This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
Cast: Tom Tryon, Romy Schneider, John Huston, Carol Lynley, Ossie Davis, Burgess Meredith
Story Summary
Stephen Fermoyle, a brilliant young Boston priest, rises through the ranks of the Church during the turbulent first half of the 20th century. His journey is marked by profound moral trials: his sister’s forbidden relationship and tragic medical crisis, his own near‑romantic entanglement, the Church’s confrontation with racism in the American South, and the gathering storm of fascism in Europe.
Each chapter of his life forces him to choose between personal desire and ecclesial obedience, between safety and courage, between sentiment and truth. By the time he is elevated to cardinal, his vocation has been purified through suffering, sacrifice, and the relentless demands of conscience.
Historical and Cultural Influences
The Church in a Century of Upheaval
The film spans the years when the Church confronted modernity, nationalism, and ideological extremism. Fermoyle’s rise mirrors the Church’s struggle to remain a moral voice amid global crisis.
American Catholic Identity
The Boston setting highlights the tension between immigrant Catholic communities and the Protestant cultural establishment—an echo of the film’s broader theme of belonging and legitimacy.
Fascism and Moral Witness
The European sequences dramatize the Church’s precarious position under totalitarian regimes, portraying the cost of speaking truth when silence would be safer.
Catholic Themes and Moral Resonances
Vocation as Purification
Fermoyle’s ascent is not triumph but crucible. Each promotion strips him of illusions, forcing him into deeper humility and dependence on grace.
Conscience Under Fire
The film’s most powerful moments show a priest navigating racism, antisemitism, and political violence. Conscience becomes the battleground where holiness is either forged or lost.
The Weight of Authority
Ecclesial authority is portrayed not as privilege but as burden—an echo of Christ’s teaching that leadership is service, not status.
Suffering as Formation
Family tragedy, personal temptation, and public trial become the means by which God shapes a shepherd capable of carrying others.
Hospitality Pairing
Drink
Viennese Cardinal Punch — red wine warmed with citrus, clove, and a touch of brandy. Elegant, ecclesial, and continental, matching the film’s European gravity.
Meal
Braised beef with root vegetables — hearty, slow‑cooked, and monastic in its simplicity, reflecting the film’s themes of endurance and interior strength.
Atmosphere
Low light, a single candle, and quiet classical or sacred music—evoking the interior life of a man discerning under immense pressure.
Reflection Prompt
Where is God asking you to exercise courage rather than comfort—and what part of your vocation is being purified through the pressures you face right now?
Studio: Republic Pictures bing.com Director: Leigh Jason bing.com Release: January 5, 1942 bing.com Source Material: Original screenplay by Garrett Fort (with contributions by Isabel Dawn & Boyce DeGaw) IMDb Genre: Drama / Romance Runtime: 87 minutes bing.com Cast: Joan Blondell, John Wayne, Ray Middleton, Philip Merivale, Blanche Yurka, Edith Barrett, Leonid Kinskey bing.com
Story Summary
Jenny Blake (Joan Blondell) co‑owns the riverboat casino Memphis Belle, serving wealthy patrons who enjoy her establishment but look down on her social standing. Jack Morgan (John Wayne), her loyal partner, loves her quietly, but Jenny longs for acceptance in high society.
When Alan Alderson, a once‑wealthy plantation heir, loses his estate The Shadows gambling on Jenny’s boat, she offers to forgive his debts if he marries her. Alan agrees, and Jenny enters the aristocratic world she has always desired—only to find herself despised by Alan’s family, especially the manipulative and venomous Julia Alderson.
Jenny’s attempts to host society events are sabotaged, and she narrowly survives a staged carriage accident. Julia then prepares a poisoned drink intended for Jenny, but Alan unknowingly consumes it and dies. Jenny is accused of murder and put on trial, forcing the truth about the Alderson family’s corruption into the open. Wikipedia
Historical and Cultural Influences
Southern Aristocracy in Decline
The film reflects early‑20th‑century American fascination with the fading grandeur of the Old South. The Alderson family embodies a decayed nobility—proud, brittle, and morally compromised—mirroring broader cultural anxieties about class, legitimacy, and inherited privilege.
Riverboat Americana
The Memphis Belle riverboat setting captures a uniquely American world of gambling, music, and social mixing. This environment symbolizes mobility and reinvention—contrasted sharply with the rigid, dying plantation culture Jenny tries to enter.
A Wartime Footnote
The famous WWII B‑17 bomber Memphis Belle was named after the steamboat in this film, giving the movie an unexpected place in wartime cultural memory. bing.com
Catholic Themes and Moral Resonances
Identity vs. Vocation
Jenny’s longing for social elevation mirrors the spiritual temptation to seek worth through status rather than through the truth of one’s calling. Her journey exposes the emptiness of external validation.
The Poison of Envy
Julia’s literal poisoning attempt reflects the spiritual reality of envy—how resentment corrodes families, institutions, and souls. The film becomes a parable about the destructive power of pride.
Loyal Love as Redemption
Jack Morgan’s steadfastness—quiet, wounded, and faithful—embodies a masculine virtue rooted not in dominance but in sacrificial loyalty. His presence becomes the moral counterweight to Jenny’s ambition.
Justice and Truth Revealed Through Trial
Jenny’s courtroom ordeal echoes the biblical pattern of purification through suffering. Her innocence is revealed not by her own power but through the collapse of the lies surrounding her.
Hospitality Pairing
Drink: Mississippi Julep — a mint julep with darker bourbon and a touch of molasses, blending riverboat grit with plantation elegance.
Snack/Meal:
Blackened catfish, collard greens, and cornbread—Southern working‑class fare elevated with refinement, mirroring Jenny’s ascent.
Atmosphere:
Amber lighting, soft jazz or riverboat ragtime, and mismatched china to evoke the tension between riverboat life and aristocratic aspiration.
