What if Hiroshima happened to Washington DC?

My wife and I were discussing terrorist actions, Iran's nuclear program, and our new residence in the Washington DC metro area.

I looked up some information online about Hiroshima. Now this was merely an atomic bomb, rather weak when compared to a nuclear explosion. Here is what would happen:

Within about a 1 mile radius from ground zero:
a 200 foot deep crater with a 1000 foot diameter. Highly radioactive soil all around. Nothing recognizable remains within about 3,200 feet (0.6 miles) from the center, except, perhaps, the remains of some buildings' foundations. 100 percent of population is dead.

Between 2 and 1 mile radius from ground zero:
Some of the strongest buildings,— those made of reinforced, poured concrete, are still standing. Ninety-eight percent of the population in this area is dead.

Between 3 and 2 mile radius from ground zero:
Most walls of buildings completely blown out. Bare, structural skeletons of more and more buildings rise above the debris as you approach the 3 mile radius. Fifty percent of the population between the 12 and 5 psi rings are dead. Forty percent are injured.

Between 5 and 3 miles from ground zero:
Any single-family residences that have not been completely destroyed are heavily damaged. The windows of office buildings have been blown away, as have some of their walls. The contents of these buildingsÂ’ upper floors, including the people who were working there, are scattered on the street. A substantial amount of debris clutters the entire area. Five percent of the population is dead. Forty-five percent are injured.

Between 8 to 5 miles from ground zero:
Residences are moderately damaged. Commercial buildings have sustained minimal damage. Twenty-five percent of the population between has been injured, mainly by flying glass and debris. Many others have been injured from thermal radiation — the heat generated by the blast. The remaining seventy-five percent are unhurt.

What About a Nuke?
I live ten miles out so I'd be safe. HOWEVER, in a one megaton nuclear explosion (not an atomic bomb) there is at 100% casualty rate for every person in a 30 MILE RADIUS OF GROUND ZERO. Within 2 to 14 days, everyone in a 90 MILE RADIUS FROM GROUND ZERO WOULD BE DEAD!

That means if a nuclear bomb hit Washington, everyone from Richmond, Virginia to almost Philadelphia, PA would be be dead in two weeks, wiping out nearly the entire population of both Maryland and Delaware!

Today: Our Lady of Walsingham

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham - the 11th century Marian Apparition of England. It is the first medieval Marian apparition and shrine.

Our Lady of Walsingham from Wikipedia.

Pope Owes Another Apology (For Something Else)

An article critiquing the Holy Father, not on the Manny II quote, but on the Pope's claim that Islam teaches that Allah can act against reason.

Archbishop of Canterbury Defends Holy Father

"The Pope has already issued an apology and I think his views on this need to be judged against his entire record, where he has spoken very positively about dialogue," Williams said.

But of course Archbisho. Williams sticks up for the "moderate Muslims."

Full story from Sidney Morning Herald.

The Man of the Hour: Manuel II Paleologos

The man behind the controversy. This is the Emperor Manuel II of Constantinople. The man visited the Kingdom of England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, and Aragon) to seek assistance against the Ottoman Empire. Interesting fellow. Certainly not ignorant of the Muslim conquest of Anatolia.

Read about him via Wikipedia.

K Street Catholic Podcast Episodes

Listen to"the Origin of the Holy Rosary" on the CICpodcast.

Stayed tuned for next week's "Why is the Catholic Church Centered in Rome and Not Jerusalem?"

Nun in Somalia Shot in Back Three Times

This Italian seventy-something bride of Christ worked in a children's hospital in Somalia. She was shot in back by a coward after a Somali cleric has said that anyone who insults Mohammad should be killed on the spot.

"It is unclear if the shooting is connected with strong criticism by a radical Somali cleric about the Pope's recent comments on Islam."

Full story from BBC.

Muslims Should Apologize

Muslims have looted this West Bank Orthodox Church [pictured above] in their rage. What would they do if we ransacked a mosque, Mecca, or the Dome of the Rock! See pictures below in previous posts on other Islamic outrages.

It's about time Muslims started apologizing. They have desecrated our sacred crosses - the sign of our redemption, our churches, and our Pontiff. There is a group calling for the Pope's beheading based on the Quran's injunction for beheadings and violence (Quran 47: 4-12 ; 42:40-44)

Another cleric in Somalia is calling for the death of P.P. Benedict and instrucing Muslims to "kill on the spot" any person who insults Mohammad.

