blessedvirginmary &mdash; CSF Quarterly https://csfquarterly.org/tag:blessedvirginmary Cor Sacræ Familiæ: Reinfusing Christ into Human Endeavor Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:03:19 +0000 https://i.snap.as/fhi4NbPw.jpg blessedvirginmary &mdash; CSF Quarterly https://csfquarterly.org/tag:blessedvirginmary Living in a Catholic Monarchy https://csfquarterly.org/living-in-a-catholic-monarchy?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[We are called to be leaven in our more local democratic republic We live in a Catholic monarchy. Jesus our Christ is our King, our Blessed Virgin Mother our Queen. True, in the United States, our local government is, of the moment, if we can keep it, a democratic republic, with regions devolving into anarchy courtesy of modernism's progressivism. Yet, we all, each and every one, !--more--regardless of belief, live in a Catholic monarchy. This realization likely leaves us with a lot to (re)examine, including history, monarchy, some of our cherished human rights, and how we Catholics answer Christ's call to be in the world but not of it. An overarching Catholic monarchy lived by Catholics threatens and terrifies tyrants and anarchists, other despots, and those whose delusions depend on God's non-existence. Interestingly enough, this terror of the Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy) is part of the proof of the Truth. Catholics, therefore, appear to "hate" much in the modern world, when we love one another as Christ has loved us (Jn 13:34). Pride has those deluded by the various poisons of the fallen world needing to rule at the top; be it a kingdom of many or, in the case of nihilists and anarchists, an ever dwindling kingdom of one. Monarchy is the governance model God gives us, and He freely shares His authority. He appoint husbands as head of house to love their wives as Christ loves His Church (Eph 5), priests, bishops, and our pope, all as ruling shepherds over the sheep entrusted to them by Christ. A brief history may help, for modern history ignores the Catholic Golden Age, claiming it was part of the Dark Ages. For 1,200 years, from Charlemagne in 600 to the last vestiges ended unjustly after World War 1 due to the fear and hatred described above, the Holy Roman Empire served her people in various forms and imperfections. Yet, by the grace of God working through His authority on earth, she ushered in a Catholic Golden Age, out of the Dark Ages following the fall of the Roman Empire. Agriculture and trade developed and flourished, universities and hospitals formed, various sciences emerged--advances that occurred nowhere else. Out of the Dark Age, the Church upheld and recognized and aided the rising authority of Catholic monarchs. Pope Leo XIII, pope from 1878 to 1903, explains: "...when Christian rulers were at the head of States, the Church insisted much more on testifying and preaching how much sanctity was inherent in the authority of rulers" (Diuturum Illud, No. 21) So much so that "Obedience to authority is obedience to God" (Ibid. No. 27). As Pope Leo XIII explains: "...from the time when the civil society of men raised from the ruins of the Roman Empire, gave hope of its future Christian greatness, the Roman Pontiffs, by the institution of the Holy Roman Empire, consecrated to political power in a wonderful manner. Greatly, indeed, was the authority of rulers ennobled; and it is not to be doubted that what was then instituted would always have been a very great gain, both to ecclesiastical and civil society, if princes and peoples had ever looked to the same object as the Church. And, indeed, tranquility and a sufficient prosperity lasted so long as there was a friendly agreement between the two powers" (Diuturum Illud, No. 22). Pope Leo XIII goes on to explain the checks and balances on the State, as well as the people: "If the people were turbulent, the Church was at once the mediator for peace. Recalling all to their duty, she subdued the more lawless passions partly by kindness and partly by authority. So, if, in ruling, princes erred in their government, she went to them and, putting before them the rights, needs, and lawful wants of their people, urged them to equity, mercy, and kindness. Whence, it was often brought about that the dangers of civil wars and popular tumults were stayed" (Ibid.) Arguably, we have fallen into a new Dark Age, under the weight of Martin Luther's attack on God's authority on earth, in the form of the Sola Heresies (I refer to them this way as each of his heresies' first word is "sola": scriptura, fide, gratia). Pope Leo XIII again explains: "...the doctrines on political power invented by late writers (of the so called Enlightenment and Rationalists) have already produced great ills among men, and it is to be feared that they will cause the very greatest disasters to posterity. For an unwillingness to attribute the right of ruling to God, as its Author, is no less than a willingness to blot out the greatest splendor of political power and to destroy its force. And they who say that this power depends on the will of the people err in opinion first of all; then they place authority on too weak and unstable a foundation...From this heresy (the Sola Heresies of Martin Luther) there arose in the last century a false philosophy--a new right as it is called, and a popular authority, together with an unbridled license which many regard as the only true liberty. Hence we have reached the limit of horrors, to wit, Communism, Socialism, Nihilism, hideous deformities of the civil society of men and almost its ruin" (Ibid. No. 23). This shocks the modern mind: A Catholic monarchy has more immediate and effective checks and balances on it than are built into the Constitution of the United States. A Catholic monarch strives to have bold, humble obedience to God, including His Church, the royal family, and the people of God. Read the writings of the Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein Hans-Adam II in The State in the Third Millennium and The Habsburg Way by Eduard Habsburg, Archduke of Austria and they also describe the workings of these checks and balances of a Catholic monarchy by God's authority on earth. To understand history, and the rise and eventual neutering of Protestant monarchies, we need only understand that Martin Luther's Sola Heresies evaporated these checks and balances, leaving