Chiara F Mathews on Bill Kassel's Podcast / Good Shepherd Catholic Radio!

Listen to Chiara F Mathews discuss the “Eclipse Pilgrimage of mercy”

(at 20:08 minutes)

Bill Kassel, host of the radio show “Free Expressions” on Good Shepherd Catholic Radio out of Michigan, was gracious enough to request an interview about our “Eclipse Pilgrimage of Mercy.”

It’s a short discussion relating the main points of the Pilgrimage and why it is important and relevant for the entire world. I am deeply grateful to Bill for this opportunity. Please have a listen and here is more about Mr. Kassel and “Free Expressions” from his website:

“Bill Kassel has made a specialty of communicating religious ideas and moral principles in highly accessible ways to a broad public.  He is the author of two Christian mysteries: Holy Innocents (2000) and This Side of Jordan (2005).  He is also a songwriter, Christian entertainer, and humorist…

Writing under his own byline or as a ghostwriter for others, he has authored or edited non-fiction books as well as articles appearing in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Newsweek, National Catholic Register, American Legion Magazine, and numerous other publications.”

Kassel’s most recent book My Brother’s Keeper, a novel about the family of Jesus, has won the 2018 “Catholic Arts & Letters Award.” Here’s more:

“MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is an imaginative and riveting historical / religious novel in the tradition of such bible-based classics as Ben Hur, The Robe, and The Silver Chalice. It offers a sweeping vision of a nation at its tipping point — a proud and ancient people facing economic stress, political division, and the specter of radicalism and violence, conditions not unlike those of our own time. This is a sprawling tale with a fresh and compelling perspective on Jesus and his family that will make you reconsider the story that’s at the very heart of Western Civilization.”

Kassel also writes a blog, see above link for further exploration of his work.

Good Shepherd Catholic Radio is affiliated with EWTN, Ave Maria Radio and the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan.

"Avoiding Babylon" Interviews Michael Hichborn & Gives Us a Plug!

Are [Certain] Bishops Tools of the World Economic Forum?

I’ve mentioned our friend Anthony Abbate before. We’ve known him from the Latin Mass on Long Island for years. He started a YouTube channel called “Avoiding Babylon” several years ago and has recently had a meteoric rise in popularity. He’s had incredible guests like Dr. Taylor Marshall and Bishop Athanasius Schneider. Last night, he and his sidekick Rob (who very entertainingly smokes cigars while Anthony talks) interviewed the President of The Lepanto Institute, Michael Hichborn. From their website:

“The Lepanto Institute for the Restoration of All Things in Christ is a research and education organization dedicated to the defense of the Catholic Church against assaults from without as well as from within.  Whether in the form of armies, heretics, or traitors, the Church has always faced enemies seeking Her destruction.  Today, the Church faces all three.”

Towards the very end of the video, Anthony mentions Nomen Christi Apostolate’s “Eclipse Pilgrimage of Mercy.” I am deeply grateful for his help in promoting this. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have people in all 50 states, from sea to shining sea, praying the Divine Mercy Novena and visiting Catholic sites to pray the Holy Rosary for mercy? I don’t know if this campaign will be quite that successful, but we are giving it the best effort we can….and we need your help too!

Check out “Avoiding Babylon” for a whole host of fascinating discussions and guests!

My Trip to The Home Depot

We discussed impending Spring in the last post, so that means a trip to a garden center, in this case, The Home Depot, since I was passing by it today anyway. Whenever I’m at The Home Depot, I manage to find something I didn’t know I needed and this time it was the battery organizer! Here is everything I bought….

An inexpensive Orchid Potting Mix, for my old orchid plant which needs some refreshing…seed starter containers and soil pods (2 different methods, both of which may be placed directly in the ground, after opening up the bottoms for the roots to grow-I love the pods, you add water and they puff up like magic, they’re really fun for children)…kale (early crop!) seeds (I’ve still got tons of seeds from last year which I will be using)…a fire extinguisher for our basement (you should have one on each level of your home and write the expiration date on it with a Sharpie)…the battery organizer (I love this thing, batteries not included LOL but it does come with a battery tester)…a new Aloe Vera plant (which is considered medicinal for the skin)…plastic indoor plant trays (I’m of the mind you can never have too many)…large Comet for a buck and Febreze cheap 2-pack. You can also see our bug-out bag and some of our maps (MAPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT! ALL KINDS!). There is our car organizer, which you can’t see too well behind everything, but it functions sort of as an extension to the bug-out bag.

Yes, I know The Home Depot is one of those big-chain monoculture seat-at-the-creepy-new-world-order-table monopolizing entities. This particular store had disturbing in-your-face cameras during Covid (because we all know why cameras are needed when there’s a virus going around), which have since been removed. I do try to limit my patronage of such stores, but I never said I was perfect. For sure, the “Mom & Pop” local businesses should be supported as much as possible…and the farmer’s markets!

I was very impressed to see an array of fruit trees for sale this year. Peach, apple, cherry and pear! I think I have to go back and check that out when hubby can carry them…but I will have to do a bit of research first, you have to know what you’re doing with fruit trees…

"Back To The Roots"

Back To The Roots

America’s Organic Gardening Company

Seeds, Soils, Raised Beds, Plant Food, Grow Kits, Innovative Products, Education & Charity

“We're on a mission to help a new generation experience the magic of gardening & reconnect back to their food.”

You can see how my Pearl Oyster Mushrooms have exploded in just a few days! These Grow Kits are amazing. They also have hydroponic ones.

