Rediscover Catholicism

Today I began to read the Matthew Kelly book, Rediscover Catholicism.  He offers this book at very reduced prices to churches who wish to give it out to every member.  You can even get 6 free copies yourself for only $18 S&H.  I will post late about what I learn.

This post isn't just about the book, though.  The first few pages do, however, speak to what I saw today in a news story.  A story that honestly made my heart hurt.

It was a story on CNN.com about the Pope's visit to World Youth Day in Spain.  Now, the substance of the story is irrelevant to my writing, for what pained my heart so badly were the comments after the story.  Every one of the comments spewed hatred and insults toward the Pope, the Church, and Christianity in general.

This writing is not a defense of the Catholic Church.  It is not even a defense of Christianity or religion as a whole.  It is an observation about how much people have lost their faith in any kind of religion.  Here is where what I read in Rediscover Catholicism today comes into play.

Matthew Kelly basically states that part of the disenchantment with Christianity today is because people see it as no different than any other establishment.  People want to see truth, integrity, goodness, and love.  People have left the Church or don't bother with religion at all because they don't see the "churchgoers" as being any different than them.  Why should I go to church when all I see is hypocrites?  Now, granted, churches are filled with sinners and hypocrites...that is why they exist.  To help us become better people.  But if we don't become better people, then what good are they? 

Kelly says "Our siblings, parents, and children are sending us this message, as are our friends, neighbors, and colleagues.  They are saying, whispering, crying out, 'Don't tell me--show me!'"  We need to stop talking about our faith and our belief in God and start living that belief.  We need to show people our Christianity by what we do on a daily basis, how we act and treat people.  Words are empty if not followed with actions...sincere actions.

I think that is why whenever there is a story that has anything to do with religion, and especially so the Catholic Church, the comments are simply evil.  I believe that society has heard the Christian churches talk a good talk, but their walk seems to follow a different path.  Ever wonder why Muslims speak of how the Muslim faith teaches peace but no one believes them?  We need to start really following our beliefs if we really believe them.

In the Catholic Church alone, we have politicians who are pro-choice when the Church obviously is not.  We have members of congregations who use birth control, promote homosexuality or other teachings that are not in line with the Church because they don't want to follow those teachings.  Cafeteria Catholics, those who pick and choose the teachings they will follow, set a bad example for society and especially their children.  The same goes for any denomination.  If your church teaches one thing, and you do another, then you are not a good example.

Society has come to view religion as useless because no one follows what they are supposedly "believing" anyway.  It is time to do some soul-searching and decide...what do I believe and then be an example of that belief.

Very Sad Times...

This evening while sitting in my hotel room, I saw a story on Facebook that had been on Huffington Post.  It was in their "Religion" section, a section title that could actually be called the "anti-Catholic" section, and was about Father John Corapi and how on his way out, he had blasted the Catholic Church.  I listened to his press release, and I did not hear him "blast" the Church.  While most of the article was a fairly accurate portrayal of the event, you could see how it was another attempt by the Huffington Post to smear the Catholic Church.

My main reason for posting is not because of the story itself, but because of the comments that were under this story and so many of the stories that have to do with the Catholic Church.  Here is one from this article, it mirrors those from other stories I have read:  "What's sorely needed for the entire Catholic church is a dose of REALITY!!! And the reality is...... the time has come for this despicable church to breather its last gasp!' 

It is so sad to see how the comments about the stories quickly turn into hateful, vicious attacks against the Church itself.  This story was no different.  Father Corapi was called many names and very few remarks were favorable.  Though I do not agree with how he handled the situation, it does not warrant him being attacked.  I am having a hard time understanding why these attacks on the Church happen, many from members of other Christian faiths!  I cannot remember the last time I heard a Catholic attack another denomination.  I understand there is the whole sex abuse scandal, but name one denomination out there that doesn't have a scandal of some sort of their own.   In those, the person is the subject of the abusive comments and it goes away.  For some reason, if the Catholic Church is involved; a priest, nun, deacon, lay person., the attacks go on for a long time, often by the mainstream media with little regard to facts.

As the Church stands against topics it has stood against for many years, abortion, genetic engineering, protection of the Sacrament of Marriage as being between a man and a woman, the names have been flung again.  The Church is only following what it believes to be natural and intended by God.  There is no hatred or bigotry being spewed by the Church, but those people who have waged war against the family would have you think so. 

