Honor thy Father and thy Mother

This noble and Divine command to honor our father and mother, given by God to Moses and the Israelites on Mt. Sinai, indicates the dignity and importance of the state of matrimony in salvation history.

          Our Lord Himself was present for the celebration of the wedding feast at Cana, and, at the suggestion of His most Blessed Mother, performed His first public miracle, all because neither wanted to see the bridegroom and bride embarrassed for lack of wine, displaying a very human trait of sympathy. 

          Our Lord also raised the wedding of man and woman in matrimony to that of a sacrament: an outward sign instituted by God for the conferring of grace.

          There have been numerous articles written about the Synod on the Family that took place recently in Rome.   What came out of that Synod was a hint that the Church should look more favorably on unnatural “unions” of two males or two females.  (Such an unholy relationship confers only death to the soul and scandal.)  This, of course, directly contradicts what the Church has always and everywhere believed and taught on Faith and morals down through the millennia.

          And then there is the recent announcement that the Archdiocese of New York will close and then “consolidate” parishes over the next several years, totaling one-hundred-twelve in all.  This is nearly one-third of all the parishes in the New York area.

          Why is this happening?

          The answer is simple, yet compelling: there are not enough people to fill the pews. 

          Again, the question is why?

          The contraceptive mentality that infiltrated the mindset of Catholics in this country and around the world has led to fewer babies bring born to fill those pews.   The population “replacement rate” has decreased dramatically, not only in this country, but also in most Western nations.  So the main reason for a man and a woman to enter the married state is further contradicted for the sake of convenience, which is nothing short of selfishness.  In other cases, the extreme method of “birth control” is the heinous act of aborting the developing baby in the womb of her mother.

          In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 19, 3-6, Our Lord elevated marriage, which God had blessed in creating Adam and Eve, to a holy sacrament “…the Pharisees came to Jesus to tempt Him and saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?  Who answering said to them, have ye not read, that He Who made man from the beginning, made them male and female?  And He said, for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.  Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh.  What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” 

          St. Paul echoes these same words in Ephesians, Chapter 5.  He uses the analogy of Christ and His Church to that of a husband and his wife.  Ge goes on to say: “… let women be subject to their husbands as to the Lord; because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church: He is the Savior of His Body.  Therefore, as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for it… So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.  He that loveth his wife, loveth himself: for no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it; as also Christ doth the Church: for we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” 

          There is no “wiggle room” here.  Marriage, elevated by Christ to a sacrament for the baptized, is the union made between a man and a woman for the purpose of bringing children into the world and rearing them in the Faith, for the salvation of these children, their own salvation, and for the greater honor and glory of God.  Husband and wife are co-creators with the Divine Creator.  Two males or two females, of course, can never co-create.  There is no “union,” never mind marriage.

          We know that man-made judgments – coming from an activist judiciary – have recently “blessed” the “rights” of the unions of two males or two females, but such judgments are null and void, as they contradict the Natural Law instilled by God in every human heart.  Such is the teaching of the Church and such is common sense.  Those politicians who dare to violate God’s law, sin gravely, especially so if they are “Catholic.”

          We read in the Catholic Encyclopedia: “Marriage is a contract and is by its very nature above human law.  It was instituted by God, is subject to the Divine law, and cannot for that reason be rescinded by human law.  Those who contract marriage do so indeed by their own free wills, but they must assume the contract and its obligations unconditionally.   Marriage is natural in purpose, but Divine in origin.  It is sacred, being intended primarily by the Author of life to perpetuate His creative act and to beget children of God; its secondary ends are mutual society and help, and a lawful remedy for concupiscence.  Human law certainly takes cognizance of marriage, but marriage, not having been established by man, its essential properties cannot be annulled by such law.  Marriage is monogamic and indissoluble; death alone dissolves the union when consummated.” 

          Also in the Catholic Encyclopedia: “In the Old and the New Testament, the love of God for man, and, in particular His relations with His chosen people (whether of the Synagogue or of the Church), are frequently typified under the form of the relations between bridegroom and bride.” 

          The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ.  Christ, the Head, is one with His members.  In heaven, the Church militant has become the Church triumphant, forever.  The Union is indissoluble.  So, too, therefore, in this life, the union of husband and wife, as a figure of the Church, is indissoluble, while both partners live.  Any power on earth that would dare to assume that it could abrogate this sacramental union, as the state attempts to do in sanctioning divorce, is in defiance of God Almighty.  

E. DeLalla.

Patriotism?

Though this article refers to Iraq, it also applies to the many nations that we have since invaded, mainly for regime change – and to further secure additional energy sources.

          As former Sec. of State, James Baker once said in an interview: it’s about jobs. 

          Did you get that?  It’s about jobs?   Attacking, killing and maiming, and destabilization of nation states is about jobs? 

         

          Isn’t that called blood money?  But who cares these days..

    As I was driving on Route 202 through Jaffrey recently, I saw a late model pickup truck with a huge Old Glory crisply flapping in the breeze created by the forward movement of the truck.

  The Flag was one of the biggest I have seen attached to any vehicle since 9/11 and apparently reflected the truck driver's pride in his country and fervent patriotism.   Or did it?

    With the prospect of the United States engaging in a unilateral action against Iraq without concurrence of the United Nations, or a formal declaration of war, the national attitude is not one of solidarity for war.   There is much dissention and disagreement as to whether or not Iraq should be invaded by us -- or anyone, for that matter -- without giving the weapons inspectors more time to complete their mission.

  The weapons inspectors’ recent report to the U.N. indicates that progress is being made, albeit slowly and reluctantly.     

    War is not glorious at all.   It robs a nation of its treasure -- especially that of its citizen army (and airman and sailors too) -- and destroys equipment and property.   Plus, there are always the innocent that are killed along with the "enemy." 

   

    For a righteous war to be fought, it must meet the criteria for a just war -- are these criteria present in the case of Iraq?   I think not.

    I hope that the pickup truck driver flying our Flag the other day knows the difference between patriotism and nationalism.   The differences are titanic and must be understood in order to avoid what happened in early 1930's Germany.  

    For the Catholic patriot (as I am), the situation is more complex and requires that his Faith be integrated with his love of country.   I am finding out that this is no small task, being a Vietnam veteran and extremely pro-military, I must still apply those critical standards for a just war.   I do not find those standards being met; therefore, I cannot support a unilateral action against the nation of Iraq.

E. De Lalla    

     

   

Can't see the forest from the trees

                    Not being able to see the forest for the trees!

Not a day goes by that I don’t read some article by a “conservative” writer – whether in a column for the almost uncountable publications, or in an editorial – lamenting the sad state of our beloved country.  

These lamentations include, but are not limited to, a runaway judiciary; special interest groups demanding more and more “rights”; abortion; the anti-God folks, and liberalism in general.  

To be sure, they have valid points to complain and write about, but there also seems to be some crucial element that is missing from their logic – especially when it comes to proposing a solution – if they do -- to the myriad problems that currently plague our nation.

Do I have the answer to these increasingly serious problems?

I’ll let you be the judge…  

First, let us look at the current state of affairs of a once great country: a country, I might add that had the full potential to be the republic that our first President, the great George Washington, visualized before he was the President.  

In addition to the seemingly insurmountable problems that I listed above, there is the eroding of our sovereignty.

Why is this important?

Because if we lose our sovereignty to the new world order, we cannot function independently of them and if we cannot function independently of them, it follows that we will soon become subject to them – the world of nations that is.  

But is that so bad?  

Yes, very!

The first forerunner of this new world order is that dubious organization, the United Nations.   And now, there is another – dubious at best – organization that has formed in Europe, the so-called European Union.

There has been more opposition to the United Nations – though you and I would be hard-pressed to see it in print -- and now the European Union -- than has been talked or written about in much of the world’s liberal media.   But the opposition IS there.   There are still some factions in those European countries that know that they have forfeited their sovereignty; but for what purpose? --   Monetary strength in dealing with the United States perhaps? --   Military strength in dealing with…?

Granted, it is possible that the European continent still perceives a threat from Russia, but we know that to be ludicrous, why?   Because communism is dead, right?

There is still another insidious organization that has recently flexed its muscle AGAINST the United States: the World Trade Organization.   Just this past year, it TOLD the President that if he didn’t remove the tariff on imported steel, they would IMPOSE billions – that’s billions with a “b” – in tariffs and fines on some of our products.  

And what was the reaction of our president?   He is now thinking of, and probably will, remove those tariffs that were put in place to help the struggling steel industry here at home.  

I guess we can see just who won this particular arm-wrestling match!  

So, we have the United Nations, the European Union, the World Trade Organization, as well as the World Court.  

As a sidebar, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was recently quoted as saying that in the future, the Supreme Court must take into account international law and decisions made by their courts when our courts decide cases.   What?  

Does anyone see a pattern here?   Can we now see what the loss of our sovereignty means?  

Does anyone remember or at least read about the Marshall Plan after World War II.   Through it, we rebuilt Europe, and now, they would have us under their thumbnail.   Let us not forget too, the countless thousands of our soldiers buried in the soil on the Continent who died for THEIR freedom!  