Protestant monarchs deluded into believing they alone were the highest authority to interpret God's revelation, something no good Catholic would do (keeping in mind Christ Himself defers to the will of the Father). Is a Catholic monarchy perfect? Not this side of death's veil; it is, however, the best governance model there is, divinely instituted. As near as I can see, based on the nurturing and defense of obedience to God's authority on earth in each: Catholic monarchy democratic republic Protestant monarchy all others. As with any shifting and developing relationship, the emergence of a Catholic emperor caused challenges as the papacy and monarchy sorted out how and where authority flowed. Much the same long term learning is occurring in these recent centuries between emerging democratic republics and the papacy and society at large, especially with the added shift of the disenlightenment and rise of irrationalism that now infuses society. Time and experience improved the relationship with the Holy Roman Empire through the centuries, as both chose bold, humble obedience to Christ and thus learned and improved how each filled their divinely appointed office. Jump forward to the current challenge between the papacy and modernist society: Is similar improvement possible when one of the parties rejects the existence of God? Improvement depends on bold, humble obedience to Christ; thus, the question becomes one of how to shepherd a wayward child who has turned away from Truth, Love, Justice, and Mercy. How did this happen? Since 1517, society has been in decline, not ascent. Authority--which is only granted by God--on earth, the Church, Catholic monarchies, and in individuals, was attacked by Martin Luther's Sola Heresies. The Church has reeled since with how to shepherd. How does one shepherd amidst the confusion of modernism? Naming and lamenting the errors, including that only the individual can discern Truth and the authority to rule derives from the people, not from God, is a start, yet how do we answer Christ's call of the spiritual act of mercy to "admonish the sinner"? Shepherding people out of modernism's many errors is akin to parenting a wayward teen running with the wrong crowd, relishing sex, drugs, and violence. In theory, in a democratic republic, a well formed, faithful people have a collective authority of sensus fidelium, sense of the faithful, in discerning how they vote (the same authority that is a check and balance against a wayward Catholic monarch); yet when society erodes the "fidelium", the authority decreases; so to, as leaders have less or no fidelium, what authority they had also erodes, for they have no Christ compass to recognize Truth, Love, Justice and Mercy. Pope Leo XIII explains part of the root of this shepherding challenge with the many flavors of modernism--including liberalism, progressivism, communism, socialism, nihilism, and anarchy--"For fear, as Saint Thomas (Aquinas) admirably teaches 'is a weak foundation: for those who are subdued by fear would, should the occasion arise in which they might hope for immunity, rise more eagerly against their rulers, in proportion to the previous extent of their restraint through fear'" (Diuturum Illud, No. 24). With diminished authority, fear of punishment is the remaining motivation to obey to the law and there is no motivation to obey what is just. This explains the chaos of our time. How, then, are we to be Catholic in a local democratic republic? Firstly, we ought always remember we are within the rule of Christ our King. Secondly, much as early Christians were faithful leaven as citizens of the Roman Empire, which persecuted them, we called to be leaven. Saint Alphonsus De Liguori described Saint Sebastian's martyrdom: "Sebastian answered that he considered he was rendering the greatest possible service to the emperor (as a soldier), since the state benefited by having Christian subjects, whose fidelity to their sovereign is proportionate to their devotedness to Jesus Christ. The emperor, enraged at this reply, ordered that the saint should be instantly tied to a post and that a body of archers should discharge their arrows upon him" (Victories of the Martyrs, Ch. LXII). In more modern times, Pope Leo explains: "The Church of Christ indeed cannot be an object of suspicion to rulers, nor of hatred to the people; for it urges rulers to follow justice, and in nothing to decline from their duty; while at the same time it strengthens and in many ways supports their authority" (Diuturum Illud, No. 26). As faithful Catholics, our challenge is to be formed by the Church. We are called to turn to the shepherds Christ entrusts us to so Christ, through them, may shepherd us. As we become more formed, we become leaven throughout society. No matter the local government, or the state of society, Christ within us rises, elevating society. This is how the Church can shepherd manfully amidst these modern errors, and how we faithful can be manfully shepherded. Who but Christ through His Church can name error of our modern ways? For we hold as cherished rights these errors, so turned around by Satan are we: the supposed even plane of ideas, the individual as the highest authority of Truth, and the people, not God, as the source of authority to rulers, among others. We Catholics are called to elevate public discourse, both with how we live our lives and how we converse with others who do not yet understand. We ought never entertain the voice and temptation and lies of Satan in modernism's many flavors. To modernist eyes, any just voice elevating discourse spouts authoritarian hate. To anarchists, everything looks like fascism. We Catholics are called to be leaven. Let us turn to our shepherds to form us, that by living our Faith we elevate the city of man, in which we live but are not of, toward becoming the City of God, by being the light of Christ on the hill. Now, how do I get this bushel off my head? May Christ startle you with joy! #BlessedVirginMary #CurrentlyTimeless #HumanEndeavor #Catholic #Monarchy #Shepherding #Symposium #Communism #PopeLeoXIII #Nihilism #Modernism #Progressivism #MartinLuther #Habsburg #Lichtenstein #DarkAge #GoldenAge !--emailsub-- Subscribe (free) to new articles Share to socials, friends, and family --- All content of CSFquarterly.org is ©, all rights reserved.]]> We are called to be leaven in our more local democratic republic