“Back to the Roots” is a company dedicated to organic gardening and making it easy. Please see the website above for more info.

These were incredibly delicious and tasted almost like meat. We sauteed them in butter with salt and pepper. That’s it!

Oops, Forgot to Talk About the Ember Days!

The Ember Days of Lent (or Spring) are celebrated the week after Ash Wednesday this year. That is, Wednesday the 21st, Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th. Traditionally, meat is eaten at only one meal (obviously, you will not be eating meat on Friday). These are days of prayer and penance for the coming season. The Ember Days are particularly fun to celebrate with children because you can take the opportunity to come up with crafts having to do with the seasons and working in a spiritual message. If you have a trad-minded parish or group of friends, why not get the children together to learn about the Ember Days…or…

How About Planting on the Ember Days?

Seedlings my son and I planted a few years ago with a seed starting kit.

In Nomen Christi Apostolate style, let’s see how we might combine the Ember Days, the season of Spring, Lent and preparedness! On Long Island, where I am, indoor seedlings are started in February, for transplanting outdoors when temperature permits and when the plants are strong enough to handle rain and other stresses. Some common foods one might start indoors, would be Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Broccoli and Kale. A number of herbs can also be started at this time. The Ember Days this year would be perfect days for planting these seeds indoors. Again, I’m talking about my area. If you can sow directly in the ground, think about that (or plant in pots if you’re not quite set up to garden yet) or if it’s too cold in your area, you can still do an indoor plant, perhaps even winter bulbs or cooking herbs.

What about the prayerful quality of the Ember Days and Lent? You could bless the seeds with holy water and pray for a good harvest, you could thank God for your abundance and pray for the poor…or pray to the saints invoked for gardening and nature, such as Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Isidore the Farmer, Saint Kateri and Saint Fiacre. To see the planting calendar for your own area: Old Farmers Almanac

In addition, the readings for the Ember Days are quite beautiful. This can be incorporated into your daily prayertime. Blessings to all on these wonderful traditional feasts!

New York Gov Issues Snow Travel BAN (Climate Lockdown)

I’m in NY and didn’t even know about this till a few days ago. This occurred Jan 13th in Erie County. This article from “Signs of the Times” is written by the attorney who is handling the case against Gov Hochul regarding “Isolation and Quarantine Procedures, Rule 2.13,” the infamous decision to allow the NYS Dept of Health unprecedented bodily control over citizens…

Conspiracy Theorists Were Right About Climate Lockdowns

"The Wonders of the Holy Name" Booklet: Act Now!

In this month of the Holy Name of Jesus (in case you haven’t noticed, this ministry is dedicated to the Holy Name), TAN Books has a great sale on the booklet mentioned above. It normally sells for $4.95 each, but if you act by January 31st, you get 5 for $10.00! It is not a prayer book, but it contains many historical anecdotes, such as Pope Gregory X’s devotion, a plague in Lisbon, glorious martyrdoms and the faith of many saints in the Holy Name.

TAN also has a monthly $10.00 “leatherette” book. They have quite a selection now of these beautiful, well-made spiritual classics and Bibles. The prices range widely, so taking advantage of the monthly offering is a good idea. As a Catholic prepper, having good quality classic books is a must. If you still need to develop your spiritual library, TAN provides a great way to move forward. They also have sets of books you might want to look at.

One warning: unless you like lots of spam, don’t sign up for their email list. Just make a point to visit the site once a month and take advantage of the leatherette, for sure.

Praise the Holy Name of Jesus now and forever!

Let us defend it valiantly!

Holy Name of Jesus Tridentine Mass

We had the privilege of attending this Mass recently at a church on Long Island which occasionally offers the Latin Mass on feastdays. In this month of the Holy Name of Jesus, it was wonderful to attend this Mass for the first time. Here is the Introit and a link to the full Propers, which you may wish to pray with your family during the remainder of January:

In the name of Jesus let every knee

bow of those that are in heaven, on

earth, and under the earth; and let

every tongue confess that the Lord

Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the

Father. O Lord, our Lord,

how wonderful is Thy Name in the

whole earth.

Glory be to the Father

and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now and

ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

mass proper: holy name of jesus

(Propers on extraordinaryform.org are PDFs and may easily be printed!)

The Truth About the US Federal Reserve (Neither Federal nor a Reserve)

“Collectivism and freedom are mortal enemies. Only one will survive.”

G. Edward Griffin

Author The Creature From Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve

From “Goodreads” notes on the book above:

“Where does money come from? Where does it go? Who makes it? The money magicians' secrets are unveiled. We get a close look at their mirrors and smoke machines, their pulleys, cogs, and wheels that create the grand illusion called money. A dry and boring subject? Just wait! You'll be hooked in five minutes. Reads like a detective story — which it really is. But it's all true. This book is about the most blatant scam of all history. It's all here: the cause of wars, boom-bust cycles, inflation, depression, prosperity. Creature from Jekyll Island will change the way you view the world, politics, and money. Your world view will definitely change. You'll never trust a politician again — or a banker.”

March for Life: What Now?

March For Life 2024

The March Goes On!

Friday, January 19th, Washington DC

As usual, there are a variety of activities, one of which is a virtual Pro-Life Advocacy Workshop. “Marching 101” is from 11:00-12:00, January 18th, ET. This is a great learning opportunity for young people. You can register at: marchforlife.org/marching-101

Don’t forget, the babies still need us!