Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:02 Seek your therefore first, the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things. Should we add an unto you name of the father and the son of the Holy ghost? Amen. Uh, in a certain sense this morning, I'll be preaching to the choir. Not singling anyone out here. I started trying to write a sermon on a completely different topic, but this one came out. So that's what we'll go. We'll start this morning by considering a few anecdotes at incident on the first day of school some 20 years ago, it's one of those memories. It's a seared into my mind. The time I was teaching at a school, which emptied on an area of roughly 40 miles by 60 miles, and one of the most remote areas in lower 48, they're about 88 kids or so from K to 12 at lunchtime on this first day of school, the elementary school, lunch time, we could hear one, a little kindergarteners throwing an absolute conniption fit. Why was she so stirred up?
Speaker 0 00:01:02 Well, we couldn't exactly tell from the high school. So my class was over. I went, found out. It turned out she was screaming over and over and over again. We can't eat. If we ain't called grace, we can't eat. If we ain't called grace, we can't eat. If we called grey, she's just screaming. She's from a Godfrey family who said grace before they ate. And all of a sudden she found herself in while she found herself in a public school. And so the kindergarten teacher explained to me that in a nice grandmotherly sort of a way, she kept calling me telling the little girl it was all right. She could go ahead and eat without seeing grace until the girl finally calmed down.
Speaker 1 00:01:48 Hey,
Speaker 0 00:01:51 So what was the lesson that little God furring kindergarten country girl learned that day. Her very first day in school, She learned a really important lesson. You don't really have to say grace before you eat. Cause God really isn't that important That we actually need to stop and acknowledge him or thank him for his gifts. God really isn't that important on her very first day of school, that little Godfrey and country girl learned to not fear God, I have to admit. I learned a lot of important lessons that day, myself after all, I'm a product of the Montana public schools from kindergarten through grad school. Even before that happened, I'd tell my students that if by some chance I were to get married and have a family that was exactly 0% chance that my kids would ever dark and opposed to a classroom. But that day I suddenly realized for the first time what the stakes really were. I suddenly realized not in some abstract theoretical kind of way, but by experience how the devil can appear in the most soothing guises. And I'm not saying the kindergarten teacher was being deliberately malicious, but I realized how the devil could appear so soothing, how the devil could actually stand behind entire institutions. And the first time the curtain lifted up a little bit and the actual reality of public school and what we were doing, what I was doing. And people like me,
Speaker 0 00:03:36 What we were collectively doing was souls, immortal souls. Suddenly I started to realize that it came into focus. Hadn't yet read the council of Trent, read your quote quote without the all powerful and special protection of God. It is not possible for young people to become perfect and to persevere and good. If they have not been formed to piety and religion from their earliest years before vicious habits take possession of them, close quote, I can keep going for hours. I've done a lot of thinking since that day, when a little country girl threw a fit, we'll stop right there with it. Anecdotes. I just learned that on the birthday of our lady, this coming Tuesday, mr. Obama is going to be speaking to every public school kid. This man who supports a baby killing and every kind of perversion under the sun. He's a spokesman for the abortion industry for nay REL representative of the feminists.
Speaker 0 00:04:48 Everything from the feminist to the perverts who invited him, is he going to check in at the office, did all the parents in America get little permission, slips to sign. So little Joey or little Susie could go to this assembly who invited him? What is this mentioned this months ago, it's worth repeating an Exorcist who works in both Europe and the U S has been warning people not to listen to Mr. Obama or even to look at him in now we see this mysterious person inserting himself between the parents and their children in a fashion. That seems like something out of a George Orwell novel, or maybe a scene out of triumph of the will, who invited him.
Speaker 1 00:05:35 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 00:05:40 Not all of that. And a whole lot more was rolling around in my head when I saw today's epistle. But even before we turn to that, if you have children in school, you must keep them home on Tuesday. Do not let this person speak pure children. I'm serious. As a heart attack, do not let this person speak to your children. Keep them home. Here's an excerpt from today's epistle, which is taken from the fifth chapter of st. Paul's editor, Galatians st. Paul quote, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Now the works of flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty luxury, idolatry, witchcraft, and Matisse, contentions, jealousies, anger, quarrels, dissensions sex, envies murders, drunkenness, carousing, and such like of the, which I tell you, as I have for told you that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God.
Speaker 0 00:06:49 But the fruit of the spirit is charity. Joy, peace, patience, but entity, goodness long Inuit te mildness faith, modesty, continence se chastity against such. There is no law and they that are Christ have crucified their flesh with devices. You can Coupa senses close quote, inspired inerrant, word of God. Okay. So st. Paul has two lists. Two kinds of behavior is guys the work of the flesh and the work of the spirit, the Holy spirit by the fruits of the spirit. It means actions that are done by men. They're guided by the Holy spirit by works of flesh. He means actually men that are not guided by the Holy spirit. Remember there are two possibilities. If you're not guided by the Holy spirit, got it. By the fond human spirit. It's one possibility we've got about evil spirits. That's other possibility in any event, the final results end up the same. Okay. Now let's just ask ourselves which spirit is at work in our public schools. What are students learning? Things like charity, joy, peace, faith, modesty, purity, and chastity. What are they learning? Things like fornication, uncleanness, immodesty impurity, idolatry, witchcraft, drunkenness, crossings, and such lie, which is it.
