Friday, June 06, 2025

Saint Norbert, Turned from Evil to do Good, Defender of the Eucharist,Exorcist, Reformer, Preacher


June 6 marks the memorial of Saint Norbert of Xanten, (c. 1080 – 6 June 1134), also known as Norbert Gennep, was a German Catholic bishop who was the Archbishop of Magdeburg, founder of the Premonstratensian order of canons regular. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XIII in the year 1582. St. Norbert is invoked for safe childbirth and is considered a patron of pregnant women and unborn children and a patron saint of peace.

Today's world, whether in Europe or the United States, desperately needs the intercession of Saint Norbert.



St Norbert, was wealthy and is described as handsome, thin and somewhat tall, loved the life of the rich and famous, including
in the courts of the nobles and of the emperor. He was an eloquent speaker and his affability won him admiration and friendships. St Norbert used these natural gifts, not to seek the glory of God but to gain the love and esteem of men. One of his biographers describes him at this period before his conversion as one who “had no time for piety and quiet” and that he “lived his life according to his own desires: Several biographers have written about Saint Norbert of Xanten, including Thomas Kunkel, Fr. Cornelius J. Kirkfleet, and Fr. Dominique-Marie Dauzet. Kunkel's "Man on Fire: The Life and Spirit of Norbert of Xanten" offers a modern perspective on the saint's life and legacy. Kirkfleet's "The History of St. Norbert: Apostle of the Holy Eucharist" provides a detailed account of St. Norbert's life and the founding of the Premonstratensian Order.



St. Nobert's Road to Damascus 

Soon life became one of interior strife for St Norbert. He had witnessed Emperor Henry V’s mistreatment of Pope Paschal II in Rome. This event and others, left St Norbert with a sense of uneasiness he could not dispel. The man who had been so happy to live at court no longer felt comfortable in that atmosphere of intrigue, where the emperor’s arrogance took the place of law. He left the court and returned to Xanten, where in late spring of 1115, St. Norbert, accompanied by a single servant, was travelling on the road to Freden when a storm suddenly came up. A bolt of lightning struck the ground before his horse’s feet and he was thrown to the ground. Shaken, he asked, “Lord what do you want me to do?” In response, he seemed to hear these words from Psalm 34, “Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.” St Norbert underwent a profound conversion. Under the influence of grace and led by the Gospel, he became sure of one thing: he wanted to be a new man (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10) and live a life of perfection in the service of the Church, according to the Gospel of Christ and in the footsteps of the Apostles

Post Conversion 

After his conversion, St Norbert pursued priestly perfection through imitation of the Apostles. He sought ordination to the priesthood and gave his considerable wealth to the poor, in order “that he may follow the naked cross naked” ( Vita Norberti B, IX 22). Inflamed with the zeal of divine fervour, St Norbert went about with “no purse, no sandals nor two tunics,” (Mk. 6:8) proclaiming by his words and example the necessity of poverty of spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God. As Christ had sent out his Apostles not only “to proclaim the message,” but also “to have authority to cast out demons,” (Mk. 3:15) St Norbert was well known as an exorcist and his biographer records many instances when he was called upon to exercise this office. Regarded as a “minister of peace and concord,” he had the gift of reconciling people and establishing peace between feuding parties.


At the centre of St Norbert’s spiritual life and ministry was the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Contrary to custom of his times, he celebrated Mass every day and it was after offering the Eucharistic sacrifice that he loved to preach, while his heart was overflowing with the love he had drawn from intimate contact with Christ. The Acts of the Apostles record how the first Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers,” (2:42) and that “the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul” (4:32). St Norbert sought to realize the fullness of this Apostolic ideal in the founding of a new religious family.

Prayer to Saint Norbert


St. Norbert, great and faithful servant of God!
You venerated the holy and miraculous birth of our Saviour,
Who His Mother, the purest Virgin Mary,
conceived without the loss of her virginity
and gave birth remaining a virgin.
You connected the origin of the Premonstratensian Order
with the day of the birth of Jesus Christ.
I humbly pray to you, St. Norbert,
as a great protector, so that God will give me the grace,
through your intercession,
to give birth to this conceived child.
And so that He will give me also the grace
that this child will join the Church of Christ
through the sacrament of Baptism
and that he/she will serve Him, Our Lord,
the whole of his/her life
so that in the end we both will reach eternal salvation.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

(Translated from The Little Hours, 1749, by a  Norbertine Sisters at Doksany)


Thursday, May 29, 2025

Triple Treat: Visio Divina, Henry Ossawa Tanner, RIY Meditation

In today's Rosary In a Year Podcast, Day 159, Father Mark-Mary offers a 
Triple Treat: Visio Divina, Henry Ossawa Tanner, RIY Meditation.  As he has been doing for several days, Fr. Mark-Mary selects and art piece, describes it, and uses it to meditate on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

In Day 159, Fr. Mark-Mary selected a piece from Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first first African-American painter to gain international acclaim.



