John Ripley Sacrificed His Military Career for the Truth

Full account of Don Bosco’s Dream of Hell. This vision was translated directly from the original Italian in Volume IX of "The Biographical Memoirs of Saint John Bosco."Watch the video: https://youtu.be/SIcd905TlzkIn Saint Theresa of Avila’s Poem, No Me Mueves, (I am not moved) she proclaims:“I am not moved, my God, to love Thee by the Heaven Thou hast promised me; nor am I moved by fear of Hell to cease for that reason to offend Thee.Thou art what moves me, Lord; it moves me to see Thee nailed to a cross and scorned…”Saint Theresa of Avila’s words were the highest expression of a disinterested love, for she loved Our Lord ardently without any motivation by personal benefit. However, until we achieve that degree of sanctity, we need to be reminded of the pains of Hell to move us along the path of holiness.This is why hearing about all the horrors in Saint John Bosco’s mystical dream of Hell is a gift from God that we should appreciate and take advantage of. He didn’t have to give us a glimpse of the afterlife but revealed it to Don Bosco because he loves us. Listening to this entire dream should be done calmly and with complete confidence in God, but not forgetting that God is letting you hear this story so you can repent and suffer for your sins in this life, rather than burn in the next.00:00 Intro00:05 Pt. 1 How to Escape the Snares of the Devil09:30 Pt. 2 The Snares of the Devil19:16 Pt. 3 Entering Hell32:18 Pt. 4 Don Bosco’s Hand is Badly BurnedCheck out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

These are the appendices of the book, "An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC" by Norman J. Fulkerson.Here's a playlist with all the parts of the book: https://www.youtube.com/playli...00:00 Intro01:29 "Jesus, Mary, Get Me There!" by Jeremias Wells28:08 Col. Ripley Testimony I1:05:26 Col. Ripley Testimony IIA note about pronunciation... the author of the book, Mr. Norman Fulkerson, has decided that we will pronounce the Vietnamese battlefield location names as Col. Ripley himself did, as well as the majority of Vietnam veterans. Hence the prominent "D" in Dong Ha, for example. We feel that these episodes are for an English speaking audience and we are not above how the veterans themselves pronounced these names. God bless!Check out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Welcome to the Catholic Men's Podcast, helping you find good works of literature for the Catholic gentleman.Here's a playlist with all the parts of the book: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1a68IKIffqZ0Ad89mGt5AZQiGsuc0BbJI highly recommend reading the book so that you can read the Appendices, which contain the full text of his testimonies. Just a warning, they're a little graphic, but they need to be, since he is illustrating the realities of combat: https://www.amazon.com/American-Knight-Life-Colonel-Ripley/dp/1877905410Soon this book will be up on Audible as well, which will include the Appendices, I just haven't narrated it quite yet. It'll be another few days, probably.The greatest pulpit orator of the nineteenth century, Lacordaire, once said that the vocation of a soldier is next in dignity to the priesthood, not only because it commissioned him to defend justice on the field of battle and order on the field of peace, but also because it called him to the spirit and intention of sacrifice.Today I'm narrating, “An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC,” by Norman J. Fulkerson. There's something about a Catholic soldier that really captivates my imagination. Saints like George, Martin of Tours, Sebastian and the Martyrs of the Theban Legion have fascinated young Catholic men for centuries. When I heard that my friend, Mr. Norman Fulkerson, wrote a book about a United States Marine whose fervent faith and Catholic upbringing aided him in saving an untold number of lives in the Vietnam War - I had to read that book. I was in Australia at the time promoting the message of Our Lady of Fatima and I'll never forget reading this gem of a book in the outback.Since then he's had trouble in getting the book narrated and I promised him that over the course of lent, I would narrate the book on my channel. It'll be in 3 parts, launched over the course of a few weeks this lent, which I think is appropriate timing because Col. John Ripley was forced to stop the brutal advance of the North Vietnamese communist army by blowing up the Dong Ha Bridge on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972.Not only is this book anti-communist, but it's distinctly Catholic and gives many principles on how a man should act when faced with adversity. You can listen to this to fall asleep if you want, as part of our Catholic Insomniac series, but it's a very rousing and exciting story.00:00 Intro00:27 Ch. 18 “A Holy Crusade”08:55 Ch. 19 In Defense of Womanhood and Femininity21:21 Ch. 20 Experiments in a Petri Dish30:00 Ch. 21 Traditional American Elite36:18 