A REASON OPEN TO GOD
On Universities, Education and Culture
By Pope Benedict XVI
The Catholic University of America Press, 2013
336 pages, $24.95
To order: cuapress.cua.edu
In May comes graduation days. Commencement time offers a moment for reflection on the purpose of higher education — especially in our Catholic universities.
And every year we watch the Catholic universities to see who the commencement speakers are, and we dissect the ways they honor or detract from a university’s mission.
What a Catholic university’s mission should be is an oft-debated topic, but we needn’t look far to find a guide to measure our critique.
All three of our most recent popes, from Blessed John Paul II to Pope Francis, have had extensive experience in higher Catholic education as professors. Indeed, John Paul may well be considered the finest philosopher in the history of the papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI certainly ranks high as a theologian, particularly in his work of the ongoing rediscovery of the Fathers of the Church. In one way or another, we could refer to them as “university men.”
The Catholic University of America Press has done us a great service by publishing A Reason Open to God, with Pope Benedict’s teachings during his pontificate. The book has a foreword by the president of Catholic University, John Garvey, who has continued the fine work of his predecessor (now-Bishop David O’Connell of Trenton, N.J.) in reconstructing CUA into a truly Catholic university.
This collection is of particular value to Catholic Americans, as one of our finest boasts was that we had by far the largest collection of Catholic universities in the world, at least through the decade of the tumultuous ’60s. The majority of these universities were staffed by thriving religious congregations, both male and female.
Then, out of the blue, a revolution took place in 1967 that changed Catholic higher education radically, but we hope not forever. It was known as the Land O’ Lakes Conference, for that is where a group of Catholic college presidents and academics undertook a revolution in Catholic education that hopefully will someday (soon) be rolled back.
The Land O’ Lakes document began this way:
“The Catholic university today must be a university in the full modern sense of the word, with a strong commitment to and concern for academic excellence. To perform its teaching and research functions effectively, the Catholic university must have a true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself. To say this is simply to assert that institutional autonomy and academic freedom are essential conditions of life and growth and indeed of survival for Catholic universities, as for all universities.”
Now compare this with Pope Benedict’s address to Catholic educators at Catholic University in Washington on April 17, 2008:
“It is the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university’s freedom and identity and mission: a mission at the heart of the Church’s munus docendi and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.”
The contrast is clear. We can only hope that our bishops in each diocese with at least a nominally Catholic college or university will address the matter under the leadership of our new Pope Francis.
This book contains all of Pope Benedict’s talks on the subjects mentioned in the title, with the great majority being given in the context of pastoral visits throughout the world. I found most interesting those talks in England, on the occasion of his trip to beatify Blessed John Henry Newman, with whom Pope Benedict had a special relation as a fellow theologian. In his homily, Pope Benedict, used Blessed John Henry’s own words to describe the goal of Catholic university professors:
“I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious — but men who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it, who know so much of history that they can defend it.”
Would that all of our universities yielded such young men and women, the earth would be ablaze with the truths of our faith!
All in all, this book deserves a place on the bookshelves of every Catholic teacher, student and parent — and its words a place in their hearts.
Father C.J. McCloskey is a Church historian and research fellow
at the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington.
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[This comment is based on the original review in Catholic Insight. I am unable to view the NCR piece. If this error does not occur in the NCR piece, please disregard. Also, please delete everything in square brackets if this is published. Thank you.]
I was delighted to see Donald DeMarco’s review of our book How Far Can We Go? A Catholic Guide to Sex and Dating. DeMarco understands our project well and highlights aspects of the work that will convey to readers exactly what kind of book they might be buying and why it will be useful for them.
I had to write, however, to point out that the review contains a not insignificant misquotation. The review applauds our distinction between Natural Family Planning and contraception and quotes page 94 as saying: “NFP alters one’s lifestyle to accomodate the nature of sex, while artificial contraception alters the nature of one’s lifestyle”. It should read: “NFP alters one’s lifestyle to accomodate the nature of sex, while artificial contraception alters the nature of sex to accomodate one’s lifestyle” (emphasis added). Those three words make for quite a different sentence.
We are, in any case, thankful for the great review.
Thank you very much for your kind review. Regarding your comment “If there is a flaw in the book, it is that we only know Mother Teresa’s side of the friendship from her letters, which often sound as if they could have been written to almost anyone,” I’d like to mention that naturally, I was not able to reveal the very personal parts of our correspondence. Only portions of some of the letters that Mother wrote to me were included in my book. Some things are meant to remain private no matter how much one is in the public eye. My hope was that I could help inspire others with Blessed Mother Teresa’s words which can apply to the reader as well. I did my best to convey “Mother Teresa’s side of the friendship” through the recounting of experiences (mine and others) with her which I wove throughout the book. Again, thank you very much for your review. God bless you!
The Blessed Virgin Mary continues to be
‘Our Lady of Surprises’
...with happy endings.
Thank you for bringing everyone’s attention to this book. I’ve read it, chewed over it, and I loved it. Before I did read it, I realized that contemplating the Roman Catholic priesthood prompted me to ask hard questions of what it does mean to love, and what it means to be called to a vocation—to the priesthood or religious life, married life, or single life.
Another good Catholic writer is Tom Grace. He wrote a series of novels about a character called Nolan Kilkenny.
Let us not forget that in The Vision of Tuy, The Holy Spirit resides between The Father and The Son thus confirming The Filioque and the fact that The Holy Spirit is The Love Between The Father and The Son and thus proceeds from The Father and The Son.
“I Pray that they will be One, Father…” - Christ at The Last Supper
Loyolla Press has a nice series of books with Catholic themes, many are classics such THE SILVER CHALICE.
Does anyone at all want to hear about the abuse that homosexual children have inflicted on them by their catholic parents?
In Novo Millennio Ineuntes John Paul II told us that the whole Church should become “a home and school of communion”. I see that this book, Focolare: Living a Spirituality of Unity in the United States, can help us make each of our local parishes “a home and school of communion”.
I have been a commited member of Focolare since 1977. Focolare has opened my eyes to the heart of Jesus’ message on how to live His way - not only ritually but interiorly. Turning individuality into collectively - loving always the hard times as well as the good makes for a true fulfillment. It is my life force - this richness in the Church.
The young men and women whom we send off to universities ea year at this time are often quite bright (judging by test scores and GPAs from high school) and yet many are completely defenseless.
They simply do not know how to lovingly refute the lies shoved at them by tenured radicals seated in positions of authority.
This book is a welcome addition to a shelf bulging under the weight of others offering guidance to incoming Freshmen.
UT govt and philosophy professor J. Budzisewski’s book “How to Stay Christian in College” should be read also.
I have found the NCR to be more informative and more “Catholic” since EWTN has taken ownership. I like everything you are doing. Keep up the good work!
cheap with confident for more
look at online for more
Dear Editor,
This comment is not for publication!
I was pleasantly surprised to read this article. “Surprised,” because the book was published so long ago. “Pleasantly,” because I remain convinced that Eucharistic adoration is immensely important for the spiritual life.
Many thanks indeed!
Father Brian McNeil
(Munich)
I recently read an autographed copy of this book, which was sent to me by one of Fr. Markey’s parishioners because she thought I might be interested after she had read a review I had written about The Way, the recent movie by Emilio Estevez about the Camino de Santiago. I liked Fr. Markey’s book, and I am very happy that it describes a devout Catholic pilgrimage instead of a excursion that enables a person to check yet another item off his or her personal bucket list. I have a great deal of admiration for Fr. Markey, who I met at a Sacred Music colloquium in 2007. He is a jealous young priest who wears a cassock and a biretta and who also offers Mass in the Extraordinary form and supports a high-quality music program at his parish in Norwalk, Conneticut. Fr. Markey’s account of his pilgrimage is a perfect book for a Catholic to read, whether or not you are planning to try to walk the same route he took. He provides essential background information about the history of the Apostle St. James the Greater, how St. James evangelized Spain, how he returned to Jerusalem to then die as the first martyr among the Apostles, and how his body was brought back to Spain for burial. And Fr. Markey’s own journey to the shrine of St. James is humbly told, reverent, and inspiring.
Why would Archbishop Dolan give this interview to a liberal dissenter? Isn’t this just keeping John Jr. employed and able to propagate his biases, indirectly as he does? I made the mistake of buying JA’s book on Pope Benedict. I’m sorry that I did. Let’s stop supporting the National Catholic Reporter’s staff and their attempts to change the Church’s teachings.
Great review
John, How can I get ahold of you my email is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Richard
John,
I hope you remember me. I have been baptized into the body of Christ. It was glorious. You can read my story on the web site whyimcatholic.com you can also read a great article about my conversion in the April 21 edition of the Salt Lake Tribune
email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Father McClosky, my guess is that it’s much easier to write a book than to actually carry out what the book says to do. Of course, I am referring to the discharge of priestly duties of Fr. Marcel Guarnizo, who challenged the culture by denying the Holy Eucharist to one who had left the Church. Little wonder the Cardinal also did not mention the very public Catholics who support stances in opposition to magisterial teaching. Words have no meaning without action behind them.
It is very doubtful that Cardinal Donald Wuerl will stand up to Georgetown. Words in a book are meaningless unless they are backed up by actions.