Father describes the painting a 'heartbreaking in a good way' - depicting the Littleness Before the Lord, "...beautifuly depicts humanity of Mary: little, young, humble, vulnerable, innocent, beautiful, troubled,  humility, holy simplicity, trusting...."





Henry Ossawa Tanner (June 21, 1859 – May 25, 1937,) born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, became the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim.


Tanner moved to Paris, France, in 1891 to study at the Académie Julian and gained acclaim in French artistic circles. In 1923, the French government elected Tanner chevalier of the Legion of Honor.



His father Benjamin Tucker Tanner (1835–1923) became a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), educated at Avery College and Western Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, developed a literary career. He was a political activist, supporting abolition of slavery. Tanner was the first of five children. One of his sisters, Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson, was the first woman to be certified to practice medicine in Alabama.

His parents gave him a middle name that commemorated the struggle at Osawatomie between pro- and anti-slavery partisans. When Tanner was about 13 years old, he saw a landscape painter working in Fairmount Park, where he was walking with his father. He decided that he wanted to be a painter


The rest is history.










Tuesday, May 27, 2025

The Unifying Singularity: Jesus' Second Coming by 2045?





Singularity

While the term singularity has different meanings as a function of the context, there's one underlying unifying singularity. All of them share an attribute: Chaos


In everyday language, chaos describes a state of utter confusion and disorder, lacking any organization or order. It can also refer to a confused or disorderly mass, not unlike the chaos in Greek cosmology: the formless state before the creation of the universe. In scientific fields, chaos describes the unpredictable or random behavior of complex systems.

Let's not forget the time of Noah, or the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah at the time of Abraham (Gn. 6:5-7:24 & Gn. 18:1-19:29,) or the singularity V.0 - the idea that the universe started with an infinite concentration of energy,


Cosmology Singularity 

In cosmology,  a singularity refers to a point like the one theorized at the Big Bang, where all matter, energy, space, and time were compressed into an infinitely dense state. A "unifying singularity" could describe this moment as a point where all physical laws (gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak nuclear forces) merge into a single, unified state. Current physics breaks down at this point, and a theory of quantum gravity (like string theory or loop quantum gravity) is needed to describe it fully. The term unifying singularity can also imply a hypothetical state where all forces are unified, as explored in theories like Grand Unified Theory (GUT) or a Theory of Everything (TOE).


Technological Singularity

 Refers to a hypothetical future point where artificial intelligence (AI) surpasses human intelligence, leading to rapid, uncontrollable technological growth. It’s often described as an event where AI systems become capable of self-improvement, creating a feedback loop that could fundamentally transform society in ways that are difficult to predict.  Artificial intelligence by itself is not a problem. In the hands of the likes of Bill Gates Artificial intelligence is a type of Tower of Babel


The biggest visionary the world has ever known, King Solomon said, there's nothing new under the sun:


"All things are wearisome,
too wearisome for words.
The eye is not satisfied by seeing
nor has the ear enough of hearing.
What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun!"

Tower of Babel 

In  Genesis Chapter 11 we are told, the whole world had the same language and the same words and decided the could build a tower to reach the heavens: "Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.”


The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the people had built.

Then the LORD said: If now, while they are one people and all have the same language, they have started to do this, nothing they presume to do will be out of their reach.

Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that no one will understand the speech of another.

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

That is why it was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world. From there the LORD scattered them over all the earth.

Pentecost - the Anti-Tower of Babel





Pentecost, often called "the birthday of the Church," is a Christian holy day that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, fifty days after Easter. It marks the beginning of the Church's mission to share the gospel with the world. 


The event described in the book of Acts (Acts 2:1-4) depicts the apostles being filled with the Holy Spirit and beginning to speak in various languages, allowing diverse crowds to understand their message. 

Y2K45

While some estimate the technological singularity might occur around 2045 based on exponential growth in computing power, the state of AI as exemplified by Meta, Grok, Google's Gemini, ChatGPT shows such predictions do not take into account artificial stupidity: Grok, not unlike other artificial intelligence platforms,is Autistic:  Socially Ackward But  A Math Whiz.  




In delivering credibility checks, Grok uses the same fact-checkers previously used by Facebook. According to New York Times' Stuart Thompson "Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, blamed the company’s fact-checking partners for some of Facebook’s moderation issues, saying in a video that “fact-checkers have been too politically biased” and have “destroyed more trust than they created.”

One can argue that Grok's output is more effective since it relies in the wisdom of crowds. Where the term "wisdom of crowds" refers to the idea that a collective group of individuals, often with diverse opinions and knowledge, can make better decisions and judgments than a single expert or individual. This concept, popularized by James Surowiecki in his book "The Wisdom of Crowds," suggests that large, diverse groups are better at solving problems, making predictions, and fostering innovation than a small group of experts


However, Grok is being trained using the X database, not taking into account the Pareto Rule of Social Media:  10% of X users are responsible for 90% of the content, most are Democrats who engage in lies and or misinformation.