Reflection Prompt
Where are you tempted to trade your authentic vocation for a place in someone else’s world—and what would it look like to return to the “riverboat,” where your gifts actually bear fruit?
Studio: Paramount Pictures bing.com Director: David Butler bing.com Release: June 25, 1941 bing.com Source Material: Original screenplay by Wilkie C. Mahoney & Harry Tugend bing.com Genre: Military Comedy / Romance Runtime: 82 minutes bing.com Cast: Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Eddie Bracken, Lynne Overman, Clarence Kolb Wikipedia
Story Summary
Don Bolton (Bob Hope) is a Hollywood star famous for playing fearless soldiers—despite being terrified of loud noises, even fake gunfire. When a draft notice threatens his comfortable life, he schemes to avoid service by courting Tony Fairbanks (Dorothy Lamour), the daughter of a visiting Army colonel. His plan collapses when he learns he’s already too old to dodge the draft, and Tony—disgusted by his cowardice—rejects him.
Trying to win her back, Don stages a fake enlistment that backfires spectacularly, landing him, his manager, and his assistant in real Army training. Under the stern eye of Col. Fairbanks, Don stumbles through boot‑camp humiliations, KP duty, and endless mishaps.
During a large-scale war game, a mix‑up sends soldiers into a live artillery zone. Don overcomes his fear of noise to rescue the men—and Tony—proving genuine courage at last. His bravery earns him a promotion to corporal and the right to marry Tony. Wikipedia
Historical and Cultural Influences
Pre‑War American Mood
Released six months before Pearl Harbor, the film reflects a nation on the brink—mobilizing for war but not yet fully committed. Its humor softens the anxieties of the peacetime draft and reassures audiences that ordinary men can rise to the moment. bing.com
Bob Hope’s Wartime Persona
This film helped cement Hope’s identity as the wisecracking everyman who eventually does the right thing. It anticipates his later USO work and his role as a morale‑builder for American troops.
Military Portrayal as Gentle and Accessible
The Army is depicted as firm but forgiving—boot camp is chaotic, but never cruel. This was intentional: Hollywood and the War Department collaborated to encourage enlistment and calm public fears about military life.
Studio‑Era Star Pairing
Hope and Lamour were one of Paramount’s most bankable duos. Their dynamic—his frantic cowardice against her steady moral clarity—became a signature of early‑’40s comedy.
Catholic Themes and Moral Resonances
Courage as a Moral Conversion
Don begins as a man who performs bravery but avoids sacrifice. His arc mirrors the spiritual journey from self‑preservation to authentic virtue—courage born not of ego but of love and responsibility.
Love as a Refining Fire
Tony functions as the moral compass. Her disappointment becomes the catalyst for Don’s transformation, echoing the Catholic understanding that love calls us to become more than we are.
Duty and Vocation
The film treats military service not as glory but as obligation—an echo of the Church’s teaching that vocation often begins in humility and obedience rather than heroism.
Grace in Weakness
Don’s fear is not mocked but redeemed. His eventual bravery emerges precisely through his weakness, a reminder that grace often works through the cracks rather than the strengths.
Hospitality Pairing
Drink: The Enlistee’s Highball — bourbon or rye with ginger ale, light and era‑appropriate.
Snack:
Popcorn, salted peanuts, or a simple sandwich—evoking a 1941 movie‑night or USO canteen.
Atmosphere:
Warm lamplight, a simple table setting, maybe a vintage‑style radio playing big‑band music to evoke the early‑war American homefront.
Reflection Prompt
Where in your life is God inviting you to move from performing courage to living it—especially in the ordinary duties you’d rather avoid?
Studio: Allied Pictures Director: Albert Ray Release: July 22, 1933 Source Material: Original screenplay by Frances Hyland & Kurt Kempler Genre: Pre‑Code Mystery / Crime / Romance Runtime: 66 minutes Cast: Ginger Rogers, Lyle Talbot, Harvey Clark, Purnell Pratt, Lillian Harmer, Arthur Hoyt bing.com
Story Summary
A wealthy philanthropist plunges from the balcony of his penthouse, and what first appears to be an accident quickly reveals itself as murder. Rival newspaper reporters Pat Morgan (Ginger Rogers) and Ted Rand (Lyle Talbot) both arrive on the scene, each determined to outscoop the other. Their competition forces them into an uneasy partnership as more bodies begin to appear—each victim strangled, each death tightening the circle around the building’s residents.
Pat’s sharp instincts and Ted’s streetwise persistence uncover a web of secrets, jealousies, and hidden motives. As the killer grows bolder, the reporters must navigate danger, deception, and their own complicated affection for one another. The climax resolves quickly, in classic Poverty Row fashion, but not before the film delivers a brisk, atmospheric mystery anchored by Rogers’ unexpectedly grounded performance. Wikipedia
Historical and Cultural Influences
Pre‑Code Freedom
The film emerges just before the Production Code crackdown, allowing:
sharper banter between male and female leads,
a more cynical view of journalism,
and a willingness to show moral ambiguity without punishment neatly tied up.
Poverty Row Efficiency
Allied Pictures was a small independent studio, and the film reflects the era’s “fast and lean” production style—tight interiors, quick pacing, and a focus on character interplay rather than spectacle. Yet it remains the studio’s best‑known release. bing.com
Rise of the Reporter‑Hero
Early 1930s cinema often cast journalists as truth‑seekers navigating corruption. Pat and Ted fit this mold: flawed, competitive, but ultimately committed to exposing wrongdoing.
Urban Anxiety of the Depression Era
The confined setting—a single apartment building—mirrors the era’s sense of social compression: people living close together, secrets stacked on top of one another, and danger emerging from the next hallway.
