Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus begins today. Hopefully I'll begin it today, too. What a day! But at least I finally got the post written, formatted, posted, & a couple of pages of novenas done. Sent the wrong link out, forgot to add the title first. catholicheartandmind.com/202…

“It is not he who begins well who is perfect. It is he who ends well who is approved in God's sight.” Saint Basil the Great Doctor of Holy Mother Church Ora Pro Nobis

Analyzed simply as a movie, “Disclosure Day” was a failure. Will go into more details in a later “Missive from Babylon,” but here is my summary: —Acting: not good (a few moments excepted) —Music score: shockingly unmemorable, given that it was written by John Williams —Story: uninteresting; countless missed opportunities; explained almost nothing; it didn’t dive into any fascinating lore, or present a compelling narrative —Writing: often bad; dialogue didn’t work in many places; came off forced/contrived —Theology/Philosophy: utterly shallow; felt like “New Atheist” level of “thinking”: clearly intended to subvert the Catholic Faith at every turn, given its ubiquitous use of Catholic imagery and themes It had some good/funny moments here and there. But overall, a massive failure. It felt like it was put together super fast and haphazardly. Even its use of CGI was bad. I went to “Disclosure Day” quite literally for research purposes—to study what kind of messages powerful forces in our society want to put out there. I’ll definitely have more thoughts on that, but what I experienced was simply a bad film. The worst Spielberg I’ve ever seen.

Time is short, and the times are urgent. Far more than hearing constant “dialogues” and “debates,” we need to spend as much time as possible feeding our intellects and hearts with the sources of the Faith: Scripture Fathers Saints The Scriptures come alive like never before through the writings and witness of the Fathers and Saints. The truth becomes more obvious and undeniable when you spend time with the Holy Ones, through whom the mysteries of Sacred Writ become manifest in word and deed. If you have several hours any given day or evening to explore issues related to theology and the true faith, my recommendation is to spend the vast majority of it in these sources. It will do you far more good than almost every other form of content available on social media, and you can actually be assured you’re engaging with someone who knows what they are talking about.

Galatians 1:18 actually supports Petrine Primacy. Saint Paul traveled to Jerusalem because that’s where Saint Peter happened to be at the time. The point is that Saints Peter and Paul both died in Rome because that’s where God led them. Once again, Rome is the center of unity in belief, the source of ecclesiastical jurisdiction and the seat of the supreme authority which can bind by its enactments the faithful throughout the world. I’ve proven this once. Would you like me to do it again? #CatholicX

€5,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION ON Eleanor 💔💔💔💔💔 💔💔💔💔PLEASE BRING ELEANOR HOME 💔💔💔💔 Someone has Eleanor. Someone knows where she is. We are begging anyone with information to come forward and do the right thing. We just want Eleanor home safe. If this was done because of anger or resentment towards us, please don't take that out on her. Eleanor is innocent. She doesn't deserve to be caught up in any grievance. 💔💔💔💔💔 We are offering a reward of €5,000 for information that leads to Eleanor's safe return. If you have Eleanor, or if you know who does, please show compassion. Please make sure she is safe and cared for, and please help bring her home.💔💔💔💔 She is not just a pony to us. She is loved, she is missed, and she is part of our MLHR family. Every day without her is heartbreaking.💔💔💔💔 Please, if you know anything at all, come forward. No questions, no judgment. We simply want our little pony back. Please help bring Eleanor home.💔💔💔💔💔 Please share, keep a look out, take pics…donate towards our fight for animals in desperate need 💔💔💔 donate.mylovelyhorserescue.c… ❤️❤️❤️💔💔💔💔

RT @joesales: I am home. Recovery begins. I felt an extra day in hospital was best. Please pray. 🙏

Having a pretty tough time I’d appreciate prayers

You're right, the Martha Evans story is fabricated clickbait. It mashes up real elements from Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother" (Florence Thompson) and Arthur Rothstein's July 1936 photos of the Vernon Evans family (who migrated from South Dakota to Montana, not Route 66 in New Mexico). No records exist of this specific woman, the refused ride, donations to a Barstow PO box, or the wagon in the Smithsonian. The photo shows clear signs of being AI-generated or manipulated. Real Depression-era history doesn't need the embellishments.

