Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Declares 2018 to be the Year of the Families

Prime Minister Viktor Orban giving his speech during the Budapest Family Summit. Photo: About Hungary Blog/PM Orbán at World Congress of Families XI summit: 2018 will be the year for families

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared 2018, to be the "Year of the Families"; a declaration made on May 25, during his opening speech at the Budapest Family Summit.

It is a declaration that not only spotlights a nation's strength relies on its people—and fundamental to that is the family, the primary cell of society—but also seeks to address the declining birth rate experienced by many countries in Europe (including Hungary) with real and immediate solutions that will help families have more children.

The World Congress of Families (WCF) and the International Organization for the Family (IOF) chose Hungary for the second time to host this summit—whose theme was “Building Family-Friendly Nations: Making Families Great Again”—because Hungary, as the WCF Managing Director Larry Jacobs put it, "...[H]as demonstrated its strategic leadership as an advocate for the natural family in Europe." Here is what the WCF also published about why they chose Hungary:

Hungary’s leadership in defense of family, life, and Christianity is well known in Europe. The adoption of key provisions in the Hungarian Constitution in 2011 defining marriage between a man and a woman and protecting human life from conception to natural death have made the Orban government the hero of pro-family and pro-life leaders from all over the world. Hungary’s leadership is fully committed to family friendly governance and has recently launched a new national motto, 'Hungary, the Family Friendly Country.'

In Hungary's constitution, The Fundamental Law of Hungary, there are four provisions that specifically point to the truth and accuracy of Jacobs' statements. The first is contained within the National Avowal, which states, "We hold that the family and the nation constitute the principal framework of our coexistence, and that our fundamental cohesive values are fidelity, faith and love." (2)

The second is located at FOUNDATION Article L, "(1) Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman established by voluntary decision, and the family as the basis of the survival of the nation. Family ties shall be based on marriage and/or the relationship between parents and children."

The third is under FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY Article II, "Human dignity shall be inviolable. Every human being shall have the right to life and human dignity; the life of the foetus shall be protected from the moment of conception."

The fourth is at FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY Article XV, "(5) By means of separate measures, Hungary shall protect families, children, women, the elderly and persons living with disabilities."

Hungary's constitution is impressive; reading it is time well spent. For those interested in knowing more about it, consider my post of December 2016, Viktor Orbán: A True Leader of and for the People of Hungary and Hungary's Constitution The Fundamental Law of Hungary.

It comes as no surprise that Hungary was chosen to host this summit; part of the goal of this summit, as stated on the WCF website, was to "...[S]trengthen our existing international network and help launch a new global profamily alliance of countries dedicated to defending marriage, the family and the sanctity of human life.”

Since Orbán and the party he leads, the Fidesz Party, was elected in 2010, the government has spent 9.7 billion EUR in support of families. Debt relief, child support, family housing incentives, support for household modernization are just some of the latest measures put into place to help families.

It is part of a demographic battle that Orbán is fighting—an approach that seeks to strengthen families from within Hungary rather than rely on the false solution of immigration—knowing full well that strong families will create a strong, competitive, and prosperous Hungary for current and future generations.

The family is at the center of Orbán's vision of the future! It is Orbán's firm belief that protecting families, no matter what the costs, is essential.

Orbán certainly articulated that very belief during his speech at the Budapest Family Summit (World Congress of Families XI); a speech worth reading to not only better understand the importance of the family, but to capture the strength and intelligence of Orbán's leadership.

A safe society is a fundamental component of any government's plan to protect families, which Orbán highlighted in the first part of his speech, when referring to Brussels' so-called "refugee" resettlement scheme and the migrant crisis that it created.

Hungary's southern border fences along the Hungarian-Serbian border. Photo: About Hungary Blog/Hungary’s southern border fence has been protecting the frontier of Europe for two years

Orbán responded to that threat with the building of two border fences along the border with Serbia, as well as establishing border-hunters (specially trained border guards), who form part of a security force: modern-day border-fort garrisons, police officers, and the defence forces.

Not only has Orbán brought the Balkan-migrant route—of which Hungary is an extension—to a complete halt, but he has enabled Hungarians to live in a peaceful and safe society; and in the process, has inspired confidence in young people to have families, secure in the knowledge that throughout Hungary will echo the "Happy cries of children rather than sirens from police cars and ambulances."

Today, Hungary is one of the safest countries in Europe!

The danger for Hungary and Europe is not over as Orbán pointed out, "It is only a matter of time and political expedience before millions of people who are ready to set out are once again channelled in our direction." (1) The coalition of human rights activists and people smugglers continue to work to send waves of migrants—mostly men in their prime—in the direction of Europe.

Recent developments prove Orbán to be absolutely correct as has been reported by Government Spokesman Zoltán Kovács in his latest blog post, European Parliament speeds up realization of the Soros plan.

In that post, Kovács spotlights the proposal made by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) for a limitless resettlement quota scheme, that coupled with what he described as a "Hungary-bashing report," points to a pro-immigration agenda that will attempt to strong-arm any member that refuses to cooperate.

