Issue 2024-5
18208 Preston Road, Ste D9-552
Dallas TX 75252
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They are happy who dwell in your house, continually singing your praise.
Friends assume I’m the pinnacle of “ready-ness” because I read and write so much about it. But at the crossroads where people decide whether to go all-out or make-do with less, I chose the latter. I’m not advocating that; it was just my personal choice as a single person with no dependents. From years of camping and trekking, I know that it is possible to live perfectly well with very little. I’m reasonably prepared for the obvious things: stored food and garden, rainwater harvest system, rocket stove, first aid and antibiotics, backup batteries. There’s no guarantee I’ve made the right choices, but I’m peaceful with them. That’s the goal, because everyone has a different threshold. The one thing I can’t live without, and can’t stock or provide for myself, is the Eucharist. That’s worth having a plan for.
Opinions expressed in this newsletter, unless otherwise attributed, are my own.
Sheryl Collmer, editor
March 17, 2024
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.
CORAC.CO
On the Web
Our greatest asset is our website. If you haven’t yet explored it, start on the home page and see what catches your attention… more >
NEWS
Free Speach: MO v Biden
One of the biggest cases of this era, Missouri v Biden will be heard at the Supreme Court this week… more >
Banks & Money
Our current banking system operates on trust. There’s nothing inherently valuable in a green piece of… more >
10 Hidden Headlines
What the media won’t say… more >
Plandemic in Film
We so much want this horror to be over, but it’s not. And the more we know about… more >
Movies
There are more good Christian movies in the pipeline than I can ever remember… more >
Solar Eclipse April 8
Even in my little town of Tyler, which is on the Path of Totality, city officials are issuing warnings like… more >
APPENDIX
Scones
Get the recipe for Jane’s scones. She is the British ex-pat who makes the greatest scones ever according to Charlie… more >
Are You Ready?
Last Wednesday when I went to bed all was well. There was a touch of rain, but all was well. When I woke up Thursday morning there was no power, and a foot and a half of snow on the ground. And it was still coming down hard. That happens in Colorado a lot. No biggie. Except I was supposed to head out Thursday morning towards Missoula, Montana for a talk on Saturday. Missoula is the only place in the country where I have ever had to cancel a talk (when I had Covid real bad). I was not about to cancel twice.
The night before, I had told Bob Scheich, the fellow who gives me the bottom floor of his trilevel (yep, when home, I live in a friend’s basement) as my home, that I thought this spring he probably ought to give serious thought to developing a wood-burning capacity for the house, because the things we took for granted all our lives are no longer reliable. The next morning, as we sat drinking milk and soda (can’t have coffee without electricity or a Coleman stove, at least) he chuckled and asked if I thought maybe this was God’s way of saying, “Can you hear me now?”
By the time you read this, that is history – but I am living it as I write it. I don’t yet know how all the details are going to play out. But they will play out as God allows. I have had two other times when a scheduled talk was threatened.
A few years ago, in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, I had a major car breakdown that was going to take weeks to repair, in the middle of a tour. And the breakdown happened in the middle of a blizzard. I found a wonderful auto shop less than a mile from where I floundered. It was an old family-owned business that did NOT take new customers. But they had pity on me. Meantime, I was stuck in West Stockbridge.
But wait, there’s more: the CORAC team reacted like the Justice League of America to a distress call. Charlie Domen of Michigan flew out to meet me and drove me to my next port o’call. Then some folks who have a solid company used miles to secure a rental vehicle for me until my car was ready again. When it was ready, I was 1,500 miles away. So Mark and Sue Hill, also of Michigan, drove out to pick up the car and then drove it back to deliver to me as my tour was in progress (See why the folks of Michigan have such a special place in my heart?).
The upshot was that I did not miss a single scheduled talk. In fact, while I was in Stockbridge some of my friends there scheduled an extra talk at Dan and Jane Potvin’s home in Vermont. That talk was on my birthday. Jane is a British ex-pat and makes the greatest scones ever – in fact, one of only two scone recipes I like at all, and I LOVE hers. (See recipe in Appendix.) So I broke down and ended up doing more than if I had not broken down, visiting anew with dear friends while getting a special treat for my birthday.
Another time, my steering went out in Oklahoma, two days before I was to give a talk in St. Louis. I had to leave the car with a note at a little repair shop that had been recommended to me. I was an hour from the airport – but one of the housekeepers at the hotel I was at had her boyfriend take me there. Again, through the kindness of both friends and strangers everything went smoothly. When I got back to Oklahoma, I was trembling awaiting the billfor the repair, as I was completely at their mercy. When it came, it was about one-tenth of what I expected it to be.
CORAC members are always kind and helpful to me. But across the country strangers are almost always kind and helpful, too. I am amazed at how many times, when I have gotten into a pickle, people I’ve never met before get vested in helping me figure out a way to get what I need done – and then lend a hand to help make sure it works.