Catholic Themes and Moral Resonances
Truth as a Moral Obligation
Pat and Ted pursue the truth not for glory alone but because lives depend on it. Their vocation becomes a form of service—echoing the Catholic view that truth‑telling is ordered toward justice and the protection of the vulnerable.
Courage in the Ordinary
Unlike noir heroes who brood in shadow, Pat’s courage is practical and unshowy. She walks into danger because the job demands it. This reflects the virtue of fortitude: doing the right thing even when it is neither glamorous nor safe.
Human Dignity in a Cynical World
The film’s setting—a building full of suspects, gossip, and fear—presents a world tempted to treat people as means rather than ends. Pat’s empathy, especially toward the frightened residents, becomes a quiet witness to the dignity of every person.
Light in Confined Spaces
Nearly every scene unfolds in hallways, stairwells, and cramped rooms. Spiritually, it evokes the experience of seeking clarity when life feels narrow or closing in—an image of grace working in tight quarters.
Hospitality Pairing
Drink: The Reporter’s Highball — rye whiskey with ginger ale (a nod to Rogers), lemon twist. Quick, sharp, and era‑appropriate.
Snack:
Salted peanuts or a simple charcuterie plate—something a 1930s reporter might grab between phone calls.
Atmosphere:
Low light, a desk lamp, maybe a typewriter nearby. This is a film about chasing truth in the late hours.
Reflection Prompt
When the world feels cramped and the path forward unclear, what does it look like to practice courage and truth‑telling in the small, ordinary spaces entrusted to us?
I think this place is a gem! This attractive man-made reservoir is located between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel in Washington D.C.
Every spring, I’m in awe of the scenic spot which is transformed into a breathtaking spectacle as acres of pink and white cherry blossoms – gifted by Japan – burst into bloom. The peak bloom typically occurs from late March through early April, and I felt honored to witness the magical display.
I visited the Tidal Basin early in the morning and captured the stunning views without the crowds and also to watch the sun rise over the striking marbled monuments and the Japanese Pagoda, both of which added to the area’s serene beauty!
Then I explored rest of the city, which was filled with iconic landmarks, outstanding museums, and attractive green spaces. My favorite parts were the charming historic neighborhood of Georgetown, the iconic steps of Georgetown University famously featured in The Exorcist, the vibrant nightlife of DuPont Circle, and the stunning artwork in The Phillips Collection.
Visitor’s Centre Address: 1501 Maine Ave SW, Washington, Phone (202) 479-2426
Going for a scenic bike ride around the picturesque Tidal Basin Loop – I loved how the calm waters of the Tidal Basin reflected the sky, blossoms and monuments, creating picture-perfect views!
held throughout March and April – I really enjoyed the interesting taiko drumming, martial arts demonstrations, and dance performances!
Going on an open-top bus which took me around all the famous presidential monuments – my favorites were the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the Washington Monument.
Thursday Feast
Thursday is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
Before
the spies lay down, Rahab went up to them on the roof and said:
“I know that the LORD has given you the land, that a dread of you has come upon
us, and that all the inhabitants of the land tremble with FEAR because of you.
Rahab
saved the spies of Israel.
Why?
She
knew the truth that God was with
Israel. Rahab was a survivor and a sinner; she knew God had given the land to
Israel. If you know the truth you do not swerve from it. Rahab was saved from
the fate of Jericho because of her action not just good will toward Israel.
James in his epistle puts it this way:
Do you want proof,
you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?
Was not Abraham our
father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
You see that faith
was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works.Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed
God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the
friend of God.”See how a person is justified by works
and not by faith alone. And
in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she
welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
Rahab
was saved by her faith and actions by the God of Israel and as a result she is
not only saved but the Christ the Messiah descends from Boaz her son.
Copilot’s Take
Rahab’s courage becomes even more striking when placed beside the quiet,
hidden courage of ordinary Iranians who confront evil in ways the world rarely
sees. She refuses to let fear or her past determine her allegiance; she
recognizes that God is acting, she breaks with a corrupt order that is already
collapsing under its own weight, and she steps into the light with a fidelity
that costs her something. Her story shows that evil is not always defeated by
force but by a decisive interior turn—by a sinner who recognizes truth, defects
from darkness, and acts in obedience to the God who saves. Jericho trembles
because its foundations are rotten, but Rahab stands because she anchors
herself to the living God. Her scarlet cord becomes a quiet rebellion against despair,
a sign that even in a doomed city God is already rescuing those who choose Him.
Her courage becomes generative—Boaz, Jesse, David, and ultimately Christ
Himself emerge from the lineage of a woman who dared to stand with God against
the darkness.
In Iran, there are Rahabs—women and men who see the truth clearly even
when speaking it aloud is dangerous. They confront evil not with weapons but
with witness: refusing lies, refusing to participate in injustice, refusing to
let fear dictate their allegiance. Some shelter the vulnerable, some speak
truth quietly in their homes, some refuse to repeat propaganda, some teach
their children a different way, some stand in the streets knowing the cost.
Their courage is often hidden, like a scarlet cord in a window, but God sees
it. And as with Rahab, their fidelity becomes generative—planting seeds of
freedom, dignity, and hope that may bear fruit long after the present darkness
passes.
A reflection in Rahab’s order—truth, rupture, fidelity—invites the reader
to examine where they themselves must confront evil. Truth begins with naming
what is broken without flinching. Rupture requires withdrawing allegiance from
anything that corrupts the soul, even if the break is quiet and unseen.
Fidelity demands that faith take the shape of concrete obedience, however
small, however costly. In every age and every land, God raises Rahabs—those who
see clearly, choose courageously, and stand with Him against the darkness.
Prayer.MAY heavenly
propitiation increase Thy people subject to Thee, O Lord, we beseech Thee, and
make them ever servants of Thy commandments.
EPISTLE. Jer. vii. 1-7.
