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Christianity versus the New Atheist, part 3

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Father Joe

It has been argued that conservative Christians are paranoid, thinking that atheists and progressives are sneaking up on us or out to get us. But we are only paranoid if we are wrong. Sometimes we need to check our backs.

MISS ATHEIST

I think most Christians, Jews and Muslims don’t want to kill each other over religion. The problem is that their holy books say that their god wants this to happen. Happily, most theists don’t obey their religions to the degree that they once did, realizing that such xenophobia and violence isn’t how they want to live.

FATHER JOE

Where in the New Testament does Jesus or a Christian shepherd demand the murder of anyone over religion? Jesus speaks about loving our enemies and forgiving our persecutors. Indeed, this was one of the elements of Christian belief that made pagan Rome wary of the new faith. Today the Jews seek to defend themselves and the state of Israel. Is that so wrong? The crusades have been over for centuries and the Catholic Church is often a lone voice crying out for peace. You simplify matters to the point of error.

MISS ATHEIST

It is certainly true that all religions have had their extremists and Christianity still has them. From their words and actions, Christians have yet to prove that they can tolerate and live in a non-Christian world. For example, it is secular law that keeps Christians from forcing their religion on others and keeps them from attacking others here in the US (usually, we’ve had enough murders by Christians against others).

FATHER JOE

You have matters quite backwards. The problem is that an increasingly non-Christian west is less and less hospitable to Christianity and to Catholicism in particular. There has been widespread dissent and calumny in reaction to Pope Francis’ severe critique of rampant greed that promotes commercialism and materialism over the rights of immigrants and the poor. The late Pope John Paul pleaded for peace and begged the west against attacking Iraq and yet we went ahead and are still struggling with the deadly consequences. Our society prizes license and caprice against both natural law and divine positive law. Lost is the sense of order implanted in creation. Under the banner of choice, millions of unborn children are murdered in the womb and advocates would silence the Church. Most atheists dismiss the rights of unborn children for the right of selfish mothers to kill their babies. Is this the toleration you want? Catholics in the U.S., going back to the Edict of Toleration in Maryland, have sought to live in peace with their neighbors. But there are some issues that go beyond sectarian doctrines and reflect basic truths about what it means to be human. Unfortunately, even these matters are being questioned and denied. Is pornography bad and harmful to society? Is marriage an institution solely between a man and woman? If not is marriage still a viable social institution? Is gender interchangeable? Is the matter of homosexual activity entirely morally neutral? How far does the state go to force people of faith to accept the values of a narcissistic secular humanism and modern hedonism? Many call themselves Christians but as the old saying goes, some can “talk the talk, but do they walk the walk?” Just being baptized does not make a person a perfect Christian. People are people, regardless of what they believe. Notice that I say “what they believe” and do not add “those who believe in nothing.” Atheism can be broken down into its own various forms of belief, even if it avoids overall existential questions and focuses upon isolated experiments with lab rats and lenses with increasingly powerful magnification.

MISS ATHEIST

I do not see where the world has become less tolerant of Christians. I suppose you may construe less tolerant as not blindly accepting what Christians claim and holding Christians accountable. If Christians are to be believed, they are a major world religion, with billions of adherents. I do think that there is intolerance and most of it comes from Christians often claiming that their fellow believers aren’t “true” Christians. I am sure you have run into anti-Catholicism, where Christians of other sects are quite sure that Roman Catholics are Satanists, sun worshippers, polytheists, etc. Each sect defines Christianity differently. I have no problem with Christians. You just can’t claim it’s your right to force your beliefs on me and to create laws based on them.

FATHER JOE

If you do not see how the world has become less tolerant of Christians than you are blinded by bigotry. Here are some recent news headlines showing the escalation in tension:

Syrian Christian leader tells West: ‘Stop arming terror groups who are massacring our people’

Christian pastors on trial in Sudan moved to high security prison

Two Chinese house church Christians given jail sentences, accused of cult involvement

Religious Freedom in China: ‘alarming increase in systematic, ongoing abuses’

Imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini’s 35th birthday wish is for revival in America

Christians in the Middle East at risk of extinction, party leaders warned

India: Hindu nationalist politician calls for sterilization of Christians and Muslims to control numbers

Tackling religious persecution is a moral necessity

Report highlights harassment against Christians in Nigeria

China: pastor on trial after protesting removal of church crosses

Pakistan church bombing protests escalate, 10 more Christians killed

India: Elderly nun asks God to forgive those who raped her

Iran: Persecution of Christians as bad as ever, despite President’s promises

Our Christian beliefs are under attack from influential and militant atheists

The USCCB addresses the issue of threats to religious liberty on its website:

http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/current-threats-to-religious-liberty.cfm

You speak as if there is a vast demarcation between religious rights and natural rights. The difference is that we would respect nature as stewards while certain atheists would manipulate or curse nature as masters. Of course, Christians are not uniform in their opinions. Catholicism would seek to make distinctions between those things that belong to variable or subjective human whim and those that are objectively true for all. But when one rejects a divine agent behind nature, would atheists then not treat nature as something entirely subject to their charge?

MISS ATHEIST

Secular humanists do not all wish to strip the Roman Catholic Church of its voice, and it does seem that you think that the only true Christianity is your “Church.” What I, as a secular humanist, and an atheist want is to also have a voice in the public forum, something of which theists are very afraid. You may make your claims but they are now countered, the RCC no longer is unopposed when it tries to claim that it is the only arbiter of morality.

FATHER JOE

While we recognize our common baptism, Catholicism views itself as the true Church instituted by Christ. It is in that sense that Catholicism does view itself as having a privileged place in the Christian landscape. Historically it was the Catholic Church that discerned a new economy of images and gave the emphasis to the Eighth Day or Sunday (the Lord’s Day) over the Hebrew Sabbath. Because of the incarnation and resurrection, the emphasis changed because in Christ, God has a human face. Our re-creation in Christ takes precedence over our creation in Genesis. It is this Church that assembled the canon of the Bible. It is this Church that claims a magisterium protected by the power of the Holy Spirit in matters of faith and morals. If you have read the documents of Vatican II then you would know that the last half-century has seen an intensified interest in defending freedom of conscience and religious liberty. Going back to Pope John XXIII, the Church has appealed not only to Scripture but to natural law in speaking about peace. This effort was to acknowledge those who are not believers but who want to be co-workers in making this a better world. The Church does not claim to be the only source of truth when speaking about morality. However, she does speak loudly when she sees violations of human dignity and the right to life. The Church has no issue with coming to the table with atheists. However, there are certain non-believers who would take away our chair. You cannot compare Catholicism either to radical Islam or to fundamentalist Protestantism. We see the world very differently.

