Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
I love Pope Francis. I believe he truly walks in the Way of Our Lord. I further believe that Pope Francis is the right Pope for right now. May his Papacy continue for the next 20 years at least.
As a true successor of St. Peter, Pope Francis has electrified the world and caused consternation among "traditional" Catholics and "liberal" Catholics alike.
In the media, where editorial considerations and the journalistic need for headlines rule, Pope Francis is often misquoted and his comments are taken out of context.
A few months ago, the Pope said, regarding gay clergy and gay people in general "Who am I to judge?" His comment generated a firestorm of controversy. To wit: "Did the Pope just endorse gay equality, gay rights, etc?"
No, he neither endorsed nor condemned anything. He simply stated, consistent with the Word of Our Lord, "judge not lest ye be judged." The Holy Father was reiterating the fact that all of us will be ultimately judged by God and that no person should presuppose the will of God by passing judgement.
Just last week, in an oft-misquoted interview, the Holy Father expressed his belief that the Church should not be obsessively focused on the issues of abortion, same-sex marriage, or artificial contraception. The news outlets when berserk. One headline read "Pope Francis radically changes Church Doctrine."
Pope Francis did not change any Doctrine. His comments expressed his concern that if the Church appears to be a contemporary issue based Faith (and only three issues at that), then the entirety of the Deposit of Faith for the past 2,000 years might be seen as forgotten, pushed aside, or as secondary to those few issues, and the Church itself might thereby implode. The Holy Father is absolutely correct in his concerns.
What the Pope did say is that we Catholics should be mindful of and present the totality of our Faith, the example of Our Lord, and our adherence to the principles of love and forgiveness for which Our Lord sacrificed himself that we might find eternal life through Him.
When the Lord walked upon this Earth, neither He nor His disciples walked around with signs or verbal protests against single issues, any single issues. His message was always about universal love and forgiveness.
Our Lord told his disciples (us): "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household." Matt 10: 34-36
So, therefore, consistent with the Way of Our Lord, Pope Francis shakes things up. Rock on, Pope Francis!
That Pope Francis receive always the blessing of God, for Pope Francis' long life with a clear mind, and may Pope Francis' words be understood in their full truth and meaning by all Catholics and all persons in the world, I pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear my prayer.
Amen.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Amen--A Short Post on Our Commitment and the Consequences of Our Commitment
Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen means "I believe." However, when we say "Amen," what we mean at the level of our soul is "I believe and I am willing to die for my Faith in you, Lord Jesus Christ." I encourage all Catholics to be mindful of this definition the next time they receive Communion.
Thus, an "Amen," is our commitment consistent with all the martyrs who died for the Faith.
Did you know?
Catholics are the most frequent the victims of religious hate crimes worldwide. It's sad but true. Despite numbering about 1.2 Billion people in the world of 6 Billion people, Catholics lead all people of Faith as victims of violence perpetrated for their Faith by adherents of other faiths or no-faith.
In the face of those who may wish to harm you because you are Catholics. Stand up for and stand by your Faith. It is by your Faith that you will have eternal life with Our Lord.
God bless you.
What we believe--suggested readings
Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
I had originally intended to use this post to explain stuff. Upon reflection, I realized that everything I was going to explain has been explained far better by others.
So, I encourage all those whom Our Lord has brought to read my blog to read the following. I think of these as "required reading" for all Catholics and those who want to learn about the Church and the Faith.
The Bible. For great "background material," read the Old Testament in the Catholic Bible. The Catholic Bible contains five books that were deleted at the publication of the Protestant Bibles. The Old Testament is a great read--its got everything--love, hate, wars, violence, sex, incest, destruction, and salvation.
Read also the New Testament--the story of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is infrequently quoted in Scripture, but His story is told by His disciples. The Catholic Bible New Testament is accepted by the Catholic Church as writings inspired by the Divine Power of the Holy Spirit. It's also a great read.
Summa Theologica by St Thomas Aquinas,a Doctor of the Church. Not an easy read, but in "Summa Theologica," Aquinas presents, by way of argument and rebuttal, arguments posed by those opposed to the theology of the Church and the invalidity of those arguments.
Confessions of St Augustine. Also not an easy read, but a seminal work by another Doctor of the Church. Augustine was an adult convert to the Church and the Faith who, prior to his conversion, lived a pretty wild life.
Personally, I love St. Augustine's writings. His "complete works" are also available--good reading for long winters. My favorite quote from St. Augustine on the Bible, "If you retain the parts [of the Bible] you like, and discard the parts you don't, you don't believe in the Bible, you only believe in yourself." Brilliant, yes? Yes.
In addition to these, there are several works I suggest:
Books by St Theresa of Avila, especially "Interior Castle," "The Life of St Theresa of Jesus," (her autobiography), and "The Way of Perfection."
Books by St Theresa of Lisieux, especially "The Story of a Soul."
