European Parliament Criticizes Poland for Passing Ban on Eugenic Abortions

God bless Poland and down with the EU for being agents of Satan and the Culture of Death!

From LiveAction

By Cassy Fiano-Chesser 

A little over two months after Poland passed a law banning eugenic abortions, the European Parliament (EP) has issued a resolution condemning the pro-life country.

The First News, a newspaper covering issues in Poland, reported that the EP “strongly condemned” the ruling from the 13-member Constitutional Court, which declared that aborting a preborn child because of a poor prenatal diagnosis is unconstitutional. However, after widespread protests, the government chose to delay the ruling. In order for the ruling to go into effect, it had to be published by November 2 by the Government Legislation Centre. As a result, abortion is still legal in Poland in cases of a prenatal diagnosis. Poland, already one of the most pro-life countries in the world, also allows abortion in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother’s life is at risk.

According to the motion, the EP “underlines that the aforementioned ruling is yet another example of the political takeover of the judiciary and the systemic collapse of the rule of law in Poland.” In response, Julia Przelebska, president of the country’s Constitutional Tribunal, called the EP resolution “an unprecedented attempt to interfere with internal systemic issues of the Republic of Poland not covered by European treaties.”

Currently, nearly 100% of babies with a prenatal diagnosis in Poland are aborted. As previously covered by Live Action News, babies with disabilities who survive the abortion process have also reportedly been left to die.

Most abortions in Poland, according to CNN, are committed due to a prenatal diagnosis. President Andrzej Duda said he believes these children deserve to live. “I am a strong opponent of eugenic abortion and I believe that killing children with disabilities is frankly murder,” Duda previously said after Poland’s governing Law and Justice party tried to pass a bill banning eugenic abortions. “If the plan finds itself on my desk, I will in all certainty sign it.” In September, Duda became the country’s first president to participate in the March for Life and Family.

Should a ban on eugenic abortion take hold in Poland, the overwhelming majority of abortions in the country would stop. As thousands of medical professionals have stated, the purposeful killing of a preborn human being is never medically necessary. If a woman’s life is at risk, a C-section is faster and safer than a late-term abortion which carries heavy risks, and takes several days.

Communist China Escalates Trade War With Australia

 The ChiComs have no friends or allies. They have only client states and enemies. The CCP must be destroyed! #SmashTheCCP

From Legal Insurrection

By Vijeta Uniyal

Beijing slaps up to 200% export duty on Australian wine.

A day after congratulating Democratic candidate Joe Biden on his supposed “victory” in the U.S. presidential election, Communist China has escalated its trade war with Australia, a key American ally in the Asia-Pacific. 

China on Friday introduced up to 212 percent export duty on Australian wine. This would be a devastating blow to Australia’s wine industry as China makes up for about 40 percent of country’s total wine exports. Australia’s wine growers are the latest target of Chinese bullying this year. Other Australian exports recently targeted by Beijing include barley, coal, seafood, and timber.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday congratulated Biden on his “win.” The Chinese dictator hoped for a “spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation” and “win-win cooperation” with Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris in the White House as he prepared to ramp up a trade war with a major U.S. ally. The Chinese foreign ministry has already greeted “Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris,” calling them the “choice of the American people.”

The hostile move by China comes as the communist regime conducts backdoor diplomacy with Biden’s team. According to Chinese media reports earlier this month, Beijing has opened a “backchannel” with the Biden-Harris camp seeking to “reset” the relations with a potential Democrat-run White House and thereby undo President Donald Trump’s legacy on China.

The Hong-Kong daily South China Morning Post reported:

China’s commerce ministry said on Friday that it will impose temporary anti-dumping measures on Australian wine imports from Saturday.

The duties will range from 107.1 to 212.1 per cent, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday.

The commerce ministry said in a statement announcing the measures that “there is a causal relationship between [wine] dumping and material damage”.

China is the biggest destination for Australia‘s wine exports, accounting for 39 per cent of total shipments in the first nine months of 2020, according to Wine Australia, an industry body.

“This is a very distressing time for many hundreds of Australian wine producers, who have built, in good faith, a sound market in China,” Australia trade minister Simon Birmingham told Australia media on Friday.

“The Australian government will vigorously defend the industry,” agriculture minister David Littleproud said on Friday.

China’s increased hostilities towards Australia is more than posturing over commercial interests.

Beijing has been angry at Australia for its vocal criticism of the regime’s handling of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. In April, Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, threatened a boycott of Australian goods if Prime Minister Morrison’s government insisted on an independent inquiry into the origins and outbreak of the pandemic in central China.

China has also been enraged by Canberra’s support for the Asia-Pacific geopolitical and defense alliance forged under the leadership of President Trump. As The Washington Times noted in October, the Trump administration “floated the idea of developing the group into an “Asian NATO” in the face of China‘s growing economic and military might.”

The four-nation alliance has rattled Communist China, which is pursuing a policy of territorial expansion and military aggression in the region. Last month, Beijing renewed its threats to invade neighboring Taiwan. Beijing has consolidated its hold over artificial islands in the South China sea, encroaching into foreign waters. In May, Chinese military invaded India, occupying a strategic Himalayan valley. 

The Asia-Pacific alliance championed by President Trump has sought to contain Beijing’s growing imperialist ambitions. Under the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue initiative, popularly know as the Quad, the four-nation alliance of the U.S., Australia, Japan, and India has created a framework for security cooperation, including joint defense exercises and access to each others’ military and naval bases. 

CONTRA GENTILES - BOOK ONE: GOD - Chapter 89 THAT IN GOD THERE ARE NOT THE PASSIONS OF THE APPETITES

[1] From what has preceded we can know that the passions of the appetites are not in God.

[2] Now, according to intellective appetite there is no passion, but only according to sensitive appetite, as is proved in Physics VII [3]. But no such appetite can be in God, since He does not have sensitive knowledge, as is manifest from what has been said above. Therefore, there is no passion of the appetite in God.

[3] Moreover, every passion of the appetite takes place through some bodily change, for example, the contraction or distension of the heart, or something of the sort. Now, none of this can take place in God, since He is not a body or a power in a body, as was shown above. There is, therefore, no passion of the appetite in Him.