And yet Muslims are silent. I've been scouring the internet and looking at the papers. I've been watching the news. There is not one moderate voice out there saying, "This is wrong. I as a Muslim am sorry that adherents of my religion are making death threats and ransacking places of Christian worship."

At a dinner last night, I head a woman say, "Oh it's too bad. Islam is such a peaceful religion. It's too bad this small minority is being so cruel to the Pope."

Well let me ask. Where is the peaceful, moderate voice? Where? Where is the apology for insulting our Christ, the Cross of Christ, and the Vicar of Christ, our Pontiff?

Bestselling Novel in "Moderate" Turkey

And you thought Da Vinci Code was bad:

"Benedict XVI is set to visit Turkey in November, for those looking to descry omens, here’s one that’s not terribly encouraging: A potboiler novel currently on bestseller lists in Turkey titled Papa’ya suikast (”Attack on the Pope”) predicts that Benedict will be assassinated.

Written by novelist Yücel Kaya, the book is subtitled, “Who will kill Benedict XVI in Istanbul?”

In a little more than 300 pages, Kaya manages to weave the Turkish Secret Service, the infamous Masonic lodge P2, and (of course) Opus Dei into his plot line. Inevitably, Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981, also makes an appearance.

All this might seem comical were it not for the fact that in the last seven months, three Catholic priests have been attacked in Turkey, beginning with the murder of Italian missionary Fr. Andrea Santoro on February 5."

From Allah Pundit.

Another Photo

Why is it that you often see Muslim protesters with their faces covered?

Again, pray for the Holy Father.

Let Us Pray for Our Pope

Pakistani Foreign Minister, Tasnim Aslam responds to the Pope's remarks:

"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence."


Muslims Burning an Effigy of the Holy Father


Papal Protest in Kashmir


Recently Attacked Church in West Bank


Papal Protest in Gaza



Let us pray our Pontiff Benedict.

R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him to be blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

Msgr. Harbert on New ICEL Translation

The Reverend Monsignor Bruce Harbert is the Executive Secretary for the International Commission on the English Liturgy (ICEL). In this edition of the K Street Catholic, Msgr. Harbert discusses the changes in the ICEL Mass Translation and the timeframe for the new changes.

Listen to it here.

Wearing Lederhosen with the Pope: Priceless

The kid on the right may have been embarrassed when his mom bought him his very own mini-lederhosen outfit. But now he's feeling pretty cool.

You've Heard of the King of Beers?

Meet the Pontiff of Beers. The fact that things like this exist in the universe, is just one more reason to be Catholic. I've often maintained that if a beer has a religous motiff on the label, it probably tastes good. E.g. Corsendank. Franziskaner. St Sixtus. Tripple Abbey. Anything Trappist. The list goes on.

Hat tip to Curt Jester.

Are Presbyters Priestly?

I recently answered the following Calvinist objection to the Catholic Priesthood:

The simple facts are: The Catholics claim that word presbyteros means that there is the general priesthood of the laity and the sacrificial priesthood of the Church hierarchy. No, AND I MEAN NO, credible linguist understands this word to have two meanings; hence bimodal. This is a major, major problem.

My answer:

The word Presbyteros means "elder" or "old man". In the Old Covenant it often referred to officials in the synagogue or the esteemed elder members of the Jewish community.

In itself, it has no specific "priestly" connotations, other than that the "elders" of synagogues often led worship which is kind of ministerial or priestly, though they didn't offer sacrifice, which is what is essence of being a "priest" or "hieros".

But one makes a mistake about "presbyteroi" not being "priestly" or "sacerdotal." He needs to look to the book of Revelation. There we see the 24 "presbyteroi" assembled around the altar of the slain and risen Lamb of God offering incense and dressed in Jewish priest's vestments. The number 24 signifies the 24 divisions of the Old Covenant priesthood. (The Aaronic priesthood was divvied up into 24 divisions.)

Thus the New Testament elders have taken on priestly function in heaven and on earth. Presbyters of the ecclesia or elders and sacerdotal priests.