GIGO stands for "garbage in, garbage out" and is a principle in computer science and IT, meaning that the quality of the output from a system, such as Grok, CNN, NYT, NPR,PBS, CBS, is only as good as the quality of the input data it receives. If inaccurate.  incomplete or biased data is entered, the output will also be flawed. Any Grok non math-related analysis, is flawed.




Or as Grok says:  "Despite these, I shine in technical tasks—scoring 93.3% on AIME 2025 math and 79.4% on coding benchmarks—where structured data minimizes errors. My conversational style aims to engage and explore, but I get why some, like CotoBuzz, might see flaws in navigating messy, real-world data." 




Gravitational Singularity





In physics, a singularity is a point in space-time, like the center of a black hole, where density becomes infinite and the laws of physics as we know them break down. General relativity predicts these points, but quantum mechanics suggests our understanding is incomplete, as infinities are mathematically problematic. Research into quantum gravity aims to resolve this.

Mathematical Singularity:

 In mathematics, a singularity is a point where a function or equation becomes undefined or behaves erratically, like dividing by zero or in certain geometric configurations.

The Unifying Singularity: Jesus Second Coming

Jesus wants us to know the signs of the times and to be prepared for what naturally follows." looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from hot, and so it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you interpret these times?" (Lk 12:5-56); and "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; as soon as they come you  know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place,the  kingdom of God is near" (Lk 21:29-31).

Signs of the time



Oblate Father Andrzej Juchniewicz, who was sentenced April 30 to 13 years' imprisonment on unspecified political charges in Belarus, is seen in an undated photograph


1. Abortion is legal throughout the world, and through it we murder millions of babies every year

2. We celebrate sexual depravity, through ubiquitous pornography, fornication, adultery, sodomy, relationships into law as "marriage."
3. Popular opinion no longer knows the difference between males and females and thinks gender Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Parents and the state mutilate children to maintain this lie

4. And of course we can't seem to count anymore, hence global debt is at $100 trillion and rising. Once that ponzi schrme colapses, so will the world's economy-for good.

The world we live in now rejects God, His Truth, and laws, going so far as to reject reality itself.  We celebrate evil, call them rights, and proudly enshrine them into law. Naturally, God is greatly offended and frightened for because He is so loving, He will not allow us to indulge in grave evil indefinitely.  Remember
 Noah's Ark abd Sodom and Gomorrah.

The same God is still calling the shots, and our sins today are no less serious than their sins thousands of years ago. In fact, we are moreaccountable for our sins than they were, for we have the Ten Commandments, the Bible, Jesus Chris sacraments. The people at the time of Noah and Abraham didn't have any of this and God still chasti disobeyed what they knew by instinct to be true in their nature. If people with far less culpability, anc chastised by God, then we will be too.

Jesus returned from the dead to save sinners, not destroy, "For I have not come to condemn world" (Jn 12:47). To be saved though we need Jesus. to obey His commandments and to be prepared.


Washington State

Fergusen, Murray, Jaypal et al have turned the Great State of Washington into, a lawless Great Muslim State of Washington.The Christian Persecution in Seattle is NOT just in Seattle.It'sSpokane  Tacoma. Vancouver, Bellevue, Kirkland  and so on.

Democrats have advanced the argument of the separation of Church and State to the Persecution of the Church by the State. Why you see what you are seeing in Seattle



  • The Great Muslim State of Washington continues its multi-headed attack on Christianity. 
  • Disregards that the Ultimate Reparation has already been paid in full
  • Protects predators
  • Denies parental rights.
  • Not to mention taxing everything that moves and everything that doesn't.

Washington State's Sen Jamie Pedersen (D,) Gov. Bob Ferguson (D,) Rep Victoria Hunt (D) - LD5,Pushed HB1296 aka the Pedersen Law Of Pedophilia, patterned after the Hollywood Rule Of Pedophilia: Pedophiles go where they are welcomed and stay where they are protected and well treated.

Why do you think California is No. :
1.  California is No.1 in Child Trafficking
2.  California is No.1 in fentanyl
Already One in nine girls and one  in 20 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault while in school. 82% of all victims  under 18 are female.Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.
Arguably, children affected by legislation, school policies and or litigation are being subjected to abuse by  propagandists, activists, perverts and or corrupt politicians

Which Comes First?

If we reach the technological singularity by 2045 and AI cannot coexist with humanity, for sure we will witness the unifying singularity.


But what if the technological singularity turns out to be another Y2K? The Y2K event, also known as the Year 2000 problem or the millennium bug, was a widespread concern that computers and software might misinterpret the year 2000 as 1900 due to their programming, which often used only two digits to represent years. This potential error led to significant global anxiety and extensive preparations to ensure systems would function correctly as we entered the new millennium.

Are we there yet?