[4] Again, in every passion of the appetite the patient is somehow drawn out of his usual, calm, or connatural disposition. A sign of this is that such passions, if intensified, bring death to animals. But it is not possible for God to be somehow drawn outside His natural condition, since He is absolutely immutable, as has been shown. It appears, then, that such passions cannot be found in God.

[5] Moreover, every affection arising from a passion is directed determinately to one thing according to the manner and measure of the passion. For passion has an impulse to something one, as does nature, and on this account it must be curbed and regulated by reason. But the divine will is not determined in itself to something one among creatures, except out of the order of its wisdom, as was shown above. Therefore, there is no passion of the appetite in God.

[6] Furthermore, every passion belongs to something existing in potency. But God is completely free from potency, since He is pure act. God, therefore, is solely agent, and in no way does any passion have a place in Him.

[7] Thus, therefore, by reason of its genus, passion is excluded in God.

[8] Some passions, however, are excluded from God not only by reason of their genus, but also by reason of their species. For every passion is specified by its object. That passion, therefore, whose subject is absolutely unbefitting to God is removed from God even according to the nature of its proper species.

[9] Such a passion, however, is sorrow or pain, for its subject is the already present evil, just as the object of joy is the good present and possessed. Sorrow and pain, therefore, of their very nature cannot be found in God.

[10] Furthermore, the notion of the object of a given passion is derived not only from good and evil, but also from the fact that one is disposed in a certain way towards one of them. For it is thus that hope and joy differ. If, then, the mode itself in which one is disposed toward the object that is included in the notion of passion is not befitting to God, neither can the passion itself befit Him, even through the nature of its proper species. Now, although hope has as its object something good, yet it is not a good already possessed, but one to be possessed. This cannot befit God, because of His perfection, which is so great that nothing can be added to it. Hope, therefore, cannot be found in God, even by reason of its species. And likewise, neither can the. desire of something not possessed.

[11] Moreover, just as the divine perfection excludes from God the potency of the addition of some good to be obtained, so likewise, and all the more, does it exclude the potency to evil. Fear has reference to the evil that can threaten, as hope has reference to a good to be obtained. By a twofold reason of its species, therefore, is fear excluded from God: both because it belongs only to one existing in potency and because it has for its object a threatening evil.

[12] Again, repentance implies a change of affection. Therefore, the nature of repentance likewise is repugnant to God, not only because it is a species of sadness, but also because it implies a change of will.

[13] Furthermore, without an error of the cognitive power it is impossible that what is good be apprehended as evil. Nor is it possible that the evil of one be the good of another, except among particular goods in which “the corruption of one is the generation of another.” But the universal good does not lose anything because of the existence of some particular good, but is rather mirrored by each one. God, however, is the universal good, and by participating in His likeness all things are called good. The evil of no thing, therefore, can be His good. Nor is it possible that what is absolutely good, and is not evil to itself, He should apprehend as something evil; for His knowledge is without error, as has been shown. Envy, therefore, cannot be found in God, even according to the nature of its species, not only because it is a species of sadness, but also because it is saddened by the good of another and thus takes his good as its own evil.

[14] Moreover, to be saddened over a good and to seek evil are of the same nature, for the first arises because the good is judged to be evil, while the second arises because evil is judged to be good. Anger is the appetite of another’s evil for the sake of revenge. Anger, therefore, is far from God according to the nature of its species, not only because it is an effect of sadness, but likewise because it is an appetite for revenge arising from sadness due to an injury received.

[15] Again, whatever other passions are species of these or are caused by them, are for the same reason removed from God.

Next - CONTRA GENTILES - BOOK ONE: GOD - Chapter 90 THAT IN GOD THERE ARE DELIGHT AND JOY, BUT THEY ARE NOT OPPOSED TO THE DIVINE PERFECTION

Douglas Murray: Western Europe Unable to Accept the East’s Different Viewpoint

The leftist elites in Western Europe hate Hungary and Poland because they are determined to remain European and Christian.

From Magyar Nemzet via ReMix

By Imre Csekő and András Kárpáti

"History has vindicated Hungary's migration policy," said Murray, who is the best-selling author of "The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam" and associate editor for The Spectator

Many European conflicts along the East-West fault line are caused by the fact that Western Europe is unable to accept the East's different approaches on key political and social issues, acclaimed British author and political commentator Douglas Murray told daily Magyar Nemzet in an interview.

Murray believes that Eastern and Western Europe speak past one another, and Western European countries often resort to threats, which he says is quite unfortunate.

"Instead of the often intentional misunderstandings that arise, more attention needs to be devoted towards actually understanding each other," Murray said. "While it is obvious that various criticisms can be made about the internal functioning of other countries, it is important to deal with an understanding of why certain decisions are made. I find it extremely damaging that Western Europe cannot accept that things are not going the way they like in the eastern part of the continent."

Asked about the prevalence of critical voices towards Hungary in Western Europe, Murray said that was a result of the dominance of leftist views in the West.

"In Western Europe, left-wing ideas dominate, and they are characterized by a peculiar view of history, according to which there is an inevitable direction of historical development, and this breeds a kind of impatience and intolerance," Murray said in the interview. "Today, there is often an American liberal view that places extreme emphasis on freedom. Obviously, freedom is an important value, but its exclusive emphasis leads to distorted results such as the legalization of hard drugs or the downsizing of the police. And the cult of freedom is organically linked to the blending of the conceptual and concrete notions of equality."

Murray also said that for a meaningful left-right dialogue, both sides should exercise restraint and keep in check their more radical elements.

"I want the left were able to break down the radical elements, because in every society there is a need for dialogue between the right and the left. There are traditionally left-wing suggestions that can be important at times," Murray said. "I would be happy if the sensible leftists could get rid of the mentally ill. The right, too, must always keep its own insane in check."

Murray used Hungary as an example to make his point, saying, "The right is much better at distancing itself from the far-right movements. The case of Jobbik in your country is a clear example of this."

Murray added that history has by now validated Hungary's tough stance on migration despite ample criticism heaped on the country dating back to 2015.

