thesmellypocket

Father Humbert, O.S.J., the Auditor of the Tribunal, drafts a reply:

‘My dear Madame, 

Whilst I grieve and sympathise with thy position, no annulment is to be granted in this case. The Catechism (See 4.2, Sacraments) defines marriage as indissoluble. I believe thou mayst be mistaking an annulment for a divorce. An annulment is a recognition that the marriage was invalid in the first place; it is not a dissolution of a legally valid marriage. Whilst the ideal of marriage given unto us in the Scrolls implores loyalty in both husband and wife, there can be granted no annulment unless thou – or some associate of thine – providest proof or grounds that the marriage was not valid in the first place. It is abundantly clear from an honest reading of Canonist doctrine that lack of ‘love’, or even adulterous deeds, can be valid grounds.

I would advise this husband of thine to come to Confession and receive absolution; for him to make some form of public humiliation in reparation for such disloyal actions. For if he did marry while thou yet livest, then that marriage is itself annulled and invalid. If he will not do this; separate, and, if thou believest thy children to be in danger, take thou them with thee, and if thou sufferest violence and deprivation as a result, rest assured the Church may find a safe place for thee, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Thy Humble Slave in God,

Father Humbert, O.S.J.’

Father Humbert, O.S.J., writes in reply:

‘To our Dear Brother Napoleon,

It is most welcoming to see so many promising Seminarians such as thyself write such excellent and considered theses. I am in no doubt whatsoever that the vocation of the priesthood is safe and secure in righteous scholarly wisdom for years to come, if thy work is to be the measure of the matter. 

I would further add that since God knows us better than we know ourselves, we should, in no circumstance, blame our condition on Him or expect a miracle to get us out of it. Many temptations are severe enough to overcome any man, but the sum of them all cannot come close to staining God; therefore, whilst to pray for a miracle is certainly no bad practice, we should chiefly pray for the Divine aid in helping us overcome our difficulties. For, as I wrote, He knows best – better than we know ourselves, and therefore He knows what manner of difficulty shall bring the best not only in each individual man, but the whole of Mankind, so long as we know to implore His aid in all things, and to give Him that praise which is His only.

Therefore, pray not chiefly in petition, but in praise and adoration. And when you do pray for miracles, pray not for yourself, but for others. Yet surely, the most noble thing a man can pray for, the most noble petition and the greatest miracle, is the conversion of the heathen, the unity of the Church, and the health and strength of the High Pontiff. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever just and pure,and lovely, and whatsoever is noble, is of God; who is Pure Goodness, Truth and Beauty. Give Him thanks for whatsoever therefore that is Good, True or Beautiful.

Thy Humble Slave in God,

Father Humbert, O.S.J.’

Father Humbert, O.S.J., replies:

‘All honour and glory be to God. We are gratified by your award. However, due to our Vow of Poverty we are in no position to accept this reward. Instead, please grant this money to a good cause in Reza.

Your Humble Slave in God,

Father Humbert, O.S.J.’

Father Humbert, O.S.J., who advocated strongly for peace and compromise on the matter, is deflated. “We prayed earnestly for peace, but to place our Faith on the same level as another surely sends the wrong message: namely that there may be two things equally true yet contradictory. But the laws of logic tell us otherwise; as does our Faith. Of course, we are united by our worship of a common God, which we call Deus, and they Allah, but to reject the revelation of the Prophets and the works and Sacraments of the Church either constitutes a grave error or it does not – the Catechism strongly supports the former – and this modernist watering down will make conversion much more difficult. 

After a while, however, he smiles, and adds optimistically: “Regardless of this modernist tendency, which we must endeavour to correct, we are overjoyed at the news of peace. The Order of Saint Jude shall endeavour to pray for continued peace, for our Holy Pontiff, and for the Qalasheen and Lorranian peoples.”

Father Humbert, O.S.J., after receiving the Bull, continues to earnestly entreat people to pray for the intentions of the Pontiff. 

Father Humbert, O.S.J., pens a public letter:

‘Brothers and Sisters,

The Holy Father has vested in Brother William and I the purpose of discovering the true nature of the Cardinal’s murder. There have been anonymous accusations from some quarters against the Cardinal; yet none of these are proven, and therefore, we will presume the victim’s innocence in all matters. Our investigation, on the word of the High Pontiff, therefore, rests on the assumption that the Cardinal was murdered without due reason, and that any claims to the contrary are unsubstantiated. Secondly, as the High Pontiff has ruled, a second Baptism is an absurd proposition at any time – one Baptism is sufficient and necessary regardless of the state of the soul of the celebrant. Those who have been baptised and have committed sins are urged to come to Confession, the most regular font of God’s mercy. With the aid of God, I vow, that if we should condemn any man to death, we shall offer him Confession before the execution, in order that his soul might receive the fullness of God’s mercy. 

With these things set in stone, know that we will not condemn anyone without proof, or without a fair hearing, for we are afeared that any man judged except by lawful judgement of his peers has been robbed of, rather than delivered to, justice. All we know is that a Cardinal has been murdered; all we presume to know is that the accusations levelled against the Cardinal are without basis. Therefore, any man or woman capable of shedding any kind of light on this matter, regardless of how trivial you think the help may be, is begged and entreated to write to Brother William or I at once. Above all, I beseech, from the very depths of my heart, that anyone and everyone who reads this letter, prays for our success and for justice to the Most High God, and prays for me, a sinner who has been vested with this over-weighty task.

Your Humble Slave in God,

Father Humbert, O.S.J.’

“Re-Baptism? What happened to the Sacrament of Confession?” Father Humbert, O.S.J. comments. “I do not believe unless sufficient proof is given, that the Church can call the late Cardinal anything other than a faithful Priest of the Church. I am sure the Holy Father will render right judgement in this case and make a decision after a full investigation.”

Father Humbert, O.S.J., pledges sincerely to pray, along with the other brothers, for the repose of the soul of the Cardinal.

