Scott L. Smith Jr.'s Blog, page 12

Spooky Catholic Books for Halloween: Catholic Horror, Ghosts, and Exorcism Stories

Looking for a good, spooky read for the Halloween season that won't imperil your soul? Want to read about real heroes confronting real monsters? Too often these days, heroes are made from monsters and real heroes, like our priests, are made into monsters.     

It is high time that Catholics reclaim the horror genre. Catholics invented the horror novel. Take Dante's Inferno or the really scary Morality plays of the Middle Ages, for example. 

The world needs Catholics to identify the real monsters. 

Stephen King may have made clowns terrifying, but the world needs Catholics to identify the real terror: Satan. 

The Handmaid's Tale may have made reproduction and motherhood terrifying, but Catholics need to show the real horror: Abortion.   

Spooky Catholic Books Table of Contents The First Pro-Life Horror Novel - The Seventh Word The First Catholic Zombie Apocalypse Series - The Cajun Zombie Chronicles The Exorcist - William Peter Blatty Real Catholic Exorcisms - True Catholic Ghost Stories and Hauntings Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas Series Frank Peretti - This Present Darkness Series 

I'm such a big fan of Catholic horror that I have published quite a number of books in the genre, including the first pro-life horror novel AND the first Catholic zombie apocalypse series! 

 

LET SLEEPY TOWNS LIE ...​

A horror thriller about the residents of a small town chosen to confront the evil lurking beneath the starched white masks of an abortion facility.

The First Word came with Cain, who killed the first child of man. The Third Word was Pharaoh’s instruction to the midwives. The Fifth Word was carried from Herod to Bethlehem. One of the Lost Words dwelt among the Aztecs and feasted on their children.

Evil hides behind starched white masks. The ancient demon LaColt conducts his affairs in the sterile environment of corporate medical facilities. An insatiable hunger draws the demon to a sleepy Louisiana hamlet. There, it contracts the services of a young attorney, whose unborn child is the ultimate object of the demon’s designs. Monsignor, a mysterious priest of unknown age and origin, labors unseen to save the soul of a small town hidden deep within Louisiana’s plantation country, nearly forgotten in a bend of the Mississippi River.

With roots in Bram Stoker's Dracula, this is a horror novel which reads like Stephen King's classic stories of towns being slowly devoured by an unseen evil and the people who unite against it.  

The book is set in southern Louisiana, an area the author brings to life with compelling detail based on his local knowledge.

Follow a community surviving the zombie apocalypse as Catholics, sheltering in Catholic churches and building a monastic community to survive together. The Cajun Zombie Chronicles are a zombie apocalypse set in the bayous of Louisiana. Forget about the rapture - start reading about the Catholic Zombie Apocalypse! 
[image error] ​​BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT b:23:10:36 >> What were once thought to be riots … food shortages ... [GARBLED]>> Beginning in urban areas [STATIC] reports of erratic behavior, cannibalism … >> Food somehow contaminated ... Monsanto spokesperson claims no connection … not liable for effects … [STATIC]>> [STATIC] … Shelters compromised … [GARBLED]>> Reports of the dead rising … >> … Containment failing … END TRANSMISSION
That was the last thing we heard before the emergency messages went on a loop. If anybody's reading this, we're in a little town in Louisiana called St. Maryville. It's just me, my family, and some more family down the street. And the dead. The river must be bringing them in. We can't stay where we are ... but we've got an idea. Pray we made it.

The Exorcist left an indelible impression on the world’s imagination more so than any other case of possession ever has. This is because it was thrust upon the world after several decades of mounting disbelief in the existence of Satan.   
Although The Exeter Report showed that fear of Satan was already on the rise in England, exorcisms in America had declined precipitously. The United States had fallen into a deep sleep after its victory over evil during World War II. Even the Pentecostals had tried to dampen their more charismatic deliverances.
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The launch of The Exorcist in movie theaters all over America released a flood of repressed fears. It had been simple enough for the Devil to recede into the background of a world faced with nuclear annihilation and extinction. Then came the The Exorcist, and an ancient history of satanic awareness surged to the foreground. Many people found themselves unable to cope with the sudden jolt of religious revival, or at least the reminder of supernatural realities.
This resurgence in satanic awareness resulted in thousands of people suddenly fearing that they or a loved one was possessed. Father Tom Bermingham, one of the film’s minor actors and a researcher for Blatty’s book, suddenly found himself swarmed by hundreds of requests from individuals seeking an exorcism.  Exorcism and possession suddenly became mainstream, and the devil who had benefitted from being ignored and forgotten, now was suddenly benefitting from being a celebrity
Want to know the real story behind The Exorcist, as well as The Exorcism of Emily Rose? See below ...

These true stories of exorcisms are meant to inoculate you against the tricks and traps of evil. It is highly recommended that you read the Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel (provided) before embarking on these accounts.
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The real life accounts of possession that inspired The Exorcist movies and The Exorcism of Emily Rose are described in detail by the original eyewitnesses:
The exorcism of Anneliese Michel, the heroic real-world Emily RoseBrandings and hideous faces appeared on the skin of “Roland Doe,” whose exorcism inspired The Exorcist novel and moviesThe exorcism of Emma Schmidt, whose ridiculous outpouring of sludge inspired the infamous vomiting of The ExorcistAnd more, including the original texts of “Begone, Satan!” and the historic exorcism of Vervins, France
Beware! A common thread runs through all these stories. The evil unleashed in these possessions resulted from encounters with witchcraft, curses, and Ouija boards. Avoid these like your life and soul depends on it, because they do!
The proof is overwhelming! Possession and exorcism, as well as the devil, are real. Become sober, vigilant, and informed by reading this book.

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First published in 1986, Peretti's book set the standard for suspense for spiritual warfare story-telling. Nearly every page of the book describes sulfur-belching, ash-choking demons battling fierce angelic warriors. All of this occurs on a level of reality that is just beyond the senses. It is a helpful spiritual practice for Christians to read books such as these. They help us tinge our reality with the supernatural, even as the rest of the world focuses on the purely material.

This book also teaches us about the power of prayer in our own unseen spiritual battles. Christian believers and New Age demon-worshippers influence the unseen clashes between the angels and demons through prayer. This book is not for the faint of heart. The descriptions of exorcisms are especially vivid: "There were fifteen [demons], packed into Carmen's body like crawling, superimposed maggots, boiling, writhing, a tangle of hideous arms, legs, talons, and heads." 

What else should be added to this List of Catholic Books?

Comment below and tell me. 

Interested in more from the Christian and Catholic horror genre? Check out the page I made for this purpose: ChristianHorror.com.  

Pray the Rosary with Saint Pope John Paul II: Guide to Using the Book for Daily Rosary or Rosary Retreat

I recently published a book on St. John Paul II and the Rosary ... or at least I thought I did. 

It's amazing how your creation can take on a life of its own. This is the grace of creation. We especially receive this grace with childbirth and as we watch our kids' personalities develop and unfold. It's also true with artwork and writing. 

So, I realized recently that I didn't really put this book together. St. John Paul II did. 

Whether he intended to or not, St. John Paul II gave a series of homilies through his life that perfectly matched the mysteries of the Rosary. They were just waiting there for us to collect into a single volume.

That's what this book is. I compiled excerpts of homilies and encyclicals from St. Pope John Paul II on the Rosary and organized them according to the individual mysteries of the Rosary.  

Already have a copy? Scroll down for the many different ways you can use this book to enhance your experience of the Rosary. 

Or, click below to purchase a copy of Pray the Rosary with St. John Paul II: 

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Origin and History of the Rosary, plus How to Pray the Rosary

If you need help praying the Rosary, I have prepared a How to Pray the Rosary Guide in this article, which also describes the origin and history of the Rosary. I stuffed pretty much all I could into this article.     

St. Pope John Paul II and the Rosary: How to Take the Rosary to the Next Level 

St. John Paul II wrote an entire encyclical on the Rosary entitled Rosarium Virginis Mariae, "The Rosary of the Virgin Mary." Here is a link to the full text of that encyclical from the Vatican website.

In Rosarium Virginis Mariae, JP2 describes how Christians can enter more deeply into the mysteries of the Rosary. You don't need yoga and yogis for great meditation. The Church is already full of ancient traditions for meditation.  

St. John Paul II encourages not to be put off my all the repetition. Repetition is the means by which we assimilate the mysteries of Christ's life:  

If this repetition is considered superficially, there could be a temptation to see the Rosary as a dry and boring exercise. It is quite another thing, however, when the Rosary is thought of as an outpouring of that love which tirelessly returns to the person loved with expressions similar in their content but ever fresh in terms of the feeling pervading them.

John Paul wants us to think of this as insistence, not repetition. Jesus, Himself, uses repetition to bring us closer to Him. Think of how often we return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to confess the same sins. 

Or think of when Jesus repeatedly asked Peter whether he loved him following the Resurrection: 

If we needed evidence for this from the Gospel, we could easily find it in the touching dialogue between Christ and Peter after the Resurrection: ―Simon, son of John, do you love me? Three times this question is put to Peter, and three times he gives the reply: ―Lord, you know that I love you. Over and above the specific meaning of this passage, so important for Peter‘s mission, none can fail to recognize the beauty of this triple repetition, in which the insistent request and the corresponding reply are expressed in terms familiar from the universal experience of human love. To understand the Rosary, one has to enter into the psychological dynamic proper to love.

St. John Paul II described the Rosary as mankind's answer to deeper meditation and contemplation. JP2 also described some misguided attempts by Catholics to seek deeper meditation outside Christianity: 

Some Christians, limited in their knowledge of the Christian contemplative tradition, are attracted by those forms of prayer. 

The Rosary should involve our imaginations, John Paul II explains:  

Announcing each mystery, and perhaps even using a suitable icon to portray it, is as it were to open up a scenario on which to focus our attention. The words direct the imagination and the mind towards a particular episode or moment in the life of Christ.