"It is true that several European politicians have spectacularly redefined their views — one good example of this is Macron, who now has a very similar position on migration as the Hungarian cabinet — but one shouldn't expect him to apologize for that," said Murray.

Beijing’s Line on theSouth China Sea:”Nothing to See Here”

China's imperialism in the South China Sea must be stopped! The CCP must be destroyed! #SmashTheCCP 

From The Interpreter

By Oriana Skylar Mastro

China’s official denials of growing military capability in the region look a lot like gaslighting.

China’s strategy in responding to concerns about its intentions in the South China Sea is to claim that none of the activities, statements or behaviours that concern other countries are actually happening.

China claims it has not militarised the South China Sea, but that the United States “is the real pusher of militarisation” in these waters. Its leaders often argue that China is a peace-loving country only interested in defending itself. As the China’s General Wei Fenghe stated at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018, “China has never provoked a war or conflict, nor has it ever invaded another country or taken an inch of land from others. In the future, no matter how strong it becomes, China shall never threaten anyone.”

China has similarly brushed off concerns of other claimants, such as Vietnam, about its intensifying military exercises in the South China Sea and largely ignored Australia’s assertion at the United Nations that China’s claims have no legal backing.

So apparently it is all one big misunderstanding.

On 24 November, former Chinese ambassador Fu Ying criticised the United States in a New York Times op-ed for raising multiple issues that in her mind do not exist. Thus, the way to resolve the growing bilateral tensions is for the two countries “to have candid talks to better understand each other’s intentions and cultivate trust”.

So, in the Chinese communist spirit of 实事求是, or “seeking truth from facts”, I have charted the military capabilities China has deployed to the South China Sea, which are displayed with references on the map below. The Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands are under dispute; Hainan Island is a recognised part of China, but I include it because the military capabilities in situ have implications for Chinese military options in the South China Sea writ large.

The important takeaway from this map is that China has deployed to the South China Sea exactly the types of systems the People’s Liberation Army would need to exert control over the South China Sea. Control requires comprehensive awareness of the environment and the capabilities to compel and coerce states to follow the PLA’s rules. To achieve this, China first needs systems that monitor activity on and under the sea and in the air in the disputed areas, such as forward-deployed surveillance aircraft.

Once China establishes an awareness of others’ activities in the South China Sea, it will need certain capabilities to enforce its sovereignty claims. This includes multirole fighters that can be used to intercept and escort other countries’ aircraft; these fighters can be deployed to the South China Sea islands or operate off an aircraft carrier in the area.

These are precisely the types of capabilities that China periodically deploys to the islands. One capability the PLA would need for controlling the South China Sea that we have not seen is command and control (C2) aircraft. The Southern Theatre Command is far away from the Spratly Islands in particular, and greater connectivity in the form of C2 is a step we should expect to see as the transition to the theatre commands is completed.

I have made this argument to my Chinese colleagues, and unsurprisingly they have a good answer. As I testified in the US Congress for the House Foreign Affairs Committee in June, China argues its intentions are purely defensive. Indeed, many of the assets deployed to China's artificial islands – such as advanced sensors and air defence systems – are defensive in orientation. In 2018, when China added anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems to Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef near the Spratlys, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson had this to say: “Those who do not intend to be aggressive have no need to be worried or scared.”

These “defensive” motivations are still highly problematic for three reasons.

First, the South China Sea is not China’s to defend. Second, China’s claim that it is not expanding to gain this territory but fighting not to lose it is dangerous, because it encourages risk-acceptant behaviour. Third, China wants foreign powers out of the first island chain to create a defensive buffer. If China is successful, the United States will have difficulty conducting anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-air operations against China during a conflict.

China wants to undermine US deterrence against it to use force against Taiwan, for example, at a lower cost with a higher probability of success. In other words, China wants to minimise the ability of other countries, especially the United States, to counter Chinese aggression in the region.

If China truly had no intention to control the South China Sea and push the United States out, they would remove these systems and weapons from the South China Sea island outposts. Until that day comes, the United States is right to try to enhance deterrence in the South China Sea and prepare to prevail in a military confrontation, if one were to occur.

St. Louis IX vs. Baibars - The Battle of Mansourah, 1250

Real Crusades History #303.  And don't forget the Real Crusades History website!

The Crusade of Saint Louis IX of France during the 13th century. Egypt was the target, and King Louis met the Mamluk army of Baibars at the pivotal Battle of Mansourah in 1250.

Starbucks Employee Fired for Refusal to Wear Pro-LGBT Shirt, Lawsuit Claims

Tell me again how there's no culture war! If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in buying.

From DISRN

By Joel Abbott

A former New Jersey Starbucks barista has filed a lawsuit against the coffee chain, alleging she was fired for her refusal to wear a pro-LGBT "Pride" T-shirt on the job.

The ex-Aemployee, Betsy Fresse, is a Christian who began working for the company in 2015 and claims she was "assured" by management her faith would not be an issue when transferring to a new store in Glen Ridge in early 2019.

Fresse alleges that she then had a conversation with supervisors in June 2019 when she saw a box of Starbuck's LGBT pride shirts on a desk in the manager's office during a meeting. She inquired if wearing the shirts would be mandatory and expressed that she felt it would be "tantamount to forced speech" due to her belief in the biblical definition of marriage between "one man and one woman only."

Despite assurances that she would not be required to wear the shirt, Fresse says she was contacted by Starbucks's ethics and compliance department a few weeks later. Fresse told the company representative that she did not want to wear the shirt because of her faith. Fresse then says she was fired on August 22, 2019 because "her comportment was not in compliance with Starbucks' core values."

"We enforce these values when we embrace inclusion and diversity, and welcome and learn from people with different backgrounds and perspectives," said Fresse's termination notice from the company.

Her notice of termination also reportedly claimed that she had told her co-workers they "need Jesus" when she was handed one of the pro-LGBT shirts.

In addition to seeking backpay and renumeration for legal fees, Fresse's lawsuit is pursuing litigation that would prevent Starbucks from "failing to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs" of other employees in the future.

Starbucks has denied the allegations and said it does not require employees to wear any branded content other than its trademarked green apron.