Early in the history of our country, there was a “doctrine” set in place to keep foreign countries from interfering in the American hemisphere; it was called the Monroe Doctrine.   Now, it seems, we have a twisted, reverse version of the Monroe Doctrine not only in the areas of economics and law, but also in the very area of our cherished sovereignty.

Even our borders are not secure and are open to all those who have some initiative and imagination, enter as they please and cause, at the very least, a drain on our resources and at worst, an avenue for criminals and terrorists of all sorts.  

You would think that the United Nations, the World Court, the European Union and the World Trade Organization, would, on its surface, appear to be the ideal organizations to help prevent wars, rampant poverty, and upholding of “human rights” around the globe (I don’t like to use the word “planet”).   But a glance at the record points in the opposite direction, why?  

One of the answers to these questions could befall of our first parents.   How?   Well, because of that infamous fall, mankind has been spiritually weak as well as weak-kneed ever since.  

It seems as though man has become a god unto himself; thinking that he can solve all problems by simply throwing money, lots of money into the “system” and cure all that ails us.

In addition, the leaders of the above mentioned organizations seem to think that they are the ones in charge of human affairs and happenings around the globe, but what they don’t realize or refuse to realize, is that they are not in charge.   There will be no lasting peace on earth; no lasting solutions to economic and social injustice; no end to the hideous abomination of world-wide, rampant abortion; few if any stable governments with equitable laws for its citizens and certainly no recognition of the one, true religion as proclaimed by the Church for the last two millennia.   Not unless and until those heads of governments around the world acknowledge and submit their governance to the unchanging, eternal Kingship of Christ.

Is this an answer?   No, this is THE answer!   And until our “conservative” writer friends realize that without the Social Kingship of Christ, they will never be able to see the forest for the trees!   

E. De Lalla.       

More filth at the checkout stand.doc

Filth at the checkout stand…

          As I entered the store, I glanced to my right and saw the first of the titillating magazines on display: the cover showed a side angle of a woman – a “celebrity” – with nothing on from the waist up and clearly showing the contour of her breast.

Next, it was easy to read the headline of a “tabloid” type newspaper extolling some form of sexual perversion between politician “a” and mistress “b”.

And once more, as I walked down the isle – with magazine facing head-0n – was a female – I hesitate to call these females women – with only her long, brown hair covering her un-clothed front.

Then there were the “fitness” magazines that left little to the imagination – usually, “men” and “women” in near embraces and wearing very little.  

          Was I in an “X-rated” video or book store inconspicuously tucked away in some dimly lit alley in downtown Boston or New York? 

          No, I was in a Rite-Aid pharmacy in Jaffrey.   But, I could have been in Wal-Mart or Hannaford Brothers or Shaw’s or CVS in Keene!  

          I find it interesting that there is no outcry from the families that patronize these establishments – particularly those with children – and demand that this filth be taken out of their stores.   Once more, it seems that the management of these retail operations sees fit to have these publications at eye level – at the checkout stands – where it is almost impossible to miss.  

          Why is that?

Is it because we have become so numb to what is corrupt and accepted as “normal” that we have lost our sense of what we should do in light of the evil that surrounds us?   Should we not fight those elements and establishments that threaten our children and their innocence, or has political correctness corrupted us into thinking that we must be tolerant of everything and to live and let live?

There are sins of commission and omission: ours is the sin of omission.   In the end, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

E. De Lalla  

 

Living dangerously 5 16 04.doc

5/16/04

                                        Living Dangerously

          “See you Frank,” “see you Monday Bill.”

The question begs: how do we know that Frank and Bill will see each other on Monday? 

          What does it mean to be living dangerously anyway?

Am I talking about jet pilots; professional rock or mountain climbers; stock car racers – all very dangerous occupations or pastimes to be sure, but what is it that makes the way they are living truly dangerous – not only to their physical well-being, but also to their state of soul?  

So many minds are so numbed to anything except what is felt or seen or heard and not open to what is hidden from our superficial knowledge of what our senses tell us.

Many people today just cannot fathom those things that are “hidden” from the senses, and because of this, perhaps, they live as though there is no tomorrow.  

So, how does Frank know that he will see his friend Bill on Monday?   He doesn’t know.   And neither does Bill know if he will see his friend Frank.  

I will state at the outset that Frank and Bill do not have very hazardous occupations or pastimes, but Frank and Bill are representative of, what seems to be, the majority of those who call themselves the average “man on the street” – working; paying a mortgage; raising a family – these days, a quite small family if Frank and Bill are the “average” American heads of households; playing or attending their favorite sporting events on the weekends; or simply going to the mall on Saturday.  

Frank and Bill are also representative of those who call themselves “Christian” and maybe even Catholic; perhaps, attend some type of church service.   In many instances, the average Frank and Bill do not attend any church service at all, let alone raise their children to at least fear the Lord.   But Frank and Bill are “good people”; they take care of their wives and children and generally provide well for them and their needs.   And, after all, “they believe in God.”

These days, those who are classified or thought of as “good,” can’t possibly be sent to hell just because they don’t “go to church” or raise their children to fear the Lord, or might have just one fling after they tell their wives that they have to “work late at the office.”   Who is sent to hell these days anyway?   Even the liberalized, new order “Catholic” Church tells those of other “religions” that as long as they follow their consciences and lead “good lives,” they too can attain salvation and the Beatific Vision.   There is no need to convert these “good people” of other “faiths” to Our Lord’s one, true Church because God is all love and wouldn’t think of sending anyone to hell.

This false sense of security is rampant among the modern population especially in the United States of liberal America.   Those in authority in the Church can be held responsible for the loss and wondering flock in search of some tradition, some truth, something to cling to in light of the ambiguities of the day.   Many lost “Catholic” sheep find solace and a sense of tradition in other so-called religions – some of Eastern origin.

Modern Rome will have much to answer for when it comes to enforcing Church teaching, or, should I say, lack of enforcement.   The moral and spiritual beacon that was once Holy Church, has been weakened by a weak-kneed hierarchy; chiefly bishops and their subordinate priests who refuse to tell the dwindling attendees at Sunday Mass that there is, in fact, such a thing as evil; right and wrong; moral absolutes -- and hell.   They all say that we must be tolerant of other “religions” and “dialogue” with them in an effort to – to what?   Convert?   No, but to base some type of “unity” on what we have in common; this false sense of “Christian unity” was condemned by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical Mortalium Animos, 1928.  

So Frank and Bill go their merry way each day not realizing that their days are not guaranteed; only death and judgment are.

God and His one, true Church have been put on the backburner if thought of at all.

Sadly, entire families can and are lost to the evil one in a quest to attain “happiness” in this life.

Most folks don’t want to make waves or upset the applecart for fear of alienating family or friends.   And yet, this is just what we are told by Christ Himself that we must do: make waves; upset the applecart.   Or else we are not worthy to follow Him.

The God of “luv” is truly the God of Justice, but this is rarely mentioned in these latter days.   God also demands that we worship Him in a certain way; without innovation or novelty, but this too has been under attack for over 50 years now resulting in confusion as well as outright sacrilege in some instances.  

So, what is there to do for Frank and Bill and for ourselves, for that matter?   For Frank and Bill, if they show any good will at all, they must be evangelized in order that they might have the opportunity to amend their lives and the lives that have been entrusted to them and lead them down the narrow road that leads to the Kingdom of God.   For practicing Catholics, it is our job to continue to make waves; upset the applecart and evangelize the “Franks” and “Bills” of this world.   This one spiritual work of mercy can cover a multitude of sins and help save our own souls.

E. De Lalla.

  

  

  

 

   

Praying for our enemies...

Praying for our enemies.

For those who have family members in the military, or have served in the military in a war or combat zone, it would be easy to hate the enemy on the other side of the wire (perimeter).  

When I was on the inside of the wire, I knew that I had to stop whatever enemy attempt was made to gain entry to the air base I was assigned to protect.  If that meant killing the enemy, then that’s what I had to do. 

But did I hate the enemy?

I hated what he was doing and what he did.    I feared him and what he might do to me and my brothers, but how could I hate an individual without knowing him?

In battle, the series of events gets confused.  But the initial action is to neutralize the enemy, then, after the “smoke clears,” patch up the good guys as well as the bad guys.   Just as the bloodied, beaten man lay on the side of the road until the “enemy” – the Samaritan – came along and tended to his wounds and provided shelter until he was well.   If the wounded man was not of the true faith at the time, did the actions of the Samaritan, lead to his conversion?  

The Samaritan loved and prayed for his enemy, even though those like the wounded man hated the outsiders, those very same Samaritans. 

In 2008, an article was posted on the St. Benedict Center website entitled: The Seven Words, by Brian Kelly.

In that article, Mr. Kelly lists and explains the seven last utterances of Our Blessed Lord as He hung in His terrible agony on the Cross.   The first of those utterances, as recorded in the Gospels, pertains directly to the title of my short essay: Praying for our enemies.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  (St. Luke 23:34.)

But Our Lord expressed another “six words,” including: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”  (St. Matthew 27:46, also St. Mark 15:34.)

In His human nature, Jesus is suffering physical – and spiritual – pain that can only be imagined (or can it?).   And because of the almost unbearable distress, He exclaims in desperation of being forsaken by God, His Father.

Divinely speaking though, we know that did not happen.

