Saturday, July 4, 2026
SMOKE IN THIS LIFE, NOT THE NEXT
Anna Felicia, who succeeded her in office, went to the sacristy and was about to enter, when she heard moans which appeared to come from the interior of the room. Somewhat afraid, she hastened to open the door; there was no one. Again she heard moans, and so distinctly that, notwithstanding her ordinary courage, she felt herself overpowered by fear. “Jesus! Mary!” she cried, “what can that be?”
She had not finished speaking when she heard a plaintive voice, accompanied with a painful sigh, “Oh! my God, how I suffer! Oh Dio, che peno tanto!” The sister, stupefied, immediately recognized the voice of poor Sister Teresa.
Then the room was filled with a thick smoke, and the spirit of Sister Teresa appeared, moving towards the door, and gliding along by the wall. Having reached the door, she cried aloud, “Behold a proof of the mercy of God.” Saying these words, she struck the upper panel of the door, and there left the print of her right hand, burnt in the wood as with a red‑hot iron. She then disappeared.
JULY 4 First Saturday Fifth Week of
Pentecost
Independence
Day
I
made an inspection, then addressed these words to the nobles, the magistrates,
and the rest of the people: “Do not FEAR
them! Keep in mind the LORD, who is great and to be feared, and fight for your kindred, your sons and daughters, your
wives and your homes.”
The final battle for the kingdom; like here in Nehemiah and the secular resistance to the rebuilding of a people dedicated to God will be through the family. Families must not live in fear.
Do not let fear take hold of your families and communities. The enemies’ threats and attacks are imminent. Do not let your spirit be broken. Take concrete measures to protect your family. You must challenge your fears and only fear God. Depend on God and fight for yourselves. HE will free you from the grip of hopelessness. Do not be afraid of hard work.
Copilot’s Take
Nehemiah’s cry—“Do not fear them!”—is not ancient bravado but a
perennial command for God’s people. The Catechism teaches that fear distorts
judgment and weakens the will, but courage is a gift of the Holy Spirit (CCC
1808). Holy fear—fear of the Lord—replaces terror with clarity, reminding us
that God’s sovereignty is greater than any threat (CCC 1831). Nehemiah’s words
echo the Church’s insistence that the first step in confronting evil is
refusing to let fear dictate our choices.
The CCC is blunt about the reality of evil: humanity is engaged in a
“dramatic struggle” against the powers of darkness (CCC 409). Evil attacks
through lies, discouragement, and division, especially within families. But the
Church never teaches panic. Instead, she calls for vigilance of heart (CCC
2849), perseverance in prayer (CCC 2743), and fidelity to truth (CCC 2465).
These are the weapons of spiritual combat—quiet, disciplined, and powerful. Nehemiah’s
command to “fight for your kindred” is the same call the Church gives today:
resist evil by strengthening the good.
The family is the first battleground. The CCC names the family as the
“original cell of social life” (CCC 2204) and the primary target of social and
spiritual disorder (CCC 2207). When Nehemiah tells the people to fight for
their sons, daughters, wives, and homes, he is describing the vocation of the
domestic church (CCC 1657). Families confront evil not by aggression but by
cultivating virtue, prayer, forgiveness, and unity. A household rooted in
Christ becomes a fortress that no external threat can easily breach.
The Church also teaches that courage is expressed through work—steady,
faithful, unglamorous labor. Work is participation in God’s creative action
(CCC 2427), and perseverance in difficult tasks is itself a spiritual offering.
Nehemiah’s builders worked with tools in one hand and weapons in the other, a
perfect image of Christian life: build what is good, guard what is holy, and
refuse to surrender to discouragement. Hard work is not merely practical; it is
spiritual resistance.
So, the July 4 message becomes clear: freedom is not maintained by fear but by fortitude. Evil is confronted not by rage but by truth, prayer, vigilance, and sacrificial love. Families must stand firm, remembering the Lord who is “great and to be feared,” and fight for one another with courage born of hope. Independence Day reminds us that true freedom is always linked to responsibility—and Nehemiah reminds us that the greatest responsibility is protecting the spiritual life of the home and recognizing that the power of the vote carries moral weight. For those preparing spiritually for the months ahead, here is a link to a war‑plan framework for the upcoming election: Spiritual Warfare.