Hungarian youth and traditional dancing at the Budapest Family Summit. Photo: Daily News Hungary/INTERNATIONAL FAMILY SUMMIT – ORBÁN: GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE FAMILY TAX BENEFITS

One of the most salient points in the speech that Orbán so candidly spoke of, is the declining birth rate among European countries, including Hungary. He went on to state that, "...The time for straight talking has come. Europe, our common homeland, is losing out in the population competition between great civilisations. Fewer and fewer marriages are producing fewer and fewer children, and the population is therefore ageing and declining." (2)

There are two views on how to solve this problem. The first sees immigration as the answer, while the other view taken by Central Europe (including Hungary) is that they must solve the demographic problem by relying on their own resources; a truth that Orbán stated must be acknowledged through a spiritual renewal.

To put the declining birth rate in Hungary into perspective, Orbán cited from national statistics on Hungary's population in 1980, when the population was at 10,709,000 people; by 2017, that figure dropped to 9,799,000. It is a dramatic drop in population—a loss of almost 1 million people—which as Orbán pointed out, "...[I]s more than all the casualties we sustained in World War II." (2) 

So important is the need to address the declining birth rate that Orbán refers to the restoration of natural reproduction not only as a national cause, but "the national cause."

Orbán's goal is to raise the birth rate to 2.1% by 2030, which will require responsible family policies that must be pursued for decades, over the course of several governments. Orbán considers this to be the first precondition for the population turnaround.

The second precondition is a powerful financial engine, "A competitive model that is full of energy." Elaborating further on this Orbán stated that any major political, social and intellectual turnaround always requires financial resources:

As far as we Hungarians are concerned, I can tell you that here economic growth is in a range between three and five per cent. This is the magical GDP growth. Government debt is declining and unemployment is coming to an end. Because our economic policy has been successful, the next target of our general and economic policy is to promote the number of children being born. It is to this that we’ve adjusted our fiscal system, it is to this that we’ve adjusted our housing support system; and our work-based economic system – with which we shall soon reach full employment – also serves this purpose. (3)

The third precondition for a successful demographic turnaround is for Europe to be in "good shape"; that is, each country's economic plan has to include support for the family. So important is this that Orbán stated, "If as a unit of community the family does not occupy first place in the hearts of young people, however, economic strength and excellent national economy figures are in vain: we cannot achieve anything." (3) Hungary spends 4.6% of GDP on family support.

Orbán acknowledged the simple truth that it is essential to pursue a policy that removes obstacles from the path of young people if more children are to be born. It was in the spirit of this truth, that he declared 2018, as the "Year of the Families." 

Accompanying that declaration is an action plan that will help to ensure young people are financially supported and encouraged to have more children. There is no better way to understand that action plan than to read it from Orbán's own words:

We’ve decided to further raise the rates of family tax allowances, and to place families with two children at the centre of this, as they represent the largest section in Hungary. And I’ve learnt that where there is room for two, there is also room for three – or even four. Braver families may even find room for five. For young women with two children and student loans, the Government will cancel fifty per cent of their debt, and for those with three or more children one hundred per cent of the student loan debt will be cancelled. For graduates we shall extend the term of maternity leave by a year, and for university students it is extended until the child reaches the age of two. Hungarians 3/4 understand the meaning of this family policy measure. “My home is my castle”: this is how the Hungarians think, and this is another reason why it is difficult to adopt a good policy here. We have decided that families with mortgages can have one million forints written off their debt if they have three children, and one million forints will be written off for each further child, with the state bearing the burden. Finally, we shall embark on infant day care developments on an unprecedented scale. We are going to build infant day care centres everywhere families live, and we shall renovate existing infant day care centres wherever necessary. We are also opening up our family support system – although cautiously – to fellow Hungarians who live outside the borders As a result, from next year they may also be eligible for maternity support after the birth of children, and baby bonds will be available across the entire Carpathian Basin. (4)

If that wasn't impressive enough, Orbán also announced the establishment of a research institute that will serve to better Hungary's spiritual and intellectual competitiveness, and good policy planning. The institute will become an international think tank that will, as Orbán put it, "...[P]rovide sufficient knowledge and intellectual munition to help and support families, laying the philosophical foundations for our family policy, and enabling accurate understanding of the situation in Europe and the world." (4)

Using the analogy of a ship sailing into the wind Orbán pointed out that obstacles do exist, but no matter what those obstacles are, with perseverance, courage and the backing of like-minded allies, together Hungary and Europe, just like a ship that knows what port it is aiming for, will reach its destination.

The brave, responsible, and intelligent leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has proven itself for seven straight years, and there is every reason to believe that Hungary's progress and growth will continue for many years to come: the Hungarian model is working and it shows!

Such is the kind of leadership that other countries should be seeking if they are serious about: a major demographic turnaround; protecting and strengthening the family; securing their borders; and guarding against all threats to their Christian identity, heritage, and culture.

God bless Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for continuing to demonstrate the kind of leadership that is so desperately needed in many countries in Europe, in Canada, and throughout the world.

May 2018, be a great year for the families!

The Global Sexual Revolution: Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom

Gabriele Kuby's book, which can be
ordered at Amazon.com

If you are somewhat intrigued by the title of today's blog post, it borrows from a book of the same title, written by Gabriele Kuby, a German Catholic sociologist, international speaker and successful author of several books on spiritual and political issues.

