rights."

Clearly, this principle is susceptible of good interpretation. Men, by nature, are fundamentally equal. It is only in accidents that men are unequal. At the same time, being endowed with a spiritual soul, and

Revolution. Throughout its course it ri d

called scientific communism, a confused

itself of any partisan not in communion with this spirit. The persecution of the nobles and the clergy was followed by that of the bourgeois. Only the manual laborers

bases and public opinion of our days as the thoughts of Plotinus and Averroes. What Marx did manage, however, was to unleash

only by Natural and Divine Law and by the power of the diverse spiritual and temporal

were to remain.

uniting the adepts of a radically egaluaiian

authorities to which men must submit.

therefore with intelligence and will, they are fundamentally free. This liberty is limited

With the end of the Terror, the bour

the worldwide communist offen^

and anarchic tendency, entirely inspired by Utopian communism.

No one can deny that in every epoch

geoisie, wishing to eliminate the former privileged classes throughout Europe, con

there have been rulers who violated this

tinued to affirm the "immortal principles"

themselves, in greater or lesser measure, are

fundamental equality and liberty. In response, throughout history there have been various defensive movements against

of 1789. They did so in an ambiguous and

imbued with Marx, the privates under their command are generally incapable of know ing the doctrine. What moves them and unites them around their leaders are vague

excessive authority, seeking to confine it within its just limits. Such movements, lim ited to this objective, unquestionably merit

applause. Properly understood, equality and liberty are as worthwhile recalling in the eighteenth century as in any other epoch. It is quite certain that among the first

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER. 1996

imprudent manner, having no doubt about arousing the tendency towards complete equality and liberty among the masses and

obtaining their support in the fight against royalty, aristocracy, and clergy. This imprudence greatly facilitated the

explosion of the movement that would nec essarily place the power of the bourgeoisie in check, for if all men are free and equal.

In other words, if the Marxist leaders

ideas of equality and justice, inspired by Utopian communism. And if the Marxist gangs encounter an aura of sympathy in cer tain zones of public opinion, they owe it to the almost universal radiation of the egali tarian principles of the French Revolution

...above all there are the

A Philosophical Self-Portrait

true, the good, the beautiful,

' ' ■ t'K '•

and the perennial, in irrec and the romantic sentimentalism inherent to

tied—with the free course and even the

Utopian socialism.

favoring of every error and irregularity. This leads us to consider the Counter-

oncilable opposition to error,

Revolution.

evil, and ugliness.

Egalitarian and anarchical substratum remains influential

The Counter-Revolution must

point out the Revolution's

The principal cause of the chaos in

fundamental errors

tation and without denying what is meritori

which the West founders and towards which it leads the rest of the world stands out

Throughout the last centuries, many

among these considerations. This cause is the very generalized acceptance of the ten

against the revolutionary process, but their

movements have raised themselves up

ous in the struggle against the injustices caused by the present order of things, it seems to me that the great necessity of the moment is to point out the fundamental metaphysical errors of the Revolution and the intimate cohesion of the three billowing waves that threw themselves successively against Western Christianity: in a first step,

dencies and doctrines of an egalitarian and

concrete success was transitory and at times

anarchic substratum which, entirely out of

null. Not that these movements lacked the

fashion in properly intellectual circles, still profoundly influences public opinion. And

support of brilliant talents, of well-placed people, or even of large sectors of the pub lic. Though they occasionally called atten tion to the most profound and metaphysi cally important errors, more often than not,

Protestant pseudo-reformation; later, the

these movements limited themselves to

French Revolution: and finally, Com

fighting the Revolution in one or another of

munism.

it also continues to serve the communists as

bait for luring, in certain past and present

political circumstances, the multitudes with which they intend to raze the last vestiges of

sacrality and hierarchy. All this is not to affirm that the thought of Proudhon and his congeners still consti tutes the great ideological lever of contem

Humanism, the

Renaissance, and

the

its religious, political, social, or economic manifestations. As a result, the Revolution continued safe and sound on its course.

In the realm of ideas—not only the old and the new, but above all the true and the perennial

porary events. The Utopians are dead, and in

In order to deter it, others judged it more

our days almost no one thinks of them. They were nothing more than a step in the

fitting to use their language and expertise to fight against some of the very abuses the

great trajectory that originated in the ideo

Revolution itself denounced. Now, to com

Many, on reading this "self-portrait," will have had an objection: All this is

logical and cultural movements of the six

bat abuses is always meritorious, but how

anachronistic and incapable of taking root

teenth century. They contributed in giving universal scope to the aspirations of the

naive to imagine that the strength of the

in the world we live in.

Revolution is primarily in the indignation aroused by certain abuses it cried out against! History proves the fallacy of this

The facts say otherwise. In the field of ideas there exists not only the old and the

tactic. Some abuses that existed even cen

above all there are the true, the good, the beautiful, and the perennial, in irreconcil

socio-economic leveling that the French Revolution contained only in germ. These aspirations of total economic and social lev

eling, for which the Utopians were only

turies ago in Europe were rectified in such a

loudspeakers, echoed everywhere. Long after they and their works have fallen into

way that Pius XII could say to the Kathotikentag of Vienna: "In our days there appears before the gaze of the Church the

oblivion, this echo reverberates in history. Therefore, if we want to check the

process that is leading to the new, looming catastrophe, we must principally refute the tragic doctrinal error that idenlilles absolute equality with absolute justice, and true lib erty—to which Truth and Good are enti-

first epoch of contemporary social strug gles. The heart of this epoch is dominated

able opposition to error, evil, and ugliness. And not only have significant sectors of modem youth remained sensitive to the verum, bonum, and pukhrmi, but they have

also engaged in a resolute march of expan

by the question of the worker: the misery of the proletariat and the duty of raising this

sion.

class of men, left defenseless amid the

death, but life—life today and tomon no other way can the patent fact oi me

uncertainties of economic circumstances, up to the dignity of the other classes of the

city, which are gifted with necessary rights.