“About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know that they’re just one thing.” Saint Joan of Arc (1) Jesus Christ Himself created the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Matthew 16: And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.  18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. Acts 2:1-4 “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” Acts 9:31 The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers (Ekklesia Kata Holos). Ephesians 1:22-23 “And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way. 1 Timothy 3:15 “Church of the Living God, the pillar and bulwark of the Truth.” Ephesians 4:4-6 “one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Matt 10:40 “who receives you received me, and receives Him who sent me.” Matt 18:17 “if he refuses to listen to them let him be as a . . . tax collector” Matt 18:18-20 (binding and loosing; authority given to Apostles). Luke 10:16 “who hears you hears Me. . . who rejects you rejects Me (and) . . . Him who sent me” John 20:21 “* [Jesus] said to them again,l “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” John 20:23 (Jesus gives Apostles the authority to forgive sins) 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 “if anyone refuses to obey what we say . . . warn him as a brother” John 14:16 “He will give you another counselor to be with you forever.” John 14:26 “the Holy Spirit . . . will reach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all I have said to you.” John 15:26 “But when the Paraclete cometh, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall give testimony of me.” John 16:13 “the Spirit of truth . . . will guide you into all the truth.” John 17:11 “And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.” John 17:20 “ “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, Luke 22:29-30 (Jesus confers a Kingdom upon the Apostles) Acts 6:2-6 (Stephen, Philip, and others are appointed to assist the Apostles) Acts 14:23 “they had appointed elders for them in every church.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (Different gifts for members of the Church) Ephesians 4:11 “some should be Apostles . . . Prophets) Titus 1:5 “appoint elders in every town as I directed you” #CatholicX

“Do not be satisfied with anything less than Truth.” ~ St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Murdered in a gas chamber at Auschwitz.

The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary holds a cherished place in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, inviting the faithful to contemplate the profound interior life of the Virgin Mother. Celebrated on the Saturday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this observance directs attention to Mary’s heart as a symbol of her perfect love for God and her maternal compassion for humanity. It underscores the unity between the hearts of Jesus and Mary, emphasizing themes of purity, obedience, and intercession that have shaped Christian devotion for centuries. The roots of this feast trace back to the seventeenth century, when Saint John Eudes promoted devotion to the hearts of Jesus and Mary as complementary expressions of divine love. Yet its formal integration into the universal calendar came later, influenced significantly by the apparitions at Fatima in 1917. There, the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children and requested devotion to her Immaculate Heart as a means of reparation for sins and a path to world peace. Pope Pius XII responded to these messages by instituting the feast in 1944, during a time of global conflict, thereby linking it to prayers for the conversion of souls and the triumph of good over evil. Subsequent popes, including Saint John Paul II, reinforced this devotion, seeing in Mary’s heart a model for the Church’s own mission of mercy and fidelity. At its core, the Immaculate Heart represents Mary’s sinless purity, preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception, and her total surrender to God’s will. Unlike the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which reveals the divine love of the Redeemer, the Immaculate Heart embodies the human response of perfect discipleship. In our age marked by so much spiritual fragmentation, today’s Memorial calls us to emulate Mary’s interior disposition, fostering deeper union with Jesus Christ through prayer, penance, and apostolic zeal.

A reminder to tie up loose netting when it's not in use.🦡🥅 This little cub got caught in a net at a junior school. Luckily, North East Hampshire Badger Group came to the rescue. The cub was cut free and released back where it was found that same evening. Read our article on the dangers of loose netting on our wildlife: buff.ly/BzxVrxw and find out how to get involved with your local badger group buff.ly/Hhy9wiO 📷 North East Hampshire Badger Group

DAY 10 💔💔💔💔💔 BRING ELEANOR HOME 💔💔💔💔💔 €2,000 REWARD FOR HER SAFE RETURN / INFORMATION Day 10, and we are still searching for Eleanor. We will not give up ❤️💔 Please keep an eye out for Eleanor, and if you think you may have seen her, or have any information at all, please get in touch immediately. Thank you for your continued support. Let's bring Eleanor home 💔💔💔💔💔💔 mylovelyhorserescue.com/dona… €2,000 reward for information Call or text: 353 (87) 261 1463 #bringeleanorhome

🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲 DAY 11 💔💔💔💔💔 BRING ELEANOR HOME 💔💔💔💔💔 WE ARE HEART BROKEN 💔💔💔💔 €2,000 REWARD FOR HER SAFE RETURN / INFORMATION Day 11, and we are still searching for Eleanor. We will not give up ❤️💔 Please keep an eye out for Eleanor, and if you think you may have seen her, or have any information at all, please get in touch immediately. Take pics, videos…please HELP US 💔💔💔 Thank you for your continued support. Let's bring Eleanor home 💔💔💔💔💔💔 mylovelyhorserescue.com/dona… €2,000 reward for information Call or text: 353 (87) 261 1463 #bringeleanorhome

Friends, an old lady I know from church called Dolores has passed away unexpectedly. Could you say a prayer for her? She wanted to be a nun when she was young, and remained unmarried and very close to the Sisters of Charity throughout her life. The last time I saw her she was sitting at the back of the Church. I said hello and left to do some shopping. When I left the supermarket next to the church, I saw her standing on the opposite pavement waiting for a taxi. She told me she couldn't stay for Mass as it was hot and she was feeling unwell. I gave her something to drink and she hugged me. I saw her get in the taxi and wave at me as she left. And now I won't see her again. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.