St. Pope John Paul II makes reference also to Ignatian Spirituality and how this method of contemplation can be used to break open the Rosary: 

In the Church's traditional spirituality, the veneration of icons and the many devotions appealing to the senses, as well as the method of prayer proposed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in the Spiritual Exercises, make use of visual and imaginative elements (the compositio loci - composition of place), judged to be of great help in concentrating the mind on the particular mystery

I will describe a method of praying the Rosary below, using John Paul II's writing, that parallels the Four Weeks of St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. 
How to Use the Book, Praying the Rosary with Saint John Paul IIThe book is divided into four sections, one each for the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries. Each chapter of the book corresponds to a mystery of the Rosary. Each chapter is an excerpt from a homily or encyclical from St. John Paul II. The pope either preached a homily on the particular mystery, like on that feast day (Feast of the Ascension 1979), or at the physical site of the mystery. 
St. John Paul II visited many of the sites of the Rosary on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000, during his jubilee year as a priest. The Annunciation chapter, for example, is from a homily John Paul II gave at the Basilica of the Annuciation in Nazareth.  The Baptism of Jesus chapter is from a homily JP2 gave at the Wadi Al-Kharrar at the River Jordan, where Christ may have been baptized. 

There are two basic ways to pray the Rosary with this book: the short form and the long, at-home retreat form. That is, as far I have envisioned. Please comment below if you come up with any new ways of using Pray the Rosary with John Paul II. 

Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth 

Short Form: Praying your Daily Rosary with St. John Paul II

Since there is a chapter for each mystery of the Rosary, read a little bit of each chapter with each decade or with each bead. 

Take a paragraph or short passage - what's called a "pericope" - from St. John Paul's homily or writing. Meditate on this passage as you say the entire decade or just a single bead. Contemplate on the scene the pope presents or Meditate on his words:  

If St. John Paul is describing a Biblical scene or location, contemplate that scene. Imagine yourself there watching the scene unfold. Or, take part in the scene. Imagine yourself as one of the people in the scene. Use the rhythm of the Hail Marys to keep you focused on the scene. If you are really enjoying the experience or you feel Jesus calling you to stay there, stay there as long as you want. You could stay there for the whole Rosary, if it is an especially rich experience. 

If St. John Paul is providing insights into Scripture or philosophy, meditate on his words using lectio divina or another technique. If you are unfamiliar, the basic idea of lectio divina is reading and reading the short passage and paying attention to what stands out. Focus on those words. What do they mean to you right now? 

Long Form: Read an Entire Chapter of Pray the Rosary with Saint John Paul II  

Long form: Read the entire chapter before or during each decade. This can be done throughout the day. Split up the decades over the course of your day. For example, pray decades (1) when you wake up, (2) after breakfast, (3) at lunch, (4) before or after dinner, and (5) before bed.

 

 

At-Home Retreat - The "Super-Long" Form: 

I noticed recently that the mysteries of the Rosary can match the Four Weeks of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. In particular, the mysteries prayed Monday through Thursday are very close to the rhythm and movements of the Spiritual Exercises: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous. 

So, for an At-Home Retreat (ideal for pandemic days), spend four days praying the Rosary in long-form. Spend four days dedicating five hours per day to contemplating the mysteries of the Rosary. As described above, dedicate five prayer periods throughout the day, however you want to organize it. Read the chapter-excerpt from JP2 before or during each decade of the Rosary.   

This is like a "Preached Retreat" preached by none other than St. Pope John Paul II!  

Other Options for Praying the Rosary with JP2?  

Please let me know about your experiences with St. John Paul II and praying the Rosary. Any other ideas on how to use this book? I have a feeling that the depths of St. John Paul II's writings will not easily be exhausted. God bless!

Totus Tuus Prayer of St. Pope John Paul II

Totally yours,

Immaculate Conception, Mary my Mother,

Live in me, Act in me,

Speak in me and through me,

Think your thoughts in my mind,

Love through my heart,

Give me your dispositions and feelings,

Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,

Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,

Possess my soul,

Take over my entire personality and life, replace it with Yourself,

Incline me to constant adoration,

Pray in me and through me,

Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.

The Essential Guide to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary: Proof of Mary's Assumption in the Bible

"The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory" (Pius XII,  Munificentissimus Deus  44).
But can Catholics prove this using Scripture? Also, who else was assumed into Heaven according to Scripture? And how do these other assumptions point to Mary?



Let's start with the obvious: Elijah. Elijah rode his fiery chariot in Heaven at 2 Kings 2:

And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Eli′jah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Eli′sha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. (2 Kings 2: 11-12)

Elijah being assumed into heaven riding the fiery chariot

This last phrase also points to another assumption, namely, that of Enoch. Enoch's assumption occurs in Genesis 5, where the descendants of Adam are described:

When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methu′selah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methu′selah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:21-24)

The two phrases match: "And he saw him no more" & "and he was not." 
This is called the Assumption of Enoch and Elijah of Santo Piatti. The depiction of these two assumptees together demonstrates the long-standing Biblical tradition of their assumptions.
Some modern Biblical commentators understand the descriptions of these scenes merely as euphemistically describing the deaths of Elijah and Enoch. But ... there's a big problem with that interpretation! This is contradicted by the rest of Scripture (maybe those commentators haven't read the rest of the Bible). 
For example, check out the following from the Letter to the Hebrews, chapter 11, where the author is describing faith through the examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah:
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous, God bearing witness by accepting his gifts; he died, but through his faith he is still speaking. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God.
This passage directly refutes the idea that Enoch's death was described in Genesis. It actually says that Enoch was taken up so that he "should not see death." 

So there's the New Testament proof that Enoch was assumed into Heaven, but where's Elijah's proof?
Where do we see Elijah in Heaven in the New Testament?Or, another question, where do we see Jesus in Heaven in the New Testament and WHO IS WITH HIM?
The upper portion of The Transfiguration by Raphael
The Transfiguration , of course! And who is beside Jesus at the Transfiguration? Elijah and ... Moses. Wait, Moses? Hold onto that thought for a second. 
We know that Elijah is in Heaven because we see him there! And with Jesus, of all people! 
That's not the only time we see Jesus in Heaven in the New Testament? Where else? At Christ's Ascension, right? And again, who do we see beside Christ? Two men. See, for example, Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1 (also Luke 24):
And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)
These two men are in white robes, just like the "dazzling white" of the Transfiguration. To read more on why these two men in white robes are Moses and Elijah (or two angels), check out St. John Chrysostom's homily here and here and here.
So, what's Moses doing in Heaven?At the Transfiguration, we see Elijah in Heaven beside Jesus and Moses. This is taken as further proof of the Elijah's assumption into Heaven described in 2 Kings 2. But, if this is proof of Elijah's assumption, does that mean Moses, too, was assumed into Heaven? YES!
For Part TWO of this post, "The Assumption of Moses & The Ark", click here.

The Essential Guide to the Best Catholic Podcasts

It's happening. As of this writing, more than half of all teens and adults in America have listened to a minimum of one podcast, at least according to this survey.

Podcasts have experienced major growth in recent years. This year, the podcast industry welcomed new streaming services, such as Luminary and Spotify. Companies like Sony sponsored or created original content that took sound design to new places.

The Catholic world has taken note of the explosion in podcasts, too. There is now a dizzying array of Catholic podcasts to listen to ... but which one?


Oscar and Tony Award winners are now performing in audio dramas. It feels a bit like a resurgence in radio-type dramas. This is like the modern version of The Lone Ranger, Little Orphan Annie, and Orson Welles' War of the Worlds. Hopefully, we'll have a Catholic audio drama soon, too.

More shows are moving away from the traditional weekly model. Some podcasts are now publishing once or even twice a day. Other podcasts release all at once as binge-ready collections.

I'll do by best to provide categories, as well. Are you looking for a particular category of Catholic podcasts? Did I miss a really good Catholic podcast? Please let me know and comment below!

ContentsWhat are the Top 10 Catholic Podcasts?Best Catholic Podcasts for Theology & ApologeticsBest Catholic Podcasts for News, Culture, & HumorBest Catholic Podcasts for MenBest Catholic Podcasts for WomenBest Catholic Podcasts for Nerds
And now ... the Top 10 Catholic Podcasts!

What are the Top 10 Best Catholic Podcasts?Without further ado, what are the best Catholic Podcasts to listen to? Here are the Top 10 "all-around" Catholic podcasts:

#1 Best Catholic Podcast: Catholic Answers Live LINKThough not strictly-speaking a podcast, this show has to be responsible for more Catholic conversions than any other podcast. Catholic Answers LIVE is a daily, call-in radio program of Catholic apologetics and evangelization airing live from 6-8 pm ET.
There's also the Catholic Answers Focus Podcast: LINK.
#2 Best Catholic Podcast: Word on Fire LINK
In The Word on Fire podcast, Bishop Barron does what he does best — skillfully intersects the richness of the Catholic faith and today’s culture. Bishop Barron’s eloquent but accessible discourse educates and uplifts listeners and upholds the beauty and truth found in the Church. He shares insights from the greatest Catholic thinkers as well as practical advice for all Catholics trying to live well in their day-to-day lives.

#3 Best Catholic Podcast: The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast LINK
If you like Fr. Mike Schmitz’ Youtube videos, you can now listen to this dynamic priest on the go! Fr. Mike Schmitz‘ podcast offers short but lively reflections on a wide variety of topics from Catholic teaching to practical tips for living life well. His down to earth tone and inspiring message will help listeners live out the Christian life more effectively.

#4 Best Catholic Podcast: Pints with Aquinas LINK
Matt Fradd on his podcast Pints With Aquinas addresses a question St. Thomas answers in the Summa Theologiae and other writings, in an easy to understand way so you don’t have to be a theologian or philosopher to enjoy listening. This show really feels like you are sitting down to discuss Truth over a cold drink, and enables listeners to come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the richness of the Catholic faith.

#5 Best Catholic Podcast: Ask Father Josh
LINK
From Ascension Press, which hosts Father Josh's podcast and published his awesome book,  Broken and Blessed :

Ask Father Josh is the podcast where I hear you out and do my best to help you navigate the tricky times in life when our Catholic Faith doesn’t give you an easy “fill-in-the blank” answer. On this show, we’ll listen to one another, problem solve together, and ultimately entrust everything to our Lord. If this is your first time tuning in, here’s how the show goes: Each episode, I'll address three to four of your questions. I’ll cover everything from Catholic teaching to moral dilemmas to relationship advice. I'm not perfect, and I can’t guarantee that my advice is going to make things easy, but I'll do my best to share what I've learned during my time as a priest, pastor, and friend. Email me your questions at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com and find out more at ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh.

#6 Best Catholic Podcast: The Catholic Man ShowLINK
From The Catholic Man Show website:

Real, relatable, and often comical, Adam and David have a conversation promoting the lost art of living virtuously. Every episode is broken up into 3 parts.
A Manly Drink - We open, review, and enjoy a manly beverage on air while promoting the virtue of moderation and enjoying the finer things in life that our Lord has given to us. A Manly Gear - We highlight a specific gear that every man should own and how it applies to living a Catholic life in this world. A Manly Topic - Deemed (by us) as "the manliest conversation you will ever hear." We talk about different topics related to the Catholic man.