The truth is that, despite media and political efforts to portray people as constantly at each other’s throats, the heartbeat of the American people is strong and good. When people see or sense that you are of good will, they return that good will back to you. Each time that happens, another strand of the social fabric is repaired. I’m no Pollyanna; there are some people who are filled with malice almost beyond repair. It is simple truth, though, that there are a LOT fewer than the idiot media tries to convince us there are.
Are we ready for sudden, massive dysfunction? No – but we wouldn’t be with even another year or two of ceaseless preparation. The most important preparation you can make is your mindset. When a great difficulty disrupts what you intend, do not wring your hands and ask, “Why me, Lord?” Let’s leave the perpetual wailing of victimhood to the Godless left. Rather, ask, “What do you intend for me in this circumstance, Lord?” Then go on about your business as best you can. Sometimes you direct your way and all goes according to plan; sometimes God redirects your way. It still goes according to His plan. It is in community with God and with each other that our course is set.
Are you ready? No, you’re not. But God is. Wait on Him.
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.
CORAC WEBSITE
Our greatest asset is our website. If you haven’t yet explored it, start on the home page and see what catches your attention.
NEWS
Free Speach: MO v Biden
One of the biggest cases of this era, Missouri v Biden will be heard at the Supreme Court this week. This case concerns the influence of the Federal government over social media platforms, dictating who could speak and what could be said.
Any real information about “covid” and the vaxx was censored at the Federal level, with bureaucrats issuing instructions to social media companies. No wonder we couldn’t get any traction with friends and family; everything they were hearing was the censored version.
Watch next week for information about the case. Good sources are:
On Monday, as the case goes to court, Children’s Health Defense will be staging the Rally to Reclaim Free Speech on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington. Check news and sign up for updates here >
Dr. Pierre Koury – Trusted Doc
Dr. Koury was the first trusted doc I found in 2020, raising his lone voice in favor of ivermectin. We now know that ivermectin had to be suppressed so the vaxx could get its Emergency Use Authorization. It was all a massive manipulation to drive people to the vaxx. Now Dr. Koury is treating thousands of vaxx-injured patients.
Banks & Money
Our current banking system operates on trust. There’s nothing inherently valuable in a green piece of paper; you can’t eat it or shelter under it . So it’s important to consider the trustworthiness of the system.
Last week, the Biden Treasury Department issued a memo to major banks entitled “Bankrolling Bigotry” (Spoiler: WE are the bigots they’re talking about.)
The Treasury urges vendors like Amazon, Facebook and Zelle to cut off services to “hate groups,” apparently relying on the “hate list” compiled by the reprehensible Southern Poverty Law Center. The stated goal is to prevent “hate groups” from raising money for their activities.
SPLC has put groups like Conservative Republicans of Texas, the Ruth Institute, Fatima Crusader, Tradition in Action, Catholic Family News, the Remnant, and Protect Texas Kids on their “Hate Map.
The Treasury letter was sent to the Big Boys, including Chase, Citi, Bank of America and Wells Fargo. You might want to re-think where your money is resting. This latest development is one more brick pulled from the Jenga tower that is our banking system.
or
General Flynn Movie
He’s one of the true-blue military generals, and he’s paid a price for it. When the history is written of the restoration of our nation, I believe he’ll be a significant figure. This documentary is due out in selected theaters, at which he will make personal appearances, beginning in April. A rare opportunity! Check the schedule for a theater in your area >
General Flynn’s book, The Citizen’s Guide to Fifth-Generation Warfare, is a short read and a helpful perspective. Get it here >
Facebook’s capitalization is determined by how many users they have. Users finance the enterprise that facilitated the overthrow of the last election. When you stop using it, FB loses money and power. More here >
JUST STOP. You can see photos of your grandkids on other platforms.
J6
My “pen pal” has been moved from the DC Gulag to a Texas prison, nearly 3 years after his life was torn apart by a Federal SWAT team swarming his home. He has 17 more months to serve, but at least he’s out of DC, where J6 political prisoners are tormented without Constitutional protections. His business went under without him there to operate it, and his wife has had to take refuge with her parents. All he wants is to be free to resume his young life.
We owe so much to these guys who have suffered irreparable harm. Please “visit” them virtually (one of the Corporal Works of Mercy) by visiting these websites. If you are able, write some letters. It’s little cost to us, and great benefit to them.
Plandemic in Film
We so much want this horror to be over, but it’s not. And the more we know about how they did it to us, the better armed we are for the future. There is hope.