I intend to be not merely a defender of the past, but a participant—with others— in influencing the present and preparing for the future.

new, as evolutionists would have it, but

Nowadays, this problem can be considered as having been resolved, at least in its essential parts, and the Catholic world con

tributed towards this solution in a loyal and efficacious manner" (Pius XII, Radiomessage to the Catholics' Day of

The tradition of the perennial i '« not

repercussion of the various TFP's among the freshest youth of our most-new conti nent be explained.

I intend to be not merely a defender of the past, but a participant—with others—in

influencing the present and preparing for the future. I am certain that the principles to

the Revolution continues to roar, more men

which I have dedicated my life are as up-todate today as ever and that they indicate the path the world will follow in the coming

acing than ever.

centuries.

Thus, without denying the meritorious character of so many past and present

The skeptics will smile, but the smiles of skeptics were never able to hinder the victo

movements of counter-revolutionary orien-

rious march of those with Faith.

Vienna, September 14, 1952). Meanwhile,

■

CRUSADE

Interview with Prof. Roberto De Mattei, author of The first book-length biography ofProf. Plinio Correa de Oliveira is cur rently being published in Italy, one year after his death, by Edizioni PiEmme, one of Italy's leading publishing houses. The 380-page work, The Twentieth Century Crusader: Plinio Correa de Oliveira, is embellished with photographs and carries a preface graciously contributed by His Eminence Alfons Cardinal Stickler, S.D.B. Crusade: What were your motives for writing a book on Plinio

cles, which appeared in the first issue of Catolicismo, in 1951. In this essay

Correa de Oliveira?

Professor Plinio provides a true and proper

Prof. De Mattei: I was moved above all

restore Christian civilization. Professor

manifesto for a great Catholic crusade to by a love of the truth. I

Roberto De Mattel was born in Rome in 1948. He graduated with honors in contemporary his tory from Rome's La Sapienza University and is now professor of modern history at the University of Cassino. His numer ous published works include L'ltalia Cattolica e it Nuovo Concordato, 19002000 (1985), La Construzione, la Distruzione (1990), and II Centra che Si Porta a Sinistra (The Center that Carries Us to the Left [1994]). He founded and

Plinio was not only the

consider Plinio Correa de

promoter of this great

Oliveira the greatest indi

counter-revolutionary

vidual of the twentieth

crusade, he was an extra

century. However, most

people don't know who he

ordinary example of it. During the course of his

is or what he has done,

long life, he boldly faced

and even among those who may have heard of

the destructive march of

him, he and his accom

tion,

plishments are too often

national socialism, com

the anti-Christian revolu

against

maligned with lies and

munism, and every mod

falsehoods. In order to

em form and variation of

establish

the

truth,

totalitarianism,

tivism,

sivism. He was the twen

a vision of the whole man, of the man and his works,

excellence, in the most

progres-

tieth-century cmsader par

ny thrown against him. I spoke about this biography with Professor Plinio during the last meeting I had with him, at the end of July 1995. He liked the idea and encour aged me to carry it forward. I started work ing on the book in August of 1995, never imagining that a few short weeks later he would be gone. After his departure I con sidered the writing of this book even more

the collaboration between Catholics and

urgent and necessary. I want this work not

neocommunists (1995-1996). Lepantos most recent initiative, publication of the manifesto "Prodi; The Italian Kerensky?" has caused a great stir as the first voice of open opposition to Italy's neocommunist

only to represent an act of homage to the memory of Plinio Correa de Oliveira, but also to make his name and character a sym

rather than a systematic

and

rela

thought it important to offer the European public

oversees the Lepanto Cultural Center, a Catholic lay association that has distin guished itself in Italy and Europe by its appeals for doctrinal clarification on sucli issues as the New Concordat (In 1985), the Treaty of Maastricht (1992), the Islamic threat (1993), and legislation on homosexual "marriages" (19941995), as well as by its denunciation of

government.

fighting

Pllnlo Correa de Oliveira

In the early 1950's

refutation of each calum

bol in the defense of Christian civilization.

Crusade: Why did you choose the title Twentieth Century Crusaderl

Prof De Mattei: "The Crusade of the Twentieth Century" is the title of one of Plinio Correa de Oliveira's foremost arti-

serious and profound way that one can use this term.

Crusade: Could you summarize the salient features of your book?

Prof De Mattei: My book deals irh the

public side of Prof. Plinio's life it entering into the deep and profound aspect of his personal and spiritual life. I sought to

follow a partly chronological and partly sys tematic criterion, focusing each chapter on a decisive period of his life in accordance with his fundamental ideas. Above all, however, I

wanted to present Professor Plinio's life

against the backdrop of this tempestuous century in which he lived, not to explain his

life through the century, but on the contrary, to help us understand the twentieth century through his life and works, to reject the cen tury's errors, and to establish the Way of the Cross as the only possible solution to the inextricable problems of our times.

Interview

Crusade: How much have Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira's

thoughts influenced Italy? Prof. De Mattel: Italy is one of the nations in which Dr. Plinio's thinking has made great headway. His Revolution and Counter-Revolution. translated by Giovanni

Cantoni and published in three Italian edi tions to date, has had a great influence in

The principles developed in Revolution and

tionary movement in Italy. I maintain anal ogously that the "paternity" of Prof. Plinio

Catholic circles and in the political right. Counter-Revolution have created a school

does not limit itself to the TFP, but is

of thought that has had a great effect on many souls, without even having to mention specific groups such as the Alleanza

spreading very amply toward establishing a

Cattolica and the Centro Culturale Lepanto. Prof. Correa de Oliveira can be legitimately

that Saint Benedict, the founder of the

considered the "father" and "founder" of

along with Charlemagne, the father of

this successfully growing counter-revolu

medieval times.

