Happy St. Catherine Of Siena Day

Remember this marvelous woman's life when you feel the creeping inclination of ultramontanism try to convince you that everything a pope says or does must be (a) true, (b) wise, (c) practical, or (d) beneficial to the Church.

Servant Of God Pius VII

Pope Pius VII has long been one of my favorite popes (a list I need to finish up for this blog, along with about 50 other items I started here but never completed).

It turns out that he's had a cause for canonization going since 2007, thanks to Pope Emeritus Benedict. I had no idea.

I'm going to suggest that everyone needs to invoke the name of this holy and venerable pontiff and pray for his intervention, specifically against the shadow of secularism and the ever-increasing and blatant malice of governments all over the world, including the US, against the Church. If you don't know why he's the perfect guy to address this sort of petition, I strongly recommend you do some research about Pope Pius's treatment at the hands of Napoleon, as well as his perseverance in defense of the faith and his mercy when Bonaparte was defeated.

Pope Pius VII, please pray for us!

Those Who Can't Wait To Help Us

One thing I've noticed in all this religious liberty talk is the number of people who announce their utter disdain for Catholicism, who insist that the faithful be compelled to provide service for morally repugnant activities, but who simultaneously announce that they would be will to "go to the barricades" if the government ever tried to compel the Church to conduct homosexual weddings, ordain female clergy, and so forth.

Perhaps I'm just cynical, but does anyone actually believe these people? Do you think that a move by the United States government to, say, revoke the Church's tax exempt status or enforce some other method of compulsion will result in a spirited opposition by all these activists and their supporters in our defense? That they will vote against candidates who support such measures, hold demonstrations, etc.? 

Do you think they'd even take time to retweet an item on Twitter or like the Church's status on Facebook? Or just check off to send an internet form letter demanding the Church be free to be the Church?

I don't, but again, perhaps I'm just too cynical. Would someone like to convince me that I'm wrong?