Every branch of the American military has a motto. “This we’ll defend” is the U.S. Army’s motto going back to the Revolution. In many respects, it could also serve as the motto for our country’s law enforcement agencies. In these turbulent times, it is now time for every Catholic and fellow Christian to consider that motto and develop a vigilance to defend home, family, but also our faith, our churches, our faith’s symbols, and especially our faithful.
The aftermath of George Floyd‘s death has gone way beyond the pleas and protests for the cause for racial justice to an opening for the “thugs” in our mists to emerge. There has been what many call the great “hijacking” of that cause that is playing out in all kinds of destructive modes.
The Hijack
The examples multiply every day. There is an understandable rationale for why Afro- Americans want to take down certain Confederate memorials. However, there is a process in place that has been used many times in the past to do that and in an orderly fashion. The mob tearing down statues and memorials is just that- a mob. Once a mob, there is no “cause” except destruction for its own sake. When the mob moves to tear down and defame statues of Grant, Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, Civil War Union Generals who fought to free the slaves and were abolitionists, and even World War II memorials the motive becomes clear.
The thugs are using the indignation over Confederate symbols as the opportunity to openly attack and destroy our nation and its symbols which are their stated goals. While most agree that the concept of “black live matters” is to bring attention to racial issues to encourage all to work on those problems, the formal BLM organization is another matter. Hawk Newsome, President of Black Lives Matter (BLM) in New York was quoted “if this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it”. The BLM organization’s platform, materials, and founders talk of bringing down our country, defunding of police, dissolution of the nuclear family, and installing socialism. That formal organization, along with others like Antifa, have shown themselves as opportunist groups that use the current crisis to stoke the fires of anarchy. Yet, the media, many local governments, and even some church leaders have bought into the false narratives being promoted by such groups whose real agenda is to use the current situation to destroy our culture not deal with the problems.
The Assault on the Faith
These thugs have moved on and are now targeting our faith. Statues of Fr. Junipero Serra and Christopher Columbus have been torn down. Of note is that another BLM activist Shaun King has said that it is permissible to tear down the statues of Jesus Christ that show him with European features because they “support white supremacy”. Churches are being damaged and defaced in violent protests all over the United States and now is occurring abroad.
More seriously, a Catholic woman with her small children was harassed and threatened by a BLM activist with a baseball bat and yelling anti- Christian epithets while saying a rosary in a public square. The man moved on and after causing further disturbances was finally arrested. What happened next is an indication of how far this has come His arrest sparked protests and riots that night, including the destruction of historic statues, firebombing of a County building, widespread vandalism and the beating of a state senator who was photographing the unrest. Riots occurred because a dangerous perpetrator was arrested! We have reached a point where any excuse to let the “barbarians” out is used even if it is over the necessary arrest of a dangerous man.
These barbarians, thugs, hooligans, goons (pick a favorite term) have been emboldened and allowed to do this by an irresponsible government response especially at the local level; and support over the years by an educational system has that has taught that America and Christianity are basically bad and racist. Add to that a culture that supports absolute rights to express oneself in any manner with no need for self-restraint or discipline and this is what we get. It is not only turbulent and destructive but dangerous.
The Defenders
The police are being vilified, not supported by many city governments, and it is truly a testimony to their dedication to duty that they keep trying to keep order. They are sorely stretched and can’t always respond to the many civil disturbances peaceful and otherwise. Likewise, many of their civil authorities have ordered them to stand down and let the mob do its damage. As a consequence, when the thugs start coming after our faith symbols, churches, and believers the only line of defense may be the faithful. It is time for us to recognize this threat is a reality that is out there and stand up and fill the breach if necessary.
There are no ready answers or quick solutions to how we should respond to potential threats except to say that the first step is vigilance. There are, however, existing models and resources in our faith community. Over the years, the Knights of Columbus have stood up to defend against bigotry and physical violence including the KKK in the early 20th century and we have an extensive network tied to parishes.
A current example, established before the COVID 19 crisis hit, was our parish pastor establishing a network of “Sentinels”. We are volunteer parishioners (the majority being Knights) who were trained to assist in a variety of potential crisis situations that could occur at Masses and other Church events such as fire, weather events like tornadoes, medical emergencies, and the more serious “active shooter” situation. While just one example, I would suggest that we Knights as well as all Catholics and fellow Christians recognize that we are in a new time of peril and we need to seek ways to defend.