Christian civilization that will flourish in

the twenty-first century, in the same way Benedictine Order, could be considered, â&#x2013;

Cardinal Sticklers Preface to The Twentieth Century Crusader

In history's frequent periods of crises

Oliveira, of whom he appears a worthy disciple in Europe.

and confusion, biographies of signifi

All founders and others who have

cant men can often better reveal or indi

stood out in the history of the Church have had to suffer calumny and misunder

cate the right path to follow than abstract volumes of morality and philosophy.

Indeed, individuals must concretely

standing. It should come as no surprise,

put principles into practice. However, inasmuch as tempestuous times are more

then, that Plinio Correa de Oliveira was,

hostile to the historical realization of

campaign of denigration, skillfully

and will continue to be, the target of a

these principles, it is all the more neces

orchestrated by those who oppose his

sary to recognize those who place these

ideal of re-Christianizing society. In our

principles at the center of their own lives. This is what happened in our century

century, such defamatory campaigns have also attacked other Catholic associations,

with Plinio Correa de Oliveira. the great

demonizing them as "sects." It is interest

Brazilian thinker and man of action who

ing to note that these campaigns are much more aggressive when they are directed against associations that express a greater fidelity to the Catholic Church. This reveals that the true object of these accu

died in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 3, 1995, and about whom Prof. Roberto De

Mattel has written, within this year, the first European biography. With the integrity of his life as an

sations and falsehoods is the Church and

that they are made to deny the Church's role as the "teacher of truth," recently affirmed by the Holy Father John Paul II

authentic Catholic, Plinio Correa de Oliveira offers us a confirmation of the

Church's continuing fecundity. The diffi

in Veritatis Splendor. It is disturbing that

culties of these times for true Catholics

are, in fact, occasions to influence histo

ry by affirming perennial Christian prin ciples. Such was the case with Professor

Cardinal Stickler in 1994 addressing the audience at the launching of Prof. Correa de Oliveira's

these campaigns of denigration promoted

Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites in Rome

aided by Catholics who pretend to be

Plinio, the eminent Brazilian thinker who

demonstrated it by boldly maintaining, in an age of totalitarianism of every stripe and color, his unshakable faith in the fundamental

teachings and institutions of the Church. Besides his fidelity to the Papacy, a characteristic trait of his spirituality that I am pleased to remember is his conspicuous devotion to Mary Help of Christians,

by the enemies of the Church are often orthodox.

I hope that this biography of Plinio Correa de Oliveira can help to dissipate the criticism and misunderstanding and create an ideal point of reference for all those who generously wish to dedicate their energies to the service of the Church and Christian civilization. These efforts, which are at the service of the Church, require not

Our Lady of the Rosary and the Victory of Lepanto, whom he ven

only doctrinal rectitude, but also the personal practice of an authen

erated in the Salesian church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Sao Paulo. I still remember with pleasure having been one of the masters

tic interior life accompanied with a spirit of repentance and sacrifice

of ceremonies in Italy of the launching of Plinio Correa de Oliveira's magisterial work. Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites in the

Allocutions ofPius XII, a book that constitutes, in my opinion, along with Revolution and Counter-Revolution, one of the highest achieve ments of this Brazilian thinker's genius. In short, I congratulate the author of this work. Professor Roberto

de Mattei, with whom I share sentiments of friendship and conso

proportional to the gravity of our times. Plinio Correa de Oliveira offers us, through his life and accom

plishments, a clear example. I assure my prayers and blessings for all those who, sharing this spirit and this vision of an authentic Catholic world, make them selves exemplars and propagators of the Faith. Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickler

nance of ideals, for the astuteness with which he has succeeded in

Rome, 2 July 1996

recalling the character and accomplishments of Plinio Correa de

Feast of the Visitation

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

Religion

Suppliant Omnipotence By Plinio Correa de Oliveira

y the Incarnation of the Word in the most

pure bosom of Mary, God, in an -.

.,1 .

ty is similar to this. And since she is the

Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, He

act of His infinite goodness, created- :, ' - •;•> t

The intercession of Mary on behalfofsinful humani-'

'ffy.v.* •«

the links that bound Himself tc

humankind. And Mary, becom-

■Isiii

concedes her everything that the best ofsons can give the best of

mmmm

ing His Mother, also became.

mothers.

the spiritual Mother of all !;V

Such is the value of Our

■

"men.

Lady's impetration that,

'j's/r . according to the teaching

consideration

this, when she petitions. I—_ — c...^ her Divine Son £qj. for yg us, jj it 15, isas a mother

who interT'. A-;,

cedes with one of her sons A

of theology, all the prayers

of all creatures must be

r• •'''"'•1

-jfc* "

on behalf of his brother. It is

has

Because of this, theologians "Suppliant Omnipotence." In virtue

her unfathomable perfections, her prayers behalf are always heard by God, and she obtains ftom

Him what we could not merit by ourselves.

the

Divine Will

dis-

posed.

impossible not to attend hen '

attribute to Our Lady the title

to her adorable through her, for thus

' !i

This is the Mother of indescrib

able sweetness, of unlimited compasion towards her miserable sons, for whom

she obtains of the Judge pardon and graces. How many examples attest to this untiring solicitude

of Mary towards men! Amongst others, one may take the

An example will illustrate this truth.

example of the Good Thief The Divine Crucified,

Imagine a mother who has two sons. One, upright and

attending the supplications of His Mother at the foot of

honest, serves as a judge; the other is simply a criminal,

the Cross, pardoned him at the final hour with that str

whom his brother is going to judge.

pendous promise: "Today, thou shalt be with Me in

What happens then?

