holy refuges

+++ Feast of the Assumption +++ / Migrant Crisis in New York City

O Holy Virgin Mary, on the glorious feast of your Assumption, pray for us!

From the Tridentine Mass:

A great sign appeared in heaven: A
woman clothed with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, and on her head
a crown of twelve stars. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle:
because He hath done wonderful
things.


Almighty everlasting God, who hast
taken body and soul into heaven the
Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy
Son: grant, we beseech Thee, that by
steadfastly keeping heaven as our
goal we may be counted worthy to join
her in glory.


The Lord hath blessed thee by His
power, because by thee He hath
brought our enemies to nought.
Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the
Lord the most high God, above all
women upon the earth. Blessed be the
Lord who made heaven and earth,
who hath directed thee to the cutting
off the head of the prince of our
enemies. Because He hath so
magnified thy name this day that thy
praise shall not depart out of the
mouth of men who shall be mindful of
the power of the Lord, for ever.

~ ~ ~

“Filthy Migrant encampment including illicit open-air market hawking drugs — sprouts up on Randall’s Island [New York]: It’s a calamity

New York Post

Safe & healthy! Still don’t think it’s time to hit the road?

Hit the Road Jack

Ray Charles

WEF 2023 Part 2

[Edited since posting.]

We might ask ourselves: “Should we be looking at the World Economic Forum at all?” We must maintain the perspective that this is only one manifestation of the spiritual warfare now upon the world. God has one unified Church. Satan has many factions all over the world, which he even pits against each other for his own ends…

“Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?”

Luke 11:17

The WEF is simply one part of this System to destroy Christendom and usher in…something else. These minions have operated in the shadows for centuries. But as Satan’s power rises due to rampant sin, a time must occur when the authoritarian structure becomes obvious. This is now beginning and the WEF is part of it.

Being that we are dealing with an evil genius of an angelic nature, we must always ask ourselves, “Am I falling right into a trap? Am I doing exactly what it wants? Who benefits?” What might be the negative results of looking at the WEF? There is often the element of distraction. “Look over here,” while something is going on elsewhere…the classic magic trick. Turning our attention to certain presentations can also distract from the positive things we should be doing, by taking up too much of our time. There can also be a provocation to push-back, or even violence, which gives them the excuse to crack down harder and say, “Look at these right wing white supremacist conspiracy theory terrorists!” Of course push-back is important, but understand it may not go well for you (look at the truckers in Canada). And there is the potential for despair…becoming traumatized, demoralized and paralyzed. Oh, and let’s not forget deception…is what’s being presented even true?

On the other hand, ignorance isn’t always bliss. One could say, “This is just a bunch of sci-fi freaks having fun in Davos with their chocolate-covered strawberries and Rothchild wine.” This might be fine it they weren’t actually beginning to implement these insane agendas. We can’t hide our heads in the sand. This is happening. If we don’t care about ourselves, we at least have a duty to our children, to the future. It must be exposed. Once we know what is happening, we can develop a counter-system to respond effectively. This can only be fight or flight. We must all ascertain at this time which option God is asking of us.

“You have to understand there are people using 5th generation warfare [military-grade psychological/information operations]…they have this crazy view that you have to first destroy the old before you can bring in the new…their model is “Let’s wreck all this [then] we build back better,” but they don’t know what they’re messing with…if you break it, you can’t do any building back…the chance of them not breaking this is closing in on zero…which means you need to know who’s your tribe, who can you trust, where’s your food coming from, how are you gonna heat your home, who do you want to be…

understand the game, extract yourself from the game and become a participant in the new game.”

Dr. Chris Martenson

Have a look at Chris Martenson’s website above. He’s been putting out great content, encouraging a positive attitude and resilience. He emphasizes the importance of community…it takes a village!

If You Still Don't See Why We Need to Take Refuge...

From LifeSite:

Military Lawyer says Genetic Changes from COVID Vaccines are Creating a New Human 'Species' under the Law

Are the jabbed going to become the property of the government?

But we trust in God because we are His children and He sent His Only-Begotten Son to die for us!

and always keep your sense of humor

10 Reasons to Purge Your Home

Marie Kondo, famed home organizer, tells you to ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” Here’s a different question…

C o u l d i t E x i s t i n H e a v e n ?