Originally published in German in 2012, the English translation was made available in 2015. Being well acquainted with Kuby's work, and having read her articles on the Harry Potter occult controversy—which greatly aided my own occult awareness efforts—it wasn't long before I purchased my own copy.

I was pleased to discover that, just as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had publicly acknowledged and supported Kuby's effort on Harry Potter, he did likewise for this book. Kuby published his praise, giving it priority placement at the back cover of the book.

In the Praise for The Global Sexual Revolution section, Kuby includes several other praises as part of an impressive list of individuals: Robert P. George, Princeton University; Austin Ruse, President, Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam), Michael D. O'Brien, Canadian author of Elijah in Jerusalem and The Island of the World; Patrick F. Fagan, Director, Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI); and Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, Cardinal Deacon, S. Maria Liberatrice a Monte Testiccio, Rome. Here is what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote about Kuby's "courageous work," and the global sexual revolution:

The core of the global sexual revolution is the deliberate confusion of sexual norms. It is the culmination of a metaphysical revolution as well—a shifting of the fundamental ground upon which we stand and build a culture, even a civilization. Instead of desire being subjected to natural, social, moral, and transcendent orders, the identity of man and woman is dissolved, and free rein given to the maximum fulfillment of polymorphous urges, with no ultimate purpose or meaning. Gabriele Kuby surveys gender ideology and LGBT demands, the devastating effects of pornography and sex-education, attacks on freedom of speech and religion, the corruption of language, and much more. From the movement's trailblazers to the post-Obergefell landscape, she documents in meticulous detail how the tentacles of a building totalitarian regime are slowly gripping the world in an insidious stranglehold. Here on full display are the re-education techniques of the new permanent revolution, which has migrated from politics and economics to sex. Kuby's courageous work is a call to action for all well-meaning people to redouble their efforts to preserve freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and in particular the freedom of parents to educate their children according to their own beliefs, so that the family may endure as the foundation upon which any healthy society is built.

If you have ever placed any thought as to what has happened in our time; that is, why society has changed so much, and so quickly, Kuby's book is sure to satisfy your thirst for answers. It doesn't take much reflection to identify the negative changes we have experienced in the past few decades: the deregulation of sexual norms; the legalization and imposition of "same-sex marriage;" the recognition (a manipulative use of language that includes replacing "sex" with "gender") by governments, organizations, and professional associations of a host of "genders," which is a complete disconnect with the reality of the human person's sex, either as male or female; the increased judicial activism that ignores these and other truths (the Supreme Court of Canada's Carter ruling is a prime example); the sexualization of children from kindergarten to the end of high school; the many different attacks on the family, the primary cell of society, as well as to the value and inviolability of human life such as abortion (including the new method of abortion, RU-486), contraception, euthanasia and assisted suicide; the availability of pornography and pornovision; the attacks against freedom of speech, conscience rights and religious liberty, is a list that is by no means meant to be exhaustive. 

We are contemporaries of a "cultural revolution!" Yes, there is a global culture war being waged—one that has been going on for quite some time—by an extremely small minority of people, funded and aided by billionaires and international corporations, who have forged alliances with several groups that today have become powerful lobbyists influencing the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), and governments. This has negatively impacted the family, population and economic growth, and has resulted in the distortion and dissolution of morality and ethics—especially amongst the youth—with regard to the human person and sexuality. In the Preface, Kuby identifies all this as the "global sexual revolution," and describes it as follows:

• Destruction of the inherited value systems of all cultures and religions.
• Support for the revolutionary agenda by the international political elites.
• Totalitarian endeavours, as seen in the program set forth in the Yogyakarta Principles.
• Concrete imposition of gender ideology on society to the point of politically motivated changes to the language.
• The pornographic epidemic, from which children and youth can no longer be protected.
• The homosexual movement as the activist engine that drives this revolution.

Kuby has organized her book into sixteen chapters, which ends with her conclusion that the global sexual revolution is leading us on a slippery slope to a new totalitarianism, a new world order. It won't take long for anyone who has read this book to come to the same conclusion. 

In her first chapter, The Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom, Kuby provides the reader with a brief explanation of the global sexual revolution, the "astonishing process" that brought it about in society, and what has resulted today.

Kuby then goes on to provide the historical context of the revolution's beginnings, in chapter two's, Trailblazers of the Sexual Revolution from the French Revolution to Today. In this chapter, she lists many well known thinkers and other individuals who contributed philosophical and psychological ideas, cultural revolutionary expertise, and culture-altering works of effort including: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, August Comte, Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, C.G. Jung, John Watson, Wilhelm Reich, Alfred Kinsey, Jack Kerouac, just to name a few. 

In the same chapter, Kuby also dedicates a section to Margaret Sanger (founder of the American Birth Control League), who was instrumental in the eugenics movement; a movement that was dedicated to population control and elimination of "undesirable" elements of the population. Kuby also includes other key points to consider, such as the 1960s student rebellions that together with the media brought the message of "sexual liberation" to every living room and most bedrooms.