We live in a Catholic monarchy. Jesus our Christ is our King, our Blessed Virgin Mother our Queen. True, in the United States, our local government is, of the moment, if we can keep it, a democratic republic, with regions devolving into anarchy courtesy of modernism's progressivism. Yet, we all, each and every one, regardless of belief, live in a Catholic monarchy. This realization likely leaves us with a lot to (re)examine, including history, monarchy, some of our cherished human rights, and how we Catholics answer Christ's call to be in the world but not of it.

An overarching Catholic monarchy lived by Catholics threatens and terrifies tyrants and anarchists, other despots, and those whose delusions depend on God's non-existence. Interestingly enough, this terror of the Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy) is part of the proof of the Truth. Catholics, therefore, appear to “hate” much in the modern world, when we love one another as Christ has loved us (Jn 13:34). Pride has those deluded by the various poisons of the fallen world needing to rule at the top; be it a kingdom of many or, in the case of nihilists and anarchists, an ever dwindling kingdom of one.

Monarchy is the governance model God gives us, and He freely shares His authority. He appoint husbands as head of house to love their wives as Christ loves His Church (Eph 5), priests, bishops, and our pope, all as ruling shepherds over the sheep entrusted to them by Christ.

A brief history may help, for modern history ignores the Catholic Golden Age, claiming it was part of the Dark Ages. For 1,200 years, from Charlemagne in 600 to the last vestiges ended unjustly after World War 1 due to the fear and hatred described above, the Holy Roman Empire served her people in various forms and imperfections. Yet, by the grace of God working through His authority on earth, she ushered in a Catholic Golden Age, out of the Dark Ages following the fall of the Roman Empire. Agriculture and trade developed and flourished, universities and hospitals formed, various sciences emerged—advances that occurred nowhere else.

Out of the Dark Age, the Church upheld and recognized and aided the rising authority of Catholic monarchs. Pope Leo XIII, pope from 1878 to 1903, explains: “...when Christian rulers were at the head of States, the Church insisted much more on testifying and preaching how much sanctity was inherent in the authority of rulers” (Diuturum Illud, No. 21) So much so that “Obedience to authority is obedience to God” (Ibid. No. 27).

As Pope Leo XIII explains: “...from the time when the civil society of men raised from the ruins of the Roman Empire, gave hope of its future Christian greatness, the Roman Pontiffs, by the institution of the Holy Roman Empire, consecrated to political power in a wonderful manner. Greatly, indeed, was the authority of rulers ennobled; and it is not to be doubted that what was then instituted would always have been a very great gain, both to ecclesiastical and civil society, if princes and peoples had ever looked to the same object as the Church. And, indeed, tranquility and a sufficient prosperity lasted so long as there was a friendly agreement between the two powers” (Diuturum Illud, No. 22).

Pope Leo XIII goes on to explain the checks and balances on the State, as well as the people: “If the people were turbulent, the Church was at once the mediator for peace. Recalling all to their duty, she subdued the more lawless passions partly by kindness and partly by authority. So, if, in ruling, princes erred in their government, she went to them and, putting before them the rights, needs, and lawful wants of their people, urged them to equity, mercy, and kindness. Whence, it was often brought about that the dangers of civil wars and popular tumults were stayed” (Ibid.)

Arguably, we have fallen into a new Dark Age, under the weight of Martin Luther's attack on God's authority on earth, in the form of the Sola Heresies (I refer to them this way as each of his heresies' first word is “sola”: scriptura, fide, gratia). Pope Leo XIII again explains: “...the doctrines on political power invented by late writers (of the so called Enlightenment and Rationalists) have already produced great ills among men, and it is to be feared that they will cause the very greatest disasters to posterity. For an unwillingness to attribute the right of ruling to God, as its Author, is no less than a willingness to blot out the greatest splendor of political power and to destroy its force. And they who say that this power depends on the will of the people err in opinion first of all; then they place authority on too weak and unstable a foundation...From this heresy (the Sola Heresies of Martin Luther) there arose in the last century a false philosophy—a new right as it is called, and a popular authority, together with an unbridled license which many regard as the only true liberty. Hence we have reached the limit of horrors, to wit, Communism, Socialism, Nihilism, hideous deformities of the civil society of men and almost its ruin” (Ibid. No. 23).

This shocks the modern mind: A Catholic monarchy has more immediate and effective checks and balances on it than are built into the Constitution of the United States. A Catholic monarch strives to have bold, humble obedience to God, including His Church, the royal family, and the people of God. Read the writings of the Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein Hans-Adam II in The State in the Third Millennium and The Habsburg Way by Eduard Habsburg, Archduke of Austria and they also describe the workings of these checks and balances of a Catholic monarchy by God's authority on earth.

To understand history, and the rise and eventual neutering of Protestant monarchies, we need only understand that Martin Luther's Sola Heresies evaporated these checks and balances, leaving Protestant monarchs deluded into believing they alone were the highest authority to interpret God's revelation, something no good Catholic would do (keeping in mind Christ Himself defers to the will of the Father).

Is a Catholic monarchy perfect? Not this side of death's veil; it is, however, the best governance model there is, divinely instituted. As near as I can see, based on the nurturing and defense of obedience to God's authority on earth in each: Catholic monarchy > democratic republic >> Protestant monarchy >>>> all others.