Speaker 0 00:08:31 You don't need me to tell you the spirit at work in our public schools. Isn't the Holy spirit do ya? I don't know whether the person occupying the white house is going to be prod casting into the official Dawson Catholic schools or not, but we shouldn't really have any illusions about those either. Although there are some exceptional teachers that's true. The public schools to the Catholic schools as a system, the official Catholic school system in these United States of America is an absolute catastrophe. And that's nothing new couple anecdotes here. Last month I spoke to a friend. I got her permission to tell you this. Originally from the twin cities born in 1958, went to Catholic elementary school in a Catholic girl's high school and college, both run by the sisters of Saint Joseph, Karen delay, not to mention the order. And then she was a Catholic school teacher. Okay. Regular church goer, a hundred percent Catholic schooling from K to college graduation works as a teacher in the Catholic school systems, all that Catholic education, regular church goer. She was in her thirties before she knew anything about the real presence
Speaker 0 00:09:46 That unbelievably enough is not that unusual. You can't believe how many times I've heard that same basic sort of story from people who have had a Catholic education she's in her fifties. It's been going on awhile. I've already told you about the group of seniors from one of the fancier Catholic schools around here for theology class assignment interviewed me about vocations, the priesthood and religious life. So after the interview, I asked them a few questions. They ended up getting the notes, kind of out of joint. When I told them they weren't ready to make their first communion. And I certainly wouldn't give it to him. And I met it. And then I called up their teacher and told him as much as well, bottom line. If you have children in school, you have to keep home. Tuesday, have to, you gotta protect him from this parent. Who's trying to insert himself between you and your children. He's trying to use syrup. Your God, given authority, do not let this strange man speak your children already sampling from one of the pulps at present
Speaker 0 00:10:56 The rights and duties of Catholic parents as regards to education, the children and trusted to them by God are being attacked in incredibly evil manner. When it is sought with an anti Christian education to profane the Tabernacles of children's souls, sanctified by baptism than it is the duty of every professing Christian to separate clearly from the other side, as well as to keep his conscience clear of any culpable cooperation and such dreadful work and corruption, the more the enemy attempts to deny or disguise his shameful claims, the more necessary it is to adopt an attitude of mistrust and suspicious vigilance encouraged by bitter experience. The final preservation of religious instruction, especially when controlled and shackled by incompetent people and the atmosphere, a school which worked systematically and invidiously against religion can never be a justification for believing Christian to give us free approval to such a school that aims at destroying religion, close quote, Holy father. It sounds just like the Pope is writing to us here. Now kind of gives me the creeps to read those excerpts from then sickle with burning heart is, although it sounds as if the Holy father is addressing our own beloved country and times he's actually writing to Nazi Germany.
Speaker 0 00:12:26 I recognize that everyone's situation is different. A lot of people are really struggling. I don't speak just to our people here, but anybody that might listen on the tapes or audio Sancta, we want to invite anyone who has children in public or official Catholic school to certainly pray and reflect on the situation. I concerns with the salvation souls and not singling anyone out the same time on invite the parents, to whom God has given the grace to avoid having to place your children set situations, to be filled with humility and Thanksgiving before God for such a totally undeserved gift to pray that others receive that grace and don't puff yourself up or jump to conclusions about other families. Other situations we're trying to become Holy here not become a first team, all conference foresty, Pharisees, alright, we put it like this. If parents had to travel a foot with their children, the back country around Yellowstone, once they take every precaution to protect them from dangers, mountain rivers, sudden snow storms, cliffs, Buffalo, mountain lions, wolves, black bears, and Grizzlies. Well, they take every precaution. Of course they would.
Speaker 0 00:13:41 So given that our schools are not guided by the Holy spirit, which means ultimately they're guided by evil spirits. Here's three considerations. One what precautions explicit precautions to the parents who have their kids in such situations. Are you taking to protect your children from this morally poison SAS atmosphere? What precautions are you taking? Pope Leo, the 13th quote by nature. Parents have a right to the training of their children. But with this added duty that the education instruction child being a chord with the end, for which by God's blessing, it was begun. Therefore it is the duty of parents to make every effort to prevent any invasion of their rights in this matter. And to make absolutely sure that the education of children remain under their own control in keeping with their Christian duty and above all to refuse to send them to those schools in which there's a danger. If imbibing deadly poison of impiety, Oh, his quote obviously recognized in some situations, in some families, there may actually be insurmountable obstacles, legal, or otherwise, real obstacles, true removing children from these kinds of schools in these cases, then we must not lose hope because God never binds anyone to the truly impossible. So granting those particular situations. Let's set those aside. Consider the second question. How explicitly diabolical would have to get before good Catholics who actually have other options. Yeah. Take their children out of these kind of schools.
Speaker 0 00:15:23 Speaking to these parents. Why do you think the present occupant of the white house wants to speak to your children? What's really at stake here. Please. Don't wait for leadership from those of us were callers on the bishops and the priests. It's been over 40 years since the Pope came out with Humana Vitay and our bishops and priests is a group still. Haven't been able to coherently condemn the use of contraception 40 years in County Pius, the 11th quote, Catholic parents keep this in mind. No earthly power can release you from the divine responsibility, which unites you to your children. No one will be able to apply for you to God almighty. When he asks, where are those whom I have trusted to you? That each one of you be able to reply. I've not lost any of those whom you haven't trusted to me. Close quote, Third and last consideration. It's for all of us. Are we praying? Are we praying? Are we really praying for the children who for whatever reason, find themselves in bad schools? The reason we have the faith is because it was handed down to us by the previous generations. It's our obligation to try to hand it on to the next. Are we praying? Are we praying for the next generation? Someone has to pray. Someone has to pay the price. I'm positive. It wasn't just my parents.
Speaker 1 00:17:09 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 00:17:19 No it's price for me. Oh, it pan for families. Are we praying for the children?
Speaker 1 00:17:33 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 00:17:37 Are we praying? Seek ye first, the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be added on to you.