And, for contemporary reads:
"Consoling the Heart of Jesus," by Michael E. Gaitley, MIC. This book was inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, I guarantee you will cry while reading this. Few of us are able to attend the full 30 day Ignatian retreat. This book is the next best thing.
"Introduction to Mary" by Mark Miravalle, S.T.D. I highly recommend this book as a must read. Although I might sound presumptuous and, therefore, apologize, you really don't know Our Blessed Mother as you will after reading this work.
Much of the contemporary Church is involved with Marian Doctrine (remember Doctrine from my first post). The past several popes, as well as Pope Francis, have affirmed and reaffirmed our faith in Our Blessed Mother as our most perfect intercessor to God. As Our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth, the light, and the way to God, Our Blessed Mother is our perfect way to Our Lord.
I am not a bookseller. All these books can be found for your Kindle or other device at low cost or free. If you prefer hard copies, I recommend buying through betterworldbooks.com. You can find everything there at greatly reduced prices and with a zero carbon footprint impact. I bought "Introduction to Mary" through betterworldbooks.com for $5.
Some final notes:
I have been asked why I begin each blog with "Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!" As adult converts to the Church, these word are the first public pronouncement we make (in addition to responding "I will" or "I am") before the congregation as we progress through our Rites of Introduction, Acceptance, and Continuing Conversion prior to receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and our Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion.
Also, as we are taught and is exemplified in the order of the Mass, we first give praise to the Lord.
By His grace.
I had originally intended to use this post to explain stuff. Upon reflection, I realized that everything I was going to explain has been explained far better by others.
So, I encourage all those whom Our Lord has brought to read my blog to read the following. I think of these as "required reading" for all Catholics and those who want to learn about the Church and the Faith.
The Bible. For great "background material," read the Old Testament in the Catholic Bible. The Catholic Bible contains five books that were deleted at the publication of the Protestant Bibles. The Old Testament is a great read--its got everything--love, hate, wars, violence, sex, incest, destruction, and salvation.
Read also the New Testament--the story of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is infrequently quoted in Scripture, but His story is told by His disciples. The Catholic Bible New Testament is accepted by the Catholic Church as writings inspired by the Divine Power of the Holy Spirit. It's also a great read.
Summa Theologica by St Thomas Aquinas,a Doctor of the Church. Not an easy read, but in "Summa Theologica," Aquinas presents, by way of argument and rebuttal, arguments posed by those opposed to the theology of the Church and the invalidity of those arguments.
Confessions of St Augustine. Also not an easy read, but a seminal work by another Doctor of the Church. Augustine was an adult convert to the Church and the Faith who, prior to his conversion, lived a pretty wild life.
Personally, I love St. Augustine's writings. His "complete works" are also available--good reading for long winters. My favorite quote from St. Augustine on the Bible, "If you retain the parts [of the Bible] you like, and discard the parts you don't, you don't believe in the Bible, you only believe in yourself." Brilliant, yes? Yes.
In addition to these, there are several works I suggest:
Books by St Theresa of Avila, especially "Interior Castle," "The Life of St Theresa of Jesus," (her autobiography), and "The Way of Perfection."
Books by St Theresa of Lisieux, especially "The Story of a Soul."
And, for contemporary reads:
"Consoling the Heart of Jesus," by Michael E. Gaitley, MIC. This book was inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, I guarantee you will cry while reading this. Few of us are able to attend the full 30 day Ignatian retreat. This book is the next best thing.
"Introduction to Mary" by Mark Miravalle, S.T.D. I highly recommend this book as a must read. Although I might sound presumptuous and, therefore, apologize, you really don't know Our Blessed Mother as you will after reading this work.
Much of the contemporary Church is involved with Marian Doctrine (remember Doctrine from my first post). The past several popes, as well as Pope Francis, have affirmed and reaffirmed our faith in Our Blessed Mother as our most perfect intercessor to God. As Our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth, the light, and the way to God, Our Blessed Mother is our perfect way to Our Lord.
I am not a bookseller. All these books can be found for your Kindle or other device at low cost or free. If you prefer hard copies, I recommend buying through betterworldbooks.com. You can find everything there at greatly reduced prices and with a zero carbon footprint impact. I bought "Introduction to Mary" through betterworldbooks.com for $5.
Some final notes:
I have been asked why I begin each blog with "Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!" As adult converts to the Church, these word are the first public pronouncement we make (in addition to responding "I will" or "I am") before the congregation as we progress through our Rites of Introduction, Acceptance, and Continuing Conversion prior to receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and our Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion.
Also, as we are taught and is exemplified in the order of the Mass, we first give praise to the Lord.
By His grace.
In the Beginning: Introduction to this blog.
Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
I am beginning this blog on the first day of Autumn, 2013. Autumn is a time of recollection. The Earth now begins to recollect itself, leaves fall, snow comes, the ground freezes, the Earth moves into a long hibernation to preserve itself over Winter in preparation for the renewal of Spring.
