TRANSCRIPT
The Church is in woeful condition. Anyone who denies this either likely votes Democrat or is dead — or both.
Normally, we would be extremely cautious about making a distinction between the “Church” and the “Faith,” but in this case (meaning what has arisen from the current chaos), a special treatment of this is somewhat necessary. The Church is the vehicle for the Faith. It brings us the physical truths of the faith, the sacraments, as well as the intellectual life of the faith, the teachings. Likewise, theology, which plumbs the depth and mysteries of those teachings, is also transmitted via the Church.
Mind you, we are speaking here of the Church in the singular dynamic of its human composition. It’s divine and mystical dynamic, that which makes it the indefectible Bride of Christ, is not what we are speaking of in this episode.
When certain individuals, be they leaders or influential lay people or those who possess some authority in the Church, go off the tracks, that does not mean the faith is wrong. It does mean those individuals are wrong — but not the Faith.
The Faith is that spiritual reality that informs your soul: your spirit, the intellect, the will, the memory. Those are the spiritual faculties we each possess and those are what the Faith works on. The Faith has the ability to seize hold of a person, illuminate his mind, properly order his will and transform him into a saint.
Normally, it is the Church that is the vehicle for the transmission of the faith — again, meaning the human dynamic. But as we have seen time and again, individual members of the Church have abused their authority and betrayed the Faith. Don’t let them take you in, trample your faith or make a shipwreck of it. Errant individuals in the Church can be ignored in so far as they preach or instruct something contrary to the Faith. Their job is to transmit the Faith, not deform it.
However, given the current state of affairs, many Catholics have conflated leaders in the Church with either the Church Herself or even the Faith itself. Bad move. Mortal mistake. Don’t ever leave Jesus for Judas. Don’t jump off the barque, the ship of St. Peter, just because the seas are rough and you run into a drunken sailor — or even a drunken captain. The ship does not belong to them; they just have temporary custody. One day, remember, those individuals will not have custody any longer.
And this is the chief reason we must all stay on the ship and tough out the storm and fight and be men and never abandon ship. This is the theme of this year’s Strength and Honor retreat and conference, our annual gathering for men we hold each year here in Detroit the first weekend of August, and this year that is Aug. 4–6. So we’re highlighting this for you, so you can plan ahead and register now, damn it.
Joining us will be the world-famous Jesse Romero, kickboxer Catholic extraordinaire, as well as a first-time special panel we are hosting that we call our Catholic Young Guns.
That’s a panel consisting of our own Joe Enders, host of our hit show Red Top Report, Trey Brock, a two-time all-American wide receiver for Hillsdale College and special guest John Doyle, a standing threat to all things Left, communist and woke. Also on stage will be our own no-apologies, in-your-face Simon Rafe — and little ol’ gentle, meek me.
We’ll have Mass at a local, historic church, confession, rosary and, of course, great talks and plenty of food because, you know, we’re guys. Another feature of these events is the coming together and bonding that happens between men who look to the perfect Man, Christ, as their model, especially as He is found in His Holy Catholic Church.
Many new friendships are forged at these, as well as old ones that are renewed and rekindled. It’s a great time for all involved, and this year, we’re at a nice, air-conditioned banquet center — for those of you who might remember the sweltering heat under the tents last time.
We had about 250 last time around; let’s shatter that record this time. Faith, friends and food — perfect. And a special note for fathers, if you have young sons, young men, bring them. The Catholic Young Guns panel will give them plenty to think about. Please click the link, and sign up now.