#7 Best Catholic Podcast: The Catholic Hipster
LINK & Link to Catholic Hipster Handbook Book

Tommy Tighe of The Catholic Hipster blog & Sarah Vabulas, The Catholic Drinkie, talk about being hipster Catholics ... or just have a lot of fun discussing the ins and outs of what it's like to be a real life Catholic. Join us for the fun.

#8 Best Catholic Podcast: Roman Circus Podcast LINK
Hosts Zac Mabry ("America's Cutest Meme", Twitter @zacmabry) and Matt Baker (@heyitsmattbaker):

Step right up, step right up. This way to The Roman Circus Podcast. Come one, come all and gasp in disbelief as Matt and Zac dive into death-defying discussions of Catholic culture, tradition and history and comment on news and more.

#9 Best Catholic Podcast: Catholic Nerds Podcast

LINK
Join the Catholic Nerds Podcast for quality Catholic nerdery. The Catholic Nerds basically nerd out on comics, movies, video games, and books, all from a Catholic perspective, plus a hefty helping of all things Catholic. There will be plenty of Jesus, Mary, and the Eucharist here!

SPOILER ALERT: This is a self-plug. I'm one of the hosts of this podcast

#10 Best Catholic Podcast: St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology LINK
Dr. Scott Hahn ... nuff said. The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology promotes “life-transforming Scripture study in the Catholic tradition” through their podcast. Renowned biblical scholar Dr. Scott Hahn offers a weekly reflection on the Sunday Mass readings. As usual, Dr. Hahn delivers powerful insight in short, easy to listen to episodes that will help listeners delve deeper into Scripture and deeper into the Mass.

BONUS #11 Best Catholic Podcast: Jen Said What?!LINK
Each week, Jen Fulwiler shares highlights from her daily SiriusXM radio show The Jennifer Fulwiler Show. Jen shares her take on pop culture and current events from her perspective “as a former atheist, self-professed nerd, and mother of six who can barely deal with life.” She is engaging and thoughtful, and the podcast will have you laughing out loud. If you aren’t able to catch the full show, but need more of this hilarious woman in your life (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), her podcast is the next best thing.


Best Catholic Podcasts for Theology & ApologeticsThere will be a lot of repeats from the Top 10 in this category. As you might expect, most Catholic podcasts center around evangelization.
Catholic Answers Live - #1 Catholic Apologetics & Theology Podcast LINKThough not strictly-speaking a podcast, this show has to be responsible for more Catholic conversions than any other podcast. Catholic Answers LIVE is a daily, call-in radio program of Catholic apologetics and evangelization airing live from 6-8 pm ET.
There's also the Catholic Answers Focus Podcast: LINK.
The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast - #2 Catholic Apologetics & Theology Podcast  LINK
If you like Fr. Mike Schmitz’ Youtube videos, you can now listen to this dynamic priest on the go! Fr. Mike Schmitz‘ podcast offers short but lively reflections on a wide variety of topics from Catholic teaching to practical tips for living life well. His down to earth tone and inspiring message will help listeners live out the Christian life more effectively.

Pints with Aquinas - #3 Best Catholic Apologetics & Theology Podcast  LINK
Matt Fradd on his podcast Pints With Aquinas addresses a question St. Thomas answers in the Summa Theologiae and other writings, in an easy to understand way so you don’t have to be a theologian or philosopher to enjoy listening. This show really feels like you are sitting down to discuss Truth over a cold drink, and enables listeners to come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the richness of the Catholic faith.

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology - #4 Best Catholic Apologetics & Theology Podcast  LINK
Dr. Scott Hahn ... nuff said. The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology promotes “life-transforming Scripture study in the Catholic tradition” through their podcast. Renowned biblical scholar Dr. Scott Hahn offers a weekly reflection on the Sunday Mass readings. As usual, Dr. Hahn delivers powerful insight in short, easy to listen to episodes that will help listeners delve deeper into Scripture and deeper into the Mass.

Classical Theism Podcast - #5 Best Catholic Apologetics & Theology Podcast LINK
"The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the Catholic Church. We place a strong emphasis on the first pillar, defending classical theism, drawing upon the work of Thomistic philosopher Dr. Edward Feser and many others."


Best Catholic Podcasts for Catholic LifeWhat are the best Catholic podcasts for day-to-day Catholic living? These Catholic podcasts offer practical advice, help your spiritual life, and provide how-to's.
Catholic Answers Live - #1 Best Catholic Life Podcast  LINKThough not strictly-speaking a podcast, this show has to be responsible for more Catholic conversions than any other podcast. Catholic Answers LIVE is a daily, call-in radio program of Catholic apologetics and evangelization airing live from 6-8 pm ET.
There's also the Catholic Answers Focus Podcast: LINK.
Ask Father Josh - #2 Best Catholic Life Podcast
LINK
From Ascension Press, which hosts Father Josh's podcast and published his awesome book,  Broken and Blessed :

Ask Father Josh is the podcast where I hear you out and do my best to help you navigate the tricky times in life when our Catholic Faith doesn’t give you an easy “fill-in-the blank” answer. On this show, we’ll listen to one another, problem solve together, and ultimately entrust everything to our Lord. If this is your first time tuning in, here’s how the show goes: Each episode, I'll address three to four of your questions. I’ll cover everything from Catholic teaching to moral dilemmas to relationship advice. I'm not perfect, and I can’t guarantee that my advice is going to make things easy, but I'll do my best to share what I've learned during my time as a priest, pastor, and friend. Email me your questions at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com and find out more at ascensionpress.com/askfrjosh.

The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast - #3 Best Catholic Life Podcast LINK
If you like Fr. Mike Schmitz’ Youtube videos, you can now listen to this dynamic priest on the go! Fr. Mike Schmitz‘ podcast offers short but lively reflections on a wide variety of topics from Catholic teaching to practical tips for living life well. His down to earth tone and inspiring message will help listeners live out the Christian life more effectively.

Word on Fire - #4 Best Catholic Life Podcast LINK
In The Word on Fire podcast, Bishop Barron does what he does best — skillfully intersects the richness of the Catholic faith and today’s culture. Bishop Barron’s eloquent but accessible discourse educates and uplifts listeners and upholds the beauty and truth found in the Church. He shares insights from the greatest Catholic thinkers as well as practical advice for all Catholics trying to live well in their day-to-day lives.

The Catholic Man Show - #5 Best Catholic Life PodcastLINK
From The Catholic Man Show website:

Real, relatable, and often comical, Adam and David have a conversation promoting the lost art of living virtuously. Every episode is broken up into 3 parts.
A Manly Drink - We open, review, and enjoy a manly beverage on air while promoting the virtue of moderation and enjoying the finer things in life that our Lord has given to us. A Manly Gear - We highlight a specific gear that every man should own and how it applies to living a Catholic life in this world. A Manly Topic - Deemed (by us) as "the manliest conversation you will ever hear." We talk about different topics related to the Catholic man.

Best Catholic Podcasts for News, Culture, & HumorLooking for a Catholic lens to understand the news? A little Catholic humor? Looking for a Catholic decoder ring for this crazy world? Check out these podcasts.
The Catholic Hipster - #1 Best Catholic News, Culture, & Humor Podcast 
LINK & Link to Catholic Hipster Handbook Book

Tommy Tighe of The Catholic Hipster blog & Sarah Vabulas, The Catholic Drinkie, talk about being hipster Catholics ... or just have a lot of fun discussing the ins and outs of what it's like to be a real life Catholic. Join us for the fun.

Roman Circus Podcast - #2 Best Catholic News, Culture, & Humor Podcast  LINK
Hosts Zac Mabry ("America's Cutest Meme", Twitter @zacmabry) and Matt Baker (@heyitsmattbaker):

Step right up, step right up. This way to The Roman Circus Podcast. Come one, come all and gasp in disbelief as Matt and Zac dive into death-defying discussions of Catholic culture, tradition and history and comment on news and more.

Jen Said What?! - #3 Best Catholic News, Culture, & Humor Podcast  LINK
Each week, Jen Fulwiler shares highlights from her daily SiriusXM radio show The Jennifer Fulwiler Show. Jen shares her take on pop culture and current events from her perspective “as a former atheist, self-professed nerd, and mother of six who can barely deal with life.” She is engaging and thoughtful, and the podcast will have you laughing out loud. If you aren’t able to catch the full show, but need more of this hilarious woman in your life (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), her podcast is the next best thing.

Catholic Nerds Podcast - #4 Best Catholic News, Culture, & Humor Podcast  LINK
The Catholic Underground is an apostolate studying culture, faith, and making sense of the digital continent. We offer video, audio, and blog and try to help you find the Still, Small, Voice.

Catholic Nerds Podcast - #5 Best Catholic News, Culture, & Humor Podcast  LINK
Join the Catholic Nerds Podcast for quality Catholic nerdery. The Catholic Nerds basically nerd out on comics, movies, video games, and books, all from a Catholic perspective, plus a hefty helping of all things Catholic. SPOILER ALERT: This is a self-plug. I'm one of the hosts of this podcast


Best Catholic Podcasts for MenEvery Catholic man needs the company of other Catholic men. Now that man-company is much more portable and requires far less feeding and beer.

This first one might be a bit on the nose ...

The Catholic Man Show - #1 Best Catholic Podcast for MenLINKFrom The Catholic Man Show website:

Real, relatable, and often comical, Adam and David have a conversation promoting the lost art of living virtuously. Every episode is broken up into 3 parts.
A Manly Drink - We open, review, and enjoy a manly beverage on air while promoting the virtue of moderation and enjoying the finer things in life that our Lord has given to us. A Manly Gear - We highlight a specific gear that every man should own and how it applies to living a Catholic life in this world. A Manly Topic - Deemed (by us) as "the manliest conversation you will ever hear." We talk about different topics related to the Catholic man.

