YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Traditional Catholics are not as common as they once were.  We often feel as though we are fighting alone for our Faith and for our souls.  We often wonder whether perhaps we are wrong about our beliefs because so many others are against us.  Yet, despite the fact that we may be scattered to the four corners of the earth, God is still with us.  He is continuously watching over us and aiding us in the battle against the demons and enemies of the Church.

Few traditional Catholics are aware that we even had a traditional Catholic monarch in our midst until his recent death on Sunday, October 16^th of this year.  He was known throughout the world as King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa (baptized Jean-Baptiste), the last reigning monarch of Rwanda, Africa.  In the 1960’s, his kingdom was overthrown and he was exiled from his homeland.  He resided for many years in Kenya, Africa, and eventually sought asylum in the United States in the 1990’s. 

Throughout the time of his exile, he often sought to return home; however, he was never able to do so.  He lived for a while on food stamps, and was extremely poor and destitute.  He watched from a distance as 500,000-1,000,000 people were massacred in the Rwandan Genocide in 1994; unable to assist his countrymen or prevent their deaths.  These are only a few of the well-known events that he suffered through…

Imagine yourself in his shoes…

Imagine the abandonment, pain and heartache you would feel…

Imagine how you would, in all probability, be inclined to despair…

What most people do not realize is that, despite all the hardships that he faced, King Kigeli always remained a faithful son of the Church!  He regularly attended the Traditional Latin Mass in Vienna, VA while he lived in the United States.  He never made a big deal about being a king or being better than anyone else.  He was known for his gentle ways, loving manner, and adherence to all the virtues of our most blessed Faith.  Yet, most of all, he was recognized for his humility and complete resignation to the Divine Will of God. 

When put in comparison to King Kigeli’s hardships, the little trials in our lives appear to be small and insignificant trifles.  So, whenever we feel as if your life is too difficult, we need to remember that we are not alone.  Everyone, who tries to run the good race and do what is right, will undergo pain and suffering. 

Therefore, let us be stout of heart, keep our eyes focused on God, and place all of our trust in Him.  We must keep fighting the good fight, even when times are hard, and all the world appears to be against us.  Finally, as King Kigeli inspired many of those who knew him, we should aim to become the kind of person whose very life breathes courage and good influence upon our fellow traditional Catholics.