Carlos Caso-Rosendi
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Many believe that we are living in the Postmodernist age. That is false concept because after Modernism is done, there will be nothing left. Nothing is not a post-something. Nothing is nothing. Since the beginning of the so-called Reformation in 1517, the forces of Modernism have been eroding the walls of the Catholic faith day and night. That is why I agree with those who affirm that we are living in the apotheosis of Modernism. If this process were to continue unimpeded, there would be nothing left.
And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22 Douay-Rheims)
It does not take a genius to figure out that we are careening towards the complete destruction of the Catholic Church. Modernism has ascended to levels no one thought possible only a few years ago. It has taken me, a convert and a rather slow one at that, nearly twenty years to barely grasp the extent of the problem. I was helped by the fact that I am seeing the Church with fresh eyes. Many who have grown up within the Church seem to have had trouble seeing how things were changing. That brings to mind the old parable of how to boil a frog: very slowly.
Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, Pope Pius X reigned at the beginning of the 20th century. Coincidentally, the word sarto in Italian means tailor, someone who measures and cuts fine clothing. Honoring his surname, good Pope Pius X examined the Modernist proposal and found the fabric defective and the measure short. He called Modernism “the sum of all heresies” and clearly proved his assertion with simple and luminous reasons.
Slightly over a century later, we find ourselves in this awful predicament: the Modernists have managed to complete the infiltration of the Church. This reminds me of Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice as presented in Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The apprentice tries to avail himself of some magic to complete some simple chores. In the end, he nearly destroys his master’s house. In the same manner, the Modernists have taken great pains to infiltrate the Church in an effort to reform her, to bring her up to the times, etc. But all they have managed to do is to bring the Church to the edge of the abyss. That is where we are now. If our Master does not save the Church, we face certain defeat.
The Protestant error with its defiance of the wisdom and authority of the Church gave birth to many other errors. Sects multiplied among Christians, false philosophies appeared and quickly poisoned politics. In time, more poisonous schools of thought developed and soon we had revolutions challenging the Christian order that had taken centuries to consolidate in the West. That wave of darkness has polluted every level of human society and now the Church herself is facing a wave of impurity that would be hard to believe if it was not happening before our very eyes.
Fortunately, we have been forewarned. Our Lord told us that the forces of evil would not prevail. He also told us that there is one will behind this wave of wickedness:
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (Revelation 12:15-17 NIV)
Yes, the operator behind the scenes is that ancient serpent, the devil. He has been permitted to get this far. This is part of a spiritual war but for us it is also a lesson. Some may ask: “What kind of lesson this could be?” I think we are about to be taught how to defeat darkness with the light of Christ.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5 NIV)
The enemy has managed to spread darkness within the Church by infiltrating priests and bishops that do not believe in God, in the Church, and in her sacred mission. Just as it happened in times past, it is up to the laity to make the light of Christ shine in the midst of darkness.
At the center of this problem there is a fundamental lack of faith. That lack of faith is the result of bad (or heretical) catechesis that impedes the people to learn about the marvels of the faith. I will illustrate by means of an anecdote.
Something extraordinary happened to me when I was doing the research to write the book Guadalupe A River of Light. The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe From the First Century to Our Days. I thought I have learned nearly everything about St. Juan Diego and the miracle at Tepeyac Hill, the miraculous tilma, etc. As I started following one thread and then another, beginning with the Nican Mopohua and examining all the related historical facts, I discovered a structure, a parable that extended from the days of St. Luke in the first century even to our days. I found the whole thing astonishing and immediately I thought: “That is why so many people converted when they saw the image and made all the connections that could be made in that age!”
That realization was followed by a question: “Why is it that I was not told this?” In my simple mind, I thought that perhaps there should be magazine articles, books, movies, etc. shouting to the world about the unfathomable mysteries presented to a simple and pure Mexican in 1531. But here I was in the 21st century and I had to dig deep into old books and do research on my own to see the glorious beauty of the miracles of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The reason for that lack of information is one: spiritual darkness. One person high up in the Church hierarchy informed us not long ago that Our Lady of Guadalupe should be called “Our Lady of Tepeyac” instead. That wrong assertion (you will have to read the book to see why that is plainly wrong) is practically all we hear about the miracles at Tepeyac these days. It is comparable to forget we have a million dollars in the bank and yet go diving into a dumpster to get something to eat.