The Jesuits at Georgetown are to rich and have to much power for this Cardinal to really challange them. He will say a few words against the Kathleen Sebelius scandal but won’t do a thing - it’s very sad.
Ok,ok, I’ll register to vote. God willing, I will vote, but I think the late Joe Sobran, R.I.P., had point when he claimed that the most conscientious way Catholics can take part in the political discussion is to not vote. “In a two party system, you can get the worst of both—and often do.”—paraphrase of Joe Sobran, a friend of mine.
I share Father McCloskey’s disappointment. Thank God,we have automatic excommunication as a sanction. God is always in command.
I share Father McCloskey’s disappointment. Thank God we have automatic excommunication as a sanction. God is always in command.
The cardinal has stated that Canon 915 will not be used against the politicians so abundantly found in his arechdiocese, so they get a free pass to ignore the Magisterium. Georgetown University apparently knows that the cardinal won’t do anything about their invitation to supposed-Catholic Kathleen Sebelius to speak at a graduation event, too. “There is no law without sanctions” expresses it well.
Since I have read “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”, I can tell you that is little more than politically correct doublespeak.
Read it for yourselves.
I am anxious to see how Cardinal Wuerl deals with Georgetown’s invitation to Sibelius to be a commencement speaker. I will bet his silence will be deafening.
Too bad he won’t take swift action like his minion did with the faithful priest who refused communion to a lesbian Bhuddist.
We need real leaders in the Church, not wishy-washy politicians.
For those of us suffering in the AD of Washington, we know just how weak and at the same time hostile to tradition Wuerl really is. Take a look at Sebelius/G’town today for just the latest example.
75 can’t come fast enough for traditional Catholics in DC.
See article on Sebelius to speak at Georgetown. Cardinal Wuerl is where? A woman banned from Holy Communion by her own Bishop and in war with Church teaching nationally? To further the baseball lingo used in Father McCloskey’s article, Wuerl couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag.Big hitter my eye! More happy talk,nicey nicey lace work. Let get to work and fix this church.
HAIL FULL OF GRACE
These days the Bishops seam to walk quietly and carry NO stick.
Thank you for heads up on the Cardinal’s book.
I wonder whether the Cardinal chose not to intervene in the matter of Georgetown univ’s choice for commencement speaker. Did he intervene and fail? Did he not intervene? This certainly takes some wind out of all the good work that the US bishops have done to catechize and rally support on the HHS dictates. And more, it is a slap to all the lay faithful who have prayed and sacrificed much in response to the Bishops’ strong leadership.
Where are the comments to this article?
I know of at least 4 that have been sent, but none posted.
What is going on?
I smell some pro-Wuerl censorship, but those of us who subscribed can apparently read the censored comments.
You can’t stop the truth, NCR/EWTN. Wuerl is a bad, bad archbishop. Can’t wait until his 75th.
All due respect, Father, the determination of His Eminence to ignore the sixty four thousand pound gorilla in the living room leaves me much more than “somewhat disappointed”.
“Similar to St. Francis de Sales” Is Father McCloskey III being sarcastic? I hope he is, otherwise this whole article is totally out of touch with reality.
The cardinal needs to excommunicate those self-proclaimed catholic politicians in his diocese who actively promote abortion, then maybe I’ll take him seriously.
I am not surprised that Cardinal Wuerl won’t discuss canon law penalties for Catholics in public office who scandalize the faithful by supporting legislation contrary to Catholic teaching. Look at his actions: he punishes priests in his diocese who obey canon law in denying Holy Communion to self-professed, openly cohabiting gay persons. Wuerl’s actions cooperate with material evil while he speaks against it—much like Georgetown University’s sdministration. As long as Judas Iscariots like Wuerl are advanced to higher authority in the church, you can bet the faithful will be persecuted to pay for their sins.
He has blown kisses too long, and the people who need to read his book will never know it even exists. The heterodox leadership of Georgetown do not think he possesses the cajones to bring them back in line - and I sadly believe they are right.
Too many bishops blur prudential judgments, where good Catholics can disagree on political issues of the day, and the non-negotiables such as abortion. This gives many Catholics the excuse they are looking for to vote for evil. I don’t know if Cardinal Wuerl does this or not, but the Faithful Citizenship document did do this when it first came out.
In their attempt to show how even-handed they are, some liberal bishops have gone out of their way to criticize Paul Ryan’s budget to cut the deficit, claiming it will hurt the poor, etc. They are certainly entitled to their opinion as citizens, but to publicly use the very weight of their office to equate their prudential views with church doctrine is wrong. Other bishops realize that a country that can’t control its debt will ultimately be unable to help any of the poor. It should be sufficient to teach Jesus’ mandate to help the poor.
As a faithful Catholic, I could never vote for a pro abortion, pro gay marriage, pro embryonic stem cell research, pro euthanasia candidate, yet other Catholics will do so because they disagree with a candidate over which programs will best fight poverty. My loyalty is not to any one political party, yet so many Catholics are partisan to the core—and that includes many bishops.
You were somewhat disappointed in Card. Wuerl`s handaling of politicians
that give scandal with legislation that goes against Catholicm teaching
is down right sad, Fr. McCloskey. It is in my view and according to many
blogs I`ve read lately, a disgrace. The idea that he is of the belief that
he can dress up the truth to make it palatable to politicians is, the problem we have in the most secularized, vicious and anti doctrinal attacks by so called Catholic politicians in many states in this country,
that have ever been before in it`s history. It is certainly not, as you well know, what Christ did when addressing the likes of pharisees and scribes. He called them what they are. The idea that a Catholic leader such as Card. Wuerl would rather “persuade rather than coerce” may afford him a seat of honor at the political table but it hardly gives a concrete
example to many confused and severly divided Catholics. The way the matter
of the well publicized story (Washington Post), about the self proclaimed
Budhist lesbian and her mother`s funeral only added, in my view, to the
serious divide and lack of direction that Catholics find themselves in today. A good comparison for starters, although there are many, would be Archbishop Chaput of Phila. who, would stand up and tell a pro-choice politician that if he did not relent he would not recieve the Sacrament of the Eucharist in his Archdiocese and would do it in a New York minute.
The Church in America dose not have the luxury of wishy washy, soft peddal leadership that must be obvious hasn`t worked till now.
For sure, a book that I and I hope many other Catholics will stay away from until this Cardinal becomes a Man of God and gets his act together. He needs to get with Cardinal Burke and learn how to teach his flock when not to receive Jesus and to quit attacking or allowing Priests that are Men of God to be attacked and suspended as what happened a few months in his diocese ago when a lesbian set up that Priest at her mother’s funeral to see just what he would do, and thankfully he refused her Holy Communion, much to the shock of this book-writing Cardinal. He needs to learn and to use Canon 915, even if it goes against the wishes of that dead pope: Ted Kennedy, and losing face and $$$$$ from his political friends. +JMJ+
Cardinal Wuerl needs to take care of the heretics and schismatics in his own Diocese of Washington DC.
It is his obligation to Save Souls in his own Diocese. He needs to openly encourage all in his Diocese to read the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition” so they will know the truth of what our Church teaches.
He needs to stop the Scandals in his Diocese by excommunication if necessary that cause other people to leave the Faith or stay away from the Faith.
If anyone wants to know the truth rather than following the USCCB’s Faithful Citizenshop - go to the internet - “WORTHINESS to RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, General Principles” by Cardinal Ratzinger (2004), this has to do with VOTING requirements.
I am concerned by that the Cardinal is publishing so many books to get his name out there to become Pope rather than attending to his Flock.
The Cardinal strikes out, just because of what you have said in your next to last paragraph. How many Catholics are now in hell because he is afraid to use Canon 915 and how many Catholics are confused and angry when we see ‘catholic’ politicians receiving Jesus, while they promote birth-control, abortion and/or same-sex relations and activities and how many Catholics have left the Church because of this lack of respect due to Jesus? I bet this won’t get posted either as we must not tell the truth. +JMJ+
For some reason, none of the comments are getting posted. I would imagine
you can`t sell many books with these kind of critical comments. Don`t want
to rock the boat, might make him look bad. Can`t have that, what would Biden and Pelosi think.
Cardinal Wuerl needs to put aside his writings and straighten out the mess in his archdiocese: the scandal of Sibelius speaking at G.U.; the many politicians who support abortion and still get communion; the priest who was betrayed when he should have been praised for denying communion to a self-professed Buddhist and active lesbian, etc. Wuerl is asleep at the wheel. If he just wants to pray and write, let him enter a monastery and leave the archdiocese to a great bishop like AB Chaput, who combines holiness with administrative finesse.
I commented already and you censored it.
Please speak up, Cardinal Wuerl, about the Georgetown invitation to Kathleen Sebelius. There are Catholics who are following the lead of Sebelius, Biden, and Pelosi into accepting their evil. We Catholics need strong, outspoken leaders. Where are you, Cardinal Wuerl???
May 21st “There is no law without sanctions”...this is so true. It’s not that anyone wants to see another punished but a child who consistently exhibits bad or dangerous behavior and is told by parents to stop but receives no consequences, is affirmed in his bad behavior and thinks,perhaps, that his parents aren’t serious. Catholic politicians like Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden are affirmed in their serious sins of promoting and supporting the killing of the unborn and urging Catholics to stand with them against the Church and the Bishops; by allowing this, these people are denied the catalyst for conversion of heart…Nancy Pelosi has declared publicly that the Bishops are not in agreement and so she continues to receive the Eucharist. And so, millions of unborn human babies will continue to be slaughtered and millions of mothers/women will continue to be deeply and permanently wounded and then left to bear their pain alone, for the most part.