Ch. 22 The Most Dramatic Liver Transplant in History47:29 Ch. 23 Final Notes in Life’s “Symphony”56:40 Ch. 24 The Burial of a Legend01:05:06 Ch. 25 He Honored Us All01:16:00 AcknowledgementsCheck out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Welcome to the Catholic Men's Podcast, helping you find good works of literature for the Catholic gentleman.Here's a playlist with all the parts of the book: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1a68IKIffqZ0Ad89mGt5AZQiGsuc0BbJThe greatest pulpit orator of the nineteenth century, Lacordaire, once said that the vocation of a soldier is next in dignity to the priesthood, not only because it commissioned him to defend justice on the field of battle and order on the field of peace, but also because it called him to the spirit and intention of sacrifice.Today I'm narrating, “An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC,” by Norman J. Fulkerson. There's something about a Catholic soldier that really captivates my imagination. Saints like George, Martin of Tours, Sebastian and the Martyrs of the Theban Legion have fascinated young Catholic men for centuries. When I heard that my friend, Mr. Norman Fulkerson, wrote a book about a United States Marine whose fervent faith and Catholic upbringing aided him in saving an untold number of lives in the Vietnam War - I had to read that book. I was in Australia at the time promoting the message of Our Lady of Fatima and I'll never forget reading this gem of a book in the outback.Since then he's had trouble in getting the book narrated and I promised him that over the course of lent, I would narrate the book on my channel. It'll be in 3 parts, launched over the course of a few weeks this lent, which I think is appropriate timing because Col. John Ripley was forced to stop the brutal advance of the North Vietnamese communist army by blowing up the Dong Ha Bridge on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972.Not only is this book anti-communist, but it's distinctly Catholic and gives many principles on how a man should act when faced with adversity. You can listen to this to fall asleep if you want, as part of our Catholic Insomniac series, but it's a very rousing and exciting story.00:00 Intro0:24 Ch.9 A Catholic Marine 07:20 Ch.10 A Wise and Fearless Warrior14:20 Ch.11 A Legend is Born21:53 Ch.12 Unique Side of a Warrior34:28 Ch.13 The Last Advisors Chapter38:26 Ch.14 The Ring of Steel46:16 Ch.15 The Dong Ha Bridge53:45 Ch.16 “Jesus, Mary, Get Me There”01:03:57 Ch.17 Giap’s Frustrating End to a Bloody StalemateCheck out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Welcome to the Catholic Men's Podcast, helping you find good works of literature for the Catholic gentleman.Here's a playlist with all the parts of the book: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1a68IKIffqZ0Ad89mGt5AZQiGsuc0BbJThe greatest pulpit orator of the nineteenth century, Lacordaire, once said that the vocation of a soldier is next in dignity to the priesthood, not only because it commissioned him to defend justice on the field of battle and order on the field of peace, but also because it called him to the spirit and intention of sacrifice.Today I'm narrating, “An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC,” by Norman J. Fulkerson.There's something about a Catholic soldier that really captivates my imagination. Saints like George, Martin of Tours, Sebastian and the Martyrs of the Theban Legion have fascinated young Catholic men for centuries.  When I heard that my friend, Mr. Norman Fulkerson, wrote a book about a United States Marine whose fervent faith and Catholic upbringing aided him in saving an untold number of lives in the Vietnam War - I had to read that book. I was in Australia at the time promoting the message of Our Lady of Fatima and I'll never forget reading this gem of a book in the outback. Since then he's had trouble in getting the book narrated and I promised him that over the course of lent, I would narrate the book on my channel. It'll be in 3 parts, launched over the course of a few weeks this lent, which I think is appropriate timing because Col. John Ripley was forced to stop the brutal advance of the North Vietnamese communist army by blowing up the Dong Ha Bridge on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972. Not only is this book anti-communist, but it's distinctly Catholic and gives many principles on how a man should act when faced with adversity. You can listen to this to fall asleep if you want, as part of our Catholic Insomniac series, but it's a very rousing and exciting story.So let's begin…00:00 Intro02:16 Forward09:18 Preface14:13 Introduction20:07 Ch. 1. Birth and Childhood 29:42 Ch. 2. “Culture and Refinement Personified”40:47 Ch. 3. Huckleberry Finn51:45 Ch. 4 .City of Radford58:55 Ch. 5. Hearing the Battle Cry1:10:00 Ch. 6. Naval Academy1:19:56 Ch. 7. Moline Blaylock1:26:54 Ch. 8. The Challenges of FatherhoodCheck out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Advisory! This