"We are very aware of the claims by Mrs. Fresse, which are without merit and we are fully prepared to present our case in court," said a Starbucks spokesman in response to the lawsuit. "Specific to our dress code, other than our green apron, no part of our dress code requires partners to wear any approved items that they have not personally selected."

🔦 Starbucks has a long history of supporting progressive causes, including making allowing staff to wear clothing in support of Black Lives Matter, celebrating transgender individuals in official advertisements, and selling a full line of LGBT Pride products in its stores.

Word of the Day: Justice

JUSTICE. As a virtue, it is the constant and permanent determination to give everyone his or her rightful due. It is a habitual inclination of the will and therefore always recognizes each one’s rights, under any and all circumstances. The rights in question are whatever belongs to a person as an individual who is distinct from the one who practices justice. The essence of justice, then, as compared with charity, consists in the distinction between a person and his or her neighbor; whereas charity is based on the union existing between the one who loves and the person loved so that the practice of charity regards the neighbor as another self.

450th Anniversary of Sea Battle of Lepanto — Marian Jubilee Year

It will be ignored by the secular media, and quite possibly by the Vatican. Let's make sure we remember, and spread the word!

From The Eponymous Flower

By Giuseppe Nardi

2021 will mark the 450th anniversary of the victory of the Christian fleet in the sea battle of Lepanto.

 (Madrid) October 7, 2021 will mark the 450th anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto.  The Christian fleet triumphed over the Islamic invasion in 1571 and was able to break Ottoman naval rule in the Mediterranean.  The Bishop of the Spanish diocese of Alcalá de Henares, Msgr. Juan Antonio Reig Pla, proclaimed a Marian Jubilee in thanks for the victory and in memory of it.  This is a suggestion that should also be taken up by the dioceses of the German-speaking area.

Society without Christian identity

The two battles of Vienna and the battle of Lepanto historically Mark the successful defense of the second wave of Islamic conquests.  A first invasion was stopped in the west by the Franks under Charles Martell in the early 8th century.

 A tough defensive battle

In 1529 the Turks faced Vienna for the first time.  Since 1354, they had pushed their way unstoppably into Europe as conquerors and oppressors across the Balkans.  It was only before Vienna that the countries of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, especially the Habsburgs, succeeded in stopping the advance.  But the danger was not over yet.

 The Ottoman Empire remained a dangerous threat on land and controlled the Mediterranean by sea, which had become extremely dangerous for Europe's shipping traffic by the Muslims, whether as regular troops of the Sultan in the eastern or as pirates in the western Mediterranean.  In 1570 the Turks had also conquered the island of Cyprus, the easternmost Christian area that until then had asserted itself against Islam.

 It was only through the successful victory of the Christian fleet at Lepanto (in Greek Naupaktos) that Turkish naval rule was broken.  With this, the terrible danger was taken from the European coasts, which itself was burned cruelly and bloodily into the history of every coastal place in Italy, Dalmatia, Albania and Greece.  The sea route has also become safer again for trade and passenger traffic.

 With the second successful defense against the Turks in front of Vienna in 1683, it was finally possible to overcome the Islamic threat on land and herald the end of Turkish rule on European soil.

 The three Christian commanders in chief

 In both Lepanto in 1571 and in front of Vienna in 1683, the defense of Europe rested on the shoulders of the Catholic states, while the Protestant states watched.  It is also important to remember that.  It was the Catholic powers that saved Europe from being overrun and conquered by Islam.  In the naval battle, this merit went mainly to the Maritime Republic of Venice, the Papal states and the Spanish Habsburg Empire.

 Only the tireless efforts of Pope Pius V had succeeded in uniting the fleets of these three powers in the Holy League under one command.  There were also smaller Italian states.  the Maritime Republic of Genoa and the Order of Knights of Malta.  The supreme command was given to the 24 year old Johann of Austria, better known as Don Juan d'Austria, an illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V. At his side stood the commanders of the papal fleet, Marcantonio Colonna, the Venetian fleet, Sebastiano Venier, and the  Fleet of the Order of Malta, Admiral Pietro Giustiniani.

 The outcome of the battle was uncertain for a long time, but after five endless hours of battle, favorable winds brought about a happy turning point, which was awarded by the victors to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 In the sign of the cross and the intercession of Mary

 On June 11, 1570, the papal admiral Marcantonio Colonna received the eight-meter-long standard from the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica, under which he sailed into the sea battle the following year.  On it the crucified one is depicted, under the cross the princes of the apostles Peter and Paul and the inscription related to the cross “In hoc signo vinces” (In this sign you will conquer).  The standard is now kept in the Diocesan Museum of Gaeta.  Previously it was in Gaeta Cathedral, where it was damaged by an English air raid during World War II.  It was then brought to safety in the Vatican until the end of the war and has been restored three times since the end of the war, most recently in 2007/2008.

 

Standard of the Holy League, which was set on the admiral ship of Don Juan de Austria

 The name of Marcantonio Colonna recently gained fame again as the pseudonym of the British historian and Knight of Malta Henry Sire, who published the book “The Dictator Pope” on the pontificate of Pope Francis under this name.

 The standard of the Holy League, under which the Regensburg-born Don Juan d'Austria sailed, shows the crucified Lord, framed at the foot of the cross by the coats of arms of Pius V, Charles V (for the countries of the Spanish crown,  but also as a reference to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation), the Maritime Republic of Venice and Don Juan.  All coats of arms are linked by a chain to symbolize the Alliance of the Holy League.  The standard was kept in Toledo Cathedral for 350 years and has been in the Museo de Santa Cruz there since 1961.  The young Don Juan d’Austria received them in Barcelona in a solemn ceremony in front of the altar.

 

Don Juan's flag with the double-headed eagle

 At Don Juan's side, his nephews, the sons of Emperor Maximilian II, Archdukes Rudolf and Ernst, also fought as ship commanders.  Rudolf was to become emperor himself in 1576 as Rudolf II.  Ernst became regent of Inner Austria (Styria, Carinthia, Krain, Gorizia and Trieste) for his nephew, who was still underage, and shortly before his death governor of the Netherlands.

