My Own Man.

Perhaps a controversial post regarding the last US election.  We have all and are all getting a little tired of it.  It seems that so many armchair political analysts are coming out of the woodwork to give an opinion.  To be clear, I am not a political ‘expert’ nor do I aspire to be one. 

Let’s be clear.  I don’t know Donald Trump.  I have never met him, I really don’t wish to meet him, nor do I wish to have a beer with him.  I don’t nor do I enjoy his twitter feed or his persistent outburst which are crude, and classless.  That being said, I do not subscribe to the constant media bashing, Hollywood ‘holier than though’ approach of left of centre millionaire social justice warriors crying at full blown crazy level.  My question for all out there remains this.  Like most people, I  thought Trumps’ candidature was a reflection of the state of politics in the US, but then came the Wikileaks dumps.  My opinion on who was worse changed.  Who is worse, Donald Trump, the sociopath and most probable ‘character’ that he plays on TV, or George Soros, the billionaire communist funding the Hillary Clinton/Obama machine?

All this talk about Russia, takes our eyes off the ball.   Whether or not Russia interfered in US elections does not change the fact that the content was clear.  As a Catholic, there was overwhelming evidence with regard to an infiltration orchestrated by the Clinton camp to subvert the Catholic Church at Her highest levels, initiate a Catholic ‘spring’ and finally topple Her, leaving a socialist/communist machine in its wake.  That is not to say that I’m a conspiracy theorist/’truther’ who denies 911, I am though a person who like any other human being is naturally curious and hard wired for Truth. 

The whole fake news issue has been around since the beginning of time.  We as human beings, through technology have gotten better at it.  Mafia leaders, politicians to philanthropists and special interest groups have constantly tipped the ‘media’ and balance of power in order to ensure that their preferred candidate or option comes out looking good.  Sooo,.. As much as Trump and the mainstream media are screaming Trump’s links to Russia, what about alternative right media’s discovery of an elite pedophile ring with ties to heavy duty politicians advancing a globalist agenda?  We can’t deny this, and the fact that social media is discovery this, the people who run the social media sites are also trying to curtail these stories.  Think about it this way,.. Milo Yiannopoulis had to resign from Breitbart because of controversial comments regarding pedophilia.  I agree 100% with firing him or forcing him to resign.  What he said was utterly disgusting and should be punished.  My question is why did not the same mainstream media come down on George Takai, who basically advanced the same opinion?  Couldn’t be that Milo who is nationalist must be punished while Takai, who is globalist gets a free pass?  This should make us all think…

The world is changing and gone is the traditional ‘right’ vs ‘left’ dichotomy, leaving in its wake, Nationalism vs Globalism.  The example of Britain’s exit from the European Union comes to mind (Brexit.)  Perhaps all is not what it seems to be and perhaps we have been granted a time of Grace? Who knows?

What am I saying?  To paraphrase the song from the California Raisins,. ‘Heard it through the grapevine,.. ‘believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see!’ – I’ve always been an independent thinker, neither ‘right’ nor ‘left’ but instead celebrating my independent ‘thinking’ self.  I don’t know all the answers, but I will never be a sheep to ideology one way or another!  I watch CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX, CBC, CTV, and Global.  Still I will supplement my information by watching online sources such as Rebel Media, Lifesite News, Mark Dice, Alex Jones Infowars, Church Militant TV, Next News Network  Joe Rogan podcast, and Steven Crowder.  After gathering all my ‘sources’ I will form an intelligent ‘opinion’ taking into account the sourced material being referenced.  I still will never call it Truth, simply because I will never know all the facts essentially because I am still receiving them 3^rd party.  In this light,.. Pontius Pilate’s quote to Jesus comes to mind,.. ‘Quid est veritas?’ 

I won’t post links, but instead invite all those who can critically ‘think’ to do just that.  If you find yourself on the ‘left,’ you find out that although the Christian refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple is a contrived media plot, considering that Steven Crowder proved that it is much harder to get a Muslim baker to bake such a cake!  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgWIhYAtan4)  If your on the right, you may find out that Iraq had no weapons of ‘mass destruction.’ (I believe history has already proved this point,..).  What is the desired result is that you develop an independent thinking brain.  Devoid of all influence and instead is to be informed(So that you may form) by all these news stories, sites and opinions!  (Yes I posted one link, because well,.. its funny! :P )

God bless!

Deafening Sounds of Silence,..

Where have you been?  Did you stop writing?  What about your thoughts on Utimate Warrior’s passing? (The last one being my favorite!)  Well, I finished my second year as a seminarian candidate and my third academic year,..which means that I am off to Parish assignment next year!  So some musings, thoughts and overall ponderings.  A post without a thesis!