MISS ATHEIST

Where are a “million Christians” you speak about as exiled and on the run? Are they in the Middle East? It seems that that number is an exaggeration, but it could be true.

FATHER JOE

It is true and your hesitation to admit it shows how hardened your heart is regarding believers and injustice. If there were a million atheists on the run for their lives, I would be just as upset and involved with efforts to protect them and to care for their families. This is the sentiment of the active Christians I know and with whom I associate. Our thoughts are not only about heaven but about the struggles of people here on earth. Catholicism takes seriously the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of humanity. Similarly the Catholic Church expends millions for food, water and health supplies for the hurting around the world, even Moslems who have little love in their hearts for Christians.

Christians are being attacked in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The plight of Chaldean Christians, both Catholic and Coptic, is described in BREITBART NEWS. We read, “Since the U.S. invasion in 2003, over 1 million Christians have been exiled from Iraq, leaving only around 300,000 left in the country.”

MISS ATHEIST

Thousands have had their heads chopped off? Where?

FATHER JOE

Where have you been? I still remember the sadness of a Holy Cross priest-friend who had to identify the bodies of four seminarians on summer assignment in Africa. They found them beheaded in the jungle. Chopping heads seems the violence of choice used by ISIS against Christian men. Do we have to post the grisly pictures for people like you?

Google it and you will find plenty of photos and videos. An article in USA TODAY quoted the murderous terrorists as chanting: “We will conquer Rome with Allah’s permission!”

Not all religions are the same. The development of Catholic doctrine has been in the direction of dialogue, cooperation and peace. While we would not want to fault all Moslems, it must be admitted that this radicalization is worldwide and frightening. While others are also their victims, they see their efforts as part of a war against what they call THE NATION OF THE CROSS. Catholics are marked with the Arabic “N” marking them just as the Nazis marked the Jews for elimination. The “N” stands for “Nazarene” after Jesus from Nazareth.

MISS ATHEIST

There may indeed be as many as you say and what is sad is that so many Christians claim that they are “in exile” in their own country and are threatened here in the US, when that is anything but the truth, devaluing real persecution. It’s always curious when people make such claims when there are thousands of Christian media outlets, pages upon pages of churches in the yellow pages, billboards on highways, etc.

FATHER JOE

What you are now arguing is how much persecution is tolerable and okay. Sorry, it is all wrong. When an Oregon baker is fined $135,000 for refusing to bake a wedding cake for lesbians, loses her business and then is placed under a gag order not to talk about the issue— then yes, Christians are being persecuted here at home. Religious liberty and freedom of speech are precious to American democracy and yet in practice, they are increasing threatened. The lesbian couple could have easily gotten their cake elsewhere. But they wanted to destroy these people who believed and thought differently than they did. The courts helped them to perform this task. This is just one case, but similar instances of oppression are happening across our society. Toleration of differences is one thing— but now Christians are told that they must compromise their values, or else.

MISS ATHEIST

It is not a radical Islam that insists on conversion and death; that is just Islam, though most Muslims ignore those parts. Judaism and Christianity also insist on conversion and death. The OT is full of the Judeo-Christian god commanding just that. Jesus himself says that people who do not accept him as their king should be brought before him and killed (Luke 19). And of course, there is Revelation which is all about the killing of anyone who doesn’t accept this god. Happily, most Jews and Christians ignore those parts.

FATHER JOE

There is nothing in Luke 19 about killing people who reject Jesus as king. You misread a parable which emphasizes using the gifts given us for the sake of the kingdom. A failure to use these gifts will bring shame and death. Everything that Christ offers brings life and hope. The third servant in the parable allowed his fear to get the better of him. We cannot be passive in the faith, but always about spreading the Good News with our words and witness. The story of the servants is a bit different in Matthew. While it employs allegory, it may have been based upon a real event, the succession of Archelaus after the death of his father, Herod the Great. Archelaus went to Rome and stood before Caesar asking to receive the title “king.” A Jewish delegation opposed him. Albeit without the title, he is made the leader of Judea and Samaria. Luke makes it clear that Jesus is not on his way to establish a new military kingdom in Jerusalem. He is not seeking earthly kingly power. First he must go away and return from a distant country (his Parousia); only then will there be judgment. The verses to which you refer are Luke 19:26-27: “I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.” This is not an order to kill anyone who does not acknowledge Jesus as king. It is a reference to the judgment of souls that comes either at death or at the consummation of the world. The acceptance of Christ brings life. Rejection of God’s mercy brings eternal death or hell. It is something brought upon us in the light of divine justice.

Revelation is apocalyptic language and much of it about the persecution of the Church by pagan Rome. While there is a reference to an End Times confrontation, I am unaware of any New Testament teaching about forced conversions. The final confrontation is with powers and principalities. The battle is not merely physical but spiritual. Historically, not everyone who is Christian has respected the rights of others. Often nations and leaders used religion for their own purposes. But the Church is composed of sinners and this is to be expected.

Ultimately faith is a gift and should not come through coercion or violence. Parents have an obligation to share their faith with their children but we have to respect the decisions they will make as adults. Even if there should be disagreements about religion, it should be no barrier to love and mutual concern.

The difficult sections of the Old Testament say more about the primitive people called than any blood lust from God. The Hebrews fought over things like land. They never had a strong insistence upon evangelization or conversion. They judged their own harshly, especially in regard to sins against the marriage bed and idolatry. However, in this they were little different from many other ancient people. Revelation comes through the prism of a people and their culture. It cannot be read as if it is dictated word for word from heaven.

Islam and the Koran speak about forced conversions and Holy War. When Pope Benedict XVI urged that this concept be rejected (while visiting Turkey) there were cries for chopping off his head. Hopefully this only reflects the militant arm of Islam and not the majority. But I cannot speak for them. As a priest, I can only speak directly about the claims of Catholicism. When it comes to other faiths, it is my trust that there can be peaceful toleration and efforts at real collaboration toward a better and more peaceful world.

I can appreciate the scandal in how Christians sometimes behave. G. K. Chesterton lamented that this cannot be interpreted as a failure of the faith, just the weakness of believers. He is observed, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

See part #4 that continues this topic.

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Christianity versus the New Atheist, part 2

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Father Joe

A continuation from part #1.