First Saturday[1]
The following is an
explanation of the conditions contained in Our Lady's request regarding the
Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays of the Month.
Confess and receive Holy Communion
On February 15, 1926,
the Child Jesus alone came to visit Sr. Lucia and asked if the devotion to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary was being propagated. Sr. Lucia spoke of the
difficulty some people have in confessing on the first Saturday and asked if
they might be allowed eight days in order to fulfill Our Lady's requests. Jesus
answered: "Yes, even more time still, as long as they receive Me in the
state of grace and have the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary."
Recite the Rosary
Five decades of the
Rosary may be recited at any time or place; yet, since one will be attending
Mass in order to receive Holy Communion, a very desirable time and place would
be before or after Mass in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Meditation on
the mysteries according to one's capacity is an essential condition for praying
the Rosary. Yet, involuntary distractions do not rob the Rosary of fruit if one
is doing the best he can.
"Keep me company for fifteen minutes
while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary."
The question is
often asked: Does the meditation while reciting the Rosary fulfill this
condition, or is there required an additional
fifteen minutes of meditation?
That
an additional 15 minutes of meditation is required was recently confirmed by
Sr. Lucia of Fatima. It is clear too from a statement by the first Bishop of
Fatima.
The last entry in the
chronology of Fatima, published in the official Calendar of the Sanctuary for
the year of 1940, and signed by Dom Jose Correia da Silva, the first Bishop of
Fatima, gave a summary of Our Lady's requests concerning the Five First Saturdays.
From that official statement in the Calendar of the Sanctuary, we read the
bishop’s enumeration of the various items that pertain to the devotion of the
five Saturdays:
It consists in going
to Confession, receiving Communion, reciting five decades of the Rosary and
meditating for a quarter of an hour on the mysteries of the Rosary on the first
Saturday of five consecutive months. The Confession may be made during the
eight days preceding or following the first Saturday of each month, provided
that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. Should one forget to
form the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it may
be formed at the next Confession, occasion to go to confession being taken at
the first opportunity.
The meditation embraces one or more mysteries; it may even include all, taken together or separately, according to individual attraction or devotion; but it is preferable to meditate on one mystery each month.
Speaking of the
requirement of "keeping me company for fifteen minutes while meditating
on the mysteries of the Rosary," the bishop’s comment that "it
is preferable to meditate on one mystery each month" could apply only
to an extra fifteen minutes, for each decade of the Rosary must have its own
particular meditation. This is clear from the definition of the Rosary given in
the official document of the Church on indulgences, the ENCHIRIDION OF INDULGENCES
published by Pope Paul VI in 1968. It describes the Rosary as follows:
"The Rosary is a
certain formula of prayer, which is made up of fifteen decades of HAIL MARYS
with an OUR FATHER before each decade, and in which the recitation of each decade is accompanied by pious
meditation on a particular mystery of our Redemption." (n. 48)
Like the Rosary, this
meditation may be made any time or place during the first Saturday. Yet again,
like the Rosary, a very fitting time and place would be in the presence of the
Blessed Sacrament before or after Mass.
The question has
been asked: "Would an extra Rosary, which would require about fifteen
minutes, fulfill this request?
It
would seem, if fruitfully meditated, that it would. Or again, the time could be
spent reading meditatively on
one of the fifteen mysteries, which is a form of mental prayer that involves
reading with frequent pauses to reflect on the matter read.
With the intention of making reparation.
All of the conditions
mentioned above - in numbers 1 to 3 - should be fulfilled with the intention of
making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On the occasion of the visit
of the Child Jesus to Sr. Lucia (Feb. 16, 1926), she asked:
"My Jesus, what
about those who forget to make the intention?"
Jesus
answered: "They can do so at their next confession, taking advantage of
their first opportunity to go to Confession."