The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, God’s ultimate workout for authentic true discernment to practice the Call to Holiness, to work on/eliminate any distractions, and finally to validate the Call to priesthood.  (In my case anyway..)  The answer lies not so much in the movement and discernment of the Spirits of Good, bad, God or the devil, but in the exercise of silence so as to properly hear them!

Trying to find out who I really am, requires a deep spiritual journey, but one which is rooted completely in God’s abandonement.  Faith becomes the cornerstone, my inadequacies the starting point and conforming my will to God’s, hopefully the end result.  Obviously this is a lifelong journey, still we need to begin somewhere.  Sooo, I am a temperamental, jealous, emotive, and insecure guy who according to wordly standards lived a rockstar life, thought I could find happiness through girls, money and power.  God through it all starting speaking to my heart, and although it was happening, I learned to despise my vocation.  This anger led to the above lifestyle.  Then Sunday came around, I went to confession (sometimes), justified my behaviour, (I contented myself to believe) and paraded as a good Traditional Catholic.  Talk about schizophrenia! Behold the Rich Young Man from the Gospel, Zaccheus up the tree, and Matthew, the Tax collector all rolled into one person.  Oh wait, I also possessed Judas’s greed, Thomas’s doubt, and of course Peter’s collective stupidity and fear.  Why in the blue hell is Jesus calling me to priesthood? 

That young priest in the bookstore, what if I had never challenged him?  I could have not said a word, what prompted me to?  I was perfectly happy identifying myself as a thinking ‘catholic’ with all the accoutrements of secular humanism.  Pro-choice? Sure!  Pro-gay? Absolutely!  (I had a gay friend, and he didn’t harm anybody), stem cells? Of course!  Nooo, I was gonna save this poor confused man!  Instead, I was launched headfirst into Aristotle, Aquinas, the Natural Law, Truth, JESUS!  Still then had every intention of living my hedonistic lifestyle, but only one problem, I was no longer in invincible ignorance… My best friend and I would talk philosophy at times, he was a student as well, (eventually an accountant) yet gone was any appreciation for DesCartes, Kant, Spinoza, and Heidegger.  We had trained years in Martial Arts, and Buddha wasn’t very coherent, despite being very ‘en vogue.’  I was learning Thales, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle!  The Greeks would searched for ‘arche.’  I no longer had any interest in revolving around my belly button with Rene DesCartes!  The Bible, Mass, the Eucharist, I remember it all being a flood!  Another chance encounter with another guy from LaSalle,..’Greg, you are studying to be a what?!?!?’ (Fr Greg, ordained in 2010)  Slowly I was bit by the bug…Oh yeah, that young priest from the store is now the Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal… Just sayin’…I tried to discern in 2007, but I never really put any effort into it.  I always had an excuse,..’diocese too liberal’ (that was code for people will think I’m crazy and I like women!)

The answer, perhaps a mystery, or perhaps to show that He can act through a broken instrument such as myself?  Not so sure, yet that fateful night negotiating my fate, preparing to explain to the girl I was dating that I needed to make a life changing decision, all of it comes rushing back full circle.  I had told God that I would have given Him the permanent Diaconate!  Apparently that wasn’t enough.  I remember vividly searching to find any loophole to get out, and continually asking myself why the thought kept popping back in?  I remember missing the company of a girl, and so I had asked myself if I’m on the right track?  My thoughts rushing to images of me being a biological father, coaching some sports on Saturday mornings, the little voice then added to the angst I was experiencing,…’You could have it all again,..Go back to the way it was.’  The voice was seductive, yet there was no inner peace, joy or authentic freedom.  I recognized that voice, didn’t realize that I had played for his team for too long.  That woman who stayed with me, that living Saint who during my change tried as best she could to be there for me.  Being diagnosed with clinical depression, and being not able to work for about 3 months, all because I didn’t want to accept God’s call in my life.  My time as a trainer, acting like St Augustine (in every sense).   Jesus continued to speak to me, and so did you!  I grew angry with Liturgical matters, angry with people not following the Faith, angry with politics, yet my interior life was a complete mess. 

Giving in?  Not quite.  Signed up as an external student.  This way, I would know that there is no call to priesthood, that I’m not one of them!  That ‘they’ are all socially awkward little weird possibly gay men, who don’t function in life, while I can work, make money and get girls.  That I’m a regular dude who desires a family. (After sowing my ‘wild oats’ that is!)  Too late, I remember the bottle of ‘Grey Goose’ on the bar, the cranberry juice beside it, and my buddies cruising some drunk girls…’Life sucks!’   That’s what I wanted.  I remember, saying okay Lord, one last girl, then I’ll be yours.  Guess it wasn’t to be, and after a brief stay as an external student, You, Jesus, eventually caught me, you win!…I’m yours.  As for you satan, not today.  My battle never over, but with Christ in me, you devil are powerless!