As for the remaining chapters, here is just some of what Kuby writes about: the feminist beginnings of gender ideology in chapter three; how the United Nations helped the global sexual revolution is detailed in chapter four; chapter five's, Yogyakarta Principles, a manual for implementing gender ideology (free choice of gender, sexual orientation, and identity) which includes a 200-page handbook for political action, An Activist's Guide to the Yogyakarta Principles; chapter six, The European Union on the Gender Bandwagon; several Case Studies of the Gender Revolution found in chapter seven; the Political Rape of Language found in chapter eight; the problem of pornography detailed in chapter nine; the strategy and tactics of the homosexual movement in chapter ten; chapter eleven's explanation of homosexuality from a Christian perspective; chapter twelve's Sex Education from K through 12; chapter thirteen's Comprehensive Sex Education and the Catholic Church: What Is and What Should Be; the attacks on basic freedoms found in chapter fourteen, Intolerance and Discrimination; the growing resistance to the revolution detailed in chapter fifteen; and chapter sixteen on how the global sexual revolution is leading us on a slippery slope to a new totalitarianism.

If you would like to get a sense of just how comprehensive this book is, consider reading the following document that introduces the reader to Gabriele Kuby, provides the Table of Contents, and a text sample of chapter sixteen's, The Slippery Slope to a New Totalitarianism. 

The Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom

The first chapter, The Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom, not only sets the tone for the dense amount of information contained in the chapters ahead, but introduces the reader to the fundamentals of the global sexual revolution. 

We are experiencing a new totalitarianism, disguised under the mantle of freedom, tolerance, justice, equality, anti-discrimination, and diversity; a totalitarianism that seeks to dismantle and destroy sexual norms, and every ethical standard of sexual behaviour. This is all being done in the name of an ideology that denies the reality that individuals exist either as a man or a woman, that this polarity forms their identity, and that it is required for the propagation of humanity. This ideology is called gender mainstreaming.

Under the first subheading, The Dismantling of Sexuality, Kuby states in the first sentence of the first paragraph—and repeats this important point at the beginning of two other paragraphs—that, "WE ARE in the middle of an astonishing process." (7) The process that Kuby refers to is the attempt to create a new human being, coupled with the dissolution of any system of norms. It is a process that destroys the conditions that brought forth European high culture; that is, a Christian culture that provided for a moral foundation, one that was passed from one generation to the next through the family.

For those of us who are old enough, this "astonishing process" is quite noticeable in today's society. What was once considered to be valid a few decades ago is no longer the case; namely, the fundamental standards of the family.

The importance of the family, as a primary cell of society, was recognized in 1948 by the United Nations with the, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states,"The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State." (Art 16) This is in stark contrast to the UN of today, which attacks the family through the promotion of abortion and contraception, the recognition of "same-sex marriage," and the embracing of the LGBTQ agenda, including support for so-called "anti-discrimination" laws and policies. Kuby spotlights this difference with her comparison of the UN of 1948 and the UN of today:

People had just survived World War II, and put their hope in the new organization called the United Nations, which passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. It was a bulwark against the unspeakable horror that sent millions upon millions of people to their death. They had been degraded, deprived of their rights, dispossessed, agonized, tortured and murdered by people who had been blinded by ideology and dehumanized by the corruption of power. Half a century later, this same United Nations is where the battle is being fought to raise the murder of children in the womb to a human right, and for nations of the world to give same-sex marriage relationships the legal status of marriage. (13)

Under the subheading, A New Soft Totalitarianism, Kuby spotlights how the current conditions reveal that our freedom is becoming more constricted. The first to notice this are those whose values get in the way of strategies of the powerful—namely, Christians. Kuby provides a prime example, "There is no prohibition against religious worship, but in the name of anti-discrimination, religious freedom is being insidiously curtailed, and the social conditions for handing on the faith to the next generation are being undermined." (11)

Kuby goes on to explain that it is delusional to think that no ideology is enforced by the state because the "...[N]ew gender ideology is firmly established in politics and universities, and it works behind the scenes. Although ordinary people don't know the term yet, the whole society is being 'gendered.' Like every utopian ideology, this one intends to create a new human being that it designs in accord with its own wishes." (11)

Kuby states that there is no identifiable system of state rule that visibly strives toward world domination, but there are global networks that follow a united agenda.

Further to this she adds that, although there is a basic democratic order, there are also uncontrollable powers exerting their will over voters, and their elected representatives: the financial oligarchy and the media.

My Concluding Thoughts

In the Afterword, Kuby first thanks the reader for taking the time to read this book, and then asks, "If you now feel you understand our times more clearly and ask yourself, 'What can I do?,' then it has been worth the effort—both yours and mine. If the question is pressing enough, you will find the answer." My answer is today's blog post, which I can only assume is the first of many to be published about such a comprehensive book, and important subject matter.

If this blog post is the first you have ever heard of the global sexual revolution, gender ideology, and gender mainstreaming, you are not alone.

No doubt some of you—if not everyone—can relate to my own bewilderment stemming from the headlines over a decade ago, when it seemed that every nation (2005 in Canada) was legalizing "same-sex marriage." It was a disturbing development that prompted me to ask how and why is all this happening.

Gabriele Kuby certainly answered that question, and did so thoroughly, and with clarity. It was only after reading this book did I come to understand the truth of the matter; that is, all this was was part of something bigger. It is a cultural revolution that does not serve the needs of the population, and one that completely ignores the truth of the human person, and how he or she is to live—which Saint Pope John Paul II wrote about in, The Theology of the Body.

