Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Sure, it was the Memorial Day show, aired yesterday, but it wasn't quite pro-war. It wasn't anti-war either.

If anything, it was just pro-national-defense and pro-moral-obligation-to-go-after-the-bad-guys-of-the-world, all of which involves some preemption, I guess, especially these days. But it's worth listening too. The program ought to be available as a podcast via iTunes [EWTN: The Journey Home]. I can't find it and I have a subscription.

UPDATE: I found the RealAudio version of the program: With Capt. Guy Gruters.

Other archived programs are here, some are interesting and some aren't.

But, the guest had been a POW during Vietnam for more than five years. And found his faith again within the first year of captivity. He said that he prayed the rosary constantly ... there was nothing else to do. He was clear that he wasn't given access to a Bible except for one twelve-hour period one Christmas Eve during his entire time in the camp. So the only way to contemplate the central acts of salvation, that is, to meditate on the Life of Christ was by praying the mysteries of the rosary.

(I should comment on the program's host, Marcus. I like him and he's come a long way but every once in a while, he exhibits "convert envy". Of course, only when he's talking with reverted Catholics. His attitude towards them is almost one of "Well, had I been a cradle Catholic like you, I never would have thrown that all away, in fact, I've never turned my back on God and his Church the way you did, so at this point, I would be an even greater, more faithful Catholic than you are now ... if I had been a cradle Catholic!" And I also think that he wants really, really bad, to become a Catholic priest. He might have to settle for the diaconate. But, don't get me wrong, I love his vulnerability. It takes a great deal of humility to admit that you were wrong, so wrong, for so many decades but he did.)

I remember touring the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Museum when I lived in Dayton, OH (15 years ago) and being touched by the numerous rosaries made from rice on display, recovered from Vietnamese POW camps.

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