One correction: there is no subtitle to the book. The title is “ANOTHER LINE CROSSED.”
I think a huge amount of what we are is inherited & present at birth.Temperment/personality is legit but why go back to pagan terminology& concept like sanguine, choleric,etc? It ends up being used a bit like astrology or something.
Will the book Fatima for Today by translated into spanish?? God bless you.
In post 1919 19th amendment America, quoting 3:16 is heresy, Um that’s Genesis 3:16, btw. Why, considering Genesis as scripture in todays “educated in evolution” society, is nearly as outrageous as calling Foxes book of Martyrs** the “Benchmark Publication of Christian History”, on a Catholic blog!
Foxes was published before the KJV Bible, and can be read free here:
** http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm
I am not sure America would boast any particular religious tenet it could be well identified with. The use of the term ‘traditional orthodox Christianity’ is fraught with instant confusion for we know what the well-known orthodox Christianity means and its origins and even in areas it freely abounds with its jurisdictional influence. Unless the author would want to tell us that the traditional orthodox Christianity should be otherwise called traditional American Christianity, we take it that this name is just a misnomer. Having said this, his mention of heresy and apostasy brings to mind the association of these with his so-called traditional orthodox Christianity whose fundamental credo down the centuries had been nothting to write home about. A religion that espoused human slavery and further along the line encouraged racial segregation with its attendant deprivations of certain members of the society of their rights could not be said to be a religion that has actually come from God. The Bill of Rights of 1964 could not be said to have been at the instance of this religion as we all know. Then came the pentecostalism that the author aptly described as religion of health and wealth. This, in essence, brought with it the attendant religious boisterousness with ecclectic activism that was neither here nor there other than to state that it was just a quintessence of brazen disobedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His True Church that He established before His Death and Resurrection and aptly kickstarted and nurtured by the Holy Spirit - The Catholic Church. Then there is the group of so-called Christian Churches under the banner of protestantism, some of which have now come up with the bizarre and ungodly recognition of same-sex relationships as an addition to the sacramental marriage between a man and a woman, recognized in Christendom! The reason for recognizing this type of odd and unnatural relationships that abound amongst the gay and lesbian communities is that God loves those people also and so their actions must be blessed by God! If we are talking about heresy, then this is a clear-cut example of heresy! Yes, God loves gays and lesbians in the sense that they are human beings made in the image and likeness of God. However, God detests their actions, their sins! And if any Church would want to show that love or charity as Jesus Christ emphasized many times and echoed by St. Paul in Corinthians I, Chapter 13, then such a church must have to, in the least, divest such people of any recognition because such people’s actions would sure lead them to Hell, if they persisted in them. But recognizing such people and granting them the rights of marriage in such a church places such a church as being in a position of effectuating those evils and as such accomplices in such evil acts. So what we have in mainstream America today is ecclectic Christianity with the Catholic Church making every effort to rise above the rancorous din. We hope and pray earnestly that the Catholic Church, that Church of Christ founded on Saint Peter, would one day triumph in America and, indeed, the entire world so that the entire humanity would see in the Catholic Church the only Gateway to Salvation and Eternal Life. Any other Christian denomination and, indeed, any other religion outside the Catholic Faith are gullty of gross disobedience to Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, The Triune God. And disobedience is at the root of all evils.
The American people have finally realized that Christianity is BS and consequently want nothing to do with it.
The Church is partly responsible for this as they do a pathetic job of teaching their members what they actually believe. We recently moved to Florida and we are trying out different Catholic parishes to see where we would like to belong. Today’s Mass featured a priest who added so much of his own wording as to make they prayers unrecognizable and a chior that sang 10 verses of the Lamb of God. How can we follow Christianity when the Catholic Church can’t get it’s own priests on the same page.
Where are the comments?
It’s called bad catechesis.
In many USA Diocese, Bishops have not actively promoted the reading of the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition”.
On the internet Search: ” What Catholics REALLY Believe Source ” for quotes from Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict about the CCC, and more.
Including the quote that the CCC is for everyone.
If the Bishops and Priests do not teach the CCC in entirety, Catholics will continue to fall into relativism and secularism, etc.
When Catholics have not formed their conscience properly, they will continue to vote for immoral politicians at all levels of government.
The first question/answer on the recommended web site tells us what we can do about this problem.
It’s poor catechesis !
There will continue to be heresy and schism on a large scale until all USA Bishops and Priests actively promote the reading of the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition”.
For quotes from Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Bendict about the CCC on the internet search: ” What Catholics REALLY Believe Source “.
It includes that the CCC is for all of us.
And in the answer to question #1, it tells what each of us can do about the problem.
This is a patronizing, innaccurate portrait of Protestantism, broad-brush in the extreme. The writer clearly does not the evangelicalism he left.
Omitted the word ‘understand’ in the last line.
“RENDER UNTO CAESAR” BY ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT!
Don’t forget the Render Unto Caesar by Bishop Charles Chaput. I think it’s the best read on how a faithful Catholic should deal with the issues of civil society. On scale of five stars I’d give it six. It’s that good.
Is there a web site to go to that shows where
Each candidate stands
When discussing things like the free market, I think it is always best to define our terms so we are all discussing the same thing. I agree that the free market is the best economic system, but what is it? Is it an economice system in which there is no government regulation, such as the SEC? Did the stock market function better before that? Think of the great crash of 1929 - prior to the SEC. Should there be no government programs that impact the economy, such as the FDIC and the FHA? Should there be non CDC or government support of research? Is the Pure Food and Drug Act simply getting in the way of commerce? How about banking regulations? Should we do away with all of them? When we think of how great the American economy was after WWII, perhaps we should remember that the US was essentially the only industrial national left standing. Think of all the government programs that aided veterans that made the American economy explode while the rest of the world was attempting to dig out from under the rubble: the G.I. Bill - enabling veterans to go to college, the Veterans Administration which enabled easy purchase of homes, and so on. So the question becomes, what is the free market economy? Classical, mixed, or what? When responding to this, please resist the temptation to remind us all that even with government regulation, and so on, that things are not perfect. We know that.
A gay and committed loving couple sharing their gifts with their community live in a house only a block away from you. One is a brilliant surgeon the other is a gifted counselor specializing in child care. If it hadn’t been for a chance encounter at the hospital where you were being treated for cancer you might never known that the surgeon who removed your tumor was your neighbour. Later you learned that while you were being hospitalized his partner took time to look after your kids from time to time and took your kids to visit you in the hospital.
But two other neighbors seen as devout Christians, whom you have known for years, called to say that they were sorry you were ill but could not visit you because their businesses were experiencing difficulties and needed their constant attention.
In your opinion reader, which one of these three families acted like a true neighbour toward the individual in the hospital?
No matter what we think about the term ‘same-sex marriage’ the couple remain together as hopefully the other two couples will also. But then comes a time when the gay couple announces that they need God’s blessing on their union - not necessarily your blessing or that of the minister that would perform the ceremony – but God’s blessing! Then who are we to deny their private and very personal decision? Is this possibly a case were religious freedom should be denied to some? Or is this proposed gay union a matter for legal definitions of what exactly constitutes a marriage? Is it possible that the gay couple’s basis for sealing their loving commitment to each other under God is somehow become a politically and socially driven issue? Would the term ‘pairiage’ rather than ‘same-sex marriage’ be more acceptable for those who feel threatened by the word LOVE?
Why is it that any church-going Catholic needs to read any books about Catholic teaching and voting in this day and age? Could it be they are not well versed in what they say they believe and pray for in church on Sundays? If so, why not?
I call on the bishops and clergy in the United States, who are citizens and registered to vote, to make it easier for the laity to understand “Faithful Citizenship,” by simply telling us who THEY are voting for. They are private citizens and can tell anybody, anytime, anywhere who they plan to vote for and why. They don’t have to tell anybody who they have to vote for, but they certainly should tell us their picks so we have a better example of how to interpret what they are asking us to read and apply. If ever church-going Catholics needed to vote in a consensus, this is the election - because if we get this wrong, we may never have another one.
What is upsetting is this knee jerk attitude that:
Any elected government=always supper inefficient =always bad =amoral
Free market= all ways supper efficient= always good = moral
This is getting a little old. Pragmatic facts just do not support this.
There are plenty examples of good and bad on both sides.
There are several “industrial complexes”, that represent large chunks of the US economy that are free market, but make money on base human cravings/ideologies and are amoral (all the people that profit from 60’s “adult pelvic rights”; unhealthy food industrial complex; tobacco; the border control/selling junk military hardware to despots industries, etc ..).
Reverse examples also exist. For example, improvement in child cancer treatment would not have been possible without cooperation between, mostly non market driven groups working together with private enterprise (Pharma is just one element). This includes working with highly competitive government institutions, like the NIH (the world Marines/Seals of medical research).