Father Humbert, O.S.J., having been working recently on a theory concerning Just War, takes the time to pen a formal letter, addressed to both sides:

’Gentlemen, 

I only very rarely write or speak of politics. I do not consider it my place, Slave of God that I am. But recent experience must tell me to write, and not to remain silent, for whatever dishonour peace may incur, it is as nothing compared to the terror and horror of war. For war of necessity kills innocents; I hear Lorranians speak of ‘sinful infidels.’ Yet your brazen behaviour surely strikes God as sinful, for does not war consume the innocent as well as the evil? To seek war not as a last result, but to murderously pursue it without any attempt at a peaceful solution, surely makes men dogs, and sons of Krug, not of Horen. For how shall we be jusitifed in our covenant if we behave with the same aloofness and impiety – nay, worse – than other races?

No matter how noble and honourable a commander conducts it, we must see that war, of necessity: 

Prevents the Flourishing of the Sciences, 

Begets Brutalities and Evils,

Makes Beasts of all Men,

Corrupts the Just,

Consumes the Innocent in Wretched Famine,

Slaughters the Brave,

Shuts out the Poor,

Abuses the Weak,

Desolates the Town,

Wrecks Nations,

Divides Mankind,

And Gives Licence to the Wicked.

Therefore, I humbly entreat you to consider peace first, instead of war. Or at least, that you no longer cloak your iniquitous robbery in the cloak of piety and in the words of God, who begat the Qalasheen just as he begat the Lorranian; as brothers in Horen all. I, the Slave of God, who has no possession or interest of my own, but God, who is my master, and yours’, humbly beg you, and beseech you, from the very bottom of my heart, to reconsider your actions. 

Your Slave in God,

Father Humbert, O.S.J.’

He then pens a second note:

’For the Lorranian motto under the great Augustus was thus: ‘Gold in peace; Steel in War.’ How much greater gold, than steel!’

Father Humbert, O.S.J., studies these excellent works with the utmost diligence.

Father Humbert, O.S.J. smiles mischievously as he puts in the additional information column: ‘if you are reading this, go to Confession.’

Venerable Brothers, 

Having noticed the burden of work now upon me, and, in hope that it might augment, rather than hinder, the usual work of my ministry, both among the Brother Monks and among the people, both in Haense and abroad, I have decided to give Brother Pofferic Markunas, O.S.J., the use of my seal. That means, whatsoever he should bind in my name, shall be bound as if written by the office of the Auditor himself. Whatsoever he shall loose in my name, shall be loosed in like manner.

Be assured that I have total and utter trust in this man. Although young, and yet to be tonsured (Through my fault, not his), he is possessed of a virtue that magnifies our Lord and God, a humility that renders him a true son of St. Jude, and an appetite for this kind of work that is frankly, lacking in me. This kind and generous man has touched my heart with his honourable workings, and therefore I have no hesitation in making him my deputy, with a binding and lasting authority.

Your Slave in God,

Father Humbert, O.S.J.

“Deo Gratias!” Father Humbert, O.S.J. explains, sending a personal letter of thanks for the recognition of the Venerable Julia.

Little Sisters of the Poor

‘All too easily, we might bow out, and subject ourselves to be cloistered, and tuck ourselves cleanly away from this world. We might read literature, sing hymns to the seven skies, and live our days content with our faith. I know not of you sisters, but my faith demands action, not seclusion. My faith demands a fiery heart that beckons us to serve the good people of the world. Not through violence and force, but the love and compassion of our Lord, GOD.’-Mother Yuliya of Haense.

SAINT CATHERINE FRANCESCA HOREN, pray for us!

The Little Sisters of the Poor, also known as the Order of Saint Catherine, are a group of nuns living according to the Rule of Saint Catherine, based in Haense and Curon. Their chief work is that of their Patroness: possessed by an heroic charity, Saint Catherine, born a princess, did serve beggars and vagabonds. That charity, humility and integrity inflames the Sisters to action: thus, their work is to care for the poor, sick, fatherless and elderly. The Sisters currently number 1 Mother Superior, 5 Sisters (Novices and Tonsured) and 3 Postulants. The Sisters sign their name with the initials O.S.C (Order of Saint Catherine.)

Rule and Vows

The life of the Little Sisters is based on two ceremonies: the Receiving of the Habit, and the Tonsuring. When she receives her habit and becomes a Novice, three vows are administered:

I.Vow of Poverty: The Novice vows to renounce all worldly goods for the service of God, living on no more than necessary, owning no possessions, and living on alms.

II.Vow of Celibacy: The Novice vows to remain celibate. This does not mean she must be a virgin about entrance: widows and repentant fornicators can be accepted also.

III.Vow of Obedience: The Novice vows not only to obey the Mother Superior, but to obey the High Pontiff, insofar as his commands do not constitute Formal Heresy, and, which is more, to obey the Bishop of their Diocese.

When she receives the tonsure and becomes a full Sister, she also vows a further ‘Vow of Humility’, in which she submits to go to Confession regularly.

Unlike other Orders, there is no Cloistering Vow. Instead, the Little Sisters live in and around urban communities, where best they can do those works of prayer and charity that best befit God’s everlasting mercy. Indeed, the prayer of the Sisters is often held in common with laymen, and much of their works are public.

The Sisters celebrate public Mass with the Order of Saint Jude, and use the Judite Rite for most things. Their most common prayer is the Litany of Saint Catherine.

They are strictly non-violent, and pray for peace and goodwill between all peoples.

Positions

Postulant: A candidate to be enrolled as a Novice. Postulancy usually lasts a year, and consists in taking the Confessor or Mother Superior as one’s spiritual director for a year. During that time, the Postulant lives the life of a laywoman, but tries to live out the prayerful and charitable life of the Order.

