2018 TFP Call To Chivalry Camp Great Lakes - Day 4 Report

Summer Camp Day 4

Dear Parents,

Each day during the camp thus far we have done sword practice.  As the more skilled boys pit themselves against the TFP members, they have a chance to win a coveted pin inscribed with the quote from scripture about “putting on the armor of God”.  This has led to some rather interesting challenges and a very healthy spirit of competition. Each boy is trying his hardest to increase in skill so they can beat each other in a duel but more than anything, they want to take down their teachers.  Thus during fencing, archery, and even ping pong, there have been challenges thrown down to every comer. Many a confident counselor has gone to bed with a bruised ego and sore muscles after being foolish enough to compete with ten or more boys in these contests.  One begins to feel a certain kinship for the Crusader knights who had to fight overwhelming odds each day after a long day at a TFP Summer Camp.

If there is one thing that can be called a crusade today, it is the fight against abortion. It is always important to put one’s training to a real live test.  So that is what we did today.  The boys have been practicing their arguments and perfecting their debating skills throughout their stay with us and were finally able to put them to use.  It is all very well to convince a friendly audience what is right or wrong but today was different, we were not talking to a friendly audience.  As the boys geared up for the campaign, the feeling of joyful anticipation, tinged perhaps with a little fear of the unknown, was palpable.  

 

There was of course the normal hustle and bustle of getting the vans loaded and the water containers into the truck.  The signs were distributed and the banners were furled. Each piece of the apparatus we were to use on the campaign was tested and then stowed in the vans.  Then the boys loaded up and all waited for the command from our chief to get the extensive caravan moving. Finally came the order, “Lets move out Gentlemen!”  Every heart thrilled and the vehicles headed off the property towards our objective.

Alas for modern technology, although everyone had a GPS and we were traveling mostly together, half the group got hopelessly turned around before we were able to identify the appropriate parking lot.  There we all regrouped and walked toward the Planned (non)Parenthood Center in Aurora.  Being somewhat isolated from any main foot traffic area, there was little pedestrian interaction, although there were plenty of cars who started honking the minute they saw our signs and did not stop until after we stowed them away.  The actual building looked very much like a prison, surrounded by a huge open field and security cameras covered every inch of the facade.  I don’t know what they thought of us but it was probably the most colorful group of people they had ever seen there since we were dressed in the medieval scapulars and had dozens of flying banners reminiscent of the Middle Ages.  

One man did come to talk to us and he was not happy.  He first accused us of being hypocritical because we were in favor of saving babies but we were endangering traffic by our display (supposedly he had almost gotten into a wreck earlier because of the “antics” of a pro-life group).  I patiently had to explain to him that we were from out of state and could not have been the same group because we were not even near the place at the time he stated.  It quickly became clear though that he had issues with what we were defending and not how we were doing it.  Hopefully Mr. Rex can put up some snippets of the debate for you to watch at a later date. 

The boys, needless to say, were thrilled to the marrow of their bones, but there were not enough bad people to go around, so they had to be content with listening keenly to the debate.  During the afternoon session, after the campaign, Mr. Rex played back the video that we had shot and asked the participants to form a rebuttal.  The answers were very good and will surely be used next time they go out to pit their wits against promoters of the unnatural sin of abortion.    

The battle for the unborn is ongoing and there is no end in sight at this time but we are in no way dismayed.  We have that tremendous promise of the Blessed Mother, “In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”  So we, following the example of the saints, do everything as if the outcome depended on us, knowing that in reality, it all depends on God.  With that absolute confidence in the final outcome I can cheerfully say Good night.