We truly are at war within our own country.  The very moral fiber of our country is being torn apart by the senseless killing of our own children, interfering with the reproductive process (birth control), and the destruction of the natural family.  Our children are under attack by garbage being sold to them in the form of games and music and television that would have given our grandparents heart attacks.  We have, for some horrible reason, kicked God out of many aspects of our lives, and then have the nerve to wonder why life seems so tough and with so much suffering.  These truly are sad times.

There Is No Christmas without Christ!

Every year we seem to get further and further away from the real meaning of the Christmas Season.  When I was a young child, we used to joke about how quickly the Christmas decorations would come out after Thanksgiving.  This year, I saw Christmas decorations on the shelves of stores BEFORE Halloween!!! 

We seem to have lost sight, almost completely, of this season.  When people talk about Christmas it is Santa Claus and presents.  I read a story today that was talking about Christmas music and not one of the songs mentioned was religious.  They were all about Santa and snow.  Public decorations must now be non-religious, lest they offend someone.  My family will prominently display a manger scene in our front yard.

At my Knights of Columbus meeting last night, Father Bill spoke on keeping Christ in Christmas as much as we can.  He mentioned saying "Merry Christmas" vs. Happy Holidays.  I do that all the time, making it a point to wish the store clerk a Merry Christmas when she offers me a Happy Holidays, only to have her admit to me that she would rather say Merry Christmas but is not allowed to. 

One of my Brother Knights mentioned that on the back of every one of his Christmas cards he affixes a homemade sticker that reminds the receiver to keep Christ in Christmas.  I am going to start doing that this year.

So please, when you are out and about this year, don't let yourself get too wrapped up in the "Holiday Season" so that you forget it is the "Christmas Season" and we are waiting for the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas to you all and may you be blessed each and every day.

Gotta Say It....I Told You So!!!!

Excerpts of an article written by Sam Miller, a prominent Cleveland Jewish businessman - NOT a Catholic.

Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church? Do you know - the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost to that Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%.
The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students.

The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people – not just Catholics - in the United States today

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact. In a study by the United Methodist Church, 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed. Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. This is not a Catholic Problem.

A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now.

Walk with your shoulders high and you head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States. Then remember what Jeremiah said: ‘Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls’. Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions. Be proud that you’re a Catholic.

Use Your Catholic Vote!

Tomorrow is election day.  As an American, you are blessed with the opportunity to choose freely, those who would lead our country.  As a Catholic, you are hopefully voting to protect life, from conception to natural death.  Please take advantage of that right which so many of our forefathers fought and died for.  Don't allow those politicians to remain in office who do not respect the rights of the unborn, the infirmed, the poor and downtrodden, or protect the sanctity of marriage.  Those who would keep religion as far out of the mind of people as possible should not be allowed to remain in office.  No matter your political affiliation, your leaning left or right, make your voice heard.    Get out and vote!!

Gus Lloyd Rocks!!!

I have been listening to Gus Lloyd "The Catholic Guy" on The Catholic Channel since I got my truck with satellite radio in it.  He has a morning program called "Seize the Day".  It is an awesome program where he talks about many issues relevant to us Catholics today.  Here is a link to a video that was shown at the last retreat he facilitated.  It is very powerful....watch.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhfUzodLRvk&feature=player_embedded

To see his webpage...follow this link   http://guslloyd.com/blog/

Killing a Baby as Easy As a Video Game

A terminal at a Planned Parenthood
in Iowa for "seeing" the doctor and
receiving the medications.

Now, you don't even need to see a doctor to have an abortion to kill the baby inside you.  Introducing...video murder.  Yes folks, without actually visiting a doctor (you only see him through a video monitor) you can tell him you want to kill the baby within you and he will dispense a RU486 pill to you so you can kill your baby.  And if you have complications...you must fend for yourself by going to an emergency room somewhere.  That doctor will be no where around to help you out.  But wait, it gets better!!!  Parental consent laws?  Not necessary!!  No parent needs to know since the loophole of not actually getting an abortion is open for you to squeeze your "rights" through!  This procedure is known as a "telemed abortion".  Maybe instead of finding more ways of killing our children we should focus on how to better raise them.

This comment was below a story on this method:  The choice of deciding who should be forced to have a child is inappropriate for a politician.

The problem I have with this is that the person who is having the abortion usually isn't "forced" to get pregnant.  The vast majority of the time it is due to their own promiscuity or recklessness or disrespect for the pro-creative act that sex was meant to be.  Just because you made a "mistake", does not give you a right to solve the problem by murder.  If I marry the wrong woman and consider it a mistake, can I then kill her to correct it?  NO!!!  Absurd you say?  It is no more absurd than killing your mistake growing inside you.

Pray hard and pray often that this blemish on humanity will soon be over.