I know everyone is watching in fixed and horrified fascination as a hospital in the UK fights not to save but to end the life of a small boy. It’s most of the reason I haven’t posted anything in the last few days. Alfie Evans is only the latest case of this kind in a Britain that long ago embraced a standard of ethics in medical care that includes euthanasia as a form of “care”.

The fact that we don’t really yet have an official name for the New Paradigm (and probably won’t for another couple of centuries) has made it difficult to help clarify what I mean when I say that in effect, most regular novus ordo Mass-going Catholics don’t believe the same religious things as previous generations of Catholics believed. I’ve said it many times, and I’m not alone, that “Novusordoism isn’t Catholicism.” It’s become a bit of a catchphrase.

Hey, remember the Cold War? Remember waking up three nights a week from Nuke Nightmares? Remember Bay of Pigs? Remember watching the news every night wondering how close we were getting? Remember when the Berlin Wall came down and everyone said it was over? Russians told what foods best to take into bomb shelters  The bombshell advice included stated: “The food supply for doomsday includes many items but the main idea behind packing an emergency stock is less sweets, more water.

It’s the first Antiphon of the first Nocturn of Matins of the Annunciation. The others are: Drop down, ye heavens, from above and let the skies pour down righteousness; let hte earth open and bring forth a Saviour. Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from afar; and his burning brightness filleth the world as the flame of devouring fire. V; Out of Sion hath God appeared in perfect beauty, Alleluia.

I was on my way home from Rome on Saturday when the conference in Rome that people are talking about was happening. No, I didn’t go to it. Had no interest. Yes, I thought it was a good thing, in a kind of shruggy sort of way. Mike defends the conference and Cardinal Burke here with, I think, some good points. Yes, it’s good to have at least someone saying all this stuff just isn’t on.

So difficult is this issue for modern people – including Catholics – to deal with that it never gets talked about. So I thought we’d talk about it. My good friend Fr. Paul McDonald, who is now involved in the Fatima Center apostolate since Fr. Gruner’s death, talks about it a good deal, but he is one of the few priests I have come across who does. I find Americans particularly have difficulties with the concept that the more monarchically-oriented Canadians and Brits don’t, for reasons that quickly become clear once the teaching is explored.

Exsultet iam angelica turba caelorum exsultent divina mysteria et pro tanti Regis victoria, tuba insonet salutaris. Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus et, aeterni regis splendore illustrata, totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem. Laetetur et mater Ecclesia tanti luminis adornata fulgoribus: et magnis populorum vocibus haec aula resultet. If any be a devout lover of God, let him partake with gladness from this fair and radiant feast. If any be a faithful servant,

The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

A blessed Easter to all. Talk to you next week. ~

Continuing on with our series on “Well, what do we do now, Sarge?” posts, we offer this little essay by a long-time reader. Bree A. Dail works in some mysterious analytical capacity for the Department of Defence of the US, and manages a defence consultancy firm in Virginia. I asked her for her input because, being of a military background, she is possessed of something of a “let’s get er done” attitude.