Spiritual Prepping: Vortex

Things are getting bad in this country, politically speaking (duh). Some of us are “prepping” for…well, for the worst, basically. Who knows what calamity might befall us? I am definitely one who tries to put all my trust in God, but I also am not blind to the signs of the times. I have never been a “prepper” before, but I am now.  

Interestingly enough, I even know of a monastery that is prepping, to some extent. I also know of a priest who is encouraging his parishioners to stock up on unconsecrated hosts and wine, because these are uncertain times. I think many are reading the “signs” now, and are thinking that it is a matter of prudence to do at least a minimal amount of prepping.

Of course, not everyone can prep to the same degree, at least on the physical plain. Not everyone has the financial resources to stockpile food and other supplies. My thought is this: those who can, probably should do some prepping, with an eye to helping out those in need down the road.

Still, we can all do some spiritual prepping, and Michael Voris and ChurchMilitant.TV have been encouraging us to do that for some time now. As religious freedom ebbs, especially for Catholics, we must know exactly what we stand for…if we are to actually stand.

Hold that thought for a moment, and consider what Michael Voris had to say in yesterday’s (June 25) Vortex. What he says here is disturbing (my emphases throughout):

…[T]o put it plainly, they are many people here in Rome deeply concerned.

They are troubled that there are many in the Church – many leaders – who, to put it plainly, appear to have lost the faith. Our discussions were quite frank and open – as they are in all parts of the world we go – but here in Rome, they take on the sense of more urgency.

And here seems to be the root issue: there are many leaders in the Church today who seem to have simply traded out the authentic gospel for a fake gospel, and in so doing have erected a kind of false Church – one that many trappings of the Church of Rome… but only a shadow of Her teachings.

Yes, disturbing…and yet, as I said yesterday, I find it encouraging as well. For too long, it seems, few among the hierarchy of the Church were willing to admit there was a problem. How do you deal with the elephant in the living room if you will not even acknowledge its presence? How do you go about procuring some clothes for the emperor if you won’t admit that he’s running around stark naked?

So I see this is as a hopeful sign: if some highly positioned men in Rome are seriously concerned about the state of the Church, perhaps some changes are in the offing.

Voris goes on to enumerate some of the ways the apparent loss of faith of some of our shepherds has been manifested – such as a seeming denial of the reality of Hell, and the notion that everyone goes to Heaven; and he points out that this has led to

..major abuses in the Mass, in catechesis, in the devotional life, and so forth.  The entire Catholic life is dissolving, and when you hear discussions like that here in Rome, you’d better believe it’s troublesome.

…Another glaring point that was freely expressed is that there are so many leaders who have given way and thrown their lot in with the worldly view of the Church, that the only solution at this point will be a visit from the angel of death.

 The more I’ve thought about this “generational solution” – the idea that the bishops and priests causing the most upheaval will eventually die – the more I wonder if it’s really the answer. After all, many young priests and seminarians today have been formed at the hands of some corrupt and faithless bishops. Will they follow in the paths of their mentors, or will they return to the One True Faith? I do know that there are many seminarians who are of a traditional mindset, and they are smart enough to stay “under the radar” until they can be ordained. So, of course, there is always hope.

At any rate, after Voris reminds us that many “prelates and clergy all over the West have come to resent, despise, and even loathe certain aspects or qualities of Catholic life”, he exhorts us (as he often does!) to fortify ourselves with knowledge of the Truth.

But for this reason it was also clear that, while not trying to usurp the authority of those in charge, in many instances the responsibility of passing on the true faith and protecting it unstained has now fallen to the faithful laity – and we need to tell you…stress, in fact… that these comments were coming from – to a man – ordained ministers of the Church, either situated here in Rome itself, or with close ties to Rome.

Did you get that? Michael Voris says it’s not just him; he says that some high-ranking priests and prelates in Rome are saying that the faithful laity must take responsibility for protecting the faith.

It is time for the laity to rise up – to become as educated in the faith as possible – change the way we live our lives so that immersing ourselves in the faith becomes the number one goal of our day – to preserve the integrity of the faith while it is being battered so severely from many members of the Church from INSIDE the Church.

We have to prep, and the most important prepping we can do is spiritual. Our spiritual life is what will sustain us through the worst of times. And we have to be able to pass on our Catholic faith to those who are to come.

Here’s the Vortex, with the full script below.

Hello everyone and welcome to The Vortex where lies and falsehoods are trapped and exposed.  I’m Michael Voris coming to you from the Eternal City.