 One of the Christian fighters in Lepanto was the Spanish national poet Miguel de Cervantes, who came from Alcalà de Hernanes and, like Don Juan, was 24 years old at the time.  Hit by three Turkish bullets, he survived the battle.  However, his left hand remained paralyzed.  Don Juan himself certified his bravery.  A few years later he was captured by Muslim pirates and sold as a slave in Algiers.  He was ransomed by members of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and the Ransom of Prisoners, better known as the Trinitarian Order.  The episode illustrates the cruelty and legal uncertainty that prevailed in the Mediterranean at the time due to Islam.

 The rosary and the vision of victory

 When the enemy came into sight off Lepanto on October 7, only the admiral ship of the Christian League was flagged, the galley La Real (The Royal) of Don Juan.  The Ottomans could only see the standard of the crucified and the flag with the representation of the Mother of God Maria and the inscription S. Maria succurre miseris (Holy Mary, help of the needy).  It was not the individual states that counted at that moment, but the unity of Christianity, which had gathered together under the sign of the cross to ward off the enemy.  Meanwhile, the Christian soldiers gathered on the decks of the ships and prayed together.  The battle, before which all Christian ships set the flag, was all about the rosary and its mysteries.

 Pius V, who through his unshakable personal commitment, had succeeded in unifying the Catholic powers, prayed, fasted and performed penances for the Christian fleet.  He also urged the cardinals and the faithful to fast and pray for the soldiers at sea, especially the rosary.  The Pope himself led the way in an exemplary manner and held three fast days a week.

 On the day of the battle he called the people of Rome together for penitential processions and a storm of prayer.  The Blessed Mother should be called upon for assistance and help.  The Pope repeatedly visited the patriarchal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pray in front of the ancient image of the Virgin, Salus Populi Romani.

 On that October 7th, 1571, he was suddenly shown the victory of the Christian fleet in a vision.  During an audience he hurried to the window of the Apostolic Palace and remained there motionless for several minutes, according to contemporary reports.  Suddenly, deeply moved, he turned to those present and ordered them to meet at the church immediately to thank God for the victory.

 Pius V in prayer is shown victory by the angel.  A representation of Mary can be seen above the battle

 Of the 340 Turkish ships, 50 were sunk and 137 were captured.  The victors managed to free 15,000 galley slaves, mostly Christians.

 The actual news of the victory did not reach Rome until 23 days later, brought by the messengers of Prince Colonna.  Then it turned out that the time when the Pope was shown victory actually coincided with it.  When Pius V heard this, the Pope had tears in his eyes, as his contemporaries noted.  The triumph of Lepanto was attributed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, so that in 1572 St. Pius V introduced October 7th as the feast day of Our Lady of Victory.  Pope Gregory XIII  then renamed it the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Visualize the victory and it’s circumstances 

 Bishop Juan Antonio Reig Pla of Alcalá de Henares, one of the outstanding bishops of Spain, wants to remind the believing people of this great event in the history of Europe and Christianity, of the victory and its context.  The whole of the coming year, which he proclaimed to be the Marian Year of Jubilee, should serve this purpose.  It starts next Sunday, November 28th, will peak on October 7th, 2021 and end on November 20th, 2021.  The opening ceremony will be carried out by Bishop Reig Pla himself.

 In 732 the Franks under Charles Martell were able to repel the Islamic invasion in the west.  In 1571 the same happened in the east at sea and in 1683 also on land.  The sea battle of Lepanto teaches what it means in the Lord's Prayer: “Fiat voluntas tua in coelo et in terra” (Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven).  God is the master of history.  His intervention is possible at any time and it happens, especially through the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, the help of Christians and mediator of all graces.

 So it remains to be hoped and wished that other bishops, especially those of the German-speaking area, and the faithful do not forget this important historical event or even hide it out of misunderstood "dialogue".  After all, two of the central figures of the events at that time, Don Juan d’Austria and King Philip II, but also numerous others, came from its midst.  And finally, the Battle of Lepanto is inseparable from the liberation of the Turks in front of Vienna.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG

Europe Must Not Succumb to the Soros Network

God bless the author of this essay! He and Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, are Europe's bulwark against Soros and his left-wing thugs!

From The Imaginative Conservative

By Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary

Many believe that the prime minister of a country should not enter into an argument with George Soros. Their reasoning is that Soros is an economic criminal, because he made his money through speculation, ruining the lives of millions of people, and even blackmailing entire national economies. Just as governments must not negotiate with terrorists, they say, prime ministers must likewise not debate with economic criminals.

Yet now I am compelled to do so, because in an article appearing on the Project Syndicate website on 18 November, the Hungarian-born speculator and billionaire George Soros issued open commands to the leaders of the European Union. In his article he instructs them to severely punish those Member States that do not want to become part of a unifying European empire under the banner of a global “open society.”

Throughout history, Europe’s strength has always been derived from its nations. Although of different origins, European nations were bound together by the common roots of our faith. The foundation of our communities was the European family model, itself based on Judeo-Christian traditions. It was Christian freedom which ensured freedom of thought and culture, and which created benign competition among the continent’s nations. This magnificent amalgam of contrasts made Europe the world’s leading power through centuries of history.

Every attempt to unify Europe under the aegis of empire has failed. Thus historical experience tells us that Europe will be great again if its nations become great again, and resist all forms of imperial ambition.

Great forces are once again moving to eradicate the nations of Europe and unify the continent under the aegis of a global empire. The Soros network, which has woven itself through Europe’s bureaucracy and its political elite, has for years been working to make Europe an immigrant continent. Today the Soros network, which promotes a global open society and seeks to abolish national frameworks, is the greatest threat faced by the states of the European Union. The goals of the network are obvious: to create multi-ethnic, multicultural open societies by accelerating migration, and to dismantle national decision-making, placing it in the hands of the global elite.

The European Union is suffering from multiple afflictions: since 2008 an economic crisis of proportions not seen for generations; since 2015 a migration crisis; and in 2020 a devastating global pandemic. Europe has still not recovered from its previous crises, and so the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has the potential for even greater distress. There are already signs of this: in several countries public debt, unemployment rates and the general economic situation have reached critical levels. The need for European solidarity, for European nations to come together to help each other, has never been greater.