live stream podcast contains spoilers. I will reveal every path of "Don Bosco's Warning," an interactive story. If you would like to try this choose your own adventure game for yourself before you listen to this, please click here: https://youtu.be/Dfw5F5PJyM0 If you would like to watch the live stream to see the stunning visuals for the stories created by a good friend of mine, please click here: https://youtube.com/live/cWG0G... Maybe come back if you can't find all of the story paths like South America or Grigio, the angel dog. The visions and direct quotes you may hear in this adventure are true. They really did occur in the life of a Catholic saint and all these accounts were diligently recorded by his contemporaries. The only thing that has been changed is the sequence of these mystical visions and historical events. You can decide that sequence for yourself. Be careful though, as the wrong decision may end in an untimely death, which of course never really happened to the saint, who died of natural causes, but these untimely ends had to be invented for the purposes of the game which is the only element of fiction in all these adventures. The rest is all true. The citation for the visions and incidents recounted are in the description below each video. The year is 1868. You are an Italian priest who has started an Oratory school for boys in Turin, but the many stresses of the year, far too many to recount here, have taken their toll on you. You decide to go to Lanzo for a short retreat and some rest. On your last night there, you have an incredibly vivid dream that shakes you to the very core of your soul. Later, you would tell your Oratory boys: “I saw in my bedroom a most loathsome toad, as big as an ox, that squatted at the foot of my bed. I stared breathlessly. It was green and its legs, body, and head swelled and grew more and more repugnant. His fiery eyes, red-lined mouth and throat presented a terrifying sight. His bones were made of fire and his bony ears were very small. I kept staring and muttering: ‘But a toad has no ears!’ I also noticed two horns jutting from its snout and two greenish wings sprouting from its sides. Its legs looked like those of a lion, and its long tail ended in a forked tip.” “Initially, I did not feel afraid, but became terrified when the monster began edging closer to me. He opened its enormous, tooth-studded jaws, and looked like a demon from hell. I crossed myself but nothing happened; rang the bell, but no one responded; shouted, but in vain. As the monster would not retreat, I asked: ‘What do you want of me, you ugly devil?’ It crept forward, as if answering, and stretched its ears which pointed upward. It then paused momentarily, resting its front paws on the top of the headboard and raising itself on its hind legs. It looked at me and crawled forward until its snout was close to my face.” “I felt such horror that I tried to jump out of bed, but the monster opened its jaws wide.” This incident is recounted in “The Biographical Memoirs of Saint John Bosco” by Rev. Giovanni Battista Lemoyne, S.D.B., Vol. 9, Ch. 75.Check out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Watch the video so you can select which path to take: https://youtu.be/Dfw5F5PJyM0The endscreen choices show up at the end of the video... Good Luck!Check out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

See the illustrations for Saint John Bosco's dream in this video: https://youtu.be/un6kGZX1GPEThis prophetic vision is taken from the Biographical Memoirs of Saint John Bosco by Rev. Giovanni Battista Lemoyne, S.D.B., Vol. VII, Ch. XVIII, page 169ff.A few nights ago, I had a dream that I would like to tell you about. It’s true, dreams are nothing but dreams, but still, I’ll tell them to you for your spiritual benefit. Try to picture yourselves with me on the seashore or, better still, on an outlying cliff with no other land in sight. The vast expanse of water is covered with a formidable array of ships in battle formation, prows fitted with sharp, spear-like spars capable of breaking through any defense. All are heavily armed with cannons, incendiary bombs, firearms, and other explosives. They are all heading toward one stately ship, mightier than them all. As they close in, they try to ram it, set it on fire, and cripple it as much as possible. A flotilla escort shields this stately vessel, and the winds and waves are with the enemy. Amid this endless sea, two solid columns soar high into the sky a short distance apart. At the very top of one is a statue of the Immaculate Virgin, at whose feet a large inscription reads: Auxilium Christianorum, Help of Christians; on top of the other, far loftier and sturdier, supports a Sacred Host proportional in size to the column and bears beneath it the inscription Salus Credentium, Salvation of believers. The commander of the great ship is the Roman Pontiff. Seeing the enemy’s fury, and his auxiliary ships’ grave predicament, he summons his captains to a