In Jesu et Maria

Michael C. Shibler

2018 TFP Call To Chivalry Camp Great Lakes Day 3 Report

Dear Parents,As each morning program generally remains the same, there is no need to reiterate.  The first talk of the day after breakfast was given by yours truly about the English Crusaders, focusing specifically on King Richard the Lionhearted.  He is a fascinating character and a truly unique individual.  We spent the majority of the meeting dealing with his most famous battle, the relief of Jaffa.  One can easily find this particular story online in some detail so I will not bore you in this email, but for those who have never read his story, I can assure you that it makes very interesting reading.  Harold Lamb’s book The Crusades: Iron Men and Saints is probably the best source if anyone is looking.  With the lessons of the valiant Crusader King in our minds, we went out to practice swordplay and archery, in weather not much different from the inside of a burning furnace.  We could not help but remind people of the scorching heat over in the Middle East at the time of the Crusades. The major difference is that we are not wearing armor and have the luxury to eat our lunch in the air conditioned refectory of the manor.  How things have changed from the days of the real Iron Men till today.The fathers took a quick lunch this day because we were going to initiate the new Dads into the mysterious science of scuba diving.  For those who were here last year, diving in a pool was a little too tame but I think the ones who had never tried breathing underwater really enjoyed the experience.  There are plans to deepen our knowledge of this craft at some later time in more adventurous regions but as of this camp we had to be content to swim through the clear water of a nine foot deep pool.  As we were peacefully submerged and enjoying the quiet calm of the deep end of the pool, we heard the muffled sounds of a full scale barbarian invasion. The boys had arrived. I must say that the pool looks big...until you cram forty people into it.  Thankfully, Mr. Thomas Schnieder took command of the situation and started competitions.First there were relay races across the deep end of the pool to get the boys tired out, then pyramids  were constructed.  Everyone held their breaths while two boys clambered up the struggling, soaked human bodies, striving with all their might to get to the top first.  There was a struggle, a shriek and then one team crumpled into the water, laughing and panting for breath.  Glancing out of the sides of their eyes they noticed that the second team had a young participant firmly standing on the shoulders of his teammates, waving in triumph.  Meanwhile in quieter sections of the pool, individual people were practicing diving and a few were learning the rudiments of underwater swimming.  All too soon, the order came to vacate the pool and the boys swarmed up the sides, to face the cold spray of the garden hose on their way to the showers. Dinner was served promptly after showers were complete and then the boys headed outside once again to pray the rosary graced by the presence of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue.  We formed two long and not very straight lines, then marched in procession down the driveway toward the entrance.  Halfway through the rosary, we turned and headed back to the place where Our Lady’s statue awaited us.  Forming in front of the statue, we sang the moving and sublime prayer of Catholics to their Holy Queen from times immemorial.  The Salve Regina rang out vibrantly, the high pitched voices of youth mixing pleasantly with the more sonorous voices of the adults.  Then the statue of Our Lady was taken inside and indoor games and tournaments commenced.Each Summer Camp we offer a variety of tournaments, including Chess, Pingpong, Archery and of course Fencing.  The one who defeats all his opponents may win a prize.  So indoor games can be Inside the bell has rung for debate class and the liberal professors of yesterday have changed their tactics.  This time they will not defend abortion but will go on the offensive.  The real problem, they explain to the boys, is that the Catholic Church is the source of all the violence in the world today.  At this stage the boys were divided into two teams, and had to present counter arguments as a team, after having deliberated together.  Both groups did very well and their answers were convincing...but I may be just a little biased...against the liberal professors.  And since I am writing this history, the record will stand as:Participants 2 and Liberal Professors 0After the “Good Night” talk the participants, very worn out from many activities went thankfully to their beds for some well deserved rest.  And there also go I...till next time.In Jesu et Maria,Michael C. Shibler
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2018 TFP Call To Chivalry Camp Great Lakes - Day 2 Report

Dear parents,

Wake up time is at 7:00 AM, always to the squealing bagpipes and a drum.  The racket is indescribable and the worst thing is, if you sleep in the room close to the beginning of the hall, you can wake up just hearing the piper blowing up the bag.  Of course, covering one’s ears doesn’t blot out the cacophonous sound and eventually one just accepts the inevitable and gets out of bed. Heaven help the one who delays because he may be on the ground doing pushups before the fortifying effects of breakfast and a strong cup of coffee have done their salutary work.  