It’s very good that we Catholics have the perspective of the Eternal City with which to view our faith and our Church, because to be quite frank, from an earthly perspective, things aren’t going to well.

We’re in Rome for a conference on the liturgy that begins later this week, and in the meantime, we’ve had some other meetings and dinners before the conferences – and to put it plainly, they are many people here in Rome deeply concerned.

They are troubled that there are many in the Church – many leaders – who, to put it plainly, appear to have lost the faith. Our discussions were quite frank and open – as they are in all parts of the world we go – but here in Rome, they take on the sense of more urgency.

And here seems to be the root issue: there are many leaders in the Church today who seem to have simply traded out the authentic gospel for a fake gospel, and in so doing have erected a kind of false Church – one that many trappings of the Church of Rome… but only a shadow of Her teachings.

There has been a substitution of the One True Faith for a more comfortable all-embracing faith – the focus of which is more tied to the things of earth than the things of heaven. 

This pseudo-Catholic Church has some hallmarks which distinguish it greatly from the authentic faith.

First, the reality of sin and Hell are rarely mentioned. As a corollary, the idea of saving souls is kind of ignored…taken more or less as a given.

Second, this leads to the acceptance of a kind universalism: the belief that nearly everyone goes to heaven, if not, in fact, everyone.

This neglect leads to a total ignoring of the Eschaton – what is also known as the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell – the very things that the saints for nearly 2,000 years have implored us to meditate on.

Third: All of this belief – or better said, LACK of belief – has led to major abuses in the Mass, in catechesis, in the devotional life, and so forth.  The entire Catholic life is dissolving, and when you hear discussions like that here in Rome, you’d better believe it’s troublesome.

All of this has resulted in something greater than a crisis; this may in fact be the most turbulent time the Church has ever experienced on a near global level.

One Cardinal in fact was so concerned and disturbed recently that he went back to his home country and told some confidantes that there was no faith left even in Rome – a slight exaggeration to be sure, but an exaggeration pointing to a fearful reality.

Another glaring point that was freely expressed is that there are so many leaders who have given way and thrown their lot in with the worldly view of the Church, that the only solution at this point will be a visit from the angel of death.

And let’s be clear: these discussions had nothing to do with clerical homosexual sex abuse or financial corruption or anything of the kind.

They totally centered around spiritual failings in the arena of the loss of faith on an almost wholesale level on the part of numerous – numerous – bishops and priests.  The issue at hand is, put simply, a RE-DEFINING of what the Church is: Her Mission, Her Activity, Her Identity.

It was this stark awareness that prompted a foreign cardinal mentioned earlier to say there is no faith left even in Rome.

As certain leaders in the Church seek to re-define the Church, they have developed an almost knee-jerk reaction to anything that even smacks of a traditional Catholic notion or attitude.

In many cases, prelates and clergy all over the West have come to resent, despise, and even loathe certain aspects or qualities of Catholic life – such as awe-inspiring liturgies and music, Latin, Gregorian Chant, the preaching of hard truths, the regalia of office, dignified churches, splendid artistic expressions of the faith, even something as innocent as priests in cassocks and nuns in habits.

Nothing that even speaks of classical Catholicism has escaped their scornful eyes. This is why in one meeting, the topic of the generational solution came up quite freely – meaning, so entrenched in this attitude among so many of the senior churchmen and their allies and staff – that only the angel of death can solve it.

But for this reason it was also clear that, while not trying to usurp the authority of those in charge, in many instances the responsibility of passing on the true faith and protecting it unstained has now fallen to the faithful laity – and we need to tell you…stress, in fact… that these comments were coming from – to a man – ordained ministers of the Church, either situated here in Rome itself, or with close ties to Rome.

It is time for the laity to rise up – to become as educated in the faith as possible – change the way we live our lives so that immersing ourselves in the faith becomes the number one goal of our day – to preserve the integrity of the faith while it is being battered so severely from many members of the Church from INSIDE the Church.

We are in a great transition now.  What was once exciting and new and fresh back in the 1960s and 1970s has now become largely old and stale and supported by aging clerics who don’t want to let go of what they pledged their lives to in their youths.

God can be their judge as to their sincerity, but we must judge the damage and respond; and that means holding on tightly – very tightly – for the next 10 to 15 years until the angel of death has simply removed these problems in the way in which only he can.

So hunker down and realize the reality… and fight like you’ve never fought before. And most importantly, KEEP THE FAITH. In the end, God wins; and given the enormity of the challenge, think how GREAT the victory will be.

Coming to you from Rome .. reporting on the condition of the Church ..

GOD Love you.

I’m Michael Voris