Maybe this is a silly thing to ask, but I know prayers work: please pray for my sweet cat? She isn’t eating, the vets don’t know what’s wrong, she’s getting worse… I like to think pets are one of the many ways God shows his love for us — I certainly feel that way about her. ❤️‍🩹

Though the Sacred Heart this year, today is usually the feast of St Gaspar Bertoni (1777-1853). I was introduced to him when I was given a relic (ex ossibus). An interesting life, founder of the Stigmatines, he promoted devotion to the Wounds of Jesus. But he was a man afflicted with bad health, frail, & infections plagued him throughout his life. He had to cope with so much, yet he continued to fulfil his duties, care for souls & form his religious congregation. He certainly lived the Wounds of Jesus & serves as an example, & no doubt intercessor, for those afflicted with poor health & suffering. May he pray for them, as we join him in that prayer for all that who also shares in the Wounds of Jesus.

There is a new field in this universe, and standing in it, at last at ease, is an old soldier. His name is Hector. He is a Cavalry Black, a big Irish-bred gelding the better part of seventeen hands, and for seventeen years he served with the Household Cavalry in London, on State and Ceremonial duty, which is a polite phrase for the hardest thing you can ask of a horse. Understand what that means. A horse is a flight animal. Every instinct in it, refined across millions of years of being prey, says one word in the face of sudden noise and pressing crowds: run. Hector was trained, over years, to do the opposite. To stand. To carry a rider in a steel breastplate down the Mall through a wall of sound, past the bands and the cheering and the saluting guns of the King's Troop, and not move a muscle. To hold himself still on a state occasion while every nerve in his body screamed at him to bolt, and to do it again, and again, faultlessly, because the man on his back and the crowd at his shoulder were trusting half a tonne of flight animal to master its own nature on command. He walked behind a gun carriage at a state funeral once, at the slow march, the drum beating the step, a nation watching through its tears, and he never put a hoof wrong. He is retired now. The shoes are off. The clipped parade coat has been let go woolly and unmilitary, the first sign the people who tend old service horses look for that one is finally letting down. He shares a green field with a small unbothered donkey called Nelson, because a horse should never be alone, and the black charger who stood behind kings and the donkey who has never had a worry in his life are now inseparable. When his old groom visits, Hector lifts his head and nickers across the field before the man has said a word. And here is the part that undoes everyone who knows what they are seeing. One afternoon they found Hector lying flat out on his side in the grass, dead still, and a heart stopped, the way every horseman's does at that sight, because a horse down and flat looks like the worst news there is. Then an ear flicked at a fly, and the breath went out of them in relief. He was simply, deeply asleep. A horse only sleeps like that when it feels entirely safe, because flat on the ground is the one place a prey animal cannot flee from, and most never dare it. For seventeen years Hector stood, awake to every danger, holding everyone else's nerve so they could rely on him. Now, in a quiet field, he has decided it is finally safe to lie down and close his eyes. He gave his courage to the rest of us for seventeen years. He has earned the grass. He is taking it lying down, in the sun, with the donkey keeping watch.

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Fight the good fight! Catholics, the time is now. Rally the forces! We must stand united against all the wicked forces which desire to silence us. No more! The enemy of our soul never sleeps. If we don’t take ground, we will either remain where we are, bombarded by the enemies of our soul, or we will be crushed! Catholics, let’s take the hill for Christ! Use your words, use the Word! Take up your Rosaries, take up the Scriptures, take up the Church’ teaching, and engage! Enter into the public square and share the faith with the strength, love, and compassion of Christ! Do not be afraid! If God is for us, who can be against us? Do not let the world, the flesh, or the devil silence your Catholic voice! If we do not engage the spiritual war taking place, we are doomed. No longer is it sufficient to hope somebody else will do it. We must act! Let your voices be heard! Witness in the work place, witness in church, witness at school, witness in the public square, witness in private conversations, witness wherever you are in the world! We need witnesses now more than ever. Pray, pray everyday, pray like you have never prayed before, because if prayer is not front and center, our efforts are mere activism. Be Bold, Be Courageous, Be Catholic! Catholics, fight for the Church and for the kingdom of God! Mary is our Queen leader, and Christ is King of kings! No more cowardice, no more effeminacy, no compromises. Just victory in the name of Christ. Catholics, unite! “Fight like a knight.” Saint Joan of Arc