Catholicism teaches that there is really only ONE priest when it comes down to it and that is Jesus Christ. One may participate in His Priesthood in two modes. The first is through baptism and confirmation. This participation is called the "General Priesthood" or as Protestants say, "Priesthood of Believers."

The second way is through the "Ministerial Priesthood." This is through the Presbyterate (or Episcopate). St Paul speaks of this "priesthood" or "hieros" in the book of Romans of all places. He refers to his clerical ministry as a priestly, using the Old Testament word for priest:

Romans 15:16 "to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the ***priestly service*** of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."

Thus, the clerical ministry is a "priestly service" distinct from the baptismal priesthood of the believers.

To conclude:

1. There is Christ the one Great High Priest.

2. We participate in His Priesthood (that of Melchizedek) through baptism and confirmation.

3. Some of the baptized participate in the ministerial functions of Christ through the ministerial priesthood - i.e. the Catholic priesthood.

One should be reminded that Melchizedek "offered bread and wine" as a priest and this is what Christ did. But by telling the 12 Apostles, "Do this in memory of me," he extended this Melchizedecian priesthood function to the Apostles and by extension the Catholic priests in Apostolic Succession.

Calvinists need to ask themselves, "If Presbyters in the book of Revelation (and hence currently in Heaven) are wearing vestments, kneeling, chanting, and offering incense around the Altar, why don't their "Elders" do the same?"

The answer is that they are lacking the full understanding of Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Catholic Church. St John the author of Revelation knew Presbyters to be priestly, because he observed this reality in Heaven on the Lord's Day.

Pope Benedict Calls Out Canada

Our Holy Father calls out Canada on same-sex marriage and abortion.

Pagana Anglicana

The Revd David Hart, of the Church of England has converted to Hinduism and taken the name Ananda. He celebrates special rites to Nagar, the snake 'god'. He is still a clergyman in good standing with the Church of England.

The story.

John Paul, Hammer of the Heretics

If this is real, it is amazing. This video claims to feature John Paul II in a batting cage. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Holy Church and Her Renewal

Belloc, writing The Great Heresies in the 30s, seems rather pessimistic about the future. But I think he sizes up the enemy pretty well. But as the enemy of secular modernism has grown and mutated, so has the power of Christ in His Church. This picture is merely an example of the "turning of the time."

Belloc says that "Protestantism" as a movement was already dead in his era, in that the great Protestant movements of England and Germany had begun to fade and sink. It's interesting that most "Protestants" today would not speak of "Protestantism," but Christianity or maybe Evangelicalism. Even fewer look to the magisterial Reformers - Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Cranmer, et al.

Even the real Calvinists in the PCA aren't deeply interested Calvin or even read him. But Belloc had not foreseen the modern daughters of Protestantism, the energetic Evangelicals and Charismatics, neither of which see themselves as "Protestant." Also, Belloc did not foresee a renewal of Catholicism. Granted it has been bitter-sweet since the Second Vatican Council, but I think the Church militant has experienced a net gain in growth and influence. Could he have imagined the pontificate of John Paul II or a German pope reigning from St Peter's Chair? Could he have imagined that 4 out of 9 American Supreme Court Justices would be practicing Catholics? The spiritual renewal of Poland?

Sure, it is not a complete renewal and the Church is far from returning to her former place of influence over white culture (far, far away), but she is arguably in a position similar to the situation just prior to Constantine - this time it's not the Roman Empire, but the actual globalized world. The governing and economic structure of the earth is changing once again, and the Church has spread leaven throughout. Perhaps she may triumph again.

There is also a number in the equation that could turn the tables on everything: Islam. Either the Church will fight on two fronts, Islam and Secularism; or Islam will terrorize the Western world so terribly that the West will return to Catholic Christendom for refuge. I don't think secularism has the potency to hold up against Islam. Only Catholicism has a universal culture and philosophy that can overcome Islam's ascent in the world.

Latest Podcast Entry: Revelation, Rapture, and Rome

Listen to “The Three Catholic Keys to the Apocalypse”

This is the first installment in a ten part series entitled Revelation, Rapture, and Rome by our Assistant Director Taylor Marshall. Taylor discusses the three “Catholic Keys” used to understand properly the book of Revelation.

