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If you use the popular microblogging application, you can now follow our web site updates on Twitter. We are SBC_Catholic. The headline of every new posting to our site will “tweet,” with a shortened URL showing up at the end. This URL will take you to the article on our site.

Should you find this feature useful, we encourage you to notify your friends who use Twitter to follow us. God bless you and may Our Lady watch over you!

Our Lady of America and the Obama Nation

Brian Kelly has written on this site about Our Lady of America and her apparitions to the holy religious in Ohio, Sister Mary Ephrem (Mildred Neuzil). These apparitions are approved by the Church, as the recent canonical study of the case by Archbishop Burke testifies. While there are many supposed apparitions which claim our attention, we put no credence in those lacking the Church's approbation. Since this apparition is approved, and since it has a message for the Church in America, we consider it worthy of attention, especially now.

Why now? To begin an answer, I present a thumbnail sketch of our present situation in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Our economy is a disaster, with some economists predicting a "super-crash" worse than the Great Depression. Our military is overextended in several unjust wars of aggression, policing the world for interests other than those of the American people. Recently, to the the vote on Proposition 8, furious mobs of homosexual activists have begun to perpetrate hate crimes against law-abiding citizens, who wish to protect marriage from the unnatural agenda of the "gay" lobby. As these and other situations continue to spin out of control, the American people have elected to the highest office of the land a Marxist ideologue who is more beloved by the baby-slaughtering industry than even Hilary Clinton. Therefore, unless present efforts to have his presidency challenged on constitutional grounds succeed (and that doesn't appear likely), we will have in the White House a socialist who wishes to protect, by means of the Freedom of Choice Act, a woman's "right" to commit infanticide. This will be the most militantly pro-abortion regime we have ever had. The American bishops are speaking out against the proposed legislation, and considering strong sanctions against pro-FOCA legislators, but their activities in the political arena have left some of them vulnerable to attack from pro-abortion watch-dog groups. This could presage a constitutional showdown at the OK Corral.

A more focused picture comes into view when you add to this the effects of a ubiquitous entertainment industry that hawks sex and violence; tax-financed indoctrination into feminism, homosexualism, and anti-Christian progressivism (a.k.a., "public education"); and the grim reality of our demographic winter, whereby we are making ourselves extinct.

Could all this mess produce a persecution of the Church? By this I mean a major, government-authorized one. It certainly could. In "Conscience and the Nannie State," I quoted Richard Weaver to this effect: "An ancient axiom of politics teaches that a spoiled people invite despotic control. Their failure to maintain internal discipline is followed by some rationalized organization in the service of a single powerful will. In this particular, at least, history, with all her volumes vast, has but one page" (Ideas Have Consequences, pg. 91). Already, hate-crime laws are being used against professing Christians who defend the natural law in the public arena. Those who push this radical agenda are among Obama's closest allies. As things degenerate a few degrees, what is to prevent wholesale, state-sponsored attacks on the Church's liberty?

The harassment Joe the Plumber received for simply exposing the candidate's socialism could very well auger something much worse when the candidate takes office.

Another consideration is relevant here, one that introduces the doctrine of God's Providence into our considerations. Several American apostles (e.g. Orestes Brownson, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos) have said that the Church in America will flourish only when it has suffered persecution. We are prosperous and have all the sins of a prosperous people, including spiritual sloth and indifference to supernatural truth. A little suffering, a little hunger, a little taste of the whip, could be just the thing we need to take God's rights and our salvation a bit more seriously.

Now, at last, we come to the prophesies of Our Lady of America. Here is a several-paragraph excerpt describing one apparition. The emphasis is mine.

On the evening of the feast of the Most Holy Rosary, October 7, 1957, Our Lady again appeared. Her hands were clasped in an attitude of prayer. Her look was serious, though her countenance retained its usual deep serenity. Hanging from her right hand was a blue rosary of a glass-like quality. I was conscious of the fact that what she was about to say to me was not only very grave but of the utmost importance. Our Lady reiterated in a similar manner her first warnings:

"My beloved daughter, what I am about to tell you concerns in a particular way my children in America. Unless they do penance by mortification and self-denial and thus reform their lives, God will visit them with punishments hitherto unknown to them.