Certain atheists must think that all Christians are gullible idiots. They delight in espousing evolution as if that alone nullifies the message of Genesis and a Creator. Unlike Fundamentalists, Catholics do not insist upon a 6,000 year old world or view the extinction of dinosaurs as the fault of an Ark that was too small to contain them. It may be that these monsters were long gone when the first man stood upright. Of course, the Jurassic Park movies and DNA research would suggest a modern meeting between these two creatures that alternately controlled the world. Catholics believe that the Bible is inspired and contains salvation truth. This is not the same as cosmic or archeological truth. It is as the old saying would remind us, “The Bible does not teach us how the heavens go, but rather how to go to heaven.”

We are finding it the case in contemporary society that atheism is both on the rise and is more willing to actively engage believers. Previously, their attitude was largely one of silence. Those that spoke out were frequently associated with “godless Communism.” However, now that Asian Communists are largely and wrongly off our radar and the Red Threat has been exchanged for Islamic Extremists, many feel it is safe at home to espouse an atheism that places theism under the gun. It is a bit perplexing that atheism has become increasingly evangelical, seeking new avenues to spread its message, making converts, and ridiculing believers as stupid or uninformed. Given that they do not believe that God exists, is this not literally (from their perspective) a lot of talk about NOTHING? Why not allow the faithful to believe in God just as little children believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy? What difference should it make to them?

Have atheists been personally wronged by people of faith? I remember one complained to a crowd that it was unfair that Christians, Jews and Moslems had recognized holidays and there were none for the atheists. An old man in the assembly shouted back, “But you do have a holiday!” Taken aback, the atheist critic stopped and asked what that might be? The old man answered, “The first of April, April Fool’s Day!” He quoted the Scriptures saying, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). Instead of a “live and let live” attitude, there are militant atheists who feel offended by any expressions of religious faith. Their ire erupts at the thought of public prayer, displays of the Ten Commandments, menorah’s, crèche’s and sometimes even Christmas trees. They are active in online social media and in law, doing all they can to restrict or eliminate the religious witness. These critics portray believers and especially Christians as ignorant fools who threaten modern liberties and sensible thinking. Believers are imaged as deluded or out of touch with reality, seeking to enslave minds to a fundamentalism that opposes the findings of experiential sciences. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially given the many great minds that have benefited Western culture, even though they were people of faith.

Is this payback time for all the times that Christians mocked or challenged people without strong religious convictions? I cannot say. Certainly the elements of respect and common courtesy have been strained on both sides of the debate. I cannot imagine how a person would want to live in a world without a God or without an existence beyond this world where mercy and justice is substantiated. Similarly, it seems the atheist is unable or unwilling to view religion as anything more than wishful thinking and empty myth. They become angry at what they interpret as muddled thinking and delusion. They wonder why we cannot be more like them. Christians might wonder why these men and women have been deprived of the gift of faith. Have they closed every window to their souls?

The mockery and inflammatory language really does not help. We saw much of this on the mall in 2012 when atheists gathered from across the U.S. The Reason Rally speakers and signs paraded all sorts of vulgar language and images. God’s name was taken in vain and more. There really was very little about reason or logical thinking. It was meant to shock and insult. One participant was dressed in a costume that depicted Jesus riding a dinosaur.

While there are some decent atheists who engage in respectful and civil dialogue, we are seeing the emergence a much more vulgar and shocking movement. They mock the message and the messengers. While they do not believe in God they employ language which insults him. The try to use the Bible in their attacks but often do not have the tools to understand or interpret God’s Word. Not only is the meaning of various texts twisted beyond recognition, obvious half-truths or exaggerations are expressed to make Christianity look silly and impoverished. Why the condescension and arrogance? The motives of Christians are questioned and the faith is discussed as a scam to rob simple people of their hard-earned money. Believers in the pews are disparaged as ignorant or mentally ill. Having noted their many assertions at gatherings, these are the kinds of things we hear:

“We should not be forced to abide by myths and fairytales!”

“Catholicism is a superstition at war with reason and science!”

“Christians would force their oppressive nonsense upon the rest of us, forcing us to live by their rules!”

“Religion is a delusion that lies to people so that they never grow up!”

“Christianity would have people suffer here and now for an imaginary pie in the sky in a life to come!”

“Our minds must be liberated from the shackles of religion!”

“Religion is never the answer but the root cause of our many problems!”

“People of faith are like lemmings jumping off the cliff or drowning themselves in the sea!”

The irony in all this is that the critical atheist has narrowed the parameters of truth even as he ridicules the believer’s understanding of reality and ability to logically reason. The believer has already been prejudged as a fool and religious slave. They cannot imagine how any person of even mediocre intelligence could disagree with them. Atheism as a belief of its own, has replaced popes and bishops with certain scientists, authors and media celebrities. Most atheists are not first class minds but like other types of believers, following others who are more persuasive and charismatic. Religious people may by and large fall into the same game park. Astrophysicists and mathematicians may impress them with facts and jargon that they, themselves, could never comprehend left to their own resources. An analogy might be cars and computers. We might like to drive cars and surf the internet on computers. But how many of us could build a car or computer from scratch or even repair one? We all have our pet ideas but also rely upon differing authorities who claim to see further or more clearly than the rest.

While Catholicism would insist upon a complementarity of truth, there is definitely a prejudice from atheists as to what they regard as acceptable. Many reject philosophy altogether while others will acknowledge certain Marxists and/or materialists. I have noted in discussions their quotes from Bentham, Feuerbach, Marx, Nietzsche, Rand, Russell, Sartre, and Schopenhauer. Rosenberg, Singer and Harris are still alive and speak for themselves. They tend to reject theology as a legitimate area of study and categorize Christian philosophers as tainted, not true philosophers but as theologians in disguise. Unfortunately, this throws out a great deal of the intellectual inheritance from Western culture: Augustine of Hippo, Frederick Copleston, René Descartes, Étienne Gilson, Dietrich von Hildebrand, Jacques Maritain, and Thomas Aquinas, etc. While outside the Catholic tradition, contemporary philosophy must take into consideration the contributions and genius of Immanuel Kant, i.e. about matters like human knowing and the philosophy of God.