Paradise" (Luke 23:43).

The mother appeals to her son the magistrate, saying,

One thus understands the importance of Our Lady's

"My son, I know that you are the judge and that to you

intercession, how she relieves our arduous existence and

falls the administration of justice. Your brother's wrong

fills our souls with jubilation. How the life of a Catholic

doings are such as to deserve the death penalty. In truth,

would be somber were it not for the Virgin's proteaion.

however, you, O judge, equally owe me your life. Spare

On the contrary, how light it is, how full of hope, pardon,

this man who merits capital punishment, in compliance

and maternal affection with the continuous assistance of

with the requests of her who gave you birth.

Maiy, the Omnipotent Supplicant!

What son would refuse such an affectionate request?

From a conference on September 21,1991

Basic History Course

by Jerernias Wells

V,v

C HAP T ER

SEVEN Alexander ill of Macedonia

World Empires Prepare the Way for

tary tactics and also took careful note of the

the Word of God

bribery and diplomacy as often as military means. When his magnificent fighting machine was inherited by Alexander, the era of the great empires began.

Greek dissensions. After he ascended the

throne in 359, this clever monarch over

whelmed the Balkan Peninsula, using

Part I The

Greek

Without our frequently alluding to

Connection

Alexander prepares for greatness

from which a great explosion erupted,

caused by the emerging Macedonian dynasty of Philip II and his son Alexander

The education and training of the young prince was quite proportional to his aptitude

ry. the unending series of wars and suffering

the Great.

and appetite for greatness. The best trainers

would become meaningless and oppressive.

At least from the viewpoint of results, the Greek political experiment with democ racy and the city-state proved to be a failure.

available assisted him in developing his horsemanship and legendary toughness. When the semi-barbarian king wanted Alexander schooled in philosophy, he pre

the Christian

Revelation

that

gives unity and purpose to histo

God has shown that it is His Divine

Providence that guides the life of humanity to its final end despite the interminable obstacles man places in the way. The

While Athens experienced moral decay after the Peloponnesian War, the rest of the

empires of Alexander HI of Macedonia and

peninsula drifted into a state of socialism

Caesar Augustus played a part in the divine drama no less than the Assyrians and Babylonians who were involved to such a large extent in the books of the prophets.

and civil disorder. Fustel de Coulanges,

vailed upon the great Aristotle to come to the Macedonian court and instruct the young man on the greatness of Greek civilization.

Christopher Dawson saw this quite clearly

relying on Plutarch, Polybius, and Aristotle, among others, reported that Greece had degenerated into class warfare.- The poor, who ignored the right of private property

when he wrote, "Each of the world empires in turn had its divinely appointed task to

confiscated the property of the rich, who, in

perform, and when the task was finished

turn, resorted to indiscriminate slaughter to

their power came to an end and they gave

reclaim it. The result was ongoing hatred, criminality, and cruelty.

and weaknesses.

place to their successors."'

age of twenty upon his father's assassina

End of the independent Greek City-States

As so often happened during times of internal corruption, a force from the au.stere outer fringes of civilization rose up and

and sought only to satisfy their cravings,

In his youth he reached the heights of austere manhood. He once commented to

his officers that their greatest need was to avoid the vices and weaknes.ses of those

whom they conquered. Unfortunate^ when he reached the height of his matei ecess, he fell into the very pit of those \ ices Alexander acceded to the throne at the

tion in 336 B.C. Philip's former subjects, taking advantage of having a "mere boy" on

overwhelmed the soft inner core, this time

the throne, broke out in rebellion north and

The passing sun of earthly glory began

from the North in Macedonia. During the

south. Acting with boldness and dispatch,

to sink over the Greek Peninsula and the

middle of the fourth century B.C. Philip II, a strong, resolute sovereign, won the devo tion of the turbulent nobles and organized the robust mountaineers into the greatest fighting force of antiquity. In his youth, he had spent three years as a hostage in Thebes

Intimidated by the awesome Macedonian

where he studied their civilization and mili-

power, all Greece with the exception of

shadows began to lengthen. If the fifth cen tury B.C. in the civilized world can be sum

marized as the Golden Age of Greece, prin cipally at Athens, sandwiched between two wars, the first three-quarters of the fourth can be described as a chaotic crumbling

Alexander put down the revolts in the

affected areas. Then he marched against the always-contentious city-state of Thebes,

which he destroyed with a terrible mas sacre. The survivors he sold into slavery.

CRUSADE

The Empire of Alexander III of Macedonia

^Macedonia ^^^AlMandcr's Empire

Sata-lli'tas

'â&#x20AC;˘ui, VALEXANDERS

SUCCESSOR

Slack,

Sea

STATES ZOO B.C

BuzonLium

EPIA**"

>yracusc 5 Athens

ASIA^MINOR

Oeontmi X.

ARTHIA

CVPRl/S

i^^ASSYRIA

orutolc

pose as commander of the League of Corinth. Henceforth, he would no longer Just be the King of Macedonia or the mil itary leader of the Greeks but the ruler of the world, and in his new exalted position he expected to be treated as a god. He became obsessed with personal conquest and glory. He marched through modern Afghanistan and crossed the Hindu Kush into Turkestan. He then passed through the Khyber Pass into India where his sol

diers refused any further cooperation. One of the army's greatest assets, the bond between the supreme commander

ARABIA

and his men, had deteriorated. WOO Mites'.

