Last week on X, I called the attention of Joseph Shaw (President of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales) to some of the Talmud’s blasphemous content, after he inexplicably decided to defend the honor of that godless collection of anti-Christian slurs. At this, another user jumped in to condemn me for “spewing anti-Semitic garbage.”
Yawn.
These things are to be expected when one speaks the truth about the Jews, i.e., enduring slings and arrows from so-called Christian Zionists is the low cost of defending the Holy name of Jesus from the attacks of His enemies. (Hey, you can’t spell oxymoron without moron.)
Today, however, the situation reached a point that merits a response.
Specifically, I was accused once again – presumably by someone who viewed one of my recent podcast appearances – of being an anti-Semite. But that’s not all…
As some may have noticed, akaCatholic was taken offline this morning. Evidently, the url was flagged as “expired,” even though it was set to “auto renew.” Long story short, thankfully, I was able correct the situation (obviously, since you’re reading this).
Is it just coincidental that the blog was knocked offline when it was?
Maybe. Then again, I have noted in the past that my anti-spam software seems to thwart more attacks than usual in the days immediately following posts about those whom St. Paul called the “adversaries to all men.” (See 1 Thessalonians 2)
In any case, while I genuinely do not give even one hair on a rat’s backside whether or not anyone thinks I’m an anti-Semite, I offer the following, not so much in self-defense, but rather as a means of providing some potentially relevant context.
Like many others in Catholic media, I rarely comment on my family affairs, for the simple reason that they typically contribute little to the topics that I address in my work. Moreover, my family members, just like everyone else, deserve a certain amount of privacy. The fact that I have a public profile (modest though it may be) doesn’t mean that they must also have one.
Even so, here I will share some personal details about my family life that – although I’ve publicly acknowledged them in the past – are likely unknown to many of my newer readers and even to some of my current collaborators as well.
I am loathe to think that anyone might learn these details and perhaps imagine that I’d prefer they be hidden, or worse, that anyone may be scandalized.
With all of that said, I won’t go into laborious detail about my upbringing and the road that led me to this place. I will admit, however, that it’s a pretty good story, but only insofar as it stands as a testament to the Good Shepherd’s love for His lost sheep. It is available HERE for those interested and have not seen my presentation at the CMRI Angelus Conference in Oct. 2024.
In brief, I was raised in a lukewarm Novus Ordo Catholic [sic] family. I was an altar boy who attended 12 years of so-called “Catholic” school, after which I found it very easy to walk away from the Church as I knew it.
Like millions of others of my generation, I graduated high school without any knowledge whatsoever of the Most Holy Rosary, that the Blessed Sacrament is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, that Holy Mass is a true Sacrifice, that the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation, etc.
I was a very good student. That wasn’t the problem; the problem was that none of this was taught. None of it. As such, it should come as little surprise that we learned exactly nil regarding the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Fast forward a decade or so…
In my mid-twenties, I married a beautiful and kind (far kinder than me for sure) woman from a Jewish family who was a longtime friend of my older sister. Today, we have two wonderful daughters who are married to real men (thankfully!) and through whom God has blessed us with three magnificently precious granddaughters. Next month, my wife and I will celebrate our 37th anniversary.
What little I knew, or thought I knew, about contemporary Judaism (so-called) at the time of my marriage was the fruit of my schooling, i.e., it was based entirely upon the gravely erroneous treatment found in the same conciliar text that, today, I am committed to exposing for the poison that it is.
My mindset with regard to the disparity between what I thought of as my “Catholic” [sic] faith and that of my wife is that we worship the same God just differently. Well, needless to say, in time, I came to appreciate just how untrue that is.
Let’s fast forward again.
In 1996, the Good Shepherd deigned to seek me out and to point the way to the solitary Ark of Salvation, the Holy Catholic Church. I’ve been trying ever since, with His help, to walk that path and to remain therein.
Along the way (and not overnight, to say the least) I came to realize that my marriage was invalid, at which point I began the canonical process known as Sanatio in Radice in order to regularize my marriage. My wife, incidentally, was entirely on board (as is required by this process). In fact, she was truly heartbroken to know that I was abstaining from Communion due to the reality of our marriage.
My spiritual director at that time pulled no punches in letting me know what the Church required of me until such time as the process was complete. Thanks to the grace of God, I unhesitatingly agreed to comply for as long as it might take.
At this, I think I’ve shared quite enough and only wish to point out a couple of things.
First and foremost, while the defenders of Amoris Laetitia not infrequently accuse the Church (the real Church, that is) of being harsh and unforgiving with respect to marriage, the truth is that the Church, just like Our Lord, is abundantly merciful, making every attempt to heal whatever is possible within the framework of the Divine Law.
Secondly, and retuning now to the topic at hand, while the details that I just shared in no way guarantee as much, they do at least suggest that painting me as an anti-Semite is laughable in the extreme. I dare say that I know, and love, and have personally interacted with more self-identified Jews than the majority of today’s Catholic commentators combined, including those who toss the anti-Semite label around with impunity.
The actual reason why pinning the anti-Semitism charge on me (or any other faithful Catholic who shares views similar to my own) is laughable is simply because our Holy Catholic faith, the Divinely inspired Word of God in Sacred Scripture, and the witness of the holy popes, Saints, and Doctors of the Church can hardly be described as such.
Lastly, when I comment on the social, political, and religious attitudes of present day self-identified Jews, I’m neither theorizing nor spinning tales about imaginary boogeymen. While this doesn’t make me an expert, the fact remains that I have a breadth of experience that most other Catholic commentators do not. My hope is that I may somehow be able to leverage that experience in service to truth.
To them that love God all things work together unto good. (Romans 8:28)
So, there you have it… what a dear friend of mine would jokingly call my tale of woe. Please know that I have no intention of adding to what I’ve shared here. If this leads to a new series of insults and accusations, the moment I decide to give a hoot, I promise to let you know asap.