Gravy Train, Thy Name Is Fred Noltie

I should like subscribe by e-mail or something. How did I miss this most recent post? Was I asleep when they taught that section of the Catechism? [No, man. It's like Dukeman et al. say: no one reads the Catechism.--ed.] I aspire to! Somebody is!

I would look quizzically at the CINOs in college (let the reader understand) who told me they got "days" instead of absolution. They boasted about it. I never knew why until I heard the stories of St. John Vianney, who could read souls. He'd tell you he knows you're not repentant, so come back in 3 days. It's not even a hard bar to clear: if you want to be free of a "besetting sin," in the evangelical parlance, he'll absolve you, even if he knows you may need practice in virtue before it's gone.

Anyway, the Church is exceedingly merciful these days, but it's not "mercy" to say sin is no longer sin. I used to feel like some of my readers: call down fire from Heaven on all the sinners! But then, perfect Light revealed I'm not much to write home about. So I'm a huge fan of being asked if I've made peace with a certain sin, and if I intend not to fall into it again. This is that "discipline" people are always saying the Church lacks. Ahem.