In those days the word of the Lord came to me, saying
Stand in the gate of the house of the Lord, and proclaim there this word, and
say: Hear ye the word of the Lord, all ye men of Juda, that enter in at these
gates, to adore the Lord. Thus, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
Make your ways and your doings good: and I will dwell with you in this place.
Trust not in lying words, saying: The temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord, it is the temple of the Lord. For if you will order well your ways, and
your doings: if you will execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if
you oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not
innocent blood in this place, and walk not after strange gods to your own hurt,
I will dwell with you in this place: in the land which I gave to your fathers
from the beginning and forever, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL. Luke iv. 38-44.
At that time Jesus, rising up out of the synagogue,
went into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great
fever, and they besought Him for her. And standing over her, He commanded the
fever, and it left her. And immediately rising, she ministered to them. And
when the sun was down, all they that had any sick with divers’ diseases brought
them to Him. But He laying His hands on every one of them, healed them. And
devils went out from many, crying out and saying: Thou art the Son of God. And
rebuking them He suffered them not to speak, for they knew that He was Christ.
And when it was day, going out He went into a desert place, and the multitudes
sought Him, and came unto Him: and they stayed Him that He should not depart
from them. To whom He said: To other cities also I must preach the kingdom of
God: for therefor am I sent. And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
(During times when we wish to express repentance, and
especially during Lent, it is customary to pray the seven penitential psalms.
The penitential designation of these psalms’ dates back to the seventh century.
Prayerfully reciting these psalms will help us to recognize our sinfulness,
express our sorrow and ask for God’s forgiveness.) Today we will focus on Psalm
38.
1.Baptism. Baptism is a
sacrament of liberation and deliverance from Satan and his realm.
2.Reconciliation. Each time we
sin, the Devil strengthens his grip on us; that is why it’s so important to go
to sacramental Confession regularly.
3.The Eucharist. Mass is a
great defense against the assault of the Devil. Before Him the all-conquering
power, the demons must flee. “We must return from that Table like lions
breathing fire, having become terrifying to the Devil!”
4.Confirmation. To confirm
means to make strong.
5.Anointing of the Sick.
Illness, especially serious illness, can be a trial in which Satan comes to
tempt us to be overcome by fear, discouragement, doubt, and even despair.
6.Matrimony. The Devil’s first
attack on the human race was focused on a married couple. The home must become
a sanctuary, a holy place, a fortress against Satan’s assaults.
7.Holy Orders. The sacrament
through which Christ’s mission for the Church continues to be exercised until
the end of the world.
In the last 50 years, various minor orders in the
church, including porter, exorcist, and the major order of subdeacon simply no
longer exist in the Latin Church who no longer felt they were necessary [all
of the minor orders and the subdiaconateare still used within the
Independent Sacramental Movement]. What is the theology behind these orders
and why were they abolished?
As early as the third century, certain roles of
service, including deacon, subdeacon, lector, and acolyte, were present in the
church. These orders over time became linked to preparation for the priesthood
and were divided between “minor orders” (porter, exorcist, lector, and acolyte)
and “major orders” (subdeacon, deacon, and priest). Each order was received,
and its function performed for a suitable time before a man was ordained to the
priesthood.
The roles were varied but served a legitimate purpose
in the early church, usually related to the Mass. For instance, the porter was
the doorkeeper, responsible for opening and closing the church and guarding the
door during the celebration of Mass.
Together the orders constituted ministries of service
that developed in the church according to need. Yet over time, many of them
lost their function. The orders, especially porter and exorcist, became
symbolic. The loss of these functions occasioned a revision of the orders after
the Second Vatican Council.
The Ordination of
Porters.
This order confers the office of caring for the dignity
of the house of God and of maintaining order therein. During the early
persecutions it was necessary to indicate to the faithful the time and place of
divine service, and to keep the doors of the place of meeting locked against
intruders. This was the duty of the “porters” and “messengers of God.” The
duties of this office are pointed out by the bishop to be: “To strike the
cymbal and ring the bell, to open the church and the sanctuary, and the book of
him who preaches.” These duties are symbolic for the still higher duty “of
closing to the devil and opening to God, by their word and example, the
invisible house of God, namely, the hearts of the faithful.”
The matter of this order is the presenting of the keys
of the church to the clerics to be touched by their right hand, and the form is
the accompanying admonition: “Conduct yourselves as having to render an account
to God for those things which are kept under these keys.”
The bishop then invites all present to pray with him
“that these porters may be most diligent in their care of the house of God.”
Although the Ostiariate is no longer a distinct
institution in the Church, still for that very reason every pastor ought to be
a true ostiary, consumed with zeal for the house of God. He must love the
church, frequently visit it, banish from it all uncleanliness, disorder, and
irreverence, procure decent vestments and ornaments, and guard against the loss
or profanation of anything consecrated to divine service. He must himself be
punctual and urge others to punctuality in divine service.
Still greater care must he bestow on the “invisible
house of God, the hearts of the faithful,” that they may be closed to the devil
and opened to the graces and blessings of God, promoting thus the interior
service of God by word and deed.
The Porters of Saint Joseph is a volunteer apostolate
with the mission to imitate St. Joseph as the Protector of the Holy Church,
Pillar of Families, and Terror of Demons.
We do this by providing a safe environment at our
parishes so the faithful can worship God in peace and security. We build teams
of faithful men who have felt the call to get involved but have not yet found
the opportunity to put their courageous, heroic, masculine heart at the service
of their parish, while at the same time, forming a bond of Christian
brotherhood with like-minded men.
Fulfill our successor to the apostle’s call to step
into the breach and join the Porters of St. Joseph!
SERVING & PROTECTING
PHOENIX
SAN DIEGO
TUCSON
“The Porters
of St. Joseph are a very active and important ministry for men in our parish.
They provide support to the parish and to me as the Pastor in many ways, most
especially as security and medical assistance during Masses. Recently we had
two instances where members of the parish had medical emergencies during Mass.