Novice: A Novice has taken the three Major Vows that define the Sisters. She learns from her Tonsured Sisters and the Mother Superior, and does things under their direction. The Novitiate is very scholarly, as Saint Catherine herself was a woman renowned for her learning and wisdom. This period can vary massively in time, depending on the age and education of the Sister.

Tonsured Sister: A full Sister who has completed her Novitiate and taken the additional Vow of Humility. She can be given additional responsibilities by the Mother, who is free to establish any hierarchy among the Sisters. 

Mother Superior: In total command of the Order. (Mother Reina, O.S.C.)

Confessor: Associated with, rather than part of, the Order, the Confessor is a priest who provides for the Sisters’ sacramental needs, chiefly Confession. He also represents them in Church matters. (Father Humbert, O.S.J.)

Catherinite Saints

Saint Catherine of Felsen: Born Catherine Francesca Horen, Saint Catherine was known as a rock of wisdom and charity in warlike times. This remarkable woman swore - and kept - a solemn oath of integrity in which she never told a lie, nor was any task below her, for she was known as a great teacher and helper to the common people. Like her daughters, the Little Sisters, she was not afraid to live differently, and followed God’s will, whatever that entailed.

Saint Judith of Czena: One of the founders of the Order, Saint Judith was a scholarly woman possessed of a remarkable intelligence, which she used not for petty political point-scoring as many are want to do, but devoted this gift to the servitude of others, serving as a perfect example of the virtues of the Order. To none did she deny hospitality. 

Yuliya of Haense: The Sisters pray for the cause of Canonisation for Yuliya of Haense, a close companion of Saint Judith who helped to found the Order. 

Interested in Joining?

Please contact Father Humbert, O.S.J. (Thesmellypocket #3901) or Mother Reina, O.S.C. (Alexi #0706) if you are interested in joining.

‘Why...are women allowed to vote?’ Father Humbert, O.S.J., asks at length, having kept silence in political matters since receiving his tonsure.

’My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand.’ (John 10:28)

ADVERSUS IUDAEOS

A Call for the Liberation of Palestine from the Jews

TO all the Christian Faithful, Apostolic Greetings. It is our duty to inform the Jews, that Jesus, who is the Christ, hath risen from the grave, and, having conquered death, and living and reigning with the Father in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, lives, conquers and reigns over the entire Universe, for it is written: the Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. (Psalm 23:1.) All things being His, the Pope, having, as the successor of Saint Peter, the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:17-19), does assert a primacy over the entire world, even those assassins of Christ who now inhabit the Synagogues. 

In order to promote this truth, we have demanded, through an ambassador of the Patriarch of Antioch, permission to send missions to that land that is called Judea. But the Jews hath been the enemy of the Faith from the beginning, persecuting Her at every turn, and by that merit rendering themselves enemies to the whole of Mankind. (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16) 

With this divinely breathed truth in mind, we react with nothing but scorn, defiance, slight regard and contempt for the Jewish ban on Christian missionaries. As the King of Judea is barring Christian missionaries from his land, we recognise he is preventing our making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), and is causing the most grievous harm. Therefore do we call on ALL Christian princes and men to liberate the Holy Land from his grasp, and bring it into the fold of Christendom. For, as our Blessed Lord send unto the Jews: ‘you do not believe, for you are not of my sheep.’ (John 10:26.) It is our duty, therefore, to liberate this land for the good of Christendom.

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

ADDITIONAL ACTIONS

-We have heard fame of a noble, stubborn race in the far north, across the Euxine Sea. Knowing that they bear some resemblance to the Hellenic race, we do dispatch and entreat the Patriarch of Thessalonica to send missionaries to them. To the Khan of Crimea we bring these Apostolic Greetings, sending the famed Greek missionaries of Thessalonica to them: John, Athanasius, Ignatius and Cyril. These most reliable men will be communicate with you, and we appoint among them John as Bishop of Crimea.

-Our friend the good Archbishop of Leon has been received splendidly; the King of Leon continues to be our friend. 

ACTIONS

-Calling Crusade vs Judea.

-Sending missionaries to Crimea.

-Archbishop of Leon is received kindly, and send back with gifts to Leon. He gets on well with the Pope, who increasingly trusts him. 

Appendix: instead of the scroll, can be sung:

Priest: From the work of our glorious Patriarch, Saint Jude:

‘Salvatio...Themate multi viri dixerunt super, quaesitus antiquus: estne vita post mortem. Responsus est: vero, est vita ultra haec. Multi viri, etiam hi quis credant in Fidem, incessunt ideam. Sed, cogitatis sedulo, cur donat Dominus vitam et promittit salvationem, sed non donat.’

[Salvation...The subject many men have spoken on, the age-old question: is there an afterlife? The answer is: verily, there is a life beyond this. Many men, even those who believe in the Faith, denounce this idea. But, thinking carefully, why would the Lord give life and promise salvation, but not grant it?]

LIKE:

Requiem Mass in the Judite Rite

Entrance

[The organ plays solemnly as the priest goes unto the altar, assisted by a Brother. The coffin is pre-laid at the foot of the altar, and decorated beautifully, but in subdued colours. When the priest signals, everyone kneels, and ‘Kyrie Eleison’ [Lord have mercy] is sung three times. The priest incenses the altar and the coffin.]

Priest: Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord.

Reply: And may perpetual light shine upon him. 

Priest: May he rest in peace.

Reply: Amen. (Crossing themselves.)

Scroll Reading

[The Brother takes the Scroll from the side of the Altar,  the Brother holds out the page. The priest incenses the word, before saying:

Please stand for the Word of God:

‘So Aeriel came among them, and by GOD's will the brothers were alleviated of the pains of their imperfections. And thus Krug's wrath was tempered with honor, Malin’s impotency with sanctuary, and Urguan's greed with strength of will. But at the command of GOD, Aeriel did not alleviate Horen's pain. For to Horen, the Lord promised the Skies. And Horen was assumed into them...’

