The one thing we learn from history...

...is that we learn nothing from history.

Ave Maria!

That quote comes from the philosopher Friedrich Hegel (who, by the way, is not to be followed as his 'philosophy' is part of a school of thought that has, over many centuries, gradually undermined all values in our society - but perhaps more on that another time). Whilst I'm not a fan of his, this quote is probably one of the most accurate and true things her ever said.

At school and college I loved history, it has always been a subject that has captivated me and even now I am still fascinated by it. (In fact I have just borrowed a copy of the Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History of Britain from the library because I want to know and understand more about my country's Catholic history.) But there are two things that have...annoyed me greatly. The first is that modern history books are, generally speaking, horrifically anti-Catholic. This was something I didn't appreciate for a long time as I was not raised in a Christian household. I will be honest and say that the way our history lessons portrayed the Catholic Church fuelled my own anti-Catholic sentiments for many years until, by the grace of God, I learned the truth. After being baptized at the age of 22 I then began to see how much we owe to the Church and to the Faith in this country. I discovered the many lies I had been taught (and had memorized over the years) and I was - understandably - outraged. The second thing that annoyed me whilst at school and college was that we had to study the Nazis from Year 9 through to AS Level (i.e. 4 long years). I remember doing my first 2000-word essay at AS-Level on the rise of Hitler in under 40 minutes because I knew all the dates etc. by heart! But now, when I look back on it, I can see the hand of God in all of this. In having to study the rise of the Nazis until being almost bored of it, I realize that I now have no excuse whatsoever if I do not learn from the mistakes that were made in the first half of the last century. The support of the people for the Government as it took away the rights of certain minorities in the population, the almost blind faith in the propaganda put out by those in power, the control of the mass media, the fact that no one asked questions (or if they did they were immediately silenced)...I could go on and on. What happened in Weimar and Nazi Germany was dreadful, and I remember very clearly my Year 9 history teacher (who was the best teacher I ever had - please pray for the repose of his soul) telling us that it was absolutely essential that we study properly all the facts in order to prevent it from happening again.

Now I look around at what is happening to us here in the UK today. I look around and am aghast and ashamed. If 2 years ago I had said that here in Britain that the Government would be controlling our movements with lockdowns, violating fundamental human rights (the right to worship, the right to free speech), that there would not be a free press...I would have been ridiculed as a conspiracy theorist. But look where we are now. The Government is actually about to prescribe vaccine passports. I mean, are we being serious?! The Government of a so-called democratic society is about to pass legislation that prevents certain citizens from going to uni, from entering nightclubs, bar and restaurants and perhaps even places of worship. Does this not a ring a bell for anyone? I am ashamed of this Government for even thinking of such a measure. I don't care how unpopular this opinion is for some but this is not the PM's way of protecting the population, it is coercion, plain and simple. Get the jab or you can't get a job. Get the jab or you can't get an education. Get the jab or you can't go to Church. Get the jab or you can't socialise. And it makes me angry that we are just going along with it, as though it were something good. As though the PM is acting for the good of the nation. He is not. This is no longer about an illness, it is about power. And this kind of power, once granted to politicians, is (as history shows us again and again) extremely difficult to remove from them. They don't just hand it back.

Some would answer that I am overreacting. Some would call me an anti-vaxxer. I'm not an anti-vaxxer, I had all my vaccines and boosters etc. growing up, but my medical history is precisely that; mine, it is my business and I will share it only with whom I choose. It is not the Government's business. They have no right to invade my privacy or to treat me as a second class citizen because I don't want to share my personal information with them. Whether I have had the COVID jab or not is my affair. Whether you have had it or not is your affair.

Just to underline how very dangerous this move of the PM is I will now quote the text from the Human Rights Act, article 14:

Article 14: Prohibition of discrimination

The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.

These COVID-passes that they want to bring in are a clear violation of our human rights. Joe or Jane Bloggs must not be discriminated against just because they haven't been vaccinated (or even if they have been but don't want to tell you so). If we can't grasp the very, very great danger we are in if we go along with this then we are doomed. If we are naive enough to think that it was a one off or temporary measure then we are kidding ourselves. If the Government passes this legislation then they are directly violating this Act and putting into place measures of coercion and control similare to Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, China and North Korea.

On social media I am relieved to say that I have seen quite a lot of people - vaccinated and unvaccinated - who are as outraged as I am at the turn this country is taking. Many have said that they will not frequent bars/pubs/restaurants/venues etc. that require a COVID pass on principle. I think this absolutely the right attitude to have. I will do the same. I refuse to endorse this kind of blatant discrimination. But it is not enough. We need something more if we are going to combat this.

I don't know if you are familiar with the apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success in Quito, Ecuador. It is an apparition from the 16th century that describes the disastrous state humanity would find itself in in the 20th century. (Click here for a brief explanation.) The predictions Our Lady made to the visionary, Ven. Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, are startlingly accurate. And the message of this apparition follows the pattern of Rue de Bac (which is about more than just a medal), La Salette, Lourdes, Fatima and Tre Fontane. Some people label it as simply 'apocalyptic' and don't pay attention to it. Yes, Our Lady makes some frightening predictions - just as at La Salette and Fatima, but she also offers us the remedy. If we are to combat the evils of our times we must have recourse to Mary. At Fatima she told us we must pray the rosary daily. Are we doing it? At La Salette she told us to stop offending God and, in particular, to respect the Sabbath Day and not to blaspheme. Have we paid attention? At Quito she told us to invoke her under the title of Our Lady of Good Success. Is that such a difficult request?

Even in the darkest hour there is always hope. That hope comes to us in the form or Our Blessed Mother, who is the Mediatrix of all graces. Of graces which she so greatly wants to dispense to the souls of all mankind, but is hindered in doing so because we do not pray to her - as she told to St. Catherine Laboure at Rue de Bac. What we need now is a rosary crusade. My Order has done several over the years and it always brings with it abundant graces. Please, follow the advice of Our Heavenly Mother and pray, pray, pray that her Immaculate Heart will finally triumph, that this madness of COVID-19 legislations will go no further and, most importantly, for the salvation of all poor sinners.