Blessed José Sánchez del Río

[Originally published February 10, 2013]

Today, February 10, is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Blessed José Sánchez del Río. On this date in 1928, this 14 year old boy was killed for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith during the Cristero War. The story of this period of Catholic persecution led by Mexican President Calles was told in the movie "For Greater Glory".

After José was captured by government forces, he was forced to witness the torture and execution of fellow Catholics, yet he never wavered in his resolve. He was himself was tortured and urged to shout "Death to Christ the King" with the promise his suffering would be over. On the day of his torturous execution, the soldiers cut the soles of his feet and he was made to walk barefooted to the grave they had dug for him. He was repeatedly stabbed with bayonets as he made his way to the place of his martyrdom.

Even after he had been shot he continued to cry out "Viva Cristo Rey!" ("Long live Christ the King!") The commander of the soldiers was so furious that he was able to resist the government barbarism, he finally shot the boy in the head. As he died he is said to have drawn a cross on the ground with his own blood. Blessed José Sánchez del Río was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on November 20, 2005.

During the Cristeros War many Catholics were killed by the Mexican government for their faith. This tragic part of recent history is pointedly ignored by the history books in both the United States and Mexico. It is a story that needs to be told and learned by all free people. The people of the United States shared in the tragedy, as our own government supplied both arms and air support for the Federales in their battles with the Catholic faithful.

As the attacks on the Church increase in the United States, with the aggression led by our own government, we would do well to remember the resolve of this strong young man, and pray that we too will remain faithful through whatever trials await us.

Blessed José Sánchez del Río, Pray For Us!

iBible

Reminds me of my first cell phone.

Yes, we Christians can laugh at ourselves.

Beer On a Hot Frying Pan

A post with no point whatsoever.

But I bet you're now dying to try it for yourself.

H/T 90 Miles From Tyranny

Raising Responsible Pets

Browsing the mobile phone store recently...

How old should your dog be before he gets his own email and text accounts?

And Finally, Beer

It's been a week since I bemoaned the recent "all work and no play" trend, but we finally got in a visit to one of our local pubs to enjoy some good beer and food. As our friend Checkered Flag recently lamented, "We need to get back into our fun routine." To that end, Wednesday evening we headed over to Park Lane Tavern for their Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, on nitro, Steal the Glass event.

It's been a while since we visited Park Lane, and I was pleased to see they've expanded their "rotating taps" list, now with 5 beers, plus a cask selection. As much as I was looking forward to the nitro Porter, I was tempted by some of the other selections. Well, maybe I'll have a second beer...

The Breckinridge Vanilla Porter poured a deep chocolate color with a think mocha head, with the attractive nitro carbonation slowing rising to the top. This was a very handsome looking beer. I could hardly restrain myself while Colleen grabbed a photo. The aroma is very faint, with vanilla and milk chocolate notes. The flavor is mainly sweet milk-rich coffee and vanilla. The mouthfeel was extremely smooth and creamy. The beer goes down easily and quickly. At just 4.7% ABV that's not a problem though. 

I've had this popular beer before, both from a bottle and a standard tap. I've found it a touch too sweet for my tastes typically. It's not a beer I could drink more than one of in a sitting. It seemed to me however the flavor this time was less cloying that I recall. Perhaps that's the effect of the nitro, but in any case it was quite tasty and indeed. If there weren't other beers to try, I would have had another!

In the food area, I had my mind set on Fish & Chips for dinner, planning to combine it with the nitro-poured Porter for hint of Ireland. (I've sworn off Guinness in the U.S. after enjoying it in Ireleand.) However, Park Lane was featuring a Wild Game Bangers and Mash entrée that was especially tempting. The bangers were made with elk and venison. So I switched food plans and went that dish. I'm glad I did. The meat was very tasty, as was the accompanying "mash" and other vegetables. 