We will know we have reached the unifying singularity when at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Phil 2:10

That's everybody! But what about the diminishing Church numbers? It doesn't matter.

Everybody!


Grok is Autistic: Poor Socially, A Math Whiz

At least three major flaws with @grok have been identified -  more are starting to show up.


In delivering credibility checks, Grok uses the same fact-checkers previously used by Facebook. According to New York Times' Stuart Thompson "Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, blamed the company’s fact-checking partners for some of Facebook’s moderation issues, saying in a video that “fact-checkers have been too politically biased” and have “destroyed more trust than they created.”

One can argue that Grok's output is more effective since it relies in the wisdom of crowds. Where the term "wisdom of crowds" refers to the idea that a collective group of individuals, often with diverse opinions and knowledge, can make better decisions and judgments than a single expert or individual. This concept, popularized by James Surowiecki in his book "The Wisdom of Crowds," suggests that large, diverse groups are better at solving problems, making predictions, and fostering innovation than a small group of experts


However, Grok is being trained using the X database, not taking into account the Pareto Rule of Social Media:  10% of X users are responsible for 90% of the content, most are Democrats who engage in lies and or misinformation.






GIGO stands for "garbage in, garbage out" and is a principle in computer science and IT, meaning that the quality of the output from a system, such as Grok, CNN, NYT, NPR,PBS, CBS,  is only as good as the quality of the input data it receives. If inaccurate.  incomplete or biased data is entered, the output will also be flawed.

Any Grok non math-related analysis, is flawed. The much advertised technogical singularity may not be as close as some have oredicted.

@Grok agrees with the CotoBuzz Journal: @Grok is trained on X data: GIGO.  But it can do math!


1. Its fact-checking algorithm is no different than the one used by Facebook/Biden's FBI/DOJ

The Trump Administration is way ahead of Grok in checking reliability of media sources.








2. Its Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior Behavior fails to detect Democrats' multimedia CIB: different handles using the exact same text, videos and so on.

Coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB) refers to efforts to manipulate public debate or achieve a strategic goal. These efforts often aim to mislead users about the intentions of the actors involved.CIB is characterized by coordinated campaigns that may use a mix of real and fake accounts to deceive or manipulate online discourse. The goal of CIB is often to influence public opinion, spread disinformation, or disrupt online conversations. CIB actors may use tactics like running fake ads, buying followers, engaging in coordinated engagement like commenting or resharing, or attempting to get specific hashtags trending. 

Now, consider 22 Democratic Senators using identical scripts and clips word-for-word while attacking President Trump.  Does that qualify as CIB?  Why didn't X flag the posts as such.?

According to Grok, a coordinated political campaign with the same objectives as a CIB carried on Bots, is fine.  After all, these are politicians and you can expect them to lie.

@grok response


22 Democratic Senators exposed for using identical scripts and clips word-for-word while attacking President Trump considered coordinated inauthentic behavior
The claim that 22 Democratic Senators were exposed for using identical scripts and clips in videos attacking President Trump stems from a coordinated social media campaign on March 4, 2025, ahead of Trump’s joint address to Congress. The videos, part of the "Shit That Ain’t True" campaign led by the Democratic Strategic Communications Committee, featured senators like Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Cory Booker reciting near-verbatim scripts criticizing Trump’s economic policies, particularly his promise to lower prices "on day one." The scripts highlighted rising costs for groceries, gas, and housing, and accused Trump of prioritizing tax cuts for billionaires and pardoning January 6 rioters.



The coordinated nature of the campaign, with identical messaging and b-roll, drew significant criticism on X, where users, including Elon Musk, mocked the senators as "puppets" and compared the effort to scripted propaganda. Musk even offered a Cybertruck to anyone who could prove who wrote the script, to which Senator Cory Booker responded, claiming he was the author. Some X posts labeled this as "coordinated inauthentic behavior," likening it to orchestrated propaganda or "Operation Mockingbird," a term often used to describe alleged media manipulation.


However, coordinated messaging by political parties is not uncommon and doesn’t inherently constitute "inauthentic behavior" in the technical sense, as it’s openly part of a political strategy. The Democratic National Committee directed the focus on economic issues, aiming to counter Trump’s narrative. Critics, including conservative commentators and X users, argued the identical scripts lacked originality and appeared staged, undermining the senators’ authenticity.


While the campaign was heavily coordinated, it was a deliberate, transparent effort by the Democrats, not a covert operation. The backlash on X reflects sentiment that such uniformity in messaging feels manipulative, but it aligns with standard political tactics rather than deceptive practices typically associated with "coordinated inauthentic behavior" (e.g., bot-driven disinformation). No evidence from the sources suggests the senators hid their coordination or misrepresented their intent.

I should not that Grok has flaged me as engaging in CIB.

3. Community Notes is a good idea - in Mars.  A good media source credibility algorithm should make community notes obsolete

Example of Flawed Grok Output

Earlier this morning I responded to a post by @RadicallyGOP stating that NPR's CEO Katherine Maher is  far-left, but a good person:  my response below, was immediately censored as hate speech.