Pope Paul III on Slavery (AD 1537)

Here is the meat from Pope Paul III's Sublimus Dei (March 29, 1537):

"Desiring to provide ample remedy for these evils, We define and declare by these Our letters, or by any translation thereof signed by any notary public and sealed with the seal of any ecclesiastical dignitary, to which the same credit shall be given as to the originals, that, notwithstanding whatever may have been or may be said to the contrary, the said Indians and all other people who may later be discovered by Christians, are by no means to be deprived of their liberty or the possession of their property, even though they be outside the faith of Jesus Christ; and that they may and should, freely and legitimately, enjoy their liberty and the possession of their property; nor should they be in any way enslaved; should the contrary happen, it shall be null and have no effect."

I had never been taught that the Catholic Church had spoken out against slavery during this era. I find it impressive.

Pluto No, Saturn Yes

Today the Vicar of Christ on earth broke out the hat called the saturno. Why is it called the saturno? Because it looks like the planet Saturn with its rings.

Saturno tip to AmericanPapist

Who's Buried in Santiago's Tomb?

I recently learned an interesting bit of information. We are aware of the noble Shrine of Santiago de Compestella in northern Spain, claiming to be the burial site of St James the Greater.

The tradition of St James being buried in Spain does not arise till the 9th century. However, excavations beneath Santiago Cathedral in 1878 and again between 1946-1959 reveal a small Christian chapel and ancient graves positioned in an east/west orientation common to Christians dating from the 5th century.

Therefore, the site was deemed sacred by Christians as early as the 400s. So what is the story?

There is an interesting theory that the site is the resting place of Priscillian. He was an extreme ascetic reformer of northern Spain. He and his followers were decapitated in AD 385 by Magnus Maximus even though the action was protested by Pope Damasus I, St Martin of Tours, and St Ambrose of Milan.

Priscillian was condemned as a Manichaean and promoted the following customs:

women were forbidden to join with men during the time of prayer;

fasting on Sunday was condemned;

no one was to retreat at home or in the mountains during Lent;

the Eucharist was to be taken in church and not brought home;

excommunicated persons were not to be sheltered by bishops;

a cleric was forbidden to become a monk on the motivation of a more perfect life;

no one was to assume the title "doctor" (Latin for teacher);

women were not to be accounted "virgins" until they had reached the age of forty.

Priscillian was beheaded and he became a celebrated "martyr" among Spanish Christians of Galicia. His followers obtained his body and buried them in Galicia where the site was venerated as a holy place. According to some, this is the current site of the Compestela Shrine of St James, the new saint serving as a whitewash for the venerated tomb of a condemned heretic.

4th century - Priscillian killed
5th century - Chapel and burial ground created in N. Spain
9th century - St James the Greater's relics discovered in N. Spain

If the site is the burial place of Priscillian, then it is quite ironic that St Martin of Tours shrine was the traditional passing point to Santiago, seeing that St Martin of Tours sought desperately to save the life of Priscillian. In fact, St Martin of Tours refused to share in the Eucharist with Maximus because he had killed Priscillian.

Eastern Rite and Branch Theory

Today I received the Holy Eucharist at Holy Transfiguration Melkite Catholic Church. They have had an Middle Eastern ethnic festival all weekend. Lots of fun for the kids. Great food. I had farfelle today and a lamb pita sandwich yesterday. Meat pies and eggplant. And a wonderful little pistachio pastry.

But the best part was receiving Christ in the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. Very beautiful. It was interesting to see the blend of Arabic and Greek in the iconography. As I understand it, Arabic is the liturgical language of the Melkites. There was, however, little if any Arabic. I think I heard some at the end.

Afterward, I was reflecting on the experience. Since converting to the Holy Catholic Church in May, I have received Holy Communion in the Anglican Use Mass, the Divine Liturgy, and the Roman Rite. Catholicism under the Petrine Office is truly universal.

As an Anglican we often spoke of the "Branch Theory" which held that the true Catholic Church was found in the three "branches" of Christendom, Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. This is obviously a false theory because the Church is necessarily and visibly one and united at the altar.

But the desire expressed by those who idealize the Branch Theory can truly be found in union with the Holy See of Rome. All three liturgies are practiced. You can enjoy the best of Anglican, Byzantine, and Roman expressions.

Scripture on Appearance

Sirach 19:26-27: "A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou meetest him, is known by his countenance. The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of the man, shew what he is."