Issue 2023-21
18208 Preston Road, Ste D9-552
Dallas TX 75252
Read this newsletter in PDF format for greatest clarity. Print out any sections you might want in a power-out situation.
This week is the very definition of distraction. I feel like the Houck family… innocents who love their father, and have to watch modernday stormtroopers take him away. The hearts of Tyler Catholics (and a lot of Protestants, too) are bleeding after the removal of Bishop Strickland. The fact that we had advance warning back in June when the Visitators came to town has not seemed to cushion the shock. We knew it was coming, but hoped it would never arrive. Now it has. The whole Catholic world is trying to figure out what to do, how to respond, and what God intends for us to draw out of this disaster. Following Bishop Strickland’s lead, we stay on our knees. Take heart from Charlie’s latest blog post: “I think the hour of darkness in the Church is almost over.” It’s one of his best posts: Read here >
Sheryl Collmer, editor
November 15, 2023
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 BLOG
The Strickland Saga
Early in his pontificate, Pope Francis said he wanted to, “make a mess,” and urged young people to do the same...
more >
CORAC GLOBAL MEETING
Video (11.05.23)
If you missed it, you can watch or re-listen here…
more >
NEWS
Bishop Strickland
No shortage of commentary on Bishop Strickland this week… more >
From the
Vigilant Fox
Always interesting to read what the ruling powers don’t want you to pay attention to…
more >
A Good Night’s Sleep
Just reading those words makes me feel happy…. more >
Nixtamalization
I’m sure you were just thinking about how you could optimize the nixtamalization in your life…. more >
Organizing Principles
I am a big believer in the concept of ‘organizing principles,’ a core around which people and things will gather to form organizations and communities. An effective organizing principle will attract people to gather around itself organically and organize themselves into effective teams.
A good metaphor for an organizing principle is rock candy. Rock candy is made by suspending a stick or a piece of string in saturated sugar water. As the water evaporates, the sugar crystallizes around the string or the stick. If you just have a glass of saturated sugar water, when it evaporates, all you will have is a glass that is crusty inside. The string or the stick do nothing – and are not even really part of the candy, just a form of support for it. But when they are suspended in the water, the candy can form and organize itself around them.
I used this principle frequently in large campaigns. Any campaign is a time-limited sprint to a particular goal. In a large one, you could not possibly reach everyone you need to on your own. Even if you could, you still could not direct all the people who have to get involved and vote to make it a success. So you have to have some principles that will cause them to selforganize, while providing the structure that will allow them to easily organize around. Control freaks can mount successful large campaigns, but they rarely are efficient – and are always vulnerable to the primordial power of an organizing principle.
Since I specialized in helping good candidates who started far behind or deep in minority territory, finding the proper organizing principle was what gave my guys the greatest chance of beating the odds. Once set in motion, it can be painfully slow developing, but when a certain critical mass is achieved, it will sweep all in its path.
The keys are to capture people’s imagination, give them the freedom to engage their own creative capacity in taking the initiative locally, support them with the larger skeletal structure of a coherent philosophical framework, then turn them loose. Like that rock candy, they start crystallizing of their own accord around that humble little string and you have something magnificent.
We are in the process of drilling down much more deeply to the local level in CORAC with our Go Forth initiative and enhancement of our regional structures. It is all built around our core mission statement, which is as simple and plain as a piece of string.
CORAC is a grassroots organization dedicated to the traditional values of faith, family and freedom
Using that, people around the country – and the world, for that matter – can take the initiative to start building strong communities that work together to support and defend each other.
In our global ZOOM meeting two weeks ago, someone asked what the plan for CORAC is if something should happen to me. The simple answer is that, while it is best if I am around to express publicly what CORAC is about, once we have reached a critical mass of folks taking local initiative, it won’t stop anything if the primary string – the original organizing principle – is snipped. Once the crystals start forming, even if the string somehow dissolves, new crystals form along already existing crystals. You just have to get to the point where the crystals have started forming.
You will be hearing a lot more about the Go Forth initiative – and how you can and should organize the little community in your own neighborhood under the Godly principles of faith, family, and freedom. Engage people, give them something to do, rejoice when they take the initiative in small things right in front of them, and you will have a movement and community that will grow joyfully with strength even as the corrupted old institutions fall away.
What I seek then – and what all CORAC seeks – is to spark a thousand little initiatives to crystallize into communities around the nation and the world that will honor God and care for each other. In short, I ask each of you to become an organizing principle in your own neighborhood.
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.
A Sign of Hope Blog
Cast Into the Deep
Tyler, Texas – It is nearly three years since I and a group of CORAC...
The Mission of Christ
Dallas, Texas – I am ashamed. I had a lovely, private group dinner...
The Strickland Saga
Mico, Texas – Early in his pontificate, Pope Francis said he wanted...
Brief Updates
Chatting With Charlie
CORAC Global Meeting
NEWS
Bishop Strickland
No shortage of commentary on Bishop Strickland this week. The best thing I’ve read so far is Kevin Wells’ piece for Crisis which was published on Monday: Read more >
In that poignant article, he indirectly alludes to what may be at the heart of Strickland’s removal: the homosexual agenda. Then this morning, Crisis published another article from Wells, which directly addresses the problem of homosexual clergy, and the vindictive retaliation they direct at anyone who crosses them. In the latest article, he doesn’t mention Strickland at all, but the reader can connect the dots: Read more >
It’s clear to most careful observers that the Pope has taken a gigantic misstep in removing Bishop Strickland. I’ve read in several places that the Texas bishops cautioned him not to do it. Chronically misunderstanding and underestimating American Catholics, he doesn’t seem to have understood that we know our faith (thank you, EWTN and the catechetical revolution you began) and we are not going to abandon it, nor anyone who stands firm in it.