As his victories and territorial aggran dizement increased, so did his emotional

Sparta united into the League of Corinth under the young King's leadership. With his rear secured, Alexander then

turned towards the conquest of the Persian Empire, his life's work. His father had pro vided him with a first-rate military machine but it was far too expensive for the simple resources of Macedonia and could only be maintained by continual plunder and aggression. Peace would have forced Alexander to disband a good part of his

army and abandon any thought of military glory, certainly an unthinkable prospect. In the days of paganism, self-aggrandizement was not considered disreputable. In any event, the Persians had been constantly harassing the Hellenes for two hundred years, and a Panhellenic war of revenge became second nature to the Greek spirit. Alexander conquers the Persian Empire

When Alexander crossed the Hellespont into Asia Minor with only 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry against a Persian force numbering potentially in the hundreds of thousands, the invasion seemed, on paper at least, to be foolhardy, but the Persian Empire had weakened. Much like the later Ottoman Empire, the central court suffered from harem intrigues, the last of which had

placed Darius III on the throne just two years before. Moreover, Greek mercenaries

formed a large portion of the Persian infantry, a sure sign of oriental decline. The strength of the attacking army lay in the mobility and power of the phalanx, a solid block of heavily-armed pikemen who maneuvered as a unit, and the cavalry drawn from the Macedonian nobility. In any given battle, the King usually kept an elite

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

squadron of cavalry under his direct com mand for a lightning thrust at a decisive moment that usually carried the day.

Soon after crossing into Asia Minor, Alexander scored a smashing victory which

instability. He lacked the character to deal with success. The overwrought commander killed two of his best cavalry officers: one in a drunken dispute; the second, a son of his best and most reliable general Parmenio, on

freed the Greek colonies on the coast. After

a pretext for neglecting to report a conspir

marching through the length of the peninsu la and attempting to turn south along the

acy. After the execution of the son, he had the father murdered as well. The great man frequently indulged himself in needless slaughter, and his paranoia caused other

Eastern Mediterranean coast, he faced

another army under the personal command of Darius III. Outnumbered by more than two to one, Alexander watched for the right moment,then drove his cavalry like a flying wedge at an opening in the Persian center. The impact caused it to collapse. Darius, a coward as befits a product of an oriental

harem, fled, leaving behind his family and an enormous amount of gold. And so the Macedonian King went down through Phoenicia, Palestine, and into Egypt, where he founded Alexandria, des tined to become the intellectual center of

the Mediterranean world. He then changed directions and travelled north through Syria and crossed the Euphrates into Mesopotamia, the ancient cradle of civiliza tion. At the village of Gaugamela' near the Tigris, Darius, with an advantage of 150,000 to about 40,000, made his last stand, with the same disastrous results as

before. Alexander, bold, brilliant, and using unorthodox tactics, again opened a hole in the Persian center and drove his cavalry into it with terrible impact. Seized by panic, Darius again fled. This time he left not only his army but also his empire. His own troops murdered him some months later. Glory, deterioration, and death

With

the

victory

Gaugamela,

Alexander had basically achieved his pur

executions of close associates.

His personal morals degenerated along with his mental condition. Finally, weak ened by his exertions and overindulgence in drink, he succumbed to a fever in 323 B.C.

at the age of 33 in the infamous city of Babylon. The legacy of Alexander

From a cultural viewpoint, Alexander pushed the boundaries of civilization far beyond its original Aegean confines. The

new culture of the Hellenistic Age not only spread to Palestine and the rest of the Middle East, but also civilized tho new semi-barbarians from the West and t.

ed the creation of the next great empiic at Rome."* Both formed the cultural base for

the universal Church established by Jesus Christ, for His teachings were originally written down and spread in the Greek lan guage.

And so the great prophetic visions of the

Book of Daniel take on a more profound meaning. Several of Daniel's symbols refer

to the Greek Empire of Alexander, especial ly one of the four savage beasts in chapter seven. One of the great ideas that gives unity to the Book of Daniel is the struggle between God and the world and the victory of the spiritual over the material. Daniel's

Basic History Course of Western Civilization salvation. During the two centuries between

the Battle of Marathon and

Alexander's

con

allies, decided to destroy the true religion

community in Palestine, but not without difficul

gious persecution in history. The ruthless campaign reached a climax

ty, for it seems that God, even in His mercy,

itary setbacks, ravaged Jerusalem in 168

expects a great effort on

B.C. He invaded the Temple and removed

must prevail over hostile powers. The divine plan that runs through history can be illus

all altar vessels, candlesticks, tables, any

thing made of precious metals. With the help of Jewish traitors, he pillaged the

the

Palestine

Macedonian

mild yoke of the Ptolemies in Egypt. In fact, many Jews settled in Alexandria, making

up a large percentage of the population. These events combined to produce one of the greatest of all literary achievements, the Septuagint version of the Old Testament in Greek. This translation helped spread

trated by continuing the story of the Greek

among the Gentiles the idea and expectation

conquest and the uprising of the Machabees,

of the Messias and created the terminology

The Successors of Alexander

and understanding necessary for the eventu al propagation of the Gospels of Our Lord

Jesus Christ. The Apostles and Evangelists The extent and unity of Alexander's

empire were not destined to survive his death. He left an imbecilic brother, a highstrung mother, and a posthumously bom son.

when Antiochus, frustrated over recent mil

followers.

conquest fell under the

help of their constancy and fortitude they

by force, thus inaugurating the first reli

the part of His closest Initially,

consistent puq^ose is to show that God's people will not be forsaken and that with the

selves an implacable rage and hatred. The Seleucid King, with his renegade Jewish

quests, the exiles re established the religious

after

Judas Machabeus urges on his typically outnumbered troops

succumb to the earthly pleasures that sur round them, they draw down upon them

Temple treasure. During his three days of fury, the soldiers slaughtered innocent civil ians by the tens of thousands and sold thou sands more into slavery. After returning to Antioch, he sent a