Science is divinized by certain atheists, but not by all, as the only genuine source of truth. But we are often quick to assume that mankind has the capacity (or at least a few individuals) to pierce the deepest mysteries. There might also be a reduction of truth to the mathematical or that which can be empirically proven. Because of assumptions and missing links, critics have sometimes charged atheists with fabricating a non-theistic faith or religion. This undermines their claims of objectivity and critical or logical reasoning. Should truth be reduced to the methodology of experiment, trial and error, or a math that requires what may be fictional multiple dimensions to make the sums come out straight?

There is a wonderful intellectual tradition that has been fostered by the faith. The posture of the creature to the Creator is not merely one of fear but of awe. Claims may seem unsubstantiated, but ours is a faith seeking understanding— not a faith at war with truth or reason. Of course, the believer has a heightened appreciation for the nature of mystery. We encounter one whom we will never completely comprehend. The finite is called into relationship with the infinite.

The slurs against Christianity often shock and confuse me. There seems to be a terrible disconnect from the faith I know and live out each day. The message of Christ and the apostles is one of sacrificial love and boundless mercy. We are to forgive beyond measure. We are to place the needs of others before ourselves. Fear of the Lord does not mean running away from God in terror. It means a reverence toward God as the source of our lives and the gifts we cherish. It is true that we are servants of the Word, not its master. We do look to God and not to man as the arbiter of our discipleship and morality. But the face that God shows us is one where everyone is loved and everyone is deemed to have an immeasurable dignity. During the first days of Christianity, there was a heresy where some claimed that the apparently harsh God of the Old Testament was not the gentle God of Jesus in the New. This falsehood was condemned. There is but one God and he does not change. However, while human nature and sin remains the same, the minds and hearts of men were changing and being prepared for the fullness of truth in Christ. Ours is the God of love and forgiveness. He sends his Son so that he might be in solidarity with us, both in the sorrowful and in the joyful. God is not out to smite us but to call us back to him as his children.

Is religion only empty myth? Invisible does not mean non-existent. We cannot see the air either but it makes possible our breathing and the wind. When God does show his face, he does so through one who has entered the human family. While the Gospels give us different theologies and traditions, they also testify to the hundreds of witnesses to Christ’s teachings, miracles and his resurrection. The apostles and so many others were willing to witness with their lives. Men and women would not die for a lie. They had seen, touched and eaten with the Risen Christ. The eye witnesses and their accounts affirm the validity of Christian claims. They knew his risen presence and had a real personal and corporate relationship with him.

But, as I have so often taught, faith is a gift. It cannot be merited by good works or manufactured with education and printed degrees. This being the case, atheists might still debate or even deny the faith; however, they should do so objectively. Atheists shame themselves when they offer attacks against persons, demonstrate overwhelming disrespect, and employ visual and verbal ridicule or mockery.

The website Athiests.org states that “WE ARE ATHEISTS BECAUSE…

“Godism had to be fought when humankind made its successive steps toward science, liberty, and reform.”

“Godism was invented in the earliest days of mankind’s ignorance.”

“Godism is consistent with crime, cruelty, envy, hatred, malice, and uncharitableness.”

Critics see the faith in the very opposite way that believers do. The Church makes possible virtue, compassion, love, good works, and charity. Indeed, the faith is no enemy of ethics but a necessary guide. The Church urges a study of both divine positive law and natural law, promoting inquiry and logical thinking upon the nature of things and the order we find. The charges made against Christianity and believers are not realized in the Church but are made manifest in her enemies and their intolerance. The argument is made that all things religious must disappear. Believers are told that they can practice their faith within the walls of their churches but not outside. Christian morality is dismissed and believers are punished for rejecting a secular modernity and its new values. Thus, prayer is stripped from schools and contraception education is inserted into the curriculum, with condoms replacing abstinence training. Employers must pay for abortifacients in health plans in stark contradiction to the Gospel of Life which they believe. An instance of this intolerance was recently taken to absurdity with bakers in Oregon fined 135,000 dollars for refusing to bake wedding cakes for lesbians, and then stamped with a gag order, suffering the loss of job and home. Knights of Columbus halls are told that they must rent to homosexual wedding receptions or face legal action from the government. Now Catholic schools and parish ministries are being informed that they must allow those who live deviant lifestyles or who advocate abortion to be employed. An atheist professor goes on YouTube and urges teens to steal the consecrated host from churches so that he can shows pictures of desecration online. The lists go on and on. Where is the real hatred and bigotry? It seems to be on the other foot. Many atheists teach a false freedom. They have toleration for their own and those who share their agenda; however, they interpret any freedom in Christ as a bondage that cannot be tolerated.

See part # 3 that continues this topic.

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Once Saved, Always Saved?

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Father Joe

KATHLEEN:

Hello, I am a “catholic.” I firmly believe that through my faith in Jesus he has saved me. I, along with everyone else who believes in Jesus already has salvation. We are not going to hell. So my question is why would a “catholic” want or need to wear a scapular? How can one save what is already saved? And isn’t their belief in Jesus enough for salvation? Thank you for input.

FATHER JOE:

You may be a Catholic, but your assessment of “blessed assurance” is representative of a Protestant view. Indeed, it is the sin of presumption for a Catholic to view himself as irrevocably saved. Certain evangelicals believe in the “once saved, always saved” interpretation that emerged from Martin Luther’s teaching of juridical justification through imputation. Simply put it means that after a faith profession in Christ one is saved regardless of personal sins and weaknesses. Supposedly, we are masked by Christ when the Father looks upon us. The Catholic understanding is different. The ancient Catholic truth has to do with being born again as a new creation. We must be transformed. Faith and baptism makes us members of God’s people, but just as faith can grow, it can sour. The Evangelical would say that if a person becomes a grievous sinner that their earlier faith was counterfeit. Catholics would not nullify or doubt such faith. Instead, we argue that we must grow in the life of grace.

Your view would dismiss a lot more than scapulars. If you are already saved then you would need no sacraments, no Mass, no Eucharist and no Church. That is why those who hold such ideas reject the divine mysteries and reduce the “Church” to a place for fellowship and making converts. Catholicism is the true Bible Church and views salvation in terms of faith and obedient works in charity.

I would recommend that you attend a Parish RCIA program and relearn your Catholic faith.

Catholics live in the sure and certain HOPE of their salvation in Christ. Salvation is God’s free gift to us. But faith is defined as more than believing with our heads. The apostles understood faith as something lived out in faith and obedience. It is in this manner, and the reception of the sacraments, that the life of grace grows within us. The spiritual life is not stagnant but dynamic. We must always be properly disposed to God’s mercy and strength.

Here are some passages for spiritual reflection:

Matthew 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

John 5:28-29 – Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voices and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.