The Porters of St. Joseph immediately assisted these parishioners, getting them
to safety and assessing their need for treatment without a disruption to the
congregation or the Mass. The Porters of St. Joseph also provided our parish
with a safety assessment and a plan to increase safety on our parish campus. I
highly recommend this ministry to any Pastor who would love to mobilize the men
of their parish to grow in their spirituality and devotion to the Blessed
Sacrament, while providing a much needed ministry.” Fr. John Muir // Vicar
General // Diocese of Phoenix
ESTABLISH YOUR CHAPTER
Contact us and let us get you everything you’ll need to
start a chapter and schedule training for your Porters.
Bible in a
year Day 253 Lamentations
of Jeremiah
As Fr. Mike begins the book of Lamentations, we read
about Jeremiah’s sorrow as he witnesses the siege and suffering of Jerusalem.
In the book of Jeremiah, we hear a word of comfort from the Lord to Baruch.
Today’s readings are Jeremiah 45-46, Lamentations 1, and Proverbs 17:21-28.
Daily Devotions
·Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Holy Priests, Consecrated, & Religious
Studio: 20th Century Fox Director: Henry Hathaway Release: August 27, 1947 Source Material: Story by Eleazar Lipsky Genre: Film Noir / Crime Drama Runtime: 98 minutes Cast: Victor Mature, Richard Widmark, Coleen Gray, Brian Donlevy, Karl Malden, Taylor Holmes
Story Summary
Nick Bianco (Victor Mature), a small‑time crook and devoted father, is arrested after a Christmas Eve jewelry heist. Believing in a criminal code of silence, he refuses to inform on his partners and receives a long prison sentence. Months later he learns that his wife, overwhelmed by shame and poverty, has died by suicide, and his daughters have been placed in an orphanage.
Crushed, Nick agrees to cooperate with Assistant District Attorney D’Angelo (Brian Donlevy). His testimony entangles him with Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark), a giggling, sadistic killer whose unpredictability becomes the film’s central terror. When Udo is acquitted, Nick realizes that his cooperation has placed his new life—and the woman who loves him—in mortal danger. The final act becomes a moral confrontation between a man trying to reclaim his soul and a man who delights in destruction.
Historical and Cultural Influences
Postwar moral anxiety: Released just after WWII, the film reflects a society wrestling with guilt, justice, and the fragility of order. Nick’s struggle mirrors the era’s desire for moral reconstruction.
Rise of the “psychopathic villain”: Widmark’s Tommy Udo introduced a new kind of screen menace—laughing, chaotic, and unbound by conscience—reflecting fears of violence erupting in peacetime America.
Realistic procedural style: Hathaway’s semi‑documentary approach echoes the late‑1940s trend toward gritty urban realism, influenced by wartime newsreels and the public’s appetite for authenticity.
Shifting views on informants: The film arrived during growing debates about loyalty, cooperation with authorities, and the ethics of “naming names,” themes that would intensify during the HUAC era.
Family as moral center: Unlike many noirs, Kiss of Death grounds its protagonist in domestic responsibility, reflecting postwar America’s emphasis on rebuilding family life.
Catholic Themes and Moral Resonances
Sin, Silence, and the Eighth Commandment
Nick’s initial refusal to speak is framed as loyalty, but it harms the innocent. Catholic moral teaching insists that truth‑telling is ordered toward justice and the protection of the vulnerable. His eventual cooperation becomes an act of reparation, not betrayal.
Redemption Through Responsibility
Nick’s path is not glamorous. It is penitential. He accepts consequences, chooses honesty, and seeks to rebuild his life. Catholic anthropology sees redemption not as escape but as the restoration of right relationship—exactly what Nick attempts with his daughters and with Nettie.
The Face of Evil
Tommy Udo is a cinematic icon of malice: gleeful, mocking, and unrestrained. He embodies the “wolf” Christ warns about—one who delights in devouring the weak. The film dramatizes the necessity of confronting evil rather than appeasing it.
Justice, Imperfection, and Providence
The justice system in the film is flawed but necessary. Catholic social teaching acknowledges that human institutions are imperfect yet still instruments through which God’s order can be served. Nick’s cooperation becomes a way of participating in that order.
Courage as Moral Action
Nick’s final decision is not vengeance but protection. He steps into danger to shield those entrusted to him. This echoes the Catholic understanding of fortitude: the willingness to suffer for the good of others.Hospitality Pairing
Drink: Rye whiskey neat—sharp, honest, and edged with danger, matching the film’s noir tension and Widmark’s electric menace. Snack: A simple New York pastrami sandwich or roast beef with mustard—blue‑collar, unpretentious, and grounded in the film’s urban grit. Atmosphere: Low light, a single lamp, maybe a cigar afterward. This is a film about facing darkness with a steady hand.
Reflection Prompt
When truth‑telling carries real cost, how do we discern the line between loyalty and justice, and what does courage look like when the innocent depend on our choices?
War in Iran: Mahdi, Messiah, or Antichrist?, is essentially a theological analysis of how different religious traditions interpret end‑times figures and how those interpretations shape the way people understand present conflicts. Even though the page content available is minimal, the title and framing give us enough to work with for a substantive, blog‑ready reflection on confronting evil in the context of apocalyptic expectations. youtu.be
How the video frames the question
The title signals three competing identities for a single figure: Mahdi, Messiah, or Antichrist. That framing usually appears in discussions where:
Islamic eschatology expects a Mahdi who restores justice.
Christian eschatology expects Christ’s return and warns of an Antichrist who deceives nations.
Geopolitical conflict becomes interpreted through these lenses, especially in the Middle East.
Videos like this typically argue that religious narratives shape how groups justify war, interpret suffering, and identify enemies. The underlying claim is that ideas about ultimate good and ultimate evil are not abstract—they drive real-world decisions, alliances, and violence.