Best Catholic Podcasts for WomenPlease let me know if I'm missing anything in this category!
The Catholic Feminist - #1 Best Catholic Podcast for Women LINKThe Catholic Feminist podcast hopes to reach women “who want to be informed, inspired, and intentional.” The host Claire Swinarski talks each week with different women who use their gifts to build up the Church. This show has covered many of the big issues in today’s world including postpartum depression, human trafficking, immigration, racism, and more. This show provides listeners with authentic and enjoyable discussions about the role and gift of women in the Church and in society. If you are looking to feel empowered, this is the perfect podcast for you.
Jen Said What?! - #2 Best Catholic Podcast for Women  LINK
Each week, Jen Fulwiler shares highlights from her daily SiriusXM radio show The Jennifer Fulwiler Show. Jen shares her take on pop culture and current events from her perspective “as a former atheist, self-professed nerd, and mother of six who can barely deal with life.” She is engaging and thoughtful, and the podcast will have you laughing out loud. If you aren’t able to catch the full show, but need more of this hilarious woman in your life (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), her podcast is the next best thing.

Letters to Women: Exploring the Feminine Genius - #3 Best Catholic Podcast for Women  LINKHost Chloe (Mooradian) Langr discusses and dissects the Feminine Genius and leans heavily on the writings of Pope St. John Paul II. Chloe interviews other women about how to live this out in our daily, ordinary lives. Check out her website for more on the show and her blog.

Best Catholic Podcasts for NerdsI've got just the one for you ...
Catholic Nerds Podcast - #1 Best Catholic Podcast for Nerds LINK
Join the Catholic Nerds Podcast for quality Catholic nerdery. The Catholic Nerds basically nerd out on comics, movies, video games, and books, all from a Catholic perspective, plus a hefty helping of all things Catholic. SPOILER ALERT: This is a self-plug. I'm one of the hosts of this podcast

Tea with Tolkien Podcast - #2 Best Catholic Podcast for Nerds LINK
Slow down for a cup of Tea with Tolkien. Tea with Tolkien is a community inspired by the works, life, and Catholic faith of J.R.R. Tolkien. We invite you to join us as we escape into reality for a moment or two, chatting about life, faith, philosophy, literature, family and home. Pull up a cozy chair and enjoy a cup of tea and a cake or two, nestled in our own corner of modern-day Hobbiton.

Father Roderick - #3 Best Catholic Podcast for Nerds LINKFather Roderick: a show about movies, travel, fantasy, TV, faith, sci-fi and minimalism. If you have heard of a movie, Father Roderick has seen it and podcasted about it. Father Roderick has an extremely high joy quotient and you will, too, if you listen to his podcast. 

St. Pope John Paul II & S.C.A.M.: Socialism, Communism, and Marxism

Jesus was a Communist, right? Christians should support the wealth redistribution programs of Socialism, Communism, and Marxism - S.C.A.M. - right? If so, why did Pope, now also Saint, John Paul II speak so strongly against the evils of S.C.A.M.?

Christianity is opposed to SCAM and always has been. Yes, some early Christian communities practiced sharing of wealth in the Book of Acts, as do the monasteries and religious orders to this day. These are all voluntary practices, though. Government-coerced charity is not charity.

Christianity has always opposed SCAM as a system of government. Why?

Free will! Christianity has also opposed SCAM because it violates human dignity. Historically, SCAM governments have brutally opposed several principles necessary for the protection of human dignity: religious freedom, private property, the dignity of work and the rights of workers, and subsidiarity, the principle that government should be as decentralized and as local as possible.

This article is from a book that I just published The MAGA Guide to S.C.A.M.: Socialism, Communism, and Marxism: 

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For example, here is Polish priest Feliks Nowacki. He was incarcerated in Auschwitz on May 23, 1941 - Camp no. 15865. Nowacki died in the camp on December 20, 1941 at the age of 62.
Polish priest Feliks Nowacki upon arrival at Auschwitz concentration camp
Source: Auschwitz Memorial
Karol Wojtyla, the man who would become Pope John Paul II, was ordained a priest in 1946. He was a seminarian during World War II and in Nazi-occupied Poland. He describes walking into the streets to find ash in the air and coating the cars. He knew this to be the remains of his friends and fellow seminarians. 
Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyla, as young priest in Poland

Why were thousands of priests martyred in Nazi concentration camps and Soviet death camps? It certainly was not because Christianity is compatible with SCAM.

I begin this chapter with excerpts of this encyclical, but this is by no means the only thing Pope John Paul had to say on the subject. Nor, is Pope John Paul the first pope to speak on SCAM. As a philosopher, John Paul wrote intensely about SCAM’s violations of human dignity.
John Paul II first describes the SCAM of Marxism as a rebellion against the working of the Holy Spirit in history:

… [T]he resistance to the Holy Spirit which St. Paul emphasizes in the interior and subjective dimension as tension, struggle and rebellion taking place in the human heart, finds in every period of history and especially in the modern era its external dimension, which takes concrete form as the content of culture and civilization, as a philosophical system, an ideology, a program for action and for the shaping of human behavior.

It reaches its clearest expression in materialism, both in its theoretical form: as a system of thought, and in its practical form: as a method of interpreting and evaluating facts, and likewise as a program of corresponding conduct.

The system which has developed most and carried to its extreme practical consequences this form of thought, ideology and praxis is dialectical and historical materialism, which is still recognized as the essential core of Marxism.

Materialism tell us that only the materialworld exists. There is only matter, no spirit, and certainly no Holy Spirit. There is no immortal soul, much less the Creator of our souls.

Therefore, the primary lie of SCAM’s historical materialism, according to John Paul II, is its outright opposition to God, Atheism:

In principle and in fact, materialism radically excludes the presence and action of God, who is spirit, in the world and above all in man. Fundamentally this is because it does not accept God’s existence, being a system that is essentially and systematically atheistic.

… [I]t is certain that a true and proper materialism, understood as a theory which explains reality and accepted as the key-principle of personal and social action, is characteristically atheistic. The order of values and the aims of action which it describes are strictly bound to a reading of the whole of reality as “matter.” Though it sometimes also speaks of the “spirit” and of “questions of the spirit,” as for example in the fields of culture or morality, it does so only insofar as it considers certain facts as derived from matter (epiphenomena), since according to this system matter is the one and only form of being.

It follows, according to this interpretation, that religion can only be understood as a kind of “idealistic illusion,” to be fought with the most suitable means and methods according to circumstances of time and place, in order to eliminate it from society and from man’s very heart.

John Paul’s words pierce straight down to the bones of the SCAM. A materialist view of history is opposed not only to God, but to the freedom of religion. SCAM’s true motives are to fight religion “with the most suitable means”. SCAM desires to “eliminate” religion from man’s heart” and to eradicate religion from society by force.  

John Paul does not speak of SCAM’s violence against God and religion in theoretical terms. He witnessed SCAM firsthand, as Poland was occupied first by the Nazi Socialists and later by the Russian Communists.

But that’s not all.

Not only does the SCAM oppose religion. Those of us who believe in God, religion, or, at bare minimum, the human to religion – we must oppose SCAM:

This is not merely a battle between St. Paul’s “Spirit” and the “flesh,” John Paul continues, but between “life” and “death.”

It must be added that on the horizon of contemporary civilization – especially in the form that is most developed in the technical and scientific sense – the signs and symptoms of death have become particularly present and frequent. One has only to think of the arms race and of its inherent danger of nuclear self-destruction. Moreover, everyone has become more and more aware of the grave situation of vast areas of our planet marked by death-dealing poverty and famine. It is a question of problems that are not only economic but also and above all ethical.

But on the horizon of our era there are gathering ever darker “signs of death”: a custom has become widely established – in some places it threatens to become almost an institution – of taking the lives of human beings even before they are born, or before they reach the natural point of death.

Furthermore, despite many noble efforts for peace, new wars have broken out and are taking place, wars which destroy the lives or the health of hundreds of thousands of people. And how can one fail to mention the attacks against human life by terrorism, organized even on an international scale?

John Paul argues that science, thus directed by the materialistic aims of SCAM, has brought us to the brink of nuclear “self-destruction”.

But there are more “signs of death,” including “taking lives … even before they are born,” i.e. abortion. The SCAM artists are bloody with abortion.

Ever the good pastor, John Paul never leaves us without hope. He next reminds us that SCAM is picking a fight with the biggest kid on the block. SCAM materialism opposes not just the spirit, but God, the Holy Spirit.

John Paul asks us “Does there not rise up” a might power?

SCAM’s Attack on the Dignity and Rights of the Worker St. Pope John Paul II and Centesimus Annus ("The Hundredth Year") - Pope Leo XIII and Rerum Novarum  

This is not the only time Pope John Paul II wrote about SCAM. And he’s definitely not the first pope to do so. Pope Leo XIII dropped a bombshell on SCAM in 1891 in the encyclical Rerum Novarum, “New Things” (on Capital and Labor).

The impact of this “immortal document”

Indeed, Rerum Novarum diagnosed the essential lie of SCAM and the origin of all its evils. SCAM offers not freedom, but a freedom scam.

The SCAM version of freedom, in the areas of economic and social activity, denies the truth about man and the dignity of work:

With the intention of shedding light on the conflict which had arisen between capital and labor, Pope Leo XIII affirmed the fundamental rights of workers. Indeed, the key to reading the Encyclical is the dignity of the worker as such, and, for the same reason, the dignity of work, which is defined as follows: “to exert oneself for the sake of procuring what is necessary for the various purposes of life, and first of all for self-preservation.”

Lech Walesa speaking atop a bulldozer - the iconic image of the birth of the Polish Solidarity movement

The SCAM government of Poland responded with censorship and severing all phone connections between Gdańsk and the rest of Poland. Nevertheless, news of the worker’s movement soon spread into spread across the rest of the Soviet empire. The shipyard workers were soon joined by other strike committees.

On August 17, a priest, Henryk Jankowski, performed a mass outside the shipyard’s gate, at which the strikers’ demands were put forward. The demands called for new, independent trade unions, ending the censorship, a right to strike, new rights for the Church, and freeing of political prisoners.30-year anniversary mural depicting Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, a priest 
who was murdered for publicly supporting the Solidarity movement

Pope John Paul II visited Poland for the third time in 1987. A few years later, Lech Walesa was elected President of Poland. The message of Poland had rippled across all of eastern Europe. The Soviet SCAM had collapsed along with the Iron Curtain.

Pope John Paul II was giving the world a master class on how to defeat SCAM. The pope faced down a government already controlled by SCAM. The evils of SCAM were plain for everybody to see.

The question becomes how do we defeat SCAM before it rears its ugly face? Once the SCAM artists have their boot on our necks, defining good and evil is a simple job. But how do you defeat SCAM when it is still attractive and seductive, offering government giveaways and relief from suffering and, the most seductive of all, power?