Philippians 2:12 – So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Hebrews 5: 7-10 – In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, declared by God high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 10:26-27 – If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries.

James 2: 17-24 – So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.” See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead….You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

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Christianity versus the New Atheist, part 1

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Father Joe

DRIVEN TO BE ATHEISTS

VINCENT

I do not wonder that atheism became popular given that people became fed up with Catholics and Protestants killing each other. People killing in the name of God— that is one of the reasons behind many do not believe in God anymore. These churches teach that to kill is a sin but they are killing each other. They practice the very opposite of what they teach. The hypocrisy both the Catholics and the Protestants is what built atheism.

FATHER JOE

The true face of Christianity is seen in the blood of martyrs who loved those who hated them and forgave those who persecuted them. The Church is the voice of the oppressed and the poor around the world. I even heard an atheist commentator lament the fact that believers shame them (secular humanists) in terms of charity and self-sacrifice for others. We live in a broken world and people are people… good and bad. Religion is not magic to make every sinner into a perfect saint… such takes time, cooperation and grace. Soviet and Chinese Communism was atheistic. Millions were murdered, imprisoned and enslaved under Stalin and Mao. That is not such a great track record, either.

MISS ATHEIST

To let you know, many atheists aren’t atheists because of people murdering each other over who has the best imaginary friend. I am an atheist because there is no evidence for any gods at all. There is nothing to support the claims of Christians or anyone else, that their god has done anything or that any of their essential events ever happened.

Which atheist commentator “lamented” that theists “shame” atheists in terms of charity and self-sacrifice? Where is the evidence to support this claim? As you say, there are people, good and bad, and religion has no lock on being good.

In case you might forget, Stalin and Mao were megalomaniacs who wanted to be worshipped as a god. I do ask you to show how the lack of belief in God caused the murder of millions and how it wasn’t this megalomania that caused the death. Hitler believed in the Christian god. Do you want to blame his actions on which: his Christianity or his megalomania?

FATHER JOE

Most Christians and Jews, and I would hope the Moslems as well, would not want to kill each other over religion either. It must be said that Christian communities and churches that stretch back 1,700 years or more are being devastated by militant Islam. Christianity had its extremists (like all movements and religions) but proved that it could tolerate and live in a non-Christian world. But the world has become less tolerant of Christians. A secular humanism would strip the Church of a voice in the public forum. A radical Islam would insist upon conversion or death. That is why a million Christians are exiled and on the run. That is why thousands have had their heads chopped off. All they had to do was to renounce their faith. But like the martyrs of old, they preferred to witness by their blood than to save their lives by betraying their faith and God. You mock their sacrifices. If atheists were really as good as you claim, they would defend the rights of all men and women to either practice the religion of their choice or no religion at all. They would be urging intervention to prevent a Christian “holocaust,” a term recently alluded by the Israeli prime minister. But again, atheists of your stripe are not much about either charity or justice. You make yourselves into very small men (or women) with little or no respect for others. When atheists gathered on the national mall, the scenes were filled with vulgar images and their spokesmen all flippantly attacked believers with strawman arguments, cursing God’s name and dropping the “F” bomb. This is a far cry from the agnosticism of Carl Sagan who could offer a decent intellectual debate and then work hand-in-hand with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences to make a difference in this world as well as to give expert advice for the future of the Vatican Observatory and telescope. In the history of the world, some figures have misused religion for their agenda and this has cost lives. But the true face of Catholicism is with the work of the saints and the millions saved through her charity efforts and for being a voice for the voiceless against oppression.

You seem to be hedging your bets on the fact that God is our “imaginary friend.” But given that he is REAL we have nothing to lose. Rejecting him out of hand you have nothing to gain. But you are entitled to your perspective, even if it signifies a false or illusionary view of creation without a Creator.

No evidence for God? No, this is not true. The issue is that you throw out certain types of evidence, wrongly interpret the rest and are overly restrictive as to what is admissible. Microscopes can only magnify so far and telescopes can only see so far. The atheist throws out the aesthetic and the sense of awe that touches the hearts of rational creatures when they witness the glories of creation. Philosophers reason from truths like causality, motion, existence and even from the mind itself. We exist and yet we know that we are not the ultimate source of our existence. The complexity of creation and life speaks to an order that cannot be the result of accident or mere chaos. The believer is often amazed that anyone can know and love and have being while still doubting that there is a God.

There are extra-biblical sources and good archeology for the events of salvation history.

https://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/180-americans-donate-billions-to-charity-but-giving-to-churches-has-declined#.VZbUrsLbLL8

“In 2004, nearly four out of every five adults – 83% – donated money to one or more non-profit organizations. That is similar to the percentage that has donated funds throughout the past decade. Barna’s national study found that the people least likely to donate any money at all were those under the age of 25, people who never attended college, residents of the Northeast, atheists and agnostics, Asians and Hispanics. A quarter or more of the people from each of those segments failed to give away any money in 2004.”

http://bjornisageek.blogspot.com/2008/09/10-things-christiand-do-better-than.html

“For all of the faults in theology, Christians have a lock on charity work. When someone thinks of Christian kindness, I doubt that they imagine brainwashing children to fear a nonexistent Hell and a deity who watches every move and knows your thoughts. Instead, images of soup kitchens, food shelves, homeless shelters, Habitat for Humanity, even sandbagging ahead of a flood are all things churches are known for. Why aren’t the same things associated with atheist kindness?”

Religious or atheist, megalomaniacs are the same. They exploit and corrupt religion. They find comfort in the feigned vacuum of atheism. You cannot criticize believers or Christians as murderers without also pointing to atheists. Stalin studied for the Orthodox priesthood, but rejected religion for the atheistic Marxian dialectic. Mao also embraced atheism and restricted the rights of believers. China still oppresses people of faith and recently bull-dozed a brand new Catholic church. Along with the rejection of religion, the Communists dismissed the values of the Gospel. This led to the deaths of millions. Hitler was baptized but also wanted to institute a secular religion and destroy the Christian faith of Rome. Just being baptized did not mean that Hitler was motivated by a Christian faith, any more than was Stalin. Totalitarian regimes can allow for no deity that might condemn or restrict their actions. That is why the modern era finds these movements moving simultaneously with a rise in atheism. Indeed, here at home in the U.S., secular humanism, rampant commercialism and materialism fuel a selfish society that has no room for God. People are literally shouting to the heavens that “No one will tell them what to do!” Man becomes his own idol. God gets in the way. When challenged about giving, atheists will often point to one significant billionaire giver and his huge foundation, Bill Gates. When asked why he did not go to Mass with his wife and family, he responded that he “could think of more productive things to do with his time.” Many of the rich feel that charity makes up for an aggressive business life where “little people” suffer for the needs of the affluent. The media giants may be generous too, but they also exploit the seven deadly sins to get people using their products. By contrast, Christian charity is both about giving and loving.