As the boys shuffle to the restrooms to change, discipline is strict.  No talking till fully dressed and ready. Beds must then be made and shoes put under the beds.  Clothes must be folded and put in the dresser drawers or suitcases. Everything must be tidy and clean.  When the inspection begins, the rooms are not perfect but generally the boys try their best and get a pass.  The veteran attendees, though, must be more vigilant. Since they should know better, there is very little leniency for them.

From the rooms, the boys file out into the flag corridor for some choir practice.  Songs like the Credo, We Want God, Immaculate Mary, The Mighty King and The Marines Hymn are practiced until they are almost perfect.  All the songs are sung with voices of manly piety and youthful vigor and while we may never win any prizes for being the most on tune, we might earn several for enthusiasm and pure volume.   During the singing of the Credo we raise the American flag, the Papal banner and the ruby and gold standard of the TFP after which we process into the refectory for breakfast. So far pancakes have been the all around favorite but there is always a wide variety of foods to satisfy any taste at every meal.

The first talk of the day, which covered the Protestant Revolt, or First Revolution, was given by Mr. Rex Teodosio.  It seems that everyone understood the meeting but, it is always interesting to notice the difference between each camp and group of boys.  The crowd this year is a bit younger than the previous one and it shows. There is more hesitation to venture questions and comments about the material at hand.  On the other hand there is no lack of enthusiasm, coupled with an intense desire to learn new things, something sadly lacking in many older teenagers. It is fascinating to watch Mr. Rex draw them out of their shells and stimulate their young brains to think about other things besides food and games.

Our first official fencing classes started today and went very well.  Picture the rudy face of a young teen looking down the bent blade of a fencing foil at his adversary.  His muscles tense, his eyes dart from side to side, he steps cautiously forward and back, analyzing his opponent shredly and looking for an opening.  Then a clash of steel is heard, the wrenching, scraping sound of two rusty swords sliding into each other is similar to the sound of ripping cloth. The first thrust slides past the centerline of the blades and heads for its mark.  A spot three inches below the heart would be a solid target but then the impossible happens and the sword is flung aside by the opponents longer reach. Recoiling a foot or two, the pair again lock blades, moving forward and backwards, each trying to gain the advantage.  The blood rises in the head, the heart beats faster and then there it is...an opening. A vicious thrust towards the torso and then the satisfaction of feeling the steel blade contact yielding flesh. The enemy drops his blade in consternation, flush with effort and dripping sweat.  The helmets come off and the two erstwhile enemies compliment each others style while shaking their left hands. The right hand is never used as it is occupied with holding the sword.

Lunch at noon and an announcement.   Our Lady was coming to visit us. Thanks to the tremendous generosity of Mr. Patrick Sabat. We currently have the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our lady of Fatima attending our summer camp.  It was this statue that cried real human tears at New Orleans in Louisiana in 1973. We are greatly honored to have her presence here at the camp and are doing vigils at her feet asking for graces for the Camp, the participants and also their parents.  We are all praying that she shed tremendous graces upon the remainder of the camp and that these graces received work toward the sanctification of its members.

After lunch we greeted the statue as it came and then said a rosary kneeling down in the presence of the image.  Our Lady’s expression is serene and serious with a note of sadness yet one seems to notice a certain amount of tender solicitude for all these rough and tumble lads who stand in silent admiration at the feet of the miraculous statue.  Time was given after the rosary to pray quietly and examine the image before orders were given to change for games.

The fencing continued after lunch for a while, then the boys were split into groups and played various games.  Once they were good and soaked, the day was hot, an order came to change for swimming. I never saw such gusto in the fulfillment of duty.  There are no slackers when it come to water. Pandemonium reigned in the pool. More experienced teams competed in various games while some individuals learned the rudiments of swimming from “experts” and everyone generally had a grand ol’ time.  But after the swim comes the most dreaded exercise of the day. Getting hosed down with ice cold water from the hose to wash off all the chlorine from clothing is not most people’s idea of a happy ending but the day is hot and few complain.