When we feel that we have been wronged by our enemy, do we not also feel that we have been forsaken, and ask: why is this happening to me?   What did I do that caused someone to attack my character or reputation, and, in the extreme case, my physical well-being?  

There are no easy answers.   But we do know that evil is mysterious.

I think it would be safe to say that we all have, at one time or another, been exposed to evil and praying for those who perpetrate evil upon us is one of the most difficult commands that Our Lord gave to us.   This is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak, when it comes to living our faith.  

One of the greatest examples of forgiving our enemies, in addition to that of Our Lord forgiving His enemies from the Cross, is that of one of my favorite Saint-martyrs St. Stephen the proto-martyr of the Church (Feast Day, December 26). 

As Acts 7:58-59 tells us, as he was being stoned by the Jews for professing the Faith of Christ, he said: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”  (St. Augustine on Prayer, March 26, 2012, Brother Andre` Marie.)

Our Lord also tells us that there is no greater love for a man to lay down his life for his friend.

But what of a man’s enemy?

Who would be willing to lay down one’s life for an enemy if doing so would lead to that person’s conversion?      

Perhaps the way one dies would affect the one inflicting the heinous act upon us as some of those who tortured the Catholic faithful in the early centuries of the Church were converted by their martyrdom.  

And would such a sacrifice cover a multitude of sins for the last and ultimate act of that person on earth?  

Praying for one’s enemy is loving one’s enemy.

Our Lord tells us to not to hate our enemies, but to love them!   This is another big time test of our faith.  His command directly contradicts our fallen human nature to exact an eye for an eye.   But we are under the authority of the new covenant, not the old.

Our country and most of the Western nations are currently experiencing a moral morass that seems to be favoring the unnatural; the ungodly at the expense of those attempting to live a Christ-centered, Catholic life.  We are indeed surrounded by the enemies of the Faith both without and within the Church. 

Though it would be easy to become cynical and despair, all is not lost, as Our Lord overcame the world, the flesh, the devil – and death – through His bloody redemptive sacrifice.

But we have not been orphaned! 

As St. Peter and the Apostles were locked behind closed doors in the upper room for fear of the Jews, the Holy Ghost descended – as Our Lord promised – to invigorate and strengthen them to the point of martyrdom.   We too have His very flesh and blood, in the Holy Eucharist, to strengthen us to face whatever obstacles and roadblocks that may hinder us from finishing the race and winning the eternal prize (St. Paul).

In addition, He sent His most Blessed Mother to give us another weapon – the Rosary. 

This powerful, little weapon of choice is easy to reload by repeating the holy names of Jesus and Mary and begging for that final perseverance at the hour of our death.

If a physical martyrdom does come to the elect, may we be able to utter those last words of forgiveness and mercy for our enemies as St. Stephen did, so eloquently and so desperately, with his last breath.    

E. DeLalla

O Mary conceived without sin

Article for Mancipia.

“Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

No other human on earth hears my little prayer, one that is quickly followed-up with the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.

I articulate these two, little, but powerful prayers in the late evenings while performing maintenance chores in my commercial cleaning business.   (I’m now retired!!)

I do have an ulterior motive for repeating the prayer to our Blessed Mother: the protection of our son, James, now serving in the Marine Corps, and to St. Michael the Archangel that he, and his brothers, might never be sent to an unjust war or combat zone.  I also petition St. Michael to protect James from all moral, physical, or spiritual harm.  (James has since been honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.)

I also keep a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Miraculous Medal in my storage room.  The apparition of the most lovely and gracious “Lady of Guadalupe,” first appeared to the humble Aztec Indian, the now St. Juan Diego in 1531.

In the years that followed, it is estimated that over eleven million South Americans were converted to the Catholic Faith, a counter to the millions of Europeans that left the Faith and embraced Protestantism, whether by choice or coercion.  

In these days of uncertainty for our country – as well as for many other western countries, I know of no more powerful an Intercessor than the Mother of Our Lord.

The always-believed doctrine that the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Mother of both God and Man, and that Our Lord had both a Divine and Human nature, but is one Divine Person, had to be etched in stone at the third ecumenical Council at Ephesus in 431 A.D., under the authority of Pope St. Celestine.

The Council was called in response to the Bishop of Constantinople, Nestorius, claiming – and proclaiming – that the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Mother of Christ, but not God!   He further claimed that there were two persons in Christ, both human and divine. (St. Leo the Great: No Fear, No Compromise, the Lion in the Chair, February, 2008, by Brian Kelly, Catholicism.org.)

“The Council gave its verdict and excommunicated and anathematized Nestorius. The sentence received 198 signatures, and some more were afterwards added. A brief notification addressed to ‘the new Judas’ was sent to Nestorius. The Coptic Acts tell us that, as he would not receive it, it was affixed to his door. The whole business had been concluded in a single long session, and it was evening when the result was known. The people of Ephesus, full of rejoicing, escorted the fathers to their houses with torches and incense.”  (Catholic Encyclopedia; Council of Ephesus.)

As young children, we instinctively ran to our mothers for comfort and succor when we scraped our knee, or felt threatened in some way.

As adults, we may feel threatened in other ways, especially surrounded as we are by those who would diminish or downright eradicate Christianity in general, and Catholicism in particular.

And we, who have recourse to our Mother, should run at breakneck speed to the Queen of Heaven and Earth, for the succor that only She can give.

A man would come away stronger; a woman more womanly, and both better able to faithfully fulfill their particular state in life.  Devotion and confidence shown to Our Lady, not only increases her glory in Heaven, but also sheds rays of grace to those who petition God’s Mother.  And what is one of the most popular ways we can do this?  With the powerful weapon of the Rosary, first given to St. Dominic, -- as related by Bl. Alan de la Roche – we can defend ourselves against the devil and his minions, especially when temptations disturb our peace of mind and soul.

There have been conversions of some of the most hardened of hearts through the recitation of the most Holy Rosary.  

And, as the great feast of the Assumption approaches, here is the post-communion prayer from the Vigil of the Assumption: Grant Thine assistance, O merciful God, to our frailty, that we, who anticipate the festival of God’s holy Mother, may, by the aid of her intercession, rise from our iniquity. 

The Gospel of St. Luke on the feast of the Assumption relates Our Lady’s great Magnificat: My soul doth magnify the Lord; and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior; because He hast regarded the humility of His handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His name, and His mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear Him.    

In the same Gospel, St. Luke continues to relate Our Lady’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth, who was then with child -- the future St. John the Baptist.

It is quite telling what occurred as the soon to be Blessed Mother entered the household of her cousin: Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.  And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   For behold, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

We have here the beginnings of the great “Hail Mary,” as well as the sanctification of St. John the Baptist in the womb of his mother.   In addition, we also have a great apologetic for the cause of the pre-born! 

As my now deceased aunt, Sr. Angela Spinelli, of the Religious Teachers Filippini for nearly fifty-eight years, always told me that she prayed for me – to our Blessed Lady -- in a “special way.”  

She knew what she was doing, as I returned to the Faith in the early 1990s after being the Prodigal son for so many years.

Our Lady, help of Christians, pray for us.

E. DeLalla

9-11 Conspiracy coverup 10 4 15

In a documentary (2011) on the 9/11 affair, the supporters of the government’s official report attempted to show the inconsistencies of those “truthers” and others demanding another investigation of what really caused the twin towers – and building seven – to collapse at nearly free-fall speed.

In the documentary, there were two glaring examples of missing information and inconsistencies that became obvious: the first – and most important? – is that the twin towers were designed to survive multiple jet hits. 

This, according to the designer of the buildings.  And, second: the documentary didn’t even mention the destruction of WTC7.  A forty-seven story skyscraper.

In fact, building seven wasn’t even mentioned in the official NIST report until 2008! 

A forty-seven story building is taller than most buildings in many American cities, and yet it wasn’t mentioned in the documentary.  Why? 

Anyone who watched building seven collapse could see that it was, in fact, an example of a perfect demolition.  It too, fell at free-fall speed.  And yet the government says that fire caused it to fall. 

No skyscraper has ever fallen due to fire.  Not in this country, nor in any other country on earth. 

Were the “attacks” on 9/11 another “Pearl Harbor” that ushered in legislation that further reduced or eliminated many of our liberties in order to be more secure? 

Ben Franklin said that those who sacrifice liberty for security, will have neither. 

Who, then, are the real conspirators?  

Eugene DeLalla

Hate and malice 8 18 17

Hate, malice, double standards, hypocrisy, death threats, lies, fake news; the list is endless when it comes to Americans attempting to exercise their First Amendment rights that are guaranteed under the Constitution – which itself is now under constant attack.

And what is worse, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, is the recipient of outright threats to his life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness guaranteed under the Declaration of Independence.

What is going on here? 

Let me answer my own question: Mr. Trump is a Republican.  Just think if someone had called for the assassination of Obama.  All political and legal hell would have broken loose.

Anyone who threatens the life of the President has committed a federal crime and, at the very least, must be arrested and interrogated.  But they are not.

The president makes a statement, but the media contradicts what he said, or claim he didn’t say what he said.

Violence is condemned by the Left, but only when the Right is allegedly involved.  But the Left rarely if ever condemns violence committed by those on the Left.  E.g.; the so-called “anti-fascist” Antifa anarchists, who ironically use fascist tactics themselves to suppress the free-speech rights of those that disagree. 