See part # 2 that continues this topic.

Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Atheism, Faith | 1 Comment »

A Response to Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Defection

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Father Joe

RUFUS:

I am (was??) a Catholic. I am now divorced and in a second relationship. I have no idea what God has in store for me, whether I am going to roast in Hell or simmer in Purgatory; but I am done with the double standards and hypocrisy of the Catholic church. I still love God and believe in Jesus but I think it is ridiculous to attend church and not have communion; either you are or are not in good grace… there is no middle ground… Hell or Heaven.

FATHER JOE:

It seems the issue is more than a disagreement about the perpetuity of marriage as a sacrament; you quarrel about basic Catholic soteriology. Like many Protestants you would reject the notion of Purgatory and yet this teaching is reflective of divine mercy and the tradition of praying for the dead that we inherited from the Jews of Christ’s time. We must be perfected by grace if we are to enter fully into the kingdom and the heavenly presence of God. Protestants get around this conundrum by positing a juridical imputation over any kind of actual transformation into the likeness of Christ. Thus, people might remain sinful worms but as long as they have faith they can enter heaven because Christ conceals them from divine justice. Catholics believe that all will be unveiled. Unless there is a true conversion and perfection, we could not bear to stand in the divine presence. A process of purgation heals the soul that belongs to God so that it might be purged of the last remnants of selfishness and venial sin. Saints already perfected would indeed rush into heaven. Those who die in mortal sin would be cast into hell. The damned are damned because they place their own will above that of God and his commands. Such souls might say they love God and believe in Jesus, but they fashion for themselves a counterfeit Christ that cannot save them. Hypocrisy is immediately implied with sinfulness from believers; but the Church, while composed of sinners, is holy because Christ is holy. Our Lord called sinners to himself and so the Church must do the same, even if it sometimes compromises her witness. You should have remained with the Church. One more sinful hypocrite would have made little difference— and you had everything to gain from abiding in the house established by Jesus Christ.

As for participation at Mass, this is a fulfillment of the command to keep holy the Lord’s Day. Every Mass is a re-presentation of the oblation of Christ on the Cross, albeit in an unbloody manner. Here too your faith was evidently defective. The reception of Holy Communion is a great gift and the ideal, but you closed that door because of a weakness of the flesh and a heart that loved, not too much, but too little. The prohibition about divorce and remarriage is clearly taught by our Lord in the Gospel of Matthew. Only since the reformation and particularly in the modern era has this teaching been called into question by dissenters. Short of an annulment, the Church’s hands are tied. Jesus is unapologetic, we are talking here about adultery, no matter how one might “feel” about it.

Matthew 5: 31-32

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’ But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Matthew 19: 3-12

Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

If an annulment can ascertain that a union is “unlawful,” then one might be free to enter into a true marriage. But if the marriage is real then it endures until the death of a spouse.

RUFUS:

The bottom line is this, if you are Catholic and marry and the marriage, for whatever reason, your fault or not, ends in divorce then if you start another relationship (because God gave us the power of love and the will to use this most beautiful gift), whether a marriage or not, the Catholic church teaches you will go to hell unless you sincerely repent, i.e.. end the relationship and live the rest of your life alone.

FATHER JOE:

Do you think people only hate themselves into hell? I perceive plenty of hate in your words, but you fail to note that love can be disordered or distorted. We can love the wrong things. Ultimately, we are to love God above all else and that means following his commandments. If you love yourself or even another person in a way that is not in sync with divine love, then you manufacture a type of idolatry. True husbands and wives are to see Christ in the beloved. That makes the defection from a marriage into an abandonment of Christ who is signified in the sacramental covenant and union. Note that here you only think about yourself. If you trusted Christ’s words (not just the Church’s rules), then you would have been wary of risking the soul of the person with whom you committed adultery. If you really loved her than you should sooner die than do anything that would place at risk her share in eternal life. Resentful for yourself, you enter into a tirade against the Church. I suppose this is an attempt at self-justification. Instead of facing or even struggling with your guilt, you castigate the Church. Mass attendance would have exposed you to God’s grace, even if you were not fully receptive toward it. Did you attempt an annulment? Or did you just run away? If you go to hell, and we leave that judgment to God, it will be because of your closed disposition to his grace and gift of mercy— not because you fled a Church that was both faithful to God’s law and desiring to show you compassion. The way you talk about “repentance,” you make it sound like a dirty word. The problem here is yours.

RUFUS:

Thinking you can get away with this until you are on a your deathbed and repent at the last minute doesn’t count as such repentance is insincere, as if planned.

FATHER JOE:

No one is saying that you had only the deathbed for which to look forward. That is you speaking. Such cynicism is poison to the hope that should be the life’s blood of every believer. No one would urge you to wait until close proximity to death to repent. However, neither should you malign the sincerity of such conversions at the end of mortal life. Not only do you blaspheme against divine mercy; such an attitude would negate the value of contrition, perfect and imperfect, as displayed by the good thief on the Cross who steals heaven. Ideally we should be sorry because we love God. Nevertheless, God’s forgiveness will even reach out to us if our faith be largely grounded on the fear of losing heaven and suffering the pains of hell.

RUFUS:

Of course, you could die in a road accident, in which case, you have no time to repent and are going to go straight to hell. So the choice for a divorced Catholic who cannot get an anulment is bleak; spend the rest of your life alone or accept that you are going to hell anyway, so you might as well eat, drink, be merry, whore to your heart’s content, and break just about every commandment in the book. This is ridiculous.

FATHER JOE:

Sin is sin. A mountain climber might miss a footing or a ledge by an inch or by a yard, it is all the same. He would be just as dead. You cannot make one sin an excuse for others. I bet no priest ever told you that you were going to hell. It may be that God faced you with this prospect in your life and you refused to acknowledge your fault. Your problem is not so much with the Church and her catechism but with God and his living Word. I cannot say if you would have gotten an annulment, but if you walked with the Lord then you would never really be alone. Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? I freely embraced a celibate life. There were wonderful girls I knew in my youth who would have made incredible wives and mothers; but I dedicated my life to Jesus and his Church. The trouble with you is that you did not trust and love God enough. Now all you can share with others is venom or poison.