"My child, there will be peace, as has been promised, but not until my children are purified and cleansed from defilement, and clothed thus with the white garment of grace, are made ready to receive this peace, so long promised and so long held back because of the sins of men.

"My dear children, either you will do as I desire and reform your lives, or God Himself will need to cleanse you in the fires of untold punishment. You must be prepared to receive His great gift of peace. If you will not prepare yourselves, God will Himself be forced to do so in His justice and mercy.

"Making the rosary a family prayer is very pleasing to me. I ask that all families strive to do so. But be careful to say it with great devotion, meditating on each mystery and striving to imitate in your daily lives the virtues depicted therein. Live the mysteries of the rosary as I lived them, and it will become a chain binding you to me forever. They who are found in the circle of my rosary will never be lost. I myself will lead them at death to the throne of my Son, to be eternally united to Him.

'"Write these words upon your hearts, my dear children, because of the compassion I have for you in my Immaculate Heart. Oh, if you knew the punishments I am holding back from you by my pleading and intercession on your behalf!

"Will you do as I wish at last, my children?''

The cynic may say that every apparition — true and false — speaks of chastisements of some sort, and often in a general way. True, but this apparition is approved by the Church, and is for the Church in America. Whatever it says pertains not to the Church in general, but to the Church in our Republic. Because of this, we should pay particular attention to its warnings, which speak of "punishments hitherto unknown to" us if we fail to "reform [our] lives." And we — we American Catholics — have failed to reform our lives from the time this message was given fifty-one years ago. The president whose term we await with dread received 54% of the Catholic vote. More than half of the Catholics of our Republic made themselves accomplices to an Orwellian anti-Christian program.

Some will object that, if so many Catholics are complicit in this attack upon Christian social order, a real persecution of the Church would not seem likely. In response, I would offer the speculation that those who are complicit will suffer from the economic hardships and other calamities visited upon us, but that, in addition, an active persecution will befall all those bishops, priests, and faithful who stand up for Christ the King — however few they may be. I make no pretense of having figured all this out, in the fashion of a slick televangelist, who has the Book of Daniel's end-times chronology neatly schematized. What I do know is the content of the above sober warnings of Our Lady, from an approved apparition. Her words can't even be mistranslated; the revelations were made in English.

But there is hope here, for Our Lady of America also tells us that this suffering will be "purifying," and that it will prepare us to "receive [God's] great gift of peace." Thus, the condition for America's conversion, according to a great nineteenth-century Catholic philosopher and a beatified missionary from the same era, will be realized in what Our Lady has prophesied.

Maybe President Barack Obama is what the Church in this country really needs.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a Warning

Richmond residents familiar with the history of town controversies surrounding our Center will recall that certain slanderous material from the Southern Poverty Law Center was cited as evidence against us. We have several times warned that this organization cannot be trusted because of their anti-Christian, anti-family, anti-life agenda.

The following advisory on the SPLC comes from Americans for Legal Immigration. It is offered here on our site, not as an endorsement of ALIPAC, but as a public service to disseminate information on this insidious organization (the SPLC), which attacks fundamental Christian morals in society. (More information on the SPLC and their slanderous and defamatory attacks against us may be found on our main site, on the Posts Tagged ‘Southern Poverty Law Center.’)

Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC)
WilliamG@alipac.us, (866) 703-0864
http://www.alipac.us

March 26, 2009

ALIPAC is issuing a national advisory to all local, state, and Federal law enforcement agencies and officers, along with all DHS Fusion Centers, a warning against any reliance upon faulty and politicized research issued by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Anti Defamation League (ADL).

A national scandal emerged in Missouri, after their MIAC Fusion Center issued an eight page document which made many false claims. The documents attempted to politicize police and cast suspicion on millions of Americans. The ‘Missouri Documents’, as they came to be called, listed over 32 characteristics police should watch for as signs or links to domestic terrorists, which could threaten police officers, court officials, and infrastructure targets.