This series is highly acclaimed and worth watching:
- Plandemic (26 minutes) seen now by over a billion (with a “b”) people worldwide
- Plandemic II Indoctrination (1 hour, 15 minutes)
- Plandemic III The Great Awakening (1 hour, 40 minutes) Best Doc at the Santa Monica Film Festival
- Plandemic IV The Musical… yes, that’s what I said, it’s a musical. It’s not online yet, but a member saw it in preview and said it’s actually good! Color me amazed. Trailer here >
Movies
There are more good Christian movies in the pipeline than I can ever remember. The enthusiastic reception of things like The Chosen and Sound of Freedom, which were donorfunded, have made studios take a second look at the Christian market. The bio-drama about Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor, Wildcat, is due out in the next few months. >>> An adaptation of a Karen Kingsbury novel, Someone Like You, concerns embryo adoption, an essential part of the IVF discussion, and will be out in April. A documentary about Noah and the Great Flood, The Ark and the Darkness, will play on March 20-21.
And then there’s Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist, playing June 4-6, perfectly timed for the culmination of the National Eucharistic Revival in July.
A good place to find these small films is on Fathom Events. Fathom is a distribution company, long known for bringing big-screen simulcasts of the New York Metropolitan Opera to local theaters, as well as re-screenings of classic movies like Rear Window and Gone With the Wind. They’ve expanded their offerings, and now you can find great films, new and old, every week, playing at AMCs and Cinemarks in your community.
Some movies are truly meant for the big screen, but if you have to stream, check out Angel Studios, the distributor and hosting site for many of them. Angel.com >
Vote with your dollars for goodness, truth and beauty… and someday, the Red Carpet will be trod by people with clothes on.
Solar Eclipse April 8
Even in my little town of Tyler, which is on the Path of Totality, city officials are issuing warnings like: stock up on food, fill your tank with gas, don’t plan to drive anywhere. In some places, they are activating the National Guard! It sounds over-the-top, but with millions of people flocking to cities on the Path, there will doubtless be some issues.
Delta is offering a few special flights that will track the path from southwest to northeast, starting at $750 for a one-way flight. The idea was so popular that Delta is adding additional eclipse flights.
Total eclipses are not common. The US got to see one in 2017, and will see another in 2044. What makes this one more compelling is that it will cross many cities, last a long time (for an eclipse) and tracks a wide path. Even more, I think people are hungry for something awesome, not political, something that we all participate in, that we all can be awed by.
Don’t even think about looking skyward without eclipse viewing glasses. You can cause permanent damage to the retina. Your regular sunglasses are nowhere near strong enough. Proper eclipse glasses are rated ISO 12312-2.
Some of the best models are already selling out. Order now!
Recommendations:
More information on safe ways to view the eclipse, with great ideas for kids: Five Ways to View the Solar Eclipse >
PRAYER
March Prayer Intentions
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Continued prayers for Charlie’s inspiration, energy, and focus ~ come, Holy Spirit!
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For all CORAC members on various teams who are working on downloadable content for the CORAC website, that we, too, be given inspiration, energy and focus ~ come, Holy Spirit!
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That many people be healed in body, mind, and spirit through the online Physical Healing Prayer Session via Zoom, at the end of this month (date to be decided) and through many other healing prayer ministries in which CORAC members are engaged
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May the Lord draw all people of good will ~ Catholics, Protestants, observant Jews, and others ~ closer to himself; may he make us holy; and may we live our faith with fidelity, courage, love, and joy as we pray the Prayer of Doing For the peaceful repose of the souls of all whom the Lord will call home this day, in accordance with his Divine Will; and for the consolation and strength of their families and friends
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That existing and new CORAC members may strongly desire and find the means to participate in financial support for our vital ministries
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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!
Prayer Hotline
Email prayer requests to the CORAC Prayer Hotline at prayerteams@coracusa.com, and we will post your request (using firstnames only) on the CORAC Prayer Hotline Signal group.
APPENDIX
Jane’s English Scones
8 oz Flour
2 oz butter
1 oz sugar
1/4 pint milk
pinch of salt
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
(can add 2 oz raisins, if desired)
Heat oven to 425º
Grease baking tray or line with parchment paper.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder.
Rub in the butter.
Stir in the sugar and milk.
Mix to a soft dough and turn onto a floured board.
Knead lightly then roll out to 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into 2-1/2 inch roundsBake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve with jam and clotted cream
Clotted Cream
8 oz Flour
2 oz butter
1 oz sugar
1/4 pint milk
pinch of salt
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
(can add 2 oz raisins, if desired)
Place 2 pints heavy cream in crockpot on low for one hour
After one hour, turn to warm for about 8 hours.
Place in fridge overnight in the crockpot.
The next day, gently skim the clotted cream off the top and stir.
Serve over scones with jam.
What’s left in the crockpot can be used as milk in baking.
White Chocolate Chip & Cranberry Scones
2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup plain sunflower seeds
Heat oven to 375º
Combine flour, baking powder and salt, rub in the butter.
Add choc chips, cranberries and sunflower seeds.
Mix eggs, vanilla and cream, add to dry mix.
Press into 2 x 8-inch rounds, 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into 6 pizza slice shape pieces.
Bake in oven for 15 – 20 minutes.
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