I hope that you found today's post an intriguing read, and are encouraged to purchase this book, which you can do on line at Amazon.com. To borrow from Patrick F. Fagan's praise, "All who read this book will join Pope Benedict in saying 'Thank God you speak and write.' It is the most comprehensive primer ever on the culture wars. Without it, one fights half blind; read it and be changed...Buy a dozen copies and form your own battalion of counter-revolutionaries."

Let all conscientious Catholics, Christians alike, and all people of good will join the "resistance" against the global sexual revolution. At stake is the future of the family, the true identity of the human person, the proper understanding of the challenge of human sexuality (St. Pope John Paul II's Love and Responsibility), our culture, and civilization as a whole.

Saint John Paul II's Letter To Families

Saint John Paul II amongst families

Saint John Paul II's Letter To Families, is a document that is a must read for anyone who is Catholic and has yet to discover what the Catholic faith has to say about the Family. The richness of its content coupled with its thoroughness, so characteristic of Saint John Paul II's work, is an inviting read to a proper understanding of the Family. This document was issued on February 2, 1994 on the Feast of The Presentation of the Lord to coincide with the Year Of The Family.

What I found particular intriguing was Saint John Paul II's opening sentence, his personal appeal to families, "Dear Families! The celebration of the Year of the Family gives me a welcome opportunity to knock at the door of your home, eager to greet you with deep affection and to spend time with you..." (1) That personal appeal is maintained throughout the document, even amongst some of the most dense details of the Church's teaching, biblical references and all that he elaborated on. 

Letter To The Families is forty four pages printed out, and within the first four pages is a continuation of Saint John Paul II's personal appeal to families, an extension of his "knocking at the door." The remainder of the document is divided into two chapters: I The Civilization Of Love and II The Bridegroom Is With You. Below are some key points from those first four pages, followed by selected content from the two chapters.

The family - way of the Church

Saint John Paul II first noted that "man is the way of the Church," drawing from his first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis, published in the first days of his pontificate. He elaborated by stating that man walks along many paths, which the Church desires to "stand at his side," sharing the joys, hopes, sorrows and anxieties along the way. It was Christ who set man on his many paths and it was Christ who entrusted man to the Church. 

Among the many paths, the "...[F]amily is the first and the most important." (1) He elaborated on this with the following key points. First he identified the path of the family as something that is "...[P]articular, unique and unrepeatable." (2) Every individual is unrepeatable and the family is a path from which "man cannot withdraw." (2) The fact is that a person normally comes into the world within a family and owes to that family his very existence as an individual. How much more relevant does the family become when a person comes into the world without one, and as such experiences a sense of pain and loss, one that burdens his entire life. It is through the family that an individual goes forth to realize a new family unit. Even those who choose to remain single, it is the family that continues to be his "existential horizon," that fundamental community in which the entire social network is grounded. Saint John Paul II puts a fine point on it all when he stated, "Do we not often speak of the 'human family' when referring to all the people living in the world?" (2)

Jesus himself entered into human history through the family. Through the divine mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, Jesus made an intimate connection not only with the human family of Nazareth, but with every family. Saint John Paul II noted that just as Christ came into the world to serve, the Church "...[C]onsiders serving the family to be one of her essential duties. In this sense both man and the family constitute 'the way of the Church.' " (2)

Prayer

It is under the subtitle of Prayer that Saint John Paul II continued to "knock at the door" to all the families of the world. He extended his outreach on the basis of God's love for everyone, making it possible to address his message to each family, a "...[L]iving cell of the great universal family of mankind." (4) The source of this outreach, the "universal openness" to all people as brothers and sisters is the Father, Creator of the Universe and the Word Incarnate, Jesus our Saviour and Redeemer. It is this source as Saint John Paul II noted, that impels us "...[T]o embrace them in the prayer which begins with the tender words: 'Our Father'." (4)

With respect to the necessity of prayer, Saint John Paul II noted that it is through prayer that God is present amongst families, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them" (Mt 18:20) He noted that his entire letter was in the first place to be a prayer to Christ to remain in every family, "...[A]n invitation to him, in and through the small family of parents and children to dwell in the great family of nations, so that together with him all of us can truly say, 'Our Father!' " (4)

Love and concern for all families

Saint John Paul II continued to propose the importance of prayer, encouraging all "domestic churches" (families) to pray. He especially encouraged prayer for those families in danger or difficulty, lacking confidence or experiencing division or in situations that are  "irregular." The term "irregular is borrowed from Familiaris Consortio, another well known document on the Family from his pontificate.

