A Prayer For Divine Intercession and Inspiration

In the coming days and weeks, it seems we will witness the death of Pope Francis, who was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned in the prior month. During his twelve-year reign, we have continued to see significant withdrawal from the Church, with many looking for their spiritual guidance elsewhere.

 

For those who know me, I was an Altar Server as a child at eleven and served until I was out of high school. And beyond, when called upon or was necessary. I was planning to enter the seminary until I decided to wait. I continued along this line, not making a commitment or a decision until I was twenty-two.

I raised my children to follow in the Catholic faith but now, we along with other family members have moved to other faiths. For me. I have embraced Evangelicalism, since I find comfort in the reading of scripture and the manner in which the message is delivered. We also partake in the symbolism of the Eucharist, with the eating of bread and drinking the grape.

But certainly over the last twenty years or so, I have not found peace in the message nor the conduct of the clergy.

While I agree that the church should be more forgiving toward divorced and gay members, the Pope should be in the business of saving souls, not practicing some odd version of third-world socialism by criticizing Americans. This has been a turn-off for many Americans toward the church.

Now, this Pope has made the last turn on his road of life, as he begins those few weeks left to make a difference. But he is unable to reload or redirect because he is filled with his own self-righteousness. His vanity and ego will not allow him to admit he might have been wrong in his manner to deliver his message.

Soon, we will see the Cardinals gather for a conclave to elect, via secret ballot, from those eligible under eighty years old, to assume the Chair of St Peter. And, once again, we will pray for someone to heal the Church.

In my third commentary, called Art, Life and the Papacy back on March 13, 2013, I spoke about Taylor Caldwell who wrote a book about St Luke called Great and Glorious Physician. He was a healer, a doctor of his time, who tried to heal the bodies and souls of his community.

In 2013, I had hoped that the Cardinals would be equally inspired when I wrote, “My hope is that this conclave can find a Healer in its mist. There are several papile who could do the job. My hope that the elected man to take on this awesome task will be guided by St Luke and have the vision to heal a wonderful institution that is sick and ailing, and needs a healing hand to find its way back to good health.”

I pray even harder now for that prayer to be answered.

A Travesty Against Girls' and Women's Rights

Here is a little something for your consideration. Apparently, Democrats DO NOT CARE about Women or Women's rights anymore. Or for girls’ rights for that matter.

 

Senate Democrats voted Monday to allow biological boys and men to participate in girls’ and Women's sports by blocking the  Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. And by allowing biological males in female lockerrooms and bathrooms.

The shame of it is that for over 100 years, it was all about Women achieving equal rights with men. But now, they must subrogate their rights, as well as, their modesty because a boy or a man THINKS he is a girl or a woman.

This was AFTER President Trump signed his Executive Order to ban boys and men from competing in Women's Sports. 

Where is the protest from women‘s groups, like the National Organization for Women, American Woman Suffrage Association and other civil rights groups who fought for WOMEN'S civil rights in the 60s, 70s and 80s? Your silence is deafening now.

It seems that Democrats, men and women, don’t have a problem with your daughters, girlfriends or wives being exposed to someone who has a penis and could, if the urge hit him, rape or otherwise violate these biological women and girls. I realize I sound like a bigot, but in this case, I don’t care.

I don’t want harm coming to my daughter, daughter-in-law or my granddaughters because someone, in my view, needs psychological help.

79% of all Americans are against men in women’s sports and only 18% are in favor, with the rest not sharing an opinion one way or the other.

Any woman who thinks this is acceptable should be ashamed of yourselves for not caring about YOUR Rights and the rights of other women.

I would hope that Democrats get the message by people voting against all the Senators who voted Nay last night.

Tim Walz is Still Striving to be Relevant

Just when we thought we had heard the last of Tampon Tim, he decides to crawl out from under his rock of obscurity to try and make himself relevant. There are lots of Democrats looking to do this.

Yes, friends. It was reported in today’s New York Post that Old Timbo is considering a run in 2028 for the Democrat nomination for President.

“If I think I could offer something… I would certainly consider that,” the Minnesota governor told “The New Yorker Radio Hour” on Sunday.

“I’m also, though, not arrogant enough to believe there’s a lot of people that can do this,” he continued. But “if the circumstances are right” and he feels he “has the right skill set for the moment … I’ll do it,” he confirmed confidently.  

Walz will not run for his state’s open Senate seat in 2026, and is, instead, also considering running for a third term as governor of the blue-leaning battleground. Oh, what joy.

It is also unclear if Walz would seek another term alongside Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, a former state legislator who has run as a ticket with Walz for the last two campaigns. She had been rumored to be considering a run fir Minnesota’s open Senate seat, now that Senator Tina Smith has announced her retirement.

Oh, yes. His relevance is what makes Tim Walz tick. And being the center of attention is serving him.

Otherwise, he would fade into oblivion, never to be heard from again.

Zelenskyy Needs to Realize Donald Trump Is NOT Joe Biden

Many Americans, in fact most of us, support a free and independent Ukraine to be able to live in peace and with the democratic principles we enjoy. This includes free speech, a free press, freedom to worship and other basic human rights. Without government interference or coersion.

 

It does not mean we must also blindly follow its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, just because he is the Ukrainian President. That is the beauty of being a free-thinking American.

We can also support the Russian people but do not have to align with Vladimir Putin.