That is just one hellish example; there are many, many others.

I was a kid when Truman was president; I have never seen anything like what is happening in our country these days. 

For a peace-loving veteran, this is disconcerting, to say the least. In fact, it is downright frightening. 

I wonder where all this will lead… Civil unrest?  We already see that daily.  Civil war?  That could be just around the corner. 

Did you get that? 

Can civil war really happen in our lifetime?  If it does, will it lead to martial law?  Is that the intended end here? 

We have not experienced these dreaded scenarios in our lifetimes, but only read about them in other countries.  If such happened here, our lives will be forever changed; nothing will be the same again.  Fear will reign; uncertainly will be engrained in our psyche.  Plans for the future will be dashed to smithereens.  The First and Second Amendments will go by the wayside.  The Constitution will be dead on arrival. 

I ask again: can this really happen here?

Eugene R. DeLalla

Comment on school shootings 5 23 18

5/23/18

Since the 1960s, and beginning with the Texas University tower shooting, there have been several mass murders of innocents on school grounds.  Columbine High School also comes to mind, in addition to the more recent shootings taking the lives of even more innocents. 

Of course, the outcry – and there should be an outcry – from all concerned Americans is understandable; it is frustrating; it brings sorrow and anguish to all those families that have lost sons, daughters, fathers and other members of the local communities where these shootings have taken place.

The national media, aligned with the radical left, continue their focus on what they consider the reason for these mass murders: the various weapons that fire bullets. 

I specifically mention bullets, because there are other weapons: knives, baseball bats, machetes, explosive devices, and, yes, perhaps even cast-iron frying pans (I’m not trying to be facetious here regarding frying pans).  

The call is to ban those weapons (guns) that they classify as “assault rifles.”   Yet, many cannot even explain or describe what an assault rifle is.  I’m not surprised.

So, the push is on, big time, to not only ban those so-called assault rifles, but also the sometimes unmentioned – and real – end: the confiscation of ALL weapons (guns) from all law-abiding citizens. 

The thinking here, I guess, is to get those weapons off the streets, but they never mention, or maybe they can’t figure it out that the criminal, the gang member is not law-abiding; they are outlaws; they do not obey the laws.

If such rabble wants a weapon, all they have to do is to put the word out on the street, and in a jiffy, it can be made available for the right price.

Note, they, the media and the left (I know it’s kind of redundant to list both the media and the left as the media is, in fact, the left!) blame the weapon (the gun) for all the death and mayhem that we have seen recently in our beloved country.

They refuse to address the real and organic threat to American society: godlessness and along with that, is the loss of the sanctity and value of all human life.  And that godlessness includes broken families; fatherless families; widespread illicit and deadly drug use… The causes of the demented people – mostly young people – that commit these heinous shootings is almost endless.

So, while the media fills the airwaves with the slaughter of these students, they never mention the much greater slaughter of the most innocent of all human life: the developing baby in her mother’s womb.

Every day in these United States, there are 3,000-plus American girls and boys destroyed in the most horrible of ways; they never have a chance to breath air and experience life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

So, while we should all be filled with horror at these shootings, we must – we should – be filled with the determination to end the mass murder of the pre-born. 

This great sin is one that cries to Heaven for vengeance; God will not be mocked.  I fear there will be a very high price to pay for our destruction of those innocents, not only personally, but also as a nation.

God have mercy on our country…

E. DeLalla. 

The Blizzard of 1978 and the loss of the pilot boat Can Do

The Blizzard of 1978 and the Loss of the Pilot Boat Can Do…

INTRODUCTION

First, definitions from Webster’s: (1) blizzard: a blinding snowstorm; (2) hurricane: a violent cyclonic storm of wind (over 75 M.P.H.) and rain; (3) trauma: bodily injury caused by violence, emotional shock (psychic trauma) with a lasting effect.

Why define the above words?  Because it is important to know that what hit the New England coast, and experienced during those two unforgettable days in February 1978 would encompass all three words with all three meanings.  To say it was a blizzard and leave it at that would not do the storm justice nor describe its effects on the people and things of the region.

The winter of 1978 – the blizzard of 1978, to be more exact -- would be an exception to the already manifest rule of past storms that have hit this part of the world.

New England, noted for its spectacular fall season, is also known for some very severe winters; some of those winters are packed with powerful nor’easters.   These unstoppable juggernauts pound the coast with heavy seas, strong winds and snow to remind us of Nature’s power and dominance over man and his creature comforts.  

I have seen and read many different accounts of what transpired during that blizzard so many years ago, but I came across only one that was a first-hand report.    The report I’m referring to, was written by the chief-in-charge of Gloucester lifeboat station.  Gloucester was directly involved in the tragic events that would unfold during the course of the two-day monstrosity of a storm.

My account of the tragic events that unfolded on the fateful night of February 6 is different from the chief’s in that it was from my perspective as I operated the Group Boston communications radio room/center both during and after the storm.   Is there a major difference between the two accounts?  Yes, but only from the standpoint of what was said and who said it; the basic facts are the same – history is the witness to the tragedy which took place on the unforgiving North Atlantic.

But the question begs:  how can there be a difference if the basic facts are now a matter of history, and have been written and recorded for all posterity to see and hear?  

I feel that there is a matter of pride involved here; let me explain.  

The Chief-in-Charge of the lifeboat station was the highest ranking non-commissioned officer-in-charge of any lifeboat station in Group Boston’s area of responsibility, yet this chief and his station were directly subordinate to the group office at Base Boston.  That means if he wanted to become involved in a SAR (search and rescue) case – that didn’t directly involve his area of responsibility -- he had to ask for permission to do so from the group duty officer.   And that was regardless of the duty officer’s rank; even if it was below that of a chief!  Further, the chief of that station took a back seat to the group radioman on duty as far as radio communications was concerned.   In other words, he had to ask for permission even to communicate with a vessel that was in distress, that was out of his area of responsibility.  

This could be a sore spot for the chief because the group radiomen were either second or third class (E-5 or E-4) while the chief was an E-7 or higher.  Since I met and knew the chief somewhat, I knew this to be the case.  Here I was a radioman second class (E-5), giving or denying permission to a chief of a station!  But it must be understood that I had not only the authority of the group duty officer, but also the authority of the Captain of the Port, the Base Commander, and the District Headquarters to back me up.  

This situation caused just a little frustration for the chief of the station.  On more than one occasion, he called the group office to complain to the duty officer about having to go through the group radioman and to comply with whatever he told him he could or could not do.  

Our crew of radiomen knew their authority and responsibilities and never, to my knowledge, abused that authority.  But at the same time, the group office could not have a station that was under it tell it what to do or how to do it.  This was the Coast Guard and we all were to work together to get the job done.  It is as simple as that; if there were not the cohesiveness of helping each other accomplish the mission, many people would have died in the always-cold waters of this part of the Atlantic.  And we did cooperate with each other and did get the job done.  Our reputation was known far and wide and I was proud to be among the men of the Group Boston search and rescuers, even if only by being an unseen, yet heard, entity over the airwaves, still a grave responsibility.  

One of the reasons for that reputation was the fact that many of the civilians who held positions of harbor master, or pilot boat captain, or just plain concerned citizen came to the aid of those in distress.   These selfless folk cooperated with the Coast Guard on numerous occasions, and in many ways.  I can vouch for that as fact as I was in the position to communicate with so many of these fine people.   In many cases, they put their own safety in jeopardy in order to help and rescue others.  But even with their exceptional gallantry, their efforts to rescue a tiny band of men aboard a tough little pilot boat would prove fruitless. The overpowering force of the monster storm of the century would prove “victorious” and add to the list of those men that went down to the sea in their ships.

Many years ago, I attempted to put my experience of this titanic storm and the accompanying tragedy on paper but was unable to adequately express myself and give the events due justice.   And it is to those who lived through this time and those who did not, that justice must be given.  

I must make another attempt to relate just what happened on February 6 and 7, 1978, and to let the chips fall where they may.  I will be using notes that I wrote nearly 35 years ago, the chief’s article, other reports of the day, plus my memory, to give as accurate a picture as possible of this historic and tragic period of history.  

CHAPTER ONE

The radiomen of the Group Boston communication center had obtained permission from the Radioman-in-Charge to work 12-hour shifts.   The idea was to have longer periods of time off after completing a full cycle of days and nights.  This system had worked quite well – especially for the married personnel – and was now in its second year of operation.

It was February 6, 1978, – just before 6 p.m.  It was already snowing hard and the winds were blowing at gale force.  I remember walking from my room at the “Y” with the snow coming at me horizontally, hitting my face, feeling more like sleet.

I was glad to get to the comm. center and get out of that mess.  As usual, I relieved the previous watch a little early and told the radioman to get the heck home.  Little did I know that for the next three days, I and one other radioman would be snowbound and confined to the radio shack and the duty officer’s operations center.   There would be no relief and very little sleep until the Army National Guard was able to clear a single lane of Interstate 95 with their bulldozers and mechanized shovels.   Such was the immensity of this historical, meteorological event.