conference. However, as they discuss their strategy, a furious storm breaks out, and they must return to their ships.When the storm abates, the Pope again summons his captains as the flagship continues. But the storm rages again, and standing at the helm, the Pope strains every muscle to steer his ship between the two columns from whose tops hang many anchors and strong hooks linked to chains. The enemy fleet closes in to intercept and sink the flagship at all costs. They bombard it with everything they have; incendiary bombs, firearms, cannons and every imaginable explosive. Now, the battle rages on ever more furious. Pointed iron prows ram the flagship repeatedly but to no avail. Unscathed and undaunted, it keeps on its course. At times, a formidable ram splinters a gaping hole in its hull; however, a breeze from the two columns immediately seals the gash.Meanwhile, enemy cannons blow up, firearms break and fall to pieces, and ships crack in two and sink to the bottom of the ocean. In blind fury, the enemy resorts to hand-to-hand combat, cursing, and blaspheming. Suddenly the Pope falls, seriously wounded. He is instantly helped up but struck down again, then dies. A shout of victory rises from the enemy, and wild rejoicing sweeps their ships. But no sooner is the Pope dead than another one takes his place. The captains of the auxiliary ships elected him so quickly that the news of the Pope’s death coincided with that of his successor’s election. The enemy’s self-assurance wanes pitifully as they feel victory slip through their fingers. Breaking through all resistance, the new Pope steers his ship safely between the columns and moors it to both of them; first, to the one with the Sacred Host, and then to the other that is topped by the statue of the Virgin. At this point, something unexpected happens. The enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and sinking each other.Some auxiliary ships, which had gallantly fought alongside their flagship, were the first to tie up at the two columns. Many others had fearfully kept far away from the fight, cautiously waiting until the wrecked enemy ships vanished under the waves. Then, they, too, head for the two columns, tie up at the swinging hooks, and ride safe and tranquil beside their flagship. A great calm now covers the sea..Check out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/8HqQDuB94GoTomorrow I will be attending the March for Life in Washington D.C., so I thought it would be appropriate to recount one of the best quotes about the sin of abortion from Saint Padre Pio. I also will tell two stories which further illustrate his staunch position on this sin and demonstrate why he should be the patron saint of the unborn.Various links for books and sources mentioned: Abortion & Excommunication: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/answers/abortion-excommunication-24758Life, Passion, and Glorification of Padre Pio: https://americaneedsfatima.org/books/life-passion-and-glorification-of-padre-pioArticle by Frank Rega: https://frankrega.com/sanpadrepio/PatronSaint.htmPadre Pio and America: https://tanbooks.com/products/books/padre-pio-and-america/?gc_id=17487855346&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17487873334&gclid=CjwKCAiAssfLBhBDEiwAcLpwfqnXouANnzryARKSoeezsYaF6WupTxkyN9X4JeAQ9pCzONkeiNGZTxoCKA4QAvD_BwEPadre Pio: The True Story: https://www.amazon.com/Padre-Pio-Story-Revised-Updated/dp/1612788823 Saint Padre Pio said: “The day men lose their horror of abortion, scared by an economic crash, physical ailments and economic sacrifices, will be a terrible day for mankind. For it is precisely the day they should show horror. Abortion is not only homicide but also suicide. Do we have the courage to manifest our faith in relation to those about to commit a crime? Do we want them, yes or no, to change their attitude? One would understand this suicide of the human race if one observed, in the light of reason, the ‘beauty and joy’ of an earth populated with old people and barren of children, burned like a desert. If we reflected about this, we would understand the twofold seriousness of abortion. Abortion always mutilates the lives of parents.”Referring to parents who abort their children, he added:“I would like to cover them with the ashes of the fetuses they destroyed to make them see their responsibility and thus prevent them from resorting to their own ignorance. The remains of a procured abortion, buried with fake consideration and fake piety, are a manifestation of hypocrisy. These ashes will be spread on the brazen faces of the murdering parents. My rigorous defense of the children’s survival in the world is always an act of faith and hope in ourencounter with God on earth.”Check out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast

