The Catholic Journeyman

The Most Fully and Rightly Ordered though Time...

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 8 Mar 2013 18:56:00 -0800

...is the Catholic Church. According to me, among all of the man developed religious institutions. (this is only a very high aerial view statement)

To say that the Catholic Church is the "entirety of Christ" is nowhere close to what we have here. The Church (Roman Catholic traditional Rite) attempts (not perfectly) to hold itself as true to St. Peters original practice while progressing its doctrine in response to culture over time.

Thats what we have here.

What say your experience?

(btw....I'm back)

Have an original thought, then Blog it

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:08:00 -0800

Become authentic. Place yourself in the path of an idea. Dont just read something and adopt its position...explore it further. There is way to much rerunning of writings and knowledge in this subculture of blogging. Start with an authentic self attitude and Post your direct experience. This is the art of giving....your original experience. Example. I read an opinion of someone well known in the Church..."the Catholic Church holds itself to be (among all Churches) the most fully and rightly ordered by Christ, through time. I have experience of that, as truth. What makes that true for me? (I will post in the next entry) Now thats original and authentic. That communication has New Value to a reader or someone searching for a relation. Get it?

Open Letter to Mr. Corapi

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:01:00 -0700

Dear John - (I hate the way that sounds) Sorry to hear of all your troubles....really, its intensely shameful how more silly humans in their own self appointed positions of "Authority" over your daily work are treating you. Yes, you had to resign. Your written response seems humble and pragmatic about the reality of the presumed guilty perceptions by others.

Just to be clear, on public level, I am not a big fan of your work. Its good don't get me wrong, but I prefer Abp. Sheen frankly. Anyway....

Could you have waited and fought this out? Where would that go with your Daily work? Nowhere, like you knew that already. This is a "perception" issue and no one gets beyond that stigma, which I am confident your move out of Priesthood is based on.

Whether or not you committed the behavior in the accusation is really not mine or The Churches to determine. Your teaching on conscience knows the truth. What is revealing here is how the "Church" Bishophood has secularized its response (by restricting you initially) due to media trends and an attempt to control that environment in that the Church Public image is everything. Their response appears to be overkill compared to admitted child abusers. I guess we'll see how this escalates in their camp.

Back to you though John.

Should you publicly deny the accusations, ignore them or admit them in the future is without my interest. The thing of value here is your heart John. Please remember your own words as you were an effective tool for many years in many hearts. Your guilt or innocence has no public value John, its your heart, your truth, your conscience and its value to the good of others.

To anyone else reading this I would suggest considering the following perspective:

Lets wash Johns feet. He deserves it no less than you or I and its how his Master ministered.

God Bless you John.

Fixed Podcast Links

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 9 Jan 2011 13:49:00 -0800

Appears Archive dot org changed the resident address of my Podcasts...they are now corrected here and on my RSS feed. I will ping itunes and verify those are active as well soon.

Real Struggle

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:28:00 -0700

Earlier this year, I moved away from my family to take a job in a better economy and gratefully fulfill my duty as a provider Husband and Father. That moved has absorbed my time to a large extent and is why writing here ceased for a time.

This is not the subject of this post, but is the backstory.

I have narrated and written about my personal entry into the Christian and Catholic Journey, which has focused (in the past) and still today targets my conscience and the internal truth revealed by conscience. There is a real struggle occurring which I fight that I am confident many Christians are facing and exposing it here I hope to draw out some of your insights, experience and truth.

I have observed in friends, family and myself a material penalty to following Christ. To reinforce that even more, I have, and continue to see that not following Christ apparently does not incur this penalty. My family began to have material and financial hardships after our commitment to Christ became evident and visible. That has been consistent for most of this decade, personally. I have a few other close friends with families who upon conversion and sincere effort to get closer to Christ are experiencing hardships which were not occurring in all the years where the Christian belief and following were non-existent. Beneficial employment, maintaining adequate house ownership, family relationship troubles are persisting or creating themselves day in and day out. I can say for myself those were not even a thought until the last 8 years.

I have conversed with my wife, and she with me that it is obvious that Christians who make real moves to walk in His follow are consistently plagued by hardships that do not occur outside of that intent. We have on our own observed those in our family and our friend circles which are self proclaimed non-believers prosper in their material efforts. These are people who display selfishness and disregard ( and sometimes disrespect) for those who should matter most, or those who are close to them and are in need.