Police were instructed to look for Americans who were concerned about unemployment, taxes, illegal immigration, gangs, border security, abortion, high costs of living, gun restrictions, FEMA, the IRS, The Federal Reserve, and the North American Union/SPP/North American Community. The ‘Missouri Documents’ also said potential domestic terrorists might like gun shows, short wave radios, combat movies, movies with white male heroes, Tom Clancey Novels, and Presidential Candidates Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin!

The Southern Poverty Law Center was cited as a research source for the ‘Missouri Documents’. Furthermore, the attempt of these documents to cast suspicion of violent and life threatening behavior on millions of Americans who are concerned about these issues is consistent with the regularly released political materials of both the SPLC and ADL.

Since the SPLC was listed as a source in the MIAC Missouri Documents, ALIPAC sent a letter of inquiry to the Missouri Governor Jay Nixon on March 20, 2009 asking for more specific sourcing information.

“When many of us read these Missouri Documents we felt that the false connections, pseudo research, and political attacks found in these documents could have been penned by the SPLC and ADL,” said William Gheen of ALIPAC. “We were shocked to see credible law enforcement agencies disseminating the same kind of over the top political propaganda distributed by these groups.”

Colonel James F. Keathley, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a letter of response to ALIPAC and other sources on March 25-26, which states that the Missouri militia documents are being withdrawn, more oversight will be applied to future releases, the Missouri Documents do not meet the high quality standards expected from the MIAC, and that “certain subsets of Missourians will not be singled out inappropriately in these reports for particular associations”.

FOX Radio Network is reporting that Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (R-MO) has asked that Missouri Public Safety Director John Britt be placed on administrative leave. The report also says Kinder has issued a public apology to Presidential candidates Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin.

ALIPAC would like to advise all media sources, law enforcement officers and agencies, that the ADL and SPLC are political organizations, with stated political goals and agendas which are contrary to the candidates, political parties, and millions of Americans besmirched by the MIAC documents.

While both the ADL and SPLC actively market themselves and seek roles as advisers to law enforcement and the media, both groups regularly engage in political tactics like those observed in the now withdrawn Missouri Documents. Materials from one or both organizations contributed to this scandal.

“In the past, these groups have served a helpful role in America by providing information about racist and potentially violent groups like the KKK and Neo Nazis,” said William Gheen. “Unfortunately, their mission has drifted into political efforts to paint almost any American or group who opposes their broader political agendas as being associated with racist or potentially violent groups just like what we saw in these scandalous MIAC documents in Missouri.”

ALIPAC hopes that future scandals can be avoided by issuing this advisory and promoting awareness of the faulty information distributed to police and media in America by the Anti Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center to prevent future scandals of this nature.

Brother Francis and the Richmond 250 Cane

This past town meeting, SBC's own Brother Francis (Fakhri Maluf, Ph.D.) was honored as the recipient of the Richmond 250 Cane. Brother Maximilian Maria has a small article and photo gallery on this event our main site.

http://catholicism.org/brother-francis-richmond-250-cane.html

You can read more about Brother Francis in his bio, which we reproduce here:

Brother Francis was born, in the town of Mashrah, Lebanon, about thirty miles from Beirut, in 1913. The Maluf family is descended from the ancient Ghassanids, Christian and Catholic Arabs who courageously kept the Faith in the face of Moslem aggression.

Though poor, Fakhri’s family saw to his education, which was provided at home, in a small school that his father operated. In 1934, Fakhri graduated from the American University of Beirut with a Bachelor’s Degree in mathematics. From 1934 to 1939, he taught physics at that same University.

In 1939, he moved to the United States to attend the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he received first an M.A. and, in 1942, a Ph.D. in philosophy. After receiving his Ph.D., he continued post-graduate studies at Harvard University and Saint Bonaventure University.

From 1942 to 1945, Dr. Maluf taught mathematics and science at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts. From 1945 to 1949, he taught philosophy, theology, and mathematics at Boston College.