But Randian “Opus Dei” catholics want to dismantle the later, based on some 20th century non Christian dogmas. They want to make these dogmas Christian. How can the pseudo philosophy of Ayn Rand, an atheist Hollywood screen writer who never owed a real business, be even considered catholic? This is just as ridiculous as using Marx, it seems to me.
Of course, I am not advocating giving out handouts. I am not against Austrian School ideas, like making banks follow market forces, like everyone else. I just have a problem when people make dogmas out things that are not.
There are functions that can not be done by government, and there are also functions that can not be done by the free market.
Free market is decided on the free exchange of goods and services.
Elected governments are decided on the free market of ideas, and elections. Both can be changed for lack of accountability.
For example, 1.2 million abortions each year are in large part due to evil free market forces, working in collusion with corrupt or misguided government officials (“adult pelvic rights” industrial complex). They brain wash the next generations, that reproduction is not reproduction, but a commodity, so they can make money on it.
This is what Catholics should be focusing on, in both parties.
Not creating new dogmas about “Ordinary Little Things”=“Holy Money”=”THE Work of God”.
Peace.
Peace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID7o5L3CaRU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq-ZGktYWWA
What is upsetting is this knee jerk attitude that:
Any elected government=always supper inefficient =always bad =amoral
Free market= all ways supper efficient= always good = moral
This is getting a little old. Pragmatic facts just do not support this.
There are plenty examples of good and bad on both sides.
There are several “industrial complexes”, that represent large chunks of the US economy that are free market, but make money on base human cravings/ideologies and are amoral (all the people that profit from 60’s “adult pelvic rights”; unhealthy food industrial complex; tobacco; the border control/selling junk military hardware to despots industries, etc ..).
Reverse examples also exist. For example, improvement in child cancer treatment would not have been possible without cooperation between, mostly non market driven groups working together with private enterprise (Pharma is just one element). This includes working with highly competitive government institutions, like the NIH (the world Marines/Seals of medical research).
But Randian “Opus Dei” catholics want to dismantle the later, based on some 20th century non Christian dogmas. They want to make these dogmas Christian. How can the pseudo philosophy of Ayn Rand, an atheist Hollywood screen writer who never owed a real business, be even considered catholic? This is just as ridiculous as using Marx, it seems to me.
Of course, I am not advocating giving out handouts. I am not against Austrian School ideas, like making banks follow market forces, like everyone else. I just have a problem when people make dogmas out things that are not.
There are functions that can not be done by government, and there are also functions that can not be done by the free market.
Free market is decided on the free exchange of goods and services.
Elected governments are decided on the free market of ideas, and elections. Both can be changed for lack of accountability.
For example, 1.2 million abortions each year are in large part due to evil free market forces, working in collusion with corrupt or misguided government officials (“adult pelvic rights” industrial complex). They brain wash the next generations, that reproduction is not reproduction, but a commodity, so they can make money on it.
This is what Catholics should be focusing on, in both parties.
Not creating new dogmas about “Ordinary Little Things”=“Holy Money”=”THE Work of God”.
Peace
What is upsetting is this knee jerk attitude that: any elected government=always supper inefficient =always bad =amoral. Free market= all ways supper efficient= always good = moral. This is getting a little old. Pragmatic facts just do not support this. There are plenty examples of good and bad on both sides. There are several free market “industrial complexes”, that represent large chunks of the US economy that make money on base human cravings/ideologies and are amoral (all the people that profit from 60’s “adult pelvic rights”; unhealthy food industrial complex; tobacco; the border control/selling junk military hardware to despots industries, etc ..). 1.2 million abortions each year are in large part due to evil free market forces, working in collusion with corrupt or misguided government officials (“adult pelvic rights” industrial complex). They brain wash next generations of consumer to think that reproduction is not reproduction, but a commodity, so they can make money on it. This is what Catholics should be focusing on, in both parties. Reverse examples also exist. For example, improvement in child cancer treatment would not have been possible without cooperation between mostly non market driven groups working together with private enterprise (Pharma is just one element). This includes working with highly competitive government institutions, like the NIH (the world Marines/Seals of medical research). But Randian “Opus Dei” catholics want to dismantle the later, based on some 20th century non Christian dogmas. How can the pseudo philosophy of Ayn Rand, an atheist Hollywood screen writer who never owed a real business, be even considered catholic? This is just as ridiculous as using Marx, it seems to me.
President Barack Obama holds a 54%-39% advantage over Mitt Romney among Catholics, according to the latest voter survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=15711
“stilbelieve on Saturday, Sep 22, 2012 2:18 PM (EST):
Why is it that any church-going Catholic needs to read any books about Catholic teaching and voting in this day and age? Could it be they are not well versed in what they say they believe and pray for in church on Sundays? If so, why not?
“I call on the bishops and clergy in the United States, who are citizens and registered to vote, to make it easier for the laity to understand “Faithful Citizenship,” by simply telling us who THEY are voting for.”
It is this sort of attitude that allowed bishops to cover up abuse for decades. It is this sort of attitude that makes for dumb sheep that will follow any sort of lies and is what is sucking Catholics away from the Church right and left. Ignorance of the Scriptures [and the Catechism] is ignorance of Christ. Pope Benedict says, “Here…we see the need for an engaged, articulate, and well-formed Catholic laity….” This doesn’t happen by just showing up at Mass on Sundays, not by a long shot.
Cynthia Schrage -
What is your explanation for half or more of Catholics who give their name identification and votes to the pro-abortion party, including the clergy, some 39 years after Roe v Wade and 52,000,000 murdered babies?
You make a good point here! In my experience, many Catholics form their conscience (and the voting decisions determined by it) in the same way most other people do—by watching television and maybe reading their bulletin. They do whatever seems logical to them and is most passionately endorsed by their current viewing habits, for good or ill.
When people become aware of the authentic teaching of the Church, via papal teaching and other documents (Catechism, etc.), it’s easy to see the beauty of the Church’s teaching and espouse it. Furthermore, there can be no legitimate disagreement with the Church without this knowledge. This can only happen after a thorough (and prayerful!) reading of the various documents, and not just quotations gleaned from a newspaper or bulletin. This thoughtful process cannot happen during the brief amount of time allotted for the homily—nor should it—as that time is rightly designated for expounding on the Scriptures heard during that Liturgy.
Just going along with “whatever my priest tells me” is a recipe for disaster. Yes, a priest has a responsibility for his congregation, but we no longer live in an age of illiteracy where we cannot discover the truths of the church without having them predigested by whoever happens to be at the pulpit this weekend.
stilbeieve - have you seen the sexulaitzed caetechetics bishops allow to be taught in their schools without exception?
@Cynthia Schrage
“In my experience, many Catholics form their conscience (and the voting decisions determined by it) in the same way most other people do—by watching television and maybe reading their bulletin. They do whatever seems logical to them and is most passionately endorsed by their current viewing habits, for good or ill.”
Based on your experience, which way do those Catholics vote, Democrat or Republican?
Joe
No, I haven’t. What is “sexulaitzed” about it?
@Stilbelieve- There is not a pro-life organization that will expose the corrupting of youth in the U S bishop’s schools.
“Growing in Love” is a series of sexualized catechetics. I copied this portion from the referenced site listed below. Read what is destroying Catholicism. Also sex education in classromms is a root cause of abortion per the Guttmacher Institute.
“…in all Catholic sex education programs, including “Growing in Love” (GIL), sex and religion are mixed and stirred until sex becomes religion and religion becomes sex. Catechizing has become sexualizing. This is what today’s bishops across the country want for your children. They also want to draw in the parents as “partners” (silent partners, that is) with the diocese in the destruction of the faith and the sexualization of the minds of children. Parents who disagree are treated with contempt.
For years, Catholic youth have been led astray by such programs. Parents blame themselves, television, movies, music or society in general, but they seldom think to look at what their children are being taught in their Catholic classrooms. Yet, it is the schools where children spend six hours of the prime time of day when students are alert and eager to learn. Parents trust the schools; they don’t want anything to be wrong with their often-beloved Catholic schools.
Parents also turn a blind eye to the millions of dollars of parishioners’ money being dolled out in sexual abuse cases, and fail to see the connection with classroom sex education. Yet it is bishop-blessed sex instructions, like Growing in Love, that so desensitize youth that they become easy prey. The terrible crimes being perpetrated particularly, but not exclusively, against young boys by the religious and bishops has become so routine that such crimes have lost their shock value with the public. …..”
http://www.motherswatch.net/content/view/12/6/ - Part 1
http://www.motherswatch.net/content/view/15/6/ - Part 2
This thread is getting better with each posting!
“Sexualized Catechetics”.... Hmmmm… as a former Director of Religious Eduction, that’s a new one for me. I didn’t think it was possible to put those two words in a sentence together.
Stillbelieve: According to your stats, it’s over half, but that’s not what’s important. (Well, it is, but that’s not my point.) Personally, I know Catholics in this country who vote both Democrat and Republican. However, my point is that if they are truly well-informed, while they are more likely to vote for a pro-life candidate, they are justified in voting whichever way they want, because they are using valid reasoning for so doing.
@Cynthia Schrage
“However, my point is that if they are truly well-informed, while they are more likely to vote for a pro-life candidate, they are justified in voting whichever way they want, because they are using valid reasoning for so doing.”
