Issue 2025-3

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Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually.

Read this newsletter in PDF format for greatest clarity.

Ash Wednesday will arrive on March 5 this year, just a few weeks from now. This is the year to go bold for Lent! Just think what God has given us, saving us and our children. 2025 is the year to be generous in giving back!

Opinions expressed in this newsletter, unless otherwise attributed, are my own.

Sheryl Collmer, editor
February 17, 2025
sherylc@coracusa.com

From the cockpit of the Subaru

CORAC founder Charlie Johnston travels from coast to coast in his trusty Outback to speak in person to those now weathering the Storm.

A SIGN OF HOPE

An Affectionate Letter to Our Bishops

Dear Bishops, Though I have not lived in Chicago for nearly two decades, I remain a Cubs and a Bears fan... more >

CHARLIE’S BRIEF

How Can They
Say That?

Some thoughts about the party of doom’s propensity to lie, our quest for justice... more >

NEWS

Save the Date

Come spend a summer weekend with like-minded CORAC’ers at beautiful Benedictine College near
Kansas City… more >

DOGE and the American Bishops

Catholics have been shocked the last few weeks to find that chokingly huge sums of government funds have been awarded to… more >

CORAC National Conference Will Rock!

Plans for our national conference, to be held July 11-13 this summer, are coming together beautifully. “America’s Bishop,” Joseph Strickland, informed me Saturday that he will be able to join us to speak. I was tickled to pieces.

There is a clear unifying theme in our choice of speakers this year: people who have lived, and are living, notable public courage and fortitude at times when it counted most. Besides Bishop Strickland, our confirmed speakers include Center for Medical Progress founder David Daleiden and Kansas State Sen. Mike Thompson.

David Daleiden, of course, is the young man who has been battling with Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry after releasing video proof of their practice of harvesting and selling baby body parts. For his efforts, then California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris did NOT investigate Planned Parenthood, but sent a SWAT team of 11 armed agents to Daleiden’s home to try to seize the evidence.

Mike Thompson is a great pro-life leader in the Kansas State Senate, but before he went into politics, he was the chief meteorologist for two of Kansas City’s major market TV stations over two decades. He, along with Chicago’s John Coleman were the two major voices in the profession advocating for sound science rather than shrieking ideology on the subject of man-made climate change. He will well equip you with actual data and facts you can use when dealing with overblown hysteria on the subject.

Of course, the conference is a celebration of the work you have done to make CORAC a sign of hope. It will include presentations and displays from each of the seven national teams. They are: Health and Wellness, Sustainability, Prayer, Communications, Education, Crisis Scenarios, and the newly activated Defense League.

We’re working to secure a couple of other speakers who exhibited conspicuous courage under fire. I’ll give more details as they become available. The committee tells me we will have everything together and ready to go live for tickets at the end of March. I hope all of you can join us in Atchison, Kansas for this great event. Our first national conference was like a great family reunion writ large. This one
will be writ larger.

If communication goes out for any length of time, meet outside your local Church at 9 a.m. on Saturday mornings. Tell friends at Church now, in case you can’t then. CORAC teams will be out looking for people to gather in and work with.

Charlie’s Latest Blogs

Brief Updates Videos

SAVE THE DATE

National Conference

July 11 – 13

Benedictine College
Atchinson, KS

Come spend a summer weekend with like-minded CORAC’ers at beautiful Benedictine College near Kansas City. Great speakers Bishop Joseph Strickland and David Daleiden are confirmed, and more speakers are being lined up.

David Daleiden
Defender of the unborn

Most Rev. Joseph
Strickland

State Sen. Mike
Thompson

Mystery Guest(s)
Announcement Soon

The last National Conference in 2021 became a beloved memory for those who attended. The speakers, the camaraderie, the face-to-face meetings with people we only knew from Zoom or Signal… it was idyllic.

More specific details are coming soon. Dorm rooms will be available, but if you’ve aged out of dormitory life, you might want to make reservations now at a hotel in Atchison. There are only a handful, but there are also Air B&Bs in the area and other hotels in the Kansas City area (20-40 minutes away.) RVs will be able to “boondock” at the college, and additional facilities will be available at a nearby
campground.

  • Block out the weekend of July 11-13.
  • Make reservations now if you’re planning on a hotel. It’s not a big town.

Adoration For a Pivotal Year

Some thoughts about the pivotal year ahead of us, how the power of evil has been broken (yet the adversary still has some fight left), and how the answer is marvelously simple: Adoration. Ask, and let Him strengthen you.

Watch video >

NEWS

J6 Update

Over 1,500 citizens were arrested for activity on J6 (including a few who were not even in Washington DC that day!) The legal details get complicated: those who were charged and sentenced, those who were awaiting sentencing, those who’d accepted plea deals, those who had peripheral charges. A team of people have worked tirelessly producing a blueprint for the DOJ to deal with all the various
situations.

Meanwhile, 5 people who should have been released by Federal prison system on January 20 (date of the pardon) are still behind bars. One of the greatest wrongs concerns Army Special Forces Master Sergeant Jeremy Brown, a national hero. Before January 6, two Federal agents visited his house and attempted to recruit him to be an informant on January 6, specifically to infiltrate the Oath Keepers. He declined. The exchange was recorded.

Meanwhile, 5 people who should have been released by Federal prison system on January 20 (date of the pardon) are still behind bars. One of the greatest wrongs concerns Army Special Forces Master Sergeant Jeremy Brown, a national hero. Before January 6, two Federal agents visited his house and attempted to recruit him to be an informant on January 6, specifically to infiltrate the Oath Keepers. He declined. The exchange was recorded.