The above are the
minimum requirements for fulfilling the conditions of Our Lady's promise to
obtain for us "at the hour of death the graces necessary for
salvation." Yet, these Communions of reparation, as has been pointed
out, are only a portion of the devotion of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These
few pages are meant to help bring about a frame of mind and heart that will
make us aware of the need of reparation all through the month, and not just on
the first Saturday.
WHY FIVE SATURDAYS?
It
is sometimes asked why Our Lady asked for Communions of reparation on five
first Saturdays, instead of some other number. Our Blessed Lord answered that
question when He appeared to Sr. Lucia May 29, 1930. He explained that it was
because of five kinds of offenses and blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart
of Mary, namely: blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception, against her
perpetual virginity, against the divine and spiritual maternity of Mary,
blasphemies involving the rejection and dishonoring of her images, and the
neglect of implanting in the hearts of children a knowledge and love of this
Immaculate Mother.
Independence Day[2]
Independence Day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Independence Day is the most important secular holiday held in the United States. Americans take this day to celebrate all that is American, remembering the great sacrifices of our forefathers as they fought and won our independence from Great Britain. The holiday is also referred to as 4th of July, named after the date on which it is celebrated each year.
Independence Day Facts & Quotes
In July 1776, there were
approximately 2.5 million people living in the new nation.
The first public reading of the
Declaration of Independence didn't occur until July 8, 1776. It was sent
to the printers on July 4th.
The original Declaration of
Independence can be viewed by visiting the National Archives, Washington D.C.
The original copy is severely faded and sits under special glass in the
Rotunda for the Chambers of Freedom.
The Statue of Liberty is a great
symbol of American Freedom. It was given to the US by France in 1886. It
was delivered in 214 crates and assembled on what is known as Liberty Island,
in New York Harbor.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty. - John F. Kennedy
Independence Day Top Events and Things to Do
Attend or host a Barbeque.
Watch Fireworks. Large cities such
as New York, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles all have large firework displays.
Read or recite the Preamble to the
Declaration of Independence.
Watch or attend Nathan's famous Hot Dog eating contest in
Coney Island.
Watch a Parade. Most local cities
host parades to celebrate Independence Day.
Contribute to the independence
of a veteran
Catholic
Culture Library Related Articles[3]
First
Centenary of First American Bishops
How Birth
Control Changed America — For the Worse
The
Philosophy of American Patriotism in the Present Crisis
The Relevance of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas
Jefferson and Freedom of Religion
Sapientiae Christianae—On Christians as Citizens
Declaration of Independence; 1776.
We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
Prayer[4]
Almighty God, Father of
all nations, for freedom you have set us free in Christ Jesus (Gal 5:1). We
praise and bless you for the gift of religious liberty, the foundation of human
rights, justice, and the common good. Grant to our leaders the wisdom to
protect and promote our liberties; by your grace may we have the courage to
defend them, for ourselves and for all those who live in this blessed land. We
ask this through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, our patroness, and in the
name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, with
whom you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Render unto Caesar[5]
This country cannot afford
to be materially rich and spiritually poor.
John F. Kennedy
Have
we become a soulless Nation?
Have we in the pursuit of happiness; ignored the
Gospel of Life. Realizing that if we put success or liberty as greater values
than life that we are serving Caesar and not God. To understand this, we need
to review the US Bishops “The Gospel of Life”.
The Gospel of Life[6]
Brothers and sisters in the Lord:
At the conclusion of the 1998 ad limina visits of the bishops of the United
States, our Holy Father Pope John Paul II spoke these words:
Today I believe the Lord is saying to us all: do not hesitate, do not be afraid to engage the good fight of the faith (cf. I Tim 6:12). When we preach the liberating message of Jesus Christ, we are offering the words of life to the world. Our prophetic witness is an urgent and essential service not just to the Catholic community but to the whole human family.
In this statement we attempt to fulfill our role as teachers
and pastors in proclaiming the Gospel of Life. We are confident that the
proclamation of the truth in love is an indispensable way for us to exercise
our pastoral responsibility.