At times it is mid-bending to see the clear divide and ironic backwards results in front of our eyes and hearts.

I have written about my studies in this subject, extensively about Thomas Merton and his ultimate question "will a God save us in spite of our flawed efforts?" The internal benefits to following Christ are clear, and as I have stated here, cannot be equaled materially or otherwise.

However....

Can we follow Him with zeal and passion when this struggle is imposed by that very following? This defies the same logic truth which the conscience reveals. Following the Law written in our own hearts by Him produces distraction and doubt that tomorrow will not leave our minds and spirits free from these stresses that cut into that beneficial bond. It is enough to consider a turn away for any mere Human.

Yet the question remains....why is this struggle imposed on us? It is not a question of reality, that is not disputed. Many of you know exactly what I am pointing to.

While I am far from turning back to secular values, I feel a toll occurring and exponentially building a wall of evidence against this journey. Is my Faith shaken? Not yet...but you can see from this post anything is possible with enough pressure. My internal life change is solid, but is it enough to overcome every new penalty? That I wonder. I find gratitude is at times my only relief albeit momentary, it is my bond and connection when I can produce no other.

....you?

Cardinal O'Malley at the National Basilica

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:45:00 -0700

Cardinal O'Malley (Boston) celebrated the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. this past Sunday. His lengthy homily included personal and devotional references to this special celebration. Incorporated in that liturgy was a communal recitation prayer of Gratitude to our Lord for granting us Mercy, which the Cardinal and several Deacons recited in front of the Immaculate Heart image. A few phone-cam shots of the Basilica and Mass:

The "Crypt Chapel below the main Church:

Why Go to Mass this Divine Mercy Sunday April 11

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 6 Apr 2010 19:38:00 -0700

...and make Confession and receive the Eucharist. We cannot imagine the personal and individual impact that He said it shall have:

According to the notebooks of Saint Faustina, Jesus made the following statements about this day:

"On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity." (Diary of Saint Faustina, 699)

Have you ever tried Confession and doubted your ability to make any headway against sin? I know I have for many years in the past. My podcasts narrate that reality. St. Faustina was a dedicated vehicle to bring us deeper motivation to keep seeking His Mercy. Here is a suggested path to Celebrate this Sunday:

Observing the Feast of Mercy Sunday:

Celebrate the Feast on the Sunday after Easter.
Sincerely repent of all sins
Place complete trust in Jesus
Go to Confession, preferably before that Sunday due to big crowds
Receive Holy Communion on the day of the Feast if possible
Venerate the image of The Divine Mercy
Be merciful to others through actions, words, and prayers

Everything to gain and nothing to lose in this Sunday April 11, 2010.....do it with me.

Silly Humans Vol. 2 - The "Reformed" Catholic Clergy Scandal

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:46:00 -0700

Silly Humans are at it again. They (we) are treating the Catholic Church with the same media artillery fire which they tragically find so superficially effective on TMZ or in the Enquirer. I'm not just talking about the old and tired paintbrush of heresy on the Priests at fault themselves, those are predictable and correctly aimed at least. I am talking about the media taking aim at Pope B16 and calling him out to proclaim the buck stops with him, that B16 will let the hammer down, take personal responsibility, blah, blah blah, as if the Church were Enron.

In Faith, it doesn't work that way, sorry.

B16 did take the media's card deck with urgency and cut it, playing the current cultural card game of issuing a statement of visible Authority to the level it made sense to the Secular outcry, however, B16 cannot "fire" the perps in a retributive bloodletting that the Secular world thirsts for. The Secular Silly Humans cannot understand how accountability works between our Lord and Father and the sinner at fault. The Father (IE. God) calls for obedience, and when the Sinner turns to Him in sincere effort to obey, that's when our Faith in mercy matters. Can any Catholic minimize or tolerate Clergy sex abuse? No. I wrote extensively @ The Circle about this last month which covers how members of the Body should treat the issue amongst any Christian Faithful.

My point here is they (we) Silly Humans need to stop acting like rabid journalists viewing the Vatican as the source or prevention of this shameful abuse of Religious position. It is not effective to publish cultural sanctions on the Church. We Humans appointed ourselves as followers, flawed ones, and we will fail on our way to forming a worthy relationship with our Almighty Father. The Church is not a failing profit center falsifying its annual report, and the Pope is not Chairman of its Board.