In addition to his academic career, Brother Francis’ first decade in America was filled with great religious activity. On the Feast of St. Andrew (Nov. 30) in 1940, he became a Catholic. (Although he came from an historic Catholic family, his father had become a Mason and raised the children with no religion.) Two years later, he met Father Leonard Feeney, chaplain of Saint Benedict Center. In 1949, Dr. Maluf and two other professors at Boston College were dismissed from the faculty after charging the College, in a letter to Pope Pius XII and the Superior General of the Jesuit Order, with promoting the liberal doctrine of salvation outside the Church. That same year, Dr. Maluf became one of the pioneer members of Father Feeney’s religious Order, the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, eventually taking the vows of religion and the name Brother Francis, after Saint Francis Xavier.

Since that time, Brother Francis has continued to teach Sacred Scripture, philosophy, theology, science and mathematics at various levels. Presently he is Superior of the Order he helped found. At the monastery in Richmond, New Hampshire, when over ninety years old, he continued to give weekly lectures on various topics, teach high school, head the Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies, and oversee the publishing apostolate of Saint Benedict Center.

On July 19, 2007, Brother Francis had his 94^th birthday. He is still healthy and mentally active, Deo Gratias!

Although our Order is of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Brother Francis is a Melkite Rite Catholic.

The Sisters' New IHM School Site

The Sisters and our school have a new web site:

http://ihm.catholicism.org

If you would like to understand our "school of thought," this site is very helpful.

The Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies: a Key to Understanding

Richmond residents interested in getting into the "mind" of Saint Benedict Center are invited to learn more about the Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies. This is our program for Catholic "adult education," by which we hope to form Apostles for the conversion of America. We quote a recent posting on our main web site:

Besides reading the fine articles available on this web site, what do you do to form your mind in a Catholic way? Here’s an idea: Join the Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies!

The Saint Augustine Institute is the educational division of the Crusade of Saint Benedict Center. Its purpose is to provide a well-rounded and conveniently simple course of instruction in Catholic thought.

The goal of the Institute is the formation of a large and ever growing body of well instructed lay apostles in the Church Militant who will become a mighty force for expelling the modernist heresy from within the Church, and for spreading the True Faith throughout the world, especially here in America.

To get started, consult these resources:

• The Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies Syllabus
• Books for required reading available at Store.Catholicism.org
• Finally, you can find a lot of high quality audios of lectures and courses offered by the Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic studies.

What are you waiting for?

Less Than a Week Away! The 2008 Blueberry Fiddle Festival!

The Crowd at the Festival, enjoying good music, food, and family fun!

Can’t afford to take the family to Disney World this summer? Come to the 6th annual Richmond Blueberry Fiddle Festival, Immaculate Heart of Mary School’s unique, old-fashioned family festival.

New this year is Friday’s Fish Fry & Contra Dance, Saturday’s Fiddle Contest (endorsed by the North American Fiddling Judges Association), and The Plunge or The Unforgettable Tale of Fates and Fiddles (an original New England melodrama).

Music includes performances by New Hampshire’s Austen Woods Duo (with their “thousands of vibrating strings” - www.sethausten.com) and Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand (New York State’s young, dynamic brothers - www.vfiddle.com), as well as other local talent. Enjoy the music while you savor a slice of homemade blueberry pie and cool off with ice cream from a local dairy.

Games, crafts, a car show, and other activities provide fun for all ages.

The festival is held at Cheshire Fairgrounds (Route 12, Swanzey, NH) on August 8-9: Friday 2-9pm, Saturday 9am-7pm. Admission is FREE; parking is a one-time $5.

For more information, visit blueberryfiddlefestival.com or call 603-239-6495.

Welcome, "Chronicle" Viewers!

