I love football.  I don’t watch it on television anymore, but the game itself is a real thing of beauty.  There is a reason why Arch-Bishop Fulton Sheen used the game so often to make analogies.  The game is like chess with hitting.  Two teams prepare to battle each other as if they are going to war.  There is legitimate danger involved.  Not only can you be seriously injured on any play, but that fact is exciting.  It makes you dig deep inside for the brute spirit as well as the manly courage necessary to do your part for your teammates and to advance forward with them toward a common objective.  

I started playing tackle football in 4th grade.  I eventually played Semi-Professional football into my thirties.  My favorite coach was my last one.  He was no football mastermind.  In fact, there were things he would say that sometimes made me question his football IQ.  But he had the ability to inspire greatness out of his players.  Before games he would say things like, “You nervous!?  Your heart racing?!  Good!  That means you’re alive!  Thank God for that gift and make the guy across from you regret it!”.  

Time and time again I watched him foil elaborate plans his assistant coaches and his players would scheme in order to take advantage of a perceived weakness of the other team.  When things got too complicated, he challenged men as to why they were making it too complicated.  “Are you trying to outsmart your opponent or are you afraid of him?” was his general sentiment.  When we were struggling, when the other team had a sizable lead, when we had our backs against the wall, his attitude was simple: “The only way to is through”.


June 24th, the end of Roe v. Wade


So it happened.  The glorious moment you had been praying for.  The cause that got you to travel to DC, or at least your state capitol, every January for 50 years.  The cause that made you come together for pro-life “family reunions” that always ironically ended with “I hope I don’t have to see you next year!”.  Maybe you thought it would never happen, but it did.  Roe v. Wade has been overturned.  But in your wildest dreams, you thought this day would be nothing but joy, not joy admixed with much anxiety.  And then 2020 happened.  

There will be violent backlash from the left.  Multiple churches and pregnancy centers around the country may be vandalized.  What do we do?  At this point, I think the best thing to do is to take part in whatever you have to take part in.  Whatever is already in place.  Two years ago, I gathered a group of men who set on forming a rapid response team to protect churches during the madness of 2020.  Initially, it resulted in a lot of interest.  Thirty men from across the greater area gathered at one church on a Friday night for what turned out to be a “nothing burger”.  And then the interest waned.

But the initiative also helped paved the way for church security in our area…

Since the initial call for church protection in 2020, much has been made clear.  1. Interest in organized rapid response could not be sustained once frequent spectacle street violence subsided.  2. Long term church security is an outlet that many men desire and can benefit from.  I am happy to know competent men who have put this together on a large scale in my own area. I love being part of the band of brothers who participate in this apostolate.  3.  As the larger, but less violent, demise of our country has actually grown, I have learned that hundreds of men can be called to Church protection (protecting their domestic Church and the larger Church from evil) through embracing new levels of activity in a variety of manly apostolates.  Men can pray at abortion clinics weekend after weekend.  Men can jump into the political arena and onto school boards to protect young minds from constant Marxist subversion.  Hundreds of laity can gather outside of a satanic conference to pray rosaries asking our Lady to protect their city from Satanic attack, etc…

One might ask, “Are we afraid of our enemy?” if some church buildings and pregnancy centers take some damage over the next few days.  It’s not like we haven’t had two years to prepare in addition to the last month in particular.  But if the most effective fight forward is to push through the next few days, weeks, and years according to our strengths, then that’s what we do.  Church security protects people and the Eucharist while they are most vulnerable.  The political fight to ensue will have to be fought by staunch conservatives willing to charge through the defense our enemies will put up to protect their unholy sacrament.  And prayers of thanksgiving as well as appeals for protection in the ensuing battle should be prayed in full force.


Now go...


TIme for a play on equivocation.  Roe v. Wade is through.  Hooray.  Now it is time to go through.  The anxiety is real in this country right now.  Not just over the fears of how the unhinged left will respond to this, but over everything.  Gas prices, inflation, high interest rates, the border, the subversion of our children by means of Marxist takeovers, drag queen story hours, and the list goes on…

But, somehow with a sock puppet president in office who can’t even stay balanced on a bicycle, we have a bit of a winning streak going on.  Two days ago the Arizona House passed universal ESA funding, which, if signed into law, will open even more money to follow children from failing subversive public schools to decent private schools.  The Supreme Court ruling against states with insanely difficult red tape to carry concealed arms was a big win.  And now the biggest win of all has come.

But with every win comes a new challenge.  A new “game” or a new “battlefield”, whatever analogy you choose.  And though our backs are not up against he wall, it is time to go through.  Despite the threats to our security and the potential violence of “Jane’s Revenge”, we need to rejoice in today’s ruling while we embrace the new challenges and fight that will come.  It’s time to push through.  

If you have church security at your parish, volunteer for an extra mass or two this weekend.  Volunteer for extra slots for the next few weeks.  Escort people to their cars, be on the lookout for suspicious activity, do what you have prepared to do.  If you are part of the political grassroots, gear up to push hard for Republicans this November.  Help as many as you can get over the top.  Their will be political backlash over this as the mules will be in full force come November.  If you have spent the last several months praying at Planned Parenthoods, tomorrow is definitely the day to go out there and join the old ladies on the sidewalk.  They may need your presence.  

Don’t do anything foolhardy.  It is never a good idea to rush into battle without armor and without backup.  If you don’t think the left is capable of organized set up and ambush aginst unprepared good guys, re-watch this from 2020.  If you have a formidable organized response team ready to go for this moment, then by all means do what you guys have prepared to do at this time.  Whatever your part is, whatever you have prepared for, whatever you are called to do… do it and do it boldly.  Rejoice in today’s decision and give thanks to God, but get out there and do the part you were called to do in the next phase of this battle.  There will be an even brighter day ahead for America and for our Church.  But it will be the result of God’s grace and your continued efforts where God has put you.  Whatever you are called to do, embrace the challenge, gear up, and do it now.  Go through.

God bless,

Gadfly