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From the Desk of Richard Thompson

     This Saturday, October 7, over a million Catholics in Poland are expected to gather along Poland’s 2,000-mile border in a massive rosary prayer crusade entitled “Rosary on the Borders.” Their purpose is to commemorate the anniversary of the October 7, 1571 Battle of Lepanto, during which the outnumbered Christian naval fleet dealt a massive blow to the Muslim Ottoman Empire, saving Christendom from Islamic domination.   

     The Islamic Ottoman Empire, under the rule of Soleiman the Magnificent, desired to conquer Italy and dominate Europe. He yearned to bring all of Europe within the dar al-Islam, submissive to Sharia law. The Sultan envisioned building a mosque in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, as Muslims had done a century earlier in Constantinople with the construction of Hagia Sophia.

     When Pope Pius V realized that Muslims intended to dominate Christian Europe, he formed the Holy League to confront the Sultan’s war galleys. He knew this was indeed a war between Christianity and Islam. He appointed a young warrior, Don Juan of Austria, to lead the Holy League in naval combat. Taking the young warrior by the shoulders Pius V said, “The Turks, swollen by their victories, will wish to take on our fleet, and God – I have the pious presentiment – give us victory. Charles V [his father] gave you life, I will give you honor and greatness.  Go seek them out.”    
     
     On the night before the battle, as the Muslim fleet descended upon the Gulf of Lepanto, Pius V ordered all the churches remain open, and recommended the faithful invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the prayer of the Rosary. 

     The battle lasted for five hours. Shortly before the first cannons went off, Captain Juan told his men, “Gentlemen, the time for counsel has passed. Now is the time for war.” 

     Before the first shot was fired, Captain Juan knelt in prayer on his ship, the Real. He then stood and ordered the Holy League’s battle standard to be unfurled. It was a gift from Pius V, a giant blue banner bearing an image of the crucified Christ. Christians up and down the battle line cheered as it was unfurled for the enemy to see.
   
     Aboard the Holy League’s vessels were priests from various Catholic orders including Franciscans, Capuchins, Dominicans, Theatines, and Jesuits. They held large crucifixes and walked the decks of the galleys, exhorting the men to be brave, as well as offering Mass and hearing confessions. Many of the oarsmen were criminals. Don Juan ordered them all unchained, issued them a weapon, and promised to free them if they fought bravely. He gave every man a Rosary, emphasizing that they were about to engage in a spiritual battle.

     The Muslims had their own battle standard, a green silk banner, with the name of Allah stitched in gold calligraphy 28,900 times. At the height of the battle, the opposing flagships, Don Juan’s Real and Ali Pasha’s Sultana, engaged in bloody fighting. The Sultana was captured.

     The Muslims suffered a disastrous defeat: 187 ships were sunk or captured, and 30,000 Muslims dead or wounded and another 10,000 Muslims captured. On the other hand, the Holy League lost only 17 ships, and suffered 10,000 deaths. The Holy League also freed approximately 12,000 Christian captives who had been chained to the oars of the Sultan’s ships.

     This triumph of Christianity and Western civilization over Islam in the Battle of Lepanto was attributed to prayers and the intercession of the Virgin Mary.

The Battle of Tours

     The first battle between Christian Europe and Islam occurred on October 10, 732. The victorious Christian forces led by Charles “The Hammer” Martel (grandfather of Charlemagne), preserved Christianity in Europe at a time when Muslims were achieving victory after victory in other parts of the world. Without this decisive victory, the Franks and eventually the rest of Europe and England would have been overrun by the Umayyad Caliphate.

 The Battle of Vienna

     One of the last battles in history between Catholics and Muslims occurred in 1683. The Battle of Vienna occurred when an alliance of Christian armies led by Jan III Sobieski, the King of Poland, gained victory over the Turks, thus saving the city of Vienna from Islamic rule. This would not have happened if it weren’t for Pope Innocent XI. He recognized the danger posed by the Ottomans, and, in the name of God and the Church, called on all the rulers of Central Europe to unite against their common enemy. Sobieski led a force of 40,000 Poles and their German and Austrian allies in the victory over the Turks.

     Clearly, the world known as Christendom would look completely different today had there not been courageous religious leaders like Pope Pius V and Pope Innocent XI; and military leaders like Charles Martel, Don Juan of Austria and King Sobieski of Poland. They clearly understood the battles were between Christianity and Islam, between God and Allah.

     In this new century, too many Catholics are forgetful of the spiritual battles and heroic sacrifices of Catholics in the past. They readily accept the lie that Islam is a religion of peace, love and brotherhood. 
 

From the Desk of Richard Thompson

   

     The National Football League has already lost their war against The America People.  They thought their war was against President Trump. No, it was against The American People who love their country, respect their Flag, and their National Anthem. The NFL lost.