What it implies about confronting evil
A title like this suggests several deeper themes that align with your ongoing work:
Evil is often misidentified when people project apocalyptic roles onto political actors. When nations or leaders are cast as “Messiah” or “Mahdi,” their actions can be excused; when cast as “Antichrist,” they can be demonized without discernment. Confronting evil requires resisting these shortcuts.
Evil thrives in confusion. When people cannot distinguish between spiritual categories and political realities, they become vulnerable to manipulation. Clarity—moral, theological, and practical—is itself an act of confrontation.
Evil is confronted not by hysteria but by fidelity. Apocalyptic speculation often produces fear, rage, or tribal certainty. Christian confrontation of evil is quieter: obedience, sacrament, truth-telling, and courage.
Evil exploits the desire for a savior. Whether in Iran, the West, or anywhere else, the human longing for rescue can be twisted into allegiance to destructive ideologies. Confronting evil means guarding that longing and directing it toward God rather than political messiahs.
“confronting evil”
When nations wrap their conflicts in apocalyptic language, the danger is not only geopolitical but spiritual. Evil loves confusion. It loves when people mistake political leaders for saviors or enemies for cosmic villains. It loves when fear replaces discernment and when prophecy becomes a weapon rather than a light. The Christian task is not to decode every headline but to remain faithful: to name lies without rage, to resist deception without hysteria, and to anchor hope in Christ rather than in any earthly deliverer. Evil is confronted not by dramatic speculation but by clarity, obedience, and courage—by refusing to let the world’s chaos rewrite the story God has already told.
Hail the conquering hero! Beowulf,
Alexander the
Great, Xerxes, Romulans, Marcus Aurelius, Hannibal, Caesar the Ape... okay,
we'll stop here. Needless to say (but you know we're going to anyway),
the world is full of conquering heroes. Did you know the Bible has one, too?
His name is Joshua. Written in Hebrew during the late 7th century BCE, the Book
of Joshua is the first recorded text of the Bible and kicks off what
is known as the Historical Books. This doesn't mean that everything is to be
taken literally (like our jokes). History was originally meant to teach a
community about how to be good citizens and way less concerned with historical
accuracy. The Book of Joshua, which reads like a game of Risk, tells the
tale of a man named Joshua (didn't see that one coming) and his conquest of the
land of Canaan with the Israelite army. Joshua
was Moses's replacement to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The
problem? People already lived there. Joshua had the unfortunate job of clearing
out the wandering tribes of Canaan so the Israelites could have a home. We
think of this like when you go to play in the ball pit, but it's already filled
with kids so you kick them all out because it's your turn. Of course that's all
hypothetical. We don't do that anymore. We're proud to say we haven't kicked a
child out of a ball pit since last week. Like Exodus, the Book of Joshua is
about a nation discovering its identity and home in a foreign land, but it's
also a very personal story about an ambitious patriot who sees it as his duty
to sacrifice everything for his people and God. If that doesn't scream a
rockin' good time, we're not sure what does. Maybe if this all took place in a ball pit.
Why Should I Care?
Look, we're going to be
honest with you. This book is filled with a lot of bloody battles, human
conflict, and pump your fist in the air moments. But that's not why you should
care. The Book of Joshua is your history; a story about a foreigner in a strange
land with a special talent. To us, that screams freshman year of high school.
And college. And work. And the retirement home. It's a tale as old a time, one of those moments where the
Bible speaks to some experiences we all share, no matter where we fall on the
religious spectrum. Being the new guy is never easy. Or new girl for that matter. The Book of
Joshua teaches us about family, commitment, loyalty, and faith—all things we need to survive, to
make new histories. Give it a read. We dare you.
Ordinary
Time | March 11 – March 18, 2026
Theme: Integration, Gentleness & the Slow Return to the Human World
Coordinates: Cape Horn → Beagle Channel → Chilean Fjords → Gulf of Penas →
Chiloé → Approaching Valparaíso
🪨 March 11 | Cape Horn Rounding
Title: The Rock That Reminds Us
Ritual: Touch a stone or railing and name one truth that held
firm in the Great South.
Scripture: Matthew 7:25 — “It did not fall, because it had been
founded on rock.”
Meal: Brown bread, salted butter, hot broth
Reflection: “Some truths only reveal their strength when the
winds rise.”
Hospitality
Arc: Ask someone what truth
steadied them in the South.
🌁 March 12 | Entering the Beagle
Channel
Title: The Narrow Way
Ritual: Walk a straight line on deck, slowly, naming one
narrow path you’re being invited to walk.
Scripture: Matthew 7:14 — “The gate is narrow and the road is
hard that leads to life.”
Meal: Smoked fish, potatoes, warm tea
Reflection: “Narrow places teach us to move with intention.”
Hospitality
Arc: Share with someone a path
you’re learning to walk with care.
🌲 March 13 | Chilean Fjords
Title: The Walls That Hold Wonder
Ritual: Stand between two structures—masts, walls, or
cliffs—and name one place in your life where God is holding you.
Scripture: Psalm 139:5 — “You hem me in, behind and before…”
Meal: Vegetable stew, crusty bread, berry tea
Reflection: “Being held is not confinement—it is care.”
Hospitality
Arc: Ask someone where they feel
held right now.
🌧️ March 14 | Fjord Rainfall
Title: The Rain That Softens
Ritual: Let a few drops of rain or water touch your hand,
naming one place in your life that needs softening.
Scripture: Hosea 6:3 — “He will come to us like the rain…”
Meal: Warm rice, sautéed greens, lemon water
Reflection: “Softening is not weakness; it is readiness.”
Hospitality
Arc: Invite someone to share
what is softening in them.