Ahhh, that is my point. If they are using “valid reasoning” does that mean they have a properly formed conscience? If so, what would their bishops’ vote be compared to theirs? I would have to think that a bishop would have a properly formed conscience. That is why I urge the bishops in THIS election, which is sooooo critical for the Church and our country to exercise their freedom of speech rights and let his flock know how he is voting. If he is voting differently than some members of his flock, then that would be useful for those members to know so they can inquire on how they can do a better job in having a properly formed conscience.
I find it very telling that this book is published prior to the election of the next president of the US and focuses on the laity examining their consciences prior to voting. The “correct way” to do this is, not surprisingly, do exactly what the church teaches! Wow. We hardly have to think! Does the cardinal think we have no memory left? Does he think that we will simply trust those in charge again? Why should we? Cardinal Law, formerly of Boston debacle, is happily situated in a beautiful cathedral in Rome adjacent to the Vatican! No reprimand for him.everything is OK. Except the Catholic Church is on a downhill trajectory, losing vast numbers of well educated people in the US and in Europe. And we get a book on forming a correct conscience. What a farce.
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And when were Protestants orthodox? If they were they’d be Catholic. lol
I have read St Thérèse’s “Story of a Soul” in French. I got to comparing it with a very good English translation (the translation by Fr. John Clarke, third edition). I found a large number of disagreements which are mostly stylistic. For example, Thérèse almost always said “the Good God”, but the translation always says simply “God.” About once a chapter the translation is just plain wrong. I started compiling my notes on differences on a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LHistoire-dune-Ame/196234857078851 I’m still working on it, but there are some interesting points.
Its interesting to note that St.Bernadette also would refer to our Lord as “the Good God” when speaking about Him. Having such a relationship is too awesome for me to grasp. Beautiful!
Only because an individual doesn‘MT love you how you would long for them for,doesn‘MT necessarily suggest which they preceptor‘MT love you with all of they already have.
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How sad for ‘moms’ that the Vatican II council gave Our Blessed Mother only one chapter in its 16 documents. Salvation depends on our devotion to our Mother Dearest and Mother Fairest dispenser of all graces. To Jesus through Mary is what St. Louis DeMontfort teaches Catholics.
Mary,
How good to see your work online. I had been trying to reach you, but had no way of contacting you. Should you read this, please get in touch.
Is it in libraries? This book is indispensable for moms to be and should be in each and every library across North America. Perhaps, wishful thinking, but I pray the Blessed Mother to help us.
I found this beautiful prayer for mothers:
Prayer to Be Recited by Catholic Mothers
O Mary, “full of grace and blessed among women,” stretch out the hand of thy motherly protection, we beseech thee, upon us who gather round thy queenly throne as thy handmaidens, obedient to thy command and resolved with thy help to bring to realization in ourselves and our sisters the ideals of truth and Christian perfection.
Our eyes are fixed on thee in admiration, Immaculate Virgin; thou who art loved by the Heavenly Father above all others! O Virgin Spouse of the Holy Ghost! Tender Mother of Jesus! Obtain for us from thy Divine Son the grace to reflect thy sublime virtues in our conduct, according to our age and condition of life. Grant that we may be spotless and pure in our thoughts and in our behavior; gentle, affectionate, and sympathetic companions to our husbands; to our children solicitous, vigilant and wise mothers; prudent administrators of our homes; exemplary citizens of our dear country; faithful daughters of the Church, ever ready to allow ourselves to be guided by her in thought and deed.
Help us, loving Mother, to be truly devoted to the duties of our state of life; help us make our homes true centers of spiritual life and active charity, schools where consciences will be rightly formed, gardens where every virtue will flourish. Give us thy help that in social and political life we may be patterns of deep faith, of consistent and gracious practice, of incorruptible integrity, and of well-balanced judgment based upon the solid principles of religion.
Bless these resolutions which thou hast inspired us to make and the trials thou hast helped us to bear; may we with thine aid come to see their abundant fruits in time and in eternity. Amen.
— Composed by Pope Pius XII, May 26, 1957
I posted a prayer by Pope Pius XII and got this message: “Since your comment has been flagged as ‘potential’ spam, it will be reviewed before acceptance. Sorry for this inconvenience”.
Why is a prayer by a Pope considered ‘spam ‘?
I’m pregnant with my first child, and I love this book. She’s honest, and so insightful. I love being able to meditate on Mary while I go through my pregnancy. She offers insights I never would have thought of, and I love having the prayers I can do every morning with my morning offering. I totally recommend this book to any expectant mother.
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THE MEMORARE
REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.
suggested book for mothers and mother’s to be:
“WOMAN - Her Influence and Zeal as an Aid to the Priesthood” by Very Rev. James Alberione, S.S.P., S.T.D
Library of Congress card #64-24361
another very good book:
“The Child” by Monseigneur Dupanloup. Msg. Dupanloup is noted for his exceptionally good teachings on raising and the education of children.
I bought the book after hearing him on the radio and immediately ordered it. It was a quick read and has been really beneficial. So much criticism of the church’s teachings are from a mis-informed critic. The book has helped to engage in a civil and productive discussion with even the most angry critics I know.
It is difficult for me to defend my faith when the priest abuse scandal has brought our church to its knees by the mass media. I can intelligently defend other aspects of my faith, but how does one defend a church whose leaders are so morally corrupt? They have swept this under the rug for too long…
I read this book. It was well intentioned, and I applaud the author for his efforts. But, I found it disappointing at times…it’s been a few months, but one thing I remember was his conservative vs. liberal discussion. He says that the Church is sometimes liberal, sometimes conservative when it comes to politics. It is “conservative”, for example, on the issue of abortion, and “liberal” in regards to the death penalty. I would say a practicing Catholic may never accept abortion, but may or may not support use of the death penalty. I don’t know how “liberal” or “conservative” comes into the discussion. But, regardless, I do applaud Austen for his efforts to portray the Gospel in a positive light in the media.
You defend it by saying that we are al sinful, even priests. They are human too! Pray for our priests! Without them, no Eucharist!
Lin, in addition, inappropriate sexual relations with children was considered a psychological disorder that was correctable by professional counseling. It did not become criminal until the mid to late 1980s when studies demonstrated that psychological counseling did not and could not correct the “disorder.” The bishops’ handling of those cases were in accordance of the law and the current psychological standards up until that period. So, criticism of the hierarchy’s handling of those offenders should be reserved to the period of time post the criminalization of such behavior.
Carol, I agree with what you said in the quote below.
“I would say a practicing Catholic may never accept abortion, but may or may not support use of the death penalty.” To that I would add concerning the death penalty: Based on the seriousness of the capital offense AND the ability to protect the public from further harm.
That is what the teaching SHOULD be based on what the Catechism says. But that is not what the bishops in various state conferences are teaching, or should I say - pushing - in the false name of “pro-life.”
The states are incapable of guaranteeing that capital offenders will never be able to harm people again in or out of prison even when they are held in solitary confinement and have no contact with any other prisoners. All priest should know this fact. All they have to do is Google Operation Black Widow Pelican Bay Prison. They’ll learn of a $3 million dollar federal, state, and local investigation covering 3 years on criminal behavior involving murder, robberies, drug-running operated by prisoners held in solitary confinement in the newest, most high tech prison in California. These were crimes committed on people on the outside of prison. They will also learn that the highest officials of law and prison administration involved in this investigation all said there is no way to prevent such crimes from ever occurring when no more punishment can be enacted on the perpetrators who have nothing but time on their hands and are totally protected from any retaliation.
Stephen, you don’t have to try to defend the indefensible. Some of what we are experiencing is a little unjustified, but much is well-deserved, and it helps to acknowledge that. It helps also to remember that two of our earliest important figures denied Christ three times, and persecuted Christians. I like the quote of Belloc: that the Church has been run with “such knavish imbecility, that were it not the work of God, it would not last a fortnight.”
-
My state is wrestling with assisted suicide at the moment. We have an advocate for the disabled who uses a wheelchair for mobility. She points out that everybody suffers at some point. If we’re not ever suffering, we’re not living, and certainly not loving. You know what compassion means, right? “To suffer with.” I know I couldn’t make this argument to the legislature, but since we’re friends here and the specific topic is how to respond when questioned on faith, as Christians we must look to the cross to make sense of suffering. Control is an illusion. My life is not my own to do with whatever I please.
This looks like something my kids would actually read and something I could get them to read for lent. I also think it might help ground my teen in his faith before going off to college. Our faith is so counter cultural you must laugh and then recognize Gods eternal wisdom and love. Thanks!
I have every book John Zmirak has written including his graphic novel The Grand Inquisitor (Carla Millar, artist) - a MUST HAVE book for Catholics - especially English majors since he wrote it in Miltonic blank verse. Also have All American Colleges; Top Schools for Conservatives, Old-Fashioned Liberals, and People of Faith…Dr Zmirak is Editor in Chief. The Catholic university my daughter went to (Villanova) and grad school she currently attends (Dare I say it?....Georgetown) are nowhere in that book but I tried.
However, here is a funny story about John Zmirak’s Bad Catholic books. I had read a review about The Bad Catholic’s Guide to the Seven Deadly Sins so ordered it and laughed my way through, told everyone I know (who invariably read serious Catholic books and walk around all pouty faced and seem to need cheering up) how good it was to read this book and laugh.