The media needs to realize this actuality, and act accordingly.

Just sayin'

Exponential Catechesis

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 1 Mar 2010 19:37:00 -0800

For over a year, I have been attending a weekly Apologetics study class by a group of Catholics who are blessed to have one of the finest and most articulate DRE's in the Country. Mind you, from the time I started, I could not participate as the class is in Virginia and I was in Florida, so I could only listen in on this group via podcast and wish I was there.

Last night, that changed.

I relocated to Maryland a week ago and last night set out to Stafford Va. to attend my weekly class this time in person. Dr. Jim Dobbins and his group felt like old friends and at the same time, I was excited to explore new territory with them. Dr. Jim and his class have been ongoing weekly for a few years now, while posting the audio of whatever happened, whatever was said, whatever was questioned during each outlined series of discussions on aspects of Catholicism. If you are interested in real dialogue by everyday Catholics who are authentic in discovering and practicing the most penetrating virtues of the Faith, listen and subscribe to Dr. James Dobbins Catholic Apologetics Podcast.

A series on Revelation is just beginning.

Anew

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:43:00 -0800

Ever have to step back and rethink your whole approach to a particular thing? Thats what I've been doing with the Catholic Journeyman podcast (since 08 apparently). I initially barreled into narrating the discovery of Conscience as the map to my heart (in a broad view), and what stopped production was studying and living this new perspective, new constant insight, new ongoing reality of the Conscience effect.

It became confusing at times tracking a coherent path that I could fit into a narrative, that is, my conscience became such an active driver of all the human levels of living. This way of thinking continued evolving. This led down several different, but individually critical means of living out the new internal reality of the rightly forming conscience.

Upon discernment of the aspect that the conscience, motives and behaviors were under a consistent right formation, my outlines for future podcast episodes had to be put aside. They went too quickly into the intellectual and theological areas of study, at the expense of that which is more personal, meaningful and revealing. There was an overwhelming amount of Grace evidence to be mined, organized into narratives and then shared.

It is here that I begin back to the Cast Anew. Retracing the meaningful changes and endless affects of rightly forming Conscience. Brushing against it without sufficient depth would diminish the intimate for the theological and intellectual.

The Altar Call fails

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:43:00 -0800

If all Christians, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox believe that Salvation is purely due to Gods Grace alone, isnt the human act of "accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior" a work in itself...contradicting this core biblical understanding?

An Essay on a Path to Christian Unity

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 3 Feb 2010 19:40:00 -0800

I have been blessed to participate in the vigorous work over at Called To Communion, where they have chosen my Essay as considerable. While the challenge to unite remains elusive, the steep climb is being made by both sides. This excerpt provides the size of the slope and why it is critical that real efforts like CTC are mandated:

"In an interview in 2003, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus said the following:
“The Catholic Church preserves itself as the most fully and rightly ordered through time and this in no way means that the Church is the totality of Jesus Christ. Vat II says everyone who is baptized and accepts Christ as their Savior is truly, but, imperfectly in union with the Catholic Church (sic). A lot of Conservative and Orthodox Catholics are nervous about Unity and Ecumenism and they view Ecumenism as a liberal project and a very suspect one riddled with people who want to water down the Catholic Faith in order to agree on doctrines. But In fact, JP II had one of the most striking and persistent and strongest efforts in Ut Unum Sint. The quest for Christian Unity is not a program of The Catholic Church, it is inherent in being the Catholic Church. If we have this deeply biblical Christ centered understanding of what “The Church” is, then we have the key to that door. (Neuhaus continues his take further): We should say to our Protestant friends ” Look, we’re not engaged in this quest for Christian unity because it is something we have to create, we have already a unity in Christ which is the gift of God. The reason ecumenism is necessary is not that we are not Brothers and Sisters in Christ, it is rather because we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ , but live as though we are not.”

We Interupt this Blogcast....

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:01:00 -0800

...to say Louie Giglio has a powerful message. We played this video during a recent RCIA session for the Catechumens. If you havent seen it, IMO you would benefit surely to do so.

Watch Part 2 on "laminin" as well for the complete message.

