Have You Left this Gate Open to Satan?

Volume XXIX, Number 1
January 16, 2025

Beloved Readers, it is my bemused honor to welcome you to the twenty-ninth year of the CatholiCity Message, the "great granddaddy" of them all! If you keep readin' 'em, I'll keep writin' 'em.

Yes Yes Success Success!!

This year's Christmas appeal was a lovely success—although we could use around fifty more heroes to fully launch our Treasure in Heaven project. The Mary Foundation will surely keep its doors open in 2025 to help countless souls in dire eternal jeopardy!

Thank you. If you want to be one of the Generous Ones...

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Theme for 2025: Your Sanctity

Our theme last year was Prayer and the Eucharist. 2024 was dizzying, difficult, and fraught for many of us. There were times when I felt like the only optimistic Catholic left in the country.

Over the past few years, we have done our human part to help the Father send the Holy Angels to bind and cast down the diabolical entities oppressing our nation! Yet there remains vast moral rot and horrific sin that cries out to heaven for justice that no mere election can address.

We can and will do whatever it takes to convert everybody in whatever time God has granted us.

I can summarize the Immaculate Conception's coming victory in three words: Crush the Head.

Our 2024 highlight was the release of Saint Francis de Sales' How to Pray.

Prayer makes saints, and saints change the world. A million saints can conquer whole nations. You already know that you can't be a saint unless you pray like a saint. Let Saint Francis de Sales show you how.

I'm praying right next to you. I'm praying even when you don't, until you do. Which you will!

Just in Time for Lent!

According to the once-in-a-millennia exorcist Father Ripperger, meditative prayer first-thing every morning is absolutely necessary to "close the gate" that devout Catholics leave open to the evil one. In short, he explicitly advises us to Pray the De Sales Way every day.

Your Particular Set of Skills

Bringing others to Christ requires more than prayer. Evangelization is sanctity in action and requires skills that work in the real world.

In mid-February we will release a little book, How to Evangelize Anyone, which will quickly teach you or your group the proven skills that make bringing the faith to your loved ones easy, enjoyable, and successful—even to those with the most hardened of hearts!

From Atheist to Holy Family Missionary

Until this exciting new tool is available (for only $1, of course!), you can listen to this riveting podcast with my son Xavier and the author, Jose Pulido, who converted from bitter atheism after a direct mystical encounter with the Holy Family—yes, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. They gave him a mission to teach people how to evangelize.

Just Sayin'

This year Ash Wednesday falls on a Wednesday. (March 5th.)

This Big Baby Needs a Miracle

Every other keystroke today induces shooting pain in my left forearm and inner elbow due to a partially torn left bicep tendon (from moving a washing machine into the basement a few weeks ago).

Basic chores, driving, sleeping, and even walking are occasions for annoying out-of-nowhere spikes of pain. I really am a big baby, so please, please ask your favorite saint to intercede for a miraculous cure so I can do the work Our Lady has placed before me for years to come.

I have personally entrusted the cure for this disability to Charlene Richard, my favorite little Servant of God, and you will fall in love with her too.

Guaranteed Chuckles

Thanks to the Indian summer, I was able to paint my whole house exterior in September and October. One evening, after painting all day, I was still high up on a ladder, painstakingly finishing off second floor window trim, when my neighbor, just home from her nursing job, called up to ask me how I was doing.

"Tired and happy," I replied in a fatigued voice.

She let out a sincere chuckle, because she related—no doubt because she has two devastatingly charming and rambunctious little hellion-boys who provide the neighborhood hours of very loud, uh, amusement.

Tired and happy. Can you relate?

Over the last several months, whenever anyone asks me how I'm doing, I give them a sunny "Tired and happy," and always get an audible laugh, snort, or chuckle. I accidentally made up a joke that can be used every day!

Yup, try it.

Classic Repeat Catholic Quotes

"Love God and do as you wish."
- Saint Augustine

"Let nothing bother you. Let nothing disturb you. God alone suffices."
- Saint Teresa of Avila

"I am all yours Mary and all that I have is yours."
- Motto of Saint Pope John Paul the Second the Great

"God is not a bureaucrat." - Bud Macfarlane (me)

If I Were King of the Forest (Dessert Version)

Every restaurant that offers desserts should be required by law to offer four out of these five: chocolate layer cake, New York cheesecake, tiramisu, apple pie (with huge chunks of real apples), and raspberry sherbet.

They could offer anything else after that. Carrot cake. Fresh chocolate chip cookies. Berries and gelato. That French custard thing that's on fire.

And whatever happened to parfaits?

As a formerly very overweight man, I am an veteran consumer of the most delicious combinations of sugar. I've paid my dues in the diabetic death zone.

I would also require cutting this era's absolutely massive portion sizes down by at least half, along with the price. They're even too big for sharing one dessert with a companion. Seriously: ten bucks for a way-too-large concoction of molten lava whatever with strange-shaped things and gummies sticking out of it?! After a bone-in ribeye?

Like most of the most obviously ridiculous stuff in this world, they could have just asked me.

Tens of Thousands Praying Worldwide

I turned two morning daily prayers into two prayers for the whole year, so let us begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...

Dear Lord, we do not know what will happen to us this year,
we only know that nothing will happen
that was not foreseen by You
and directed to our greater good from all eternity.

We adore your holy and unfathomable plans
and submit to them with all our hearts
for love of You, the pope, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

O God, we are heartfully sorry
for having offended thee last year,
and we detest all our sins because of thy just punishment,
but most of all because we have offended thee, our God,
who is all good and deserving of all our love.
We firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace,
to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasions of sin in 2025.

And please, heal Bud's left bicep tendon,
and every injury and illness of those offering this prayer,
in accord with your Divine Will.

Thank you for the cascade of graces
you have planned for us this year.
We offer everything, and everything beyond everything,
in the Most Holy Name of Your Son, Jesus.
Amen.

Oww. My arm is killing me!

You were the best last year. You guys are still the best!

Fear nothing. Stay frosty.

With Saint Jude,
Help of the Hopeless,

Bud Macfarlane
Founder

Read Bud's Last Message

Order How to Pray $1

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