Praised be Jesus Christ! Our diocesan marriage and family office is focusing on the scourge of pornography this year, along with the hope that God gives to all who struggle with this affront to our purity. Years ago a friend of mine was studying for the Jesuits (he is now a priest in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul, MN.) – one of their traditions is to spend a month on their own with no money. My friend spent the time walking from Saint Paul to Milwaukee, staying with priests along the way. He had many incredible adventures, but my favorite is the following one that he gave me permission to share with you: “Finally, there was the incident with “Cruisin’ Chubby.” I was pushing it an extra eight miles to Wisconsin Dells to try and catch the priest there after his 5:00 p.m. Mass. As I was marching along I passed a couple of strip clubs, one by the name of Cruisin’ Chubby’s – a name I recognized from having passed by several times in another location on I-94. Apparently this guy had some sort of chain going with these places. Both clubs elicited strong emotions from me: deep sadness, frustration, and anger over the evil of these places, over the objectification and use of women that goes on there. They struck me as disgusting works of the devil. If only the owner were here, I thought, I would like to meet him and give him a piece of my mind. But I hadn’t the time to check. Later, the five-o-clock hour had passed and I was still a mile or so out of town. I wouldn’t catch the priest by walking. I had to get a ride. So I stuck out my thumb and waited. I’m not sure how much time passed without a ride; all I can say is that I was much relieved when a well-preserved 60’s muscle car pulled over in front of me and came to a stop. I noted briefly as I approached that the characters on the license spelled out “Chubby,” but I didn’t think much of it. Nah... couldn’t be, I thought. The passenger seat was taken, so I climbed in back and was immediately struck by the kindness and good will of the man to whom I owed the ride. He was a middle-aged man with slicked back hair, wearing jeans and a t- shirt that looked like something a college student might wear returning from spring break. After a cordial greeting he asked where I was going. I asked if he knew where the Catholic Church was in town. “The Catholic Church, yeah, I know where that is. St. Cecelia’s, I’ve been there. That’s a nice church. I should go there more often myself.” A brief pause. “So, where you from? Did you go to college?” “Yeah, I went to Marquette,” I responded. Chubby replied, “Marquette, that’s in Milwaukee, right? Lots of good attorneys in Milwaukee. That’s where my attorney’s from, which you need in my line of work.” “Oh?” I said, “And what do you do for a living?” “I own and operate a chain of gentlemen’s clubs here in central Wisconsin, Cruisin Chubby’s. You may have seen them.” “Huh.” That’s all I could muster and I fell silent. Incredible. Just a few hours earlier I was filled with indignation, wishing I could meet this guy, and there I was, Cruisin with Chubby himself. God put me in the place I wanted to be and I balked.” I share this story because it reminds us that the people who run such places, as well as those who work there or frequent there are human just like us. They need our prayers, not our judgment. Ever since reading that story for the first time I’ve been much more inclined to pray when I see signs advertising sin in whatever form. In the weeks to come, we’ll discuss as sensitively as possible the many ways the devil is working to damage us through pornography and its progeny. In the meantime, a robust devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has always been one of the best defenses against assaults on our purity.
May God grant purity of heart to all of His children, especially those most in need of His mercy!
Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
May God grant purity of heart to all of His children, especially those most in need of His mercy!
Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
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