Tea at Trianon: A Response to Father James Martin

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Friday, March 13, 2020

A Response to Father James Martin

From Dr. Janet Smith at The National Catholic Register:

One of the best reviews that Hussein found of the whole question of “transgenderism” was the guide written by Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, both for what it said and for the resources supplied. Hussein realized parents were right not to want their daughters to share fitting rooms, restrooms and locker rooms with transgender females, since not all such individuals undergo full transition and also because vicious men could pretend to be transgendered females for the purpose of molesting biological females. He found the Catholic position on sexuality as stated in the Catechism to be worthy of much consideration:

“Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs and mutual support between the sexes are lived out” (2335).

After associating with Catholics for several semesters, Hussein found those claims simple and clear — the two sexes existed to build families and to support each other. Hussein realized that he had never appreciated what it “means” to be a male and how his maleness was a given that he should embrace and grow into. He volunteered to work with Habitat for Humanity and found he easily fit in with the other guys. He even enjoyed the hard physical labor. He loved the idea of providing housing for the needy, especially single women raising children on their own. Perhaps he was more manly than he thought!

Hussein joined a study and prayer group made up of Catholics and non-Catholics who were seeking to understand the Catholic faith. Hussein joined them for many social events and was never without an invitation to any holiday celebrations. Hussein profited from his interaction with the staff and students at campus ministry and enjoyed it when he challenged their beliefs. He was a delightful person in so many ways — everyone looked forward to outings he arranged, attendance at hockey games or trips to the art museum.

Again, campus ministry helped Hussein in innumerable ways. Father Jones sometimes addressed everyone as “fellow sinners” and would insist that only sinners were welcome in the Church, although at times he also addressed them as “saints in the making.” As he talked to young men and women considering entering religious life, Hussein saw that he was foolish to think that having sex is the key to happiness — rather, the key was to live a life of selfless service. (Read more.)