As with any shifting and developing relationship, the emergence of a Catholic emperor caused challenges as the papacy and monarchy sorted out how and where authority flowed. Much the same long term learning is occurring in these recent centuries between emerging democratic republics and the papacy and society at large, especially with the added shift of the disenlightenment and rise of irrationalism that now infuses society. Time and experience improved the relationship with the Holy Roman Empire through the centuries, as both chose bold, humble obedience to Christ and thus learned and improved how each filled their divinely appointed office.

Jump forward to the current challenge between the papacy and modernist society: Is similar improvement possible when one of the parties rejects the existence of God? Improvement depends on bold, humble obedience to Christ; thus, the question becomes one of how to shepherd a wayward child who has turned away from Truth, Love, Justice, and Mercy. How did this happen? Since 1517, society has been in decline, not ascent. Authority—which is only granted by God—on earth, the Church, Catholic monarchies, and in individuals, was attacked by Martin Luther's Sola Heresies. The Church has reeled since with how to shepherd. How does one shepherd amidst the confusion of modernism? Naming and lamenting the errors, including that only the individual can discern Truth and the authority to rule derives from the people, not from God, is a start, yet how do we answer Christ's call of the spiritual act of mercy to “admonish the sinner”? Shepherding people out of modernism's many errors is akin to parenting a wayward teen running with the wrong crowd, relishing sex, drugs, and violence.

In theory, in a democratic republic, a well formed, faithful people have a collective authority of sensus fidelium, sense of the faithful, in discerning how they vote (the same authority that is a check and balance against a wayward Catholic monarch); yet when society erodes the “fidelium”, the authority decreases; so to, as leaders have less or no fidelium, what authority they had also erodes, for they have no Christ compass to recognize Truth, Love, Justice and Mercy.

Pope Leo XIII explains part of the root of this shepherding challenge with the many flavors of modernism—including liberalism, progressivism, communism, socialism, nihilism, and anarchy—“For fear, as Saint Thomas (Aquinas) admirably teaches 'is a weak foundation: for those who are subdued by fear would, should the occasion arise in which they might hope for immunity, rise more eagerly against their rulers, in proportion to the previous extent of their restraint through fear'” (Diuturum Illud, No. 24). With diminished authority, fear of punishment is the remaining motivation to obey to the law and there is no motivation to obey what is just.

This explains the chaos of our time. How, then, are we to be Catholic in a local democratic republic? Firstly, we ought always remember we are within the rule of Christ our King. Secondly, much as early Christians were faithful leaven as citizens of the Roman Empire, which persecuted them, we called to be leaven.

Saint Alphonsus De Liguori described Saint Sebastian's martyrdom: “Sebastian answered that he considered he was rendering the greatest possible service to the emperor (as a soldier), since the state benefited by having Christian subjects, whose fidelity to their sovereign is proportionate to their devotedness to Jesus Christ. The emperor, enraged at this reply, ordered that the saint should be instantly tied to a post and that a body of archers should discharge their arrows upon him” (Victories of the Martyrs, Ch. LXII).

In more modern times, Pope Leo explains: “The Church of Christ indeed cannot be an object of suspicion to rulers, nor of hatred to the people; for it urges rulers to follow justice, and in nothing to decline from their duty; while at the same time it strengthens and in many ways supports their authority” (Diuturum Illud, No. 26).

As faithful Catholics, our challenge is to be formed by the Church. We are called to turn to the shepherds Christ entrusts us to so Christ, through them, may shepherd us. As we become more formed, we become leaven throughout society. No matter the local government, or the state of society, Christ within us rises, elevating society. This is how the Church can shepherd manfully amidst these modern errors, and how we faithful can be manfully shepherded. Who but Christ through His Church can name error of our modern ways? For we hold as cherished rights these errors, so turned around by Satan are we: the supposed even plane of ideas, the individual as the highest authority of Truth, and the people, not God, as the source of authority to rulers, among others.

We Catholics are called to elevate public discourse, both with how we live our lives and how we converse with others who do not yet understand. We ought never entertain the voice and temptation and lies of Satan in modernism's many flavors. To modernist eyes, any just voice elevating discourse spouts authoritarian hate. To anarchists, everything looks like fascism.

We Catholics are called to be leaven. Let us turn to our shepherds to form us, that by living our Faith we elevate the city of man, in which we live but are not of, toward becoming the City of God, by being the light of Christ on the hill.

Now, how do I get this bushel off my head?

May Christ startle you with joy!

#BlessedVirginMary #CurrentlyTimeless #HumanEndeavor #Catholic #Monarchy #Shepherding #Symposium #Communism #PopeLeoXIII #Nihilism #Modernism #Progressivism #MartinLuther #Habsburg #Lichtenstein #DarkAge #GoldenAge

