Does anyone else remember this gem of animation from the 80’s?
It is a cleverly crafted tear jerker about a lovely old couple facing up to (nuclear) Armageddon and its immediate aftermath. It was made at the height of cold war paranoia, and features the voices of John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft. An emotionally powerful tragicomedy which proceeds at a gentle pace, but with a horrific ending, lightened only by the character’s recourse to prayer.
The opening theme song by David Bowie and the whole film itself are some of my all-time favourites. Enjoy, please.
So long child,
I’m on my way
And after all is done, after all is done
Don’t be down, it’s all in the past
Though you may be afraid
So long child, it’s awful dark
And I’ve never felt the sun
I dread to think of when
When the wind blows
When the wind blows
When the wind blows
When the wind blows
Life burns a savage wound, angry and wrought
Trusting a twisted word, you’ll run, run away
You’ll take him on home, you’ll spin and taunt him
But they won’t believe you, no matter what you’ll say
So long child, it’s awful dark
I never felt the sun
I dread to think of when
The wind blows
When the wind blows
When the wind blows
When the wind blows
These words could be those of any sinner facing death. Lord have mercy!
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
A wonderful little film that could, I think, only have been made in Britain. (Small glow of pride.)
What can we take from it?
Well, in 1962, Toad, along with everyone else, was daily expecting to be atomised.
And, today, what is the current imminent catastrophe? Gay Marriage.
Could be worse. Things actually seem to have improved a bit.
Or so thinks Toad as he nervously awaits moderation.
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Pius XII is the Pope of the Bomb
“..Pius XII reminded those present that in the hands of man science can become a double-edged weapon capable both of curing and killing…”
‘The nuclear bomb, the most terrible weapon that the human mind has ever conceived’
‘We should mistrust the science whose main objective is not love’
“..He was also keen to stress that reason led to faith and that science led to a perception of transcendence. In his address of 21 February 1943, for example, he declared: ‘you seek the law, which is precisely an arrangement of reason of One Who governs the universe and has fixed in it nature and the movements of its unconscious instinct’ ..”
His teachings here are very very relevant
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Like many of us, I grew up during the Cold War, and well remember my nervousness about the possibility of sudden annihilation from a nuclear attack. Even though that threat seems to have waned, there are still plenty of countries who possess the dreaded nuclear ‘bomb’, and unscrupulous regimes who could still one day make use of this terrible weapon against the West.
This great little film that BB has posted (and which I enjoyed watching again whilst I was cooking!) reminds us that all we can really do is live with peace in our hearts by following Christ in His Holy Church, pray hard, and finally throw ourselves into the Lord’s merciful arms.
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The Bomb and indeed these weapons are crude and self destructive.
Guerilla Warfare is far more potent or what is called irregular warfare.
But the purpose of War is to subjugate an opponent to force them to capitualate and surrender to the Will of the agressor. Cast you minds to the Rogue Trader Nick Leeson. He was using Barings Bank monies and reserves to force the market into a profitable position for Barings. It is believed he was using that Banks money against the Japenese economy!
Also cast your mind to the “..16 September 1992 when the British Conservative government was forced to withdraw the pound sterling from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) after they were unable to keep it above its agreed lower limit. George Soros, the most high profile of the currency market investors, made over GBP£1 billion profit by short selling sterling..”
Now there are many ways for destroying an economy and Globalisation has created an Private Empire along the Dutch post Reformation model!
Today the Financial and Banking collapse (that is still on going!) has forced the economic and foreign policies of Nations along the path of Austerity.
If anything the Debt is increasing. See the effects of this Debt as being far more potent than the Bomb! Devastating Nations and economies.
This at precisely the time when the Church has been marginalised.
Fatima remember and the year 1960! also the promise that in the End My Immaculate Heart will Triumph.
We must have Faith and lead Good Lives. A Christian Life that prepares the Soul to meet God when God calls that Soul. A Life full of Selfless Love, The Little Way was Gods gift to 20th century and we should adopt this and learn to put it into practice in Our Lives.
The Rosary is the only weapon that we need!
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