So, the problem we face is really simple: ignorance of the faith and its rich history.
- Lack of faith comes from ignorance
- Ignorance comes from bad catechesis
- Bad catechesis comes from a lack of interest in learning the depths of the faith
- Lack of interest in learning is a form of sloth, a capital sin made more deadly when it causes the spiritual death of those who are left in darkness.
In this age we have been given great educational tools. Allow me to brag a little (in the Lord, of course). My money is limited (to say the least!) My education is barely standard. I only have one old computer, one (slow) Internet connection, and some time. With those limited tools I have connected with thousands of readers, I was able to publish a few books that are now helping some to learn more about the faith than mere platitudes. Only 20 years ago I was not Catholic, not even religious at all. I am just one guy with more limitations than advantages. Those who spent hundred of thousands in higher education should be doing much more –and some do– but what we are doing is apparently not enough to curb the tide of darkness.
Now imagine what could be done if all of us, according to each individual’s capacity, could show the fullness of the faith to all those who are craving for truth.
Many are doing it now; the list is long but not long enough. We have to pierce the darkness enveloping the Church and the world with the faith that was once given to the saints. This is our moment. St. Paul, St. Peter, and all the other saints are in Heaven now. We have to do this. Our bishops have neglected the faith for many years. Too many of our priests can do nothing but preach bland homilies that could put a horse to sleep! How many write brainy books about the complexities of theological thought and neglect to feed the Catholic family with the milk of the Gospel! Erudition is good food but only for those who can digest it. We need to raise the people to the level of the Gospel. We do not need to lower the message of Christ to some simple “goodism” and leave it at that.
Make it a daily habit to learn the faith a little deeper every day. One little bit at a time does it. Be patient and persevere in praying, learning, and teaching. We are all in the same boat and we must row together if we want to get somewhere.
Carlos Caso-Rosendi 
Carlos,
Thank You for such an EXTRAORDINARILY EXCELLENT article that was/is a Gift of Gifts
to/for me personally(and PLEASE know that I express this without exaggeration–Totally!!)
Wishing you a Holy and Most blessed ADVENT SEASON.
GOD BLESS YOU!!
Love and Prayers,
Barbara
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Thank you, Barbara for your encouraging words! A blessed Advent to you and your loved ones!
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Carlos,
I left a comment to your post of today”Let His Glory Shine “but it hasn’t shown up.
Can you tell me what I might have done wrong that it isn’t appearing?
Thank You ,
Barbara Taylor
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It is showing. May be your computer (or smart phone needs a refresh) On Windows computers, usually pressing the F5 key is enough to trigger a refresh. Closing your browser and opening it again might work also. Let me know if it worked. God bless!
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It is ignorance of the Faith that has allowed this infestation of every type of perversion into the Church. As Christ accused the Pharisees of not “entering” themselves, He further exposed their depravity because they prevented those who would go in, from doing so. Some of our bishops and clergy laugh and are embarrassed by true piety as displayed by the faithful, as you said, they’re too modern and above all that nonsense. Wonderful article to rouse the laity to rouse their Shepherds to return to orthodoxy. Thank you very much!
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ANONYMOUS BUT MEATY COMMENT RECEIVED VIA EMAIL (THANK YOU!)
Very good post, both solid and necessary, but also entertaining. On the one hand we have a public faith that is soft with dry rot from a century or more of slowly dripping leaks. On the other hand, we have an obscure view of the enemy in his triumphal march directly at us. I was referred to a new book by one of the blog sites I frequent. The book is called Cult City by Daniel J Flynn. It describes 10 days that shook San Francisco (Jim Jones Temple massacre followed by Harvey Milk’s murder) in the greater context of both the times and personalities in the periphery. I was alive and reading during those times, but had become numb to the constant demonic swell of events. In the wink of the historic eye in San Francisco there happened: The Patty Hearst kidnapping, SLA shootout and fire, The Zebra murders, The Zodiac Killer’s activities, the Weather Underground bombings, other bombings, The murder of Milk and the mayor by a fellow who was mentored by Ms. Feinstein, the mass killing/suicide in Guyana, and (as the ad writers say) much, much more. The whole thing is played out against a homosexual backdrop – like one of those logo screens before which starlets pose. Harvey Milk, now seen as a luminous martyr for the cause (the cause being unrestricted recreational sex) was a fellow for whom that end justified any and all means including lying, cheating, blackmail and violence. At one point, it is reported, he bombed his own property, and that of others in order to blame it on Anita Bryant because of her lack of enthusiasm for the gay cause. Jim Jones was a self-described communist (although he fudged the term somewhat depending on who was listening) who claimed to be god at times and who faked healing “miracles” while using his office to avail himself of the many opportunities for recreational sex both gay and straight in that fevered time before the onset of AIDs. He was also a sadist, a tyrant, a bully, and a destroyer of bodies and souls. His ending at Guyana was a Wagnerian twilight of the god, taking all of his disciples with him in his demonic narcissism (but I repeat myself).