To go along the Bangers & Mash I ordered a pint of Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale. This reddish-copper colored ale had a rich caramel malt flavor enhanced with subtle spices. The spiced ale was a very nice compliment to the herbs and spices in the sausage. Colleen and Checkered Flag both ordered glasses of the cask selection, New Holland The Poet. Poured into a large snifter, the from-the-cask serving came out at just the right temperature. (Sadly, I've accepted the fact that most beers served in America are set out too cold and require patience before enjoying.) I stole a couple few many sips from Colleen's glass. This Oatmeal Stout was rich in roasted coffee and copious oatmeal, along with a hint of citrus hops in the background. I may have to order this one for myself next time.

We had a very enjoyable evening at Park Lane. We're frequent, but not regular visitors to the pub, but it seemed to me they've stepped up their beer game a notch, and my entrée was one of the better meals I've enjoyed there. Oh yea, those infamous "kilts"? They seem to be gone. I realize the "mini" kilts on the girls were a gimmick, but neither those nor the usually-too-long kilts on the guys were very authentic. The black pants on most of the employees we saw this week gave a much more professional look. I can't say I will miss the "kilts." I do realize from reading the comments on the Facebook that I'm probably in the minority with that opinion. I look forward to visiting again and seeing what happens next.

Those Pesky Terrorists

All eyes will be on Sochi as the Winter Olympics begin tonight. After two terrorist bombings recently in Volgograd, Russia, there's rightful cause for concern over the security of the venue. Well, at least many folks are concerned. The 0bama administration however sees the situation as perhaps no more disconcerting than a bunch of high school boys TPing trees on Halloween. This was the wisdom recently uttered by State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf:

"In terms of security for Sochi, U.S. citizens planning to attend should remain alert regarding their personal security at all times. I think our security experts have said that criminal activity in Sochi is similar to other cities of comparable size. Obviously, major events such as the Olympic games are an opportunity for thieves or for other folks who want to cause mischief," Harf said.

Wait, what? Mischief? Watch below. I know it looks like a Saturday Night Live skit, but it's real, or at least reality according to the current administration.

Maybe if we just sent the terrorists to bed without their supper they'd learn their lesson.

Students Support Execution of Gun Owners

Activist Mark Dice recently visited a California college campus passing around a "petition" calling for the abolishment of 2nd Amendment. What happened next will leave you shaking your head.

Taken by itself, one might be inclined to dismiss reactions of the clueless students, as, well, the actions of clueless students. However this isn't the first time we've seen anti-gun crowd call for violence against law-abiding gun owners. In fact, these inclinations are far from uncommon. And these students probably do, and will, vote. It's disconcerting how the idea of imprisoning and even executing innocent Americans doesn't raise an objection.

Recently Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia recently told law students, regarding the internment of Japanese-Americans during WW II,

“That’s what was going on - the panic about the war and the invasion of the Pacific and whatnot. That’s what happens. It was wrong, but I would not be surprised to see it happen again, in time of war. It’s no justification, but it is the reality,” he said.

The anti-gunners are also hinting at punishing guns owners because they might commit a crime in the future. According to Kristen Rand, legislative director at the Violence Policy Center in Washington, "Just because you're a law-abiding citizen today doesn't mean you're going to be one tomorrow."

Sort of gives new meaning to the term "war on guns."

Beer Delivery Drones Grounded

Lakemaid Beer thought they had a great promotional gimmick to promote their brewery. They'd use drones to fly beer out to ice fishermen on a Minnesota lake. Unfortunately the government has nixed the idea, according to this ABC report:

An ingenious new drone beer delivery service proposed by a Minnesota Micro Brewery to rush beer to thirsty ice fishermen across frozen lakes has had its wings clipped by the feds. 

Less than a week after the company posted a buzzy promotional YouTube video chronicling the first test flights across mid-sized lakes, the Federal Aviation Administration called Lakemaid Beer to immediately pull the unmanned beer from the skies. 

"As much as they thought it was a funny idea, it was a violation of all sorts of codes," Lakemaid Beer Company President Jack Supple told ABC News, adding that he's determined to keep pushing to get his idea off the ground.

The FAA cites the dangers of flying drones over "dense urban locations" as a cause for concern. According to officials the use of drones for commercial reasons is a "serious matter."

The irony runs deep here.

See "FAA Slaps Down Drone Beer Delivery Service to Ice Fishermen" for more on the drone grounding.