If you came here as a result of seeing the "Chronicle" show on Thursday night, please refer to the following pages, in order to get to know us a bit better:

• Introductory links to Chronicle viewers, on the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary's main page.
• Refutations of some of the strange rumors circulated about us in Richmond. Most of our neighbors in town are very good to us. We try to be good neighbors to all. A few critics seem to have creative imaginations and lots of spare blogging time.
• Fatherfeeney.org is not associated with Father Feeney or the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary — The Chronicle web page linked to this strange web site run by a non-Catholic racist who has nothing to do with our apostolate.
• About Brother Francis, our ninety-four-year-old superior. A philosopher and poet from Lebanon.
  
• Brother André Marie's Theology Weblog may help you get a better picture of one who was interviewed in the program. (You can fast forward to his about me page.)
• Click here to see what a competent Canon Lawyer (Church law expert) thinks of whether or not we're Catholic. (You can read about this lawyer here.) As Mr. Vere shows, we're Catholic, no matter what others may say.
• Visit our conference web site, about our annual Summer Conference in Nashua.
• Finally, learn about our annual Festival, put on by our Sisters' Catholic school.
  

God bless you and thank you for the visit!

An Open Letter to Richmond Residents

Feast of Saint Dominic
August 4, 2007

[See also "False and Misleading Rumors."]


Dear Neighbors,


For a while now I have been wanting to address you regarding the controversy which has surrounded Saint Benedict Center’s plans to erect another building on our property. Recent events have reminded me that it is necessary to do this sooner rather than later.

With this letter I extend an olive branch to all our neighbors, whether you are in favor of our building project, against it, or are indifferent to it.

First, I would like to say that I’m very sorry that our attempt to build a 10,300-square-foot school and chapel has occasioned bad feelings in the community. This was certainly not our intention. We have lived at peace in this town for almost twenty years now and we intend to remain here in peace.

Nevertheless, there is something else at work. In an effort to oppose our project, some folks have tried to “stir the pot.” They have made very ugly and defamatory accusations regarding SBC and the families who worship here. Even friendly bystanders who do not practice our religion have been caught in the crossfire.

We are very sorry that some Richmond residents have had their peace disturbed, but we had no way of knowing that a handful of opponents would resort to these tactics.

The situation has escalated to the point that a nationally-known organization, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), has run an article on it in their publication, Intelligence Report. This article has been circulated around town. I have already responded to it on our web site (www.catholicism.org), but I will make some brief comments on it here.

The SPLC is well known for profiling organizations as “hate groups.” They started during the civil rights movement, by going after racist groups like the KKK and similar organizations. But then they moved on to other territory, making a lot of money in the process. As part of their multi-million-dollar annual business, they label many conservative, pro-family, and pro-American organizations as intolerant extremists. They very often create controversy where there is none, as when they portrayed the movie series, “The Lord of the Rings,” as racist propaganda. Americans on both the political left and the political right have questioned the SPLC’s credibility.

The story they ran on SBC included serious misquotations, non-factual statements, and untruthful rumors. A layman who comes to our chapel was accused of making the despicable statement that “Jews should be dealt with using ‘blood and terror if it’s required.’” This is a libelous claim. The vile quotation was fabricated.

The article also reported the unfounded rumor that people “heard the sound of automatic weapon fire at SBC on a regular basis.” SBC is a monastery, not a shooting range; we have no automatic weapons. This claim is untrue, as are numerous others calculated to make us look like a dangerous cult.

What got left out of the article is what we actually do in the community, like visiting the elderly in nursing homes, helping disabled neighbors with their firewood, sponsoring a Boy Scout troop, teaching children in our school, training altar boys to serve Mass, and entertaining people with wholesome, family fun at our annual festival. As a service to the community, we also typeset and helped publish two books on Richmond’s history: The Town in the Forest: Life Story of Richmond, New Hampshire, by Neith Boyce and The Only Mill in Town: The Story of the Pail-Making Industry in Richmond, New Hampshire, by Richard A Martin. We rendered these services for free.

Many of you have visited here and know us, or you know families who worship here. You know that these defamatory claims portray us in a very false light — as we were able to show in the detailed refutation on our web site. It is a terrible shame that outsiders based in Alabama, people who do not know us and who made no effort to interview us for their article, have attempted to stir up trouble in our small New Hampshire community.