Watch the episode: https://youtu.be/x4EJf6amhDMThe depravity of Luther's error knew no bounds, even to the extent that at times, he thought he was God. This and many other shocking facts were brought to my attention by an article written by the great Brazilian Catholic thinker, Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira, titled “Luther Thought He Was Divine” which I will recount on for you today. Here's the article and citations: https://www.pliniocorreadeoliveira.info/UK_19840110_LutherThoughtHeWasDivine.htm Keep in mind, I simplified some of the author's introduction for younger listeners.Here are the Martin Luther quotes and sources: He wrote to a friend that a man vexed by the Devil should occasionally “drink more abundantly, gamble, entertain himself, and even commit some sin out of hatred and spite for the Devil so that we may not give him an opportunity to disturb our consciences with trifles. The whole Decalogue should be erased from our eyes and our souls, from us who are so persecuted and molested by the Devil” (M. Luther, Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken, Ed. De Wette [Berlin, 1825-1828]; Franca, pp. 199-200).Along the same line he also wrote: “God only obliges you to believe and to confess (the faith). In all other things He leaves you free, lord and master to do whatever you will without any danger to your conscience; on the contrary, it is certain that, as far as He is concerned, it makes no difference whether you leave your wife, flee from your lord, or are unfaithful to every obligation. What is it to Him if you do or do not do such things?” (Werke, Weimar ed., XII, pp. 131 ff.; Franca, p. 446).The incitement to sin given in a letter to Melanchton on August 1, 1521, is perhaps even more categorical: “Be a sinner, and sin strongly (esto peccator et pecca fortiter), but believe and rejoice even more firmly in Christ, the conqueror of sin, of death, and of the world. During this life, we have to sin. It is sufficient that, by the mercy of God, we know the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Sin will not separate us from Him, even though we were to commit a thousand murders and a thousand adulteries per day” (Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken, II, p. 37; Franca, p. 439).“There is no religion in the whole world that teaches this doctrine of justification; I myself, even though I teach it publicly, have a great difficulty in believing it privately” (Werke, XXV, p. 330; Franca, p. 158).Luther himself recognized the devastating effects of his admittedly insincere preaching, saying: “The Gospel today finds adherents who are convinced that it is nothing but a doctrine that serves to fill their bellies and give free reign to all their impulses” (Werke, XXXIII, p. 2; Franca, p. 440).And Luther added, regarding his evangelical henchmen, that “they are seven times worse than they were before. After the preaching of our doctrine men have given themselves up to robbery, lying, imposture, debauchery, drunkenness, and every kind of vice. We have expelled one devil (the papacy), and seven worse ones have come in” (Werke, XXVIII, p. 763; Franca, p. 441).“After we understood that good works are not necessary for justification, I became much more remiss and cold in doing good...and if we could return now to the old state of things and if the doctrine of the necessity of good works to be holy could be revived, our alacrity and promptness in doing good would be different” (Werke, XXVII, p. 443; Franca, p. 443).All these insanities make it understandable how Luther reached a frenzy of satanic pride, saying of himself: “Does this Luther not appear to you to be eccentric? As far as I am concerned, I think he is God. Otherwise, how could his writings or his name have the power to transform beggars into lords, asses into doctors (of learning), falsifiers into saints, slime into pearls!” (Werke, Ed. Wittenberg, 1551, IV, pp. 378; Franca, p. 190).At other times, Luther’s opinion of himself was much more objective: “I am a man exposed to and involved in society, debauchery, carnal movements, in negligence and other disturbances, to which are added those of my own office” (Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken, I, p. 232; Franca, p. 232).Excommunicated in Worms in 1521, Luther gave himself up to idleness and sloth. On July 13 of that year he wrote to Melanchton: “I find myself here insensate and hardened, established in idleness. Oh, woe! Praying little, and ceasing to moan for the Church of God, because my untamed flesh burns in great flames. In short, I, who ought to have the fervor of the spirit, have the fervor of the flesh, of licentiousness, sloth, idleness, and somnolence” (Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken, II, p. 22; Franca, p. 198).In a sermon preached in 1532: “As for me I confess, and many others could undoubtedly make an equal confession, that I am careless of discipline and zeal. I am much more negligent now than under the papacy; no one has ardor for the Gospel now like that you used to see” (Saemtiliche Werke,  XVII , p. 353; Franca, p. 441).Check out the YouTube channel, if you want: https://www.youtube.com/@catholicmenspodcast