By the time I took over the radio room, the National Weather Service at Boston’s Logan Airport had officially changed the gale warnings to full storm warnings.  In fact, by 4:30 pm, the weather service had issued an urgent marine forecast relayed to ships and stations by the Group Boston radioman in the form of a “security” broadcast transmitted on the official FM distress frequency: “East to northeast winds 40 to 60 knots with gusts to hurricane force.  Visibility near zero in snow; seas 8 to 10 feet and building to 10 to 20 feet; tides above normal.”(1)

The weather, as in many cases, is the main player in any “game” of drama on the high seas, but there are also the lesser characters that figure in the plot of such stories that must be examined in order to make that drama complete.  Such was the case with the oil tanker of Greek registry, Global Hope. 

The huge tanker – some 600-plus feet in length – was carrying nearly 180,000 barrels of heating oil from Venezuela(2) within its hull.  It should be noted that this tanker did not have double hulls as is now required for all tankers transporting oil on the high seas, this law becoming mandatory many years later.

It also should be noted that the Greek oil tanker had a crew of 28 souls – this would be one of the elements that would figure prominently in the tragic story that was about to unfold before the eyes and ears of the world.

Let us now examine the pilot boat Can Do – the protagonist of this scenario -- and see how so many lives would be affected because of their heroic attempt to render aid to those 28 souls.  In addition, the just-as-important two- and three-man crews of the 41 and 44-foot Coast Guard rescue boats that also were characters in this story.  As the events of that night unfolded, there would also be several other Coast Guard boats and ships playing their part in the tragic story of the Can Do.

The Can Do – its crew and its mission…

What is a pilot boat?  A pilot boat is a small craft usually no more than 50 feet in length that carries with it a Captain of the boat, his assistant, and the Pilot.  The job of the Pilot is to board the ship that enters the inner harbor and guide it safely to its port or anchor.  But didn’t the Captains of the various vessels have charts and maps of the harbor they were to enter?   Sure, but the Pilot knew the “ins and outs” and any peculiarities that may lie unseen just below the surface and play havoc with the ships depending on the tides and weather conditions.

The Can Do was a 49-foot craft built to take a beating from the rough seas that sometimes batter this part of New England.  It was equipped with a steel hull and extra thick glass that the skipper had installed in the windshield.  This little, yet swift craft could handle just about anything that Mother Nature could throw at it.  One pilot boat captain (Frank Quirk, Jr.), compared the Can Do to “a little submarine.”(3)  But the massive blizzard that struck the New England coast this night was to prove that comparison to be a fatal overconfidence.

           As for this blizzard, the weather forecast for the day had predicted a storm of sorts, but already I could see that the original estimates of its intensity were way off the mark.  My fascination with the development of this storm and weather in general – meteorology being one of my avocations -- would soon turn to a certain type of fear, and finally despair.

          What was it like to live along the coast when the Blizzard of 1978 made its way up the New England coastline?   Concrete seawalls and granite breakwaters that stood for over a century protecting homes, businesses and piers, fishing and pleasure boats, crumbled like a house of cards.  Homes that families had lived in for generations washed into the sea; tidal floods made local streets impassible at best.   Whiteout conditions were common. The largest of ships sought shelter by leaving the sea-lanes if necessary rather than face the onslaught of the far-reaching tentacles of this behemoth storm.  On the highways, people had abandoned their cars for the nearest secure shelter.(4)  The cloud cover from this blizzard spanned nearly 1,000 miles in diameter and had all the characteristics and intensity of a hurricane.  

CHAPTER TWO

         

My duties…

I was a radioman second class (military pay-grade E-5) with just two-and-a-half months to go on my enlistment.  My job was that of search and rescue radiotelephone operator in the Coast Guard group communications center.   It was nestled in the southeast corner of the base Boston headquarters building located on Commercial Street in the heart of the Italian North End of this historic city.  The communications center was separated from the duty officer’s operations section by huge sliding glass doors of the newly remodeled and equipped “radio shack.”   

I relieved the day radioman just before 6 p.m., was briefed, and officially assumed control of the Group Boston communications center to begin my 12-hour shift.

As the radioman on duty, I was in charge of all things pertaining to radiotelephone communications when search and rescue (SAR) was initiated for a vessel or aircraft in distress.  In such cases, or when an emergency broadcast had to be made over the airwaves, the radioman on duty spoke with the authority of the Captain of the Port of Boston.  Because of this, when other rescue units – whether boats, ships, helicopters, or land-based authorities – wanted to initiate voice contact with a vessel in distress or to pass on information over the radiotelephone, regardless of their authority, they had to ask for permission to do so from the Group Boston radioman.

One of the most important aspects of the radioman’s (RM) job was to broadcast – to all ships and stations – weather warnings (gale, storm, etc.) as received from the National Weather Service located at Boston’s Logan International Airport.  Additional duties included manning two teletype machines – one that was linked directly to the First Coast Guard District Headquarters three blocks away (just above the old Boston Garden); the other machine was linked to all the lifeboat/rescue stations (Gloucester, Merrimack, Pt. Allerton, Scituate, as well as Boston Light) under the  Commander of Base Boston.  The Commander, Base Boston also held the title of Captain of the Port of Boston.  There were other duties as well:  receiving and sending “taped” messages from the ships moored at the Base and maintaining those message logs; re-writing to tape of the sit-rep – situation report – of SAR cases; monitoring the daily recording of all voice communications; monitoring of the three radio frequencies simultaneously (two FM and one AM); “running” phone patches between District HQ and rescue ships, boats and helicopters; and, of course, maintaining a good working relationship with the duty officer and the boating public via the radiotelephone, and on that rare occasion in person -- usually after a successful rescue.

The radioman also had the responsibility to wake the rescue boat crew and the duty officer via an alarm system tied in to the crew quarters during the overnight hours.   The idea here was to “start the ball rolling” and waste no time in alerting the duty officer so he could get to his station, in usually less than a minute.   Though it does not sound like a lot of time, in a life and death situation, a few seconds can make the difference between a successful rescue and the saving of lives, or the loss of those lives.

The duty officer – usually an enlisted man of the rank of First Class (E-6) or Chief (E-7 or higher) – would be responsible for the actual dispatch of our rescue boats (41- and 44-foot fast-chase boats and the 95-foot “Cape” class of vessels).   In addition, he would write situation reports (sit-reps) concerning all SAR cases and maintaining liaison between all civilian and military personnel.

  (The relationship of the radioman and the duty officer was crucial in the successful outcome of any case that had to be handled on their watch.  Because of my knowledge and the proficiency in my duties, I had a very good relationship with all those assigned as duty officer.  I had proven myself many times during SAR when the duty officer would write up a draft sit-rep and hand it to me to re-write, if necessary, and send via teletype to the District HQ.   Plus, the duty officer let me handle – without interference – the most critical and life-threatening SAR cases facing the Coast Guard in our area of responsibility.)

CHAPTER THREE

Boatswain’s Mate first class Jones (“Jonesy,” as he was called among the RMs) was on duty this night of nights.   It was the beginning of an odyssey that would include working a SAR case that would sear in my mind forever the physical destruction of those who meant a great deal to me.

Events begin to unfold…

Walking on the city streets now was becoming dangerous, if caught in this storm at sea; deadly.  Some of the larger fishing vessels – mostly factory-size ships -- home-ported out of Boston or Gloucester to the north, or New Bedford to the south, could possibly ride out or circumvent the storm then head back to port or continue fishing.  Still, if something went wrong on the high seas, it would be a busy 12-hour shift.  Little did I realize, however, that my 12-hour shift would turn into a three-day, snowbound adventure that I wish had never happened.

A common fact known about some of the fishing boats used in making a living among this hardy group of mariners is that they were old and leaky, in other words, they would take on water – a term that I had heard many times in my three-and-a-half-year career as a SAR radioman.  It was, in fact, almost common practice for the Coast Guard to run pumps out to such a boat with the anglers knowing that some of their boats were rickety, floating disasters waiting to happen.  Repairs to these boats were expensive; “hitching a ride” at the end of a towrope of a Coast Guard boat was the easy way out and less expensive.

The Global Hope had dropped anchor in Salem Sound on February 4, between Salem and Marblehead, just west of Bakers Island and south of Gloucester.  This enormous tanker’s cargo, 180,000 barrels of heating oil from Venezuela, was bound for delivery to the Salem Power Company but was delayed due to another ship occupying the pier space.  Because of this, the Global Hope had to remain at anchor in 40 feet of water in Salem Sound.   The Harbor Pilot, Captain George Landrigan, cautioned the Captain of the tanker that if weather conditions changed for the worse, he should put out extra chain on the starboard anchor and put out a second anchor.  Shortly after, the Can Do picked up Captain Landrigan and returned him to Salem; the Can Do then proceeded back to Gloucester.(5)

Many fishing boats called Gloucester their homeport.  I had visited there many times and found the town built up around the fishing industry as well as catering to a good-sized tourist influx during the warmer months.   Gloucester also was the summer retreat for many artists and yachtsmen.   There was money in Gloucester, and there were the working people -- fishermen, cannery workers, tugboat operators, as well as many small businesses that one would find in any small New England coastal town.  There also was an intricate network of civilian radio operators – some, under the title of Harbormaster for the various small ports that dotted the shoreline of northeast Massachusetts.  (These civilian radio operators would also figure prominently in the heroic attempt to locate the ill-fated Can Do and its crew.)