From an Aging Defender
As I am approaching my 80th decade in little over a year I recognize that what I am discussing may be viewed, by some, as the rambling and rants of one past his prime. However, as discussed in a previous post, I have had some experience over the years in these matters from both the law enforcement and community side of the many issues. It is popular to describe passionate causes as “Wars” and our government has used that term to get support for particular efforts to confront a problem. In terms of the “This, we’ll defend:” motto, I have been involved in several of such wars over the years: the war on communism, the war on drugs, the war on crime and delinquency, the war on prejudice and the war on the sanctity of life. Throughout, I am always reminded of Edward Burke’s famous quote “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.
The old warrior in me cannot sit on the sidelines. I will still stand up to “defend” by being vigilant, by expressing my voice (like here), by supporting our police, by confronting the false narratives and if necessary to physically defend my church, its symbols, and especially the faithful and can do no less.
Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm 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 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 (Ephesians 6:11-13).
9 thoughts on “This We Will Defend”
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A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. Mark 4:37
Mr. Collingwood’s observations and article are spot on. It is gut wrenching to witness what is taking place in our cities across the country with little or no intervention to safeguard our citizens and institutions because of weak, hidden agenda politicians and sometimes church leaders. Mr. Burke’s quote has also been on my mind a lot lately. I believe that this is the time to take a stand, if we stand for nothing then we will fall for anything. I would hope that a great organization like the Knights will rally their troops/Knights and take a stand to defend our faith, our country and it’s citizens if nobody else will.
First off, it was Obama who started separating children from parents at the border.
Second, you are so misinformed. No children are being put into cages on the U.S. side of the border. If you are referring to the Mexican cartel’s treatment of people then say so. Also it’s a trifle suspicious that you call them specifically brown children. Yes, I know, we are all racists aren’t we captain crisis. The article refers to the fact that those of us who love our families and country and see their safety and freedom slipping away because of communist agitators posing as legitimate protestors, are speaking up. I suggest that you take your infiltration away from Catholic sites. You’re obviously no Catholic!
If you’re going to disagree with the U.S. Bishops’ Conference then you should say so. I’m on board with the bishops, myself.
http://www.usccb.org/news/2018/18-090.cfm
Upset about Confederate statues being torn down without due process.
No one at Catholic Stand has ever been upset about brown children at our border torn from their families and put into cages, without due process.
Mark 13:2 vs. Matthew 25:40.
The only encouragement I can give everyone is that there are many men and women joining others to pray now.. Because we are home more…..we have the chance to pray. This is the only answer.
One of the best columns I have read regarding this time of turmoil. It is dismaying to see that even in the rioting and burning across our cities no one has confronted these communist-for that is what they are. Other than above cited overburdened and/or shackled police, where are the real men of this country? Where are armed citizens surrounding statues, any and all statues to protect the American heritage? Why are there so few Catholic pastors planning defenses of their churches? It doesn’t bode well. In 1946 William Thomas Walsh, the Catholic historian and professor wrote “Our Lady of Fatima,” a book that may still be in print. He interviewed Sr. Lucia in her convent. He asked her where we were (1946!) in the Fatima prophecies. She said in the stage where Russia was spreading its errors throughout the world. She said that every country would be overcome by communism if her requests were not granted. Walsh then asked: “even the U.S. of America?” She answered yes, with a look in her eyes that asked, what made him think the U.S.A. was so special or immune. Well here we are. Abominable sins have been codified into law by a Masonic “supreme court.” In the church, eight popes have failed to perform a public consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary while requiring all the Catholic bishops of the world to join him on the same day. Please, no replies here that the consecration was done in 1984 by JPII. He never said he accomplished it. Everyone else in the media, etc., said it. The “world” is not what Our Lady asked for, nor did any bishop publicly join him. She specifically insisted on RUSSIA. Our Lord told Sr. Lucia in the early thirties that the pope will do it but it will be late. Russia will have already spread its errors everywhere. Moreover, he warned that to pope would suffer the same consequences as the King of France for failing to consecrate that country to His Sacred Heart. Louis XVI had been guillotined as a result. The pope, bishops and Catholic media should be exhorting us to pray the rosary every day for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the pope and the bishops as she instructed the visionaries in 1917. But Rome is currently in Masonic hands. Please pray. BTW, these words of Sr. Lucy, etc. can be checked by going to fatima.org or by reading books by noted Fatima experts; and not by consulting lay, self appointed “experts” on Fatima. Most Catholics who know about Fatima are not familiar with these “fine points” of the message. They don’t know that Sr. Lucia had many subsequent Marian visitation after 1917.
The approach of some Democrat mayors and city officials is to order the police to stand down. This amounts not to the breakdown of law and order, but its deliberate withdrawal. It must be given to these officials to understand that patriotic Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights are likely to consider arranging for some harm to come to them.