20th Sunday after Pentecost

II Class

The Liturgy shows us that our misfortunes are caused by our unfaithfulness in conforming to the will of God. Let us beseech the Lord, through the prayers of Holy Church, to pardon our sins, so that we may serve Him with a quiet and trustful heart, always obeying His precepts.

St. Wenceslaus, Martyr (III Class)

St. Wenceslaus, duke of Bohemia, was persecuted by his unnatural mother Drahomira and his impious brother and successor, Boleslas, out of hatred for the Faith. He was murdered by the latter in a church where he was praying in 938.

(Tomb of King St. Wenceslaus, St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague.)

The weather today was really beautiful. After a big brunch at the Kartause, and a nap for Maria, we went out to the park in the afternoon where Maria met a couple of her little friends.

Katie and I had a game of catch, and talked about the Tigers' prospects for next season. We're actually listening to their last regularly scheduled game of the season right now over the internet.

Having finished up the book on Ireland's War for the Faith against the English Protestants, I've moved on to a book dealing with the grossly misunderstood medieval inquisition. It's called Characters of the Inquisition by William Thomas Walsh. I've read the first couple of chapters already, and it promises to be quite interesting.

From the publisher: "Refutes the many lies about the Inquisition raised by the enemies of the Church. Shows why it was instituted, the purpose it served, its long-term effects, and why it preserved Catholic countries from the infamous witch-hunts besmirching Protestant history. All this is achieved by narrating the stories of six Grand Inquisitors. Exonerates the Church of all wrong-doing. Really dispels the lies about this institution."