The point is, that it was worse than we thought. When President Carter and Jane Fonda (and hundreds of equally prominent individuals) said that Jim Jones was a hero, they were blinded to his malevolence because of his easy platitudes about helping the oppressed. None of the prominent seemed to draw a lesson from the disaster in Guyana. Some shook their heads and made pity clicks with their tongues, but no one publically stated what was really going on, mostly I suspect because they were in agreement with the expressed goals of the People’s Temple, and still are.
The wages of sin is death – explicitly soul death in eternal damnation, but quite often earthly death as well when all of the carefully managed schemes, lying, manipulations and threats fail to bring the desired outcome. Sad to observe, that seems to be where we are with the Church at this time. Against the same backdrop of homosexual activity and interest, the players strut and declaim their empty lines of justification (that which cannot be justified). The new jargon of accompaniment, discernment, mercy is put forward as if to offer absolution without repentance, indeed, absolution not of sin, but of unfortunate circumstances. When it was reported that the Holy Father said that hell is not eternal, the shadow of heresy falls over the abyss, obscuring its outline for the unwary pilgrim.
When we have been restored to sanity by His divine grace, we will be able to look back at this time in the church the way it is now possible to look back at the People’s Temple and see the darkness that was hidden behind the nostrums of socialism. The term “People’s Temple” says it all. That is not what Christ intended, nor what He instituted.
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Carlos,
Just when I CLICKED the POST COMMENT for my one telling you the first hadn’t appeared they both appeared.Thank you for your concern and trying to help me.
Blessings,
Barbara
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Barbara,
On occasion I am away from my desk and some time may go by until I can moderate a comment. So far I haven’t missed any but glitches are known to happen. God bless! 🙂
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Dear Carlos, Thank you, but I do not understand these two sentences which I amended with the words in parentheses.
“It does not take a genius to figure out that we are careening towards (the fullness of the attempts to cause) the complete destruction of the Catholic Church.”
“If our Master (The Lord Jesus said with complete assurance that He will be with us until the end.) does not save the Church, we face certain defeat.
We know He will preserve His Church until the end of time and therefore the Church cannot be destroyed.
The peace of Christ to you, C-Marie
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The Church cannot be destroyed
If —per impossibile — it was destroyed, then history would end for all. The Church is real and is staying. The world is but an illusion and it is passing.
—————
Using different words: if everything continues as it is, we face certain defeat before the forces of evil. Now … that is impossible because Our Lord Jesus Christ has promised that the forces of evil will not prevail. It was my way to say that strong divine intervention is at hand.
Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, writing from Mexico to Emperor Charles V: “Unless there is supernatural intervention, the country is lost.” Only days after sending that message to his sovereign the King of Spain, Bishop Zumarraga received Juan Diego for the first time. The country was not lost.
Cases like that abound in history. We are between a rock and a hard place and suddenly the unexpected happens. In the case of Zumarraga, it was the Miraculous Tilma that defused a crisis no one could stop from developing into an all out war.
My prediction, based solely on reason is this: there will be a sign, it will be a Marian sign strong enough to lead the souls to conversion. We have too much indifference on one side and smug promotion of sin on the other side.
I don’t care if they call me names and curse me: too many people are comfortable with things the way they are. You have no idea of the levels of vice festering under a veneer of piety in many “Catholic personalities” that you read, see on TV or hear on radio daily. If we were to continue going this way … we’re toast.
Conversion is needed but little is being done to move people to repentance. We are in a dire situation and some are just saying “what crisis? I see no crisis!” — The times require divine intervention. When that happens, Our Lord will uncover all the things that are hidden. May God have mercy on us and find us blameless!
God bless!
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