🌬️ March 15 | Gulf of Penas
Title: The Crossing of Courage
Ritual: Take three deep breaths, naming one fear you’re
willing to cross through.
Scripture: Joshua 1:9 — “Be strong and courageous…”
Meal: Light soup, crackers, ginger tea
Reflection: “Courage is rarely loud; it is usually a quiet
decision.”
Hospitality
Arc: Check on someone who may be
navigating inner waves.
🌅 March 16 | Approaching Chiloé
Title: The Islands of Memory
Ritual: Write down one memory from Antarctica you want to
keep alive. Fold it and place it in your pocket.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:9 — “Do not forget the things your eyes
have seen…”
Meal: Fresh fruit, soft cheese, warm bread
Reflection: “Memory is the island where grace lands first.”
Hospitality
Arc: Share one memory that
refuses to fade.
🕊️ March 17 | Sailing North Along
Chile
Title: The Gentle Return
Ritual: Sit for two minutes with your hand over your heart,
naming one grace that is returning with you.
Scripture: Isaiah 30:15 — “In returning and rest you shall be
saved.”
Meal: Herb omelet, roasted vegetables, mint tea
Reflection: “Return is not undoing—it is unfolding.”
Hospitality
Arc: Ask someone what grace is
accompanying them homeward.
🌤️ March 18 | Nearing Valparaíso
Title: The Shore of New Beginnings
Ritual: Watch the coastline appear and name one beginning
you’re ready to welcome.
Scripture: Revelation 21:5 — “Behold, I make all things new.”
Meal: Citrus salad, pastries, strong coffee
Reflection: “Every shore is a threshold, and every threshold is a
promise.”
Hospitality
Arc: Share with someone the
beginning you feel stirring.
I command you: be strong and
steadfast! Do not FEAR nor be
dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever yougo.
The
Lord is patient and kind, yet He is also just. He will right the evil of man.
When man goes too far God intervenes.
Is another intervention coming?
Is there a breach in the lines of defense against the
forces of darkness?
Have we become fat and gross and gorged with
secularism?
Have we forsaken the God who made us and scorned Him?
Have we sacrificed to demons, to “no-gods”?
Good men heed the message of St.
Faustina and seek the Divine Mercy of God while there is still time and then
join the battle of God coming into the breach. Read the online message of the
Bishop of Phoenix and be prepared to fight and defend our church.[2]
Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, a simple,
uneducated, young Polish nun receives a special call. Jesus tells her, "I
am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to
punish mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My merciful
Heart." These words of Jesus are found in the Diary of St. Maria
Faustina Kowalska, which chronicles Sr. Faustina's great experience of Divine
Mercy in her soul and her mission to share that mercy with the world.
Though she died in obscurity in 1938, Sr. Faustina was
hailed by Pope John Paul II as "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our
time." On April 30, 2000, the Pope canonized her as St. Faustina, saying
that the message of Divine Mercy she shared is urgently needed at the dawn of
the new millennium.[3]
Copilot’s Take
Joshua 1:9 speaks into the midpoint of Lent with
a command that steadies the heart: be strong, be steadfast, do not fear.
Strength here is not self‑manufactured resolve but confidence rooted in the
presence of the Lord who goes with His people into every unknown.
As Laetare’s quiet joy approaches, the Scriptures
also warn that entire cultures can drift into darkness when they grow
comfortable, self‑satisfied, and forgetful of the God who formed them. When
people become spiritually dull— “fat and gross and gorged with secularism”—they
lose their defenses against forces they no longer recognize. The ancient
pattern repeats: when hearts turn toward “no‑gods,” the soul becomes
vulnerable.
Yet before God intervenes in judgment, He always
intervenes in mercy. This is the heart of the mission entrusted to St. Faustina
on the eve of World War II. Jesus revealed a desire not to punish but to heal,
to draw humanity back to His Heart before it destroyed itself. Her diary, later
lifted up by St. John Paul II, stands as a prophetic reminder that Divine Mercy
is not a soft message, but a rescue line thrown to a world in danger of
forgetting both sin and salvation.
Confronting evil does not begin with panic or
anger but with clarity, purity, and sacrificial love. The call is to stand firm
in truth, to enter the breach with courage, and to trust that the God who
commands strength also promises His presence wherever the battle leads.
What part of life right now most needs the
courage and steadiness Joshua was commanded to embrace?
Wednesday before Laetare Sunday[4] beginning of Mid-Lent
Prayer. GRANT us, we beseech Thee, O
Lord, that, instructed by wholesome fasting, and abstaining from dangerous
vices, we may more easily obtain Thy favor.
EPISTLE. Exodus xx. 12-24.
Thus, saith the Lord God: Honor thy father and
thy mother, that thou mayest be long-lived upon the land which the Lord thy God
will give thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt
not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor’s house: neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor his
servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.
And all the people saw the voices and the flames, and the sound of the trumpet,
and the mount smoking: and being terrified and struck with fear, they stood
afar off, saying to Moses: Speak thou to us, and we will hear let not the Lord
speak to us, lest we die. And Moses said to the people: Fear not: for God has
come to prove you, and that the dread of Him might be in you, and you should
not sin. And the people stood afar off. But Moses went to the dark cloud
wherein God was. And the Lord said to Moses: Thus, shalt thou say to the
children of Israel: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. You
shall not make gods of silver, nor shall you make to yourselves gods of gold.
You shall make an altar of earth unto Me, and you shall offer upon it your
holocausts and peace-offerings, your sheep and oxen, in every place where the
memory of My name shall be.
GOSPEL. Matt. xv. 1-20.
