Recently I was talking to a non-Catholic friend when I mentioned an acquaintance. “He’s a good man,” I said. “He’s a good Catholic.” My friend took offense. “Why do you have to say Catholic? Why not just say Christian? It seems divisive to insist on being Catholic.” It’s a good question. Why distinguish between Catholic […]
Continue readingMore TagPride
. Catholic tradition identifies pride as the most dangerous vice. It heads the list of capital sins. It is the most subtle, the most “spiritual” of sins. It is the sin of the devil. Satan cannot commit sins of the flesh. (He has no flesh.) But he can commit the sin of pride. Pride caused […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Biblical Meaning of Salvation
Christianity is a message of salvation. What does that mean? Our Protestant friends sometimes ask, “Brother, have you been saved?” They have in mind a private religious experience, a prayer meant to guarantee one’s place in heaven. Is that what salvation means? In the ancient near east, kings and emperors were described as “saviors” when […]
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. The World Meeting of Families this week is dedicated to the theme of love: “Love is the Mission of the Family.” It is very appropriate. Love is the heart of family life, as love is the heart of the Catholic faith. A new command I give you, says our Lord, “Love one another.” (John […]
Continue readingMore TagOn the Pope and Politics
I recieved an email this week from a man who would like to become Catholic, but finds his politics getting in the way. He identifies as a political conservative. He perceives Pope Francis to be a political liberal. The Pope’s recent words about capitalism and the environment give him pause. They are a stumbling block. […]
Continue readingMore TagSCOTUS Decision Analyzed
On Friday, June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in the case of Obergefell vs. Hodges. At issue was the purported right of homosexual couples to marry and to have that right enforced across state lines. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled that all states must issue marriage […]
Continue readingMore TagOutside In: Catholic Faith and the Emotional Life
I went to see the New Pixar movie, Inside Out. The film takes us inside the mind of a young girl, Riley, where we literally see her emotions, depicted as cartoon personifications. “Joy” is a bouncy, bubbly, vibrant young woman. “Sadness” is a pudgy, mopey little blue girl. We also meet characters named “Fear,” “Anger,” […]
Continue readingMore TagFaith, Hope, and Common Sense
. I once attended a non-Catholic Church that was long on religious enthusiasm, but short on common sense. The Church had been swept up in a charismatic revival that emphasized vigorous displays of emotion. In that larger movement, there were outbursts that sometimes appeared quite neurotic. Folks would roll on the floor, howl like dogs, […]
Continue readingMore TagStaying Sane: A Good Reason to be Catholic
A few weeks ago I saw a bumper sticker that made me laugh and it reminded me why I am Catholic. It said, “Honk if you don’t exist.” If I am not mistaken, the bumper sticker was meant to teach one of the central tenets of Buddhism – the anatta doctrine, or the doctrine of […]
Continue readingMore TagWhy is Catholic Marriage Different?
Catholic teaching on marriage elicits more practical opposition and misunderstanding than perhaps any other Catholic doctrine. When I ask people what is keeping them from full communion with the Catholic church, Catholic teaching and the canon law on marriage rank high on the list. The reason for the opposition is easily understood. Christ calls married […]
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