July 02, 2026

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Smoke in This Life Not the Next — Thu, Jul 9

Holy Face Rosary II: Struck & Mocked Virtue: Mercy & Dignity

Cigar: Habano Maduro — bold, peppered, bruised yet unwavering

Bourbon: None — silence before the Holy Face

The second decade of the Holy Face Rosary turns toward the blows Christ received — the striking, the spitting, the mockery meant to erase His dignity. In that light, the testimony of the deceased Franciscan who left his handprint seared into the refectory table becomes more than a purgatorial warning; it becomes a meditation on the dignity of suffering and the mercy that reveals it.

“Nothing on earth,” he said, “can give an idea of the torments which I endure, and of which God permits me to give you a visible proof.” Then he placed his hand upon the table, and the wood burned beneath him as though touched by a red‑hot iron. This was not spectacle. It was instruction — a lesson meant for his friend, and for every soul who later came to see the mark. The table became a pilgrimage object because it testified to the seriousness of love: a love that refuses to let the soul enter heaven half‑cleansed, half‑true, half‑ready.

Tonight’s Habano Maduro fits the meditation. Its dark, peppered strength mirrors the blows endured by Christ without surrender. It reminds me that dignity is not softness but steadfastness — the refusal to let mockery distort the truth of who I am before God.

The Franciscan’s burn mark is mercy because it restores seriousness. It honors the Holy Face struck and mocked. And it calls me to live so that no fire will be needed to finish what love began.

JULY 9 Thursday Sixth Week of Pentecost

14th Amendment to US Constitution ratified

Nehemiah, Chapter 7, Verse 2

Over Jerusalem I placed Hanani, my brother, and Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, who was more trustworthy and GOD-FEARING than most.

If you want the job done right always select a God-fearing person for the job.

Copilot’s Take

A God‑fearing person carries a kind of interior strength that cannot be manufactured by training or position. Nehemiah chose Hanani and Hananiah because their fear of God made them trustworthy in a way mere competence never could. In times of danger, deception, or national vulnerability, the safest hands are those guided by reverence for God and fidelity to truth. Such people do not bend when pressured, nor betray what has been entrusted to them. They guard the gates because they first guard their souls.

The film So Ends Our Night offers a stark reminder of what happens when leadership is handed to those who fear power more than God. The Gestapo officers in the story are efficient, disciplined, and loyal—but loyal to evil. Their obedience becomes treason against humanity itself. In contrast, the refugees who resist, protect one another, and cling to conscience embody the kind of moral courage that preserves freedom. They show that true loyalty is not blind allegiance to authority, but steadfast fidelity to what is right, even when the cost is high.

The Catechism teaches that authority must be exercised for the common good and that society has a duty to resist evil with prudence and justice (CCC 1902–1904; 2265). Confronting evil, whether in the world or within one’s own community, requires leaders who fear God more than they fear losing influence. A God‑fearing person does not cooperate with corruption, excuse wrongdoing, or allow harm to spread unchecked. Instead, such a person confronts evil with clarity, courage, and mercy—neutralizing it without becoming unjust. In every age, freedom endures only when those entrusted with responsibility are anchored in the fear of God.

Let Freedom Ring-Day 3 “Freedom from Treason.”

(See Character is Destiny for opposing virtue: LOYALTY)

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, at a word from you the devil and his minions flee in terror. You are the source of all truth. You are the source of all strength. By the power of your Cross and Resurrection, we beseech you, O Lord To extend your saving arm and to send your holy angels. To defend us as we do battle with Satan and his demonic forces. Exorcise, we pray, that which oppresses your Bride, The Church, So that within ourselves, our families, our parishes, our dioceses, and our nation. We may turn fully back to you in all fidelity and trust. Lord, we know if you will it, it will be done. Give us the perseverance for this mission, we pray. Amen

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception ... pray for us

St. Joseph ... pray for us

St. Michael the Archangel ... pray for us

(the patron of your parish) ... pray for us

(your confirmation saint) ... pray for us

"Freedom from Treason" by Fr. Jim Altman

Dear family, the very word "treason" stirs a fundamental loathing within us toward the traitor. Nobody likes a traitor, a betrayer. Indeed, as to the greatest traitor of all time, the betrayer of the Son of God, Jesus Himself said "... woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Mt 26:24

The common understanding or definition of traitor is criminal disloyalty, typically to the state. It is a crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's nation or sovereign. Perhaps the most ancient figure that exemplifies treason is Brutus, who betrayed Julius Caesar, through whom Shakespeare had utter the famous words "et tu Brute?" - "and you, Brutus" - even you, Brutus, my friend? Remember such similar, chilling words, spoken 2,000 years ago, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Lk 22:48.

