Persevere

There is no doubt in my mind that the incoming administration is cock sure that it is about to begin - in their mind - a bold, new direction for the United States that will be unprecedented in its 232-year old history. It will be unfettered by the now-marginalized forces that once encumbered and, indeed, attempted to enslave it. Like, for example, the faith and morals of the Catholic Church.

Already we see the United States Conference of (Catholic) Bishops scurrying to try to keep a place at the table with a “news release” from its Office of Med Relations. Oooooh.

News release, shnews release. Who's listening?

Pop culture and its denizens ensured that the Big O would enter the White House. Do you really expect the shallowest, most vacuous block of the voting public - honed as they are on the whetstone of Madison Avenue advertising, sound byte thinking, sensory titillation, and instant gratification - to consider such matters as abortion and infanticide as anything more than chips of refuse in the road before their pop culturally correct Prius? iPods do not normally have downloaded addresses by Catholic bishops.

Meanwhile, wolves circle, extremely conscious of the opportunity afforded this election's results. The sheep are vulnerable and easy prey in the West. Few have held hands with past generations and the revealed wisdom carried and vouchsafed in the Church's Magisterium. The Christianities (as Msgr Ronald Knox called them) downstream of Catholicism are watered-down entities run by corporate wannabies and focus-group feel-good gurus. Pastors who love the gospel are caught by the short hairs in keeping up the Sunday collection figure and all-important "average worship attendance" statistics. Pity them, do not disdain.

The Catholic Church is pretty much on our own now. Big O and his ilk don't even have the mind to gloat. It seems they have carte blanche with near-unlimited resources (think of the publicity they spent on bumper stickers and yard signs alone).

These will be difficult times for truth, goodness, and beauty. Neo-paganism and the Scimitar will appear to bring Western civilization to its knees.

Best be ready to teach the young the meaning of the Church Year. Begin with Advent. Decorate and light the tree. Watch for signs. Pray the Scriptures with the Church. Be fed at the Sacrifice of the Mass. Defend and protect our priests. Serve Our Lord in the poor, the least, last, and lost. Be chivalrous and kind to all if possible.

These are darkening days. Cling to Peter's Barque and look to the virtues, infused by the Holy Spirit to persevere. I'll be praying for you.

Scary? You Bet

Ruth King at Family Security Matters weighs in on the question, How do you hug a porcupine? Very carefully and prudently.

Constant Vigilence

A prophet once sat in the stillness of an hot, arid day and saw in a brilliant blue sky a single cloud, "no larger than a man's hand." It prompted him, inspired by the Spirit of the LORD, to prophesy important matters to the people Israel.

Too, from very small stones falling can avalanches begin. Like this story.

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Islamists began demolishing an old Roman Catholic church in southern Somalia on Tuesday to replace it with a mosque, and vowed to do the same with all other non-Muslim places of worship they find in the area.

Gunmen killed Leonella Sgorbati, an Italian nun, in Mogadishu in 2006. She was buried in Kenya.

The act -- and the threat -- were the latest show of strength by the growing Islamic insurgency in and around the southern port of Kismayo. Somalia's third-largest city has been in the control of al-Shabab, a powerful Islamist faction, since August.

Sheik Hassan Yakob Ali, a spokesman for al-Shabab, said the city's residents had knocked down a wall of the century-old Italian church, which has not been used for at least 18 years. No one was hurt in the demolition, Ali said.

He said the city administration will finish the demolition job over the next few days and replace the building with a mosque.

"We have demolished a Christian church," Ali told The Associated Press. "And we'll replace it with an Islamic mosque. We will demolish all similar Christian cathedrals and other places of worship for Christians, Buddhists and other religions."

If It Keeps Its Wits About It

Hugh Fitzgerald posts a few facts worth keeping in mind in the confrontation with Islam.

It is not the West, if it keeps its wits about it, that will be disintegrating. It will be the world of Islam.

But it's that phrase that matters, and worries: "if it keeps its wits about it."

Is the trend favorable to Islam? Only if we allow it to be.

Coughlin Stays

Andrew Bostom shares good news: Major Coughlin will now be retained by the DOD. And a big thanks goes to USRep Sue Myrick of North Carolina who clearly has her priorities straight stepping into the fray:

While I do not believe there was any foul play involved in this situation, I wish that more attention was given to Major Coughlin’s thesis. The thesis, which supposedly caused this great stir, is titled “To Our Great Detriment: Ignoring What Extremists Say about Jihad”. In it, Coughlin points out several issues. He states we have not listened to our enemies; Osama Bin Laden and his ilk claim that they are acting in accordance with Islam. Our military has not identified and analyzed our enemy’s stated doctrine; that they are acting in accordance with Islamic law. And finally, if we are going to prosecute this war effectively, our military must fully analyze their claim. Only then can they implement the proper strategy to defeat the radical Islamists long-term plan. The ideas and issues presented in his thesis are important. We must understand our enemy.

Read all of her statement here.