Schlapp shares thoughts at Red Mass banquet

Matt Schlapp answered a variety of questions during a Red Mass Banquet Thursday night at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita.

A Red Mass is a Mass celebrated annually in the Roman Catholic Church for all members of the legal profession. It is so named because of the red vestments traditionally worn symbolizing the tongues of fire – the Holy Spirit – that descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost.

Schlapp, a political activist and a 1986 graduate of Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School in Wichita, talked to the 175 attending about getting into college, his early career, his wife and family, and how raising children is difficult today. “People say there’s my truth, which means truth is whatever you want it to be, where words don’t have meaning.”

In an answer to one question, he discussed how the understanding of the U.S. Constitution has changed since the founding of the country.
Schlapp said the radicalism in society isn’t an element of any political party. “I think this is a civilization and society question about truth and family and holding on to things that are eternal.”

He said he’s been ostracized from a lot of circles during his professional career but that his faith consoles him.

Schlapp talked about the growing hostility toward religion and how that affected him and his family.

“I think the most important thing all of us can do in this room is raise kids who are proud of their Catholic heritage, their Christian heritage, their Jewish heritage. Be proud of being Americans.”

CAB meeting

Schlapp talked about how controversial a name such as the Catholic Assembly of Business is in the secular world during a CAB breakfast Thursday morning in Good Shepherd Hall at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita.

The term business in some camps is considered evil, he said, because business “pushes misery on human beings.” Christian leaders of businesses are being targeted because of their beliefs as well, he said.

Schlapp also discussed the dominant culture and how it is undermining society and teaching youth to hate their country in front of about 90 CAB members and their guests.

He talked about the current political climate, the Covid debate, and how the popular media plays a large part in supporting anti-Christian concepts about marriage and sexuality.

“The Prince of Lies is dominating our political discussion, dominating our cultural discussion,” he said.

Schlapp talked about an incident that made an impression on him – a mother at a church in the mountains of Virginia who spoke after Mass. “Salt of the earth people,” he said. “This woman…gets out there and says, ‘Look guys, here’s what’s happening to our kids.’”

What is happening to our children?

In 90 seconds she explained what’s happening to our children and to society, he said. She continued: “We’re going to start a CCD program for all the kids in the area and you’re going to help me teach it because we have to raise the next generation to be a warrior generation.”

We see all these terrible trends, Schlapp said. “I don’t know if this is the end of it all or the beginning of a resurgence. My faith teaches me to be optimistic.”

Schlapp said he believes the idea that we have a lot of young people who are lost is wrong. “I think we have a lot of young people who are aware that they can get ‘canceled’ so quickly, they can be destroyed on social media so quickly, that they are more inner-focused.”

They need to understand that they matter, that they are not haters, and that what they believe in is still eternal and right, he said.
“I’d like to urge you to be as vocal as you possibly can be,” he said. “When you state your case there is going to be 20 other people that hear you, that are going to say, ‘You know what? I can do it too.’”

The fight isn’t between a donkey and an elephant, Schlapp said. “It’s about civilization. It’s about families. You don’t have civilization without families. It’s about raising kids, who will be functional members of this civilization.”

It’s very simple, he added. “I think the devil feels pretty cocky. I think he feels that he’s on a tear, and I’d like to end his streak. And I think we can.”