Sprinkling Rite

[The priest asks the congregation to kneel. The priest is given a bowl of holy water and sponge by the Brother, and, kneeling, blesses it solemnly three times by crossing over it. 

Priest: Behold the waters of Gamesh, behold that which takest away the sins of the world.

Reply: Thanks be to God.

Priest: Please stand.

The solemn hymn ‘Parce Domine’ is sung twice as the priest sprinkles the coffin with copious amounts of holy water, before sprinkling the congregation.

‘Parce Domine,

Parce populo tuo

Ne in aeternum

Irascaris nobis.’

[Grant peace, O Lord

Grant peace to Thy people

Do not be angry with us forever.]

Dedication

Priest: Let us pray. Confident in the sure and certain knowledge of the life of the world that is to come, we do here dedicate the body of [name] to the earth. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

Reply: And may perpetual light shine upon him.

[The grave is solemnly and silently led to the place of burial, and dedicated. The ceremony ends:]

Priest: (All bowing heads) Glory to the Father, and to Horen, and to all the Saints.

Reply: As it was the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

Father Humbert, O.S.J. considers making the rival Order of monks ‘disappear.’

BY FATHER HUMBERT, O.S.J., 1724.

Book I: From Innocence to Hatred

I.In GOD alone, are all things possible; to Him there is nothing impossible, for His mercy endureth forever. I, a wretched sinner, hope to teach this truth in this work: a story of disgrace, hatred, and a bottomless pit of evil but also repentance, truth and virtue. I know myself too well to see virtue in myself: only God’s grace saved me. I was a chief, the chief of sinners, I hated godliness, yet God had a mercy on me, O, what riches of mercy! The fact that God did not just strike me down and send me to the Void for my misdeeds, and instead gave me a chance for repentance, makes me a living proof of His power and mercy, which is which this work is autobiographical, for I am God’s conquest: once His enemy, and now His loving slave. (Servus Dei.)

II.Far away, yet so close, is the faded rose of childhood. My mother, Matilda, most tender, and my Father, Frederick, raised me. There were no worries or envies in those days; I was an only child, and I can remember us children combing through the happy highways, leaping o’er the beautiful brooks and racing away to sunlit uplands in search of others to play with. My father taught me law, language and history, whilst my mother taught me music, catechism and art. But man, fallen creature that he is, rarely stays so innocent for long.

III.For, despite the super-abundant graces poured onto me at baptism, the seed of pride, the root of all sin, became rooted in me. In my thirteenth year, I became weary of studying law. My father wanted me to go away to learn each and every intricacy of secular law (For my family was a dynasty of lawyers stretching back to the times of Olivier de Savoie), but my passion was toward the music and art that my mother taught. Never did there come to me more hateful news, for in that year came the death of my mother. Time stopped. The world lost motion. I wrote before of a faded rose of childhood. Perhaps it is better reckoned a dead rose: that rose being my dear mother.

IV.For, without my rose, there was nothing to console me in those days. As my father was determined to thrust an alien will upon me, we became enemies, and he, despairing of his son, turned to wretched drink. The long nights I spent crying alone. The days I spent with my father, and we exchanged not a word for months on end, such was the rift between us; there was not a friend to comfort me.

V.For two years this rack of silence continued until I succumbed to the twin evils of wrath and pride. Throwing up the works of my father, I finally told him that whatsoever he willed, I would never be a lawyer, and that I hated his guts. He raised his fists, and did beat me so bloodily that I lost reckoning of myself. I cursed him, set all my law books to the fire, and renounced the works of the Church - and meant it, too. I stumbled into the blackness of night, down the same highways that had bred such fondness in former days, but were not the same. They were black and grey and dull, where once the greenery shone in a grand refrain, all seemed a winding maze of confusion and sorrow.

VI.That night, the charity of the people of God was open to me. For no sooner had I fallen upon the road, then some Canonist soul had picked me up, clothed me and healed me, and set me in an inn. I saw not his kindness, O God. I saw not Thee. The bitterness of my heart and the pride of my breast meant that I had eyes, but saw not, ears, but heard not, a nose, but smelled no scent: nor did my mouth spill out Thy praise, but only curses and despicable speech.

VII.I cried sincerely: ‘Let the day perish wherein I was born, let that day turn into darkness, let a mist o'er spread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness. Let a darksome whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be counted among the days of the year, nor numbered in the months!’ For two years I lived in vagrancy, doing odd jobs and begging, empty months and wearisome nights in Helena. During my labours, I met Matthaeus, and he became my only friend, for he had been in the same position as I was now in before. Older than I, together we were able to rent a room in an inn. His brotherhood made life that little less miserable in those days, in which I might have been driven to curse God totally and take my own life. Under my friend’s direction, I continued my studies, enrolling at the library for two years, and, when he left to join a regiment of mercenaries, I still did so.

VIII.A little after two years of study, at the age of 19, news reached me from home that my uncle had died. I am not sure how the message reached me even now, for I thought myself utterly lost to my family. Such was the meanness of my spirit in those days that I thought little of the death of a family member; only the glint of minas absorbed my thoughts: I would have sold my soul for a shilling. I did it for free, as it turned out. Nevertheless, I was to be the beneficiary, or so I thought, when I received a large inheritance, with which I bought a townhouse in Helena. The news was a passing joy: my years of poverty were over! But the wealth would prove more a curse than a blessing...

Book II: With Rue my Heart is Laden

I.O, God of battles! Steel my heart, possess me not with fear, pluck from me my sense of reckoning if I grow frightful in writing what I shall set down here. Think not on the sins I have done, but the repentance I have offered! Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam! 