You may not know I have been blogging since about 2008. The original URL and title was “futurecatholic.net”. This URL still exists and directs to this current site. You also may not know that what you thought was gone from the internet may still be accessible at Wayback Machine. It’s hard to lose your past these days. My writing included more “conspiracy” stuff back then and when I started this site, I decided I should be less controversial. Since Covid, it doesn’t matter anymore. We now must all choose a side. So…I don’t care if you go back and look at it. Have fun with that!

Anyway, the point was, I posed the question above on the old site and got some flack for it. I recall someone saying this was too perfectionistic. Well, my only response to that is…

"Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 5:48

Gonna argue with Him? For about the past 6 months, I’ve been purging and organizing my house. If you think I must be close to done, you think wrong, my friend! I do hope to step up the productivity in the coming months because it’s going way too slow. So far, I have worked mostly on books, papers, clothing and records (those things you used to spin and they would make music). Each type of item presents its own challenges, both emotionally and spiritually.

First of all, why purge at all? 10 reasons:

1) Your home will be more spacious and much easier to clean.

2) You will be better prepared if you need to suddenly move.

3) You will become more organized in the process, which is key to preparedness.

4) You will be letting go of things, helping you to confront emotional issues.

5) You will probably be ridding your family of sinful influences (and receiving graces for it!).

6) You will be giving to the needy.

7) You will be reducing pests.

8) De-cluttering your main residence can help you stock a remote location.

9) You can teach family members to do the same (and this can be great family-time as well!).*

10) You can bring in some income if you can sell some of it.

11) Bonus Reason: You will have more room for your important prepper supplies.

There are a few above points I’d like to expound upon…

#2: Moving-It is now time to begin creating our holy refuges, prophesied about by the mystics. If you don’t see why, pray on it and look around with a new set of eyes-this has been a long time coming. We can expect anything and everything from this point forward, as the New World Order advances its war on humanity and the Church. For a variety of reasons, you may find yourself needing to move suddenly. Being prepared to show your home and having less to pack will be much to your advantage.

#4: Letting Go-Many people never de-clutter because they do not want to deal with the memories and emotions that will come up. They may not even be consciously aware of this. The result is living in continued dysfunction and unfairly passing it all on to your children. This can create enormous stress and expense for them, on top of having to deal with death issues and selling a house. The fact is, those emotions belong to you. Dealing with them is part of your life journey and there is healing in the process. This summer, I finally went through my son’s baby clothes. It was hard. I cried. Much of it was still in good condition and we gave it to our local Saint Vincent de Paul thrift store. Physically holding the clothes in my hands, washing them, folding them one last time and sending them off to be worn by a new baby…it was a “letting go” ritual. It was something I needed to do and I feel so enriched by it. This is the kind of life experience that makes you are deeper, more sensitive person. And it helps you go on in a healthier state. As you continue to go through things, you will get stronger and come out the other side transformed. (Let me just say, if you super have trouble getting rid of something, that’s okay!-as long as its the exception and not the rule.)

#5: Sinful Influences-This one brings us to our question above, “Could it exist in Heaven?” What really happened on the Cross? When we die, we will see above all, that this life was not a joke. In this “Age of Separation” upon us, we must begin to see with greater clarity, the true corruption of the world. The world is regarding us more and more as enemies. It must go both ways. Let the separation begin. If we wait until these “precious” things are wrenched from our hands, we will have squandered any grace that could have been obtained by voluntarily letting go. We must secure mercy at this hour. We must make ourselves worthy to inherit the new world after all the dust settles. “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”

This issue came up heavily when I was going through my records. In my youth, they meant everything to me. I would not have been able to conceive that one day I would be tossing them in the trash. I held myself to about the hardest standard, discarding those with only one offensive song or an immodest image. If the good is tethered to the evil, it must be cast into the fire with it. We can allow nothing corrupt to harm the little ones who will take refuge with us. The new world must be pure before God’s Heavenly Throne. After trashing most of them, I was left with folk, classical, “ambient” and some benign pop music. I was amazed how easy it was. After doing the baby clothes, I feel I can do anything. Another thing-corrupt items must be thrown out, no matter how valuable they are. Passing on the evil does no good. This is the kind of thing that separates the men from the boys in the spiritual realm.

