You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.—Gen 50:20 NIV A friend recently described to me that her narcissistic mother-in-law was the "victim and hero" of every story she told.  I thought that was both hilarious and accurate in the description of what Miss Ann Barnhardt might call a "diabolical narcissist."  Remember, a narcissist is one not concerned as much with looks as with control, manipulation and gas-lighting. So, I'm very hesitant to write a blog post that could come anywhere close to the edge of the cliff of being both "victim and hero" but [...]

As many traditional priests are currently being told they must take oaths in favor of modernism (to the possible endangerment of their souls) I hereby take the oath against modernism as Pope St. Pius X asked all priests to take: I, Fr. David Nix, firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth and declared by the unerring teaching authority of the Church, especially those principal truths which are directly opposed to the errors of this day. And first of all, I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created [...]

Even though you can already see horizontalism, communitarianism and ecumenism creeping into the vocabulary of a modern Pope in 1961, it's interesting that Pope John XXIII insisted that the Catholic Church was "vibrant with vitality" just before convoking his council in 1962: ​ Then, if we turn our attention to the Church, we see that it has not remained a lifeless spectator in the face of these events, but has followed step by step the evolution of peoples, scientific progress, and social revolution. It has opposed decisively the materialistic ideologies which deny faith. Lastly, it has witnessed the rise and growth of the immense energies of the apostolate of prayer, [...]

This summer, I was blessed to be the chaplain for a couple weeks on the set of an upcoming movie by Metanoia Films called Cabrini.  They filmed it in New York State (not NYC.) It is a big-screen-targeted movie on the life of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini and much of it takes place in lower Manhattan around the turn of the century.  The set above is part of the re-creation of Five Points where St. Cabrini served the Italian immigrants of New York City.   (Not that I think anyone should watch Godfather 2, but I believe the set above of Cabrini rivaled that of Coppola's 1974 movie.) The director Alejandro [...]

Why am I am hermit with so much sacramental need in the world?  For one, bishops do not want a priest who will exclusively do the old sacraments.  Just a couple years ago, I (quite accidentally) ended up having a quick espresso with the Archbishop of Military Services.  I knew I would never see him again, so I gave him an offer that had been mulling around in my heart for a long time:  I told him that I would go anywhere in the world he sends me—even to the front lines—as a priest and paramedic to serve US troops.  I said I was in good standing, but I only [...]