Syrian army to completely eradicate the

Jewish religion. Again the army massacred part of the population of Jerusalem. The Syrians abolished all forms of worship under the pain of death and burned all copies of the Sacred Scriptures they could lay their hands on. They profaned the Temple by offering idolatrous sacrifices to a statue of Zeus set up on the altar of God, accompanied by pagan immoralitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the abomination of desolation'' foretold by the

referred to it in their Old Testament cita

prophet Daniel. The soldiers then amused

tions, especially in regard to the prophecies.

themselves by going about the countryside

In the summer of 200 B.C., the fate of

forcing the Jews to eat the meal of the swine, a terrible sin for the Jews, who con

generals {Diadochi in Greek) had only

the .struggling Jews came under the domina tion of the Seleucids, a gasping, treacherous dynasty centered at Antioch in Syria. Twenty-five years later, this violent family placed Antiochus IV on the throne, a man

all of whom were murdered in the ensuing

power struggle. Lacking any administrative talent, the Successors, his most tenacious

sidered the pig to be an unclean animal. Refusal meant death. From the time of Abraham and the

Patriarchs, through Moses and the Exodus,

excessive ambition and mutual rivalries to

exceeded by none in sheer cruelty. The

to the destruction of Israel and Jiida, and on

spur them on. After twenty years of dynastic

prophet Daniel and Saint Jerome after him

to the Exile and return, the Chosen People

bloodshed, the broad lines of the dismember

treat the Seleucids harshly; the latter even

ment took shape, although the killing contin

compared Antiochus to the Anti-Christ. The

ued for another twenty years or so. Of the three surviving kingdoms, two directly fall within the scope of this pre.sent study: that of

Hellenistic culture had engulfed the entire

had suffered many trials and chastisements, but none of this magnitude. Never had the religion been put to such a test. Many com-

Middle East. While it advanced civilization

promi.sed; others proved weak and 'nosia-

for most, to the Chosen People it brought

tized. But a surprising number of bi.

Seleucus in Asia,covering the eastern half of the old empire, and that of Ptolemy in Egypt.

only conflict. The heady atmosphere of new wealth, ideas, and pleasure seeped into

noble souls challenged the fearsome pcisecution by .sealing their fidelity to the law of

Palestine from the surrounding populations. The purity of the Jewish belief in the one, true God and the practice of the law would allow for no compromise with paganism and the refinements of the Greeks. Although some apostatized, most Jews resisted the

God with their blood.

Palestine under the Greeks

After Cyrus the Great overran Babylon, he allowed the Jews to return to their home

land. Not all, however, repatriated, for a siz able number with a propensity for business

decadent allurements.

In an effort to break the resistance of the

faithful, the persecutors chose to torture

Eleazor, a saintly old doctor of laws. Steadfast under pressure, he refused to eat the forbidden meat. Certain friends, taken

by faLse pity, asked him to eat lawful flesh

and pretend that it was that which was for

and finance had prospered and acquired a comfortable lifestyle. Nevertheless some

Antiochus inaugurates a

bidden. Eleazor answered without delay

thirty thousand pilgrims of great faith, inspired by supernatural love, risked every thing in order to return to Judea'' and con tinue the providential journey of mankind's

terrible persecution

that he preferred to suffer an honorable death and leave an example of fortitude to the young men rather than escape death by dissimulation. He was then savagely beaten

History has repeatedly shown that when

ever a valiant, pious minority has refused to

CRUSADE

Basic History Course of Western Civilization to death by Anliochus's soldiers. At another time, the King brought before him a widow with her seven sons and

the Chosen People would either be totally compro

mised or wiped out.

commanded them to break the law of God

There lived in a small

in the same manner. When whips and

village some twenty miles

scourges failed, the furious monarch decid

outside Jerusalem an elderly

ed to increase their torments by bringing

priest named Mathathias who no longer participated in the Temple worship because of the profanation. One day a commissioner

forth huge frying pans and brazen caul drons. He ordered the oldest boy to violate

the Law. When the boy proclaimed he was ready to die rather than offend God, the merciless tyrant had his tongue cut out and

from Antiochus came to the

his hands and feet chopped off, and then had him thrown into the frying pan. One by

village to force the influen

one, Antiochus, with increasing rage, went

to the pagan idols. He dis

down the line. Each boy endured atrocious

dainfully

suffering with dignity and courage. In fact,

another Jew offered to com

tial Mathathias to sacrifice

refused. When

the Bible in many cases records their last

ply in his place, the old man

words.

restrained himself no longer.

One boy, already flayed and dismem

Mathathias strikes down the renegade

With his sword drawn, he

which conceded religious liberty. For the

bered, exclaimed that the King could kill

rushed the renegade and slaughtered him,

them but God "will raise up us who die for

and then turned on the official and killed

moment, the religious persecution was over,

his laws in the resurrection of eternal life."

him as well. Then with his five sons,

but the Greeks still maintained political and

Another warned, "think not that our nation

Mathathias fled into the hills to organize a resistance. Within the year(166 B.C.) how ever, he died and passed on the military responsibilities to his third son, Judas,

military power. Many of the lukewarm who

is forsaken by God. But stay patiently awhile, and thou shalt see His great power in what manner He will torment thee."

Some time later, after an embarrassing defeat, Antiochus was returning from Persia

when "a dreadful pain came upon him." Worms swarmed out of his body and his flesh fell off. No man could endure carrying him

called the Hammer {tnaqqaba in Hebrew).

From that point on all who fought for the rights of God during this persecution were known as Machabees, including the seven brothers just mentioned.

were tired of fighting accepted the compro mise. Judas, however, realized that religion was still in danger without complete victory and fought on. In 161 B.C. he engaged the enemy in a battle where he was greatly out numbered and killed.

Jonathan and Simon, his two remaining brothers, were able to harness the momen

tum and energy provided by Judas and rode

for long because of the intolerable stench.