Showers were followed by dinner in the refectory.  Before dinner, Mr. Thomas Schnieder gave rules of etiquette and good manners to the assembly regarding their actions at the table.  Although I would love to be able to say that all of the boys come with the most perfect manners one could ask for...well you know them better than I do so I will let you be the judge. Old Mrs Post would be turning in her grave if she were to see the infractions against her rules committed blithely by camp participants every day but that is exactly why they are here, to learn something new.  

After dinner we had a solemn rosary procession which walked slowly down the driveway and ended facing Our Lady’s statue while the entire group sang the Salve Regina.  We once again thanked Our Blessed Mother for her protection and maternal gaze before setting her back in the place of honor in the main room.

After the rosary procession there were indoor games.  Charades was the order of the day as each participant tried to make himself understood by his team so they could score a point.  Not to be outdone, the dads were convoked by Mr. Rex to play the part of a group of liberal professors from college to confront the participants with some tough questions regarding abortion.  Debate raged, at first quietly and then in a rush of arguments for and against. The dads hung stubbornly to their faulty logic and the boys tried with all their might to raise up arguments to crush their sophisms.  As the debate progressed, even the shy and timid ones came out of their shells and began to loudly proclaim the truth. The hardest thing for the fathers to do at that point was to keep themselves from smiling at the eagerness of the boys to overcome them.

Camp participants 1 and Liberal professors 0

A final short talk was given shortly before going to bed which follows a custom of St. John Bosco.  Each night he would gather his boys around him and tell them something useful for their spiritual lives and set the tone for the night.  We follow this tradition, and whenever possible we tell an interesting story right before the boys are sent off to bed. This serves a double purpose.  First the spiritual advice and example is priceless. Second it gives the boys a chance to slow down the pace and prepares them better to sleep the night in peaceful slumber.

So with that I will also say good night and retire into the land of Morpheus.

In Jesu et Maria,

Michael C. Shibler

2018 TFP Call To Chivalry Camp Great Lakes - Day 1 Report

Dear parents:

It is hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since the last email.  But here we are again at the Great Lakes Summer Camp. The main crew left our Headquarters in Spring Grove Pennsylvania on Saturday Morning and drove through the day till we arrived in Indiana where we started picking up the young men who had arrived by plane.  Saturday night was spent at the house of a friend whose hospitality was prodigious. After getting settled in, our friend, Mr. Martinez took us all, staff and participants, to a Mexican restaurant where we had some amazing food and the more adventurous boys decided to try their manhood to a test of hot peppers.  There may have been tears shed but we won’t tell from whom they came.

         Since the night air was cool, we spent a pleasant night in the screened in porch of Mr. Martinez’s guest accommodations.  The next morning we had to hurry up and wait while breakfast was prepared and people showered.  The participants chipped in to help set the table and then later to wash the dishes.  After a staff meeting, we packed the vans full and headed out to the camp.

        We were greeted at the camp by the smiling face of Mr. Jacob Weber, waiting patiently with his father, who had kindly driven him down to help us.  All the boys who were with us jumped right in and started helping clean out the vans, the fact that we were not going to eat lunch till the vans were empty may have had something to do with it but we’ll just say that they were a great help all the same.  Lunch soon arrived in the form of pizza from a local shop and was promptly devoured down to the crumbs.  Assignments were given out and the setup went without a hitch.  By the time the majority of boys started arriving, we were putting finishing touches on the decoration. 

            Some tours were given to parents...wait I don’t need to tell you about that.  Anyway, after all the boys arrived, there were some activities in the game field.  Then we prepared for Sunday Mass by putting on our best clothes.  The priest, Canon Coggeshall, member of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest arrived to celebrate the immemorial sacrifice of the Mass according to the ancient usage of the Church in Latin.  First, the boys were invited to go to confession in order to set the tone for the camp and offer the sacrament to those that wished.  Then came the the Mass, solemn, sacred and devout.  The sermon, following the theme of Our Lord’s warning about wolves in sheeps clothing, was singularly appropriate for our confusing times.  The priest clearly explained Catholic doctrine regarding our duties and obligations towards our shepherds meanwhile giving excellent sources to go to for future study.  