Just finished up my third year and next year I will be staying in Parish for the year.  Throughout the hardships, and Lord, you know them!  Going face to face with a drug dealer, or holding a girl who went through an abortion in my arms, crying with her… No, not just that.  I’m speaking about the selfish stuff, the times of stress loneliness, the social media avenue allowing you to see old relationships move forward, and being happy for them in times of grace and being a man and sometimes envious in times of stress…

I guess you can tell that there was no real thesis to my blog post,..Oh well…

Our Lady of Fatima,................................ora pro nobis!

It's Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood,....

A few years back, if somebody had randomly walked up to me and said ‘Marco (Optimus),..’X’ number of years from now, you will be inside the seminary discerning priesthood and your summer will be spent co-ordinating a children’s day camp, ‘  - I would most likely have laughed myself so nutty, that I would have probably busted my spleen…

Yup, myself and my brother seminarian have been sent to a local Parish in the Montreal Italian community and have been given the responsibility of co-ordinating a day camp!  Well to be fair, it is actually training us to be better Pastors, by providing not only a secure and safe active environment but assuring that we are able to speak to kids, something that I am deathly afraid of,…as they are probably afraid of me!  Being a seminarian offers so many cool chances to present the Risen Christ to any and all, but we often forget that children can be molded a little more easily than adults.  As Optimusmastro, yes, I do have a charism (I’ve been told) for young men.  But kids???  Yeeeesh!  So Optimusmastro turned into Mr Rogers and began sugaring up the four year olds!  (By ‘sugar’ I mean speak about love bunnies and squirrels and whatever else,…)

Sooo, here goes, I broke my Catechical blockage and spoke with the younger kids.  My brother seminarian looked at me, said I did okay,….For my first time.  Well, I was shy, (actually terrified,..) but I guess with time, I will learn to settle it in.  Speaking to kids can be the most challenging thing ever.  I can’t speak about the Hypostatic Union, or any high Theology, Christology or metaphysics.  I need to learn to speak in simple basic language, which for a seminarian can be brutal.  My own learning experience saw me experience humility (as I was and am a highly competitive person.)  Once again Jesus held up a mirror and showed me a weakness, a huge one with regard to an impending priesthood.  I can say I got through it, but still, with some psychological bruises.  I can now only hope that the 5 year olds don’t go home and speak about the Arian heresy that had gripped the early Church forcing the Council of Nicea to define the Trinity.  The parents will think that I got choked for too long in Jiu Jitsu cutting off too much air to my brain!

To reiterate, a few years back, this event would have been so far removed from my radar that I would have thought travelling to the planet Cybertron a much higher probability.  Well, clearly Jesus sees things differently!

Our Lady of Consolatta,……………………………………………..ora pro nobis!

Our Book First!

As Catholics, we have a treasure and that treasure is God's written Word, the canonized 72 Books of the Holy Scriptures,..The Bible!  Why is it then, that we (Catholics) don't truly appreciate and unlock its treasures by meditating upon Sacred Scripture daily?  Well that is a post for another day,..Right now?  We need an Optimusmastro venting session as only Optimusmastro can do!  (Aaaaaand when I vent,..I can easily make Micheal Voris look like a cuddly baby harp seal...)  One thing about Vatican II, (You hear that whack a doodle sedevacante nutjobs who also believe in aliens, sasquatch and Elvis??!?!?!?) is that it opened us, the Catholic faithful, up to the treasures of the Bible,.so much, that practically the entire canon of the New Testament can be read in 3 yrs,..(provided you attend Mass every Sunday...)

The protestant 'reformation'(okay, deformation,.) of the 16th Century had Martin Luther essentially divorce the Scriptures from its proper place,.the Liturgy.  The Result?  Private interpretation resulting in a constant division and subdivision within Christianity, all claiming that their version of it is true.  Where to begin?  On the issue of the Old Testament, it is important to once again contextualize our thesis.  There was no set defined Old Testament canon until about AD 90 at the Jewish Council of Jamnia.  Before then, the 'educated' language of Palestine was Greek, and they, (Jesus and His contemporaries) used a version of the Scriptures known as the Septuagint.  So the protestant version of the Bible which uses the Hebrew Scriptures, is,..well,.. missing a couple (7) books!

