There are hundreds of videos of his lectures and interviews online and although I don't agree with everything he thinks, he is well worth listening to. Even his take on religion is interesting, even if he doesn't exactly see things as we do.
I think anyone who does not pray to God is by definition insane. The longer they refuse to pray with God the madder they Get. Canada is such a good example of this.
It is so interesting that Professors Jordan and Paglia is that although I suppose they are not believers they still uncover so much of the truth and defend it with honesty and vigour. But I think we often see this in history. A good example of this was the Philosopher Emperor Marcus Aurelius , who although he persecuted and murdered Christians still had such beautiful writings.
From the page you linked; FR. BENAC: Your mother told me that one night you were upstairs with your father and that you cried and cried for one hour. Afterwards your father said to her: "I have just seen the most touching sight. Loli was crying the whole time while saying, 'Oh, it's going to be like that? People are going to suffer like that? Oh, make me suffer!'" Do you remember what you said at the time? LOLI: It was all related to communism and what is going to happen in the Church and to the people because all these things are to have repercussions amongst the people. When the Church suffers confusion, the people are going to suffer too. Some priests who are communists will create such confusion that people will not know right from wrong.[THE CALL OF GARABANDAL, Apr-Jun 1984.]
It got here so quickly. All of a sudden it would seem. Although it wasn't all of a sudden. It was shouldering underground until evil's "fullness of time." I first read that quote of St Anthony 30 years ago and never forgot it. The other thing he said was: in the latter days men will be lucky to pray one Our Father but they will be greater than we because we battle satan chained but they will battle satan unchained. I have pondered that often.
It isn't very easy for our clergy or any of us to speak the truth to the lie. I find in my own case it is not fear of human respect or consequences. Having little to loose I do not fear loosing it. In either case the full wrath of the Great Persecution is still a way of in Ireland. Though we feel the fist faint breezes stirring the leaves. I think what sometimes keeps me quiet is the knowledge that people simply will not listen to what I say. Yes people have various facile arguments against God and the Church , but in truth I think it is less about what they believe or do not believe but in how they choose to live their lives. The way they choose to live their lives is to live their lives without God. I think arguing with such people simply for arguing sake would often be so much hot air. On the other hand if I meet someone who genuinely seeks the truth then I do share. I think at the moment it is much more about witnessing by my own life. I make no secret in work that I go to mass everyday at lunchtime and fast everyday. That my heart is totally given to Christ's. I think in a world grown so dark even a little glimmer of light can shine like a beacon. Please God that it is so. I have started recently going on Sunday to a Traditional, Mass at St Terese's, a tiny little jewel of a Church near my home. This is organised, I think by the Society of St Peter and a young American priest said mass there the last few times. Anyway while walking up I felt God asking me what I wanted. I asked for a loving heart that loved everyone and that had only kind thoughts and kind words to all around me. What did the young priest preach about? On Charity to our nieghbour!! It's so wonderful the way God works. But at the end of the day, if we don't have anything in life worth dying for, then we have nothing in life worth living for.
But we are not all the same in terms of duty to speak out. A humble lay person has not the same responsibility as a Parish Priest or a Bishop, or a Cardinal of even a Pope. Cardinals wear scarlet in order to remind them that, like the Apostles they have a duty to shed their very blood for Christ if duty requires it. If they speak our about the very great evils in the Church at the moment no one will kill them. The worst thing will happen is that they loose their positions. Yet they stay quiet. Not all . But the great majority.
After the success of the gay marriage referendum in Ireland I went to Medjugorje. I was present for Mirjana's apparition on the 2nd of the month. I knelt down and apologised to Our Lady and this thought came into my mind 'place a crucifix in my garden' . On my back to the house where I was staying I met a young lady selling a beautiful crucifix on a rough hewn cross. It was about a meter high. I got it and also got a statue of Our Lady's meter and a half high. I got them home without paying an extra penny. I have developed a peace garden around them. I pray every day and its my public expression of my faith. I sometime invite visitors to see it and they love the atmosphere but I can see some are uncomfortable when they see the crucifix. A man said to me last week, sure all religions are the same. I said no, and mostly I see Budda in people's gardens but what has he to do with our heritage. That's my little witness. You are so right it's all about the way they want to live their lives. Words are a waste of time. Prayer and witness are the only hope.