II.Buoyed by the rush of money, I seized the chance to take pleasure in it. Being a young man, the monstrous and desolate flames of lust did o’erwhelm me, and, the night after I had bought my house, my first instinct was to celebrate at the public house. Where I had barely drunk before, that night I had at least 10 pints of ale, and had no intention of stopping when a prostitute approached me in the most arousing fashion. Barely able to see or think, yet I did not merely not resist - as if ‘mere’ could be applied to grave sin - I rushed forward, eager to exploit and destroy the Covenant of God in the murky water of fornication. Indeed, for the first time in years, I laughed, and laughed well, for hours. I remember nothing else of what happened, and woke the next day on the streets, barely able to stand.

III.I did not know my co-fornicator of that night, and never knew her name. Attempting to recreate that pleasure in the coming years, I repeated my deeds, sometimes drunk, and sometimes sober. Even still, I did not know the names of the women I fornicated with - some prostitutes, and some merely fellow degenerates. Each day I became sicker and more miserable, each day the pleasure less piercing; each day the colour of life became ever-more dull and grey, as it had been when I left my father many years ago. For a short while, after the pleasure of fornication had grown from a roaring lion to a floundering whale of lifelessness, it became a game to me: the greater number of conquests meaning the greatest possible satisfaction. But even this game soon became utterly hollow and devoid of happiness, for these games produced nothing, not even the bastards that might have forced me to take responsibility, for I am infertile. Soon, I turned to increasingly irresponsible acts in a desperate search for thrill...

IV.I was in the Legion of the Lost Ones, the Cohort of the Damned, among Brethren seeking solace in evil deeds. I swore I will tell all, and I shall; nothing shall be omitted. For, in the dark abyss of shame, I must tell you all that I once robbed an honest householder, trespassing on his property and then making away. I actually stole but little of value, for my reason was not money, but thrill: my life had become so dull and without meaning that I would do a capital offence if only to brighten things for but a moment. Yet they did not brighten, but darkened my thoughts, and I was filled, for the first time, with remorse and self-anger.

V.There was little time for self-reflection, as a man bumped me in the street. Careless as I still was, I insulted him in reply, and he called me to fight a duel. Enraged, I agreed. But the shameful and wretched cowardice that had characterised my act of trespass filled me here too with fear: for, it would have been quite just of God to force me to fight, vanquish me, and send me to Hades. But, no, He used my own cowardice to bring me to His own loving hands, and I fled to Haense in my folly.

VI.It was night when I entered the city walls, taking with me what wealth I could, for a portion of my inheritance yet remained. Now when I walked on the streets, I felt terribly alone, wrapped in misery, self-doubt and fear, until I spied from the corner of my eye and heard from the edges of my ear a beggar, laughing at having received but a tiny slice of bread. The beggar received this very modest and bare item with a splendid and marvelous gratitude, as gay as a spring rose. All dawned on me in that moment. All the wealth and riches, all the pleasures and rushes and all the pubs of the world could give me no lasting happiness. What had I won by fornication? These sins brought nothing but shame and ingratitude and evil. Desperate, I asked the beggar to teach me wisdom.

VII.The beggar replied that I was a ‘wretched coward’, and, angry, I told him that he had better mind his tongue, for he has no match for me. ‘Thou mayst cut me into a thousand pieces, my dear boy.’ He replied. ‘But each and every one of them shall still love thee.’ My lip dropped. My anger ceased.  

VIII.That was the moment I was given the Fear of the Lord, the beginning of all wisdom. God, Thou didst place Thy most noble and charitable spirit in that old beggar, and I saw Thee. For earlier had I seen charity, and had not saw Thee in it, nor the goodness of the Charity itself, but on that cold and lonely night, I saw Thee. And I rushed to the cathedral, full of awe-ful tears.

Book III: Conversion to God

I.In the awe-some cathedral of the Fifty Virgins, I wept before the altar for hours, unsure of what to do. I thought of my sins, I examined my conscience, and the prevailing whiff of dung filled my nose and heart. There were no priests, neither celebrating Mass, nor in the pews. Who should I talk to? What should I do? How do I even begin to make amends?

II.In that weary moment, a sign came over me. The most beautiful woman in the world, crowned with a halo, descended from above. I knew her to be Saint Catherine. Puzzled and penitent, I looked to her. ‘A contrite heart is a crown of glory, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Be not afraid, for God is merciful.’ But how to obtain God’s mercy? I held out my shaking, exhausted hands, red with anxiety of years past. In answer, she took my hands, and pointed them toward the Confessional. Then she ascended, and I saw no more.

III.’O God, my Lord and Master, why have I loved, why in my whole life have I ever desired, anything but Thee? Why have I wandered for all but Thee? O, spirit of God, love of God, mercy of God, reside in me, and have pity on me, the most wretched sinner!’ The tears this time were not bitter, but of fear and want of mercy. And, in spite of all fears, in contradiction of all I had done in my life up to that point, in defiance of my own evilness, I rushed to the Confessional. 

IV.The priest’s presence was calm and stoic, and he spoke but little as I unfolded everything. My evil, my wickedness: how I had abandoned my father in rage, turned away from God in sin, and deserted my brothers in pitilessness. In the soft words of the priest, my own iniquity was melted before me. Filled with the crown of contrition, I swore to do whatsoever penance - anything  I could do, was nothing worth, since it came after all, imploring pardon. Yet God, in his mercy, would accept the penance prescribed by the priest and a resolution not to sin again. 

V.Now the tears were joyous as the priest proscribed the penance. Firstly, he said that I must reconcile with my earthly father, while he yet lived, to be reconciled with my Heavenly Father.  Secondly, since I had vowed to do whatever necessary to not sin again, and that want for sex and wealth had been my twin devils, that I had to renounce them: that I had to vow celibacy and poverty, and give unto the poor all my worldly goods. Finally, I had to humble myself: to wash the feet of strangers and seek to serve them in whatever way possible. I knew what I had to do, and I did each and every thing required of me with the utmost zeal.

VI.My inheritance and wealth was nothing to me. Seeking out the beggar I had found, I gave unto him and a few friends he was with all my goods with joyous tears, before solemnly swearing never to want for anything but God. The part that I feared was my father. Dread filled me at the thought of visiting him again.