Why the sarcasm?  Why the attitude?,..Well,.because if I answer one more email from our beloved separated brethren on this issue,..I might develop carpel tunnel syndrome, in my brain!  God bless you,..I really mean it.  You guys (Evangelicals and Open minded FundaMENTALists..) are incredibly on fire for Jesus and I truly respect that, but to accuse the Catholic Church of being 'anti' Biblical, or still hiding the Bible, or corrupting it, adding to it, heck,.even painting it green,...the entire point is that it(the Bible, all 72 books,. not your man-made edit job of 66) is our Book!!!!!  It belongs to our Liturgy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Arghhhhhhhhh!,.........Feels good to vent once in a while,...

St Thomas Aquinas,........................ora pro nobis.

Backward Medievalist!!!

Well that's what I got told I should be from one of my 'anonymous' emails!   It seems I'm some kind of 'Young Fogey!'  No offence to a fellow blogger,..(See here ).  Well,..let me say thank you for your compliment!  However this does beg the question,.whatcha so angry bout' lil fella?  The fact that you and your ilk hijacked the Catholic Church for the last forty years attempting to turn Her into the eco friendly gender neutral marxist freemason lodge specializing in population control?  Weeeell, there is kinda a little problem with that!  You see the dude who founded Catholicism is also well, God Incarnate!  So let's open our politically correct Bible to Matthew 16: 18.  Gosh, guess that sucks to be you...

For years, I was called bitter, rigid, medieval, chauvinistic and every other funny little name you gave me.  Why?  Because (I know your not supposed to begin a sentence with 'because' but if I copy/paste your email to to this site, there are so many grammatical errors that my readership might get a migraine..) as a thirty something man, I called myself a sinner, needed Jesus and desired to live as best I could as a Catholic? Because my generation were the only ones participating in regular confession/Reconciliation that you couldn't use the confessional as a storage unit for the parish?  Now I get it!  It is because of my support for unity between the SSPX and Rome!  You guys are supposed to be sooooo ecumenical!  Is this not ecumenism?  (scratches head...)

Reality Check for the 'stoner' generation,..

Fact:  Extraordianary Form communities are flourishing
Fact:  The New Translation of the Ordinary Form of Mass exists and is better.
Fact:  Anyone under 45yrs of age wants to be faithful to Christ, His Church and His Magisterium.
Fact:  EWTN exists
Fact:  Pope Benedict for all intents and purposes is in relatively good health.
Fact:  Your generation took full advantage of the contraceptive mindset. ...Extinction!!  (Cajunman, Adam Sandler voice from SNL)
Fact:  Your vocation crisis was ma,.err sorry 'peoplemade' and still the Holy Spirit raised up priests.

Isn't God good?  Cookoo Bishops are on the way out and being replaced by Bishops who believe in Catholcism,...I pray for you, some of you were sincere and really did think you were doing good, I pray you have a St Paul Damascus experience.  To those of you with the agenda,..I say,.. Nananana, ..Nananana,... Hey hey Hey,..Goodbye!!!!!!  Your generation, the 'seamless garment' crap waving bye!!!!!!!!

St Jean Vianney,............Ora pro nobis.

Confusiondom...

Nope I didn't found a religion, but I sure as heck gave it a name!  Sorry to my readership as this blog post will be more a venting session, and less of a reflection.  The emails that I'm getting lately are demonic, the confrontations I'm getting to are nuts and finally I've reached my boiling point!  This is not directed towards protestant brethren seeking Truth,..this is directed to my hatemail fan club..

Dear FundaMENTALists

Greetings in the name of Jesus.  I respect you as people and respect the Truths that your faith possesses.  Now,  your probably asking yourself why I respect the Truths of your faith?  Well here is the answer in short form,..because they are Catholic Truths first and foremost!  When your heretic founders and cult personality leaders took their ball and went home, the Truths they took with them, what they didn't edit out...(By the Way, Your Biiibull has been edited, humm, what does Revelation 22 verse 19 say about that?) all come from the Sacred deposit of the Faith.  From now on, Confusiondom and its biiibull , which according to you limited theological acumen, magically fell out of the sky one day all bound together!  Within a few more years, another heretic will pop up and declare an apocraphal book of mormon fell on Joe Smith that time he went into the woods!  They probably call themselves 'The Concussed Church of Latter Day Saints?'  Then one of his followers, we'll call him Little Jimmy, he'll disagree with the congregation wearing helmuts, so he'll form something else, called the Reformed helmutless Church of Latter Day Saints... Sounds crazy eh?  Yeah,..You know what else is nuts?  SOLA SCRIPTURA!  Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort need lobotomies advancing the most ill conceived of incoherent pieces of FundaMENTAList nonsense!  So, by your ahem,..'logic,' Jesus Ascends,(going up..) and the Bible, sorry your 66 Biiibull book magazine (at least you have the New Testament, Luther didn't get to hack that one up especially with that whole Epistle of St James being a bit problematic for ya!) floats down?  Hey kinda like an elevator! 

