You Knew It Was Coming...

OK, in the name of balanced reporting, yesterday brought some stuff the Right didn't like about Katrina and the federal response.... In that vein, this might be more to their gustibus:

New Orleans was once a Catholic city, founded in the French Catholic tradition. Looking at what has gone on there after the recent hurricane, one clearly sees that New Orleans is Catholic no longer. It has succumbed to anarchy and in the process is destroying itself.

One could only reflect on what would have happened if this hurricane had occurred before Vatican II. You may remember how it was then. Before Vatican II Mardi Gras was a joyful local festival the day before the Lenten fast began on Ash Wednesday. After Vatican II, Lent was essentially done away with, fasting was essentially done away with, and Mardi Gras became an anarchical party for sexual deviants. Before Vatican II people were encouraged individually to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy, not just blend irresponsibly into some liberalistic, secularized program of "Social Justice."

Some of the things that struck us as we watched coverage is that the once-great network of Catholic charity has been essentially dissolved by Newchurch. Newchurch can't get enough victims to become New Order presbyters to staff their churches. Nuns and brothers have essentially disappeared. There is no network of Catholic hospitals, homes for the elderly, houses for the poor. Once-Catholic hospitals that were proud to display the word Catholic in their name have been sold to secular interests to become merely "C, Inc."

The only religious presence seems to be the Salvation Army, which, in spite of the fact that it is Protestant, has had an unblemished record of scrupulous honesty. While the American Red Cross skims off large amounts of administrative fees and transfers donors' money into the Red Cross's own (often liberalistic) pet projects, the Salvation Army puts virtually every penny into its charitable work, and toward the purpose that its donors specify (and, yes, Catholics can morally donate to the charitable projects of Protestant organizations).

Before Vatican II, one could see the vast charitable resources of the Catholic Church swing into action. Bishop Sheen, who was in charge of such programs, would have personally walked the streets of New Orleans and publicized the plight of the city and its environs on his hugely popular radio and television programs. Priests, nuns, and brothers would be visible all over, aiding the afflicted.

The incredible damage done by Vatican II to morality and the creation of the unCatholic Newchurch, which, from the pope on down, refuses to take strong action against immorality, is far more widespread than the destruction of the Holy Mass and Sacraments. Good Catholics, next time someone gives you a hard time about why you don't accept the Springtime of Vatican II and the Newchurch of Love, now you have a simple, two-word answer: "New Orleans."

Thats right, friends, it was the Novus Ordo wot did it. Tip to Richard.

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