That said, we bear no grudge against those who were quoted in the article. Neither do we hold it against people if they oppose our building project for one reason or another. Contrary to what the article claimed, we don’t want to chase people out of town. Rather, we want to remain your good neighbors. Here in Richmond, as everywhere else, there are bound to be disagreements of one kind or another; but that does not prevent us from being kind, civil, and neighborly to each other. And if we try to interest you in our Catholic religion, it is out of Christian charity, not out of hatred.

To those we haven’t met: We invite you to get to know us. Some folks may attempt to give this letter their own spin, causing doubt and confusion about who we are. This makes it even more helpful for you to get to know us personally. This year’s Blueberry Fiddle Festival would be a great opportunity for us to enjoy each others’ company. We hope to see you soon!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M.
Your neighbor, and the Prior of SBC

Way off Center: The Southern Poverty Law Center on St. Benedict Center

Well, by the grace of God, we must be doing something right. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) published an article on Saint Benedict Center in the Summer issue of their Intelligence Report. It turns out they don’t like us.

Yes, the liberal organization — which impugns our stance on “divorce, abortion, birth control, pornography, [and] sodomy” — has given us a sound thrashing. You see, to have strong views against such things makes us a “hate group” to their way of thinking. This, from an organization which calls conservative political commentator Pat Buchanan a “white nationalist” guilty of “selling racism.” Further, those who call for stronger control of immigration are tied in with “white supremacist” causes and “anti-immigration extremists” (even Alan Keyes?). But Christian men aren’t the only source of evil, for the Concerned Women for America, are in SPLC’s sights for their pro-family agenda, and David Horowitz advances “efforts to make bigoted and discredited ideas respectable.” You movie buffs will be surprised to learn that Gods and Generals is racist historical revisionism and that The Lord of the Rings advances the cause of “the White Patriarchy” (because its heroes are “manly men who are whiter than white”). And lastly, to utter the unholy name of perhaps the most nefarious goose-steppers of all, the Michigan State University Young Americans for Freedom, like us, were designated a “hate group.”

One may wonder why we don’t simply ignore this organization. The main reason is that they are very well endowed financially and therefore have the money to make their claims stick. Further, they have stirred up a bit of trouble for us locally.

We have published a refutation of the article’s claims: “The Trouble in Paradise is Trouble with the Truth.” Here, we present a summary of its inaccuracies. Included in the SPLC’s fictitious portrayal of our religious community are the following:

• A layman who comes to our chapel was accused of making the despicable statement that “Jews should be dealt with using ‘blood and terror if it’s required.’” This is false. The man said no such thing.
  
• “Rumors” that “SBC members have rifles equipped with night vision scopes” and that automatic weapons are fired at our monastery “on a regular basis.” are reported. These rumors, unverified by the journalist, are false.
  
• The claim is made that our religious community is “training in martial arts and weapons.” The unsubstantiated claim is false.
  
• The article states: “Some [residents] even fear that the Slaves really intend to draw children away from public schools in favor of their own, possibly crippling secular public schools by de-funding them in the process.” The fear is groundless and nothing is offered to prove it.
  
• One individual is cited claiming that “she feels that the SBC has begun to threaten her formerly idyllic way of life. At issue are both the beliefs and the practices of the SBC.... ” The implication is false. SBC has never threatened this person in any way.
  
• We were accused of trying to pressure non-SBC-affiliated residents out of town: “The [SBC’s] goal was to have people get wind of this expansion and then move out.” Not a single shred of proof offered to support this statement. It is a suspicion, and a false one at that.
  
• The article accuses us of “anti-Semitism,” which one SPLC spokesperson defined as “hating Jews.” The charge is false. Why do we bemoan the lack of serious effort to convert Jews to the Catholic Faith if we “hate” them? Among those Father Feeney was instrumental in bringing into the Catholic Church were over a dozen Jewish converts.
  
• The article states: “Increasingly, folks here are objecting to the SBC’s desire to outlaw divorce, abortion, birth control, pornography, sodomy, public education and even, some fear, government in general.” The notion that we “desire to outlaw government in general” is false, silly, and, not surprisingly, unproven.
  