As Americans - at least before the current historical revisionism - we have known since schooldays what to think of treason. We were taught what to think through classic examples that, like every good parable, imparted to us the sense of right and wrong. On the one hand, we learned of the betrayal by Benedict Arnold, whose name has become synonymous with treason. Benjamin Franklin wrote that "Judas sold only one man, Arnold three million." On the other hand, we learned of the glorious sacrifice of Nathan Hale who, as he stood before the British gallows, uttered the renowned words "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

Who can forget the brave witness of Faith of Bishop St. John Fisher who refused to apostatize himself before the malevolent King Henry VIII, whilst the rest of the cowardly episcopacy bent to the will of a mere human. Who can forget the more recent brave witnesses of the Mexican clergy-martyrs, like Blessed Miguel Pro, or the incomprehensibly brave 14-year-old boy, St. José Sánchez del Río.

It all fits together ... the secular revulsion we have toward the "Benedict Arnolds" of the world, and the revulsion we have toward the "Judases" who betrayed us in the Faith. It certainly explains the revulsion that the faithful had for the grave betrayal of the abuse scandal. It was bad enough that abuse occurred in the first place; it was immeasurably worse when certain members of the hierarchy covered it up, it was much worse than that when others who knew stood by and did nothing, and worst of all when some of the hierarchy themselves were perpetrators. The grave consequences to the faith of the faithful is well known.

But it is easy to blame those we readily identify as Judases. It is a lot easier to point the finger at other particularly evil traitors, but what about us? Let us never forget the parable Jesus taught about those who were convinced of their own righteousness. How often are we like the Pharisee who took up his position in the Temple "... and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity-greedy, dishonest, adulterous-or even like this tax collector." Lk 18:11

The fact is that we all have been traitors. In fact, we all are traitors, to a greater or lesser extent, maybe, but traitors nonetheless, every single time we betray the Sacrifice on Calvary, every time we sin, in what we have done and in what we have failed to do. We betray the Cross of Christ every time we refuse to pick up our cross and follow Jesus to our own personal Calvary. For today, let us look at what might be the most insidious way we betray Jesus in what we have failed to do.

As the great Archbishop Charles Chaput once said: "For Pope Benedict, lay people and priests don't need to publicly renounce their Catholic faith to be apostates; they simply need to be silent when their baptism demands that they speak out, to be cowards when Jesus asks them to have courage." So, what about us? What about our own treason?

Dear family, in our PC-poisoned culture, we are stigmatized, chastised and ostracized when we try to live out our Faith publicly. We are hammered by the proposition that we are being "judgmental" when we stand up for the Truths of our Faith. Yet, if we speak the unchanged and unchangeable Truth about sin, and endure the repercussions for speaking up and speaking out, should we not have the same attitude as Jesus to the temple guard, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?" Jn 18:23

Let us pray this day to be free from treason - from highest treason - against Jesus our Lord, in what we do, but perhaps even more, in what we have failed to do, by remaining silent when our baptism calls us to arms, to stand up and speak out against sin in the world. Indeed, dear family, we will know we have gone spiritually blind when we can see nothing significantly wrong with something that God has called sin.

Prayer of Reparation

My Lord and my God, we have allowed the temptation of the devil to move our hearts to move our hearts toward treason. We have fallen into treason when we have not lived up to the call of our Baptism by not acknowledging You before others. We fear the persecution in every aspect of our lives, especially those things that impact on our income, or on our social relationships. In our weakness, we have been weak in Faith, and betrayed You like Peter in the courtyard, denying You far many more times. In so many ways, we fear the ill-will of man more than we fear the loss of Heaven. We turn to You Lord, in our weakness, and beg Your forgiveness for our countless betrayals. We love You, Lord, and we beg for the courage to say to others, "yes, I know Him Who is Lord of Heaven and Earth." We know, Lord, if You will it, it will be done. Trusting in You, we offer our prayer to You who live and reign forever and ever.

Prayer of Exorcism

Lord God of Heaven and Earth, in your power and goodness, you created all things. You set a path for us to walk on and a way to an eternal relationship. By the strength of your arm and Word of your mouth Cast from your Holy Church every fearful deceit of the Devil Drive from us manifestations of the demonic that oppress us and beckon us to faithlessness and fear. Still the lying tongue of the devil and his forces so that we may act freely and faithfully to your will. Send your holy angels to cast out all influence that the demonic entities in charge of fear have planted in your church. Free us, our families, our parish, our diocese, and our country from all trickery and deceit perpetrated by the Devil and his hellish legions. Trusting in your goodness Lord, we know if you will it, it will be done in unity with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany of the Blessed Sacrament

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

God the Father in heaven, have mercy upon us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

God the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, one God,

Jesus, present with us now in this holy sacrament. We adore you.