After Mass there was dinner that had a Tex-Mex character to it, though any purist would probably deny that there was anything Mexican about it.  I cannot judge the national merits of the meal but can say that it certainly filled an empty void that needed filling.  Ice cream for dessert with cherries and chocolate syrup on top may have pushed the meal into the realm of intemperance but we are preparing for tomorrow's battle here so please grant us a little indulgence on that account. 

After Mass there was dinner that had a Tex-Mex character to it, though any purist would probably deny that there was anything Mexican about it.  I cannot judge the national merits of the meal but can say that it certainly filled an empty void that needed filling. Ice cream for dessert with cherries and chocolate syrup on top may have pushed the meal into the realm of intemperance but we are preparing for tomorrow's battle here so please grant us a little indulgence on that account.  

       Dinner being completed we had a short welcoming talk by Mr. Bob Dressler who lives on the property and is in charge of the smooth running of the facility.  Mr. Rex Teodosio then complemented this intro by bringing in the spiritual aspects of the camp.  He talked about the spiritual pollution that is contaminating the world and how we must counter that by enriching our spiritual lives and practicing the code of chivalry in our daily battles.  Then all were invited to play one of the all time favorite games at TFP Summer Camps...Prison Break. 

Guards with flashlights must track down hiding prisoners who do their best to keep the prisons clear while avoiding capture. Meanwhile, the attending fathers were discussing various topics of extreme import to the future of the world while liberating some poor spirits that had been trapped in glass bottles for decades.  We may not have solved all the world’s problems last night but we considered it only fair to leave some for the next generation to try their hand at. Then, long after the last boys had gone to sleep, we decided it was time to call it a night. That is all till tomorrow.

The Epic Road Trip of 2018 - Call To Chivalry Great Lakes

Dear Friends of the Call To Chivalry Program,

As promised we have ramped up our activities this summer. Aside from the summer camp, we are hosting an epic road trip. We have very limited space so the invitation is also limited. We will be contacting the family directly to invite them. This blog is mainly for information. If this program proves successful, then we will likely repeat it next summer or even over the winter.

The invitation is limited also because of the intensity of the program, the activities and the required level of maturity to participate in this "road trip."

This road trip is an adventure, a debate course, an epic mountain climb, visiting amazing miraculous sites, remembering the Alamo and joining TFP Student Action caravan in Texas. The proposed schedule is below.

Here are the details. We will leave very early in the morning of July 21 to Denver. The hike starts on Sunday. I believe the priest will celebrate latin mass all three days of the hike.We will set up base camp. July 22 we ascend to the peak of Mt. Humboldt. It is one of the almost 200 peaks in Colorado that are over 14,000 feet. It's not Mt. Everest but the view from any peak that high is sublime. This is not a "technical" climb in the sense that it is not a dangerous climb but not exactly a walk in the part. We will hike a total of 10 miles and a height of 4,000 ft.

On the peak, as per tradition, we will build an altar, following the example of St. Elias, upon which the holy sacrifice of the mass in the extraordinary form will be celebrated. It is worth while going for this reason alone.

We will camp out for two nights on the mountain. It is one thing to see the stars when there are city lights to dim the night sky. Seeing the stars on top of the mountain is a whole different thing. You can see the Milky Way itself!

The following morning, Fr. J. will again celebrate mass and everyone heads down the mountain on their own speed. From there we will head to visit the Miraculous Crucifix of Chimayo. During the colonial period a Chimayo monk saw a bright light. He dug the ground where the light shone and found a crucifix. They took it to a chapel a distance from the place of discovery only to disappear three times and found right back in the ground where it was originally found. They took the hint and established a chapel there. It is a crude looking crucifix but then again they did find it buried in the ground without any idea who made it an how it got there. It looks vaguely Native American style so one theory is that it was made by an native years before Christianity step foot on America and the said native preserved it from destruction and buried it before he died only to be found by a monk.

Here's some more information about it. https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2168

Here is a picture of it.

We will then drive to Santa Fe, NM where the miraculous staircase made by St. Joseph is. 