 This dude claimed the end of the world was last May by reading his Biiibull!

Peter Ruckman and the Pensecola Christian Biiibull school have their own little Montreal clique...So boys, pick the Tim Horton's and we'll gladly discuss Theology.  I will ask for you to be open, and we'll start with one issue at a time, arguing God's existence!  Oooh, I almost forgot, you don't recognize philosophy!  Man's search for 'arche.' You begin with the pre supposition that the Biiibull is just THERE!  (Did it materialize like in Star Trek?)  Sorry Aristotle, your not on the ice for this shift...So please tell me how the Biiibull got to be.  If you say the Holy Spirit, what agency put it together?  I can't wait to hear this one!  In High School, I used to smoke up a fair amount,.but I think this (your Biiibull origins) will be an even better story sober!  This gem came from a booklet you stuffed in my mailbox.  That Aquinas created 'sacramentalism.'  WOW!  (nearly peed myself!  I didn't know whether I should argue you, cause I was feeling sorry for you!)   Let's see, Aquinas, 13th Century, the split with Orthodox happened in 1054, sooooooo two possibilities 1, Aquinas time travelled backwards to teach the Eastern Churches about the Sacraments, or 2, they were doing 'Magic?'

Do you guys ever wonder why even within Confusiondom, the further back you go, like in the religions of  Anglicanism/Lutheranism...that it is liturgical?   Why do you suppose that is, when by you figure that Jesus founded Pensecola first baptist?  Honestly guys, if you do believe this stuff, I hope that society takes away your driver's licenses, because your mental aptitudes are clearly in question. 

G.K.  Chesterton,........pray for us!

Starbucks Brainfart...

Sometimes, just sometimes its almost too hard to refrain from laughing one's ass off at some of the most bizarre stories to ever make it to print.  Case in point, what the title reads.  I honestly had to doublecheck, pinch myself, look myself in the mirror and finally admit to laughing myself stupid over probably one of the kookiest news reports ever!  Slow day?  Well it must have been, because Starbucks has officially declared itself in favour of gay marriage!  (see here)

A little theological reflection.  We live in a turbulent world where you know the demonic is rampant when social issues like so-called same sex 'marriage' and abortion are already hot button bombs from voter perspectives.  As a Catholic, I've never hid my stripes.  I am pro-life staunchly and pro traditional marriage staunchly.  Nevertheless, doesn't it make anyone else scratch their head and wonder why a coffee chain would come out for or against a social position?  I never truly realized the 'social justice' weight Starbucks has...and here's the other part of the equation,..they sell coffee!!!!!!  Friggin' coffee!!!  Well, along with their minds, they have lost me as a customer, but why in the blue hell, would they ever come out for or against gay marriage,.did I mention they sell coffee?? 

What's next?  Maybe the local Chinese buffet will come out against stem cells, while the Greek dry cleaners pro women's ordination.  I truly believe society needs to hold up a mirror to itself.  Mr Starbucks, you sell friggin coffee!  No one who is mildly sane would ever even think to ask you to weigh in on a social issue!  Now that you have, I have enjoyed my last moka frappa crappa grande latte, or whatever.  I'll stick to Tim Horton's, where in their corporate meetings, the gay agenda probably never comes up...they concentrate on coffee and donoughts, what they were intended for...

G.K.  Chesterton,.........pray for us!

St Valentine's Bathroom Break,....

Yesterday came and went, another St Valentine's day and still another cash draw for the flower/Hallmark greeting card industry.  Sorry ladies, I just never bought into this!  I had originally planned to write this post yesterday, but a pastoral instinct kicked in, that maybe it wasn't the right time to bring this stuff up...So we'll do it today! 

St Valentine's Day, a day when girls gush and men spill open their wallets to buy flowers, candy, clothes, jewelry, all sorts of sugar coated crap, (Yup!  I said it!) in the name of love.  Yeah right!  More like in the name of the biggest marketing ploy ever launched upon our collective psyches!  To begin, what the hell does St Valentine have to do with fat little winged babies throwing arrows?  Really?  Reeeeally?  Their not angels,..the Bible shows angels telling people to not be afraid when they manifest themselves!  Don't know about how much fear fat little winged babies with too much rosy makeup would strike in me!  So the marketing execs gets together at corporate headquaters and sitting around a table, brainstorm saying, 'On the feast day of St Valentine, a bishop and martyr,..let's turn it into a syruppy sugar coated cheesefest, complete with a Bonjovi ballad strumming in the backround,..(You know the kind where Ritchie Sambora really strains his voice providing backup lyrics such as 'Whoooaaaa' and 'Yeeaaahh.')  On a side note, there were fourteen Valentines who were martyred throughout Church history!  Which one are we talkin' about? 