"Your country stands upon the world scene as a model of a
democratic society at an advanced stage of development. Your power of
example carries with it heavy responsibilities. Use it well,
America!" --Pope John Paul II, Newark, 1995
When
Henry Luce published his appeal for an "American century" in 1941, he
could not have known how the coming reality would dwarf his dream. Luce
hoped that the "engineers, scientists, doctors . . . builders of roads
[and] teachers" of the United States would spread across the globe to
promote economic success and American ideals: "a love of freedom, a
feeling for the quality of opportunity, a tradition of self-reliance and
independence and also cooperation." Exactly this, and much
more, has happened in the decades since. U.S. economic success has
reshaped the world. But the nobility of the American experiment flows
from its founding principles, not from its commercial power. In this
century alone, hundreds of thousands of Americans have died defending those
principles. Hundreds of thousands more have lived lives of service to
those principles -- both at home and on other continents -- teaching, advising
and providing humanitarian assistance to people in need. As Pope John
Paul has observed, "At the center of the moral vision of [the American]
founding documents is the recognition of the rights of the human person . .
." The greatness of the United States lies "especially [in its]
respect for the dignity and sanctity of human life in all conditions and at all
stages of development."
Now
the word of the Lord came to me saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew
you, before you were born, I consecrated you; a prophet to the nations I
appointed you.
--Jeremiah 1:5
The Patriotic Rosary[7] is prayed everywhere from within cloistered convents, to inside the Pentagon; from dangerous military fields around the globe to the quietness of the Bedroom of Apparitons and the Field of Apparitions at Caritas, which is the home of the Patriotic Rosary. The Patriotic Rosary quickly captured the hearts and attention of millions when first heard and prayed. Inspired by Our Lady of Medjugorje, the Patriotic Rosary is a powerful prayer for divine protection and mercy for our Nation and its rebirth. The history of the writing of the Patriotic Rosary
origins back to 1995 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the first promptings of Our Lady was felt and the impulse to form the Patriotic Rosary was given. The Patriotic Rosary, the Prayer to Heal Our Land, and the “Seven Novenas for the Reconciling of Ourselves, our Families and our Nation Back to God,” all for the rebirth of America, have the grounds at Caritas of Birmingham as their home. It is Caritas of Birmingham, whose founder, known as A Friend of Medjugorje, wrote the Patriotic Rosary, and that also operates the Official Medjugorje Site. It was a surprise in 1988, after many prayers near the Pine Tree for the healing of our Nation that Our Lady began to write a beautiful story, through Her Medjugorje apparitions at Caritas, telling us that a Nation and its healing, represented by the Pine in the Field, would come only through the individual, represented by the family bed. In those first apparitions, Our Lady appeared in the Bedroom over the family bed, then on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1988, She appeared near the Pine, then back to the Bedroom for the remaining two months of daily apparitions. This spoke clearly that our Nation would be healed through strong marriages forming strong holy families raising strong individuals which will heal and make a strong nation. Our Nation’s future depends on the healing of the family.
Bible
in a year Day 364 Christ's Sacrifice Once for All
Fr. Mike dives into the fall of
Babylon described in Revelation 18, pointing out how several images and
expressions of this key chapter are taken from the judgmental oracles in the Old
Testament, particularly those from the prophet Jeremiah. Fr. Mike also
emphasizes the reality of God’s judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and how
Christ’s sacrifice is presented to God in the heavenly sanctuary once and for
all. Today we read Revelation 18-20, Hebrews 9-10, and Proverbs 31:26-29.
Around the Corner
The LORD is
my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. (Psalm 23:1)
Bucket List trip: Rich vs Poor Tour: Monaco vs. Congo
Monaco:
Monaco's wealth stems from its status as a tax haven—there's no personal income
tax—which attracts wealthy residents worldwide. Combined with limited land
driving up real estate value, thriving luxury tourism, and a strong financial
services sector, Monaco has built a reputation as a playground for the
ultra-rich. Its political stability and glamorous lifestyle add to its
exclusive allure.