One of those working people, Frank Quirk, Jr., was a 49 year old, short, stocky, ex-Navy Seabee who had served meritoriously in the Korean War and continued to serve his neighbors as the Captain of the pilot boat Can Do.  The Seabee motto “can do” was also Frank Quirk’s personal motto.(6)

 

CHAPTER FOUR

As the night progressed, so did the “Blizzard of ‘78” -- as it was to become known.   In fact, shortly after I took over the helm of the communications center, I received, over the District teletype, a new warning from the National Weather Service to be broadcast immediately.  I therefore made the following emergency broadcast:  “Securite, (“Security” pronounced in French) Securite, Securite; all ships, all stations, this is United States Coast Guard Group Boston Massachusetts; United States Coast Guard Group Boston Massachusetts.  The following urgent marine forecast has been issued from the National Weather Service Boston Massachusetts:  East to northeast winds 60 to 70 knots, with gusts to 80 knots; visibility near zero in snow; seas 20 feet and building; all ships should seek immediate shelter.  I repeat:  East to northeast winds 60 to 70 knots, with gusts to 80 knots; visibility near zero in snow; seas 20 feet and building; all ships should seek immediate shelter.  This is United States Coast Guard Group Boston Massachusetts, out.”

When I made these broadcasts or conversed with a vessel in distress, my voice would carry well over a hundred miles to the north, east, and south thereby alerting any ship or station that there was an emergency in progress and to stay off the distress frequency until such case was officially terminated.  Most mariners recognized the seriousness of a search and rescue event and voluntarily limited or totally cut off their own transmissions or switched to a “working frequency” in deference to the Coast Guard units attempting the rescue.  They knew that they could one day be on the receiving end of such rescue attempts and would not want any interference during the sending and receiving of voice “traffic.” 

   

On this night, the Can Do crew was to be unofficially augmented with several of Frank Quirk’s friends:  Kenneth Fuller, Jr., 34, of Magnolia; Donald Wilkinson, 35, of Rockport; Dave Curley, 35, an electrician, and Charles Bucko, 29, an ex-Coast Guardsman, ironically, formerly of the lifeboat station at Gloucester that was to figure prominently in the attempt to aid the Global Hope as well as the Can Do itself.  The skipper of the Can Do told the four to leave because of the very real danger of this ever-strengthening storm; nevertheless, all four insisted on volunteering to help Frank.(7)

Bucko, as a former Coast Guard coxswain, was at the helm of one of the Coast Guard boats that took part in the life and death rescue of the men of the stricken tanker, Chester A. Poling, and because of his heroism, received the Mariner’s Medal.  His parents would later say about their dear son: “He was the kind of a guy who would rush into a burning building when you and I wouldn’t.  There is a type of person who when everyone else is backing away, will go forward.  Charlie was like that and so was Frank Quirk.  With them it was almost a compulsion.”(8) 

 I had personally worked with the well-known Captain of the Can Do on the radio distress frequency on several occasions as he assisted those mariners in need and effected numerous rescues in the dangerous waters of the North Atlantic.   In many instances the Can Do would effect those recues before the Coast Guard crews could arrive on-scene.  Because of this, Frank Quirk had twice received Gloucester’s Mariner’s Medal for heroism; he also received a special commendation from the Coast Guard for his part in a 1977 rescue.   The ex-Seabee was that kind of man, thinking of others before thinking of himself.(9)

CHAPTER FIVE

All was quiet for about 10 minutes in the communications center, but outside, the fury of the storm increased and began to consume everything in its path, making playthings of unsecured boats; piers were already shaken and shattered.  Then, the broken-English of a very scared Captain of the tanker, Global Hope, screamed over the radio distress frequency: “Coast Guard, Coast Guard we are taking on water in the engine room; water is coming in!”(10)  

(In times such as these, proper radio procedure goes out the window.   When people are in a perceived danger, all they want is help and they want it fast!)

I responded to the Captain: “This is Group Boston Coast Guard; Captain, you said that you are taking on water; is that correct?”

  Global Hope: “Water is coming into the engine room.   The hull is breaking; water coming into the engine room!”

 I responded: “Captain, slow down; did you say the hull is breaking?   Is that correct, over?”

Global Hope: “Hull is breaking; it’s breaking and water is coming into the engine room!”

I responded: “I understand that the hull is breaking and you are taking on water in the engine room.  We will dispatch a boat with a pump, over…”(11)

(It is important to note that when communicating in these circumstances, it is appropriate to repeat the question is order to make sure that what is heard is clear and factual.  In fact, there were times when I repeated everything twice and so stated to the captains of vessels in distress…)

Radio communications with the disabled tanker was lost shortly after this initial contact.

I immediately notified Jonesy, who contacted District HQ on the red phone with the news that this may become a major environmental as well as a human disaster about to happen.   It should be kept in mind that the Global Hope had 180,000 barrels of heavy oil in its breaking hull.

With this first frantic transmission from the Global Hope, a whole series of deadly events quickly followed in rapid succession…

Jonesy quickly contacted Chief Wylie, the Chief-in-Charge of the Gloucester Coast Guard rescue station, to see if he could dispatch one of his rescue boats with a pump and assist the Global Hope.   The attempt here was to keep the water from causing the huge ship to list and possibly overturn or sink beneath the now towering waves.  It’s not only the heavy oil that is of concern here, but the fact that there are nearly 30 souls on board (SOB) being battered by the ever increasing waves and winds.

   Chief Wylie alerted the crew of the 41-foot, fast-chase rescue boat with several high-power pumps onboard and gave orders for them to leave the inner harbor and head for the Global Hope.  

During this time, I began a phone-patch with the First District HQ and the Commander of the Cape George, a 95-foot cutter moored at Base Boston.  HQ gave the order for the Cape George to get under way immediately and head for the stricken tanker that was being tossed around like a toy in Salem Sound.  After the initial phone-patch was completed, I maintained radio communications with the Commander of the Cape George, Lieutenant Snyder.   In addition, the Captain of the Port ordered the rescue crews at Base Boston be put on high alert in case they had to be dispatched to help where and when needed. 

At this time, things were getting “hot” in my communications center. The first sit-rep was drafted by Jonesy; he relayed the hard copy for me to proof and put into tape format in order to be sent to First District HQ via teletype. 

 Meanwhile, I am getting busy with monitoring the radio transmissions, relaying breaking information to the duty officer, as well as “running” additional phone-patches from the Cape George and District.

Because of the fierceness of the still-building storm, it would be impossible for the Coast Guard helicopter to be ordered from Cape Cod, so help from the air was no longer a consideration even if that were the only way the crew from the Global Hope could be rescued.

In addition to the Cape George, the 210-foot cutter Decisive, moored at Provincetown, about 50 miles distant, as the crow flies, was ordered by District HQ to get under way and head for Salem Sound to assist the Global Hope, if possible. 

 The heightened activities cause the Gloucester station Chief to attempt to see if there was another, larger vessel in the Salem area that might be able to assist the Global Hope.  Chief Wylie sought permission by Group Boston to contact via radio the Director of Salem Control, Warren Andrews, whose job it was to supervise all shipping in the area and make a request for assistance.  Warren informed Chief Wylie that there were no other ships in the area that could assist.(12)

The legally blind Warren Andrews knew every inch of Salem Sound and every nook and cranny of his well-equipped communications room securely built into his home.  I had worked with Warren on several occasions on the radiotelephone distress frequency; I found him to be professional, knowledgeable, businesslike and well-informed.

A common thread among all the civilian and military personnel is that willingness to go the extra mile to help, especially those whose very lives are in danger from the always-unforgiving, cold Atlantic.

CHAPTER SIX

The radio traffic was getting thick at this point.   Messages were flying back and forth between units.  Quirk, the skipper of the Can Do, monitored the frequency and jumped into the conversation to say that he was ready to help if needed.

Meanwhile, the 41-footer left the relative safety of the inner harbor passing Round Rock Shoal.   At that moment, the reality of the force of this now hurricane-blizzard became apparent when a huge wave crashed down on the 41 and its terrified crew.  There was no choice now, but to turn back and seek shelter.(13) 

While the 41-footer was able to return to the relative safety of the inner harbor, the 44-footer, now dispatched, continued heading out of Gloucester Harbor en route to assist the Global Hope.  The 44 was built like a tank.   It weighed 20 tons due to its heavily reinforced steel hull.   It had eight watertight compartments, along with two, big twin-diesel engines.  Built to take the worst seas that Mother Nature could throw at any craft, even the sturdy, well-built 44 would be no match for this “perfect storm.”    But even if the 44 were to capsize (roll over), it was designed to right itself and stay afloat.   Manned by a crew of four enlisted men – coxswain Bob McIlvride at the wheel; seamen Roger Mathurin and Robert Krom on the radarscope, and fireman Tom Desrosiers monitoring the engine.(14) 

 Just as the 44 left the Gloucester breakwater, heading for Salem Sound, they felt the full effect of the hurricane-force winds as it ripped away the canvas canopy leaving them exposed to the fierce wind and seas now crashing into the pilothouse.  Now waist-deep in the frigid water, they fought to maintain equilibrium and maintain control of the now battered rescue boat.  Just holding the helm became almost impossible; the men became bruised and were nearly thrown overboard from their tiny ark in the midst of the icy flood encircling them.(15)

  During this time, radio transmissions from the 44 were nearly impossible.  In addition, we were to find out later that the indomitable 44-footer and its crew were almost crushed by a huge channel buoy that was lifted out of the water by 25-foot waves.  They were saved by another wave that picked up the 44 like a little toy and threw it sideways out of the path of the multi-ton buoy.(16)  Apparently, Providence was on their side!  One battle won; another yet to be won – getting to the Global Hope in their attempt to get pumps to control the seas coming into its engine room.