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]]> https://csfquarterly.org/living-in-a-catholic-monarchy Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:12:49 +0000 Is Free Speech Catholic? https://csfquarterly.org/is-free-speech-catholic?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[The debate around free speech vs the banning of hate speech is again at the fore in public spheres. What is the Catholic answer? Catholic understanding and terms differ greatly from that of society. Why? As Catholics, we have Christ's full revelation of Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy), and this differs!--more-- greatly from fallen society. From a Catholic perspective, freedom is the ability to choose God. For speech to be free, therefore, it must reject Satan's lies and boldly, humbly seek Christ's Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy). As Catholics, we are called to challenge people to free their speech of Satan's lies and elevate it toward Christ's Truth. To understand society's take on free speech, we need to reach back to the 18th century (dis)Enlightenment's proposal—that if ideas were allowed to fight it out, as in the Roman Colosseum, truth will win. This is the foundation for the "right" to free speech. The Catholic Church is against free speech. Beginning in the mid 1800s, Popes decried the elevation of Satan's lies to being on an equal plane as Christ's Truth. Woven between the lines of these encyclicals is the lament for the faded humble deference once given to the Church as the guardian of Truth, and the decline of Catholic monarchies, which once stood as state and co-shepherds of public discourse. Though ideas might be explored and debated in universities, under the caring shepherding of the Church, in broader public discourse, people humbly stuck with proclaimed Church teaching, entrusting their souls to the care of Holy Mother Mary, the Church. In short, the Church is against free speech because Jesus extols us to never entertain or give voice to demons, and by extension, sin. There is a hierarchy of ideas, with Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy) on top and Satan and his lies on the bottom. We ought not give voice to Satan's lies. Society's free speech, however, says we should allow those giving voice to Satan's lies to speak, turning all of society into what used to be the university setting for the exploration of ideas, but absent the shepherding. No. This has resulted in society's embrace of demonic attitudes, policies, and laws: abortion, gender dysphoria and body mutilation, euthanasia, the degradation of marriage and family, and loss of Judeo-Christian morals that once underpinned society—among many other evils. Yet, as we see in Great Britain, allowing the State to regulate "hate" speech leads to tyrannical suppression of the truth, as people praying silently on the sidewalk or quoting scripture about the evils of transgender, abortion, and other evils are fined and jailed. After all, to Satan, the Truth is "hate" speech. Now, after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, calls are emerging from both the left and the right for controls on "hate" speech, ignoring the reality that Satan's lies hate Christ's Truth and Christ's Truth hates Satan's lies. What a mess. What is the Catholic answer? If laissez-faire free speech is abhorrent, how do we Catholics believe speech ought to be elevated to be truly free? Simple (and thus, hard): shepherding. Ask any good, manful, Catholic father (for whom, Holy Papa Joseph is the model) if he allows free speech in his house and the instant response is, "Of course not!" Press further and ask, "What if someone brings up one of Satan's lies (abortion, gender dysphoria, et al)? What do you do?" Here, every good, manful, Catholic father's answer will differ in wording but not in meaning, all responding: "We have a conversation, starting with the Truth that Jesus is the answer. Then we ask the question, how do we get to His Truth (Love, Justice, Mercy) from where we are?" A good, manful, Catholic father is a good shepherd. He knows in the depths of his soul, led by his intellect, that the error of the disenlightenment's free speech proposal is that it denies the existence of original sin and concupiscence, which makes Satan's lies alluring. To voice Satan's lies as truth is to sin and put others in the near occasion of sin—every lie rooted in the singular lie that we do not need God. As a result, the good, manful, Catholic father at the dinner table cultivates and defends innocence and strives to turn the eyes of those in his care away from sin and toward the Gospel. Shepherding is the Church's answer to elevating public discourse out of the violent melee of competing ideas, as if fighting to the death in the Roman Colosseum, and guiding it to a higher plane of humility and obedience to Christ's full revealed Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy). This invites all to enter the conversation by choosing to silence lies and never entertain Satan's notions, which all reject God. The good shepherd meets his sheep on the road to Emmaus—where they are dismayed, distraught, and on the brink of Nietzsche's abyss of Satan's despair—and through loving conversation and grace of God, invites them to see Him and return to the fold and boldly, humbly be His disciples. We have Catholic shepherds throughout society: Fathers. Mothers. Deacons. Priests. Bishops. Business owners. Politicians. Neighbors. Every shepherd is called to elevate the conversation: "Christ is the answer. Now, let's talk about how to get there." Absent a faithful Catholic monarchy, no state has shepherding authority to elevate free speech, including laws against "hate" speech. Instead, the Catholic answer to not allowing speech that gives voice to Satan's lies is the leaven of shepherds infused throughout society. Shepherding is the Catholic answer to elevating speech to be free. Which begs two questions. What does it mean to shepherd? Who is a shepherd? A shepherd is one to whom God grants authority of pastoral care over others. A good shepherd answers Jesus' call to "Love one another as I have loved you." (ref Jn 13:34-35) Where to begin? Shepherding Quick Guide #CurrentlyTimeless #Catholic #BlessedVirginMary #Marriage #Parenting #Shepherding #SpiritualDirection !--emailsub-- Subscribe (free) to new articles Share to socials, friends, and family --- All content of CSFquarterly.org is ©, all rights reserved.]]> The debate around free speech vs the banning of hate speech is again at the fore in public spheres. What is the Catholic answer?

Catholic understanding and terms differ greatly from that of society. Why? As Catholics, we have Christ's full revelation of Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy), and this differs greatly from fallen society. From a Catholic perspective, freedom is the ability to choose God. For speech to be free, therefore, it must reject Satan's lies and boldly, humbly seek Christ's Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy). As Catholics, we are called to challenge people to free their speech of Satan's lies and elevate it toward Christ's Truth.

To understand society's take on free speech, we need to reach back to the 18th century (dis)Enlightenment's proposal—that if ideas were allowed to fight it out, as in the Roman Colosseum, truth will win. This is the foundation for the “right” to free speech.

