These belligerent perverted jerks are the ones setting the agenda. They don’t have to worry about winning friends or influencing people. They are probably in the minority, but most people are too afraid to oppose them, since they are worried about getting crushed by the existing bureaucracy, like that teacher who was punished for expressing himself privately on Face Book, or like when Ezra Levant got dragged before the HRC.

Is that dude on the right a member of the HOB? The mitre is very innovative in shape, although the overall color scheme of his vestments is a bit bland.

Sometimes I wonder if the Pope is not most in danger while in Europe. Then again, sometimes I wonder if Christianity is not most in danger while in Europe.

Tolerance! Feel the love. I don’t quite get the guy with the white towel on his head. Probably he needs a shower; he looks like it.

I don’t get it – why an anti-Catholic protest? How are the Catholics hurting these people? I understand the spritual battle as a motivation, but what “hook” are the protestors using to work up the crowd?

Is this how it started with the Jews in Germany in the 1930s?

Google “harassment at World Youth Day” for lots of stories.

Hmmm,
Does Episcopalianism inspire youth like Catholicism does?
Somehow I can’t see an Episcopal Youth Event generating this kind of guts. Actually, a youth event sponsored by TEO is more like the other side of the police line.

Damian Thompson says it well

So much for the inclusive tolerance trumpeted by the Left. Here in Madrid was its real face: a sneering, violent mob of self-righteous bullies who thought it appropriate to hurl abuse at children for the crime of having pride in their faith and being excited about by a visit from the Holy Father.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100101735/benedict-xvi-in-spain-a-triumph-for-this-meek-man-of-mighty-action-despite-the-best-efforts-of-the-bbc/

While there is a long tradition of anti-clericalism in Spain, this level of vitriol is new. And I think it was Benedict who wrote something about how in the future Catholicism would be under constant attack in Europe and would become a “harder faith” as a result.

It seems the future is now.

When I worked as an attended on at a psychiatric hospital I once saw a very dangerous young man go over to a time magazine with a picture of Pope John Paul II on the cover. He immediately became enraged and tore the magazine to bits. I believe he was demon possessed. How people respond to Pope Benedict XVI says more about them than him.

Damian Thompson says it well

I usually enjoy reading Damian Thompson, but I need to stop reading where he stops writing. The comments there are freakazoid cubed.

I think you’re right, Dale Matson. I’ve heard stories like that before.

I am kinda surprised at the attire of the Catholic teens at a religious event. If I were them, I’d feel vulnerable so uncovered with all the rancor and rage about.

However, the last mass I attended in FL, the young girls wore strapless sunsuits with really short shorts and skirts. From behind, it looked like we were in Eden or a nudist service, IYKWIM.

The rule should be shoulders and bust covered for Church and in general for religious events. Of course, no guys with b**t c**cks showing either. Really, yuck.

Explanation – when the girls with the strapless outfits were seated in the pews, to everyone behind them, it looked like they were naked. Made it very hard for the young guys to focus on Jesus.

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and shall persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

Blessed be the Word of the Lord. Amen

PS: So the Brights and Gays are scared of little girls now?? Can’t be because they threaten their manhood. They have none.But then the devil does not like anyone who bears witness for Christ.

Whitestone: There is nothing objectionable of the kind your are referring to in the two pictures published here. Therefore your comment is irrelevant and a non sequitur, But then you may be a neoconservative Manchean and like the Muslims is afraid of what healthy young women suitably dressed for the weather look like.

PS They are not nuns!!!

Remember it hasn’t been too long ago that Spanish leftists put young seminarians and nuns in front of the firing squad. Any one wearing a cross or carrying a rosary got the same treatment.

Keeping the girls dressed appropriately is a constant struggle. I think they finally got it under control for weddings and quinces, but it can be a problem. Not just girls, either. Men here have always worn dress shorts to Mass, which can look very nice, but it’s gotten out of hand with cut off jeans, cut off too short. Father scolded a couple of weeks ago, noting that men in the parish should be asking themselves if their legs are that attractive.

More lefty goodness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V0AAEz5V7k&feature=related

@ann r: and even if you were a dead and buried nun they dug you up and stood you up against a wall for public exhibition and in many cases used you for target practice as a form of mock execution.

In the first weeks of the Spanish Civil War, leftists massacred some 6,000 priests, nuns, brothers and sisters of the Catholic Church. Their ideological descendants haven’t fallen far from the tree.