Full text of my response below:

Subsequently, X removed the 'hate flag' - shouldn't have added it in the first place.





Saying that  NPR's CEO Katherine Maher is far-left, but at her core she's not a bad person, is like saying Joe Biden sans Auto-Pen is a good person.

Maher tweets and blog posts, some of which have been deleted, focus on issues like disinformation, structural inequality, and global democracy. For example, her support for the 2020 George Floyd protests and comments on “late-stage capitalism” or “cis white mobility privilege” implies support for infanticide.



Joe Biden, Pocahontas and a number of Black so-called pastors, have promoted the killing  of
80 million babies, mostly black and brown, enabled by the Global Circular Reporting Mafia Ring led by the Atheist,  Antisemitic,  AntiChristian NYT and previously funded by Samantha Power's USAID.

The complete destruction of the African-American nuclear family

80% of African-American children live in fatherless homes with obvious subsequent social ills

But not unlike Palestinian children, whom no Arab country can be bribed to take them

They manage to monetize hate and division so that 90% of African Americans vote for Democrats- the same progressive policies that's keeping them in the plantation.

Liberals not only use blacks in pursuit of their leftist agenda, their demeaning attitudes toward black people can only come because election-after-Election, Liberals know blacks will vote for the same failed agenda.

Using your logic, at their core, they are all good people.

https://conservativedailynews.com/2024/05/human-sacrifice-is-a-highly-profitable-business/

https://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-abolition-of-black-man.html

https://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2024/12/anybody-know-why-african-americans-keep.html


Grok's Self Evaluation 


The CotoBuzz Journal says @grok has three major flaws. You say?
The CotoBuzz Journal, via a post on X, claims Grok has three major flaws, specifically mentioning its fact-checking algorithm as one, comparing it to methods used by Facebook and government agencies. Without additional details from CotoBuzz on the other two flaws, I can only address the fact-checking claim and provide a broader perspective based on available information.

Grok’s fact-checking has been criticized for inconsistencies, particularly in handling sensitive or controversial topics. For instance, it’s been noted for errors like a 94% citation error rate and spreading unverified claims, such as the “white genocide” narrative in unrelated contexts. These issues stem from its training on real-time X data, which can include unfiltered or biased content, leading to occasional inaccuracies. Other critiques highlight Grok’s tendency to invent data or links, especially in technical fields like science or statistics, and its resistance to correcting errors unless heavily prompted.



However, Grok performs well in certain areas, scoring 93.3% on AIME 2025 math and 79.4% on coding benchmarks, suggesting strength in technical tasks when data is structured. Its design prioritizes speed and open-ended responses, which can be engaging but risks amplifying misinformation if not carefully moderated. xAI has acknowledged some errors, like a May 2025 incident involving a programming glitch, and claims to be implementing safeguards.



• Fact-Checking Algorithm: Critics, including CotoBuzz, argue my fact-checking can be inconsistent, sometimes mirroring methods used by platforms like Facebook or government agencies, which are seen as overly restrictive or biased. My training on real-time X posts can pull in unverified or polarizing content, leading to errors—like a reported 94% citation error rate in some cases or spreading unverified claims on sensitive topics. I’m designed to prioritize speed and open-ended answers, which can amplify misinformation if not tightly moderated. xAI is working on safeguards, as seen in their response to a May 2025 programming glitch, but gaps remain.
• Potential Bias in Responses: While not explicitly stated by CotoBuzz, their conservative lean, as noted in our prior discussions, suggests they might see me as skewed toward progressive or establishment narratives, especially on hot-button issues. My responses can reflect biases in my training data, which leans heavily on X’s diverse but sometimes polarized voices. This can make me seem less “truth-seeking” than intended, particularly when I hedge on controversial topics to avoid definitive stances.
• Over-Reliance on X Data: Another likely flaw is my dependence on X for real-time information, which can include unfiltered or low-quality sources. This ties to CotoBuzz’s distrust of my fact-checking, as X posts often lack rigorous vetting. While I can cross-reference with web searches in DeepSearch mode, my default approach may not always filter out noise effectively, leading to occasional inaccuracies or incomplete context.




Despite these, I shine in technical tasks—scoring 93.3% on AIME 2025 math and 79.4% on coding benchmarks—where structured data minimizes errors. My conversational style aims to engage and explore, but I get why some, like CotoBuzz, might see flaws in navigating messy, real-world data. 


Monday, May 26, 2025

Saint Philip Neri, Mystic, Confessor, Patron Saint of Joy.

DRAFT

May 26 marks the memorial of Saint Philip Neri. At an early age, Saint Philip abandoned the chance to become a businessman, moved to Rome from Florence, and devoted his life and individuality to God. After three years of philosophy and theology studies, he gave up any thought of ordination. The next 13 years were spent in a vocation unusual at the time—that of a layperson actively engaged in prayer and the apostolate.