Richard Dawkins supports Religion

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:38:00 -0800

Its true. Just click on the title and see that Dawkins' recent talk @ TED, a CNN.com OP-Ed, marking the 150th anniversary of Darwins "Origin..." - spawns more published and credible counter points via believers, than atheists. Even Dr. Scott Hahn has a Dawkins counterpoint book published. Dawkins articulates "the elegance of atheism" as corroding religion as well as calmly stating that militant atheism should keep rocking the boat of religion.

The interesting observation of his efforts is...where are the Dawkins Enthusiasts? I can't hear them and none of their writings are linked or displayed whenever Dawkins comes out with another crafted performance. (Thats a compliment...he really performs well publically) It becomes even more interesting when out of convenience, one reads a linked counterpoint by a Creationist or Intelligent Design proponent and the sad state of Dawkins framework is amplified.

How I feel empathy for Dawkins while reading or listening to him, that his entirety of life satisfaction comes from what he "intellectually understands". He talks directly about feeling that he lived "triumphal by having understood why he was here in the first place."

Thats it. Mere understanding.

What about Dawkins heart, spirit and will...you know...what the Bible describes as our "Soul". Where is Dawkins on a scale of spirit and soul? Sadly those aspects are veiled well out of our (and apparently his) view. When the whole of your life is valued at a measurement of intellectual comprehension, and not much more, it is then that a heart needs touching.

The problem with Prayer

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:29:00 -0800

Those hands at the top of this site, bear evidence to the definition..."to pray". The problem with prayer is that its definition according to Webster, (as an intransitive verb), means " to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving." The problem with this definition is it incorrectly assumes a specific target (God or a god) of the act of praying in order to elaborate its incorrect definition.

The Latin origin...precari, prec- and prex means to ask, entreat, implore...humbly. To elaborate correctly would be to say it is a form of communication without implying a target. By implying a single target such as God or a god defines prayer in the eyes of the student as worship.

Praying is not worship.

As is Mark Shea...I am up to my eye teeth with Protestants who, believe it or not, rely on Websters 20th century definition of Praying as Worship as an attempt to educate me that praying to Mary and the Saints is idolatry.

and now...back to our regularly scheduled life....

Upcoming Changes to the Mass

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:19:00 -0700

The USCCB has confirmed changes to the GIRM, again, and they are anticipated to approve them for use this November. The link in this post title leads you to the USCCB page where all Assembly and Priest Mass Parts Revisions (current and proposed) are shown word for word.

I submit for your consideration that some of the professions we make as revised appear rather serious, if you are one who A) attends an Orthodox Parish and B) have grown fond of every syllable of the current Mass profession and response parts.

I am both.

Take the Assembly Revision to the "Nicene Creed" for example. The current profession begins with "We believe in one God,..." while the revised Roman Missal proposes "I believe in one God,...".

It would appear by simple logic that the latter is now not the Nicene Creed but something other than the Nicene Creed. Think I'm splitting hairs? Check it:

As an RCIA Catechist, I have taught adults from the Catechism that traditionally, historically, and scripturally the Nicene Creed was written starting with the word "We" to amplify, confirm and profess in Liturgical Plurality (IE The Church, The Body) and that is consistent with Christs teaching on Unity. Changing this first word to "I", even when spoken audibly with other fellow Catholics/Christians, is now a singular statement. No Unity, no Community, no Church profession by more than one or two gathered in His name. This is only one example of the possible mental conflicts which may occur to some of us by these changes.

Don't get me wrong, I can adapt and will...the Bishops are our guide (ahem) in Liturgy, however, one hopes they have considered that we who teach or share the Faith might rightly request the intellectual back story to these changes, so we can convince ourselves that they in fact deepen the Mass experience. We will then be better equipped to teach those confused Faithful that don't see this coming at Christmas.

We Interupt this Blogcast #8 - Jazz Mass

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:28:00 -0700

You gotta love this:

On Seeking God's Will

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 8 Jul 2009 09:47:00 -0700

I'm really absorbed in Merton's "No Man is an Island"(NMIAI), that's why the superficial and thin posting here lately. The study of one's own conscience and developing an intensely personal prayer life contained in this work, while some of it is well beyond my absolute comprehension, (Merton's language and writing style, not his vocabulary, goes to the heavy side of philosophy and introspection with frequent breaks using normal conversation) there is self-revelation on the first pass through. I have posted in similar ways that doing God's will, obedience, commandment keeping... leads to inner peace and why. From NMIAI Ch. 4 "Pure Intention":

"Our happiness consists of doing the will of God. But the essence of this happiness does not lie merely in an agreement of wills. It consists in a union with God. And the union of wills which makes us happy in God must be ultimately something deeper than an agreement.