                                                  A relic of St Valentine,..isn't it romantic?

Okay ladies, so by now, your saying, yeah but this guy is discerning potential priesthood.  Well, I do have a past and have had relationships.  All I'm sayin' is that perhaps, if we made it a holiday about Agape and not necessarily chocolate and fluff, we could salvage our economy by not running up credit card tabs paying for a make believe holiday!!!!  Seriously,..this post was just meant to make people laugh!  God Bless all married, coupled and single people!

St Valentine (All 14 of you,..) ,...........Ora pro nobis.

Optimusmastro,..Cookbook? Huh?

I've mentioned several times that since the 'decision' has been taken, way too many cool things have been happening, that I really just don't have time to blog or write about them all.  While this blog, is in many ways more theologically oriented, it doesn't mean that I don't have any other interests!  For those of you that have been following me, I have interests as you know, in MMA, Weight training and of course Transformers!  Although the Old Testament describes God, as a jealous God,..Our Lord has nothing to worry about as my interests only reflect diverse aspects of my personality.  In spiritual direction, I was told that Jesus will take all these qualities and mold them into a more Christianized version of their already existing attributes!  Picture it,..perhaps I will have a stole (God willing) with autobot logos on it, while having trained future priests and seminarians into little warriors to prepare for our battle or martyrdom!  (Please understand, that was a joke!) 

Well,.aside from those interests, I have another one,..one that I've kept hidden,..so here goes!  My name is Marco and I love cooking!  A few days ago I watched the Superbowl with my friend Peter and his wife Luisa, and we decided to make a Spaghetti ala Carbonara!  He filmed some of it on youtube and well, (warning:  In one of the parts, Peter breaks a glass and swears audibly!)  let's just say that not a lot of people saw it but those that did sent emails asking me to put up some recipes!  Optimusmastro Carbonara Part 1 .  So waddaya think?  I've definetely got a few tricks up my sleeve especially with regards to cooking.  I will be putting up more videos in the future, especially a roast of beef, of porc, some more pasta dishes and of course Pate Chinois!  (To my American readership, you guys call it Shepherd's Pie!)  Note:  Although I'm a fitness trainer all dishes are high in calories, if I'm gonna cook then I'm gonna cook! 

One thing throughout this discernement that I'm learning is that Jesus doesn't take away your sense of humour, or your quirks,..but He does purify them.  Remember that I'm still a man and thus need to emote at times especially with regard to long days filled with academics, prayer, jiu-jitsu and DA GYM!  If you guys want a recipe send me an email!  To the guy who asked me why I not audition for 'Hell's Kitchen' with Gordon Ramsey?,..Well, I have a teeny little bit of a temper,..and let's just say that that would be the episode where Fox Network garnered the biggest ratings!  The reason is simple.  I have a huge problem with anyone spitting out food especially when there are people who have nothing to eat!  My parents, and I credit them with this taught me to respect and remember those less fortunate, so ethically I'm completely against trivializing an entire meal because 'it isn't seasoned properly!!!' (his voice)  Secondly, anyone who knows me, knows that Ramsey's world would be flipped upside down after he yelled at me , not in a constructive manner but in his condescending manner,..A guillotine front face choke and he'd be sleeping nicely in under two mins,..

We all need hobbies, whether our vocation is to marriage or the consecrated life.  A healthy balance helps us with our own psychological well-being and enables to recharge for the battles that lay ahead.  Whether its the Gym (woohoo!) or video games, (nerd!) or even cooking, as long as it is something that can lead us into a better frame of mind.  Jesus used to retire to the desert,..sometimes those little pleasures can act as our own deserts!  By the way,..Epic Meal Time, those dudes out of Montreal basterdizing food,..1.  Yes, we all laugh, but too many people go to bed hungry,.something to think about,..and 2.   There is only ONE muscles glasses, and he's the dude typing this,..Challenge issued bro, anytime anywhere!  ;)


St Francis of Assisi,........ora pro nobis!

 

 

 

Grumpy Old Men Give Me an Idea!

