Parishioners of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala, Florida, were met with a disturbing scene as they arrived for Mass on the morning of Saturday, July 11, 2020. Police cars blocked the entrance, and the parking lot was chock full of fire trucks with flashing lights. Their beloved church was the target for an … Read more
I witnessed a gut-wrenching scene when I recently entered an adoration chapel in North Carolina. Like the rest of the country, there were no Masses anywhere. Thus, this chapel served as a place for local Catholics to pray and make spiritual communions. Upon entering, I saw a woman kneeling in the back with her head … Read more
The fear of the coronavirus has created a climate of frenetic intemperance that is causing much anxiety and agitation. In times of crisis like these, calm is a very important virtue. I witnessed this need for calm during a recent trip to Walmart. I was not there to buy anything since I simply wanted to … Read more
The issue of married priests recently came up in a conversation with a friend. He is a retired Marine Corps Colonel and a Catholic. He was surprised to hear that priestly celibacy is not, as is often stated, a medieval invention. I took advantage to point out to him that remaining chaste, as priest are … Read more
It was a breakfast experience one I did not expect to find in California, or for that matter, anywhere in America. After arriving from the East Coast the night before, I was jetlagged, tired, disoriented and hungry. The following morning, I stumbled across Connie’s, nestled in a strip mall, and decided to stop for breakfast. … Read more
It was a foggy morning in Ocala, Florida on February 18, 2020, which only served to accent the Spanish moss hanging lazily from the live oak trees. I saw that the parking lot for the county commissioner’s office was packed on this idyllic day with good reason. Commissioner Carl Zalak III of District 4 had … Read more
John Canley knew he wanted to be a Marine when he was only thirteen years old. He and his older brother L.J. went to see the movie Sands of Iwo Jima starring John Wayne. He left the theater transformed. What moved him most was the scene of the marines raising the American flag on Mount … Read more
It is becoming nearly impossible to find a quiet place in our frenzied world. However, those seeking refuge from the noise and intemperance can still find it. They just need to know where to look. This became clear for me on a recent trip to visit friends in North Carolina. They are blessed to have … Read more
One of the most shocking executions during the French Revolution was that of four sisters, Gabrielle, Marguerite, Claire and Olympe Vaz de Mello. After the death of their parents, these pious ladies devoted their lives to caring for the sick and downtrodden. In spite of their goodness, or rather because of it, they were dragged … Read more
This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the only documented exorcism in the United States of America.1 This is important because one of the biggest lies of the devil is to convince mankind that he does not exist. This perhaps explains the stunned reaction of audiences to the dramatized version of this exorcism in the 1973 … Read more