Shall I be content to do God's will for my own advantage? It is better to do His will with a weak, but deliberate co-operation than to do His will unconsciously, unwillingly, and in spite of myself. But let me not confine my idea of perfection to the selfish obedience that does God's will merely for the sake of my own profit. True happiness is not found in any other reward than that of being united with God. If I seek some other reward besides God Himself, I may get my reward but I cannot be happy.

The secret of pure intention is not to be sought in the renunciation of all advantage to ourselves. Our intentions are pure when we identify our advantage with God's glory, and see that our happiness consists of doing His will because His will is right and good. In order to make our intentions pure, we do not give up all idea of seeking our own good, we simply seek it where it can really be found, in a good that is above and beyond ourselves...

...When we speak of God's will, we are usually speaking only of some recognizable sign of His will...it is one thing to see a sign and another thing to interpret that sign correctly...Nevertheless there are some signs that everyone must know. They must be easily read and seen and are indeed very simple...

For in the course of each day the duties of our state, the claims made on us by those around us, the demands on our energy, our patience, and our time all make known to us the will of God and show us the way to realize ourselves in Him by losing ourselves in charity. But the pharisee who splits hairs and rationalizes his way out of these chances for self-dedication, although he may theorize and dogmatize about the will of God, never fully does that will for he never really abandons himself to the influence of divine charity."

Sounds like the 2nd Commandment to me. As I have explained here and here, its tough territory for this journeyman. Yet, its yields are infinitely larger than me.

The Year for Priests to begin June 19, 2009

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:30:00 -0700

From The Vatican : "Pope Benedict XVI has declared a “Year for Priests” beginning with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 19, 2009. The year will conclude in Rome with an international gathering of priests with the Holy Father on June 19, 2010....Precisely to encourage priests in this striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends, I have decided to establish a special "Year for Priests" that will begin on 19 June and last until 19 June 2010. In fact, it is the 150th anniversary of the death of the Holy Curé d'Ars, John Mary Vianney, a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock."

The Pope explains the intent behind this emphasis as safeguarding the "legitimate expectations of the faithful" These Men are really and truly living to serve our spiritual hunger. Called by God, discerned by Conscience and delivered by His Church, I am grateful for their service.

Book Review - The Shack

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0700

You will find this novel in the Fiction category, which is an ironic indication of how backwards we all have organised "our" world. The Shack succeeds in presenting truth; biblical, relational and theological, wrapped in a fictional delivery that bypasses our "religion" filters and presents a tale that is stunning and deep. Without a spoiler, here is a truth excerpt conveyed during a dialogue, by someone not of this world:

"People are tenacious when it comes to the treasure of their imaginary Independence. They hoard and hold their sickness with a firm grip. They find their identity and worth in their brokenness and guard it with every ounce of strength they have. No wonder grace has such little attraction. In that sense [people] have tried to lock the door of [their] hearts from the inside."

I couldn't agree more.

The story succeeds in compressing a wide spectrum of potentially human manufactured Christian misunderstanding of Scripture, through a lens of no religious predisposition. Instead, Paul Young places the reader in a purely human experience using Mack's personal and family relationships, including tragedy and dynamics as the truth communicating vehicle. If I go beyond that, it would be a spoiler.

*Spoiler Alert*

My exposure to it began with Paul Youngs collaborators and his interview with Sr. Ann Shields on Ave Maria Radio. To see into what we may assume are heretic, anti-institutionalism motives in the author(s), before I got the book, I listened to the God Journey podcast and many interviews with Paul Young.

Fearing its "churchless" undertone and exegeting this book like scripture is pointless. It is an attempt at exposing the centrality of Jesus' new covenant, and exploring how our our feeble human fears, secrets, lies and obstacles can be overcome by relational theology.

