Did you know Hitler's propaganda machine tried to commandeer Christmas?

Neither did I. And that's why this article in today's Daily Mail online caught my eye and raised my eyebrows.

This insidious effort on the part of the Nazis to superimpose their own atheistic symbols and thought categories onto Christendom's ancient Christian symbols associated with the celebration of the Nativity of Christ was ultimately a failure, mainly because the Nazis were beaten by the Allies before this program of "re-education" could gain traction and take effect. But it is a good reminder that one of Hitler's prime directives was to do everything in his power to neutralize the Catholic Church, a force which he clearly understood to be the most formidable non-military obstacle standing in the way of the Reich's quest for total domination of Europe and beyond.

Well, happy holidays, Adolph. Your little scheme didn't work out the way you had planned, now did it?

P.S. Sadly, where Hitler failed, the modern Western media and merchandise complex has succeeded. But that's another post for another time.

Nazi Germany celebrated Christmas without Christ with the help of swastika tree baubles, 'Germanic' cookies and a host of manufactured traditions, a new exhibition has shown.

The way the celebration was gradually taken over and exploited for propaganda purposes by Hitler's Nazis is detailed in a new exhibition.

Rita Breuer has spent years scouring flea markets for old German Christmas ornaments.

She and her daughter Judith developed a fascination with the way Christmas was used by the atheist Nazis, who tried to turn it into a pagan winter solstice celebration.

Selected objects from the family's enormous collection have gone on show at the National Socialism Documentation Centre in Cologne.

'Christmas was a provocation for the Nazis - after all, the baby Jesus was a Jewish child,' Judith Breuer told the German newspaper Spiegel. 'The most important celebration in the year didn't fit with their racist beliefs so they had to react, by trying to make it less Christian.'

The exhibition includes swastika-shaped cookie-cutters and Christmas tree baubles shaped like Iron Cross medals.

The Nazis attempted to persuade housewives to bake cookies in the shape of swastikas, and they replaced the Christian figure of Saint Nicholas, who traditionally brings German children treats on December 6, with the Norse god Odin.

The symbol that posed a particular problem for the Nazis was the star, which traditionally decorates Christmas trees. . . . (continue reading)

"My Name Is Luka" Redux

First, refresh your memory as to the original:

Now, listen to this:

Some words of encouragement for those who predict the imminent end of the world

“When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.”

— Despair.com

In Praise of Bacon

You know this is true. You know it. Don't lie.

Nihilist thought for the day: Nothing really matress

Even when misspelled, it is still true.

Here's a Bible Verse You'll Never See Cross-stitched on a Pillow

Just when you think you've solved a problem, along comes a bigger one

You know the old saying, "One step forward, three steps backward"? Well, this video is a good example of "one step forward, 1000 steps backward."

One priest per Dublin parish shortly, archbishop warns

Ireland, once a mighty powerhouse of priestly vocations, sent men by the thousands to the United States, Canada, and elsewhere to help build the Church here, over the last 150 years. But the Emerald Isle is now struggling just to ordain enough priests to meet its own ever-dwindling church-going Catholic population.

What has shut off the firehose of Irish vocations to the priesthood in Ireland? My guess is that it is the steadily tightening grip of secularism and indifferentism that have coiled around the Irish so unremittingly in the post-War era, as well as the terrible sex-scandals with men, women, and children involving Irish priests and even bishops which have soured so many in their view of the priesthood. What can be done, short of a miracle, to reverse this trend? I have no idea, but I am praying for a miracle.

The Irish Times reports:

DUBLIN’S CATHOLIC archdiocese will soon have barely enough priests to serve its 199 parishes, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said.“We have 46 priests over 80 and only two less than 35 years of age. In a very short time we will just have the bare number of priests required to have one active priest for each of our 199 parishes,” he said in Dublin’s pro-cathedral at the weekend.

He was speaking at a Mass on Saturday to celebrate the feast of St Lawrence O’Toole, principal patron of the Dublin Catholic archdiocese, of which he was archbishop from 1162 until 1180. Last April Archbishop Martin said there were now 10 times more priests over 70 than under 40 in the archdiocese.

In April also it emerged that the number of priests in Tuam Catholic archdiocese is set to fall by 30 per cent over the next four years, leaving most parishes there with just one resident priest. . . . (continue reading)

A Caller to My "Open Line" Radio Show Asks Me About the "Good Fruits" of Medjugorje

A call came in recently from a woman who wanted to remind me about all the "good fruits" associated with the alleged Marian apparitions at Medjugorje. You know, the thousands of confessions and conversions, rosaries and other prayers prayed, and even numerous priestly vocations which are attributed to men having made a pilgrimage there.

