TIA,

Thank you for your touching reports on the recent horrendous violent attacks on Catholics in Orissa (The Fruits of Ecumenism in India).

I was shocked also to see that the Vatican did the very least possible it might do regarding such a horrible attack. In a statement, it said the "Holy See expresses reprehension for these actions which harm the dignity and the freedom of people and compromise peaceful civilian coexistence." Nonetheless, the headline to story read, "Vatican condemns Orissa orphanage attack."

Well, that was hardly a condemnation.

Later, in a private interview, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran of France called the attack "a sin against God and humanity." I don't know how anyone who sees the picture of the charred burned body of the nurse who was set on fire at the orphanage by Hindu extremists and not agree entirely. Still, a "spokesperson" from the Vatican embassy couldn't enter the picture quickly enough to say "No comment" on Tauran's comment.

Nonetheless, in face of this mild response of the Vatican and personal remark of the Cardinal, the Indian government responded with indignation to what it called blatant "interference." Delhi officials sent a message to its Vatican representative Archbishop Quintana telling him that this was "an internal law and order situation" and the Indian democratic institutions and government could deal with it without any help from Rome, thank you.

Here is, in my opinion, another demonstration of the failed policy of ecumenism. The Church again is slapped in the face for her mild reproof. Only the false religions and their supporting States are allowed the liberty of expressing indignation.

Instead of bending over backward to please, I would like to see the Church stand up strongly to defend her rights. Since she is criticized no matter what she does, let her take the right path like she used to in the past. Let her criticize to the world in robust terms the persecutions being made against Catholics in Hindu and Muslim countries.

Enough of bowing to the insolence of persecutors of Catholic truth. Enough of relying on frail hopes and pipe dreams. In the truth, let us live and die.

     R.L.K.

Dear TIA,

It was heartbreaking to read your article on Ecumenism in India.

Nothing seems to move the hearts of even the few validly ordained priests as shown in the picture. A nun is at the extreme left. How brazenly they break the 1st Commandment of God regularly.



     United in prayer,

     A.S., from India

Dear TIA,

Thank you very much for writing on the situation here!

May God bless you all,

N.C., from India

Dear TIA,

I enjoyed you article The Harmonious Relations between Nobles and Monks as I enjoy your website daily. I did have a question about the illustration though.

Why does it appear that the page boy is bringing a large roast to the Monks? My understanding is that the Rule of Saint Benedict proscribed the flesh of four footed animals, so most Monks of the Middle Ages would have passed on roasts. Am I wrong?

     K.C.


TIA responds:

Dear K.C.,

Thank you for your support.

You are correct in noting that the Rule of St. Benedict forbade to eat the flesh of guadrupeds, except in cases of weakness or illness.

Monasteries in the early Middle Ages generally abstained entirely from meat. However, from the 12th century on, as monasteries grew and proliferated, these practices differed in various houses and orders. Even in houses where the monks observed abstinence, meat was also often served to visitors at the Abbot's table.

Further, many of the heads of important monasteries were expected to entertain royal and noble guests. Such a role required meals including meat and other foods forbidden in the cloister. It would seem the picture we used in our article was representing one of these monasteries.

In the 13th century, reformed orders like the Cirsterians and Carthusians did re-institute strict adherance to the fish and vegetarian diet.

This is as much as we can say without special research on the topic, for which, unfortunately, we do not have the time at this moment.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

TIA,

You are doing some really special work, please keep it up.

The article depicting inculturation into the N.O. Mass is eye-opening and hopefully it strikes a sense of outrage (holy) in those who see it.

Unfortunately, not only here, in places like India and Africa is the failure of the new liturgy and full brunt of inculturation realized. The result being a Hinduization and Paganization of the Mass and Roman Catholic Faith.

     S.M.

Dear TIA,

I have read several articles by Dr. Horvat and Mr. Guimaraes. For example, the rules on letters, funeral etiquette, and comportment. Excellent. Also, regarding the Eyes and Gaze, it confirmed the conclusion I came to in the last 15 years, it is important to look well at the eyes of a person.

I have written down some of the books and tapes I hope to purchase from your very well constructed website by my next payday.

     Sincerely,

     C.J.F.

Greetings,

I have read your essay on Belloc's account of the French Revolution and I am appalled that Belloc even had these thoughts, let alone written a book. I had enjoyed his book How the Reformation Happened and must now disregard his account as suspicious.

However, I have a question about his associates Chesterton and Tolkien, are they tainted in the same way by Modernism? I believe they also were in the Distributism movement with Eric Gill, is this a case of catching fleas when lying with the dog??