The answer is simple. All people must be accorded dignity, even the scammers. If power is not shared equitably, power will be usurped violently. More on this in the next sections.  

The Popes on Marxism: Pope Leo XIII and Rerum Novarum, St. Pope John Paul II and Dominum et Vivificantem and Centesimus Annus  

Thirty Bible Verses for Spiritual Warfare: Jump Start Your War Room Prayer Strategy

We are in a battle. Satan and his minions want your soul. We may not see it, we often forget it's happening. The enemy would love nothing more than for you to forget the great battlefield you are standing in. That's the only way evil wins and you lose. Don't let the Devil win.
Here are a host of Bible verses to help you bring yourself fully into War Room. These Scripture passages are for Spiritual Combat for you and your loved ones. 
Here are 30 Bible verses on battle, the war between good and evil, and overcoming sin and despair by the light of Christ for your Prayer War Room. You will find additional resources below, as well. 

I am releasing on this site some of the sections of a new book I'm preparing to publish entitled Pray Like a Prayer Warrior: Spiritual Combat and War Room Prayers.
- In a previous article, we have put on the Armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6. 
- I have created Prayer Warrior Guide: How to Create Your War Room Prayer Strategy
- I have also already published this reprint of Dom Lorenzo Scupoli's classic on spiritual warfare, The Spiritual Combat:
 

Be a prayer warrior! Here is a mountain of ammunition for you to use in your Prayer War Room. Here is your arsenal for Spiritual Warfare and Spiritual Combat. 
Old Testament - Spiritual Warfare VersesPsalms of Deliverance from Evil and ThanksgivingPsalm 18:1-13, “Royal Thanksgiving for Victory”I love thee, O Lord, my strength.The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,    and I am saved from my enemies.The cords of death encompassed me,    the torrents of perdition assailed me;the cords of Sheol entangled me,    the snares of death confronted me.In my distress I called upon the Lord;    to my God I cried for help.From his temple he heard my voice,    and my cry to him reached his ears.
Then the earth reeled and rocked;    the foundations also of the mountains trembled    and quaked, because he was angry.Smoke went up from his nostrils,    and devouring fire from his mouth;    glowing coals flamed forth from him.He bowed the heavens, and came down;    thick darkness was under his feet.He rode on a cherub, and flew;    he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.He made darkness his covering around him,    his canopy thick clouds dark with water.Out of the brightness before him    there broke through his clouds    hailstones and coals of fire.The Lord also thundered in the heavens,    and the Most High uttered his voice,    hailstones and coals of fire.

Psalm 18:31-42,46,48, “Royal Thanksgiving for Victory”For who is God, but the Lord?    And who is a rock, except our God?—the God who girded me with strength,    and made my way safe.He made my feet like hinds’ feet,    and set me secure on the heights.He trains my hands for war,    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation,    and thy right hand supported me,    and thy help made me great.Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me,    and my feet did not slip.I pursued my enemies and overtook them;    and did not turn back till they were consumed.I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;    they fell under my feet.For thou didst gird me with strength for the battle;    thou didst make my assailants sink under me.Thou didst make my enemies turn their backs to me,    and those who hated me I destroyed.They cried for help, but there was none to save,    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.I beat them fine as dust before the wind;    I cast them out like the mire of the streets. […]The Lord lives; and blessed be my rock,    and exalted be the God of my salvation, […]who delivered me from my enemies;    yea, thou didst exalt me above my adversaries;    thou didst deliver me from men of violence.
Psalm 30:1-5, “Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness”:I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast drawn me up,    and hast not let my foes rejoice over me.O Lord my God, I cried to thee for help,    and thou hast healed me.O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol,    restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,    and give thanks to his holy name.For his anger is but for a moment,    and his favor is for a lifetime.Weeping may tarry for the night,    but joy cometh with the morning.
Psalm 34:7-22, “Praise for Deliverance from Trouble”:The angel of the Lord encamps    around those who fear him, and delivers them.O taste and see that the Lord is good!    Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!O fear the Lord, you his saints,    for those who fear him have no want!The young lions suffer want and hunger;    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.Come, O sons, listen to me,    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.What man is there who desires life,    and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?Keep your tongue from evil,    and your lips from speaking deceit.Depart from evil, and do good;    seek peace, and pursue it.The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,    and his ears toward their cry.The face of the Lord is against evildoers,    to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,    and delivers them out of all their troubles.The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,    and saves the crushed in spirit.Many are the afflictions of the righteous;    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.He keeps all his bones;    not one of them is broken.Evil shall slay the wicked;    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.The Lord redeems the life of his servants;    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

The Exorcism Psalm - Psalm 91:1-16, “Assurance of God’s Protection”:He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,    who abides in the shadow of the Almighty,will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;    my God, in whom I trust.”For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler    and from the deadly pestilence;he will cover you with his pinions,    and under his wings you will find refuge;    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.You will not fear the terror of the night,    nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.A thousand may fall at your side,    ten thousand at your right hand;    but it will not come near you.You will only look with your eyes    and see the recompense of the wicked.Because you have made the Lord your refuge,    the Most High your habitation,no evil shall befall you,    no scourge come near your tent.For he will give his angels charge of you    to guard you in all your ways.On their hands they will bear you up,    lest you dash your foot against a stone.You will tread on the lion and the adder,    the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him;    I will protect him, because he knows my name.When he calls to me, I will answer him;    I will be with him in trouble,    I will rescue him and honor him.With long life I will satisfy him,    and show him my salvation.
Psalm 138:7-8, “Thanksgiving and Praise”:Though I walk in the midst of trouble,    thou dost preserve my life;thou dost stretch out thy hand against the wrath of my enemies,    and thy right hand delivers me.The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;    thy steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.    Do not forsake the work of thy hands. Proverbs on Spiritual WarfareProverbs 5:21-23For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,    and he watches[e] all his paths.The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,    and he is caught in the toils of his sin.He dies for lack of discipline,    and because of his great folly he is lost.

Proverbs 16:32He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 24:1-12Be not envious of evil men,    nor desire to be with them;for their minds devise violence,    and their lips talk of mischief.
By wisdom a house is built,    and by understanding it is established;by knowledge the rooms are filled    with all precious and pleasant riches.A wise man is mightier than a strong man,    and a man of knowledge than he who has strength;for by wise guidance you can wage your war,    and in abundance of counselors there is victory.Wisdom is too high for a fool;    in the gate he does not open his mouth.He who plans to do evil    will be called a mischief-maker.The devising of folly is sin,    and the scoffer is an abomination to men.If you faint in the day of adversity,    your strength is small.Rescue those who are being taken away to death;    hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,    and will he not requite man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:24-27He who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”    will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations;but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,    and a good blessing will be upon them.He who gives a right answer    kisses the lips.Prepare your work outside,    get everything ready for you in the field;    and after that build your house.
Old Testament – Other Verses on Spiritual WarfareJoshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 23:9-11“For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations; and as for you, no man has been able to withstand you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, as he promised you. Take good heed to yourselves, therefore, to love the Lord your God.”
Zechariah 3:1-2 “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”
 New Testament - Spiritual Warfare VersesThe Gospels on Spiritual WarfareMatthew 6:9-14 – “The Lord’s Prayer”Pray then like this: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Luke 10:17-20 – “The Return of the Seventy”“The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’”
John 8:31-32“Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’”
John 10:7-11“So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’”
John 16:31-33“Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’”

St. Paul on Spiritual WarfareOne of St. Paul’s greatest statements of spiritual warfare occurs in his Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6. He describes in detail the “Armor of God.” This will be discussed in detail, line by line, piece of armor by piece of armor, in a separate chapter.   
St. Paul frequently talked about Jesus overcoming the powers of darkness. “According to Your word, Lord, my enemy has been disarmed and embarrassed” (Colossians 2:15).  Satan has been “overruled” (Eph 1:20-22), “mastered” (Phil 2:9-11), “rendered powerless” (Heb 2:14), and his works have been “destroyed” (1 John 3:8). 
Being these truths into your Prayer War Room. In that stronghold, command the ruin of the darkness with the Truth of Christ. 
Romans 8:31-39 – “God’s Love in Christ Jesus”“What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,

‘For thy sake we are being killed all the day long;we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2 Corinthians 10:7-9Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that as he is Christ’s, so are we. For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame.
Ephesians 1:19-21 – Christ is Made Supreme Over All Things“… According to the working of his great might which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all.”
Philippians 2:9-11“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
Hebrews 4:12-13“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
Hebrews 11:32-34 “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”

New Testament – Other Verses on Spiritual Warfare1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.”
James 4:7-8 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
Jude v.24-25 – “Benediction” “Lord, You are able to keep me from stumbling. You will present me blameless in Your presence. It is upon this hope I cast myself and acknowledge Your authority, power, and majesty. To You be all the glory and honor. It is for these things- for Your glory and honor – that I ask Your mighty hand to bring about victory in my life.”

Revelation on Spiritual Warfare Revelation 12: The Woman and the DragonThe Queen of Heaven And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Saint Michael Defeats the DragonNow war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
The Dragon Fights Again on EarthAnd when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had borne the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Intercedes Again for Miracle Boy Healed of Flesh-Eating Bacteria

In 2012, Kateri Tekakwitha became the first Native American to be a canonized a saint by the Catholic Church. 
Her second miracle occurred when a boy dying from an aggressive infection of flesh-eating bacteria was suddenly healed. That boy was Jake Finkbonner. And Saint Kateri is still at work in his life!

[The following is an article I wrote for Aleteia Catholic Magazine] A Boy In Need of a Miracle: Background 2012"It was the last game of the season, and it was the last minute of the game." This is how Elsa Finkbonner begins the story of her son Jake’s fateful encounter in 2012 with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare, flesh-eating disease. "I was driving for a lay-in," Jake continues, "and then I got pushed from behind the back, and I hit my lip on the base of the basketball hoop."
Two days later, recounts Dr. Craig Rubens, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Seattle Children's Hospital, the bacteria was burning across Jake’s face as if the boy’s skin was nothing more than parchment paper: “You're stamping it [out] on one side, and it's flaming up on another." 
Then, Sister Kateri came for a visit. That’s right, Sister, not Saint, Kateri. Jake’s great-aunt brought a visitor, a nun, to pray at his bedside. “I recall looking at her with a stunned look,” said Finkbonner, who also felt chills. “We had been praying for weeks for Blessed Kateri to intercede and spare Jake’s life, and here was this woman and she had the exact same name.” 