Well . . . I don't deny that there are good "fruits" associated with Medjugorje, but even so, I am strongly disinclined to believe that it is the site of authentic Marian apparitions. And, as I explained to the caller, I personally do not agree that the "good fruit" argument constitutes proof of its authenticity.

The Medjugorje issue comes up from time to time on my "Open Line" show, and the fact that I am skeptical about this alleged apparition seems to perplex and, at times, irritate some of my listeners. I surely do not mean to irritate them! But I feel obliged to give my honest opinion when callers ask me about it. Take a listen.

Bahamian Archbishop Speaks Out on Sexual Sins Within Marriage

Kevin Knowles, at the "Catholicism in the Bahamas" blog, reports:

The Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas, has come out in support of legislature to deal with marital rape.

“To the extent that the proposed legislation seeks to address the unfortunate reality of marital rape and in the measure that it seeks to preserve the dignity of every person and to safeguard marriage as a covenant of life and love between a man and woman, the Catholic Church offers its prayerful support”, reads an August 27 statement from Archbishop Patrick Pinder on the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2009.

Giving the Church’s perspective, Archbishop Pinder said God created man and woman in such a way that through their bodies “it would be self-evident that they are called to love and give themselves to one another in the gift of marriage”, a sacrament according to the Catholic understanding. “By its nature, then, marriage is an intimate union of life and love.” . . . (continue reading)

Spanish Bishop: Catholic Pols Who Vote for Abortion Excommunicate Themselves

Here's more good and encouraging news from the episcopal front, this time coming from Spain, where the Catholic bishops there are girding for battle with the country's leftist, pro-abortion government.

When Nancy and I were most recently in Spain, for two weeks in September, I spoke at length with as many Spaniards as I could about what they see happening in the Church over there. In addition to their general pessimism about how apathetic most Spanish Catholics tend to be about the Faith, they also seemed very heartened by the muscular efforts many Spanish bishops, priests, and laypeople have been making recently to publicly speak out in defense of unborn children against the country's pro-abortion laws.

One priest in Valencia, with whom I had two-hour conversation about the state of the Church there, lamented that the vast majority of Spaniards are at best only culturally Catholic. "During the week," he said, "they work to make money so that on the weekend, they can spend their time drinking, having sex, watching sports, and being entertained."

I guess he'd know what he's talking about, because, as one of the canons of the cathedral of Valencia, he hears confessions and observes what's going on around him. He added, though, that the abortion issue and the Spanish Government's efforts to ramrod even more legislation to promote abortion is steadily having a positive effect on a growing number of Spanish Catholics who, even if many of them are still tepid in the practice of their Faith, are beginning to wake up and smell the paella and recognize that they have to start fighting the good fight if they don't want to see their country go completely into spiritual ruin. Viva España!

MADRID, November 13, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The secretary general of the Spanish bishops' conference, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Antonio Martinez Camino of Madrid, warned that Spanish Catholic legislators who vote in favor of a bill to liberalize abortion which is currently before parliament would publicly place themselves in an "objective state of sin" and therefore may not receive Communion.

"Excommunication is provided in the Code of Canon Law for those who cooperate actively in the practice of abortion," Bishop Martinez Camino stated in an AFP report.

He said Catholics cannot support the legalization of abortion and if they do "they will objectively find themselves in a public state of sin and may not be admitted to Holy Communion."

While "the Church cannot judge their subjectivity," he added, those who "directly collaborate" in or promote abortion incur excommunication.

At the same time, Bishop Martinez Camino said the Church reaches out to women who have had an abortion or who are tempted to abort.

Encouraging those who have aborted to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he said, "Those who have not gone to confession are encouraged to do so because God wants to offer them a solution and deep peace." . . . (continue reading)

The Groveler in Chief Does it Again

(Dear Leader makes his obeisance to the Emperor of Japan.)

Isn't there some kind of charm school where men who've been elected president should go for at least a few weeks of tutoring in the basic dos and don'ts of being President of the United States? Apparently not, but there certainly should be such mandatory training so that this kind of silliness doesn't happen when the guy gets into office and embarrasses the country, the way Dear Leader has a knack of doing. Doesn't anyone coach him on what to do and not to do as head of state? Anyone? Please?