He continued further to stress how important prayer was in the home, where the Domestic Church exists. It is within the home environment that the witness to prayer becomes an encouragement to all members of the family and for many, it is where they live out their human and Christian vocation. To emphasize this even further, Saint John Paul II asked: 

How many of them there are in every nation, diocese and parish! With reason it can be said that these families make up "the norm", even admitting the existence of more than a few "irregular situations." And experience shows what an important role is played by a family living in accordance with the moral norm, so that the individual born and raised in it will be able to set out without hesitation on the road of the good, which is always written in his heart. (5)

Saint John Paul II was under no illusion as to the threats against the family. Even during the year in which this document was published (1994), he stated how there were programs backed by powerful people who sought to breakdown the family. He noted that at times, concerted efforts were put forth to normalize and glamorize situations that were in fact "irregular." He specifically wrote that such developments contradict both the truth and love which should inspire and guide relationships between men and women, without which can cause tension and division in the family, with grave consequences particularly for children. Here is what he further stated regarding the result of such threats:

...The moral conscience becomes darkened; what is true, good and beautiful is deformed; and freedom is replaced by what is actually enslavement. In view of all this, how relevant and thought-provoking are the words of the Apostle Paul about the freedom for which Christ has set us free, and the slavery which is caused by sin (cf. Gal 5:1)! (5) 

Saint John Paul II's urgent message to prayer is even more relevant today in light of the fact that attacks on the family have increased. It doesn't take much effort to discover what these attacks are: the legalization of "same sex marriage," pornography available on demand from tv cable packages, education curriculums that include sexual immorality, including homosexuality, explicit language and images, the LGBTQ agenda and its propaganda, abortion, euthanasia and contraception just to name a few.

Saint John Paul II's encouragement to prayer is a much needed message that should be repeated to all families. Here is what he had to say in response to the threats against the family:

It is apparent then how timely and even necessary a Year of the Family is for the Church; how indispensable is the witness of all families who live their vocation day by day; how urgent it is for families to pray and for that prayer to increase and to spread throughout the world, expressing thanksgiving for love in truth, for "the outpouring of the grace of the Holy Spirit", for the presence among parents and children of Christ the Redeemer and Bridegroom, who "loved us to the end" (cf. Jn 13:1). Let us be deeply convinced that this love is the greatest of all (cf. 1 Cor 13:13), and let us believe that it is really capable of triumphing over everything that is not love. (5)

Saint John Paul II's message of prayer also included a Marian aspect. Prayer has always been a consistent message from Our Lady at Her many apparition sites all over the world. Saint John Paul II included Mary's important guidance during our faith journey by referring to Our Lady's role at the wedding in Cana. It was there that Our Lady's told the servants to, "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5) Saint John Paul II noted that Christ called the Church to prayer with families and for families. The Virgin Mother invites all of us to be united through prayer to the sentiments of her Son, who loves each and every family. Christ expressed his love at the very beginning of his mission with his sanctifying presence at Cana in Galilee, a presence which as Saint John Paul II noted, "still continues." (5)

This is just some of the content within the first four pages. The remainder of today's post includes certain segments that are particularly relevant in today's increasingly anti-family world, specifically addressing the "crisis of truth" and education. 

The Crisis of Truth

This "crisis" is discussed under the subheading, The Two civilizations (beginning at section 13). At this section, Saint John Paul II asked, "Who can deny that our age is one marked by a great crisis, which appears above all as a profound 'crisis of truth'?" (13) He went on further to identify that such a crisis is in the first place a "crisis of concepts. Do the words 'love,' 'freedom,' 'sincere gift,' and even 'person' and 'rights of the person,' really convey their essential meeting?" (13) Saint John Paul II noted how relevant his encyclical Veritatis Splendor is in light of this crisis. It is a document that in his words, "...[H]as proved so meaningful and important for the Church and for the world---especially in the West. Only if the truth about freedom and the communion of persons in marriage and in the family can regain its splendour, will the building of the civilization of love truly begin..." (13)

How relevant is the focus on truth in today's society with regard to the family? Are we not witnessing concerted efforts to obscure the truth and include alternative lifestyles? Case in point, here in Canada where in 2005 the traditional definition of marriage legally changed to include "same sex couples." Such a change does not connect to the truth of the Sacrament of Marriage, but instead ushers in a lie and deceives people that any same sex relationship can be referred to as a "marriage."

A more recent example is the Ontario Provincial Government seeking to implement a sex education curriculum this Fall, that promotes and teaches sexual immorality including homosexuality. It is a curriculum that teaches children in the early and formative years of their lives to accept sinful sexuality. How much this will all negatively impact the family, the primary cell of society, remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, a relationship or the formation of families that do not begin with the truth are sure to result in negative consequences in the psychologically, physically and spiritually realms, for the respective individuals, communities and society.

Education

The importance of the truth is further spot lighted in this section as well. Saint John Paul II asked, "What is involved in raising children? In answering this question two fundamental truths should be kept in mind: first, that man is called to live in truth and love; and second, that everyone finds fulfillment through the sincere gift of self. This is true both for the educator and for the one being educated." (16)

Perhaps one of the most important points he made was with respect to parents, who are as he noted, the first and most important educators of their own children and that they possess a fundamental competence in this area, that is, they are educators because they are parents.

The parents' role in the education of children is a shared mission with other individuals and institutions, but that mission as Saint John Paul II noted: 

...must always be carried out in accordance with a proper application of the principle of subsidiarity. This implies the legitimacy and indeed the need of giving assistance to the parents, but finds its intrinsic and absolute limit in their prevailing right and their actual capabilities. The principle of subsidiarity is thus at the service of parental love, meeting the good of the family unit. For parents by themselves are not capable of satisfying every requirement of the whole process of raising children, especially in matters concerning their schooling and the entire gamut of socialization. Subsidiarity thus complements paternal and maternal love and confirms its fundamental nature, inasmuch as all other participants in the process of education are only able to carry out their responsibilities in the name of the parents, with their consent and, to a certain degree,with their authorization. (16)

As I had mentioned at the beginning of this post, Saint John Paul II wasn't just writing about the subject of the Family, he was reaching out to families. His concern for the Family as the fundamental cell in society is abundantly clear from the thoroughness with which this document was written. It is sure to help anyone who is sincerely interested in understanding the truth about the Family. Below are some key points from the second chapter, II The Bridegroom Is With You.