"That was the last day that his disease progressed," Elsa says. Sister Kateri had brought a relic of Blessed Kateri with her to pray for Jake. “I prayed with him and his family, and we placed the relic on his bed,” Sister Kateri said.

Father Tim Sauer, the Finkbonner’s parish priest, says Kateri was the perfect intercessor for Jake. "No. 1, we're talking about two young people," Sauer explained in an interview with NPR. "No. 2, we're talking about two people who come from Native American ancestry. And No. 3, we're talking about a person who herself suffered from a disease that disfigured her face." Tekakwitha’s face was scarred by smallpox. Legend has it, when she died, her scars vanished.

Where did Saint Kateri get her name?Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was an Algonquin-Mohawk who converted to Catholicism. Called the “Lily of the Mohawks,” she lived in the Jesuit mission village of Kahnawake, south of Montreal in New France, now Canada, and was baptized at the age of 19, on Easter Sunday, April 18, 1676. Tekakwitha was baptized "Catherine" after St. Catherine of Siena – Kateri was the Mohawk form of the name.
“One Kid Down”: Saint Kateri Still IntercedingI recently interviewed Jake’s mom, Elsa Finkbonner. She told me about her family’s recent encounter with now-Saint Kateri.  Jake also recently received the Sacrament of Confirmation – I’ll keep you in suspense, for now, about which saint he picked as his patron … or patroness. Now, back to Jake’s recent encounter with Saint Kateri:
Jake and family not long after his first miraculous encounter with Saint Kateri


“It was at this exact time last year,” Elsa begins. “Jake went to Nicaragua and Costa Rica with the Spanish class at his high school.” She makes sure to add that Jake and his classmates were not allowed to contact their parents during their two-week, full immersion experience. You can imagine how a mother must feel in this situation, having already come so close to losing her child despite all the best that modern, first world medicine could offer. 
While Jake was still in Central America, Elsa continues “one night my husband, Donny, had a dream. Jake came to him saying he needed our help and that he was scared.” As a good Catholic family, the Finkbonners know a father’s dreams, like those of Saint Joseph, are to be heeded. In his dream, Donny asked Jake what was wrong. Jake said that he didn't know, but to please help him. 
By the next morning, Jake’s parents were obviously growing extremely concerned, but, as a rule, were unable to contact their son or his teacher. All they could do was check Facebook, where one of Jake’s teachers had been posting photos with periodic updates of the trip. The teacher’s latest post read simply “one kid down" without any indication of which child. Can you imagine what Jake’s parents must have been experiencing at this moment? And the agony of not knowing? 
Many parents in moments like these have been comforted by the Blessed Mother, of whom it was said “a sword will pierce your own soul, also” (Luke 2:35). The Finkbonner family, though, has been blessed with an additional intercessor. Elsa recalls praying daily for Saint Kateri to “keep watch over him and to bring him home safely to us.”
While anxiously waiting to hear which child was “down,” Jake’s parents were relieved to see a new Facebook post: a picture of Jake smiling and apparently in perfect health. A few days then passed before Elsa and Donny greeted Jake at the airport in Seattle. “We were so excited to see him,” Elsa recounts, “only to see that he was spotted from head to toe.” 

Jake’s teacher then revealed to his parents that Jake had indeed been the “one kid down.” Jake had experienced a severe heat stroke in Costa Rica and had passed out. People were working on him from 9pm until 1am, Jake’s mother explains, trying to get him rehydrated and to regain consciousness. It was about this time that Jake visited his father’s dream.  
The coincidence with Jake’s skin again been affected is startling, as well. He was so covered in spots, Elsa explains, that while getting off the plane and going through Customs, Jake’s teacher asked him to wear his sweatshirt. Otherwise, Jake may have been suspected of carrying the Zika virus into the country, which was then a major international concern. 
“That was Jake's second near death experience, and I am certain that Saint Kateri was there for him once again,” Elsa states. “And we know that Jake came to Donny in his dream when Jake was so ill in Costa Rica.” 
Jake's Plans for the FutureJust as before, Jake recovered from his health scare and is doing great. He’s getting ready for college and hopes to pursue a degree in medicine. After many, many encounters with plastic surgeons following the flesh-eating bacteria’s devastation to his skin, especially his face, Jake was inspired to become a surgeon and has not wavered from this goal. Please join his family in praying for his goals through the intercession of Saint Kateri! 
I left you in suspense earlier. Are you still wondering which saint name Jake picked for his Confirmation? 
It was, of course, Saint Kateri! 

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us!

Quotes on the Scam of S.C.A.M.: Socialism, Communism, and Marxism

I have been working on a new book project on how to fight the evils of Socialism, Marxism, and Communism. I kept writing those three words over and over again. Even with copying and pasting, "Socialism, Marxism, and Communism" is a lot to write again and again. 

I realized I needed an acronym. The perfect acronym came to me: S.C.A.M.

What is the biggest scam of the last three centuries? What is the same scam repackaged in three different ways, a scam inside a scam that we need to remember? S.C.A.M. is the biggest scam.

Hopefully, this simple abbreviation will help us fight this scam of historic proportions. We need to start using it as soon as possible. 

In the meantime, here is a great collection of quotes from heroes who have fought and, in many cases, defeated SCAM. This collection of quotes will be a chapter in my upcoming book, The MAGA Guide to S.C.A.M.: Socialism, Communism, and Marxism.   

Quotes on the Scam of S.C.A.M.: Socialism, Communism, and MarxismThe following collection of quotes were chosen for their great insight and wisdom. They are also a necessary element of an arsenal against the Marxist “Thought Police”. Memorize and re-read these quotes so you will be equipped when speaking to people infected with a Marxist bent of mind. 
Marxism and Socialism are ultimately based on bad philosophy and poor intellectual formation. Therefore, the best way to combat the ideology and stifle its rate of infection is by spreading the truth. Here are some amazing truth bombs for your arsenal: 
Winston Churchill Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.”[Speech at the Scottish Unionist Conference, Perth, Scotland, May 28, 1948, in Churchill, Europe Unite: Speeches 1947 & 1948 (London: Cassell, 1950), 347.] 
“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”[Speech to House of Commons, October 22, 1945]
“Socialism is, in its essence, an attack not only upon British enterprise, but upon the right of the ordinary man or woman to breathe freely without having a harsh, clumsy, tyrannical hand clapped across their mouths and nostrils. A Free Parliament—look at that—a Free Parliament is odious to the Socialist doctrinaire.”[June 4, 1945 broadcast for the 1945 general election, quoted in Martin Gilbert, “Never Despair”: Winston S. Churchill, 1945–1965 (London: Heinemann, 1988), 33]
“My friends, I must tell you that a Socialist policy is abhorrent to the British ideas of freedom. Although it is now put forward in the main by people who have a good grounding in the Liberalism and Radicalism of the early part of the century, there can be no doubt that Socialism is inseparably interwoven with Totalitarianism and the abject worship of the State. It is not alone that property, in all its form, is struck at, but that liberty, in all its form, is challenged by the fundamental conceptions of Socialism.”[June 4, 1945 broadcast for the 1945 general election, quoted in Martin Gilbert, “Never Despair”: Winston S. Churchill, 1945–1965 (London: Heinemann, 1988), 33-34]
“It is a strange thing that certain parts of the world should now be wishing to revive the old religious war. There are those non-God religions Nazism and Communism […] I repudiate both and will have nothing to do with either […] They are as alike as two peas. Tweedledum and Tweedledee were violently contrasted compared with them. You leave out God and you substitute the devil.”[Speech at Leeds Chamber of Commerce, January 26, 1937, from the Manchester Guardian]
“Everyone can see how communism rots the soul of a nation. How it makes it abject in peace and proves it abominable in war.”[Speech played on the documentary Timewatch - Russia: A Century of Suspicion]
“Fascism was the shadow or ugly child of communism […] As Fascism sprang from Communism, so Nazism developed from Fascism. Thus were set on foot those kindred movements which were destined soon to plunge the world into more hideous strife, which none can say has ended with their destruction.”[The Second World War, Volume 1, The Gathering Storm, Mariner Books (1985, originally published 1948), 13-14]
“There are two places only where Socialism will work; in Heaven, where it is not needed, and in Hell, where they already have it.” [Unverified Churchill quote]
“I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”
Jordan Peterson Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “And then you know I can use the biological example too, which would place me outside of the postmodern realm of argument, because the postmodernists don't believe in biology but they act like they do because they all die!”[“Identity politics and the Marxist lie of white privilege” talk, November 3, 2017]
“The logical conclusion of intersectionality is individuality. There’s so many different ways of categorizing people's advantages and disadvantages, that if you take that all the way out to the end you say ‘Well, the individual is the ultimate minority’ – and that’s exactly right. And that's exactly what the West discovered. The intersectionalists will get there if they don't kill everyone first.”[“Identity politics and the Marxist lie of white privilege” talk, November 3, 2017]
“Human beings are made in God’s image – that’s actually the cornerstone of our legal system. Our body of laws has that metaphysical presupposition, without which the laws fall apart. And that’s starting to happen. It really is. It’s the postmodern critique of law. The law schools are overrun by postmodernists who are undermining the structure of Western law as fast as they possibly can. They don’t buy any of this. So they’re much more likely to think of the law as a casual, pragmatic tool that is to be manipulated for the purposes of bringing forth the Utopia. It’s a really, really, really bad idea. It’s very strange to me that we go off track when that metaphysical foundation starts to get rattled.”
“One thing that characterized the Communist state was that no one got to say anything they really believed, ever. That's because one in three people were informers. That was a lovely society, and it only killed about 30 million people between 1919 and 1959. That’s what happens when the archetypal structure of society gets tilted badly, and when people forget that they have a responsibility to fulfill as citizens who are awake and capable of stating the truth. The archetype shifts so there's nothing left of the great father except for the tyrant.”
President Ronald Reagan Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) "How do you tell a Communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin."
“What I am describing now is a plan and a hope for the long term -- the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash-heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the self-expression of the people.”[Reagan’s 1982 speech to members of the British Parliament in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster in London]
G. K. Chesterton Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “It may be said of Socialism, therefore, that its friends recommended it as increasing equality, while its foes resisted it as decreasing liberty […] The compromise eventually made was one of the most interesting and even curious cases in history. It was decided to do everything that had ever been denounced in Socialism, and nothing that had ever been desired in it […] We proceeded to prove that it was possible to sacrifice liberty without gaining equality […] In short, people decided that it was impossible to achieve any of the good of Socialism, but they comforted themselves by achieving all the bad.” [“Eugenics and Other Evils: An Argument Against the Scientifically Organized State”]
“I mean that modern doctrine, taught, I believe, by most followers of Karl Marx, which is called the materialist theory of history. The theory is, roughly, this: that all the important things in history are rooted in an economic motive. In short, history is a science; a science of the search for food.” [“The Sun Worshippers”]