• The article employs colorful words to portray us in a fanatical light. We are called “radical,” and “angry.” We “hotly denied” accusations against us in the press. Further, we employ “extremist rhetoric” and live in a “compound.” Such inflated rhetoric does not advance the cause of truth, but only bolsters the article’s false assertions.
  
• The article cited “concerns” about “the potability of wells on the SBC property. ” The “concerns” are baseless. Our drinking-water wells comply with the stringent standards of the NH DES , which monitors our systems through periodic testing.
  

When one advances the cause of the conversion of America to the Catholic Faith and the restoration of Catholic orthodoxy, he is asking for trouble. Groups like the SPLC are there to deliver. “In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

For a longer refutation of the SPLC’s recent article, see “The Trouble in Paradise is Trouble with the Truth.”

Our Desire to Convert America

Those associated with Saint Benedict Center make no secret of the fact that we want to convert America to the Catholic Faith. This, of course, includes Richmond. Somehow, the idea that we believe very strongly that ours is the true Church, outside of which nobody can be saved, when taken in tandem with our desire to convert people, has led some folks to conclude, wrongly, that we wish to force conversions, or would countenance violent means to convert people.

The assertion not only has no correspondence with our way of doing things; but it is a classical non-sequitur: The conclusion simply does not follow from the premises.

The traditional Catholic social teaching we embrace does not remotely resemble Moslem Sharia Law; neither is it a totalitarianism of any sort. Those interested in learning more about the kind of Catholic political thought we embrace are invited to consult the book Framework of a Christian State by Fr. E. Cahill, S. J.

Whenever, in the history of the Church, there were those who incorrectly sought to force conversions, the pope or the bishops generally were there to issue a reprimand. That’s not the Catholic way and its not our way. Even when it comes to dealing with outright, self-professed enemies of the Church, the Catholic way is to live in peace with them as much as possible, while seeking to protect the liberty of the Church and her children from any harm that the Church’s enemies may seek to do to them. This last part, protection of bodily welfare and civil rights, is the job of the state.

That said, it is also to be noted that seeking the conversion of one soul from error to truth is an act of charity, that is, of divine love.

On Libelous Claims Regarding Mr. Paul Melanson

In thy Resurrection Alleluia!

Let Heaven and earth rejoice, Alleluia!

It has come to our attention that someone is once again challenging the veracity of our public claims regarding Paul Melanson, his attendance here at Mass, and his application for admission in our religious Congregation. I would like to make it very clear that I stand by these statements, which I originally made on the TalkBack blog that the Keene Sentinel removed from its site. Someone recently informed me by email that I am being called a liar for making these claims. Such a charge is completely libelous.

Here is the reply I sent to that inquirer:

If Paul Melanson is really denying that he sought admission here as a brother, he is not telling the truth, plain and simple. (Of course, on line, especially on blogs, you can't know who is saying what, can you?) Several people here were aware of Paul's presence and were surprised at his subsequent criticism of us. The letters I spoke of on TalkBack [see below] are indeed here on file for anybody to see, as I said. In any fair tribunal, I could easily prove the veracity of my statements with documentary evidence and eyewitness accounts. Further, there is no inconsistency in my claims, as the "inexplicable rage" I referred to began shortly after his letter to me withdrawing his application. That letter was a little weird, but was written in a more balanced tone. [Note: someone had claimed that my reference to Paul’s rage was undone by my quote from his civil-sounding letter.]

The claim that the Center "may erupt in violence at any moment" is amateurish rhetoric gone wild. Whoever wrote it obviously doesn't know us. We've lived in peace here for 18 years, a record which speaks well for itself. Unless someone else plans a violent assault on us, there will be no violence here. This gentleman's claims are as comical as they are false. Of course, it's very sad that someone would lie about another's reputation. That's nothing to laugh about.