I look forward to any answer I may receive.

     In Christ and Mary,

     D.D.


TIA responds:

Dear D.D.,

It is really amazing the amount of disinformation presented to American traditionalists about some leaders of the past who were, in fact, Liberals, as is the case of Hillaire Belloc, or pre-Modernists, as is the case of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

Regarding Chesterton and Tolkien, we forwarded your question to Mr. Odou who is studying the topic of Distributism. He has recently written a series on Belloc, as you know, and we believe he still has more to expose on his erroneous thinking.

We know that Chesterton is also on the list of distributist leaders he plans to analyze. It doesn't seem that Chesterton caught his fleas only from being close friends with Fr. John O'Connor, Fr. Vincent McNabb, Eric Gill and others distributists; he had his own batch of large, fat fleas... However, we never heard that Tolkien was associated with that movement.

This is what we can advance to you until a more expert opinion comes forth.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

TIA,

I stumbled onto your Website and have been reading through it with horrified fascination for the past couple of hours. Honey, calm down, take a couple of Valium so you won't have to stay up at night finding sillier and sillier things to drive you into yet another hissy fit about nothing.

Psst, I've seen pictures of your precious Belgian Princess, who practices Catholic charity while taking a bouquet from a scared little boy, wearing pants. And how would you react if any Protestant royal is gracious to a scared little kid? Does it count if you're not Catholic?

You seem to long for the Middle Ages, not as they really were, but as you wish them to be. Join the Society for Creative Anacronism - the women all wear long skirts, and some of the people have noble rank and there's even a king and queen for you to curtsey to. And you meet on weekends at places where there is modern sanitation and play act to your heart's content.

I've seen websites about canonizing Queen Isabella, the notorious anti-Semite - but attempts to canonize Marie Antoinette are wackier still. Marie Antoinette was an empty headed flirt with no more money sense than an average cat, but to canonize her?

I believe firmly in Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, and the American Enlightenment (the first secular ideology btw) ideas so similar to it. I want to live in a republic, not a monarchy, even a constitutional monarchy. And I certainly don't want to live in a theocracy where the choice for both of us would be a husband or a wall.

Because of that nasty old Enlightenment we both have the power of free speech, and if anyone tries to censor your wacko website, let me know because I'm a First Amendment absolutist.

     Sincerely,

     L.F.

PS - Weren't the women athletes great during this past Olympics? I particularly enjoyed the gymnasts and the Women's basketball team. Would it make you happier if the female equestrians rode sidesaddle or didn't ride at all?

Dear Sirs,

I wanted to drop you a line to thank you for your clear-minded Catholic website. I turn to you every day for insight into the actions of the present Catholic Pope and Hierarchy, as well as for education in the true Faith. You helped me find the truth, as I came to Catholicism from Protestantism and initially did not understand why, if the Novus Ordo, which was all I knew at the outset, seemed less Christian than some of the "Bible churches" in my town. You helped me be sure that the Novus Ordo Missae is a desecration of true worship, and you give me the strength to be alone much of the time, rather than join in the paganistic worship in nearby Catholic churches. I try to make the 3-hour drive to a traditional Latin Mass whenever I can.

I also want to thank Our Lady of Good Success for several favors. I learned of her through you. Having been a sufferer of chronic, severe neck and back pain for over five years, and nearly suicidal with despair a year ago, I prayed a novena to her, asking for her help with my needs, spiritual and then physical.

Not one month later, I discovered by "chance" a doctor in Baltimore, (over two hours from my home), finding him by a search of pain centers on the Internet. I knew as soon as I saw his photo that he was someone I could trust. To make a long story short, his influence and care turned my life around. God, working through Our Lady and this beautiful man, saw fit to remove a good deal of my pain, and to help me adapt to what still remains. I know this was a gift to me, through Our Lady's intercession. I have consecrated myself to her, and though I am a very poor servant, I offer her all of my pain.

She also helped me through a very risky and painful dental procedure, though that happened earlier and before I really knew much about her. As a result of that intercession, I started to read about her, having ordered your books about her. It's another long story but I saw her hand in that too.

I just wanted to thank you for all the good you have done. May Our Lord and Our Lady always be with you.

     K.M.

Dear TIA,

I read Dr. Remi's The Great St. Joseph book last weekend. It was absolutely beautiful. It has inspired me to read Mary of Agreda, maybe a little section each night.

I'd like to order 10 copies of the St. Joseph book for gifts. I need one as early as September 24th.

     In Jesu et Maria,

     J.M.

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