Keep calm and skip the trip to the theater

• I've said it before, I'll say it again. Parents, Disney is not your friend. It and all of Hollywood pumps out social manipulation, which is sometimes gross but usually subtle. The gross manipulation is bad because viewing porn, blasphemy, and certain violent scenes leaves a bruise on the soul but even this is less dangerous than the clever, subtle version that drip,drip, drips slow acting poison into our society day in and day out. Your kids may be embarrassed if they don't have the latest Disney merchandise but they will survive if you don't go to the new Beauty and the Beast movie. The more worrisome problem may be the adults. It's astonishing how many adults obsess over Disney films to the  point of dressing up like the characters, decorating their homes with artwork depicting their film favorites and turning their fandom into a way of life. I've read many essays by Catholic laymen and priests telling young men to give up video games but I've yet to come across anything telling people that dressing up like Cinderella when you are 24 years old, watching the new Star Wars sequels 50 times in a row or carrying on like a banshee if you meet someone who doesn't like your favorite movie, shows subnormal maturity. 

• Archbishop Paglia has bad taste. He also appears to be untouchable.  St. Peter Damian, pray for us. 

• Last month it was reported that the SSPX bought property in Rome and a deal with the pope was eminent. Some people lost their minds over this and one even compared Arbishop Fellay with the betrayer of St. Thomas Moore. The SSPX says the story is false.  Somebody is lying but who? 

• Rocky and I took a few days off to celebrate our wedding anniversary and took a road trip to Pennsylvania. We went to Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Lancaster County. I think it's the most beautiful parish church I've ever seen and outside of my own parish, it was probably the most well done Novus Ordo Mass I have ever attended.