So too, many people move into their own recollection. Food and fuel are stored for the cold months to come. As daytime becomes short, we stay in our homes more, turn on the lights, and, some of us anyway, recollect our inner thoughts. We read more books of substance. We reflect.
I am an American adult convert to the Roman Catholic Church. As an adult convert, I have taken the opportunity to read and study, not only the Bible, but also the seminal works of those designated as Doctors of the Church. These are the works of men and women whose impact on the Church has endured over the centuries. Sadly, many Catholics have not read these works.
As an American, I fully believe in and support the Constitution of the United States. In fact, each July Fourth, I read the entire Constitution. Word by word, from We the People to the end, so that when those who haven't claim "it's my Constitutional right" I can honestly say, "no, it isn't" or "yes, it is" or, many times "where is it so written?"
This blog will, from time to time, attempt to address, from my personal educated perspective, some of the issues of the day that may have precipitated discord among Catholics. This blog will also address certain Dogma, Doctrine, and Discipline that guide us as Catholics. My intent is to inform consistent with our Baptismal commitment to evangelize.
I encourage you to respectively and constructively respond to what I write. If you disagree with me, please make specific citations of Scripture in context, citations of the Catechism in context, or other sources, again in context, that support your response. I pray that you will.
Why FreePerfectNow? Many of you are familiar with the quality, cost, time triangle depiction of what people want. Whether in business or in our personal lives, we all want what we want now, in perfect quality, and for free. However, by putting one of the qualities at the points of the triangle, we know there are tradeoffs. If we raise our costs, we can get whatever sooner and with higher quality. Likewise, if we maintain low costs, we can only get high quality over a longer period of time. Tradeoffs.
However, we all have God's love and mercy from Him free, perfect, and now. Simple, yes?
Some definitions so we can all level-set from the beginning:
Dogma -- Truth that is immediately revealed by God and that has been solemnly defined by the teaching Church to be believed by the faithful.
Doctrine -- a Teaching which is theologically certain. The Magesterium (collected writings of the Church and the Church's pronouncements thereon) guarantees its Truth but has not solemnly defined its truth.
Discipline -- a Practice dictated by the Church based on Doctrine but which can change under circumstances dictated by the Church.
May God bless those who read my blog. May I always echo the words of Our Blessed Mother at the Annunciation, "I am a handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to His will." Amen.
I am beginning this blog on the first day of Autumn, 2013. Autumn is a time of recollection. The Earth now begins to recollect itself, leaves fall, snow comes, the ground freezes, the Earth moves into a long hibernation to preserve itself over Winter in preparation for the renewal of Spring.
So too, many people move into their own recollection. Food and fuel are stored for the cold months to come. As daytime becomes short, we stay in our homes more, turn on the lights, and, some of us anyway, recollect our inner thoughts. We read more books of substance. We reflect.
I am an American adult convert to the Roman Catholic Church. As an adult convert, I have taken the opportunity to read and study, not only the Bible, but also the seminal works of those designated as Doctors of the Church. These are the works of men and women whose impact on the Church has endured over the centuries. Sadly, many Catholics have not read these works.
As an American, I fully believe in and support the Constitution of the United States. In fact, each July Fourth, I read the entire Constitution. Word by word, from We the People to the end, so that when those who haven't claim "it's my Constitutional right" I can honestly say, "no, it isn't" or "yes, it is" or, many times "where is it so written?"
This blog will, from time to time, attempt to address, from my personal educated perspective, some of the issues of the day that may have precipitated discord among Catholics. This blog will also address certain Dogma, Doctrine, and Discipline that guide us as Catholics. My intent is to inform consistent with our Baptismal commitment to evangelize.
I encourage you to respectively and constructively respond to what I write. If you disagree with me, please make specific citations of Scripture in context, citations of the Catechism in context, or other sources, again in context, that support your response. I pray that you will.
Why FreePerfectNow? Many of you are familiar with the quality, cost, time triangle depiction of what people want. Whether in business or in our personal lives, we all want what we want now, in perfect quality, and for free. However, by putting one of the qualities at the points of the triangle, we know there are tradeoffs. If we raise our costs, we can get whatever sooner and with higher quality. Likewise, if we maintain low costs, we can only get high quality over a longer period of time. Tradeoffs.
However, we all have God's love and mercy from Him free, perfect, and now. Simple, yes?
Some definitions so we can all level-set from the beginning:
Dogma -- Truth that is immediately revealed by God and that has been solemnly defined by the teaching Church to be believed by the faithful.
Doctrine -- a Teaching which is theologically certain. The Magesterium (collected writings of the Church and the Church's pronouncements thereon) guarantees its Truth but has not solemnly defined its truth.
Discipline -- a Practice dictated by the Church based on Doctrine but which can change under circumstances dictated by the Church.
May God bless those who read my blog. May I always echo the words of Our Blessed Mother at the Annunciation, "I am a handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to His will." Amen.
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