Tag Archives: morality

Point of View

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There's an interesting post on The Dawn Patrol about counterproductive evangelization. Specifically, several Catholics clumsily tried to convert her from Protestantism. I understand the reasoning, but the approach left a lot to be desired. I have a news flash for self-righteous catechism thumpers. Protestants aren't the spawn of Satan. Nor are they doomed to Hell. They are Christians like us, with whom we should work to make the world a better place, rather than treating them like heathens or pagans.

As an ex-Protestant who cares deeply about reuniting the Body of Christ, I cringe at preachy attempts to, as one friend puts it, "upgrade" Protestants. I wasn't so much won over by argument as I was by Christ-like example.

There is a flip side to this, though. Each time a Protestant tries to "free" me from my "bondage" as a Catholic, I get a step closer to beating one with a clue-by-four. The Catholic Church is not the whore of Babylon. We do not worship Mary or the saints. We do not believe works save us. We are Christians just like you. Jack Chick is a moron who spreads hateful lies.

Ya got that?!? Now…The next one of you primates…even touches me…HYA!!! *BANG*

Spiritual Snobbery

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The next time I’m tempted to turn my nose up at mass that contradicts Redemptionis
Sacramentum, I’ll try to think of this quote. (Thanks, Being! Or Nothingness)

I can recommend this as an exercise: make your Communion in circumstances
that affront your taste. Choose a snuffling or gabbling priest or a proud and vulgar
friar; and a church full of the usual bourgeois crowd, ill-behaved children — from
those who yell to those products of Catholic schools who the moment the tabernacle
is opened sit back and yawn — open necked and dirty youths, women in trousers and
often with hair both unkempt and uncovered. Go to Communion with them (and pray
for them). It will be just the same as a Mass said beautifully by a visibly holy
man, and shared by a few devout and decorous people. (It could not be worse than
the mess of the feeding of the Five Thousand — after which our Lord propounded
the feeding that was to come.) – J.R.R. Tolkien in a letter to Michael Tolkien, November 1,
1963

Mawwage

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"Mawwage. Mawwage is what bwings us togethew today. Mawwage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam. And wove, twue wove, wiww fowwow you fowevah…So tweasuwe youw wove,…" – The Impressive Clergyman

Today I watched a beautiful Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy in which my friend, and occasional cohort in blogging crime, Jerry Nora, entered into the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. I wish him and his wife, Krystia, all the happiness in the world. May God bless them with a marriage that sanctifies them, unifies them, and provides them with many children.

Due to in part to this blessed event, I have a mildly polemical point to make. Continue reading →

Job Requirements

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Bishop to Lay Ministers: Sign Oath

“If he (the bishop) is going to exclude anyone who has any doubt about a church teaching, he’s going to exclude 100 percent of the membership of the church, including
himself. He has to be a human being, the same as me, and I have doubts about some
of the church teachings,” Dolezal said.

I just love how dissenters put all teachings on the same level. If you have a problem
with celibate-only clergy, you’re not a heretic. Supporting homosexuality, female
clergy, and abortion are much more serious. There are also different kinds
of doubt. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Continue reading →

Scorecard

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A question’s been nagging me of late. Has anyone attempted to keep a tally of bishops’
stances on denying communion?

I’ve also been curious to know which Christian denominations are firmly and officially
pro-life (other than Catholics and Eastern Orthodox).