The Catholic Church is against free speech. Beginning in the mid 1800s, Popes decried the elevation of Satan's lies to being on an equal plane as Christ's Truth. Woven between the lines of these encyclicals is the lament for the faded humble deference once given to the Church as the guardian of Truth, and the decline of Catholic monarchies, which once stood as state and co-shepherds of public discourse. Though ideas might be explored and debated in universities, under the caring shepherding of the Church, in broader public discourse, people humbly stuck with proclaimed Church teaching, entrusting their souls to the care of Holy Mother Mary, the Church.

In short, the Church is against free speech because Jesus extols us to never entertain or give voice to demons, and by extension, sin. There is a hierarchy of ideas, with Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy) on top and Satan and his lies on the bottom. We ought not give voice to Satan's lies.

Society's free speech, however, says we should allow those giving voice to Satan's lies to speak, turning all of society into what used to be the university setting for the exploration of ideas, but absent the shepherding. No. This has resulted in society's embrace of demonic attitudes, policies, and laws: abortion, gender dysphoria and body mutilation, euthanasia, the degradation of marriage and family, and loss of Judeo-Christian morals that once underpinned society—among many other evils.

Yet, as we see in Great Britain, allowing the State to regulate “hate” speech leads to tyrannical suppression of the truth, as people praying silently on the sidewalk or quoting scripture about the evils of transgender, abortion, and other evils are fined and jailed. After all, to Satan, the Truth is “hate” speech.

Now, after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, calls are emerging from both the left and the right for controls on “hate” speech, ignoring the reality that Satan's lies hate Christ's Truth and Christ's Truth hates Satan's lies. What a mess.

What is the Catholic answer? If laissez-faire free speech is abhorrent, how do we Catholics believe speech ought to be elevated to be truly free? Simple (and thus, hard): shepherding.

Ask any good, manful, Catholic father (for whom, Holy Papa Joseph is the model) if he allows free speech in his house and the instant response is, “Of course not!”

Press further and ask, “What if someone brings up one of Satan's lies (abortion, gender dysphoria, et al)? What do you do?”

Here, every good, manful, Catholic father's answer will differ in wording but not in meaning, all responding: “We have a conversation, starting with the Truth that Jesus is the answer. Then we ask the question, how do we get to His Truth (Love, Justice, Mercy) from where we are?”

A good, manful, Catholic father is a good shepherd. He knows in the depths of his soul, led by his intellect, that the error of the disenlightenment's free speech proposal is that it denies the existence of original sin and concupiscence, which makes Satan's lies alluring. To voice Satan's lies as truth is to sin and put others in the near occasion of sin—every lie rooted in the singular lie that we do not need God.

As a result, the good, manful, Catholic father at the dinner table cultivates and defends innocence and strives to turn the eyes of those in his care away from sin and toward the Gospel.

Shepherding is the Church's answer to elevating public discourse out of the violent melee of competing ideas, as if fighting to the death in the Roman Colosseum, and guiding it to a higher plane of humility and obedience to Christ's full revealed Truth (Love, Justice, and Mercy). This invites all to enter the conversation by choosing to silence lies and never entertain Satan's notions, which all reject God.

The good shepherd meets his sheep on the road to Emmaus—where they are dismayed, distraught, and on the brink of Nietzsche's abyss of Satan's despair—and through loving conversation and grace of God, invites them to see Him and return to the fold and boldly, humbly be His disciples.

We have Catholic shepherds throughout society: Fathers. Mothers. Deacons. Priests. Bishops. Business owners. Politicians. Neighbors. Every shepherd is called to elevate the conversation: “Christ is the answer. Now, let's talk about how to get there.”

Absent a faithful Catholic monarchy, no state has shepherding authority to elevate free speech, including laws against “hate” speech. Instead, the Catholic answer to not allowing speech that gives voice to Satan's lies is the leaven of shepherds infused throughout society.

Shepherding is the Catholic answer to elevating speech to be free. Which begs two questions. What does it mean to shepherd? Who is a shepherd? A shepherd is one to whom God grants authority of pastoral care over others. A good shepherd answers Jesus' call to “Love one another as I have loved you.” (ref Jn 13:34-35) Where to begin? Shepherding Quick Guide

#CurrentlyTimeless #Catholic #BlessedVirginMary #Marriage #Parenting #Shepherding #SpiritualDirection