As the nuns told it, the choir loft (where nuns normally sing their Little Office chants) was built without a staircase. The nuns had to bravely climb up a rope ladder. When some of the nuns started to have trouble climbing up they consulted many engineers asking if there was a way to build a staircase going from the chapel to the choir loft and keep it within their budget and not take a good part of the already small chapel. Not getting any suggestions from the engineers, they started a novena to St. Joseph asking for his intercession. On the 9th day of the novena, a man appears and offers to make the staircase. He would not give a quote of the price. He simply told them to decide what it was worth once he was finished. He worked for nine days behind locked doors. The only thing he requested was hot water in the morning to bend the wood. On the 9th day, the man disappears. Not hearing any sound from the chapel, the nuns braved to enter it. They were amazed to find a magnificent double spiraling staircase. It has no central pillar or any supporting pillar or contraption. Even from the natural point of view, it is puzzling.

Here is the picture of it.

We will spend the 24th close to here.

On the 25th, we will drive to meet up with the TFP Student Action Summer caravan. During our long drives, we will have a program of sorts. Two years ago, we made an epic road trip to California. To entertain ourselves, we played some car trip games. We played music and listened to audiobooks. We even watched a few documentaries. But what got all the boys excited is our debate sessions.

This trip will be partially a debate course. The participants will first listen to the liberal argument regarding abortion, start of human life, whether the Catholic church is the one, true church or just one of many, the crusades and inquisition was evil, gun control and other topics. The course will teach them how we, in the TFP, learn how to dissect, dismantle and argue against a liberal position. 

This is an excellent way for a young catholic to prepare for the reality of life. We don't live in a christian society, much less a Catholic society. We live in a society where liberal ideas, values and notions are taken as dogmatic. A young catholic has to learn to face this so that he has a better chance to preserve his faith, and, more importantly, to grow in it.

On the 26th, we join the TFP caravan. The campaign will most likely be about abortion. Our campaigns are mainly holding signs asking people to honk for life. We pray the rosary, pass out fliers and at times engage with the public. This is the perfect environment for a young man to stand up for his faith in public in a controlled environment and with a large support group of experienced debaters. There are times you find yourself engaged in a debate where many people are watching. You get the impression it's just you against the world. Those are the times when the Holy Ghost, by the grace of Our Lady, inspires you to say just the right thing. In those moments, you feel taller than Mt. Humbolt. You get the chance to stand up against the world and, like David against Goliath, win.

On the 27th, I believe, we will campaign in Alamo, TX, where the famous last stand happened. Remember?

We will depart on early on the 31st, stop by Kansas to drop of one of the participants and head back to Wisconsin. We should be back by the afternoon of August 1.

This is a trip boys are guaranteed to talk about for a long time. We tried to have a perfect mixture of heroism, religion, culture, social, intellectual all wrapped within an adventure.

Protesting A Heinous Blasphemy at Boston's Jesuit College of the Holy Cross

Yet another Jesuit university is showing its anti-Catholic colors.

Here's the write up on this most offensive blasphemy. http://www.tfp.org/no-excuse-possible-for-anti-jesus-views-of-professor-at-catholic-college/

This is the same Jesuit college whose mascot, The Crusader, was changed because some students found the sword and the cross offensive. The first image below shows the offensive symbol. The image below that shows the future inoffensive logo.

This is the letter from the administration regarding the decision to change it. What is ironic is that they are worried about a few students being offended by the sword and the cross yet suddenly they preach tolerance for highly offensive heresies under the banner of academic freedom.

Those who are not with him is against him Our Lord Jesus Christ said. Are all the Jesuit colleges this bad? Should not at least one college rise up in defense of its name? In honor of its founder? For the sake of the faith they claim to follow?

If none will, then we will. Three 15 passenger vans full of energetic young men are travelling a full day just to protest this heinous blasphemy. We will gladly defend the honor of Jesus, God the Father, the apostles and Holy Mother Church against this sorry excuse for a professor in a Catholic university and this sorry excuse for a university that still calls itself Catholic.

We will pray the rosary. We will sing hymns. We will play the bagpipes. Above all, we will console Jesus and Mary for this injury to their honor.