At that time there came to Jesus from Jerusalem
scribes and Pharisees, saying: Why do Thy disciples transgress the traditions
of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He
answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for
your tradition? For God said: Honor thy father and mother; and: He that shall
curse father or mother, let him die the death. But you say: Whosoever shall say
to father or mother, the gift whatso ever proceedeth from me, shall profit
thee; and he shall not honor his father or his mother: and you have made void
the commandment of God for jour tradition. Hypocrites, well hath Isaias
prophesied of you, saying: This people honoreth Me with their lips: but their
heart is far from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching doctrines and
commandments of men. And having called together the multitudes unto Him, He
said to them: Hear ye and understand. Not that which goeth into the mouth
defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then
came His disciples, and said to Him: Dost Thou know that the Pharisees, when
they heard this word, were scandalized?
But He answering, said: Every plant which My
heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they are
blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both fall
into the pit. And Peter answering, said to Him: Expound to us this parable. But
He said: Are you also yet without understanding? Do you not understand, that
whatsoever entereth into the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into
the privy? But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart,
and those things defile a man. For from the heart come forth evil thoughts,
murders,adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man.
But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man.
Mid-Lent, the week
from the Wednesday before to the Wednesday after Laetare Sunday, is a note of
joy within the context of sorrow. The perfect symbol of this complex emotion is
the rose vestments worn on Laetare Sunday instead of penitential purple or exultant
white. Rose stands somewhere in between, as a sort of joyous variation of
purple. The last day of Mid-Lent is when catechumens would learn the Apostles'
Creed for the first time; the days leading up to that great revelation were
thus for them a cause for gladness. This spirit eventually permeated to the
rest of the community as "a measure of consoling relaxation... so that the
faithful might not break down under the severe strains of the Lenten fast but
may continue to bear the restrictions with a refreshed and easier heart"
(Pope Innocent III (d. 1216)).
Mid-Lent customs
predominantly involve pre-Christian celebrations concerning the
"burial" of winter, where flower decorations and the like betoken the
joyous end of the cold and dark. There are also customs involving either
matchmaking or announcing the engagements of young couples. In either case, a
joyous meal is celebrated during this time.
In England Laetare
Sunday came to be known as "Mothering" Sunday because it was the day
that apprentices and students were released from their duties to visit their
mother church, i.e., the church in which they had been baptized and brought up.
This custom tied into the theme of Mother Jerusalem.
Bible in a
year Day 252 Queen
of Heaven
Fr. Mike points out Israel's continual
disbelief in the prophet Jeremiah, and also explains who the queen of heaven
refers to. We also conclude the book of Judith with Judith's song of praise.
Today’s readings are Jeremiah 43-44, Judith 15-16, and Proverbs 17:17-20.
Source Material: Novel by Hollywood columnist Jimmy Starr
Genre: Comedy–Mystery
Runtime: 87 minutes
Cast: George Brent, Joan Blondell, Adele Jergens, Jim Bannon, Una O’Connor, plus cameo appearances by Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons, Jimmy Fidler, Harrison Carroll, and others.
Story Summary
A Hollywood starlet receives a package C.O.D., opens it, and finds a corpse. Two rival reporters—Joe Medford (George Brent) and Rosemary Durant (Joan Blondell)—race to uncover the truth while sabotaging each other’s scoops. Their investigation winds through studio lots, gossip circles, and the glamorous but precarious world of 1940s Hollywood publicity. The film stays light and quick, driven by Blondell’s sharp timing and Brent’s steady charm, with the mystery serving as a playful excuse to poke fun at the industry.
Historical and Cultural Influences
Studio‑system publicity: Post‑war Hollywood relied on powerful publicity departments and gossip columnists; the film’s cameos reflect that world.
Columnists as moral arbiters: Hopper, Parsons, and others shaped public opinion and enforced informal moral codes.
Women in newsrooms: Blondell’s character echoes wartime female reporters whose competence persisted in film even as real jobs contracted.
Hollywood under scrutiny: Light, self‑mocking mysteries offered reassurance during HUAC pressure and rising suspicion of the industry.
B‑picture efficiency: Columbia’s brisk, mid‑budget films provided continuity and escapism during national transition.
Catholic Themes and Moral Resonances
Truth and the Eighth Commandment
The plot revolves around the tension between truth‑seeking and gossip. Catholic teaching frames speech as a moral act ordered toward truth, charity, and justice. The film’s playful chaos becomes a reminder that detraction, rash judgment, and rumor—however entertaining—fracture communion and distort reality.
Integrity of Work and Vocation
Joe and Rosemary chase the scoop with mixed motives: ambition, rivalry, pride, and flashes of genuine concern. Catholic social teaching views work as participation in God’s creative order. Their rivalry exposes the temptation to treat people as means rather than ends, raising the question of what kind of character our work is forming in us.
Public Image and Human Dignity
Hollywood’s glamour conceals insecurity, fear, and manipulation. Catholic anthropology insists that every person is a beloved image‑bearer, not a commodity or brand. The corpse‑in‑a‑package gag becomes a metaphor for the hidden rot beneath curated appearances, inviting reflection on authenticity and humility.
Charity in Speech
The real‑life columnists—playing themselves—embody a cultural power that can bless or wound. Catholic moral teaching emphasizes that speech must be governed by charity. Even lighthearted commentary can drift into cruelty if not anchored in love.
Rivalry, Partnership, and Communion
Joe and Rosemary’s dynamic raises questions about cooperation, respect, and the dignity of the other. Catholic teaching on communion and complementarity highlights mutual self‑gift rather than competition for dominance. Their eventual collaboration hints at the deeper truth that vocation flourishes in community.
Hospitality Pairing
Drink: A Gin Rickey—clean, fast, and effervescent, matching the film’s newsroom tempo.
Snack: Smoked‑paprika popcorn—simple, theatrical, and evocative of studio backlots.
Atmosphere: A desk lamp and notepad to echo the newsroom without slipping into kitsch.
Reflection Prompt
In a culture that rewards gossip and spectacle, how do we practice charity of speech and integrity of witness, especially when truth is inconvenient or unglamorous?
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