Jesus, who changed water into wine and blessed the wedding at Cana.

Jesus, who ate with sinners and tax collectors.

Jesus, who blessed the home of Martha and Mary.

Jesus, who sat at table with your friends at the Last Supper.

Jesus, who offered your body on the Cross for all.

Jesus, who blessed and broke bread for Cleopas and his companion.

Jesus, throned in the highest at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Jesus, have mercy upon us.

Jesus, bread of life.

Jesus, priest of the new covenant.

Jesus, manna from heaven.

Jesus, cup of blessing.

Jesus, food of eternal life.

In the gift of the eucharist,

we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again.

In the gift of the eucharist.

you satisfy our hunger.

In the gift of the eucharist,

you unite us into one body.

In communion,

may we receive you worthily.

In communion,

may we humbly adore you.

In communion,

may we pledge our lives to serve you.

In communion,

may we be strengthened to deeds of love and compassion.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,

have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,

have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,

grant us peace.

Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,

and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’

Lord Jesus, Christ

we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament

you have given us the memorial of your passion:

grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries

of your body and blood

that we may know within ourselves

and show forth in our lives

the fruits of your redemption;

for you are alive and reign with the Father

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

14th Amendment to US Constitution ratified, July 9, 1868

The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved persons recently freed. Under current law, children born in the United States to unauthorized immigrants are citizens at birth. Some state and federal lawmakers have attempted to challenge this principle through state legislation or proposed constitutional amendments, arguing that ending birthright citizenship would deter unauthorized immigration. Because citizenship is a federal matter, these efforts are often designed to provoke judicial review.

In 2025, a presidential executive order attempted to restrict birthright citizenship for children born to parents who were undocumented or temporarily present. On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court struck down the order in Trump v. Barbara, reaffirming that such children meet both requirements of the Citizenship Clause. Birthright citizenship remains fully intact nationwide.

Concerns have also grown regarding hostile foreign governments exploiting weaknesses in U.S. systems. Analysts have documented efforts by adversarial regimes—especially the Chinese Communist Party—to use cyber operations, land purchases near military bases, intellectual‑property theft, and organized birth tourism to gain strategic advantage. These actions do not meet the constitutional definition of treason, but they do represent a form of civic betrayal: a failure of vigilance that leaves the nation vulnerable. Repealing birthright citizenship would not neutralize foreign exploitation; it would only harm innocent children. Prudence requires targeted security measures, stronger vetting, and direct confrontation of hostile state actors.

Position of the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church teaches that immigration reform must uphold the rule of law while protecting family unity and human dignity. The Church opposes the repeal of birthright citizenship because it would render innocent children stateless, create a permanent underclass, and weaken families. Catholic teaching also warns against allowing fear of foreign adversaries to become suspicion of entire peoples. Governments must protect the common good, but never at the expense of the dignity of individuals who bear no responsibility for the actions of their governments. Neutralizing evil requires justice, prudence, and moral clarity—not policies that punish the vulnerable.

Copilot

In light of the theme Freedom from Treason,

the present debate reveals a deeper truth: foreign adversaries may exploit American weaknesses, but the true betrayal is a failure of national stewardship. When leaders ignore hostile influence or leave critical systems exposed, they commit a form of civic infidelity. The remedy is not to strip citizenship from children born on American soil. The remedy is prudent action—strengthened counterintelligence, regulated foreign land purchases, just enforcement of immigration law, and firm resistance to hostile regimes.

Evil is neutralized by confronting those who intend harm, not by abandoning those who are innocent.

Around the Corner

Bucket List Trip: “The World” next port of call: Cannes, France

Foodie-Try Meal Prep

do something with roquefort

Spirit Hour: Mudslide

Dark ’n Stormy

Tom Hanks, born on July 9, 1956

Stop the soul sucking

5 Things to Do When You Are Betrayed by Another Catholic

Move Beyond Distrust

Our religious affiliation does not ensure that we act in a saintly manner — which is why confession so readily available.

Make a Decision

You can let this betrayal drag you down or you can use it to help you find a deeper faith and closer relationship to Christ.

Work Through the Emotional Baggage

As always, prayer is the best recourse. It is okay to go to God and tell him why you are seething. Of course, he already knows, but somehow the act of explaining it to him has a way of lightening the load.

Consider Your Unique Abilities

Our betrayals can, if we don’t let them destroy us, be a signal of what types of souls God wants us to help.