Using brilliant guerrilla tactics, Judas

"Thus the murderer and blasphemer died a miserable death"(2 Mach, 9:5, 9, 10, 28).

destroyed several expeditions sent against

the Machabean movement to a successful

him. His courage and confidence in God inspired his often-intimidated troops to face overwhelming odds successfullyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;although

conclusion. When Simon was murdered in

The Machabees fight back

135 B.C. (all five brothers died violent

deaths), Judea was completely independent

it must be admitted that the author of 2

of the Greek Successors, a condition that

Machabees reported that angels were occa

lasted until it was absorbed by the Romans

these martyrs to undergo such tortures for

sionally seen fighting on their side.

in 63 B.C.

supernatural reasons, there was one family for the other side to suffer for the glory of

He quickly reclaimed the territory around Jerusalem and occupied the holy city, where he cleansed and rededicated the

Bibliographical Note:

God. Furthermore, without a vigorous fight,

Temple. The Seleucids called for a tnice

While it was certainly admirable for

who thought that it was far more salutary

â&#x2013;

For an inrormaiive and balanced ik of Alexander's life without the scun.

details of his personal life, see A. R. Burn.

Notes

Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic

led to Christianity's conquest of that world state. 5. Juda usually refers to the southern king

Empire (New York. 1948), Other references were listed at the end of the preceding chap

York, 1956) p. 238.

dom before the Exile: Judea, in the broad sense,

ter. Without doubt, the best source for the

2. The Ancient City (Doubleday Anchor ed.) pp. 336-340.

refers to all Palestine after the Exile. In a restrict

Machabean upri.sing is the First and Second Books of the Machabees. especially the lat

1. The Dynamics of World History,(New

3. This is sometimes called the Battle of Arbela. 4. Botsford and Robinson in their Hellenic

ed sense, during the time of Our Lord, Judea refers to one of the three provinces along with Samaria and Galilee into which Palestine was then divided.

ter. The second book is not a continuation of

the first but rather a supplement to it and contains the stories of Elcazer. the seven";:

6. The obscure expression, "abomination of

sons, and the death of Antiochus. A review of

until recently was from the post-Alexandrian

desolation" can be described as a profanation of the holy by the powers of unbelief and godless-

Hellenistic Age and that it civilized Rome and

ness.

the notable books used in compiling all these studies through the establishment of the Roman Empire will be given in the seconc part of this chapter.

History(5th ed., 1969) state on p. 347 that the

only Greek culture that the world has ever known

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

Family Series

Jacinta's Story He says it is very important.""Send him in, good page," said Don Alfonso as he sal up in his cot.

When the old man came in, Don Alfonso

carry the Catholic Faith to many other lands. So that your descendants may know

After a few words of greeting, the old man

that I gave them this kingdom, your flag shall have five shields on it representing My

"I live as a hermit nearby. For many years, I have served our sovereign and heav enly Lord, Jesus Christ. Don Alfonso, you

Heaven. From here I can see you, and I even know your name. Knowing that

you like stories, I want to tell you mine. It's a beautiful story! It happened not only to

me but also to my brother Francisco and my cousin Liicia. We were three shepherd chil

dren who thought only of our sheep and our games...until one day the Queen of Heaven

heart. I want Portugal to be a kingdom, and you to be its king. I also want Portugal to

was startled. It was the man in his dream! introduced himself.

Iam a child like you, but now I live in

to increase your faith but to strengthen your

five wounds."

Thus, the five wounds of Our Lord and

Savior became the mark of Portugal, and

have a good heart, and because of this, my

Alfonso Henriques became its first king.

Lord Jesus would like to speak to you.

This flag remains the same today as it was

Tonight, when you hear the bell of my her

then.

mitage ring, leave your camp and wait for

Such was the origin of the kingdom of

Him."

Portugal, a country bom from a special wish

You may well imagine Don Alfonso's awe at this message. The King of Heaven and Earth wished to speak with him! It

of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

Nuno Alvares

could only mean that His Divine Majesty had a very important message for him. When the bell rang, Don Alfonso

Many, many years later, Portugal was being ruled by a bad queen. Her name was

visited us. After that visit, things were never the same again for us or for the world. I was born in a country called Portugal.

the night. In the center of the light he saw

It's a small land on the continent of Europe across the great Atlantic Ocean. Let me tell

to him;"Alfonso,I am appearing to you not

Henriques left his camp and waited. Suddenly, a bright ray of light shone in Jesus Crucified. From the cross Jesus spoke

Leonor. The Portuguese people did not like

Queen Leonor because she wanted to give Portugal to the King of Spain. But, the King of Heaven did not want

this to happen. Our Lord chose a good war

you a bit about my country's history. Then

rior to fight for Portugal. This man was

it will be easier for you to understand why

Nuno Alvares Pereira. He was only twen ty-four years old. Don Nuno was very pious bn' also

the Queen of Heaven came to visit us.

The Kingdom of Portugal

very brave. He knew God did noi

Portugal to be given to Spain. Don Nuno Portugal is small, but only in size. It

disagreed with Queen Leonor and her Spanish friends.

had a big soul and did many great things for God. And Our Lord had great plans for

The king of Spain thought Portugal

it.

was almost his. He came to Portugal with his army to claim it. But Don Nuno was

Around the year 1100 there was a great

warrior

and

nobleman

called

Alfonso Henriques. He spent his life fighting to make that land independent. One day, while resting in his tent before a great battle, he had a wonderful dream. In

his dream, a holy old man came to visit him. Just then, his page awoke him; "Don Alfonso, Don Alfonso! There is

a holy old man who wishes to see you, Sir.

ready for him! His amiy was very small compared to the Spanish king's army, but that did not bother him at all. He believed

that God was with him, and he was faith

ful to God. He beat the Spanish amty badly in a huge battle.