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]]> https://csfquarterly.org/is-free-speech-catholic Wed, 24 Sep 2025 14:54:51 +0000 His Own World, Not His Own https://csfquarterly.org/his-own-world-not-his-own?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Father George gently cradled the crucifix with his thumb and first two fingers, lovingly lifted it to his lips and kissed it and held it invitingly for Thomas. "Unsanitary," came the flat observation, absent accusation. Father George smiled. "Salvatory," he replied simply. "Stronger than unsanitary." His hand remained, steady, his countenance calm, his smile confident. Thomas' mother watched from the French door frame, a tear lingering on her cheek.!--more-- Father George was the first priest to come to their home since Thomas was born, fifteen years ago. Priests were busy and autism scary. Her eyes scanned in typical vigilance, trying to see the room as Thomas did. Were the blackout curtains closed, including the corners, against the low afternoon sun shining, glaring in flashes through the wind-blown leaves? Had Simon picked up after the littles and the dog? Had ... she almost missed Thomas' next words. "This is the sword she said was coming." "Who said?" wondered Father George. "The Lady in Blue. The gateway to Jesus." Father George's smile deepened. "Thomas, that is Our Lady. The Blessed Virgin Mary. You know her?" "Yes. She speaks to me." "This is yours, then," said Father George, lifting the rosary to Thomas. "Yes." Thomas awkwardly, almost agressively, snatched the rosary from Father George. "Do you know how to swing this sword?" "Teach me." Tears streamed down Thomas' mother's cheeks, splashing off her dress onto the wood floor. Father George pulled out his rosary, and guided Thomas to cradle and kiss the crucifix. "In the name of the Father, and of the..." "Latin. She wants the Latin." "Do you know Latin?" "Latin," Thomas repeated, his monotone unaltered, though he was rocking anxiously as he knelt on the floor. "Latin. In nomine Patris et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti ..." Father George slowly and clearly prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary, gently moving Thomas' fingers at each prayer, then only tapping his thumb, then only pausing until Thomas advanced the beads. "All the mysteries," declared Thomas. "It's the same for all the mysteries. You pray it the same way." Thomas began rocking again. "All the mysteries." Monotone. Detached. Disconnected. Except this was the most connection his mother had seen him have, ever, including nursing at her breast gazing at her, she realized as the memory flooded back. Her smile deepened. She glanced at her watch. The hour Father George had was already past. Yet he didn't even look at his watch. He announced the first Sorrowful Mystery, and they continued, through the whole rosary. \--- "He's in his own world," the stock clerk said, as though it was helpfully insightful. Thomas' mother nodded in gratitude, not for the help it didn't afford, but for it not accusing her of being a bad mother or attacking Thomas for making loud noises, seemingly out of nowhere. For the first time she added in her head, "His own world not his own." The clerk took her beaming smile as some deep connection and began explaining how she had a niece who sometimes said inappropriate things and ... Thomas worked the beads. Sometimes he was slow to advance to the next one, sometimes several advanced nearly at once. Whatever he was doing, time moved at a different speed. Thomas gazed in wonder at the Lady in pearlescent blue. He bowed his head in reverence. She lifted his chin with a delicate touch and cast her gaze to the side. His attention followed hers. What he saw mesmerized him. A girl in rags ran in slow motion. She was a slave, he knew without question. She fell and tore her knee through her skirt. He gasped aloud. "Blood!" he shouted, attracting looks from others in the produce section. The girl's mother reached back, all in captivating slow motion. She wrapped her arms around her daughter protectively, and tried to lift her, but both were too weak. Thomas didn't know how, but he felt as if he'd known them all their lives. They had lived a hard life and were fleeing, but nearly beyond hope. He saw a large, angry man rush in, a long curved sword raised over his billowing robes, fierce rage twisting his face into a demon's. "Bad man!" Thomas blurted unintelligibly in the store. The Lady in Blue squeezed Thomas' shoulder and turned him to look into her eyes. "Pray for them," she extolled. Thomas remembered his rosary. "I don't know what they need, but the Lady knows. I'll pray this and she can use the prayers for what they need," he thought. Time slowed even more. Thomas realized he was witnessing a death blow descending on the two. He prayed the rosary as Father George had taught him. As he traveled through the mysteries, he witnessed the faces of the girl and the mother light in wonder and hope and trust and love and recognition and a peace washed over them. They were escaping, beyond capture, for eternity. Thomas, for the first time in his life, cried, even as he advanced to the first Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. "Alleluia!" he shouted. A mist shrouded the mother and daughter from Thomas. Out of the mist, the Lady in Blue appeared before him. He fell to his knees and bowed his head. He heard a clear voice declare, "My Lady and Mother!" and wondered who voiced his thoughts. The Lady in Blue shined forth even more light as she smiled. "Thomas, I have an army of people who pray with me for those who ask me to pray for them at the hour of their death." She paused, her smile radiating through his soul. Thomas heard his thoughts again voiced clearly: "My Lady, is that what I just witnessed?" Holy Mother Mary nodded and said, "and you prayed with me for them at the hour of their death, like many around the world through the centuries have for many others." Thomas' mother watched him intently as he stood frozen in the dairy section. He had been rapidly advancing the beads of his rosary following her through the store as usual when he stopped and mumbled and then cried out and then softened from rigid to reverent. Back in his own world, though not his own, Thomas said in a soft, clear voice, "I am not worthy," wondering if this clear voice might actually be his. "No, you are not, save by the grace of my Lord, Son, and God. Do you wish to join my army?" "Yes! Deo gratias!" In the grocery store, Thomas again advanced the beads of his rosary, with a deepened reverence, intentionality, and calm, confident bearing that left his mother smiling in wonder, thought at what, she knew not. She nodded resolutely and added this to the other mysteries she held in her heart. --- Tags: #BlessedVirginMary #Disability #Parenting #Rosary #Catholic #Story !--emailsub-- Subscribe (free) to new articles Share to socials, friends, and family --- All content of CSFquarterly.org is ©, all rights reserved.]]> Father George gently cradled the crucifix with his thumb and first two fingers, lovingly lifted it to his lips and kissed it and held it invitingly for Thomas.

“Unsanitary,” came the flat observation, absent accusation.

Father George smiled. “Salvatory,” he replied simply. “Stronger than unsanitary.” His hand remained, steady, his countenance calm, his smile confident.

Thomas' mother watched from the French door frame, a tear lingering on her cheek. Father George was the first priest to come to their home since Thomas was born, fifteen years ago. Priests were busy and autism scary.

