The underlying idea is that in some people – and I stress some people – chronic illness might look like this: a very ancient and primitive part of the brain and nervous system believes it has detected danger, possibly a tiger or something like that, and so it produces pain or a whole range of symptoms in an effort to get the sufferer to close down and protect herself. The nervous system does this very effectively and it can carry on doing it for decades. It is really very inventive. I feel that mine ought to be eligible for some sort of prize.

Padre Pio was forbidden from saying public Mass and hearing confessions. I seem to remember Catherine of Siena was told she couldn’t receive the Eucharist daily because her ecstasies were distracting. and these prohibitions were unjust—and in the case of Padre Pio, prevented him from ministering to people whom he might have helped—but they obeyed!! because they believed humble submission to the will of God in and through the authority of His Church was more important than fighting to be seen as right. they were vindicated by history, and if they weren't, they still would have been vindicated at the Last Judgment. but it was still right that they be obedient.

something something "the average country has 10000 prime ministers per election cycle" is a misconception. united kingdoms georg, which has had 10000 prime ministers since 2019, is an outlier and should have never been counted

Bro doesn’t know that the love of the Sacred Heart washes over him