CHAPTER SEVEN

This first encounter between the 44 and the madness of the swirling seas and zero visibility of the thickening snow caused the navigational instruments on the boat to malfunction, leaving them to grope in the whiteness – not darkness -- of the hurricane-blizzard.  Less than a third of the way to the Global Hope, their task was now becoming almost impossible.  The 44 now became the main object of concern for the Gloucester rescue station as well as the Group Boston Command Center; the rescuers were now in need of rescue!

Frank Quirk, the skipper of the Can Do, continued to monitor the situation from his mooring in Gloucester’s inner harbor…

A radio transmission from the Can Do to the Coast Guard station in Gloucester: “What’s the status of the 44, over?”(17)

Gloucester Coast Guard: “He’s about one-third of the way down there.  We had to turn the 41 back, over.”(18)

Quirk: “Let’s wait a few more minutes.  In about another 15 minutes I may give it a shot.  We’ll give it a try to get over there, over.”(19)

Transmissions shot back and forth from Gloucester Station to the 44-footer.   The 44 had lost its fathometer.   Their compass was becoming less effective.   The radar was fading.  

Without these instruments, the 44 and its crew were in great danger from the ever-increasing force of the wind and the crashing waves and blinding snow. 

 Chief Wylie told the 44 to forget about the tanker and attempt to proceed to Beverly and safety.

This command was easier said than done; the crew of the 44 was not sure of their location.  It was at this point in the quickly unfolding events that Frank Quirk and the now augmented crew of the Can Do made the decision to go to the aid of the stricken 44 and the Global Hope.  

Gloucester Coast Guard: “If I can get that boat (44317) back to safe water, that’s what I’m going to do.  Do you figure on going up there, over?”(20)

Quirk: “Well, we’ll take a shot at it.  I don’t know.  It looks as if it’s going to be one hell of a mess from here, over.”(21)

Gloucester Coast Guard: “Roger.  At this time, we don’t know for sure whether anybody is in fact in jeopardy (on the tanker).  We know there is a probability the ship is dragging its anchor.  We have other Coast Guard facilities coming on the scene, a 210 (foot cutter) and a 95 (foot cutter)…”(23)

Quirk: “Roger on that.  Well, with your okay, I’d like to take a look outside the harbor and see about heading up that way or whether I stay here, over.”(24)

Gloucester Coast Guard: “Roger.  Proceed outside Frank and give it a look.  I appreciate it, over.”(25)

Quirk: “Okay, we’ll give it a look.  The way it looks, we might be right back, out.”(26)

Warren Andrews and other civilian volunteers from Beverly and Salem who had learned that the 44317 was in dire straits, now had started efforts to try to save the 44 and its valiant crew from almost certain demise in the raging seas.

Salem Control (Warren Andrews) asked Group Boston Communications Center for permission to contact the 44 directly.  I granted his request.

He told the crew of the 44 that there were surf patrols and harbormasters taking up positions at strategic positions along Hospital Point, Salem Willows, and Dane Street Beach with the intention of spotting and guiding them (the 44) back to Beverly Harbor.(27)

McIlvride, the coxswain, responded in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, the Can Do got under way and told Andrews that he was passing Gloucester Coast Guard station en route to take a look “outside.”  

It was now approaching 8:30 p.m.; at this time the engines on the 44-footer stalled out after it hit an unknown underwater object.(28)

Those onshore anxiously listened to the radio transmissions hoping that the 44 could restart their engines.

 

The Fireman crawled into the engine room and attempted to get the engines restarted; he was successful!  The Coxswain of the boat turned the 44 into the wind and waves in order to have at least some control over the thrashing they were experiencing.  With compass and radar out, the 44 however was, for all practical purposes, lost.(29)

One of the surf units, 172, had identified the 44 and its location, off Hospital Point, though barely able to see in the near whiteout conditions.   He was trying to keep the 44 from running aground on the beach.

Radio transmissions shot back and forth from Gloucester Station, and Surf Unit 172 and the 44.   Finally, much to everyone’s relief, the radar started to work once again on the battered Coast Guard rescue boat, the 44317.   The stricken crew now turned its attention to getting into the safer waters of the inner harbor.(30)

Suddenly, the Can Do was in trouble!

Captain Frank Quirk of the Can Do, via radio, told Gloucester Station that his radar went out and the FM antenna was ripped away and washed overboard by the overpowering waves that smashed into the “little submarine.” 

 Quirk told Gloucester Station that he would attempt to turn around and head back to the relative safety of the inner harbor.  Chief Wylie requested that they check in with him every 15 minutes, if possible.  

With the 44 being guided back to safety ever so slowly, the Can Do was now the object of mounting concern.  This sudden turn of events was the beginning of the unraveling of the Can Do and its crew of five facing the full force of the hurricane-blizzard now punishing the New England coast.    Without radar, and their main FM radio gone, located somewhere between Bakers Island and Gloucester Harbor, their situation placed them in dire jeopardy.  Now, their lifeline to the communicators onshore was a much less powerful, tiny, hand-held FM walkie-talkie.(31)

Warren of Salem Control asked Frank on the Can Do how things were going.  Frank responded: “…I’ll tell you it’s some wild night out here.  So we’re just poking along.  I’ve got plenty of water under me.  I’m just trying to pick up something to go by, over.”(32)

Then!

“Mayday!  Mayday!  This is the Can Do…

I grabbed the boom-mike and pulled it down to my lips: “This is Group Boston; go ahead, over”…

Can Do: “We’re not sure what’s happened at this time ... we may have hit the breakwater [huge rocks outside the harbor].”(33)

I respond: “…do you know your location, over?”

Can Do: “We are in shoal water.  Our windshield is out.  Lost our radar and position unknown.  Action extremely violent.”(34)  

A tremendous wave had taken out the reinforced windshield of the Can Do.   Part of that windshield and its glass hit Quirk in the head.   He was now bleeding badly and, for the time being, was knocked unconscious.  Water pouring in from the raging sea was threatening the electric power for the engine and generator.

 Chief Wylie asked the Group Boston duty officer if he could send the 41-footer to attempt to contact the Can Do.  With permission granted, the battered 41 and its crew were now near the mouth of the harbor, but it became painfully apparent that they would have to turn back or once more be in jeopardy from the pounding 20-foot-plus waves.

 As previously noted, the 95-foot Cape George had gotten under way to head up to Salem Sound in an attempt to assist the Global Hope and then the 44317.  After reaching Cape Ann, the Commander of the Cape George, Lieutenant Snyder, along with his crew was desperately trying to maintain control of the cutter in the punishing waves and whiteout conditions.  The small crew had already suffered injuries in the performance of their duties, most notably was the Helmsman, Bob Donovan, whose forearms were now totally black and blue because of the action of the wheel he was attempting to control.(35)

Cape George: “Group Boston this is the Cape George, we’re taking one hell of a beating out here; we have lost our loran (long range navigational aid) and our radar is quickly fading; I just want to get into the harbor (Gloucester inner harbor) and out of this mess…Get me a quick phone patch with District (HQ), over.”

I respond: “Roger, Cape George; give me a couple of seconds…”

There were many hazards now facing the Cape George, not the least of which were the gigantic rocks of the Eastern Point breakwater and the very real possibility of smashing into them; if that happened, there would certainly be another disaster in the making.  Plus, the howling winds – now beyond hurricane force – were forcing seawater through the tiniest of cracks in the sealed, steel doors that protected the crew from the ravages of the attacking waves; charts and maps inside the wheelhouse had become wet and almost unusable from the misting spray now surrounding the battered crew.  Perhaps one of the most dangerous of all situations quickly developed: the 95-footer was becoming ice-laden, in other words, top-heavy, with the very real possibility of the boat being swamped then capsizing in the titanic seas.(36)

  

In less than 30 seconds, I initiated the phone patch with HQ and the Cape George.  

Cape George: “This is Lieutenant Snyder…we’re in a bad way; we don’t know for sure where we are; I think we’re close to the breakwater; if we hit it, we’re done for; the seas out here are unbelievable; we’re having a hard time controlling the boat; my men have been injured, some pretty badly; I’ll report later, over.”(37)

District HQ: “Roger, Cape George, get into that harbor as soon as possible; we don’t want you men out there any longer than necessary; you have done all you could do, over.”(38)   The Cape George acknowledges.

I terminated the phone patch and continued to monitor the situation.   Jonesy had been in the communications center with me for some time now and had a full grasp of what was going on.  There was a helpless feeling that was beginning to develop between us; what if the Cape George needed immediate assistance; what if the Cutter Decisive couldn’t get up to the Boston/Gloucester area in time to help either the Cape George or the Can Do; what if…There were many “what ifs” at this point.  My emotions were torn between the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cape George and the pilot boat Can Do and its crew; we wanted to help, but we could not do anything to affect that help.