For the record, here is the original posting I made concerning Mr. Melanson. I emboldened a passage I consider particularly worthy of attention. Readers will note that I am making factual claims which require proof (proof which I have), and not merely making anonymous (or pseudonymous) claims I cannot substantiate.

This is my penultimate posting on the Sentinel’s blogs. My last message will soon follow. My present subject limited to the proof I have of Paul Melanson’s petition to join here as a brother. I quote from a letter that Paul Anthony Melanson sent me, dated May 2, 2004. This is the letter whereby he withdrew his application because I asked him to provide his honorable discharge from the United States Air Force (his DD 214), as he had promised.

On page two of that letter, we read this:

[Begin excerpt of Paul Anthony Melanson letter of May 2, 2004...]

“It would appear that it is not God’s Will for me to enter the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For this reason, would you be so kind as to return the documentation which I have provided you with? This would be greatly appreciated.

“I am sorry for all the inconvenience you may have been caused. It was my hope that since I was ready to take a leap of faith by entering Religious Life with no assurances as to the character and background of those I would be living with that I too would be given a certain amount of trust. It was not meant to be.

“Again, thank you for your consideration,

“God bless you Brother Andre

“Respectfully

[signed]

“Paul Anthony Melanson”

[...end excerpt of Paul Anthony Melanson letter of May 2, 2004]

Apparently I did send Paul his material back, as I cannot find it in our files. At the time, I would have seen no reason to keep it, since he withdrew his application. Mr. Vaste has asked for information about Paul’s letters of commendation, etc. Providentially, it turns out that page one of Paul’s May 2 letter has some pertinent information. Speaking of the documentation he earlier provided me with, Paul wrote this:

[Begin excerpt of Paul Anthony Melanson letter of May 2, 2004...]

“My performance evaluations were all straight 9’s , the highest possible evaluation one may receive in the Armed Forces. My letters of commendation from Colonel John G. Lorber, Commander of the 432 Tactical Fighter Wing, Colonel Mary F. Felts, Commander of the 3484 STUS/CC, Captain Ryan T. Whittaker, Commander of the 3484^th Student Squadron and most significantly, my letter of commendation from Lt. General Charles W. Dyke, Commanding Officer of US Army Forces in Japan, IX Corps, all point out the fact that my performance for the Air Force were [sic] very much above standard.”

[...end excerpt of Paul Anthony Melanson letter of May 2, 2004]

This letter is on file at the Center.

Also on file is Paul Anthony Melanson’s signed letter of petition, to Brother Francis, with his “request for acceptance into The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that I may test my vocation to follow the Lord more closely....” That letter, which I have just quoted, is dated April 14, 2004 (exactly 3 years ago today).

Anybody who would like to review these letters, original copies with Paul Anthony Melanson’s signature, may make an appointment with me. Also available are the letters I sent Paul and printed postings I put on Paul’s blog, postings which challenged his slanderous attacks against us. Paul removed my postings, but not before we printed hard copies.

I would not have bothered to name Paul Anthony Melanson, or dredge up any of this history, but he was named as some sort of expert and I thought his history with us should be noted. My words in his regard were then challenged and my honor questioned by people who assume I am a mendacious individual and my Order is suspicious. In his Introduction to a Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales points out that a man is entitled to his good name. A fortiori, a religious order is entitled to the same.

I suspect that this will not be sufficient for some would-be inquisitors. Fine. Say what you will. You are only limited by the low standards of the Keene Sentinel’s editorial staff. This is not a court or legal tribunal of any sort. There appear to be no rules here on the Great TalkBack Pseudoinquisition of 2007, where anybody with a Quixotic penchant for cyber-toasting others’ reputations can say anything he wants, even under an assumed name, from the comfort of his own living room. If this were a court (civil or ecclesiastical), competent lawyers would argue the case before a competent judge; evidence would be looked at; witnesses would be summoned; people would testify under oath, etc. In short, there would be responsibility and accountability according to real standards and perjury would be punished. I would be able to bring many witnesses and much evidence forth to prove the veracity of my statements. In the end, I would win.

Thank you for your consideration.

— Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M.