Dear friends of ISOC:
Sad news arrived today. One of our most beloved friends, Mr. Jim Condit, Jr., passed away last night.
Anyone familiar with ISOC knows Jim has been a supporter of our efforts since July, 2004 when we interviewed together for the first time. And we have 37 of those interviews available now and forever at the ISOC website. That July was the beginning of a loyal and lasting friendship – one-of-a-kind that is difficult, if not impossible, to find today.
Not only did we do interviews together, Jim joined us for our 2004 Catholic Restoration Conference in Phoenix and for several other conferences as well.
Jim will be remembered mostly for his stalwart belief in the importance of the writings of Rev. Denis Fahey, who he called “The Apostle for the Kingship of Christ in Our Time,” and whose writings he staunchly defended on the pages of his now little-known but still sorely missed newspaper, All These Things – perhaps the most uncompromising and politically aware Catholic newspaper since Fr. Coughlin’s Social Justice.
The best way for us to give you a hint of the affection and solidarity we all had for and with Jim as a comrade in arms serving Our Lord Christ the King is to share one of many humorous anecdotes.
You will all no doubt remember our son’s ejection from the Navy over the war in Iraq. What you may not know is that what started that process was the Southern Poverty Law Center’s attack on “radical” Catholic traditionalists – namely, those who were prepared to speak candidly, if charitably, about the Jєωιѕн Question, the way our Catholic ancestors of decades and centuries past did. That attack, of December 2006, triggered an editorial in a Virginia newspaper referring to then Lieutenant Commander Sharpe, denouncing, among other things, his support for “h0Ɩ0cαųst revisionist Jim Condit, an Ohio crackpot.” We never tired of embracing and working with our dear friend, the “Ohio crackpot.” What’s more, when that SPLC list came out assaulting the “dirty dozen,” Jim was furious that he was not named alongside them. He spent the rest of his days asking us all, “What do I have to do to get on that list!?!?!” Our sincere belief is that they knew he was fearless and more prepared than any of us to tell the truth, come hell or high water, and for that reason they perhaps thought better of going after him.
We hope and pray that his loyalty and fierce defense of the truth, in season and out, may be rewarded by the warm embrace of the Truth Incarnate, and of the loving arms of his Holy Family.
Finally, we should reflect soberly on, and take consolation from, the fact that Our Lord called Jim from this life on December 26, the Feast of St. Stephen. Like Jim, we hope, he spoke truth to the powers of his day, suffered, and was received by our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the account (from Acts Chapter vii) of St. Stephen’s last hours. Please join us in praying that Jim’s final moments were equally blessed.
You stiffnecked and uncircuмcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you also. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. 54 Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
56 And they crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one accord ran violently upon him. 57 And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul. 58 And they stoned Stephen, invoking, and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 59 And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
God bless you,
Judith Sharpe
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Topic: Jim Condit, Jr. R.I.P. (Read 380 times)