#7: Pests-Didn’t know we had mice in the attic. Now I do.

#8: Remote Location-If you have a summer house or another property, some of the items you find may do well in that location. For a summer house, that extra veggie peeler or old vacuum could be useful and help save money. If you rent another property, you may wish to store some things there in a locked area.

When considering what to do with possessions you no longer need, it can help to think outside the box. For instance, I traded some of my books at a local used bookstore. The 2 books I wound up getting were on traditional woodworking and organic gardening. K-ching! Books I can really use going forward (and they are good hardcover ones). As for my experience purging piles of papers, we actually have a new usable chair in the dining room and it is so refreshing to be able to find something quickly and easily in my files. There are countless resources and systems out there now for de-cluttering. Half the battle is getting started, then you just need to incorporate it into your routine. If you’re really having difficulty, as with everything else, pray on it!

*Unless you’ve got hoarders in your family, in which case it will be “Dysfunctional Family Thanksgiving on steroids.”

Update

I am still looking at things comprehensibly and working on a plan for this blog. We have unfinished projects and also improvements that need to be made. My personal life is kind of crazy right now for a variety of reasons, and probably will be for several months. Please accept my apologies for the unfinished projects. I would probably like to lighten up things here for a while and then, when I’m in a better position, work aggressively at some of those projects, particularly the “Prepper Rosary Program.”

We continue to ask for prayer for my dear father-in-law, who is 88 years old and has recently been transferred to a nursing home.  He was just moved to the hospital, with an infection. It is very sad, the condition he is in.  The family is rallying together now to address many existing complications (insurance errors, getting his hospital bed removed from the house, dealing with damage from a recent bad flood, etc.) and simply supporting each other during this very difficult time.  This affects me too, of course.

I will tell you a bit about my husband’s father, without mentioning his name, for privacy reasons. He was an influential Manhattan attorney, arguing several cases at the Supreme Court and winning a ground-breaking case for the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade against the homosexual activists, back in the 90’s.  He was a regular guest on Court TV and news programs.  He knew many of the New York movers and shakers, particularly in Catholic intellectual circles.  He was always an advocate of the Tridentine Mass, and when it was allowed again in the late 80’s, went immediately to attend it, accompanied by myself, at the age of 21.  As I describe in my bio (to the right), this changed my life.  He has been like a surrogate father for me, since my father died when I was 7 years old and I met my husband when I was 17.  He paid my rent for me when I was out of money and did countless other wonderful things for me and for many others. Mr. Mathews has also contributed generously to the ministry of this website. 

Another issue confronting us right now is the encroaching Covid mandates and the concerns this raises.  We are talking about selling our house and moving to a rural area, where it hopefully will be more safe.  We devout Catholics must start thinking in terms of creating rural refuges and there is no time to waste.  Our house is nowhere near being ready to sell, so we are aggressively working on that.

One day at a time is all any of us can do…with prayer.  Thank you for your prayers and understanding…and my readers are always in my prayers as well.  Please stay tuned-I will continue at the very least to do the 1st of the Month posts.

Flower #1 / Plants For A Future

Please see the previous post for recent pictures of some of my flowers. I asked our readers to guess what they are (some are quite easy) and now I will be giving some answers with some info, mostly taken from “Plants For A Future.” The purpose here is not necessarily to get you interested in these particular flowers, but to pique your interest in flowers (one of the many things that show the nature of God Himself and His love for us)…and to show how all plants have some prepper/sustainable/ecological use and many are even medicinal. Here is one…

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MOUNTAIN LAUREL

This unique shrub is also known as Calico Bush or Spoonwood. The photo above shows its wonderful potential as an ornamental and privacy bush. It is native to the Eastern United States. I am fortunate enough to have several of these-they produce the most exquisite flowers. They are so delicately designed, it looks as if our Heavenly Father hand-painted each one. They have no fragrance. Mine are white, but they also come in pink and red tones. The plant is highly poisonous. It is however, considered somewhat medicinal, but the poisonous properties mean it should only be used by an herbal medicine professional. I am delighted to have them though, the flowers are so beautiful. Some useful things about Mountain Laurel: attracts birds (I do have a variety of birds), the leaves may be used to create a yellow/tan dye, the roots have traditionally been used to make spoons, due to the durability of the wood (hence the name Spoonwood). We know it is toxic to humans and animals. It may be possible, in a rustic setting, to use it for euthanizing animals, if it works quickly and does not produce undue pain. I don’t know-this would have to be researched (but this is the way we need to start thinking, if the goal for us is to leave this corrupt and dangerous society).