     The NFL’s disrespect for patriotism has unified the Country against them.

     I’m sure after seeing the reaction of The American People, and loss of revenues, the NFL will find a way to stop their disrespect.

   Marine General John Kelly, Trump’s Chief of Staff and a Gold Star father who lost his son, Marine 1st Lt., Robert Kelly, in 2010 while on a combat mission in Afghanistan, commented:

“I believe every American, when the national anthem is played, should cover their hearts and think about all the men and women who have been maimed and killed.”

“Every American should stand up and think for three lousy minutes.”

     So, when at the Alabama rally last Friday, President Trump called out the millionaire football players for taking a knee during our National Anthem and disrespecting our Flag and nation, he was voicing the sentiments of The American People. He was hardly breaking new ground. 

     Granted, the U. S. Constitution protects the NFL players’ right to foolishly demean our Nation and Flag.  However, they should consider this: throughout our Nation’s history, men and women; white, black, brown and yellow, have fought and died under our Flag, and many have been buried under that Flag. By taking a knee during the National Anthem, these players demean their sacrifices.

     Right now, these men and women of all races are still fighting and placing themselves in harm’s way for that Flag and the football players right to take a knee. Unlike these players, however, they don’t get millions for doing so.

     A poignant moment in last Sunday’s Pittsburgh-Chicago game came when Pittsburgh Steelers star, Alejandro Villanueva, refused to go along with his teammates who were cowering in the locker-room during the National Anthem. He stepped alone onto the field and paid respect to the Country he had fought for. Villanueva is a West Point graduate and former Army Range officer who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan. He received a Bronze Star for valor.  In response to Villanueva’s exercise of his free speech, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin scolded Villanueva while praising his players cowering in the locker room.

    Their ridiculous excuse for not coming onto the field was that they did not want to get involved in politics. Not coming on the field during the National Anthem, was a political message. They are now suffering the consequences of that message, as Steeler fans, some of the most ardent fans in the world, are burning their Steeler paraphernalia.

     In concern for the right of free speech, which the President and all Americans support, and amnesia about Colin Kaepernick’s sideline antics, the NFL officials and players incoherently and dishonestly claimed it was the President who caused disunity.

      The NFL players don’t seem to realize that there are ideals bigger than a game, bigger than money, and bigger than themselves. Those ideals are demonstrated by our Armed Forces in harm’s way who are putting their lives on the line so that these millionaire athletes and billionaire owners can peacefully enjoy their wealth.   

     These soldiers’ sacrifices are worth standing for. General Douglas MacArthur, in a 1962 speech to West Point cadets described the real men of our Country…

“…bending under soggy packs, on many a weary march from dripping dusk to drizzling dawn, slogging ankle-deep through the mire of shell-shocked roads, to form grimly for the attack, blue-lipped, covered with sludge and mud, chilled by the wind and rain, driving home to their objective, and for many, to the judgment seat of God.” 

     Every one of these heroes understood the beauty of the United States and her ideals. These men have included NFL greats of the past who gave “the last full measure” of their lives for the Country: Pat Tillman, Robert Kalsu, Jack Lummus, and Don Steinbrunner. 

     I know there are still patriotic, God-fearing men in professional football today.

    Most Americans have heard the story of Pat Tillman, the stand-out NFL safety who turned down a contract offer of $3.6 million and opted instead to join the United States Army in the aftermath of 9/11. Tillman, an Army Ranger, was later killed in Afghanistan. 

     Fewer people have heard of Jack Lummus, who cut short his promising career with the New York Giants to join the Marine Corps after the Pearl Harbor attacks. Lummus received the Medal of Honor after knocking out three enemy strongholds on Iwo Jima after being hit by a hand grenade. Just before his death, he continued to urge his platoon on in the attack even after losing both legs to a landmine. Robert Kalsu and Don Steinbrunner played for the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns respectively. These men lost their lives serving our Country in Vietnam.

     Sadly, too many of today’s players, coaches, and NFL franchise owners are driven by revenues. Their dishonor of America and her ideals calls to mind the rebuke of Rudyard Kipling “making mock of uniforms that guard you while you sleep.” 

     The NFL did nothing when Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, refused to stand for our national anthem at a pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers. He defended his lack of patriotism by explaining that he was “not going to stand up to show pride in a Flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color.”

     C.S. Lewis saw this day arriving when he said: “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.” 

     Each year we watch the NFL embarrassingly apologize as its 300 pound “men without chests” are caught again-and-again physically abusing their 110 pound wives and girlfriends.  The NFL ignores honor, decency, respect for our country and is surprised when their players are found to be without honor, without decency, and without respect for their fellow men and women.