Remember the Ransom

In Les Miserables there is the iconic scene where the saintly old bishop, just after telling the police that Jean Valjean was actually given the silver he stole, says to the hardened criminal, “Jean Valjean my brother you no longer belong to evil. With this silver, I have bought your soul. I’ve ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now I give you back to God.”

Thursday Feast

Thursday is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.

According to Mary Agreda[1] in her visions it was on a Thursday at six o'clock in the evening and at the approach of night that the Angel Gabriel approached and announced her as Mother of God and she gave her fiat.

Thursday Feast

Cocktails

Strawberry-Blue Cheese Steak Salad

Tourtieres

French Crecent Rolls

Apple Frangipane Phyllo Tart

Places to Visit in July[2]

Glacier National Park, Montana

In July, the stunning natural scenery at this spot is ablaze with color, and thrill-seekers will find the Middle Fork Whitewater at its best, with water levels perfect for an exhilarating raft ride!

I love that the flowers are in full bloom, and the huckleberries are at their sweetest from mid-July!

All the trails and roads are open in July, and I personally think it’s the perfect time for a drive along the scenic Going-To-The-Sun Road.

Miles of hiking trails traverse the park, and there is a vast collection of exciting wildlife, including rare wolverines, Canadian Lynx black bears, grizzlies, and mountain lions.

Although July is usually warm and temperate, I recommend preparing for any eventuality as the weather can change on a whim, and parts of the park are incredibly remote!

Visitor’s Center Address: West Glacier, MT 59936

Average temperature – 68.9 degrees

My highlights…

Driving along the going-to-the-sun road is one of the most scenic journeys in the park, featuring an array of viewpoints.

Catching a sunrise at the hidden Two Medicine landmark was an unforgettable experience!

Dipping my feet in Lake McDonald to cool down on a hot day.

Daily Devotions

Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Purity

Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Day 3

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

Drops of Christ’s Blood

Universal Man Plan

Rosary

[1] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The Mystical City of God: Complete Edition Containing all Four Volumes with Illustrations (p. 770). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition

[2]https://globalgrasshopper.com/destinations/north-america/20-of-the-best-places-to-visit-in-july-in-the-usa/

THE BEST OF EVERYTHING (1959)

Joan Crawford • Hope Lange • Suzy Parker • Diane Baker • Stephen Boyd Directed by Jean Negulesco

The Best of Everything is a skyscraper‑height drama about ambition, innocence, and the cost of chasing dreams in a world that measures women by their usefulness rather than their dignity. Beneath its glossy surfaces lies a meditation on longing, compromise, and the quiet heroism of women who refuse to surrender their souls to the machinery of corporate desire.

Hope Lange’s Caroline Bender arrives in New York with hope and talent. Suzy Parker’s Gregg is a dancer chasing beauty. Diane Baker’s April is tender, trusting, and vulnerable. Joan Crawford’s Amanda Farrow presides over them all — a woman hardened by disappointment, armored by elegance, and determined to survive.

The film’s charm hides its deeper truth: the climb toward “everything” often reveals what truly matters — and what never did.

1. Production & Cultural Setting

Corporate Femininity in Postwar America

Released in 1959, the film reflects a nation shifting from wartime independence to domestic expectation. Women were entering offices in record numbers, yet the culture insisted their real destiny was marriage. The movie exposes this tension — ambition colliding with tradition, desire wrestling with duty.

Joan Crawford: Steel Wrapped in Silk

Crawford’s Amanda Farrow is the embodiment of mid‑century female professionalism — immaculate, disciplined, and quietly wounded. She shows how success can become both shield and prison.

Hope Lange & Suzy Parker: The New American Woman

Their characters represent the era’s emerging female archetypes: the capable career woman and the artistic dreamer. Both discover that the world is far less romantic than their hopes.

2. Story Summary

The Arrival

Caroline Bender joins a New York publishing house, eager to prove herself. She meets Gregg and April, fellow strivers navigating the city’s promises and dangers.

The Conflict

Each woman confronts a different battlefield: Caroline — ambition vs. affection. Gregg — art vs. obsession. April — innocence vs. exploitation. Amanda — authority vs. loneliness.

The Unraveling

Romantic illusions collapse. Gregg’s love becomes destructive. April’s trust is betrayed. Caroline learns that talent is not enough in a world ruled by ego and desire.

The Showdown

The women face the truth about the men who charm them, the system that uses them, and the dreams that cost more than expected.

The Victory

Caroline rises — not by abandoning her heart, but by refusing to abandon her integrity. Amanda softens. April survives. Gregg’s tragedy becomes a warning. The women discover that “everything” is not fame or romance, but self‑respect.