During all these crises, this speculator – who calls himself a philanthropist – did not consider the interests of the people of Europe, but acted to his own advantage. Memorably he attacked the Hungarian forint and Hungary’s largest bank in the economic crisis, and he planned to speed up, distribute and finance the resettlement of immigrants during the migrant crisis; and now he is proposing that Member States punish one another, instead of embracing solidarity and mutual assistance.

The network directed by George Soros has now discarded any hesitancy it may have had about open intervention. He wants to put more pressure on nation states than ever before. He is setting the peoples of Europe against one another. The network’s operational system is labyrinthine, and is present in various arenas of public life. On the payroll of George Soros are a long list of politicians, journalists, judges, bureaucrats and political agitators masquerading as members of civil society organizations. And although the billionaire accuses all his enemies of corruption, he himself is the most corrupt man in the world. He pays off and buys whoever he can – and those whom he cannot bribe will be slandered, humiliated, intimidated and destroyed by the network through its formidable weapon: the left-wing media battalions.

Many high-ranking EU bureaucrats are working with the Soros network to create a unified empire. They want to build an institutional system that, under the aegis of the open society, seeks to force a unified way of thinking, a unified culture and a unified social model on Europe’s free and independent nations. They seek to rescind the right of every people to decide its own destiny. This is also the purpose of their “rule of law” proposal – which does not, in fact, recognize the rule of law, but of strength. It would be more honest to call it the “rule of the majority.”

The differences between us are obvious. Soros wants an open society, while we want a safe society. According to him, democracy can only be liberal, while we think it can be Christian. According to him, freedom can only serve self-realization, while we believe that freedom can also be used to follow the teachings of Christ, to serve one’s country, and to protect our families. The basis of Christian freedom is the freedom to decide. This is now in jeopardy.

We in the eastern part of the EU know very well what it means to be free. The history of the nations of Central Europe has been a relentless struggle for freedom against great empires, a repeated battle to win our right to decide our own destinies. We have bitter first-hand experience that every imperial endeavor brings enslavement. There are still quite a few here from the generation of freedom fighters – in the former Eastern Bloc, from Estonia to Slovenia, from Dresden to Sofia – who can personally remember what it is like to oppose tyranny, the rule of man and its communist version: intimidation, material and moral ruination, physical and mental abuse. We want no more of that.

Western leaders who have lived their whole lives in a world of inherited freedom and the rule of law should now listen to those who have fought for freedom and who – based on their personal life experiences – can distinguish between the rule of law and tyranny, or the rule of man. Such Western leaders must accept that in the 21st century we shall not surrender the freedom we fought to achieve at the end of the 20th century.

The battle for and against the new Brussels empire has not yet been decided. Brussels seems to be surrendering, but many nation states continue to resist. If we want to preserve our freedom, Europe must not succumb to the Soros network.

Monarch Profile: Prince Jacques I of Monaco

A look at a very unpopular Prince of Monaco, viewed by many as a sort of usurper.

From The Mad Monarchist (23 June 2015)

One of the more controversial men to hold the title of Prince of Monaco was Jacques Francois Leonor Goyon de Matignon. It will be noticed that his name was not Grimaldi and that would be a hurtful point to many. On October 20, 1715 he married Hereditary Princess Louise-Hippolyte of Monaco, daughter and successor of Sovereign Prince Antoine I after a long and contentious search for a suitable husband. Part of the appeal of Jacques was that he was not so well born as to be reluctant to change his name. Unfortunately this would also mean that he would be tainted from the start with the image of a social-climber. Still, his own family was fairly prestigious as well, coming from one of the oldest families of Brittany. One of his ancestors was the famous Marshal Jacques de Matignon who refused to participate in the notorious Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.

Many other members of the larger Grimaldi clan were adamantly opposed to the marriage of Louise-Hippolyte and Jacques de Matignon. They argued, not unreasonably, that according to previous accords the Monegasque throne should only pass to a Grimaldi and that by the marriage Jacques would become the effective ruler of the principality and the founder of a new dynasty in all but name. They tried to pursue the matter through legal means but to no avail and thereafter many took to referring to the Monegasque Princely Family as the House of Matignon rather than Grimaldi. Nor was the Princess of Monaco herself happy with her husband whom she viewed, because of all the intrigue surrounding the marriage, with great suspicion, suspecting that he was only using her to advance his own position. Her fears were not unreasonable as Jacques was attracted to the marriage because he would be gaining a principality rather than any real devotion to the Princess and the match was pushed by King Louis XIV of France who wanted to secure French influence over Monaco and he knew that Jacques would be “his man” as it were.

Princely Family of Monaco

In 1731, with the death of Antoine I, Prince Jacques became “Sovereign Consort” of Monaco and thought of himself as the real ruler of the place and this was another example of what Princess Louise-Hippolyte regarded as her husband assuming more power than was his right and attempting to usurp her legitimate place as Sovereign Princess of Monaco. Nonetheless, throughout their marriage the line of Prince Jacques I was secured by the birth of eight children from 1717 to 1728. When the couple came to the throne the people of Monaco welcomed their Princess but scorned their new Prince who they saw as acting arrogantly and really caring nothing for the people but only about what he could gain from the Principality. Even before assuming the throne he avoided Monaco and preferred to stay with the French court at Versailles enjoying a succession of mistresses. The marriage of Grimaldi and Matignon was not a happy one.

Prince Jacques I was the effective ruler of Monaco, especially after Princess Louise-Hippolyte died of smallpox only eleven months into her reign. With no more opposition Jacques I was able to assume total control of Monaco and was recognized as the Sovereign Prince by the King of France. However, his reign would not be a peaceful one even after the passing of his wife. Her fight was taken up by her sister Princess Margaret d’Isenghien who conspired against Jacques on the grounds that the Monegasque had always been ruled by a Grimaldi and would accept nothing else. To deal with this Prince Jacques appointed the Chevalier de Grimaldi (an illegitimate son of Antoine I) to be Governor of Monaco. Fortunately the Chevalier proved to be a wise administrator and ruled Monaco with great ability for the next 50 years. It was certainly an improvement over Prince Jacques who never showed much interest in Monegasque affairs and was generally unpopular. He preferred the high life of the French court to the business of governing his little Principality. Finally, with public opposition to his rule showing no signs of letting up he left Monaco in May of 1732 and the following year abdicated in favor of his son Prince Honore III. The new Sovereign Prince was barely 14 but with the Chevalier running things the country seemed to be in capable hands with good prospects for the future. Prince Jacques returned to his favored lifestyle in Versailles and Paris where he spent the rest of his life before his death on April 23, 1751. His former residence in Paris, named the Hotel Matignon is today the official residence of the French prime minister.