The latest twitter news has Kevin Nash calling out The Ultimate Warrior to an MMA style shoot match.  Wow,..your thinking it must be a slow news day!   Actually I will tie it in to the Church a little bit later,..So the backround,..a tweet to Warrior asking why he doesn't dye his hair and come back to WWE,..Warrior responds, that 'He's not a dic*head looking to steal the limelight from younger wrestlers.'  Diesel fires back on Warrior's twitter challenging him to an MMA match!  Here's the kicker, not the fact that these two are wayyyy past their primes, but that none of them have any backround in MMA fighting!  (Nash's would tear his quad getting into the Octogon!)  Warrior?  Well, I admire his views, intensity and lifestyle, but C'mon!  First off, wrestling wise, he wouldn't know a wrist lock from a wrist watch!  They'd probably mutally guillotine each other and pass out!  Seriously, Nash, though a street fighter, I think would lose to Warrior,..Warrior has a lower centre of gravity, and thus I could see Warrior on his back allowing Nash to tackle him.  From the guard position, Warrior key locks or Kimora Big Daddy Cool, and big Diesel, will be parked on the side of the road out of gas!  Again, this scenerio only occurs if both know what the hell there doing!  They'll no comebacks or shaking the ropes to regain strength after you've taken a legitamite ass-kicking.  Though its receiving a lot of publicity, I think the only cool thing about it would be the build up,.and maybe the 'entrances!' ;)

Now, as this issue was taking place, it got me thinking,..hmmm (lightbulbs flashing,..) what if someone in the orthodox Catholic world were to call out a heterodox?  I could just see it now,..Cardinal Mahoney calls Cardinal Burke,..'Closed minded' on Twitter,..Cardinal Burke responds calling him out!  Not to an MMA fight,..but to an actual 'dialogue!' (their words..)  Y'know one that would actually culminate in a settled issue!   Better still what if Michael Voris called out Richard McBrien!  I definetly would love to see that debate!  My friends, as much as can have fun with these issues,..we need to take them seriously!  We are at the crossroads and not only is our Church at stake,..but so are souls. 

St Michael the Archangel,...................ora pro nobis.

Leftopia,..the Magical Land of Stupid...

And now for another installment of speaking with Lefties, the show where truth is orwellian and facts are hidden worse than in a 'Where's Waldo?' book!  (Funny anecdote, I always thought 'Where's Waldo?' was only in french,..'Ou est Charlie?'..Oh well...:))  This past week, during our CHRISTMAS time off, (not holiday time, or wintersoltice time, or winter festival time,..got that off my chest!)  I was innundated with emails concerning my so-called closed mindedness and lack of pastoral concern (whatever the hell that means,..) for issues of equality and justice!  You see about two years ago, I wrote a post on the evils of socialism and how it is incompatible with Catholic thought.  It basically denies the theological reality of original sin, and props up man to act as his own saviour.  Liberation theology became its bastard offspring, after having an ongoing affair with marxism.  (see here )  Now these people penetrate the establishment on all levels, politically, socially and yes even inside the Church.  They espouse Cardinal Bernadin's seamless garment crap and instead of looking at truths through a Thomistic lens, and then following suit, they equate everything in the same basket.  Example, 'Yes candidate 'A' is pro-life, but he's not taking care of the south american coffee pickers getting minimum wage!  So that must cancel it all out!' You see the logic?  No?  Because there is none!  

A few weeks back I was introduced to a Fox news commentator named Steven Crowder.  American by birth, he was raised in Canada, actually Montreal and is blowing the whistle on all this stuff!  His insights are intelligent, witty and wait for it,...FACTUAL!  Yes, the left having an issue with truth has a hard time getting its act together especially if it does not suit their marxist agenda!  Some examples,..(Let me set this up, typical university professor enters classroom wearing Palestinian 'kaffiya,' a Jack Layton hugging Barrack Obama pin and begins to lecture on the human rights violations of the US in the Middle East, Israel on everything and 'capitalism' as the 'Mein Kempf' of economic theory!  So, the students eat this stuff up!  I know, I was one of them!)  Some of the myths include;

Pope Pius XII was a silent nazi sympathizer who did nothing during WWII.  FACT:  Pope Pius XII did more than any other person to save Jews from extermination.  (see here)  The theory that he was anti-semitic arose from a protestant playwright 5 years later after his death!!!!!!  The chief Rabbi of Rome, Israel Zolli converted to Christianity because he was moved by Pius's defense of the Jewish people!!! Lefties, on this one you lose, you only expose yourselves not only as ignorant, but as a malicious parasitical cancer that grafts itself onto society!  (Yes, this one I take personally, because I've had to endure many a 'spirit' of VII priest propogating that lie!)