I then ordered The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Wine, Whiskey and Song and The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living. The book store called one day to say that the books had arrived, so after work I raced to the mall to get them.
They had not yet unpacked their shipment, so several other customers and I were patiently waiting as the guy opened boxes and called out book titles. Suddenly he yelled, “THE BAD CATHOLIC’S GUIDE TO WINE WHISKEY & SONG!!!??” Everyone parted like the Red Sea for me to walk up and get the book while looking me up and down. A few books later the guy yelled out, “BAD CATHOLIC’S GUIDE TO GOOD LIVING!!!!” Of course again everyone looked at me and I could read their minds. They were thinking, “She must be a really BA-A-AD Catholic or possibly those are anti-Catholic books and she’s anti-Catholic!”
I thought, “Oh thanks, John Zmirak! Probably they’re all Protestants…or maybe they’re liberal Catholics…or maybe ....etc” ..as I tried to lift my head high walking to the check out where the other guy peered at the front and back of each book, one with John Paul II doing his goggles antics, the other with Pope Benedict XVI holding a glass of malt whiskey, then looked at me. I just looked back. What could I do? Explain the whole Catholic worldview to them?
To top it off, I now am blaming Dr John Zmirak for my recent case of shingles of the cornea (highly painful…please everyone, get your shingles vaccine!). I ordered the above referenced book, Bad Catholic’s Guide to the Catechism and immediately was struck down with cornea shingles, unable to see out of the left eye, and wearing an eyepatch.
Not being a Job kind of girl thanking God for facial sores and blindness (I did however thank Him for morphine administered in the ER), I was complaining to Him, trying to find someone to blame - when it struck me….Of course!! It’s that Bad Catholic’s book! It’s John Zmirak’s fault!
Seriously though, I cannot wait to see again so I can read this book. We all need joy of life and the joy our Catholic Faith gives us in a way only John Zmirak can do….EVERYONE - BUY THIS BOOK!!!
I need to get this for my husband. He’s discerning conversion and this is probably right up his alley. FB pages like Catholic Memes are great too.
Question: So why insist on the Virgin Birth?
Good answer!
Alright, look, I am fifteen years old, and I am pretty tired of all the “new exciting contemporary Catholicism! Yayy!!” deal. Where’s the reverence and beauty in all this mundane “hip to it” stuff? I’m not looking for a cheap laugh as I read my Catechism. I want the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.
Try the Baltimore Catechism instead; I promise it will be more exciting.
Sabrina,
Good for you, I agree.
Sabrina - you may want to pray to St. Bridget of Kildare, the wonderworking 5th century patroness of students.
@Irenic:
Thank you! I’ll definitely check her out. Especially for her intercession during highschool.
The Baltimore Catechism is beautiful and reverent, but it can be intimidating to non-Catholics. There are many paths to the Church and her teachings. The most important thing is that the teachings are doctrinally sound. Fr. McCloskey says this book is sound.
Sometimes, you want something a little lighter for your nightly reading. Sometimes, you want to be enveloped in the majesty of the Church. I’m glad that there are plenty of options out there for both situations.
You may find this interesting:
http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/wardrobe/womanhood_venerated_in_orthodoxy
Redemptive, even. (I did).
I took immediate offense at frickn’ which is a euphemism for “f” word.
JMJ Dennis. I also take offense. It’s saying the “f” word differently with the same filthy meaning.
It disturbs me to note the acceptance of a book that reduces the beliefs of serious Catholics to slang talk, and questionable humor. I object to the use of “freak—” as an objectionable contraction known to all. From what I see this book serves to reduce the respect for religion that formality of past documents inspired.
It fails me to note that even though the book is doctrinally correct a Catholic priest finds this comic book approach acceptable for religious study. It’s a pity that so many Catholics need so called light reading to appreciate the true beauty of our Faith. Dumbing everything down seems to be the method that people instep with the times prefer, even though respect is greatly lost. The fact that many of our students can’t make it in school despite the extraordinary amount of money we pour into our schools fits in well with his type of reading. If the Catechism of the Catholic Church is too deep for our buding stars in our educated circles I suggest the Baltimoe Catechism for study.
Now we have Pew Catholics and Fallen Away Catholics who believe what they want.I don’t see comic book writing changing this situation.
I respect Father McCloskey for the high position he holds as a priest in the Church but I regret his support as stated in this article as unfortunate for it trivializes what I have been taught about the Catholic Faith over a long life time.
Fr. McCloskey is a good and holy priest who has helped lead major figures like Clarence Thomas into the Church. He has certified that this book is helpful in leading people into our Holy Catholic Church. Why are you people attacking him and disrespecting his judgment? Do you have a problem with Jesus’ holy priests?
I found this book totally boring & humorless. Do not waste your money !
“If the average Catholic reader could be tracked down through the swamps of letters-to-the-editor and other places where he momentarily reveals himself, he would be found to be something of a Manichean. By separating nature and grace as much as possible, he has reduced his conception of the supernatural to pious cliche and has become able to recognize nature in literature in only two forms, the sentimental and the obscene. He would seem to prefer the former, while being more of an authority on the latter, but the similarity between the two generally escapes him.”—Flannery O’Connor
I wonder how many people in this thread would get along with St. Paul. On the one hand, the Apostle did warn against “obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose.” On the other hand, he exclaimed that he wished those who insisted on circumcision would cut their… ahem, selves off. That’s pretty strong language. It’s a curse, in fact. I’m just glad that those who wish to geld the faith are generally geldings themselves and of little consequence. Are you shocked? Well, you shocked me first. After all, this thread is dominated by the kind of reader whom the good Flannery, reasoning expertly, compared to pornographers.
I believe this is meant to be satire. My experience is that satire is not for everyone with some enjoying and appreciating it others do not have a good sense for humor. But notice the group for which this publication is intended not the faithful but the “Bad Catholic” it is not intended to be an alternate Catechism of modern-speak. If it were, we’d hear about the “campaign rally Mass” or the great composer John Lennon’s influence on Church holiness a la “Imagine” do not stress over this book:
Hey, I say “It’s a big world,” with all kinds of people who will respond in various ways to various approaches. And it’s an even bigger Church, with all kinds of saints and saints-in-the-making who can offer those approaches. I rejoice that Christ is preached, whether by Zmirak or Voris or Shea or Kreeft or Barnes or whoever.
The criticisms against this book are missing the point. This book is not meant to replace anything, it is another “voice in the choir” written specifically for this age just as the Baltimore Catechism has language and pictures specifically for people in the 30’s/40’s/etc. Simply because this book exists does not prevent people from reading THE Catechism.
Would you be offended if someone said “gosh darn” because it was originally G-dd-mn? This is not a children’s book with full-out cuss words. This is a book for adults who are able to read words like “frickn’” and still learn something. This book is doctrinally sound and is doing a lot of good for people in and outside of the Church.
My very intelligent atheist/agnostic friend read her way through great theologians and Doctors of the Church, but specifically said that the Bad Catholic’s Catechism was the most helpful stepping stone in her journey to faith.
Thank you Fr. McCloskey for spreading the word about the latest Bad Catholic’s book,and keep up the good work, John Zmirak!
“Touch me not, for I am holier than thou”... Appropriate for Puritains, not Catholics… “For we ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”... But, some only need to go to Confession once a year, as mandated… Even if they really don’t _need_ to go…It’s not about “relevance”—a dirty word if I ever heard it—it’s about speaking in the common language, as the Gospels were written in the gutter tongue, not in classical (respectable) Greek. It’s OK to love the Old—Latin Mass, Baltimore catechism (prefer the Trent), but don’t condemn the New (Evangelism).
1) If you think of “freakin” as a eusphism for the “other f-word”, then don’t say it, but a lot of people don’t - so don’t imagine that everyone would mean what you would mean if you were to say it.
2) Reverence and wonder are great and awesome things, but there is no problem with having a little fun with the faith as well. If you don’t want to, that’s fine - but again, don’t assume that others see such a humorous approach in the same light you do.
A humorless Christian is hardly a Christian at all. The problem with Zmirak’s “humor” is that it is self-consciously cute and sophomoric. A bit of burlesque but certainly not true wit.
John Zmirak’s humor is a specific kind of humor. It’s not dry wit and “bon mots” to be shared in wood-paneled rooms with knowing looks over glasses of sherry. It’s the kind of impish, referential, and satirical humor that often appeals to 20 and 30 somethings (and others) who grew up watching The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live. The book is isn’t for everybody, something Fr. McCloskey says so himself. But for those who like that kind of humor this could be a way to reach them with the teachings of the faith and with the bonus of Fr. McCloskey’s recommendation : “I highly recommend this book, which is witty, insightful, doctrinally sound and, well, truly contemporary.”
Why does it seem that we have to keep re-inventing our catholicism? It’s was, is now and always will be the fullness of truth. The title itself “bad catholic” I find inappropriate. Our protestant brothers & sisters, and atheist & other church attackers, who constantly challenge the catholic Church teachings will see the title of this book & use it for ammo to discredit the church. “Look there ya’ go. Even one of their own calls them “bad Catholics!” The lingo jingo in the example turned me off right away. It’s worldly jargon in an effort to try to conform the truths of the gospel (which is impossible) with the way of the world.
God bless the authors efforts.