(And for those who will be quick to point out that in Japan they bow to greet one another, I know that. I've been to Japan many times and am familiar with their customs. But, as I see it, this incident is not one of "when in Rome, do as the Romans.")

(Courtesy of the Drudge Report)

Catholic Radio Is Coming On Strong Across the Country -- Take a Listen . . .

Catholic radio is expanding rapidly across the country, and it's very gratifying to see how many good things are happening — in particular conversions to the Catholic Church — that result when Catholic radio starts up in a given locale. A new station in the Immaculate Heart Radio network has gone live recently in Salt Lake City, blanketing most of the State of Utah, and another large station will go live in December, booming across the metro Phoenix area with 24/7 Catholic programming.

In addition to the many Catholics in Arizona who will be tuning in, you can be sure that there are also certain non-Catholic critics of the Church who will also no doubt be "closely monitoring" the Catholic airwaves once the new station gets up and running. That will make my job as host of the Thursday edition of EWTN's "Open Line" show that much more enjoyable. ("Open Line" airs each Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET.)

Doug Sherman, president of Immaculate Heart Radio, estimates that upwards of 150 new stations may be going live next year across the U.S.

Yowza.

One of the leading shows, carried on virtually all Catholic stations, is the "Catholic Answers Live" program. I was on it last week, fielding questions for an hour. Among the various topics we covered was a call on whether God loves everyone, something that relates to a central error in the Calvinist religious system. Take a listen . . .

St. Louis Archbishop Carlson Now Under Media Attack

I'll tell you what. I am stoked to see the new wave of American bishops taking courageous, articulate, and effective public stands against evil in its many forms. This is exactly what the Heavenly Doctor ordered (John 10:11-15), and it's something I haven't seen, at least not like this, not in such numbers, in my nearly 50 years of being Catholic. Thank God Almighty that more and more of our bishops are standing up like men to fight the good fight. May the Lord strengthen them!

Those thoughts were prompted by an article I saw just now at the St. Louis Catholic Blog which details how the media has now turned its guns on Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis because of his efforts to rally resistance to uphold and defend the traditional understanding of marriage (i.e., one man and one woman).

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson [is under attack] for donating to the effort to uphold traditional marriage in Maine. This successful effort defeated a ballot initiative that would have allowed couples to pretend that living in a sodomitical relationship is the same as marriage, with all of the attendant legal rights and obligations thereof.

Tim Townsend has the story at STLToday. He attempts to paint the Church in a bad light by juxtaposing this donation against the layoffs this summer at Catholic Charities:

_____________________

The St. Louis Archdiocese released the following statement to the Post-Dispatch:

In June of this year, Archbishop Richard Malone of Portland, Maine sent a letter to all U.S. bishops asking for financial support for issues the church considers to be moral issues. Archbishop Robert J. Carlson approved a donation for $10,000 which was charged to the special needs fund. This fund has traditionally been the archbishop’s for discretionary spending, not for formal operations, and is funded by private gifts. These funds were already available when Archbishop Carlson arrived in St. Louis. Archbishops of St. Louis have made donations in the past to help other dioceses around the world for various causes ranging from disaster relief, to pro-life issues.

Carlson was installed on June 10. The contribution from the St. Louis Archdiocese was received by the Portland diocese on July 16.

Less than a month earlier, on June 22, the archdiocese eliminated four positions at Catholic Charities, the largest private provider of social services in Missouri. Catholic Charities president, Monsignor Mark Ullrich said at the time that the job cuts were “due to our need to economically downsize.”

The archdiocese has been stung by the struggling economy. In January, it eliminated 25 part-time and full-time positions - representing 6 percent of the jobs within its administrative and educational offices, not including Catholic Charities. Last November, the archdiocese said its revenue had dropped 37 percent because of decreases in investment income and contributions.

________________________

See, the insinuation here is that the Archdiocese is either lying about the reasons for the layoffs, or else is willing to spend money to discriminate against homosexuals but won't spend money to help the poor. A pretty lame effort, even for the Post-Dispatch.

Please Pray for My Little Grandson, Killian Patrick

Many of you have been following the saga of Killian's premature birth almost a month ago. He was born three months early, but he's been improving, little by little, ever since. There is, however, a major new setback the little man has to face: surgery today, starting at 2:00 p.m. ET. In other words, he is in surgery right now, as I post this.

My son Timothy has posted updates on Killian on his blog with an explanation of what this surgery entails.

Everyone in the Madrid family would be profoundly grateful to any of you who would stop what you are doing right now and say some fervent prayers for Killian. Thank you.