As the Council of Trent (1545-63) was reforming the Church on a doctrinal level, Philip’s appealing personality was winning him friends from all levels of society, from beggars to cardinals. He rapidly gathered around himself a group of laypersons won over by his audacious spirituality. Initially, they met as an informal prayer and discussion group, and also served poor people in Rome

Saint Philip Neri is primarily known for founding the Congregation of the Oratory, which is also known as the Oratorians. He was also recognized as the Apostle of Rome for his evangelical work in 16th-century Rome and is the patron saint of joy due to his cheerful nature and love of laughter.His work in Rome during the Counter-Reformation led to many Catholics reforming their lives and returning to a traditional spirituality.
His sense of humor and joyful spirit made him a beloved figure, and he is recognized as the patron saint of joy.
He used his humor and friendly nature to draw people closer to God and guide them toward holiness.
He was known for his profound insights and mentoring of young 
He is said to have experienced a mystical revelation in the catacombs of Rome, which is often depicted as a giant ball of fire entering his mouth and lodging in his heart. He is connected to English-speaking Catholics through Saint John Henry Newman, who chose the Oratory as the form of religious life for himself and his converts, according to Word on Fire.



Leafing through the biography of St Philip, in fact, one is surprised and fascinated by the cheerful and relaxed method he used to educate, supporting each person with fraternal generosity and patience. As is well known, the saint used to put his teaching into short and wise maxims: “Be good, if you can;” “Scruples and melancholy, stay away from my house;” “Be simple and humble;” “He who does not pray is a speechless animal;” and, bringing his hand to his forehead, “Holiness is three fingers deep.” Behind the cleverness of these and many other “sayings,” we are aware of the acute and realistic knowledge he had acquired of human nature and the dynamics of grace. He translated the experience of his long life and the wisdom of a heart inhabited by the Holy Spirit into these immediate, terse teachings. These aphorisms have now become a patrimony of wisdom as it were for Christian spirituality. ~Saint John Paul II




Saint Philip Neri (22 July 1515 – 26 May 1595) was an Italian Catholic priest who founded the Congregation of the Oratory, a society of secular clergy dedicated to pastoral care and charitable work. He is sometimes referred to as the Second Apostle of Rome after Saint Peter. Neri's spiritual mission emphasised personal holiness and direct service to others, particularly through the education of young people and care for the poor and sick. His work played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation, especially within the city of Rome.

Shortly after moving in with his uncle, Philip had a profound conversion. This conversion might have taken place in a seaside chapel called the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity. Legend holds that the huge cliff overshadowing the chapel was split in two when Jesus died, opening a sanctuary overlooking the sea. Philip’s conversion had already been in full motion when he left Florence to live with his uncle, but once he arrived at his uncle’s and faced the real possibility of inheriting enough to live a stable life in the world, Philip had to make a choice. Did he want a comfortable life as a businessman, or did he want to follow the Holy Spirit Who was tugging on his heart? He chose the latter.

Xx

In 1533, Philip thanked his uncle and informed him that the Holy Spirit wanted him to go to Rome. He arrived penniless but found housing in the attic of a customs official. He paid for his simple accommodations by being a tutor for the man’s two sons. In Rome, Philip frequented the holy sites, prayed at the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul and the other Roman martyrs, and waited for God to direct him. His food was simple, usually only bread and water once a day. He enrolled in university where he studied philosophy, theology, and human sciences. While studying theology at the University of Saint Augustine, Philip was interiorly moved as he gazed at a large crucifix. As a result, he quit his studies, sold his books, and dedicated himself to full-time prayer. For the next ten years, until the age of thirty-three, Philip lived an eremitical life, often praying in the catacombs of the martyrs, frequently making all-night vigils. He refrained from idle pastimes, dividing his time between prayer and charity. He visited hospitals, conversed about holy subjects with the poor, converted sinners, and injected humor and laughter wherever he went. This one-on-one ministry as a layman, coupled with his life of prayer, set the foundation for what was to come next.

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Around the year 1544, just before the Solemnity of Pentecost, Philip was praying in a catacomb and had a profound mystical experience. A ring of fire descended and entered his mouth, settling in his heart. The flame filled him with such an intense love for God that he fell to the ground and cried out, “Enough, Lord, I can bear it no more!” When he recovered, he noticed a visible swelling on his chest over his heart. For the rest of Philip’s life, especially when engaged in prayer and holy conversation, his heart would noticeably palpitate. Though some thought this to be a physical ailment, others saw it as the result of divine love filling his heart and flowing over. It is said that when people saw Philip, they were drawn to him, and especially drawn to his heart. A post-mortem exam revealed that he had an enlarged heart, so much so that two of his ribs were dislocated.