More on Strickland
Dr. Robert Moynihan and Fr. Charles Murr, two very astute “insiders” in the Vatican, have a hopeful conversation about the good bishop: Watch here >
Raymond Arroyo and his “papal posse” will interview Bishop Strickland on Thursday evening, 8:00 Eastern. You can view it later on EWTN website if you miss the live tv show. Watch here >
Credo is Hot
Ever since Sophia Institute launched Bishop Schneider’s new catechism on October 26, it’s hard to get your hands on the book! Sophia Press was sold out after the launch, but they should be catching up with demand by now. On Amazon, you can only get the Kindle version, or higher-priced copies from third parties. It’s a hot item! Put your order in now at Sophia and get it for Christmas gifts: Order here >
The 10 News Stories You Didn’t Hear This Week
From the Vigilant Fox. Always interesting to read what the ruling powers don’t want you to pay attention to:
#10 – Lawyers call for criminal charges against Dr. Anthony Fauci.
#9 – Black Lives Matter leader stands behind January 6 prisoners and endorsers Trump.
#8 – A new preprint study finds billions of residual DNA fragments in COVID-19 mRNA vaccine vials.
#7 – Vivek Ramaswamy calls Joe Biden a ‘puppet’ live on national TV.
#6 – Demand for ‘unvaxxed’ sperm soars as birth rates continue to decline.
#5 – Popular natural health product becomes the latest victim of Trudeau’s Canada.
#4 – Seven carcinogenic and genotoxic food additives banned in Europe are commonly used in the U.S.
#2 – A Nobel Prize-winning drug with anti-cancer effects is now quietly under attack.
Unvaxxed Will Be Vindicated
Don’t forget what they tried to do. The number of people who resisted the vaxx foiled a program that would have been an even bigger disaster than the one we have now. Everything else that has happened since the vaxx rollout (Ukraine, Israel, Nordstream, Chinese balloons, etc) may have been allowed, in order to take our eyes off the massive deadly toll of the vaxx. Yes, I really do think they are that inhuman. Here’s the video to remind you >
Stay strong, you Unvaxxed!
Swing and a Miss
I had high hopes for this new Christmas movie, but it failed to deliver. Full review here, which is more a reflection on the Immaculate Conception than a straight review.
Wanted: Self-Starters
If our various systems and institutions go bust, workarounds will not be easy or obvious. We will have had to do some homework beforehand. We can’t all be experts on every subject, but that’s why we have CORAC. There is a treasury of information on the CORAC website, but you have to commit the time to delve into it. Be a self-starter, and go exploring the website. Start with one topic, print out one resource, and complete one small step. Then go on to the next. Don’t overwhelm yourself, and don’t put off the first step.
A Good Night’s Sleep
Just reading those words makes me feel happy. A good night’s sleep is golden! Health & Wellness has posted a thorough review of the subject, both in video and outline format. If you’re not getting good sleep, everything in life is a challenge. Check it out and improve your sleep and your life: Learn more >
Radio
If you’re interested in getting started with shortwave, HAM or GMRS, head on over to the Communications page on the CORAC website. There is a wealth of information here >
It’s a complex subject, so if you have specific questions once you get started, go to Signal and search “CORAC Comms Hotline.” We have many radio gurus on that chat who can help.
Functional Homeopathy
Many CORAC members are interested in finding alternatives to the pharmaceutical model that is so prevalent, and that failed us in the covid era. Homeopathic remedies have been used for hundreds of years, and shown some amazing results. If you’d like to introduce yourself to this subject, our Health & Wellness team has put up a five-part series of introductory videos, with accompanying notes and references. Start here with Class 1 >
Nixtamalization
I’m sure you were just thinking about how you could optimize the nixtamalization in your life. It’s actually quite interesting, the process that native Mexicans developed over ages to make corn more nutritious. In the South, we call it hominy. Here is the discussion thread with instructions and references: Read more >
How to Start Homeschooling
Schooling decisions have mostly been made by this time of year, but if you want to know more about your options, try this video from the veteran homeschoolers on our Education Team. It will give you some ideas you may not have considered.
Principles of Self Defense
The first episode of this new CORAC series is up on the website! Todd Heaton, a Catholic self-defense professional, leads this series. To approach this subject from a truly Catholic perspective, is invaluable.
CORAC WEBSITE
Items are being added all the time. Keep exploring!
PRAYER
November Prayer Intentions
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As we move through what Charlie has identified as Armageddon ~ the long-foretold decisive battle between good and evil, happening now ~ that CORAC members will acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around us
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For the spiritual gift of discernment, that we be able to distinguish truth from falsehood or error and act accordingly
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For continual trust in God’s Divine Providence and his infinite mercy in these times of uncertainty
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That through Our Lady’s Rosary, the Flame of Love, other Christian devotions, and Jewish prayer forms, all of our loved ones will return (or come to) the fervent and joyful practice of our Judeo-Christian faith as quickly as possible
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For healings and restoration to occur for all who are sick and battling disease in the body or mind, healing that will defy medical rationale and can only be explained by the healing power of our Lord, the Divine Healer
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That our daily spiritual journeys to holiness be nourished by God’s abundant grace: for more focused meditations, more pointed fasting, and more selfless charity to others ~ all to honor God’s great love for us!
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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.
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