Chris - who said anything about reinventing Catholicism? You did see the part about “doctrinally sound,” did you not? This is simply a different way of communicating Catholicism, which is allowed (presumably, otherwise we’d be limited to talking about the faith in Hebrew and Greek, and maybe Latin).
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As for the rest - you’re reading too much in the wrong way into the title, and if the lingo “turns you off”, then don’t read it. But don’t pretend that your own preferences are requirements.
I challenge everyone who has posted negatively on this book to go out and write their own book and have it effect positively as many as this one will. Until then - STOP WRITING! At least John Zmirak is trying to do something. The Baltimore Catechism is great! I love it! But how many twenty-somethings are being tempted to casually pick it up and find themselves actually engage in thinking about the Faith.
I’ve read the book. I laughed often and I thought even more often. It’s a wonderful book. As St. Teresa of Avila once said, “God deliver me from gloomy saints”
Language police are sometimes very useful, especially if your catechism breaks down along the side of the road. http://www.studentsofwriting.com
You can really tell from reading these comments, who has and who hasn’t, even the slightest inkling of who God truly is and what he is like - what his nature is.
If the fire be already kindled, what am I, says the Lord? He’s a forgiving God who sees into the heart of things. He’s a God who cares deeply about community and communion.
“A frickin’ prophet is never known in his own town.” Serious good pious Catholics will not like this book since the humor is too close to blasphemy for them, but “bad” Catholics understand Zmirak’s deep love for the Catholic Church and his God given gift of humor.
I think it’s more along the lines of: “let ye who has not sinned…and by the measure that ye mete out… John bypasses that theological conundrum by immediately declaring himself to be one of us (i.e. a sinner) without actually falling into ditch of self imposed (and false) righteousness. A kind of divine condescension, the Lord washing Peter’s feet @ Passover. Etc., etc..
Ok, he’s got a sense of humour too.
Just to be clear: A spirit of piety is a beautiful thing. “Be holy because I am holy”. I just don’t impose it on anyone else. Not anymore, anyway.
“A frickin’ prophet is never known in his own town.”
Funny. Really. Look, here’s a smile: :)
We need to be ever attentive to the Holy Spirit. Not to grieve him. The overriding consideration.
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John,
Contact me at Utah State and lets get back in contact. This book is very nice. Although I agree their is too much de Chardin
“...but also transform the culture around us that does not always “get it.” On the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, let us pray that Cardinal Wuerl will be transformed by our Lord and, for the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, show true Divine Mercy by denying all politicians who vote for abortion or same sex laws, directly in opposition of the laws of the Catholic Church, Holy Communion (the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ). For a leader of the Church to perpetuate this act will only scatter the flock entrusted to him, placing numerous souls’ very salvation in danger. Have Mercy on us and on the whole world.
As a native Pittsburgher (where Cardinal Wuerl was bishop before going to Washington), I can say absolutely that the only efforts Cardinal Wuerl has made on behalf of Catholic education is to close as many Catholic schools as possible. I think he is a brilliant man, but he is in no way an advocate for Catholic education. My many friends working for the diocese of Pittsburgh breathed a sigh of relief that he left Pittsburgh before closing every school.
I love that Cardinal Wuerl helps us go back to the basics in this book. I too believe that is what is missing with many of the Catholics that sit in the pews each week. They just don’t “get it” - Patti is right on here. I am excited that many Catholics will rediscover their faith during this Year of Faith through this book. Thank you, Cardinal Wuerl! Wishing eveyone a blessed Feast of Divine Mercy! Maybe an act of mercy for this feast would be to order this book and give it to a friend you think would benefit!
It could be that Idol wishes for usa in order to satisfy a handful of absolutely wrong persons prior to now gathering the most appropriate one, to ensure when we at long last fulfill the specific, we’re going to recognize how to always be relieved. 7fr.fr 7fr.fr
Around the world you could be anyone, except to at least one character you could be society. 9fr.fr 9fr.fr
True love is going to be fallible during the your pregnancy, having said that it becomes much more powerful as they age if it’s very well fed. 6fr.fr 6fr.fr
This is the same person who “In March last year, he stripped a priest of his faculties to celebrate Mass for refusing Communion to a woman who was known to have been living in a homosexual relationship. Fr. Marcel Guarnizo was “placed on administrative leave” by the archdiocese after he refused to distribute Communion to Barbara Johnson, a self-identified Buddhist who had reportedly introduced her lesbian “lover” to the priest in the sacristy right before her mother’s funeral Mass. The Archdiocese issued an apology to Johnson and said that Fr. Guarnizo’s actions were “against policy” and that an investigation was underway.”
There should be note of caution at the end of this article, to warn readers, to read his book at their own risk.
Yes, per Franco’s comment above, I have been concerned and wondering about the brave Fr. Guarnizo, about whom we’ve heard little (nothing?) since the immediate fallout after that unfortunate incident. Now that the GWU chaplain, Fr. Schaffer, is under attack for upholding orthodoxy, I wonder… Who is standing up for these good priests?
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I wish this review said more about the book. If memory serves, Joseph Ratzinger’s classic work, “Introduction to Christianity” (published in 1968 or thereabouts but still in print) is also about the Nicene Creed. Cardinal Wuerl is following in some very large footsteps.
Not every woman sees herself as feminine or more to the point a lady, for the reason it pigeonholes women in a particular way of other people see her. Women of the Bible might be viewed as holy; yet, the women in the Bible-with the exception of a few- were generally property and second-class citizens, whom were unclean during menstruation. It is not a view I would want to live up to; I am not a lady, but my own woman that I make of and for myself, and not how others would rather have me live according to how they want me to be because that is the only way to accept me or receive their love-especially if it’s a sibling or parent who does not agree with how I dress, act, believe, or choice of career and company.
Living without a certain person’s love because one chooses to not conform to how they want you to dress, act be, places or company one keeps can and will make you stronger and not a puppet to the emotional abuse of another and helps you form your own identity as a woman -a woman in her own right.
I’ve read “Under the Mantel” and have purchased some copies for my children and godchildren. It explains our Catholic faith in such an engaging and “real” way. I plan to retread it as share some of the highlights with my email family and friends. I’ve also given the “No turning Back” CD from Cathoic Lighthouse Media to people with my Christmas greetings. What a gift Father Calloway is to the Church!
I like and respect Fr. Calloway and his whole conversion story and I am sure it is quite a good book, but regarding the cover. This is a 41 year old priest with new facial hair and dark sunglasses (The Hipster image?) and not only that but a surfboard to boot. Fr Donald I think should act his age and show the real dignity of a priest with the way he has always looked. I know he wants to appeal to the Youth but the Catholic You of today are going towards Tradition not Gimmickry. Just my opinion.
What a great testimonial to the virtues of Mary. Almighty God dispenses everything to humanity through the hands if His Blessed Mother. If you want your prayers to be most effectively heard, send them through those same hands to God. She is our greatest advocate. You cannot fully understand Jesus until you understand Him through the mind, heart, and devotion of His Mother. Anyone who ignores or rejects Mary assuredly will be ignored or rejected by Almighty God.
If devotion to Mary was of such utmost importance, why was it not made clear in the New Testament? That is nowhere.
Catholics, including priests, are wise when they read their Bibles.
JMJ I’m really interested in a statement I heard on Catholic radio about a month ago on Women of Grace. A guest said that all graces come from Jesus through Mary to us. I have never heard that before and being a 62 year old cradle Catholic always thought all graces came from Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Can someone walk me through the Theology of this? Or is there something in the EWTN library, or a book like the CCC that explains this. Is this part of the Mediatrix Theology? I’d like to perfectly understand this so I can pass it on. Viva Cristo Rey
For Pat Denzer,
You can see what popes for years have taught about all graces coming through Mary, at ETWN library with an excellent compilation here: http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/Marya4a.htm
The early Fathers and Doctors of the Church were of the same mind. And here’s just a sampling of what great saints have taught:
St. Bernard of Clairvaux:
“God Has willed that we should have nothing which would not pass through the hands of Mary.” (Hom. III in vig. nativit., n. 10, PL 183, 100)
St. Albert the Great:
“… every single grace passes through the hands of Mary.”
“The Blessed Virgin is very properly called ‘gate of heaven,’ for every created or uncreated grace that ever came or will ever come into this world came through her.”
St. Thomas Aquinas writes, “Mary is the whole hope of our salvation,” and “Through the intercession of Mary any souls are in Paradise who would not be there had she not interceded for them, for God has entrusted her with the keys and treasures of the heavenly kingdom.”
St. Louis De Montfort:
“To Mary, His faithful spouse, God the Holy Ghost has communicated His unspeakable gifts; and He has chosen her to be the dispensatrix of all He possesses, in such sort that she distributes to whom she wills, as much as she wills, as she wills and when she wills, all His gifts and graces. The Holy Ghost gives no heavenly gift to men which does not pass through her virginal hands.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori: “God, who gave us Jesus Christ, wills that all graces that have been, that are, and will be dispensed to men to the end of the world through the merits of Jesus Christ, should be dispensed by the hands and through the intercession of Mary.” (The Glories of Mary
St. John Vianney: “All the saints have a great devotion to Our Lady: no grace comes from Heaven without passing through her hands. We cannot go into a house without speaking to the doorkeeper. Well, the Holy Virgin is the doorkeeper of Heaven.”