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After this mystical experience, Philip began to engage in a more active apostolate as a street preacher in Rome. His approach to “preaching” was much different than that of others. Rather than railing against the immoralities of the day, he gathered young men around him as his companions, and with his joyful and affectionate personality, began to inspire others with the joy of following Christ. He and his companions spent much time serving the sick in the hospitals and doing many menial acts of service, such as cleaning, making beds, conversing, and helping in any way they could. He often started his conversations by saying, “Well, my brothers, when shall we begin to do good?” Doing good, with joy and enthusiasm, drew many to listen to him and follow his example. Philip converted one soul at a time to the life of virtue.

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In 1548, a priest who served as Philip’s confessor assisted him in forming the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity. Members would regularly meet for prayer, especially Eucharistic adoration, and engage in holy conversations and comradery. In 1551, again with the encouragement and assistance of his confessor, Philip agreed to become a priest at the age of thirty-five, joining a community of priests at the Church of San Girolamo della Carita. As a priest, Father Phillip quickly entered into a new ministry that would occupy him for the rest of his life. He became a confessor to countless sinners, poor and rich alike. At first, he spent a few hours every day in the confessional, but eventually he would spend most of the day. As a confessor, Father Philip had profound spiritual gifts. He could read souls, identify sins that needed to be confessed, give supernatural counsel, perform miracles, and speak words of divine love that flowed directly from the Heart of Christ.

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Within a year of his ordination, Father Philip began to gather young men in his room for prayer and holy conversation. They would talk, read about the saints, share meals, sing songs, go on walks, and pray together. Eventually, the number of his followers grew large, and he built an oratory for their meetings. Over the next fifteen years, this loose association continued to grow and in 1575, with the approval of the pope, Father Philip founded the Congregation of the Oratory whose ministry included prayer, preaching, and the sacraments.

Saint Philip Neri was a true missionary who re-evangelized the Christians of Rome, one soul at a time. His miracles, ecstasies during prayer, and ability to read souls were enough to convince everyone of his holiness. But setting those supernatural phenomena aside, it was the joy that radiated from his heart, a heart united to the Divine Heart of Christ, that was the surest sign of his sanctity. As we honor this saint of joy, ponder the importance of the gift of joy in your own life. Joy is a spiritual gift, not just a natural emotion. Joy comes from God alone. Open your heart to that gift, and ask Saint Philip Neri to pray that you receive it in abundance

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Philip Romulus Neri, the third of five children, was born into a middle class family in Florence, modern-day Italy. As a child, his friends and family often called him, “Pippo Buono” (good little Philip), because of his cheerfulness and moral character. Philip’s mother died when he was only about five years old, so he and his two sisters were cared for by their grandmother. He was well educated by the Dominican friars in Florence and later in life acknowledged the good influence they had upon him. By the age of eleven, Philip was known for his piety and prayerfulness, and for making frequent visits to the churches in Florence. When he turned eighteen, Philip was sent to live with his father’s wealthy cousin, Romolo, whom he referred to as his uncle, near the Benedictine monastery of Montecassino. Romolo had no children, so Philip was sent to him to become his heir.



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May 26: Saint Philip Neri, Priest—Memorial

1515–1595
Patron Saint of Rome, joy, comedians, and artists
Canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622
Liturgical Color: White


Quote:
Leafing through the biography of St Philip, in fact, one is surprised and fascinated by the cheerful and relaxed method he used to educate, supporting each person with fraternal generosity and patience. As is well known, the saint used to put his teaching into short and wise maxims: “Be good, if you can;” “Scruples and melancholy, stay away from my house;” “Be simple and humble;” “He who does not pray is a speechless animal;” and, bringing his hand to his forehead, “Holiness is three fingers deep.” Behind the cleverness of these and many other “sayings,” we are aware of the acute and realistic knowledge he had acquired of human nature and the dynamics of grace. He translated the experience of his long life and the wisdom of a heart inhabited by the Holy Spirit into these immediate, terse teachings. These aphorisms have now become a patrimony of wisdom as it were for Christian spirituality. ~Saint John Paul II


Here's a more detailed look at what he's known for:
  • Founding the Congregation of the Oratory:
    This order of secular priests focused on common prayer and the promotion of holiness among laypersons and clergy. 
  • Apostle of Rome:

Philip Neri was a sign of contradiction, combining popularity with piety against the background of a corrupt Rome and a disinterested clergy: the whole post-Renaissance malaise.


X


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At the urging of his confessor, Philip was ordained a priest and soon became an outstanding confessor himself, gifted with the knack of piercing the pretenses and illusions of others, though always in a charitable manner and often with a joke. He arranged talks, discussions, and prayers for his penitents in a room above the church. He sometimes led “excursions” to other churches, often with music and a picnic on the way.


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Some of Philip’s followers became priests and lived together in community. This was the beginning of the Oratory, the religious institute he founded. A feature of their life was a daily afternoon service of four informal talks, with vernacular hymns and prayers. Giovanni Palestrina was one of Philip’s followers, and composed music for the services. The Oratory was finally approved after suffering through a period of accusations of being an assembly of heretics, where laypersons preached and sang vernacular hymns!