There are many highly visible Protestants (Chuck Colson, John MacArthur, Driscoll, etc,) denouncing this book for the obvious motives, it appears to take their well tithing members out of keeping them in the black.

Just like taking a single Bible quote from Romans out of context may lead to Calvinism, my advice is listen and read about the Author and collaborators, their personal religious backstories and one to one, in a human and personal way, read this book in the context of its sources. There is Catholic Truth in it, while it is fictional. One example: Numerous references by Papa to working in and not violating our free-will reinforce the Catholic belief of a "both-and" salvation relationship with The Father, while Protestants reel at this shot at double predestination theory.

Highly recommended.

We Interupt this Blogcast #7 - Nick

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 3 Jun 2009 20:26:00 -0700

Cardiac Lenses

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 2 Jun 2009 17:20:00 -0700

Investigating Predisposition lens theory, Is it possible to erase all personal predisposition when studying scripture or modern thought or philosophy and the like? I imagine one would have to first admit one IS predisposed, or angled toward or against a given thought trajectory. So, OK, in my best dressed humility I admit some level of predisposition to Orthodox Christianity, in general (IE. Catholic, Orthodox and a fraction Episcopalian). When I read a given scripture passage, I must be adding an Orthodox advocacy to understanding the intent of the passage or thought. In the cerebral flow of words into comprehension, my precious Roman Catholic Identity strives to bond with the given reading. Here, lets take this on at extreme of predisposition.

"And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church..."
[Matthew 16:18]

This small part of one verse (and its mosaic parallel in Isaiah 22:22) created all of Apostolic Succession Doctrine, the Papacy, Hierarchical authority. That's a tangible lens with a Catholic/Orthodox predisposition. Most often, it is quoted and conveyed to be absorbed in a concrete and sequential way. The language appears physical and direct, a singular path of appointment for a tangible purpose...to build a Church.

Lets remove that lens, break it down a bit and see what else is there, without losing the literal Orthodox definition:

"And I say to thee: That thou art Peter..."

Christ is communicating to Peter. He is facing Peter and showing trust in Peter. That is one essence of Christs Ministry, it is relational and trust giving. He is also exalting and honoring Peter in a singular and humanly understood way, by giving Peter revealing "Title". What does it say to Peter? I would be confident that Peter is saturated with the heartfelt relationship that this outward proclamation makes visible.

"...and upon this rock I will build my church..."

Christ repeats the Title in 2 ways, Peter (Cephas) and Rock, revealing his ability to not only have a personal relationship, but also to make a decision of responsibility placement, on Peters Heart. What do we imagine Peters comprehension was, at that exact time? Surely it was relational, and penetrating.

We know from further contextual reading that Peter built the Church, through the limited means available and the other Apostles. What drove Peter to carry it out to the ultimate Martyrdom? It had to be more than a simple concrete instruction. The relationship and mutual trust with Christ turned to Love, a Love not of this World. An unconditional Love. A Love of the Heart.

The challenge here is not only to study in a present day context of the writing, but also from the communicants perspective and their environment...inside the heart and mind and outside, and see where that Truth becomes the most real.

Ecumenism, Thomas Merton, The Shack, The God Journey and Universal Truth

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:03:00 -0700

I have spent a considerable amount of time recently listening to the "churchless" guys at the God Journey podcast. Before you get ahead of me, these Gents are not anti-church or anti-religion by far. They are having a painfully sincere, funny and honest dialogue about the performance misperceptions that churches & ritual appear to have on a good majority of Christian Religion followers, in the light of following Christ scripturally. Wayne and Brad at the God Journey are exploring Christian Thought on a level of Universality that few outside the Catholic/Orthodox Faith dare to tread visibly. These men advocate certain practices of Catholicism and Orthodoxy without even knowing their findings are explored and documented Catholic territory, at times.

(Wayne and Brad also collaborated on the recent popular novel by William Paul Young called "The Shack", which is gaining momentum in the secular fiction world as an insightful take on discovering God and Christianity.)

Anyway....I digressed...

Wayne and Brad recently had a conversation podcast where they discussed excerpts from Thomas Mertons "No man is an island". There are few spiritual resources as rare as Thomas Merton. That is, in the context of carrying on a life completely dedicated to Catholic spiritual thought and experience.