30 November, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

The Blessedness of the Clean of Heart 

1. “Blessed are the clean of heart,” says Jesus in the Beatitudes, for they shall see God. (Mt. 5:8) “The sensual man,” adds St. Paul, “does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. 2:14) 
 
How true this is. When the flesh gains control over the spirit and our lower instincts enslave the intellect, we are overcome by confusion and spiritual blindness. No longer can we see God's reflection in created things; no longer do we hear His voice. Impurity and sensuality lead to disregard for the law of God, whereas purity of heart makes it easy for us to love His law.
 
One day, as was his custom, St. Joseph Cafasso went to the prison to visit the convicts. Among them there was a hardened old sinner who was interested neither in God nor in confessing his sins. The Saint met him and tried to persuade him to kneel down and make his confession. "I do not believe in God," replied the old man. The Saint simply looked at him. "Kneel down," he said, "confess your sins, and afterwards you will believe." It turned out as he had predicted. The old crime-hardened sinner told his sins, wept for them, and became a new man. It was as if the scales had fallen from his eyes, which now saw God clearly once more. Through the forgiveness of his sins he found again the way of supernatural love. 
 
We should be grateful to God that we are not in the same state as this poor prisoner was, but it is probable that we have been often disturbed by impure suggestions. On these occasions we may have lost sight of God and our high and pure ideals may have suffered an eclipse. We must preserve our chastity, however. With this purpose in view we should renew our good resolutions in the presence of God and should constantly implore His grace and the protection of the Blessed Virgin. 
 
2. The clean of heart will see God. St. Thomas observes that the heart may and should be purified in two ways, even as God may be seen in two ways. (S. Th., II-II, q. 8. a. 7) The first essential is to purify the disturbed passions, which blind the soul to heavenly things. The second is to cleanse the mind and to make it immune from error and from evil fancies so that it may be permanently enlightened by God. 
 
Similarly, the vision of God is twofold. When we see God perfectly, we see His Divine Essence, and such happiness is possible only in the Beatific Vision. There is also an imperfect vision of God, by which we see Him not in Himself but in created things. We can and should have this vision in this life. All the wonders of creation are rays of the eternal beauty of God. Creatures, therefore, should form for us a mystical ladder which leads us to God. We should never become entangled with transient worldly goods, but should see and love God in them all. The Saints were clean of heart and could see God more clearly than the most learned scholars. 
 
3. Let us conclude this meditation with an appropriate prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas. "Make my heart watchful, O God, so that no vain thought may distract it from You. Make it noble, so that it may never be seduced by any base affection. Make it upright, so that no evil intention may defile it. Make it steadfast, so that troubles may not dismay it. Make it free, so that it may not yield to the onslaughts of passion. Grant me, my God, the intelligence to understand You, the love to seek You, the wisdom to find You, words to please You, the perseverance to wait faithfully for You, and the hope of embracing You at last. Grant that I, a repentant sinner, may bear Your chastisements with resignation. Poor pilgrim that I am, may I draw on the treasury of Your grace and may I one day be eternally happy with you in heavenly glory. Amen."

Eastern Rite - Orlets

Today is the Feast of St. Andrew, the First-called, brother of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles. He was a disciple of St. John the Baptist. Tradition has it that he was crucified on a cross shaped in the form of an X at Patras in Achiia (Greece) A.D. 60, under the reign of Nero, Emperor.

✠✠✠✠✠

The orlets (Russian: Орлец, meaning eaglet), is a small rug, usually round, used in some traditions for a bishop to stand on during services at which he officiates. The eagle depicted on the rug represents an eagle overlooking and hovering over a city, just as the bishop through his consecration is called to be an overseer of his city, the flock entrusted to his care. 

IN LUMINE FIDEI: 30 NOVEMBER – SAINT ANDREW (Apostle and Martyr)

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IN LUMINE FIDEI: 30 NOVEMBER – MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT: Lesson at Matins – Isaiah i. 16 ‒ 18 “Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely, l...

30 November, A Chesterton Calendar

NOVEMBER 30th

ST. ANDREW'S DAY

I am quite certain that Scotland is a nation; I am quite certain that nationality is the key of Scotland; I am quite certain that all our success with Scotland has been due to the fact that we have in spirit treated it as a nation. I am quite certain that Ireland is a nation. I am quite certain that nationality is the key of Ireland; I am quite certain that all our failure in Ireland arose from the fact that we would not in spirit treat it as a nation. It would be difficult to find, even among the innumerable examples that exist, a stronger example of the immensely superior importance of sentiment, to what is called practicality, than this case of the two sister nations. It is not that we have encouraged a Scotchman to be rich; it is not that we have encouraged a Scotchman to be active; it is not that we have encouraged a Scotchman to be free. It is that we have quite definitely encouraged a Scotchman to be Scotch.

'All Things Considered.'

The Holy Rule of St Benedict, Father of Western Monks

CHAPTER XLIX. Of the Observance of Lent

31 Mar. 31 July. 30 Nov.

Although the life of a monk ought at all times to have about it a Lenten character, yet since few have strength enough for this, we exhort all, at least during the days of Lent, to keep themselves in all purity of life, and to wash away, during that holy season, the negligences of other times. This we shall worthily do, if we refrain from all sin, and give ourselves to prayer with tears, to holy reading, compunction of heart and abstinence. In these days, then, let us add some thing to our wonted service; as private prayers, and abstinence from food and drink, so that every one of his own will may offer to God, with joy of the Holy Spirit, something beyond the measure appointed him: withholding from his body somewhat of his food, drink and sleep, refraining from talking and mirth, and awaiting Holy Easter with the joy of spiritual longing. Let each one, however, make known to his Abbot what he offereth, and let it be done with his blessing and permission: because what is done without leave of the spiritual father shall be imputed to presumption and vain-glory, and merit no reward. Everything, therefore, is to be done with the approval of the Abbot.