This is the position most Americans have taken. War is hell, and knowing that 1.5MM Russians and Ukrainians have died needlessly over the last three years is actually a crime against all of our values.

So, knowing that President Trump has wanted to negotiate an end to this needless war was a paramount campaign promise he wanted to complete last week, should have had the support of all Americans. But it didn’t.

Instead, the treacherous Democrats schemed to meet with Zelenskyy ahead of his meeting at the White House, and seemed to encourage him into a confrontation with Trump.

He was rude and obnoxious, citing Democrat Party talking points, and tried this in front of the media present. Even his Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, tried to hide her head in shame or embarrassment over his totally discourteous, unprofessional and undiplomatic boorish behavior.

And after he was thrown out of the White House, to the glee of the Democrat stooges who egged him on, Zelenskyy appeared on American news shows and social media feigning that he didn’t know what he did wrong.

Subsequently, he went to Britain and left with $3.3Bn of sanctioned Russian assets like a thief in the night. Of course British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was very sympathetic to Zelenskyy as the leaders met ahead of a summit with European leaders Sunday that will cover joint defense and security plans. Zelensky is also expected to meet with King Charles at his Sandringham estate.

The funds will be used for the purchase of additional weapons in Zelenskyy’s war with Putin. Such a typical move by a bagman beggar. The man does not want peace.

And to support this point, Zelenskyy went on social media still insisting on American military presence.

“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees,” Zelensky said in a lengthy statement on social media Saturday morning. “But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for three years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side.”

He doesn’t get it. If America sends engineers, miners and other human assets to Ukraine, there is no way Putin would dare risk American retaliation if Americans were caught in the crossfire of a Russian attack. Putin isn’t that dumb even if Zelenskyy thinks that way.

Even the Polish President Andrzej Duda has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to return to the negotiating table with the United States.

“There is no other power in the world besides the United States that would be able to stop Russia's aggression”, Duda said in Warsaw.

 "Volodymyr Zelenskyy should return to the table ... and calmly negotiate a solution that will make Ukraine safe," Duda said, adding that Warsaw would support him in this effort.

He should pay heed to the one ally who has his back and truly understands Donald Trump. He needs to go back, this week if possible, and sign the agreement which will ultimately end the war. Without further complicating the issue by thinking he will somehow win over American public opinion by playing the “blame Putin game”, which the Democrats advised.

That game will not help his cause with Americans or President Trump if he truly wants peace for Ukraine. Or its people. Trump knows how to negotiate with old Vlad, and Ukraine will probably get some of its land back.

And this time, Volod, wear a suit.

It Takes a Pardon for MLB to Do What Is Right

Yesterday, it was reported that President Trump was planning to pardon baseball great Pete Rose for gambling on baseball and other indiscretions. He criticized Major League Baseball for barring the all-time hit champion in 1989 from the sport’s Hall of Fame.

 

Rose admitted in 2004 that he had bet on games, though never against his own team.

“Over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete pardon of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on his team winning,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump said he planned to issue a “complete” pardon of Pete Rose “over the next few weeks,” ESPN reported that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is considering a petition filed by the family of 17-time All-Star in January that requested him to be removed from the sport’s ineligible list.

Why did it take so long for MLB to come to its senses? And be embarrassed into doing the right thing only after President Trump made HIS statement? After all, no crime was committed; only some rule established in 1919 was violated.

And considering that since at least 2018, MLB has accepted advertising from all the online gambling sites, has plastered the ads all over the stadiums, and broadcast sponsors during radio and television games, the hypocrisy is endless.

But Pete Rose was the ultimate sinner.

“Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy ass, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday night.

Pete Rose died last year, on September 30, never to know his case would still be a matter that would be in the public eye. It is a shame MLB stood on its hypocritical ground to make a point. Lifetime ban, indeed.

In its own sense of self-righteousness, MLB has proven it would rather play hardball than show mercy on one of its greats. And doing so now, makes it all the more pathetic because it was embarrassed to do it now.

But at least, hopefully this summer, Pete Rose will finally earn his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

Meteorological Spring Begins Today

Today is March 1. It is a special day for several reasons.

 

First and foremost, it is the first day of Meteorological Spring. We celebrate the end of Meteorological Winter which began on December 1. While the first calendar day of Spring is on March 20, this coincides with the change meteorologists use as it is simpler for record-keeping and weather analysis.

But today is also the ancient Roman New Year called the Kalends. It begins on March 1, and ends on the Ides, or March 15, the day Julius Caesar was supposed to have been assassinated. We get the word “calendar” from Kalends.

Then, next weekend, we complete the semi-annual ritual of changing the clocks to "spring ahead”. This gives us an extra hour of daylight as the months warm towards summer.

The following week, we have St Patrick Day, with corned beef and cabbage, followed by St Joseph Day and Sfingi (cannoli cream-filled pastry). And parades every weekend.

As the month rolls on, major league baseball’s Opening Day shows up on March 27, inviting us to watch our favorite teams while we scarf down hot dogs and cold beers. A national pastime we all can enjoy!

Soon enough, April showers will bring May flowers, and with it comes Easter, Passover and Mothers Day. Memorial Day will remind us to pay homage to those who made the Ultimate Sacrifice as we continue to enjoy our Freedom and Liberty.

So, enjoy today as we move through the Meteorological Year. And soon Meteorlogical Summer will be here.

Meanwhile, Happy Spring!