The Hand of Providence again reached out to men in trouble on the high seas: the Cutter Cape George and the crewmembers aboard her, were lifted high out of the water by a monstrous wave and thrown sideways at least 100 feet (as Lt. Snyder later estimated) right into Gloucester inner harbor – and safety!  Moving slowly up the North Channel, she tied up.  For the crew of the Cape George, their brush with death and destruction was over, but it was just beginning for the now seemingly doomed crew of the Can Do.(39)

 During this time, I had continued my attempts to reach the Can Do on the radio, with no success.  After about 45 minutes, a weak radio call came in to Group Boston from the Can Do.  It was the beleaguered and bloodied Captain of the pilot boat, Frank Quirk.

Can Do: “Group Boston, this is the Can Do; they have patched me up and we are holding our own for now, over.”(40)

  

I responded: “Roger, Frank, how are you doing now, over…?”

Most of the men on the Can Do had suffered some type of injuries.  Soaked in frigid sea water, plus Frank Quirk’s gash on the head from being tossed around like a child’s toy at play, the men onboard the now helpless boat were wondering if they would be able to make it back to shore on their own or be rescued.  The former scenario was looking less and less likely; the latter was their only real hope.  However, that hope too was quickly fading.

Quirk was thinking that they might be in deep water not far from the harbor; but in reality, they were forced in the direction of Gooseberry Shoals, south of Bakers Island, and in shallow water.(41)

With a thrust of a huge wave, the Can Do hit bottom.(42)

Can Do: “Boston (the voice was not Quirk’s) we’ve lost it!  It’s all gone!  We’ve had it!”

I responded: “Pilot boat Can Do, this is Group Boston, over.”  No response.  Several seconds later…

“Pilot boat Can Do, this is Group Boston, over.”  No response.   Several seconds later…

“Pilot boat Can Do, this is Group Boston, over.”  No response.

The Can Do at this time was using the hand-held walkie-talkie but now, there was little power left in the quickly draining battery.

Throughout the ordeal of the endangered Coast Guard rescue boats and their crews as well as the now unfolding demise of the Can Do, there had been many “ears” listening in to the radio transmissions between Gloucester station, the 44 and the 41, Group Boston, District HQ, and now the Cutter Cape George.  Up and down the Coast, from Maine to Connecticut, this dramatic story became almost a Hollywood movie in the making; the rescuers becoming the rescued; desperate men clinging perilously to life amid a howling hurricane-blizzard; an oil tanker in danger of breaking up causing an environmental disaster; this “perfect storm” may soon take precious lives. 

 Closer to the actual events, some of those “ears” were local harbormasters and other concerned civilians making almost heroic attempts in order to save the Coast Guard crews and the Can Do.

 One of those quiet heroes was my friend and reserve radioman, Robert, from the Isle of Gibraltar.  With a heavy British accent, Bob always was eager to assist me in the radio room during the busiest of days in Boston’s inner harbor.  So good was he in search and rescue procedures, that without hesitation, I would let him handle some of the most critical of situations.

 During this awful night, with lives held in the balance, Bob again showed his courage and selflessness in attempting to aid the stricken sailors in their quest to return to safety and terra firma.  Living near the entrance to Salem Harbor, Bob phoned in to Group Boston’s duty officer that he would attempt to drive his car along the breakwater and flash his high beams in the direction of where he thought the Can Do was last reported to be.  This was no small task, for visibility was mostly zero in whiteout conditions.  Bob was placing himself in jeopardy simply by getting into his car.  

My friend’s efforts, though heroic, were fruitless.  Bob was able, after some time, to return to his home and report in to Group Boston via phone that he had no success.  He continued to monitor the radio transmissions on his multi-frequency scanner. 

Another quiet hero was Melrose Cole of Pride’s Crossing.  Cole, an amateur radio operator, also had been monitoring the radio transmissions during the course of the night.(43)

Cole’s radio shack was the envy of every police and fire command center in northeast Massachusetts.(44)

Cole, thinking that he might be able to contact the stricken Can Do, contacted me via radio and asked for permission to attempt contact Quirk aboard the Can Do.  I granted permission immediately.

During this time, I had continued my efforts to contact the Can Do; if he had been responding, I could not tell at this point due to the weakness of the signal from the walkie-talkie.  Cole had better luck… At 10:47 p.m., he was able to hear the Can Do: “We have been aground, but we’re off now.   Still under our own power, over.”  Then, shortly thereafter: “Hard aground, No power.  Taking on water.”(45)  

The Can Do’s situation was going from bad to worse; she had already been taking on water, but now there was more water coming in from damage suffered from being “hard aground.”  This put the Can Do in further jeopardy; five men still clinging to life – cold wet and injured, they held on.

Cole, and now Robert Wood of Topsfield, attempted to get a cross-bearing on the Can Do and give the Coast Guard some information to pass on to the slowly approaching Cutter Decisive, making its way through the now 30-plus-foot seas battering the coastal waterways and communities of northeast Massachusetts.(46)

At midnight, the Can Do made contact with Cole and told him:   “We’ve got an anchor set and are holding our own.  Taking a beating but no further injuries.  Trying to build up some power and get things started again.   Our position unknown.”(47) 

 Because the transmissions from the Can Do were coming from a hand-held walkie-talkie, Cole and Wood were unable to get a bearing on the floundering pilot boat.  

There was another transmission from the Can Do (from Quirk): “No luck on the power.  32-volt batteries all shorted out.  Can’t get the engine started.  I have a mattress stuffed in the window to keep the seas out.  Water not building up in the boat at this time, over.”(48)  Cole acknowledges…

Can Do: “These batteries won’t hold for much longer.  I’ll contact you in 30 minutes.”(49)

Cole (It’s now 2:15 a.m.): “Roger, Frank, will be here when you want us.”(50)

During this time, I was hearing some of the transmissions from the Can Do; with conditions such as they were radio signals could fade in and out, especially from a small and relatively weak walkie-talkie.  

At 2:25 a.m., Cole told the Can Do that there was another vehicle with a powerful searchlight headed for Magnolia Beach with the hope that the crew of the Can Do could see the light.(51)

There were several more transmissions between Cole and the Can Do; I heard Frank Quirk tell Cole that he was getting pretty cold and weak from the loss of blood.  More water was coming in swamping the pilot boat; the crew was now wedged in beside the table below.

  At around 3:30 a.m., the Can Do was able to transmit the following:  “We’re getting pretty wet up here.  Hatch is loose.  We are going to try to move aft.”(52)

Cole acknowledged and attempted to bolster the hopes of the crew of the Can Do by telling them that it would be dawn in about two hours as well as the forecast for somewhat calming seas.  This was not to be the case, for the hurricane-blizzard was to continue unabated through most of Tuesday forbidding any Coast Guard or civilian attempt at rescue.(53) 

    Can Do: “Okay, Mel.  Will hold on.  Sure wish we could raise some power.  It’s really hopping out here but we’re making it.”(54)  I heard Cole acknowledge, telling him to get some rest.

At 4 a.m., Cole and I renewed radio calls to the Can Do; there was no response.  I attempted to make contact every two or three minutes with no success.  Cole tried again at 4:30 a.m., but to no avail.

I continued to call the Can Do; my voice was now getting hoarse from the constant attempt to make contact.

I looked at Jonesy, grim-faced, and uttered, in a low and despairing voice: “They’re gone; we’ve lost them.”  Jonesy looked at me, and quietly nodded in sad agreement.  I felt many feelings at this time: loss, anger and frustration that we could not get to those men who were dying a cold, terrifying and lonely death.

 During this time, the Cutter Decisive was escorting a disabled fishing boat to safety in Gloucester Harbor.  The cutter then proceeded to Salem Sound to assist the tanker, Global Hope, and to search for the Can Do.(55)

My shift was to end at about 6:30 a.m., but because of the impossibility of outside relief coming to Base Boston, I and another radioman would have to handle the communication duties for a full three days.  The National Guard then began to clear the interstate and rail lines of the huge snowdrifts allowing some semblance of normalcy to return to the City of Boston.

Finally, on Wednesday, the Coast Guard Cutter Decisive’s small boats removed the 28-man crew of the disabled and now leaking Global Hope; at the direction of the Captain of the Port of Boston, resources put into place to combat the oil spilling into Salem Sound were meeting with success.(56)

Sadly, during the day on Wednesday, four of the bodies of the crew of the Can Do were found along beaches in Nahant and Marblehead, included Captain Frank Quirk – with the gash in his head still visible, Donald Wilkinson, Dave Curley, and Kenneth Fuller, Jr.  Another week was to go by before a private plane sighted the Can Do in 20 feet of water; rescuers found the body of Charles Bucko in the engine room.(57)

Note: (Captain Quirk unhesitatingly responded to the Coast Guardsmen that nearly lost their lives while attempting to assist the tanker, Global Hope, during the February blizzard.  He and his crewmen were to posthumously receive the Carnegie Hero Fund award.)(58)

     

Note:  Some radio transmission quotes as well as other information have been gleaned from “The Last Hours of the Can Do” by Evan McLeod Wylie (see notes 1 through 58); my own recollections and news stories of the day.

© 2007, E. De Lalla.