St. Bonaventure: “No one can enter into heaven except through Mary, as entering through a gate.”
“We believe that Mary opens the abyss of God’s mercy to whomsoever she wills, when she wills, and as she wills; so that there is no sinner however great who is lost if Mary protects him.”
St. Bernardine of Siena: “Mary is the dispensatrix of all the graces God bestows on man.”
St. Maximilian Kolbe: “As the Mother of Jesus our Savior, Mary was the Co redemptrix of the human race; as the spouse of the Holy Spirit, she shares in the distribution of all graces.”
“The union between the Holy Spirit and the Immaculate Virgin is such that the Holy Spirit does not influence souls but through her mediation. Whence She is the Mediatrix of all graces, become the true Mother of Divine Grace, Queen of Angels and Saints, Help of Christians and Refuge of Sinners.”
“The Fathers and Doctors of the Church teach that She, the Second Eve, corrected that which the first Eve spoiled, and that She is a channel of divine graces, our hope and refuge, and that through Her we receive grace from God. Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical on the Rosary (22 September 1891) points out: ‘It is permitted to affirm that from that generous treasure of graces that the Lord has brought us… nothing is given us except through Mary, because God so willed it.’”
Terra James: You will find nothing more about Mary in the new Testament than what was necessary to show her role in the birth of her Son. That is by her design because she appeared to each of the Gospel writers before they started writing and insisted on it. She did allow Luke a little more leeway than the others.
Pat Denzer: If you want to really deepen your faith,read The Mystical City of God, a private revelation that is reputed to be an autobiography of the Holy Family dictated to Mother Mary pf Agreda by Almighty God and Our Lady. I quote Almighty God speaking to Mary from this document:“We make thee the Depository of our riches, the treasurer of our goods; we place into thy hands the helps and blessings of our grace for distribution; nothing do We wish to be given to the world, which does not pass through thy hands; and nothing do We desire, which thou wishest to concede to men… Thou shalt reign with Us forever.”
Sorry about the quote above. Reading too late after posting,I realized it should be"nothing do We deny (instead of desire), which thou wishest to concede to men
Terah James wrote:
*
If devotion to Mary was of such utmost importance, why was it not made clear in the New Testament? That is nowhere. Catholics, including priests, are wise when they read their Bibles.
*****************************************
Christ is a King in the line of David. In the Old Testament a king in the line of David could have many wives, but he had one mother who was the Queen Mother. The term is Gebirah. One of her duties was as an intercessor to the king. We see this being done by Mary in the the miracle of the wedding feast at Cana.
One of the last acts that Christ performed on the Cross was to give His mother into the care of St. John the Evangelist. The way that it is worded in the Bible, St. John is not mentioned by name when this happens. The Church teaches that this was so that Mary could made the spiritual mother of the whole Church.
JMJ Thanks Robert and Joseph. This is great. I really appreciate your responses. I have always believed that we receive graces from Jesus through Mary, I just didn’t know “all” graces that come from Jesus must go through Mary first, then on to us. Thanks again for the references. I will study them. Viva Cristo Rey
Blessed the one who is back-up by the most venerated woman in the world Saint Mary the mother of God.
Loved the book and the review. Fr. Calloway’s love for Mary, the priesthood and the Holy Catholic Church shines through once again. His work and vocation are a blessing to the Church. May the Holy Spirit continue to strengthen him and all of our priests.
I love this book! Have read it twice and hope to take it with me on our family summer vacation in June. It rates right up there with True Devotion to Mary and The Glories of Mary. Seriously, it does. And it’s probably the best book I’ve read for the New Evangelization. It covers so many topics and in a very orthodox way and simple manner. And as a Father of 2 teenagers I very much understand why the cover is the way it is, too. It’s appealing, pure and simple. For example, my 15 year old son asked to read the book after seeing the cover and said that the chapter on the priesthood made him want to pray more seriously about possibly becoming a priest. That brought joy to my heart, and the heart of my wife. And, much to my surprise, my 17 year old daughter (who is going through girl teenage issues) asked to read it and loved it, too. She actually told me that she was happy to see a priest speaking (writing) in a manly way and giving the idea that a priest is a hero and a soldier, and not a frumpy old man. She actually said she might ask to do a paper on the book for one of her classes next year. So, keep up the great work, Fr. Calloway. I plan on buying a few more copies of your book to give to others.
Incredible book. Incredible priest. Incredible cover.
It is a reflection of who we are as Catholic christians. when one enters a Synagogue, Protestant church , or Mosque, one would expect to find oneself in a house of worship that reflects its beliefs. When we enter our own house, then there should be no doubt to anyone that they are indeed entering a Catholic Church. I heard a wonderful teaching by Peter Kreeft some time ago on this subject. He related that a muslim told a Catholic that he was indeed insulted when the crosses had been removed. The one identifying icon of us had been removed so he would not be made to feel “uncomfortable” or “insulted”. He told the Catholic he was. If the christian had come into a mosque, he would had found prayer rugs, etc. Not to be confused with any other faith. We should not sacrifice our identity as Catholics, just as others should never be forced to sacrifice theirs. Coming from a family of many dominations, I was always given the respect from others to be what God called me to be and inturn it taught me to allow others to be what God calls them to be. My mother was Methodist. When I went to her church, I knew where I was. When she came to the Catholic Church, she knew where she was. We were all brought up in the Church. Even though she was Methodist, she gave us the gift of making sure we made our Sacraments. The beauty of the Church, in all her spendor, with her majesty, her traditions, her history. Thank God there are those of you who tell us of her greatness.
This book has so much information in it. I really think it should have a study guide to accompany it. I learned so much not just about Mary but about things like confession, the catholic church, priests, confession, divine mercy, and the chapters on men and women were very, very powerful. I, too, think the cover is amazing!
To GregB: why does Scripture quote the Father as saying, “My ways are not your ways, says the Lord” if all human ways are how God intends things?
To All - why is it Catholics will read any book, even study guides, yet not read the Bible, from cover to cover, in an expository fashion?
Pope Francis has been pushing the Bible & the Holy Spirit a lot, during his papacy. He quotes St. Paul too. I wonder if Francis is Catholic.
To Terah J.: Scripture abounds anchors the Catholic mass on Sundays or any day of the week when Catholics unite worldwide to celebrate in the same manner as early the Christians. Many Catholics spend time outside of mass reading scripture. To generalize that Catholics don’t read Scripture shows lack of understanding. Have you read the book to learn if Fr. Calloway roots the topics in biblical teaching? Have you read any Catholic Church websites or bulletins or better yet visited a Catholic Church? Most churches offer bible study. We are not perfect but a great number of Catholics strive for holiness. Read the bible carefully and pray that God will open the eye of your heart. I will pray for you. Study carefully and you’ll notice that throughout scripture, God used humans to do His work. He used Mary in this way. She is important and you should not ignore her. Are you loving Jesus by ignoring His mother? As in most relationships, that kind of behavior would cause conflict. Luke 1:48: for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;” With Christian charity, shift your energy to evangelizing rather than criticizing. From the words of Fulton J. Sheen “There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.”
My apologies. *Scripture abounds in . . .
The Boston College situation yesterday upset me so much, where are these people’s minds and hearts, certainly not with the Church; such an outrageous thing. I have been in contact with Boston College and Enda Kenny, sent some pretty rough emails including pictures of the two aborted babies that were so brutally savaged and cut to pieces, their little heads
Punctured and brains out and exposed, let alone things that were so graphic to explain. And this man Enda is going to make abortion legal in Ireland, a Country that has always been prolife and it is enshrined in the Irish Constitution. This is very evil.
Yesterday I was lead to this from the Psalms while I was in Prayer, such poetic justice in the Bible.
Psalm 94: 1-4; 20-23…... O lord,thou God of vengeance, shine forth. Rise up, O judge of the earth; render to the proud their deserts!
O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult.
Can wicked rulers be allied with Thee, who frame mischief by statute?
They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death.
But the Lord has become my stronghold,and My God the rock of my refuge.
He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness;
And the Lord will wipe them out.
Lillian-you sound well meaning. I thank you, for responding to my post. I am Catholic, a convert for many years now. The last time I went to Mass was last Sunday, and God-willing, I’ll be at Mass this Sunday too. I know the church well, learning about God’s nature and character, His personality, by reading the Bible & in talking with fellow Catholics that also have learned from their own reading the word of God. They are Catholic too, and meet weekly for Bible studies, staying in the word.
In fact, some saint said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of God.” I agree. It’s all about Jesus. Pope Francis is a breath of fresh air, in that he is teaching the value of reading ALL of Scripture, and of stressing the apostles teaching, including that of Paul.
Mary has her place (“All generations will call me blessed”) but we all have to be careful not to elevate her to new & improved positions, roles, and also, it harms Christian unity, in that even reformed, conservative non-Catholic Christians, that serve and honor Jesus, and that are IN the Body of Christ, are often put off by too much “Maryology”.
It’s not good. The focus must be on Jesus. For everyone. Even the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus. It is Jesus that is coming again, victorious. Every knee will bend and every head will bow, to King Jesus.
Really appreciate Father McCloskey’s insights
Great revue and knowledgeable concern for Catholic higher education.
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