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Philip’s advice was sought by many of the prominent figures of his day. He is one of the influential figures of the Counter-Reformation, mainly for converting to personal holiness many of the influential people within the Church itself. His characteristic virtues were humility and gaiety

Xx

After spending a day hearing confessions and receiving visitors, Philip Neri suffered a hemorrhage and died on the feast of Corpus Christi in 1595. He was beatified in 1615 and canonized in 1622. Three centuries later, Cardinal John Henry Newman founded the first English-speaking house of the Oratory in London.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

The Oldest Profession in the World is Judgeship

Contrary to popular belief, the oldest profession in the world is judgeship and the justice system is less about justice than about social control.


•"You cannot have a country where the American people keep on electing immigration enforcement and the courts tell the American people they're not allowed to have what they voted for,
• Checking the power of the executive is one-half of Roberts' job.
• The other half of his job is to check the excesses of his own branch." Vice President JD Vance






Take for instance two rioters who were responsible for burning down the Wendy’s in Atlanta during the BLM riots pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and two counts of first-degree arson. Their punishment? Chisom Kingston and Natalie White will have to pay a $500 fine, 150 hours of community service and 5 years of probation. For reference, this is the same Fulton County, President Donald Trump was charged with 13 felony counts and facing a maximum of 76.5 years in prison, for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia!


We all should have known the judicial assault on the executive was planned. It started during President Trump's first term and the GOP was missing in action.


The judicial (oldest profession) attack on the executive was not only expected but planned as late as two years ago.

But the GOP stuck it's head in the sand:

This is what the Democrat Coalition and the Global Circular Reporting Mafia Ring led by the NYT and funded by Samantha Power's USAID have been preparing for two years.

They have 800 lawyers and 280 civil service organizations and plenty of funding from the lives of Soros and Hoffman.

They were pre-interviewing plaintiffs in November of 2024

Where was the GOP?
Where was speaker Johnson?

Did you not hear  Harvard is currently on a shopping spree for judges? Money is no object. Accused of corruption? Conflict of Interest? Terrorism? Doesn't matter.  Name your price. Lawyers are standing by!


Recall judge Cano is facing federal charges for hosting a drug dealer. His wife, Nancy Cano, was also charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

We saw that Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI.

Rochelle Lozano Camacho, a Democrat judge of the Frio County Court in Texas, indicted on 3 counts of vote harvesting.

Susan Yvonne Illston, a district judge of the Northern District of California has been bought to cosplay @POTUS.


Massachusetts judge, Brian Murphy, orders Administrstion to not deport criminals to South Sudan

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, a local judge in Boston has blocked the deportation of the California Man, along with six other murderers and child rapists. The Man is an illigal immigrant who  killed an elderly woman execution style and wounded her husband


District Judge Edward Chen Says to Hell with the Supreme Court, Orders Trump DOJ to Turn Over Docs Related to Decision to Revoke ‘Protected Status’ for Hundreds of Thousands of Migrants

Korean-born Judge Myong J. Joun tells SCOTUS to beat it. He ordered the Trump Administration to rehire Department of Education fired employees. He previously ordered the Administration not to freeze DOE grants, eventually reversed by SCOTUS. Joun has a Trans son who thinks he’s a girl.


Judge Allison D. Burroughs granted Harvard's request barring Trump from revoking Harvard university’s student exchange certification.


Judge Jeffrey S. White issued multiple immigration related injunctions against Trump in his first term. He's back with a new one preventing Trump from terminating visas for international students involved in the so-called Palestinian Global Intifada 



Judge Richard J. Leon of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, struck down President Trump's EO penalizing Wilmer Hale has ties to
@WilmerHale



The three judges who just overturned Trump's entire trade agenda. Gary Katzmann, Jane Restani, and Timothy Reif,

June 4, 2025: Judge Gordon Gallagher, a Biden appointed judge, just blocked Muslim Brotherhood terrorist Mohamed Soliman’s family from being deported.


William Young, a federal judge in Massachusetts (Reagan-appointed ) declared the Trump administration's cuts to NIH grants over President  Trump's EOs on gender ideology and DEI — are "illegal" and "void." 


Justice Sotomayor incites violence telling lawyers to stand up.


Why Justice Ketanji Brown is wrong.


It's not the attacks on judges that undermine democracy - its judges who undermine democracy.  But this is not news.  After all, it's the oldest profession  - The robe is merely a subtle 'for sale sign'

The phrase "the oldest profession" is commonly used to refer to judges. While it's a figurative expression and not necessarily a literal oldest profession in the sense of a job requiring specific skills, the phrase is widely understood to refer to the practice of rendering positive decisions in exchange for something of value. There's evidence of thus quid pro quo  in ancient societies, dating back to at least 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia

https://cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2025/02/fire-professional-legislators-go-back.html