Still communist flags in that crowd, FW Ken, after all the failures and horrors of communism. The fake pope lead by a figure of the devil is an appropriate image. These people don’t realize, I suppose, that what they’re playing with is set to devour them.

When we toured Spain, like most European countries, we learned to stay away from the major cities on the weekends. The thin veneer of civilization is stripped away for all to see and hear.

Dale, can you add any specifics?

As Don points out, hatred of Catholicism is woven into the Spanish Left’s DNA. Given their history of making martyrs out of Spanish Catholics, we should be at least a little thankful that the grandchildren of La Pasionaria are reduced to cuss words, screaming and gay makeout sessions.

This is so pitiful! What brave men and women to challenge the scary, praying Catholic teenagers.

Did someone mention something about civilization dying in Old Europe? I could believe it.

Civil wars are devastating, their legacy lingers for years. The American civil war is a prime example.
In the Spanish civil war atrocities were committed by both sides.
The Republican side. supported by Communist Russia and Mexico, is reported to have executed 38,000 people including many Catholics, both clerical and lay.
The Nationalists, supported by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, executed 200,000 including many Protestant clergy.
All this happened between 1936 and 1939. It is still part of living history to the Spanish.
Pray for understanding, mercy and forgiveness.

Entirely off-topic, but interesting to note how the word “led” is morphing into “lead”? First the un-named reporter, then Katherine.

Oops, Michael D. You’re right.

The picture at the top of the post is one of three that show protesters in this slideshow. The rest of the pics are worth a look:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/world-youth-day-draws-catholics-to-madrid/2011/08/17/gIQAnjaWLJ_gallery.html#photo=1

Minuteman,
Yes I can add specifics. The noise and mayhem of the drunken crowds in the central cities goes on until 5am in the morning on the weekends. You hear the constant wail of sirens all night long.

John, I wonder how many Protestant clergy were present in Spain in the ’30s. And why would Franco or Mussolini kill Protestant clergy at all?
Any reference, please?

I remember it was wildly assumed, till a few years ago ,that Franco had killed around 1 million people: now we have arrived at half a million, globally (one third by the Republicans). After the war ended, it is now said that around 100,000 (not 200,000) were executed or died in prisoners’ concentration camps – as far as I know. I am aware of discrimination against Protestants, not of any massive killings among their clergy, but I’m ready to learn more.

If you are interested, these are some numbers as far as the Catholic church is concerned:
- 70% of the churches destroyed
- 13 bishops killed
- 4,184 priests and seminarists killed
- 2,365 religious men killed
- 283 nuns killed and almost always raped
- an indefinable number of lays, men and women,
killed for their faith: some thousands

Paolo Pagliaro.
This is from Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Civil_War
“Franco’s forces also persecuted Protestants, including the murder of twenty Protestant ministers.[190] Franco’s forces were determined to remove the “Protestant heresy” from Spain.[191]”
The atrocities against Catholics far, far out number any committed against Protestants but the nationalists committed substantially more atrocities against civilians.

[...] here to read the comments.  When it comes to endless murderous hatred of the Catholic Church, no one can beat [...]

Thanks for your reply, John.
Wikipedia reference is to Michael Seidman’s “The Victorious Counterrevolution”, which is partially accessible on Google Books. On page 206 it says: “Nevertheless Protestants were attacked and censored in Nationalist Spain. Authorities persecuted – and sometimes physically eliminated – Protestant clergy and closed and destroyed their churches. Perhaps twenty pastors were shot, but given their [Nationalists'] unwillingness to alienate gratuitously the great powers, Nationalists constantly denied their repression of Protestant clergy.”
The passage is without further reference, so I cannot say if the author is, perhaps, wrong.

I have no sympathy for Franco, but I can say most books on his regime are (or better, have been) quite left-leaning and prone to amplify numbers or suggest half-truths – while you certainly know that the same standard has not been used dealing with other civil wars. Your saying “…executed 200,000 including many Protestant clergy…” suggests many more than “perhaps twenty”.

I apologize if that sounds aggressive, I sincerely join your prayer for understanding and forgiveness.

Ciao, Paolo

Dale Matson- thank you for your reply to my question. It has been decades since I was on the continent; ten years since I was in Scotland. The sheep are pretty quiet at night and not too rowdy.

LaVallette, I would not let my daughter wear that outfit for that occasion, nor in that country or crowd. It’s immodest.