by David Carollo –
Last year we participated with the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Action for Faith and Family on tour with our International Pilgrim Virgin Statue, visiting the missions founded by St. Junipero Serra and his companions from San Diego to San Francisco. On Sept. 11, 2019 at noon we held a rally on the steps of the Capitol building in Sacramento. I wrote an article for the initiative entitled A Ball of Confusion. It referred to the 1971 song by the Temptations; the lyrics state: “That’s what the world is today.”
The events of 2020 have reinforced this reality. The facts, however, are that it does not need to get to the point of destruction and redefinition. The mission of this apostolate is to reinforce the fact that the foundations of our culture lay in our moral underpinnings. The weaker these are the weaker the society that it supports. I have watched with sadness as the missions of St. Junipero Serra, where we prayed, as well as other symbols of our faith and culture are being attacked. In most cases I believe that those perpetrating these acts have little if any understanding of what these images truly represent, and the love and sacrifices made by those honored there. These acts of anarchy are attacks against the foundation of society – Christianity. We are witnessing a repudiation of the work of these missionaries and countless others in bringing the message of salvation to the people of this land.
How does the mission of these missionaries parallel ours? Are we not also charged with the duty to lead souls to God, admonish the sinner with charity and help them find the path to salvation? By acknowledging that we are also sinners in need of perfection we can encourage others to walk with us on the path to sanctity, persuading them to do what is right. We cannot hold the false notion that good and evil can coexist. Scripture tells us that indifference is not an option.
Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself. (Ez 33:79)
The world is a ball of confusion, but for those of us who understand the magnitude of the issues, believe the words of scripture, and follow the commandments of God, it is clear. We know how we must act, especially in the coming electoral process. We must follow our properly formed Catholic conscience. Vote for those who will support the rights of God, particularly on the issues of life and natural law. After the election, we must continue to hold their feet to the fire in their commitments to work toward bringing God back into the forefront of our national psyche. All innocent life must be protected with every bit of strength that we can muster. From the unborn to the elderly, life must be our primary concern. Abandoning the most vulnerable in our society is tantamount to surrendering the future and disposing of the past. No other issue matters if we deny the most basic of human rights. The Declaration of Independence states that we have an inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We cannot have liberty nor can we pursue happiness if we do not first have life. With the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg last week and a pending supreme court appointment, the issue of life and cultural preservation is at the forefront even more strongly than it was before.
The election is here. It is one of the most contentious in our history. The issues at hand will define our society going forward. The consequences of this plebiscite must not be underestimated. It is not possible to triangulate on the issues anymore. We either support life and morality as it has been laid out by God, or we do not. It is not an option to find a lesser evil and use it to justify supporting candidates who do not support the most basic teachings of our faith. Religious leaders across the board have stated that abortion is the preeminent issue of this election. This must serve as a barometer by which we make our political choices. By voting against the laws of God, we forfeit our right to be protected by Him and to claim our inheritance as His children, and devotees of Our Lady. Only by once again ratifying the laws of God and nature will this country return to peace and prosperity. The teachings of our Catholic faith are not on a sliding scale of morality. God gave us the 10 Commandments, Christ codified these and the Fatima message reminds us that these are unchangeable, even in a world of situation ethics.
Standing up for the faith comes with a price, now that we no longer live in a Christian society. It is no longer easy to be a Catholic dedicated to the mission of the Church, to bring about the salvation of souls. We will need to have the dedication of the missionaries such as St. Junipera Serra and the holy martyrs to endure and succeed in the future. Are you willing to give it your all? St. Pope John Paul II told us “be not afraid.” True Catholics are not fearful. Two thousand years of history has proven that. The great number of martyrs in just the past century tells us that the battle continues and will until the end of time. The martyrs understood that it is better to die a hero once than to die in fear every day!
The issues that we are facing will not be settled on election night. These have been brewing for a long time and it will require a long-term commitment to bringing about the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. We have committed to this work and we must not waiver now that it may require great sacrifice. The battle for the soul of not only America, but of the world, is at stake.
Our commitment to fulfill the First Saturday’s devotion is more important than ever. We can live in a world that has passed through these trials and emerged triumphant on the other side if we work hard enough to bring it about, keeping our eyes on the true prize, that of bringing about a truly Christian society. We have made the world a ball of confusion and we can make it an orb of serenity. The choice is ours.
God bless you.
David Carollo is the Executive Director of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA.