Now Portugal was free once again! The new king was Prince John.

Don Nuno became the king's cham-

CRUSADE

Family Series

"He is a great knight, but he is an even greater saint!" Don Nuno asked the abbot of the

monastery for only one favor: He wanted to wear his beloved armor under his habit. To

empire,

just as Our Lord had promised Don Alfonso Henriques.

this day, he is venerated as Blessed Nuno

You see that my country was always

pion. He was the greatest man in Portugal after King John. When Don Nuno grew old, he gave up

Alvares, Portugal's great champion and

very dear to Our Lord! It showed its love

saint.

and gratitude for Him in many, many ways.

this great honor and became a simple monk.

The Caravels

But, unfortunately, many times it did not behave very well. Sometimes, Portugal for

His job was to watch the gates of his monastery. When his friends saw him at such a

humble job, they exclaimed, "Don Nuno, how can you be guarding a gate? You were

once the king's own champion!" The holy man answered simply, "My lords, my lords, in God's house everything is so great that even little things are very big." And his old men-at-arms were

in awe. They said,

jacinta's Story

got about its many blessings and was ungrateful.

The years went by. In 1450, a prince, Henry, began teaching men how to build better ships. He wanted them to look for

Portugal. He remembered what its great

new lands for Our Lord and for the king. All Portugal worked and prayed for these

again, He chose to bless my country with a

However, Our Lord

never forgot

men and saints had done for Him. Once

great message. This lime. He sent the mes

adventures.

The ships were beautiful and a great

symbol of my country. They seemed to say, "I am small but my soul is great, for it is full of faith. The sea does not frighten me. My

sage through His beloved Mother, the Queen of Heaven and Earth.

This is where my story begins. This time. Our Lady did not come to a king or to

sails carry Our Lord's symbol. He once

a great warrior. Instead, she appeared to

said, 'Be calm,' and the sea became calm.

three little shepherd children. I was one of

Another time. He said, 'Be still,' and the

them.

The rest of my story is too long to be

winds became still."

Portugal's proud caravels found many new lands and seas. One of the great lands the Portuguese discovered is now the huge country of Brazil. It is so big that twenty

Portugals could easily fit into it! And thus Portugal became a great and powerful

recounted in this magazine. It continues in Jacinta's Story: The Story of the

Apparitions of Fatima, a new book of the America Needs Fatima Campaign. Ask your mother to buy the book, and tell her I am sure she will not regret it. t

New book for children

illusfrated cover

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1996

Whether you want encouragement to live a true Catholic

'*S

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The days of the "King of great deeds" began precariously in 1198. Near death from disease, he was entrusted to Our Lady by his mother. Her great faith was rewarded, not only by his cure, but by his growth in virtue and his

eventual ascension to the thrones of Castile and Leon. As king he ruled wise ly and justly, like his cousin Saint Louis IX of France, and, as wisely and just ly, led his knights in undefeated crusade against the enemies of Catholic Spain and Christian civilization.

This story of Saint Ferdinand 111 leaves the reader with spiritual nourish ment and a set of ideals as applicable today as in that turbulent epoch in Spanish history.

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e ■iUJ

Though the house looks ancient, it was built just a hundred or so years ago by the family that had lived on the site for many centuries. Only the iron gates and some sections of the moat remained from the previous family castle. The D'Espinay-St.Luc family, with a solid sense of tradition, wanted their new home to retain the character of their region,

their family, and their nobleman-farmer status.

One side of the house faces a dense forest while the other smiles over cultivated fields, both affording views of natures cycle through the colors and moods of the four seasons. Chateau Jaglu reflects the serenity of the countryside, and this hospitable serenity wel comes the weary traveler through the iron gates standing watch at the stone bridge stretched over the moat.

Looking at this home straight on, ones sees something very solid about it. Everything is symmetrical. The horizontal lines separate for the eye the old castle foundations, the new building's two floors, and its stern slate roof. The central facade, with steps gently sweeping down to the lawn and with round pinnacled towers near each end, provide the vertical lines—emphasized by the windows one above the other. Take

away those towers and you have a building like many in Williamsburg, Virginia, and other towns of colonial America. But what does all this tell us about the family that designed Chateau

Jaglu? By choosing traditional local materials—stone, brick, and stucco

in the style of the Thymerais region near Normandy—did they not wish to reflect their identity with their native soil, not only as a sign of their roots but also as a reminder in stone for future generations of the family?

■\X^at other elements come to mind in pondering this family home?

Consider these: strength of character and solid foundations; a desire to take in and reflect as much light as possible; a gracious and charming outlook without frivolity or extravagance; a natural sense of dignity

toward everything in life; an open-hearted hospitality to all who pass by. These are all very much the admired virtues of Normandy.

y\nd inside? As you can see in the pictures, the social rooms reflect

very much these same values.

Now, say you were thinking of buying this house, or you received

notice that some unknown distant relative has just left it to you. Would you

1 nrkiTTninfT^ change anything?

A small French manor house on the

edge of Normandy...

l! M II!i

yji

r \

•4 >■

8.^

iw.

:3^

>■ ■'i

®-15Lte^

I 111

■ TT

•Vji.

;'>v:VS

ms ... .

i.'tT •v>-

bHW [4^

•» V i /,

.» -f^

^4 ®1 oFl^attle.hmst have'seemed to American trOops^hancing lii ., v ■ ' , ' .V "i '/

-^ea^slago during the Battle of Normandy, Yet, many tinfies

k^nt%-marched in sight of Chateau Jagiu. lid.-

•1' .

See previous page.

Tradition, Family and Property (Magazine) 1996

Articles inside

Inequality Is a Condition for Social Harmony

Cuban Chernobyl—Not In Our Backyard