Her eyes scanned in typical vigilance, trying to see the room as Thomas did. Were the blackout curtains closed, including the corners, against the low afternoon sun shining, glaring in flashes through the wind-blown leaves? Had Simon picked up after the littles and the dog? Had ... she almost missed Thomas' next words.

“This is the sword she said was coming.”

“Who said?” wondered Father George.

“The Lady in Blue. The gateway to Jesus.”

Father George's smile deepened. “Thomas, that is Our Lady. The Blessed Virgin Mary. You know her?”

“Yes. She speaks to me.”

“This is yours, then,” said Father George, lifting the rosary to Thomas.

“Yes.” Thomas awkwardly, almost agressively, snatched the rosary from Father George.

“Do you know how to swing this sword?”

“Teach me.”

Tears streamed down Thomas' mother's cheeks, splashing off her dress onto the wood floor.

Father George pulled out his rosary, and guided Thomas to cradle and kiss the crucifix. “In the name of the Father, and of the...”

“Latin. She wants the Latin.”

“Do you know Latin?”

“Latin,” Thomas repeated, his monotone unaltered, though he was rocking anxiously as he knelt on the floor.

“Latin. In nomine Patris et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti ...”

Father George slowly and clearly prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary, gently moving Thomas' fingers at each prayer, then only tapping his thumb, then only pausing until Thomas advanced the beads.

“All the mysteries,” declared Thomas.

“It's the same for all the mysteries. You pray it the same way.”

Thomas began rocking again. “All the mysteries.” Monotone. Detached. Disconnected.

Except this was the most connection his mother had seen him have, ever, including nursing at her breast gazing at her, she realized as the memory flooded back. Her smile deepened. She glanced at her watch. The hour Father George had was already past. Yet he didn't even look at his watch. He announced the first Sorrowful Mystery, and they continued, through the whole rosary.

-—

“He's in his own world,” the stock clerk said, as though it was helpfully insightful.

Thomas' mother nodded in gratitude, not for the help it didn't afford, but for it not accusing her of being a bad mother or attacking Thomas for making loud noises, seemingly out of nowhere. For the first time she added in her head, “His own world not his own.” The clerk took her beaming smile as some deep connection and began explaining how she had a niece who sometimes said inappropriate things and ...

Thomas worked the beads. Sometimes he was slow to advance to the next one, sometimes several advanced nearly at once. Whatever he was doing, time moved at a different speed.

Thomas gazed in wonder at the Lady in pearlescent blue. He bowed his head in reverence. She lifted his chin with a delicate touch and cast her gaze to the side. His attention followed hers. What he saw mesmerized him.

A girl in rags ran in slow motion. She was a slave, he knew without question. She fell and tore her knee through her skirt. He gasped aloud. “Blood!” he shouted, attracting looks from others in the produce section.

The girl's mother reached back, all in captivating slow motion. She wrapped her arms around her daughter protectively, and tried to lift her, but both were too weak.

Thomas didn't know how, but he felt as if he'd known them all their lives. They had lived a hard life and were fleeing, but nearly beyond hope. He saw a large, angry man rush in, a long curved sword raised over his billowing robes, fierce rage twisting his face into a demon's.

“Bad man!” Thomas blurted unintelligibly in the store.

The Lady in Blue squeezed Thomas' shoulder and turned him to look into her eyes. “Pray for them,” she extolled.

Thomas remembered his rosary. “I don't know what they need, but the Lady knows. I'll pray this and she can use the prayers for what they need,” he thought.

Time slowed even more. Thomas realized he was witnessing a death blow descending on the two. He prayed the rosary as Father George had taught him. As he traveled through the mysteries, he witnessed the faces of the girl and the mother light in wonder and hope and trust and love and recognition and a peace washed over them. They were escaping, beyond capture, for eternity.

Thomas, for the first time in his life, cried, even as he advanced to the first Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection. “Alleluia!” he shouted.

A mist shrouded the mother and daughter from Thomas. Out of the mist, the Lady in Blue appeared before him. He fell to his knees and bowed his head. He heard a clear voice declare, “My Lady and Mother!” and wondered who voiced his thoughts.

The Lady in Blue shined forth even more light as she smiled. “Thomas, I have an army of people who pray with me for those who ask me to pray for them at the hour of their death.” She paused, her smile radiating through his soul.

Thomas heard his thoughts again voiced clearly: “My Lady, is that what I just witnessed?”

Holy Mother Mary nodded and said, “and you prayed with me for them at the hour of their death, like many around the world through the centuries have for many others.”

Thomas' mother watched him intently as he stood frozen in the dairy section. He had been rapidly advancing the beads of his rosary following her through the store as usual when he stopped and mumbled and then cried out and then softened from rigid to reverent.

Back in his own world, though not his own, Thomas said in a soft, clear voice, “I am not worthy,” wondering if this clear voice might actually be his.

“No, you are not, save by the grace of my Lord, Son, and God. Do you wish to join my army?”

“Yes! Deo gratias!”

In the grocery store, Thomas again advanced the beads of his rosary, with a deepened reverence, intentionality, and calm, confident bearing that left his mother smiling in wonder, thought at what, she knew not. She nodded resolutely and added this to the other mysteries she held in her heart.

Tags: #BlessedVirginMary #Disability #Parenting #Rosary #Catholic #Story

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]]> https://csfquarterly.org/his-own-world-not-his-own Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:16:21 +0000