VII.As I strolled through the countryside, everything seemed alive again, and the hand of God was in everything, as He made everything. I composed myself, went to the family home, and found my father, with but a single servant, and dying, sick with wretched scurvy. ‘Father, forgive me.’ I said, crouching low to the bedside. I told him of everything, and I told him I wanted to serve God in all things, but I mostly told him that I was sorry. ‘I too am sorry; go with my blessing, son! Thy mother is watching on high, and I know she would not want to see us in bitterness.’ He cried, and, receiving last rites, within minutes he was faint, and, within a few hours, he was dead. 

Book IV: Son of Saint Jude

I.The priest that took my Confession that day was a Judite Brother, a Monk and Priest of Saint Jude called Gideon. When he told me of his Order, and the teaching of Saint Jude, I began to read wildly the works of that Great Abbott, and to read Saint’s lives in general. The generosity of that Monk was altogether magnificent, for, despite knowing my past, he could recognise my penance, and enrolled me as a Novice.

II.Strangely enough,  my old friend Matthaeus would be my Brother once more. For from widely divergent paths we had come to repent and find each other on St. Jude’s doorstep. For he, with the brutal sins of a ravenous mercenary, and I, with the wretched sins of a criminal, ended up once more in the same fold. At the tavern in Leuven, we met with the same penitent mindset, the same spirit animating us, and the same will to be Sons of Saint Jude.

III.Therefore, as I have regarded this work as a proof of God’s mercy, you may call it doubled: for I was not and am not the only one who has found it. Gideon was indisposed, as was our Abbott, leaving Matthaeus and I, sole Novices, alone. In the spirit of humility, I sought to learn whatever I could, and help whoever I could, in the horrors of war that befell the country in those days. After several years of travelling about in this manner, I was giving the Litany of Saint Kristoff in the square of Ves; an empty square. The very moment I was praying for the intentions of the Holy Pontiff, the good Pope, Daniel the Sixth, came up behind me. He spoke wisely and in my praise, which I deserved not.

IV.Frustrated by the lack of action regarding the Order, he tonsured me a Brother of Saint Jude on the spot by his Priestly authority. I did not feel at all ready. One can imagine how I felt a few months later when I was elected Abbot of just the same Order, and then, three years after that, a Cardinal.

V.God alone is the most merciful, the most wise, and the most powerful. Brothers and sisters, lean not on mine or your understanding, but in the love of God seek your lives, and, in that noble search, find the love of God in your fellow man. Brothers! Remember that, if men such as I can even turn to God, then no man is truly beyond repentance. See in each man a potential Saint, and love and serve them with your whole hearts and minds and souls. I have sought to be the servant of all men, hearing Confessions, preaching, and ministering to my Brother Monks. This message I, the slave of God, and the slave of all, urge you to implant in your own lives, to seek the forgiveness of God, and to do the work of God: prayer and alms. And as the last word, my life is a proof and glory of God: therefore, when I do die, and my coffin is laid up, sing not ‘Requiem Aeternam’, but ‘Gloria in Excelsis Deo!’

May the blessing of Almighty God, Horen and all the Saints rain down upon you, and remain with you, forever and ever. Bye, and God love you!

Father Humbert, O.S.J.

BROTHERS and SISTERS, it has come to my attention that the works and virtues of our Holy Father, Saint Jude, are yet to be properly understood. It is for this reason I have drawn up this biography, based on what sources I have, in the humble hope that his importance may be better understood, and so that the superabundant grace he allowed to be poured onto himself by God can be extended to the whole of mankind.

Your Humble Servant,

-Father Humbert, O.S.J.

Introduction

Little is known of Saint Jude’s early life. It is known that he had a great Faith from the youngest age, and, upon receiving the call of the cloth, did not hesitate. He was a Deacon for a long time, in the perilous time of the Schism Wars. This great era of Saints was also an highly troubled one, and a dangerous one for a priest, but Jude was not deterred, as we shall see.

It is very fitting than we know this Saint not for any deeds of youth, but the fruits of his wise old age: his most inspired theses, which God protected miraculously. Surely there can be no greater evidence of God’s favour for and inspiration of the words of Saint Jude than the miraculous survival of his manuscripts in the disasters and follies that surely should have caused them to perish by now? That is why we Judites so hang upon the words of our Holy Father: for, if they should be so good as God would protect them, we too must value and love them, and rank them second only to the Scrolls themselves.

Witness of Faith: A Martyrdom of Spirit

Jude suffered beatings for his Faith weekly, as soon as he had become a Deacon. Renouncing all worldly goods for a way of poverty, he was constantly vulnerable to any of the nefarious thieves, drunkards and heretics that prowled the streets at night in those days. Undeterred, despite being beaten nearly to death on many occasions, St. Jude may be called a true Witness of Faith, for no earthly power was strong enough for him to lay aside his works and duties, first as Deacon, and then as Priest.

This virtue, more than learned scholarship on his part, must be reckoned his greatest, and the cause of all his other excellences. For all proceeded from Faith: direct divine inspiration was the motivator of his life, and the good and honest people of all races and genders were beloved of him, for he was not a man willing to compromise of the truth, nor would he do evil to any other man even in his own defence.

Model of Charity: The Fire of Love

Jude was not among the hypocrites. He wrote of Charity, and practised it. He wrote of Faith, and suffered beatings for it. He wrote of Love, and was animated by love for his neighbour. He did whatsoever God willed, and preached the love of God, travelling to all cities in wretched poverty and hardship in order to do so: ‘...love God above all and you shall be rewarded in his kingdom and live in his love forever.’ (Thesis on Love.) His message was simple because it was the truth, and the deceivers hated him because he spoke the truth. But, requiting hate with kindness, Jude would rather suffer whatsoever God should put on his plate than do an evil deed, or say an evil word. Although it is worth noting that Jude fought as a Brother Monk in the Schism War, so he was hardly a pacifist: he fought in a war and supported just war. But in the streets, and in civil life, he showed a perfect kindness to them that persecuted him.

