Fri, 15 Apr 2016 | Cover | Page 04

Letters to the Editor Cont...

secular media or they have no power or desire to cover the events. Our Lady has long-since been kicked off ND’s bench.

Over 10 years ago I wrote to the president of Notre Dame, with copy to his ordinary at the time, the Bishop of Fort-Wayne/South Bend, John D’Arcy, asking that all record of my matriculation and Cum Laude degree (1957) from ND be expunged because I was ashamed of having gone there and I no longer wanted it known. I sent the copy to the bishop in trying to elicit a reply from ND instead of my request only finding the "round" file. At the time I was (and am still) scandalized by ND’s annual staging of the drama with the name of part of the female anatomy (memory lapse here) and their annual 2-week homosexual film festival, both on campus, of which ND is quite proud.

Doesn’t anyone in the "higher archy" appreciate what ND has been doing for so many years versus the awful words of Our Lord about scandal?

Throughout the Korean War, and I did 2-tours in its 3 years, I prayed constantly to the Blessed Mother that I would be admitted to ND, as it was otherwise only a dream because my high school scholastic record was less than ordinary, having loafed through the last five years of (public) school, after coming from 7 years of parochial school.

Firstly, good Bishop D’Arcy sent me a fat envelope full of copies of newspaper clippings of his fruitless battles with Notre Dame, urging me to not quit but to fight. Though quite sympathetic, I sensed that he took me as a well-heeled alumn with influence to match. It already wasn’t quite enough to be just a "Catholic". Someone titled "provost" responded briefly and entirely "modernisticly" justifying their religion; "there-thereing" me, which is not Catholic, and in reality hasn’t been since glamorous President "Teddy" Hesburgh led - seemingly with easeso many Catholic universities away from Rome in what is known as the "Land-O-Lakes" Agreement, effectively secularizing the adherents, many of whom were Jesuit schools, but not all by any means. I would, for example, like to see the Catholic college rating society, the Newman organization, begin real emphasis in making clear which schools are dishonestly continuing to call themselves "Catholic". At present, and in what is foreseeable, the only ORGANIZED and EFFECTIVE opposition to new-church and newreligion is the SSPX, everything else is mere endless reporting, endless commentary and confusion and nothing else is in sight. I pray for the growth and spread of the SSPX, and that it holds the line until divine intervention arrives...

and may we be made worthy.

Philippe Cavanagh Support Needed for the Pilgrimage

Dear Remnant Readers, I’m writing to you on behalf of a very special cause. Every year, readers see the many students and youths sponsored for the Chartres Pilgrimage. This pilgrimage changes lives but it would not be at all possible without certain people who make it possible. First, readers of The Remnant who give so generously make it all happen. After that, the pilgrimage relies heavily on chaperones, youth coordinators, guides, and of course our chaplain to keep the pilgrims safe, learning and spiritually nourished. None of these people are paid for their time or work. They freely offer their time and service and many would not be able to afford to go if the Remnant did not pay their travel costs.

Since this is a labor of love, not profit, paying these expenses puts the Remnant in a financial hole.

This year we have a lot of youth coming and are therefore trying to find a way to finance fares for our chaplain, head chaperone and assistant chaperone, two youth coordinators, and three guides.

What do these people do? Our chaplain’s job is fairly self-explanatory.

Father Gregory Pendergraft FSSP, is a wonderful spiritual director who has served as chaplain on the last three Remnant pilgrimages. He tirelessly walks every step of the way with us, leads countless rosaries, wheedles permission to use the high altars on various holy shrines and churches where the Latin Mass is then celebrated for the first time sometimes in many years. And Father is always up for a detour into a coffee or ice cream shop for the kids.

Truly the pilgrims would be lost without him!

Our head chaperone, Mrs. Joan Mahar, is a wonderful ‘mom’ to all the youth who come. Always available, helpful, with an amazing sense of humor, she makes everyone comfortable within minutes of meeting each other. Assisted by our other chaperone, Mrs. Carrie Brannon, this year we have two youth coordinators. We do a plethora of jobs, helping Mr. Matt and Mrs. Mahar keep everyone organized, safe and happy.

The Remnant must also provide for the fare and accommodation of our excellent guides, Dr. John Rao, Chris Ferrara, and Jamie Bogle. Invaluable sources of education and information for the pilgrims, these gentlemen know their way around cities we visit, and lead fascinating discussions on history, the faith, Catholic action and politics. It’s not always easy for the members of our team to make this yearly pilgrimage but, again, they do this as a labor of love, taking not one cent in payment for their time and considerable efforts.

This will be my fourth year as a youth coordinator for Remnant Tours, and this year it almost didn’t happen for me. I’m a college student and my final exams conflicted with the pilgrimage. With a lot of finagling with the academic dean and my professors, I got permission to take half of my final exams early. This will be a challenge but, honestly, having served in the capacity for the past three years and quite literally fallen in love with the spiritual graces, the hard work, and the wonderful people one meets on the road to Chartres, I believe it will be well worth it.

Remnant Tours has an official Chaplain and Chaperone Fund each year and donations of any amount are sincerely appreciated. Through the generosity of Remnant readers, the whole Remnant Tours team—chaperones, youth coordinators, guides and chaplain—can dedicate this time and opportunity to doing our very best to help inspire and encourage traditional Catholic youth of today to fight for the honor and glory of God and restore tradition. Those of us who serve in this capacity and help make this pilgrimage a success are indeed honored and privileged to do so, and we see this as an important spiritual journey. We promise to pray daily (and to remind the new pilgrims to do the same) for all the donors who make this spiritual adventure possible for so many young people for the past 25 years. The pilgrimage to Chartres has changed my life, and I intended to do everything I can to return the favor by working to make that happen to other young Catholics.

Please, if you will, support this fund, and, in return, I promise to honor your commitment by being a constant reminder to all those in my charge to remember our pilgrim sponsors back home and to make their spiritual intentions our own, every step of the way. God bless you always.

In Christ, Cecelia Matt Remnant Tours’ Pilgrimage Fund PO Box 1117 Forest Lake, MN 55025 As has been the case for the past 25 years, young pilgrims will walk the pilgrimage to Chartres in the name of their sponsors. The names of sponsors and their special intentions will be carried to Chartres and read aloud each day on the Pilgrimage. Your donations to this effort are tax deductible. MJM

Waiting for Sponsors:

Sara Bischel, Ohio SPONSORED Jack Heape, Maryland SPONSORED Peter Kanzenbach, WI, SPONSORED Christina Kanzenbach, SPONSORED Anthony Mitchell, $1500 thus far Mary Bowen, ID $2500 thus far Martin Bruns, KS $1800 thus far Molly Brannon, WI SPONSORED Robert Seeley, PA SPONSORED Chaplain Fund: $2000 thus far

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Archbishop A. Schneider and Cecelia Matt