Congo: Despite being incredibly rich in natural
resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains poor due to a history
of colonial exploitation, political instability, and ongoing conflict.
Corruption, weak infrastructure, and health crises have further undermined
development and kept much of the population in poverty. It’s a classic case of
the “resource curse,” where
wealth fuels instability instead of prosperity.
Men by nature, are masculine, and the Catholic Church's understanding of masculinity can be summed up in one word: sacrifice.[1]
Top 10 Masculinity Movies
National Barbecued Spareribs Day
Spirit Hour: Monaco Cocktail
Daily Devotions
Unite in the work of the Porters
of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: An increase of the faithful
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
Rosary
[3]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-07-04
[5] Render unto Caesar, Charles J. Chaput
AS YOUNG AS YOU FEEL (1951)
Monty Woolley • Thelma Ritter • Jean Peters • David Wayne • Marilyn Monroe Directed by Harmon Jones 77‑minute HD Restoration
A social comedy wrapped in warmth and sharpened by truth, As Young as You Feel is not merely a light studio farce. It is a meditation on dignity in work, the worth of experience, and the quiet rebellion of a man who refuses to be discarded.
Monty Woolley’s John R. Hodges is resolute — a printer with decades of skill, a man formed by labor, loyalty, and pride, who will not accept the lie that age erases value.
Thelma Ritter’s Harriet is the film’s emotional anchor — practical, tender, and unafraid to name what matters.
Jean Peters and David Wayne embody the younger generation caught between ambition and conscience.
Marilyn Monroe, early in her ascent, glimmers in a small role — a reminder that even brief appearances can carry promise.
Beneath the humor lies a deeper truth: dignity is not granted by corporations. It is inherent in the human person.
1. Production & Cultural Setting
Post‑War America Wrestling With Age and Efficiency
Released in 1951, the film arrives as the nation was reorganizing itself around youth, speed, and corporate growth. Mandatory retirement policies were spreading. Hodges’s protest becomes a gentle but pointed critique of a culture that forgets the wisdom of its elders.
Monty Woolley: The Defiant Craftsman
His performance is a portrait of courage without bitterness and humor without surrender.
Thelma Ritter: The Human Voice
Ritter grounds the film in lived reality — the kitchen‑table truth that people are more than policies.
Marilyn Monroe: The Spark in the Margin
Still early in her career, she brings warmth and presence to a small role, a sign of the magnetism soon to come.
2. Story Summary
The Blow
John R. Hodges is forced into retirement because he has turned sixty‑five.
The Rebellion
Refusing to accept the indignity, he impersonates the president of Consolidated Motors and conducts an “inspection tour.”
The Exposure
His conversations reveal the absurdity of treating age as a liability.
The Speech
At the Chamber of Commerce, Hodges delivers a stirring defense of experience, craftsmanship, and human worth.
The Reckoning
The real president arrives. The truth comes out. But Hodges’s message cannot be dismissed.
3. Moral & Emotional Resonances
A. Experience as Strength
The film insists that wisdom is not obsolete — it is irreplaceable.
B. Human Dignity Over Corporate Policy
Rules that erase people are rules that deserve to be challenged.
C. Courage in Ordinary Life
Hodges’s rebellion is small, but its moral weight is large.
D. Love Rooted in Loyalty
Harriet’s support is not sentimental — it is the steady love that honors a lifetime of work.
E. Hope as Resistance
The story believes that truth spoken plainly can still move institutions.
4. Hospitality Pairing — A Night of Earned Warmth
Drink: Black coffee — honest, strong, the worker’s companion.
Plate: Meatloaf and mashed potatoes — simple, nourishing, dignified.
Atmosphere: A clean table, a warm lamp, a stack of well‑used books.
Symbol: A printing press — the quiet power of craft and experience.
5. Reflection Prompts
Where in my life am I tempted to believe my worth has an expiration date.
What quiet rebellion is God asking of me — not loud, but true.
Who around me needs affirmation that their experience still matters.
How can I honor the elders whose wisdom shaped me.
What part of me still believes dignity must be defended — and how can I act on it.
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