Saint John Paul II appealed to families not just with words of support and encouragement, but referred to the sources of strength and hope that families need to draw from: the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Confirmation and the ultimate source, the Eucharist. In his own words, here is his appeal to families:

Dear families, you too should be fearless, ever ready to give witness to the hope that is in you (cf. 1 Pet 3:15), since the Good Shepherd has put that hope in your hearts through the Gospel. You should be ready to follow Christ towards the pastures of life, which he himself has prepared through the Paschal Mystery of his Death and Resurrection.

Do not be afraid of the risks! God's strength is always far more powerful than your difficulties! Immeasurably greater than the evil at work in the world is the power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which the Fathers of the Church rightly called a "second Baptism". Much more influential than the corruption present in the world is the divine power of the Sacrament of Confirmation, which brings Baptism to its maturity. And incomparably greater than all is the power of the Eucharist. (18)

The Sacrament of the Eucharist is truly a wonderful sacrament, as Saint John Paul II noted, one that Jesus instituted in a family-like setting during the Last Supper. He elaborated on the Eucharist in particular and again encouraged families to draw from this source of saving power, that families might have life and have it abundantly. He reached out to families with his continuous personal appeal when he stated, "The life that comes from Christ is a life for us. It is for you, dear husbands and wives, parents and families!" (18)

Perhaps one of the most encouraging statements regarding the Eucharist is located at the paragraph just before the subheading, The Great Mystery. In it, Saint John Paul II reminds families, citing the biblical reference of the Wedding at Cana, that the Good Shepherd is with us, just as he was then amongst the bride and groom. It is in this knowledge that we should draw hope, knowing that the Good Shepherd is the "...[S]ource of strength for our hearts, the wellspring of ever new enthusiasm and the sign of the triumph of the 'civilization of love.' " (18) As a reminder to all families, he quoted Jesus who encouraged everyone to always remember, "...Do not be afraid. I am with you. 'I am with you always, to the close of the age.' " (18)

Letter To The Families has so much to offer those seeking to understand the Family. I hope that today's post has been an encouragement to read this document in full, to gain a complete understanding of what the Catholic Church has to offer regarding a subject matter that increasingly is becoming more important in today's secular world.



May Saint John Paul II intercede for all families and their needs.

The Devotion To The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Painting of Jesus appearing to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Church of San Michele, Cortemilia, in Italy.

As today is the First Friday of the month, coupled with it being the month of June, one that is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, it seemed only fitting to publish a post on the Devotion To The Sacred Heart Of Jesus. This devotion holds a special place amongst all the devotions in the Church because it was Jesus who specifically requested it. Our Lord established this devotion due to His ardent desire to be known, loved, honoured and adored by all Catholics; to establish His reign in the hearts of all. This devotion is so pleasing to Jesus that He can refuse nothing to those who practice it. 

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus sets aside the First Friday of each month as a day to be consecrated to honouring His Sacred Heart, in the spirit of reparation. The object of this devotion is to make our Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, ardently and perfectly loved, and to make reparation for the the neglect, indifference and ingratitude of the majority that results in Jesus Christ being left alone, abandoned and forgotten on our altars, never visited to offer consolation for such neglect. 

During our "First Friday time" with Jesus we should adore Him, make a fervent act of love to Jesus in the tabernacle, thank Him for having instituted this mystery of love, express our sorrow at seeing Him so abandoned, and resolve to visit Him as soon as possible and love Him unceasingly. 

Attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is assuredly the best means of honouring and loving the adorable Heart of Jesus. In addition to Mass, the following is also very efficacious in honouring our Saviour: reciting a Prayer of Adoration and spending significant time (a minimum of one hour) in front of the Blessed Sacrament; reciting an Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an Act of Reparation and the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and praying St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)’s Sacred Heart Novena. 

The Sacred Heart Devotion is for all Catholic men and women, young and old who are troubled by many of life's afflictions. It is through this devotion that all will discover the greatest source of spiritual and temporal help, graces and blessings available to those who truly love the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. It is a never failing source to remedy all our problems and needs as well as a sure method of attaining perfection and salvation.

The personal attitudes needed for the successful practice of this devotion are: a true love of Jesus Christ and His Sacred Heart, the source of His excessive mercy, help, graces and blessings; a special respect for and veneration of the Blessed Sacrament; and a desire to make reparation for the neglect, indifference and ingratitude of the majority that results in Jesus Christ being left alone, abandoned and forgotten on our altars, never visited to offer consolation for such neglect, though He has given us the miracle of His Divine Presence in the Blessed Sacrament as a supreme gift to us in His desire to be always with us.