My Mountain Laurels are growing on the side of a wooded hill in a shady area with rich, moist soil. I feel that one was probably planted long ago and self-seeded to create a few more. I love them mostly for their ornamental nature, though it is fun to think about making dye. I would eat with my hands before I would cut them down to make spoons! And if you consider the name, one could fashion a crown with the leaves, as the ancient Greeks did to honor winners of the Pythian games. I am cherishing them and if they start to die, I will take measures to cultivate more of them.

Many spiritual people have observed how nature often seems a metaphor for the higher reality…”As Above, So Below.” God gives us lessons when we observe His creation, if we have eyes to see them. What does Mountain Laurel teach us? I think the most obvious answer lies in the fact that it is so seemingly innocent and lovely, yet the leaves are so deadly, the American indigenous people used them to commit suicide. Beware of the outward appearance of things. As we are told in every traditional Holy Mass, from Psalms 25:10: “In whose hands are iniquities, their right hand is filled with gifts.” How do we apply that to what is going on right now? Don’t think I need to spell that out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Plants For A Future

Plants For A Future is a non-profit that operates on a high level of ecological philosophy and systems, to help the architects of these systems choose appropriate plants. Their philosophy is much like Nomen Christi Apostolate’s, in that it is concerned with respecting the natural order and economizing time, effort and energy. These are important aspects of the “Authentic Life” and survivability outside the industrial/tech world. These ideas are not only essential for those considering the establishment of off-grid communities, but for anyone who wants to live a more prepared, self-reliant life. From their “About” page:

“It is our belief that plants can provide people with the majority of their needs, in a way that cares for the planet's health. A wide range of plants can be grown to produce all our food needs and many other commodities, whilst also providing a diversity of habitats for our native flora and fauna. There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world yet fewer than 20 species now provide 90% of our food. Large areas of land devoted to single crops increase dependence upon intervention of chemicals and intensive control methods with the added threat of chemical resistant insects and new diseases…Our emphasis is on growing perennial plants with some self-seeding annuals, a large part of the reason for this is the difference in the amount of time and energy it takes to cultivate and harvest crops. Annuals means the cultivation of the ground every year, sowing the seeds, controlling the weeds, adding fertilizers and attempting to control pests and diseases. It all seems so much extra work compared to planting a perennial and waiting to harvest its yield. Especially when you consider that even with all the effort put into growing carrots their yield for the same area of ground will be less than that of a fruit tree and will only last the one season…We aim to recover lost knowledge and learn more about the hundreds of medicinal plants that we can grow, in a race to find safe natural alternatives to drugs used today. Plants can also provide us with fibers for clothes, rope and paper, oils for lubricants, fuels, water proofing and wood preservatives, dyes, construction materials and more.”

Plants For A Future is known for their database of over 7,000 plants, explaining all basic info about them. You can use it to get ideas for new plants or to investigate those you already have. It can be used more technically, or less. For instance, if you’re looking for specifics such as growth rate, soil pH, pollution tolerance, livestock feed or types of pollinators, you can do that. If you just want hardiness zones and sun needs, you can do that too.

For a newish gardener, when looking for new plants, please see Before You Start, which will show you the issues you need to be looking at. From that page: “Choosing unsuitable plants creates more work and often dead plants.” How true. There is so much else on this website, if you peruse it long enough, it is like a course in gardening or landscaping. All the various aspects of gardening can be overwhelming for the newbie, but please take care not to get discouraged. If it were that difficult, the human race would have gone extinct long ago. From my own past experience, I can say, if you have no idea what you are doing and in fact, do everything wrong, you will still have some success. So, be optimistic, leave all in God’s hands and enjoy the journey of greater independence and oneness with nature.

Image courtesy siteone.com/en/68035b-kalmia-latifolia-mountain-laurel/p/572399