RUFUS:

There is nothing in the bible that unambiguously states this and the outmoded catechism needs to be thrown out and rewritten. This, and good marketing is the only way the catholic church will save itself from the extinction it is suffering.

FATHER JOE:

Does it make you feel better to attack the Church? God’s laws and truths are timeless but you would have us subscribe to the fads and fashions of a fallen world that parades its broken promises. Christ keeps his promise to us. We must keep our promises to him and to each other. Faithfulness still matters. I would call you back to fidelity and the safe harbor of faith. You need not join the world’s chorus in forsaking the Church and Christ. Yes, the Church is increasingly a sign of contradiction. Yes, religious liberty is threatened and faith is attacked. But believers have everything to gain in being fools for Christ. The folly of the world leads only to death and despair. Have faith— have courage— embrace sacrificial love— and come home.

Filed under: Adultery, Annulment, Apologetics, Marriage, Salvation, Sin | 4 Comments »

Establishing a Home Altar or Shrine

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Father Joe

There are some who put up wood cabinets, either free-standing or in the wall. These can be quite nice but also expensive. The top of a small wall table, mantle or shelf might do as well. The use of a cabinet makes it easier to store additional religious items.

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The home altar is a place for family and individual prayer but is also a visible reminder of our Catholicity. Every home should make room for Jesus and have visible signs of faith and divine protection. What does one place upon the altar? There should be a standing crucifix or one attached immediately to the wall behind the shelf or table. Often there is a statue of the Blessed Mother although one might substitute a statue of the Holy Family.

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If Mary is depicted alone then a parallel statue of St. Joseph might be in order. I am also a proponent that every home should be consecrated to the Sacred Heart. Either a statue or picture of the Sacred Heart should be displayed. Candles are traditional and some would add flowers. There should be Holy Water (font and bottle). Medals associated with devotions could be placed on the altar. The rosaries of family members may either sit upon the table or hooks adjacent in the wall or mantle itself. Various Holy Cards of special patrons could be set there. There should always be a Bible and individual prayer books. Many also include a missal so that if Mass attendance is impossible, the readings of the day can be studied. If a table is used, then a nice linen cloth should cover the top.

Here are a few suggestions that can be purchased online:

Large Standing San Damiano Marble Resin Cross Crucifix

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Holy Family Jesus Mary Joseph Religious Figurine

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Design Toscano Blessed Virgin Mary Statue

71QzWMZ3rHL__SL1200_

12 Inch Sacred Heart Of Jesus Holy Figurine

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Saint Joseph with Child Statue

PS988_207_435

Holy Spirit Holy Water Font

TS180_278_393

Votive Candle Holders (use inexpensive tea lights)

RS525_278_293

St. Joseph Daily & Sunday Missal

51Uc+OIJWqL

The Didache Bible: Ignatius Bible (RSV-2CE) Edition

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Catholic Prayer Books

pbook

8 Oz Holy Water Bottle / 5 oz Stainless Steel Round Holy Water Bottle

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WC607_278_299

San Damiano Corded Wood Rosary / Madonna and Child Hematite Rosary

WC326_278_278

Filed under: Faith, Family, Prayer | 3 Comments »

Papal Encyclical LAUDATO SI Defends Human Dignity & Life

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Father Joe

I read the Holy Father’s encyclical LAUDATO SI this afternoon and noted a series of quotes that perked my interest.

The Pope says that if we desire to be good stewards of creation then there needs to be both a culture of life and a new or corrected anthropology. Many progressive voices are jubilant about the document, although I doubt they have paid close attention to the spirit of Pope John Paul II and the Gospel of Life that emerges at various points. Pope Francis also responds to atheism and distances himself from the secular approach to ecology which always demands population control through contraception and abortion.

Conservative voices are concerned about what they regard as bad science and/or poor economics theory. However, speaking as a priest these elements are not as fundamental as the Catholic background which defends human dignity and the right to life.

Here is a LINK to the pdf of quotes.

Filed under: Pro-Life | Leave a comment »

The Pope & Questions About Poverty, Politics & Popularity

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Father Joe

SIMON: Hello, Father! In the beginning I have to mention that I try to be a devout Catholic every day. I believe the Pope is the Father of the Church appointed by Christ. But sometimes I have those thoughts, which keep eating at me inside. I’m very sorry in advance as I know these are not appropriate thoughts for a Catholic to have. I feel guilty for that. I pray that these thoughts would go away and leave me alone; but they keep coming back (sometimes even during the Mass, which is quite frightening for me).

FATHER JOE: It is okay to ask questions. As believers, we should focus on matters of faith and seek to grow in the Lord. As for attending to the Mass and better participation at worship, maybe a better understanding of the elements and prayers of the liturgy would help keep your mind from wandering?

SIMON: I sometimes think: 1) If we are followers of Christ then as the Church teaches, we should try becoming more like Christ every day. Christ lived modestly, as we know, and even in poverty. How is it that so many people today are in hunger and poverty while Pope is an extremely rich man provided with everything that he needs. He even has (or had) a Harley-Davidson. Many people could feed their children from the money of Vatican administration. People in poverty could live for a year from the money you would get by selling a Harley-Davidson bike.

FATHER JOE: First, the Pope is “personally” very poor and most everything he has belongs to the Church. Pope Francis, in particular, has very simple tastes. Second, the motorcycle was given the Holy Father from the Harley-Davidson Company to celebrate their 110th Anniversary. The Pope sold it at auction for the Caritas Roma Charity. It went for $327,000. In addition, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle jacket signed by the pontiff sold for $77,485. Money from the sale of the two items went to benefit a hostel and soup kitchen at the Termini train station in Rome. We must be careful not to make allegations that would misjudge the Holy Father. We would not want to add our voices to those who wrongly condemn. Third, the Church is a worldwide organization and as such she must have income to sustain buildings, pay salaries and operate. While there are isolated cases of hypocrisy, many critics wrong the Church which does more globally for the oppressed, poor and hurting than any other institution.

SIMON: 2) Christ was open to everyone he met. How come it is almost impossible to meet the Pope? It seems sometimes like his time is only reserved for “more important” people. In front of God and Christ, shouldn’t every life be equally worthy?