First Friday and Nine Fridays Promises

For those who practice and promote this devotion, Our Lord Jesus Christ has made twelve special promises:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families and will unite families that are divided.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. I will be their refuge during life and above all in death.
5. I will bestow the blessings of Heaven on all their enterprises.
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall rise quickly to great perfection.
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of My Heart shall be exposed and honoured and will imprint My love on the hearts of those who would wear this image on their person. I will also destroy in them all disordered movements.
10. I will give to priests who are animated by a tender devotion to my Divine Heart the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be effaced.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate (receive Holy Communion) on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence (the state of contrition and sorrow for sin at the end of one's life); they will not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

The Nine Fridays must be made in honour of His Sacred Heart, meaning, practicing the devotion and having a great love of His Sacred Heart. They must be on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months, and Communion must be received.

Background History

In the history of the Catholic Church, God has responded to the many crises that have existed over the centuries, a fulfillment of what Jesus told the Apostle Peter, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18) To counter the crisis in France in the seventeenth century, Jesus appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun from the Order of Visitation and established the Sacred Heart Devotion.

During St. Margaret Mary Alacoque's time, the faith of French people had waned and there was rebellion against the Church. Both Protestantism and the Jansenism heresy contributed to the weakening of the Church. Jesus' response was to establish a devotion that would bring souls back to him, the Sacred Heart Devotion. Here is what St. Margaret Mary Alacoque revealed about Jesus' message to her:

And He showed me that it was His great desire of being loved by men and of withdrawing them from the path of ruin into which Satan hurls such crowds of them, that made Him form the design of manifesting His Heart to men, with all the treasures of love, of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and salvation which it contains, in order that those who desire to render Him and procure for Him all the honor and love possible, might themselves be abundantly enriched with those divine treasures of which this Heart is the source.He should be honored under the figure of this Heart of flesh, and its image should be exposed…He promised me that wherever this image should be exposed with a view to showing it special honor, He would pour forth His blessings and graces. This devotion was the last effort of His love that He would grant to men in these latter ages, in order to withdraw them from the empire of Satan which He desired to destroy, and thus to introduce them into the sweet liberty of the rule of His love, which He wished to restore in the hearts of all those who should embrace this devotion. (Revelations of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)

The revelations to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque first began on December 27, 1673 when she was kneeling at the grille in the chapel, in which the Lord told her that the love of His heart must spread and manifest itself to men and He would reveal its graces through her. This was the beginning of a series of revelations that continued for eighteen months. 

These revelations were rejected by the Mother Superior, resulting in St. Margaret Mary Alacoque being reprimanded, in which she subsequently became very ill, so ill that her survival was in question. From this, the Mother Superior reflected that she might have erred in scorning the nun due to her stories of revelations and vowed that if her life was spared, she would take it as a sign that the visions and messages were truly from God. Upon her recovery the Mother Superior invited a Benedictine and Jesuit priest to listen to her stories, both of which concluded the young nun was delusional. It was not until another Jesuit, Father Claude de la Columbiere who talked with her, was convinced of the genuineness of the revelations. It was this Jesuit father that wrote about the nun and inaugurated this devotion in England. 

For many years, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque suffered from despair, self inflicted punishments and contempt from those around her. In 1681, Father Claude returned to the convent and died during the following year. Opposition ceased after an account of Margaret Mary’s visions were read aloud in the refectory from the writings left by Father Claude, who had taken it upon himself to make known to the world the nun’s remarkable experiences. When Margaret Mary turned forty three, she fell ill and deteriorated rapidly. She received the Last Sacraments and was quoted as saying, “I need nothing but God and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.” The devotion became popular in France, Poland and spread to other countries. The Solemnity  of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost, which this year is on June 12.


Enthronement and Consecration of The Sacred Heart as King of The Family

The Devotion To The Sacred Heart Of Jesus also offers an Enthronement and Consecration of the Family to His Sacred Heart, whereby entire families are consecrated to His Sacred Heart. The ceremony entails a formal prayer recitation with the head of the family leading the prayers that includes: the Apostles Creed, an Act of Consecration, a Prayer of Intercession, a Litany of Thanksgiving, a closing prayer and the signing of the Enthronement Pledge (certificate), by all members. 

What does all this mean for our families? Our families become the recipients of many graces and blessings if the installation of Christ’s image is accompanied by this formal ceremony. These two acts together will: stabilize and sanctify the family, create a Catholic atmosphere and spirit of piety in the home, bring back the wayward members and help console the members in times of trial and sorrow. 

The result of this enthronement and consecration is that it will make the home thoroughly Christian. With all the attacks on the family we are confronted with in today's society, this will bring devotion to the home, where it is vitally needed to not only remedy the waning of faith, but the deliberate and malicious attacks on the family, the primary cell of society. Seriously consider this devotion for your family's sake.

I would like to respectfully recommend the following daily prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, composed by St. Anselm of Canterbury:

Lord our God,

Grant us the grace to desire you with our whole heart,

that so desiring, we may seek and find you;

and so finding you, we may love you;

and loving you, we may hate those sins

from which you have redeemed us.

If you are looking for a book on this devotion, Fr. Jean Croiset's book, The Devotion To The Sacred Heart of Jesus: How To Practice the Sacred Heart Devotion, will provide you with the complete information and guidelines how to practice this devotion.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us.