Summarising his legacy, he said he would end his works positively, not negatively. (Final Thesis.) His last testament, a touching and moving work, speaks only love, and reverberates down the years, indeed, for all eternity. There is no bitterness in it, merely contentment, love for God and love for man, and in that way, we should all strive to be sons of St. Jude. 

Mirror of Monastic Life

Jude extolled the importance of Confession: indeed, he heard the Confessions of kings, Pontiffs and princes, and the interior life, urging periods of quiet reflection in the worldly bustle. His final word to all men, friends and enemies, good and bad, rich and poor, of all nations and of all colours urged this:

‘ I now conclude this thesis with one request. Look inward at yourself sometime today and think upon your life and things that you might be able to cast aside such as greed, lust, jealousy, or any other sin in that case.’

St. Jude calls us to look inward. Outward acts of Charity and devotion are certainly admirable, but to look inward, humble ourselves and practice mortification is the greatest crown of glory. For verily, we speak with confidence when we say that, even when speaking of the great cathedrals and cities of the world, these are but a cloud of dust compared to the great and wonderful delight in heaven that is the repentance of but one sinner. For St. Jude himself was a sinner, as he acknowledged. What distinguishes him from those around him was his ability to look inward and purge himself, allowing the spirit of God to animate him in all things. This is what makes Jude our Glorious Patriarch: not any earthly deed, but the spirit he embodies. 

May the blessing of Almighty God rain down upon you, and remain with you, forever and ever.

Bye, and God love you!

-Father Humbert, O.S.J.

THE LITANY OF SAINT JUDE: 

Deus, Creator Terrae. [God, Creator of the Earth]

R: Miserere nobis! [Have mercy on us!]

Deus, qui iudicat mortes. [God, who judgeth the dead.]

R: Miserere nobis! [Have mercy on us!]

Deus, Rex Omnipotens. [God, Almighty King.]

R: Miserere nobis! [Have mercy on us!]

Pater splendidissimus. [Father most splendid.]

R: Ora pro nobis! [Pray for us!]

Pater Humilis. [Father most humble.]

R: Ora pro nobis! [Pray for us!]

Pater Sapientissimus. [Father most wise.]

R: Ora pro nobis! [Pray for us!]

Qui tu audivisti confessio regis. [Thou who didst hear the confessions of kings.]

R: Ora pro nobis! [Pray for us!]

Qui tu praedicavisiti in omni urbis. [Thou who didst preach in all cities.]

R: Ora pro nobis!

Qui toleravisiti planctus et odium. [Thou who didst suffer beatings and hatred.]

R: Ora pro nobis!

Qui vixisti viae pauperam. [Thou who didst live the life of poverty.]

R: Ora pro nobis!

Sancte Iuda… [Saint Jude…]

R: Ora pro nobis! [Pray for us!]

Deus, Rex Omnipotens.

R: Miserere nobis.

Gang you want to make:
Gang name: The Rankers
Leader name: Archibald (’Archie’) Montfort
Location (Can be anywhere in the UK): Handsworth (In Birmingham) and Smethwick. They originally set up in Edgbaston and Harborne but found little success in these affluent and upstanding areas, so moved north to Handsworth.
Type of members (Englishmen, Jews, Italians, Gypsies etc.): Primarily British and Irish down-and-outs, who, from the great industrial and aristocratic dynasties of the country, fell into disgrace and poverty. At home neither among the lower classes nor among their own kind, they stick together. Many of them fought as rankers in the Great War, which further darkened their experience. They got their name from the Rudyard Kipling poem ‘Gentlemen Rankers.’
Primary ways of moneymaking: The primary industry of the Rankers is illegal drugs. Whilst they are disgraced, they can pass for respectable upper class members, and thus can trade drugs for large amounts of money to degenerate upper class families. The Rankers also make money subverting the new firearms regulations implemented by Mr. Lloyd George, distributing unlicensed firearms from the continent, a growing industry that may overtake drugs in the long-run. With members composed largely of experienced war veterans, this is a natural progression. The Rankers are a small gang, but highly combative and well-bonded, with an almost military structure of sections, platoons and companies. 

Father Humbert smiles happily, impressed by the wisdom of the young Acolyte.

Having recognised a formal need for a precise word on what is moral and immoral, what is sin, and other such questions, I have undertaken this work in a no doubt fallible but sincere attempt to define our answer to the moral questions of all ages. For sin may be divided into two kinds: sin in substance, and sin in spirit. 

-Father Humbert, O.S.J.

Sin In Substance

Remember, brothers and sisters, that even the Exalted Horen fell short of God and sinned. (Godwinites, 4) To sin is to transgress against God, who owns the earth, and the fullness thereof. We owe God our all, and therefore to transgress against Him constitutes a grave error. The Church, in her holy wisdom, has transcribed those commandments of God that are fixed and permanent. Therefore, we may say a Sin in Substance is that which deliberately transgresses those moral laws set down by God, either in the Holy Scriptures, or through his Church. These Substantial Sins should provoke the offender to instant Confession and Penance. If you have transgressed these laws, go to Confession immediately, for you risk the danger of the Void if dirtied by them at the hour of death. No man, however, is beyond repentance, for His mercy endureth forever. (Silence, 9.) These sins include:

-Sexual Immorality, that is: fornication (sex outside of marriage), adultery, a man spilling his own seed, sodomy, and the interbreeding of different species, which, by definition, is sinful, for it is by its nature fornication, for no marriage is valid unless they are of the same race. (Catechism 4.4) We are encouraged to take after the example of Horen, who took no concubines, but was faithful to his wife to the last. (Horen, 2.)