FATHER JOE: I am perplexed by this assertion. This is the Pope that takes great personal risks in going out to people. He is only one man and there are a billion Catholics. He could never knock on every door. Are you upset that you have not met him? Do you feel that this somehow makes you unimportant? I can assure you that the Pope and the Church cares about you and everyone else. Everyone has value. All life is incommensurate. This is the Pope that washed the feet of juvenile delinquents for Holy Thursday. This is the Pope that served food at a shelter. Similarly, other Popes reached out to the crowds, kissed babies and showed that they care. The late Saint John Paul II even got shot because he wanted to be visible to his flock. Do you understand how vulnerable this makes them? As for our Lord, he did go out to the marginalized, the poor and the oppressed. But he was also silent when placed before Herod. His words might mean conversion, mercy and life. His silence passed a deadly judgment upon the tetrarch. We will all be judged. Because of this, we must all be careful in judging others. Do we have the mind and heart of Christ? Are we unselfish? Can we see past our own sins? Is our own posture that of utter humility? I would not want to judge the Holy Father either from ignorance or malice. He is Christ’s Vicar on earth.

SIMON: 3) Why is Pope dealing with politics? I understand his intentions for a better and more peaceful world but isn’t it bit unfair— in front of God’s face— to take sides? Jesus never dealt with politics— did he?

FATHER JOE: What do you think got Christ crucified? The charge is even placed over his head on the Cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The crowd disowned him and shouted, “We have no king but Caesar!” Pilate was not the servant of the Jews but the procurator for the empire of Rome. When Jesus told them to love their enemies and to forgive those who hurt them, he was speaking a morality that was immediately translated into politics. After centuries of persecution, the Church would arise as the religion of the state. The Pope is the sovereign leader or head of the smallest country on earth, the Vatican, which rests in the heart of Rome. He even has his own representatives at the UN. More importantly, he is the visible head of the Catholic Church and it is vital for Christianity to make an impact upon world politics. The Church speaks against persecution, slavery, abortion, injustice, unwarranted aggression, poverty and oppressive economic systems, etc. She defends human rights, including religious liberty. Our faith must touch all the elements of human existence. We are not just Christians when within the walls of our churches. Ours is a jealous God. The testing of the coin is often misunderstood. Christ is asked if it is right to pay the tax to Rome or not. Rome was the occupying power and government. Jesus never answers the question but takes a coin and asks, whose face is upon it? The people answer, “Caesar.” He says, “Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar but give to God what belongs to God.” Ask yourself, what belongs to God? The answer is everything. It is wrong to expect the Pope and the Church to stay out of politics. There may be a separation of Church and state (in terms of a national religion), but they should still work for the common good. It would make no sense for the Church to remain passive or silent, especially as our religious liberty is being compromised both here in the U.S. and around the globe. The Church must have a voice and a part to play in the public forum.

SIMON: 4) Pope should be a servant like Christ used to be and actually on that one I am quite happy with current Pope Francis who seems to be very humble and willing to serve. But still, the Pope is being praised like a rock star. Is that really something that Jesus or St. Peter would have wanted?

FATHER JOE: Jesus was pursued by vast crowds and they cried Hosanna when he entered Jerusalem. While some would turn against him, he was the celebrity or rock star of his time. Thousands wanted to see and hear him. Vast throngs of people sought him for healing. Have you never read the Gospels? Jesus called Peter or the ROCK of his Church and gave him the keys to the kingdom. He is made the chief shepherd. Tradition gives him the title, “Servant of the Servants of God.” As this unique shepherd, the honor given the Pope reflects upon the dignity and place of our Lord, Jesus. The Pope is Christ’s instrument of universality and order in the world.

SIMON: As I mentioned earlier, I know that those thoughts are condemned.

FATHER JOE: I would not use the word “condemned.” Ours is a faith seeking understanding. We seek to root out ignorance and bigotry. Only you can answer the quandary as to whether there is a hidden animus against the Holy Father and the Church? If there is resentment, from where does it originate?

SIMON: But I can’t seem to get rid of them. Maybe if I could get rational answers for these questions, then perhaps with the help of God those would leave me alone.

FATHER JOE: I cannot say what the cause of your issues might be. But we should never be a people who resent the authority and popularity of the Pope. Critics of this sort often display a poor sense of self-worth and want to feel more important themselves. Maybe they are rash and quick to judge others? In any case, I hope the response here helps.

SIMON: Thank you, Father! And please pray for me! Sincerely yours, Simon

FATHER JOE: You are welcome. Peace!

Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Catholic, Charity, Church, Politics, Pope, Pope Francis | 1 Comment »

Father Hans Langendörfer SJ

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Father Joe

Father Hans Langendörfer SJ, secretary of Germany’s bishops’ conference, spearheaded changes to labor laws that would allow Church employees who are homosexual or divorced and civilly remarried to work for ecclesiastical institutions. In other words, the very same morality clause for which American bishops are fighting would be reversed in Germany. The work for this was secret, much like the recent meeting of dissenters seeking to “circumvent” Church teaching at the Synod of the Family. Father Langendörfer SJ was also a mover and shaker at this latter clandestine meeting. Dissenting bishops argue that “there’s no need to scrutinize people’s private lives.” The opposition rightly argues that changes of discipline would “implicitly affirm” sinful lifestyles. He proposed language to dismiss opponents as “too Catholic,” arguing that they are causing a scandalous “negative atmosphere.” He affirmed a 2011 letter from 140 German theologians who demanded changes in doctrine and discipline.

German Bishops to Unveil ‘Hidden Bombshell’

Filed under: Adultery, Divorce, Homosexuality | 1 Comment »

Fr. Eberhard Schockenhoff

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Father Joe

The moral theologian Fr. Eberhard Schockenhoff is said to be the mastermind behind the challenge to Church teachings by the German bishops. He is deeply involved with the Synod on the Family. He is on the record as an opponent to Humanae Vitae and the Church’s prohibition against artificial contraception. He is an apologist for gay clergy and wants an overhaul of Catholic sexual ethics. He has argued that the “permanence” and “solidarity” in same-sex relationships is “ethically valuable” as is its growing public acceptance. He would discard or “liberate” Catholic teaching from an association with natural law, emphasizing the subjective experiences of the faithful. He would also openly readmit remarried divorcees to take Holy Communion, adultery or not. How is such a man counted as an expert? What even makes him a Catholic?

Infiltrated Vatican set to accept Same Sex Unions??

Filed under: Catholic, Church, Contraception, Divorce, Homosexuality | 4 Comments »

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