“[No society can survive the Socialist] fallacy that there is an absolutely unlimited number of inspired officials and an absolutely unlimited amount of money to pay them.”[The Debate with Bertrand Russell, BBC Magazine, November 27, 1935]
“[Marxism will] in a generation or so [go] into the limbo of most heresies, but meanwhile it will have poisoned the Russian Revolution.”[Illustrated London News, July 19, 1919]
Here are, as well, some of Chesterton’s illuminating quotes on Capitalism, since he was, after all, a critic of both the excesses of Capitalism and the evils of SCAM]: 
“Too much capitalism does not mean too many capitalists, but too few capitalists.”[The Superstition of Divorce]
Bertrand Russell Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) Marx pretended that he wanted the happiness of the Proletariat, but what he really wanted was the unhappiness of the Bourgeoisie. And it was because of that negative element—because of that HATE element—that his philosophy produced disaster. [1952]
Ayn Rand Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote.”
“America’s abundance was created not by public sacrifices to ‘the common good,’ but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes. They did not starve the people to pay for America’s industrialization. They gave the people better jobs, higher wages and cheaper goods with every new machine they invented, with every scientific discovery or technological advance—and thus the whole country was moving forward and profiting, not suffering, every step of the way.”
“When one observes the nightmare of the desperate efforts made by hundreds of thousands of people struggling to escape from the socialized countries of Europe, to escape over barbed-wire fences, under machine-gun fire—one can no longer believe that socialism, in any of its forms, is motivated by benevolence and by the desire to achieve men’s welfare.”[The Virtue of Selfishness, 1964]
“When you consider socialism, do not fool yourself about its nature. Remember that there is no such dichotomy as ‘human rights’ versus ‘property rights.’ No human rights can exist without property rights.”[The Virtue of Selfishness, 1964]
Author’s Note on Rand’s term “collectivism”: The following quotes from Ayn Rand use the term “collective” or “collectivism”. This is the term Rand employs to “collectively” describe SCAM economies. This is because SCAM economies give rights to the “collective” – that is, the whole population or society – instead of the “individual”. For example, government-owned property exists rather than private property.
“So long as [men] hold the tribal notion that the individual is sacrificial fodder for the collective, that some men have the right to rule others by force, and that some (any) alleged ‘good’ can justify It — there can be no peace ‘within’ a nation and no peace among nations.”[Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, 1966]
“Since only an individual man can possess rights, the expression ‘individual rights’ is a redundancy (which one has to use for purposes of clarification in today’s intellectual chaos). But the expression ‘collective rights’ is a contradiction in terms.”[The Virtue of Selfishness, 1964]
“Any group or ‘collective,’ large or small, is only a number of individuals. A group can have no rights other than the rights of its individual members.”[The Virtue of Selfishness, 1964]
“Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism.  It is the notion of ascribing moral, social or political significance to a man's genetic lineage—the notion that a man's intellectual and characterological traits are produced and transmitted by his internal body chemistry.  Which means, in practice, that a man is to be judged, not by his own character and actions, but by the characters and actions of a collective of ancestors.”
“Racism claims that the content of a man's mind (not his cognitive apparatus, but its content) is inherited; that a man's convictions, values and character are determined before he is born, by physical forces beyond his control.  This is the caveman's version of the doctrine of innate ideas—or of inherited knowledge—which has been thoroughly refuted by philosophy and science.  Racism is a doctrine of, by and for brutes.  It is a barnyard or stock-farm version of collectivism, appropriate to a mentality that differentiates between various breeds of animals, but not between animals and men”[The Virtue of Selfishness, 1964]
“One of the paradoxes of our age is the fact that the intellectuals, the politicians, and all the sundry voices that choke like asthma the throat of our communications media, have never gasped and stuttered so loudly about their devotion to the public good, and about the people's will as the supreme criterion of value - and never have they been so grossly indifferent to the people. The reason, obviously, is that collectivist slogans serve as the rationalization for those who intend, not to follow the people, but to rule them.”[Apollo and Dionysus, 1969]
Milton Friedman Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “Well first of all, tell me: Is there some society you know that doesn’t run on greed? You think Russia doesn’t run on greed? You think China doesn’t run on greed? What is greed? Of course, none of us are greedy, it’s only the other fellow who’s greedy. The world runs on individuals pursuing their separate interests. The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus. Einstein didn’t construct his theory under order from a bureaucrat. Henry Ford didn’t revolutionize the automobile industry that way. In the only cases in which the masses have escaped from the kind of grinding poverty you’re talking about, the only cases in recorded history, are where they have had capitalism and largely free trade. If you want to know where the masses are worse off, worst off, it’s exactly in the kinds of societies that depart from that. So that the record of history is absolutely crystal clear, that there is no alternative way so far discovered of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by the free-enterprise system.”[Interview with Phil Donahue, 1979]
“What kind of society isn’t structured on greed?... So the problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm. It seems to me that the great virtue of capitalism is that it’s that kind of system. Because under capitalism, the power of any one individual over his fellow man is relatively small.”[“Interview with Milton Friedman”, Playboy (not that I like quoting Playboy), February 1973]
“What country in the world today engages in the most extreme anti-Semitic persecution? The Soviet Union. It’s not an accident, because if you have a society with concentrated power, if you have a collectivist society, it’s going to be in a position to exercise the preferences and prejudices of its rulers. Moreover, it’s going to have an incentive to do so, because it’s going to need a scapegoat and it will choose some group like the Jews or the blacks to be the scapegoat.”[“Interview with Milton Friedman”, Playboy, February 1973]
“When everybody owns something, nobody owns it, and nobody has a direct interest in maintaining or improving its condition. That is why buildings in the Soviet Union—like public housing in the United States—look decrepit within a year or two of their construction.”[Free to Choose, “The Power of the Market”, 1980, 24]
“In the past century a myth has grown up that free market capitalism—equality of opportunity as we have interpreted that term—increases such inequalities, that it is a system under which the rich exploit the poor. Nothing could be further from the truth. Wherever the free market has been permitted to operate, wherever anything approaching equality of opportunity has existed, the ordinary man has been able to attain levels of living never dreamed of before. Nowhere is the gap between rich and poor wider, nowhere are the rich richer and the poor poorer, than in those societies that do not permit the free market to operate.”[Free to Choose, “Created Equal”, 1980, 146]
A society that puts equality—in the sense of equality of outcome—ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom. The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom, and the force, introduced for good purposes, will end up in the hands of people who use it to promote their own interests. On the other hand, a society that puts freedom first will, as a happy by-product, end up with both greater freedom and greater equality.[Free to Choose, “Created Equal”, 1980, 148]
David Horowitz Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “In practice, Socialism didn’t work. But socialism could never have worked because it is based on false premises about human psychology and society, and gross ignorance of human economy. In the vast library of socialist theory (and in all of Marx’s compendious works), there is hardly a chapter devoted to the creation of wealth to what will cause human beings to work and to innovate, or to what will make their efforts efficient. Socialism is a plan of morally sanctioned theft. It is about dividing up what others have created. Consequently, socialist economies don’t work; they create poverty instead of wealth. This is unarguable historical fact now, but that has not prompted the left to have second thoughts.”
Ludwig von Mises Quotes on SCAM (Socialism, Communism, And Marxism) “The champions of socialism call themselves progressives, but they recommend a system which is characterized by rigid observance of routine and by a resistance to every kind of improvement. They call themselves liberals, but they are intent upon abolishing liberty. They call themselves democrats, but they yearn for dictatorship. They call themselves revolutionaries, but they want to make the government omnipotent. They promise the blessings of the Garden of Eden, but they plan to transform the world into a gigantic post office. Every man but one a subordinate clerk in a bureau. What an alluring utopia! What a noble cause to fight!”

Prayer Warrior Guide: How to Create Your War Room Prayer Strategy

Following the release of the Christian movie War Room, a lot of articles and books have been written on creating your own War Room prayer strategy. These books don't go far enough, though. They lack the full breadth of War Room strategy developed over the course of Christian history. In particular, other War Room strategy guides lack Catholic resources.
Here are your first 4 steps to creating a War Room Prayer Strategy. You will find additional resources below, as well. 


I am releasing on this site some of the sections of a new book I'm preparing to publish entitled Pray Like a Prayer Warrior: Spiritual Combat and War Room Prayers.
In a previous article, we have put on the Armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6. 
Now, we are ready for the next key battle strategy to defeating the evil one in prayer: developing a War Room Prayer Strategy. You might be asking yourself …
What is a War Room Prayer Strategy? The War Room. It’s where prayer strategy happens. Where the fight against sin and temptation gets real. Where battle lines are drawn. 
Just as a military needs a command center, a headquarters, you need a “inner room” or a quarters in your own head. Christians need a sacred space where you go to battle against a very real enemy. You need a war room prayer strategy. 
Have you seen or heard of the movie War Room starring Priscilla Shirer? This is where the idea of a “War Room” comes from, but it is not a new idea. 

War Room is a reminder of the authority promised to us in 2 Corinthians 10:7-9: 

Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that as he is Christ’s, so are we. For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame.

Jesus gives us power over evil! We must never forget this. Merely by invoking the Name of Jesus, we are given power and authority over evil. 
Remember, also, the power we possess according to 2 Timothy 1:7:

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

It’s time to claim the power and authority given to us by His Supreme Majesty as His adopted sons and daughters. 
How to Create a War Room Prayer Strategy:1. Be PreparedThis book is full of wisdom and quotes from the Bible and holy people, but for this section we’re doing something a little different. Here is some battle-hardened wisdom from Ulysses S. Grant to help us develop our War Room Strategy: 

The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on. 

A very simple, pragmatic man, Grant gives us a simple formula: (1) Find your enemy, (2) Strike quickly, (3) Strike hard, and (4) Keep moving. 
Find your enemy: You know where the enemy is. He is prowling about like a lion. He is where your joy is, looking to steal it. He wants to devour your life and destroy your family through you. 