-Murder and Unlawful Violence: Krug was marked out as wicked by the murder of his brother, which was done in treacherous fashion. (Scattering, 7.) Murder is explicitly condemned as a sin. (Horen, 14.) This does not cover the battlefield: it is lawful for men to kill men in arms, but to kill the innocent or defenceless, or to kill for any other reason than protection of others or the maintenance of lawful authority, is a grave and disordered action, and, for a soldier or guard, is a transgression against the soldier’s code of Saint Edmond. (Code of Chivalry)

-Theft: theft is an extension of covetousness, which is condemned explicitly in the Scrolls. (Charity, 4.) We are called not to envy the possessions of others, and this would include theft, for theft is envy put into action.

-False Witness: Krug’s servants are called wicked for their deceit (Scattering, 4.) This is not the only example in the Scrolls where God himself condemns deceit. Since false witness is the essence of deceit, God condemns lies with the full force of His law. To defraud a man of his wage is considered one of the gravest sins, for it is both theft and false witness.

-Apostasy: A man who deserts the Faith and revokes his baptismal vows is condemned by the full authority of the Church, for it is a violation of mankind’s solemn covenant with God. (Catechism, 4.6)

-Incest: Further to sexual immorality, any sexual relations between kin must be immoral, for there can be no valid marriage between kin. (Catechism, 4.4) I am afraid, brothers, that I have been unable to find a specific definition of incest, but four degrees of Consanguinity, is, I believe, the typical definition.

Sin In Spirit

God and His Church have, over centuries, recognised certain virtues and vices in Man that separate us from God. The display of these vices and neglect of these virtues, whilst not constituting a Sin of Substance, for they do not transgress God’s word by the letter, still constitute a sin in their specific cases. Spiritual Sins are sins against conscience, which God has given unto us, and should still be Confessed, although they do not put the soul in imminent mortal danger. Seven Virtues have been recognised by the Church over time, and their seven opposites: the Seven Deadly Sins.

-Castitas, or Chastity, is contrasted with Luxuria, Lust. The Church and Pontiffs have given the Imprimatur to works enshrining Chastity, including a prayer to Saint Catherine for Chastity. (See A Book of Prayers to Saints.) A Spiritual Sin against Chastity might include immodest dress, sexually provocative behavior, and unchaste touching. 

-Temperantia, Temperance, is opposed to Glux, Gluttony. This is the virtue of self-control and moderation. Fasting was done by the Prophets (Owyn, 8), and Temperance is a Canticle of the Scrolls. We can see here a perfect example of Spiritual Sin. Although stuffing yourself with cakes may not constitute a sin by the letter of the Scroll or Catechism, in Spirit it would be a transgression against virtue, and therefore a sin against God. Therefore, Brothers and Sisters, fast, pray, and do not grow fat, nor succumb to the sin of drunkenness or drug-taking.

-Caritas, Charity, is opposed to Avaritia, Avarice. Our Holy Father, Saint Jude, whose writings were inspired and protected by God, wrote and preached most this virtue in a very touching way. (Thesis on Charity, see also Love.) Deus Caritas Est. God is Charity. God, who is the most merciful and the most just, calls on us to reflect that same mercy in our lives. Therefore, a man is called to love the Lord His God with all his heart and mind, and love his neighbour with equal fervour, acting with kindness and supporting others. To show greed, and to pursue wealth at the expense of others, as your ultimate end, and to put wealth before the love of God or men, is certainly a sin. Therefore, uncharitable acts, words and deeds are Spiritual Sins, whilst the love of God and men is considered the greatest virtue by Our Holy Father.

-Industria, Diligence, is opposed to Acedia, Sloth. Diligence is persistence: persistent work, but also persistent prayer. Diligence is also a Canticle of the Scrolls, and is recognised by the Church as an important virtue. Slacking in one’s work or duty would be considered a Spiritual Sin.

-Patentia, Patience, is opposed by Ira, Wrath. Patience is not simply a matter of good timing. The virtue might better be translated as Tolerance. Our Holy Father accepted beatings readily in the street (Final Thesis, Preface), and suffered all manner of evils for his Faith. To be enraged, and to be taken by our passion, is a sin, for it is an abridgement of the rational mind. Act you, then, according not to wrath, but to the Law, and lean not on your own understanding, but on every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

-Humanitas, Kindness, is contrasted with Invidia, Envy. This proceeds from Charity, and a sin against it is to speak, act, or think unkindly of another. Since much of this is explored in Charity, I will carry on.

-Humilitas, Humility, is the opposite of Superbia, Pride. Pride is often the greatest evil and is responsible for all other sins, whilst Humility is often the virtue that lends itself to Charity, Chastity and the others. For in Pride shall a man be wrapped up in wrothful quarrels, or the wife not speak well of her husband, but in Humility did the Saints serve. Saint Catherine, although a Princess, served at the feet of beggars, whilst Iblees, a base and evil being, in pride, thought himself wiser than God. Therefore, any prideful thought, action or word must be confessed as a Spiritual Sin.

Conclusion

Brothers and Sisters, remember not merely to confess the grave and substantial sins. Think also on those words, deeds and thoughts that do debase a man to a beast: think that any unkind or wrongly judgemental thought or act must be confessed. I am often confronted by the absurdity that people have not confessed in years have nothing to confess. Well, perhaps you have no Substantial Sins. But the man who eats too many pies and drinks too many pints, the wife who snaps at and nags her husband, and the man who lusts after women but does not fornicate with them must all come to the Confessional, for they must be made pure in the sight of God. 

People complain that I say the same thing in my homilies, again and again. Well, if I always say them it is because they are always true! Above all, remember that in each and every man and woman you meet, there is a potential Saint. For God, in His mercy, has made the forgiveness readily available, and so for our transgressions we can go to Confession, and, by making it a regular practice, come one step closer to our heavenly home. 

May the blessing of Almighty God rain down upon you, and remain with you, forever and ever. Bye, and God love you!

-Father Humbert, O.S.J.