Israel is an evil country which must give back land to the Palestinians in the occupied territories.  FACT;  Can anybody name one country that wasn't formed through violence?  Number two, can anybody name one country whereby when it was formed, another country was formed specifically for the people living there at that time!  (Jordan was formed in 1948, for the people eventually known as the Palestinians.  Why eventually?  Because prior to 1948, there was no such f'n thing as a 'Palestinian!' )  It sucks that both people can't live in harmony, it really does, but when the 'Palestinians' refuse negotiations with Israel, thereby claiming it as Islamic land, and will only settle for a ten year truce, (Remember 'prophet' Muhammed, that peaceloving kind of guy, broke his ten year truce in two years instead!) and will never recognize Israel's right to exist!  It really is sad for the Arabs living there, but how about fighting this war through education, reign in your terror groups, or maybe do a little introspection on the metaphysics of Islam?  Just sayin,..The 'Left' love to tell you about how Israel attacked Syria and Egypt in the six day war, but forget to mention that those two countries already amassed their troops right on the bourder!  Wait a minute, after the asskicking Israel gave them, they still gave back land!!!!  Does anyone not see the irony?

Just two examples of pothead stupidity that we are forced fed through CBC, BBC and of course Hollywood, because we know how politically savvy they are, Sean Penn?  C'mon,..not exactly Ben Stein!  Critiquing anything the Obama administration is failing at brands you as rascist!  Back to Crowder,...I'll be putting a link up to his site, and I truly suggest you check out his youtube videos, he even has a 'Quebec Corner!'  I won't even mention that the producers of Jon Stewart's 'Daily Show' basically admitted Stewart's bias in an email concerning Crowder...Ooops,..just did!  Hehehehe...(Look it up!)

Blessed John Paul the Great,.........Ora pro nobis!

The Autobot Litany,..

The title can be a little misleading but I am a Catholic Cybertronian afterall.  Every now and then I step away from theology and Catholic issues to speak about Transformers, and finding the Catholic parrallels in them.  Specifically Transformers Generation 1.  Yup,..it can be safely said that despite my incredible superhuman strength, dangerous charisma, and ravishing good looks,..I am and will always be a geek at heart!  So as a little break from all things heterodox, today I will present you the autobot hierarchy and what Saint they remind me of!  Sooo,..here goes, Theology and Transformers!

Optimus Prime:  Much more than a regular Saint,.Optimus Prime is in many ways a Christ figure similar to Aslan the Lion from the Narnia series.  Among his attributes, courage, compassion and above all else self sacrifice for the autobot cause.  Those of us in our thirties will certainly never forget that powerful scene of Prime roaring into autobot city after the forces were depleted.  Optimus freely chose to give his life for what was right and true and in doing so, died.  Yet, as Megatron through Prime's death was defeated, Optimus came back to life to once again save humanity and the galaxy from the 'Hate' plague.  Images of 'Love' conquering 'Hate' resonate throughout Transformers.  Even as a kid, Optimus would offer insight and wisdom to a whole generation, the same generation which didn't quite grasp the idea of Optimus executing a decepticon in the life action movie.

Ultra Magnus:  Okay, admittedly this can get a little tricky, but Magnus for me always reminded me of St Peter.  Magnus was a superd general in the autobot army and like Optimus was ever ready to sarifice himself for the good of the cause.  Magnus lacked confidence the same way Peter the Apostle lacked Faith,..remember the whole walking on water from the Gospel?  Yet, still Peter was made the first Pope by Christ Himself.  Although Ultra Magnus was proven not to be the chosen one by the autobot matrix, (Rodimus) nevetheles, his natural leadership abilities made him retain his 2nd in command stature even after Optimus returned.  In the 'Rebirth' series this is evidenced as Magnus leads the defence of Cybertron. 

Rodimus Prime:  In many respects, I've always found a similarity between Rodimus and St Paul.  As Hot Rod, a case can be made that he was responsible for causing Optimus's death in the original movie.  Remember that in the NewTestament, Paul as Saul was a pharisee in charge of leading the persecution of Christians.  He (Paul) was even present at the stoning of Stephen, an early Christian martyr.  Saul was knocked from his horse on the way to Damascus experincing a vision of the Ressurected Christ.  Hot Rod was 'knocked' so to speak twice, upon Prime passing the Matrix to Magnus, Hot Rod touched it first thereby imprinting him.  As well, Hot Rod experiences his 'Damascus' moment inside Unicron when from the Matrix, Prime's voice is heard, 'Arise Rodimus Prime!'  Rodimus then becomes the central figure throughout season three, the same way that Paul becomes the central figure in the New Testament through his letters after Jesus ascends to the Father.

I will be blogging more often as of now, not making any promises, but am gonna try for twice a week, as I progress towards the discernment of the ultimate end.  Please pray for me. 

God Bless,....