After the agents left his house, they claim to have found unauthorized weapons in his RV, which was parked down the street. Even Federal experts have conceded that the DNA and fiber evidence on those weapons does not belong to Jeremy Brown. Nevertheless, a Federal prosecutor was able to successfully jail him for that.

Jeremy is still in a Federal prison in central Florida.

This interview (49 minutes) with Jeremy includes the recordings of the visit by the FBI and DHS agents:

Watch Video >

Ten Stories the Media Buried This Week

JD Vance Shocks Europe

Our rather brilliant VP, one of the best surprises of the year, spoke on behalf of America at the Munich Security Conference, bringing home some
uncomfortable truths to the European leaders. Europe is losing its soul and capitulating to atheistic censorship and authoritarian rule, as they haughtily expect the US to support them. JD delivered a wakeup. It’s 18 minutes well worth listening to:

Watch video >

For background and analysis of the context of the speech, read the commentary of Jeff Childers here: 

Read more >

As always, the daily newsbrief “Coffee and Covid” written by Florida attorney Jeff Childers is one of the best news sources I’ve found. I subscribe to his daily (free, though donations are happily accepted) and it is my #1 read every morning. 

Read more >

DOGE Clock

The US National Debt clock is continually running (going up). This is the picture at 7:45 am on Monday, January 17. DOGE has saved us $105 billion as of today, and as huge as that is, we desperately need much more.

To make it more personal, the national debt on your shoulders is $107,227 (340 million population of the US.) DOGE has now “paid down” $309 on your behalf. You now owe $106,918. Do you see how desperate our situation is?

The next time a low-information complainer squeals about DOGE or deportations, ask them how they intend to pay off their share of the national debt.

Examination of Love

Archbishop Aquila of Denver offers a meditative examination in anticipation of Lent. This might give you some ideas of what you want to do this holy season.

Read more >

Bishop Strickland’s “A Shepherd’s Voice”

Bishop Joseph Strickland launched a podcast last month to offer insights into the Deposit of Faith and spiritual guidance to help listeners grow in faith and holiness. There have been 5 installments so far, which you can access on LifeSite’s page. That page also gives you links to prior radio shows “The Bishop Strickland Hour.”

You can also subscribe to “A Shepherd’s Voice” on your favorite podcast app. Transcripts of the podcast are available on the bishop’s Substack, if you are more a reader than a listener. Read more >

Last week, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the US bishops criticizing of the Trump administration’s deportation policies and directly challenging VP J.D. Vance’s theological justification for these actions. Bishop Strickland responded to that letter here> 

DOGE and the American Bishops

Catholics have been shocked the last few weeks to find that chokingly huge sums of government funds have been awarded to the USCCB and Catholic Charities to support illegal immigration, and as a result, human trafficking. It’s bigger than even the most jaded of us suspected.

Here is a short article to begin >

Follow the links at the end of the article for more information.

My take on the possible investigation of the US bishops >

Mike Benz

Most of us heard about Mike Benz for the first time early last year, when he was interviewed by Tucker Carlson. Since then he’s been interviewed widely, including a 3-hour behemoth with Joe Rogan.
The latest gem from Mike Benz concerns USAID, which is even worse than we thought.

Watch video >

Mike Benz is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, a non-profit watchdog group. He previously served in the US State Department under Trump 1.0, working on Internet diplomacy issues. He has also served as a speechwriter for President Trump and advised on technology policy. Prior to his public sector work, he practiced business law as an attorney in New York, representing technology companies and financial firms.

Bonus from Benz:

The History of the Intelligence State >

Tucker Carlson

I subscribe to Tucker’s streaming service, at $9/month, or pay $72 for a year, which works out to $6/month. Tucker has access to the highest sources in the world, and he is an excellent interviewer, not intruding on the guest’s time with his own agenda, as so many less gifted interviewers tend to do.

Many of his interviews can be viewed for free on Twitter or YouTube, but subscribing gives you first-looks and expanded content. 

Watch videos >

Here’s a new (free) interview with Texas AG Ken Paxton, covering the illegal invasion at the Southern border.

Watch video >

Physical Healing Sessions

Next healing session

Wednesday, February 26

Check website closer to the date to confirm >

CORAC WEBSITE

Do explore the website! It’s rich with helpful information. Start on the home page.

PRAYER

February Prayer Intentions

  • That in these extraordinary days, CORAC members prayerfully discern how best to serve our family, friends, and neighbors as signs of hope to those around us.

  • That we get enough sleep and fulfill our regular duties while also keeping up with important and accurate information each day.

  • For Charlie’s good health and energy during the final revisions of CORAC’s manual: Revival: A Handbook and Manual for Building Functional Communities.

  • That CORAC members draw ever closer to the Lord, and that we respond kindly and patiently to all who are being led by God’s grace from unbelief to belief.

  • That many people be healed in body, mind, and spirit through the online Physical Healing Prayer Session via Zoom (usually on the last Wednesday of each month); and through many other healing prayer ministries in which CORAC members are engaged. That CORAC members may strongly desire and find the means to participate in financial support for our vital ministries.

  • That CORAC members may strongly desire and find the means to participate in financial support for our vital ministries.

  • For all intentions carried in the hearts of CORAC members and those posted on the CORAC Prayer Hotline, with gratitude for prayers answered in our daily lives.

St. Gabriel, enlighten us.
St. Michael, defend us.
St. Raphael, protect us.
Ave Maria, Stella Maris!

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