What was true historically remains true liturgically: John the Baptist is the most prominent figure in the season of Advent, as the faithful prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ at Christmas. This is evident in the choice of the Church of Sunday Gospel texts related to John the Baptist, about whom our Lord said, “Amen, I say, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist.”

How diabolically ironic it is that in this sacred season of preparation, the Francis Vatican has promulgated a new declaration that approves of the blessing of couples who are committed to each other in immoral, even perverted relationships. It is doubly ironic, in light of the fact that Saint John the Baptist was put to death and beheaded over his public condemnation and denunciation of just such an immoral relationship:

At the time Herod the Tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus.  And he said to his servants: This is John the Baptist: he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him.  For Herod had apprehended John and bound him, and put him into prison, because of Herodias, his brother's wife.  For John said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her.  And having a mind to put him to death, he feared the people: because they esteemed him as a prophet.  But on Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: and pleased Herod.  Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask of him.  But she being instructed before by her mother, said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist.  And the king was struck sad: yet because of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given.  And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

 And his head was brought in a dish: and it was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother.  And his disciples came and took the body, and buried it, and came and told Jesus.

In his own time, the Baptist was willing to do what the ancient Jewish shepherds were not: confront evil. Little has changed with regard to modern shepherds.

The ancient Jewish historian Joseph wrote about the widespread popularity of John the Baptist among the Jewish faithful of the time. So popular was the Baptist, in fact, that when Herod Antipas suffered a crushing military defeat not long after the death of John, the common opinion among the faithful was that this was a divine punishment upon him for having murdered the Baptist. The sensus fidelium was spot on.

The sensus fidelium is still going strong, now nearly two thousand years after the martyrdom of John the Baptist, at least among traditional faithful. There is a huge outcry on their part against the most recent diabolical atrocity spewed out from the bowels of the Francis Vatican. As Jesus the Good Shepherd said, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.” But what about the other shepherds?

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In his own time, the Baptist was willing to do what the ancient Jewish shepherds were not: confront evil. Little has changed with regard to modern shepherds. Within hours of the promulgation of the Declaration, the wolves in miters where championing the document and the hirelings in miters meekly acquiesced. The mainstream media of the secular world and its counterpart in the Catholic press heralded it and the neo-cons so twisted it as to insist that rather than approving the blessing of evil unions, it actually forbids this.

Even Franklin Graham, a prominent leader in the heretical Baptist sect, shows himself to be more Christian in his thinking than the Francis Vatican, as evident in this X statement: “None of us, including the Pope, has the right to ‘bless’ what God calls sin. ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.’”

Thankfully, a few true Catholic shepherds brandished their crosiers and declared, “Not on my watch!”

“What would John do?” We know the answer. He would allow himself to be put in prison and put to death rather than approve of an evil union. The shepherds can remove our faculties, run us out of rectories, and even excommunicate us, but blessing evil? Not over my dead body!

Folks, this is but one more piece of evidence that there is a rogue counterfeit church that is eclipsing the one true Church. This happened in the time of Christ and it is happening in our lifetime. As Saint Padre Pio prophetically warned in 1960: “Satan has been introduced into the bosom of the Church and he will within a very short time come to rule a false church.” And now, sixty years later, the false church is here.

Our last words are for our brother priests, in the face of this most recent betrayal of the Mystical Christ. My brothers, the blood of the Baptist is upon all shepherds and pastors who embrace or otherwise assent to this outrageous Declaration. I know that no true traditional priest would ever bless that which is evil. All we need do is ask ourselves, “What would John do?” We know the answer. He would allow himself to be put in prison and put to death rather than approve of an evil union. The shepherds can remove our faculties, run us out of rectories, and even excommunicate us, but blessing evil? Not over my dead body!

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