Strike quickly: Don’t wait. Act now. We can move much faster than armies. It takes only a moment to call on the Name of Jesus, to pray the “Our Father”, or to trace the Sign of the Cross on your forehead. These are each fine choices for an opening salvo. Any one of these can deal a mortal blow to your enemy. 
Strike hard: Jesus has empowered you to call on His angels for help. God has given each of us, specifically, a guardian angel to call on. You’ve been given permission to wield “the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left” (2 Corinthians 6:7). It’s okay to battle. We are called to battle. In fact, God calls us to it in Ephesians 6, as discussed in the previous chapter. The “Armor of God” is not meant to be decorative.
As a new creation in Christ, confidently believe that your prayers are powerful.  Be bold and stand unveiled, for you stand under the banner of Christ, 2 Corinthians 3:12-13:

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not see the end of the fading splendor.

Moses’ face shone with the light of God, and yet he veiled it. Unveil your face when facing the enemy. Let the light of your face shine in the darkness.
Keep moving: Time spent in the war room will sharpen and enlighten your spiritual senses, making you keenly aware of the enemy’s approach. Catch his lies before you fall prey them.
2. Be Well-Positioned The enemy will attack. There’s no secret to the evil one’s strategy. It is not a matter of if, but when he will attack. His timing is awful and his pursuit relentless. He will take advantage of every weakness, weak moment, person, and situation in your life. He will hit where it hurts. His objective to destroy you by whatever means necessary. 
Here is more battle-hardened wisdom from the author of The Art of War, the great military strategist Sun Tzu:

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

Are you ready? Is your “position unassailable”? What position can you take that will prevent the devil from ever reaching you?

Consider James 4:7-8:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

Put yourself under the banner of God, and the devil will flee from you. Draw near to God, and you will find his fortress and legions of angels encircling you. God, Himself, will come close to you.
But this takes practice. Turning towards God is a difficult pivot to make when encircled by temptation and despair. Time spent in the war room prepares you for the coming battle. It builds endurance, strengthens your spiritual stamina, and prepares you for the coming storms.  
Remember, Jesus has already defeated death and sin. He has conquered the grave. The enemy has already been defeated. 
Develop and practice your strategy for calling on His aid when under siege. Like the character Boromir in Tolkien’s classic Fellowship of the Ring, blow the horn of Gondor, the horn of Christ, and your allies will come to your aid.
  Boromir blowing the Horn of Gondor
when surrounded by enemies at Amon Hen

3. Stay In CommunitySpeaking of “fellowship,” God has prepared us for a community of believers and fellowship within the Body of Christ. God calls us to community. The devil wants us to be alone. He hopes to divide and conquer, and so destroy us. We are not meant to live life alone. Christ surrounded himself with the love and support of faithful friends. And Saint Paul tell us to call on this great “cloud of witnesses” that surrounds us for help. 
Jesus feasted with his disciples. In times of struggle, Jesus prayed with them, too. Jesus went to His own War Room, the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night before His crucifixion. He did not go alone, either. He brought with Him Peter, James, and John, the inner circle of His Apostles. 
Jesus was ministered to by angels and his most trusted friends in the Original War Room:
Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
 This same dynamic can be found in soldiers rallying during times of war and generals preparing for battle with their key lieutenants. This time spent in fellowship helps the army work as One and prevents the devil from dividing them. 
None of us can do it alone. Community helps us live and pray as witnesses to the resurrected Christ. “The community of believers was of one heart and mind (cor unum et anima una)” (Acts 4:32).
Nineteenth-century military strategist Carl von Clausewitz understood the role of troops and unity in winning the war: 

Tactics is the art of using troops in battle; strategy is the art of using battles to win the war.

The time you spend in fellowship with Christ, with your prayer partners, with your heavenly intercessors rallying in the war room will increase your chances of victory in battle. Invite friends to establish war room space in their homes so that they may join you in the war against the enemy.  
4. Be In Your War RoomA War Room is defined as a location where teams of communications experts monitor and listen to dispatches and transmissions describing allied and enemy troop movements. It is the place where the leaders respond to such communications and form prudent opinions to determine the best course of action.
Here is the President's War Room: The Situation Room
President's Situation Room

What is the most essential and precious communication to be heard and received in the War Room? The word of God, whether it is spoken in our hearts or found in Scripture. 
The War Room is the precious, sacred space for the Christian to come before the Lord. This is the place where we remove our sandals, like Moses, and stand before the burning bush, the Presence of God. 
Here, we communicate with God, hear God’s voice, and respond to God’s promptings in our hearts. Develop a habit of bringing your struggles to the War Room, that is, to God. There is no struggle too great or too small for the War Room. Meet God here on your knees, develop your strategies with Him, and learn to submit to and trust His will. 
What kind of struggles can you take to the War Room? Are you struggling with your spouse? Take your marriage to the War Room. Has your child fallen away from Christ? Take your parenthood into the War Room. Are you or a loved one sick? Bring them to the War Room for healing.  
The more time spent in the War Room, the more the War Room will become part of you. The ultimate goal, as Saint Paul describes, is to “pray without ceasing”. With God’s grace, you will be within your War Room “without creasing”.

Adapted from Jennie McChargue's "How to Create Your War Room Prayer Strategy" from RockThis.org.

Put on the Whole Armor of God: Preparing for Spiritual Warfare and the Prayer War Room

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
So how should we approach battle with a “roaring lion”? Should we go into battle in jeans and a t-shirt? Or something more? Ask yourself, how would a knight prepare himself for battle, a knight like St. George who slayed the dragon. 

Saint Paul describes how we can arm ourselves for spiritual battle in his Letter to the Ephesians, verses 10-20, below. To “quench all the flaming darts of the evil one,” we are to take on the “Whole Armor of God”: 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; above all taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Awake the knight within you! Jesus Christ equips us for battle against evil with the following four items, which we will discuss in detail below:The Shield of FaithThe Breastplate of RighteousnessThe Sword of the WordThe Helmet of Salvation
The Shield of FaithIn preparing the Christian community in Ephesus for spiritual battle, Saint Paul wrote, “above all taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). 
Why would Paul describe faith as a shield? 
The first instrument for the Christian knight is a shield forged in the virtue of faith. Faith begins with the grace to believe in God, in all that He has said and revealed to us. 
Faith is the first of the theological virtues. The theological virtues have God as their origin, their motive, and their object. Faith calls for concrete actions. We should profess our faith, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it. 
It makes perfect sense then to emphasis faith as the primary ingredient in our first line of defense. Like a shield, faith must be firmly grasped and held before us a barrier between ourselves and the Enemy. 
When the Shield of Faith is wielded well and without fear, it deflects the doubts and accusations that the Devil hurls at us. 
Again, “in all circumstances,” Saint Paul tell us, “hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one”.  This is a ringing call and apostolic summons to spiritual combat. This is especially true when the basic building blocks of a healthy society – marriage and family – are under attack.
The Breastplate of RighteousnessSt. Paul is quoting the Book of Wisdom when he encourages us to put on the “Armor of God”, 5:17-20: 

The Lord will take his zeal as his whole armor, and will arm all creation to repel his enemies; He will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and wear impartial justice as a helmet; He will take holiness as an invincible shield, and sharpen stern wrath for a sword, and creation will join him to fight against the madmen.” 

St. Paul is calling us to lead a life of holiness. The most valuable treasure a person can have is a life of righteousness, of purity. 
Jesus came to this world to fulfill all righteousness (Mt 3:15). The life of St. Joseph, too, is summed up by saying that he was a righteous man (Mt 1:19). The life of a righteous person stands as a challenge to the sinners. 
Like St. Joseph, who listen as God speaks to him in his dreams, a righteous person will guide his family and community out of harm’s way, even as St. Joseph led the Holy Family away from King Herod’s slaughter and into Egypt.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted for righteousness sake (Mt 5:10). The lives of martyrs underline the fact that the righteous are not afraid even of death.
One who has worn the breastplate of righteousness does not have to fear any adversary. It will always safeguard him.
The Sword of the WordSatan and his minions most likely know the Word of God better than we do, as Satan quoted Scripture quite easily when He tempted Christ in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). Satan is actually terribly clever in his mis-use and omissions from Scripture. Satan quotes Psalm 91 to tempt Jesus, verses 11 and 12:

For he will give his angels charge of you    to guard you in all your ways.On their hands they will bear you up,    lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Satan skips the next verse, which he would have known very well since the Jewish rabbis used in for exorcisms. Satan skips verse 13 about crushing the serpent, i.e. Satan, under foot:

You will tread on the lion and the adder,    the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Though Satan could not conceal his identity and intentions from Jesus, St. Paul warns us “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).

Therefore, we need to take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). 
Memorize God’s Word. Read God’s Word. Listen to the Word as the Virgin Mary did, who “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). The sword of Scripture can help you resist temptation and sin.
The Helmet of Salvation
We Christians must guard what we allow through the “eye gate” of our minds. As in the Garden of Eden, what we see can lead us into temptation. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was described as “a delight to the eyes.” 
To protect what goes into our minds, we must “take the helmet of salvation” and put it on (Eph. 6:17). The ultimate human happiness is eternal life found in the kingdom of heaven. The only way for one to meet that objective fully is to place total trust in the promises of Christ, “relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”  
In a word, hope. 
Hope serves not simply as a source for our desires. Hope is a great source of renewal. Hope guards us against discouragement, sustains us during times of abandonment, opens in our hearts the anticipation of eternal beatitude, purifies our activities by aligning them to the order of the heavenly Kingdom, preserves us against selfishness, and leads to the happiness that flows from charity.
Prayer plays a critical role, too. In particular, the Our Father, or Lord’s Prayer, which is “the summary of everything that hope leads us to desire”.
The hope of salvation is “essential for protecting the mind […] against the temptation to despair.”  
Immortal hope is an antidote to mortal hopelessness. Hopelessness “open(s) our minds wide to all the thoughts the Enemy seeks to plant there.” Hopelessness also slackens our will to fight over time.But hope – hope reigns eternal. 
Conclusion: Armor of GodSt. Paul equips the Christian, but it’s not enough to merely know about these pieces of armor. A Christian must to “take up” the full armor of God. Practice these armors until they become habits. It takes time and practice to wield a sword. The unwary might accidentally chop off the servant’s ear, as Saint Peter did during Jesus’ arrest. When the enemy attacks, you will be ready.The following chapters will further equip you for battle and guide you in your practice of the Faith and swordsmanship.