1 December, The Roman Maryrology

Kaléndis Decémbris Luna quinta decima Anno Domini 2020

On the morrow we keep the Feast of the holy Confessor Felix de Valois, of whom mention is made upon the 4th day of November.
December 1st 2020, the 15th day of the Moon, were born into the better life:

The Prophet Nahum, who sleepeth in Begabar.
At Rome, (about the year 283,) the holy martyrs the Priest Diodorus, and the Deacon Marianus with many others, who gained the glory of martyrdom by command of the Emperor Numerian.
There likewise the holy martyrs Lucius, Rogatus, Cassian, and Candida.
On the same day, the holy martyr Ansanus, who confessed Christ at Rome, under the Emperor Diocletian, and was cast into prison then was brought to Sienna, in Tuscany, where he was beheaded, and so finished the course of his testimony, (about the year 304.)
At Ameria, in Umbria, under the same Diocletian, the holy martyr Olympias. He was a man of consular rank, who had been converted by blessed Firmina, and died upon the rack, (about the year 284.)
At Arbela, in Persia, the holy martyr Ananias.
At Narni, the holy martyr Proculus, Bishop (of that see,) who, after many good works, was beheaded by order of Totila, King of the Goths.
At the city of Casala, the holy martyr Evasius, Bishop (of that see.)
At Milan, holy Castritian, Bishop (of that see,) who gained great praise for his worthy acts and his godly and pious conduct of affairs during the most troublous times of the Church.
At Brescia, holy Ursicinus, Bishop (of that see.)
At Noyon, (in, probably, the year 659,) holy Eloy, Bishop (of that see,) whose marvelous life is commended by the number of signs wrought through him.
At Verdun, (in the year 591,) holy Ageric, Bishop (of that see.)
On the same day, holy Natalia, the wife of the blessed martyr Hadrian. She ministered for a long time to the holy martyrs who were kept in prison at Nicomedia under the Emperor Diocletian, and after their battle was over went to Constantinople, where she fell asleep in peace.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.

Memes of the Day

 

Fulton Sheen’s Advice for the End of 2020

Advice on dealing with hard times from the Venerable (hopefully soon to be Blessed) Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

From Catholic Exchange

By Derek Rotty

It may be an understatement to say that 2020 has been a trying year on all of us. We have dealt with a contentious presidential election that is still largely unresolved. We have faced a global pandemic that has caused economic ruin and social isolation on a historic scale. This latter has surely brought pain and suffering to each of us personally as we may have lost jobs or (in my case just yesterday) experienced the death of friends. Our Church also has recently been made aware of the horrific details contained in the McCarrick Report, about sexual abuse at the highest levels.

We all want 2020 to end…yesterday!

Yet, we know that it will continue for a little more than a month now. So, where and to whom can we turn for hope, even if these next five weeks last a little longer than we might like? One great place for Catholics to turn is to “America’s bishop,” Fulton Sheen. Ever the great preacher and wordsmith, Sheen provided some great advice to Americans in mid-century, which we can appropriate as we watch 2020 draw to a close.

The first bit of advice the good bishop would give is for us to look to Our Blessed Lord, and be connected with the ministry of the Church He established. At the very end of his first series of radio addresses as host of The Catholic Hour in 1930, Sheen reminded his listeners: “Christ rose from the dead, not because He is man, but because He is God. The Church rises from the sepulcher in which violent hands or passing errors would inter her, not because she is human, but because she is Divine.” Even with the difficulties of 2020, we can look to Jesus Christ, especially the Crucified Lord, and realize that death and suffering is not the end. He has conquered, and He wants to conquer for us and with us, too!

The next bit of advice that Archbishop Sheen imparted to his own age, and which he would apply to us, is that the greatest treasure is often found amidst the deepest darkness. In a short article entitled “Treasures in Darkness,” Sheen tells us, “Only those who walk in the night ever see the stars. More men discover their souls in darkness than they do in light.” His point is that saints, men and women of true heroic virtue, have all traversed grave difficulties only to be made better for such trials.

Sheen took this point further, referring to the joy that can be found, even in suffering. “Instead of being cast down,” he wrote, “noble souls, in adversity, rise to new heights.” Archbishop Sheen sees and teaches that even the very challenging 2020 can be the cause of soaring like a jet plane to heights of holiness that we have previously never contemplated.

Finally, Sheen points backward to those who have produced great work in the midst of difficulty or suffering, such as Sir Walter Raleigh, John Bunyan, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, or Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. As great as their works may be, they pale in comparison to the light shining from the lives of the saints. These “great ones,” he tells us, “have laid hold of some infirmity, and through it purchased strength,” just as St. Paul wrote in his scriptural epistles.

All of this connects to our lived Catholic experience not only in a general, but also in a specific way. Of course, we all need to gaze upon the lives of Jesus and the saints more fully; to meditate upon them and try to imitate them. That is a given. But, what else can we do right now, as 2020 draws to its belabored end?

I think Archbishop Sheen would tell us to look to the beginning of a new liturgical year, which is so nigh (or, has just begun, depending on when this is published). Each new liturgical year is a new year of grace, a new experience of participating in the unfolding of the full mystery of Jesus Christ. While liturgical year 2020 has seemed mostly like one long Lent, we can look with hope and confident expectation that liturgical year 2021 will allow us to participate more fully in the resurrection life. If 2020 has been like hanging on a cross, we can hope that 2021 will be full of resurrection glory! Fulton Sheen would hope that, and he would want us to hope that as well.

So, as the new liturgical year begins with the season of Advent, the season of joy and hope, we all can believe that our loving Father and our merciful Savior want the best year ever for each of us. Let’s also remember that the best things on offer from God also come with a little bit of darkness on this side of Heaven. As Venerable Fulton Sheen put it, “Without faith, affliction and darkness can burn and sear and cut the soul. But when trials are seen through the cross, then they fit into the Divine Plan.” That Divine Plan will lead us straight into eternal joy! Here’s hoping a great, blessed new year for all of us!