Many and rich are the Churches ancient and not so ancient Fathers, who's footprints are documented in the Theological Halls of higher learning and Seminaries; IE. Aquinas, Augustine, Ignatius, Iraneus, Cyprian, Origin, etc., etc.. While authentic work has been left to our consumption by numerous Church Fathers, Thomas Merton, a Catholic Trappist cloistered monk and Priest, stands apart due to his ability to put in language the path of the longest spiritual distance known to man, the 18 inches from Heart to Head.

Merton extensively studied many religions including Muslim, Zen Buddhism and Asian philosophy while remaining Catholic. He explored the Faith internally and externally, and was a gifted writer like few others of recent time. It is that combination of his environment and gifted talent that yielded a work called "No man is an island" (Merton, Thomas, 1915-1968.ISBN/ISSN:1590302532).

Merton leads a journey in this book to attempt a language bridge from Head to Heart, or more specifically, he narrates the logic, belief and emotional positions to which we all strive to make more permanent than just factual intellectual understanding. Taking a purely mental understanding and perfecting that belief in the core of our being - actual transformation. This excerpt from "No man is an island" makes the case regarding learning to find love in a relationship with God:

"When we consider that most men want to be loved as if they were Gods, it is hardly surprising that they should despair of receiving the love they think they deserve...and yet our idea of ourselves is so fantastically unreal that we rebel against the lack of love, as though we have been the victims of an injustice. Our whole life is then constructed on the basis of duplicity, we assume others are receiving the kind of appreciation we want for ourselves, and we proceed on the assumption that since we are not loveable as we are, we must become loveable under false pretenses.

As if we were something better than we are.

The real reason why so few men or women believe in God, is that they have ceased to believe that even a God can love them. But their despair is perhaps more respectable than the insincerity of those that think they can trick God into loving them, for something they are not. This kind of duplicity is after all fairly common among so-called believers, who consciously
cling to the hope that God himself, placated by prayer, will support their egotism and their
insincerity and help them achieve their own selfish ends. If we are to love sincerely, and with
simplicity, we are to first overcome the fear of not being loved. This cannot be done by forcing ourselves to believe in some illusion, saying that we are loved when we are not, we must somehow strip ourselves of our greatest illusions about ourselves... and learn to see that we are lovable after all, and in spite of everything... we must accept the fact that we are not what we would like to be...we must find our real self in all our elemental poverty and simple dignity, created to be a child of God." (Merton, No man is an island)

Merton is saying we control our connection to God and not through godly performance or good works. The train of "thought" here is not one of spiritual concepts controlled by those outside of mere human, but relational behaviors we enact with ourselves which are the barriers to receiving Truth.

He takes the saying "to thine own self be true" to an infinitely applicable and productive level.

So, Wayne and Brad are impacted by Merton's rays of light, and so they should be, as I am. But this is not "new" and "emergent" (nor are they advertising such) or "churchless" by any stretch of my experience. The God Journey is exploring Christs teaching of self truth, internal humility in its purest sense and thats valuable to every human. Beyond the obvious singular holiness quest of this dialogue, it is infinitely beneficial as Ecumenism.

The Catholic Church, in spite of its visible man inflicted flaws has reached for this type of dialogue forever. It is also a teaching based in scripture and with my highest language effort I convey:

Ecumenism is not a mere byproduct of this dialogue. This is an Ecumenical reach for Universal Truth.

Catholic Hat Tip to Wayne, Brad and Wm. Paul Young.

Silly Humans are all around Notre Dame

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:55:00 -0700

www.replacejenkins.com is reporting that $13.9 Million in donations is now lost due to Fr. Jenkins weak defenses of his Commencement/Obama decision. Truth is, Fr. Jenkins is on a B.O.D. of a pro-abort/pro-contraception organization and that is just hitting national light today. Truth is, Fr. Jenkins reports to a Trustee Board that exercises whatever secular influence they need on ND Leadership.

Fr. Jenkins is just a symptom. I cant wait for the speech and degree award spectacle, unless there is a last minute pull-out by either Jenkins or Obama, this will reveal just how silly humans under cultural apathy fail in our Church. Picture this, if Jenkins published a mea culpa and went to confession, he still has no fit for running a Catholic Institution based on a long history of degraded compliance with his own ordained Catholic conscience, let alone the Catechism. He is but a silly human.

There are silly humans on all sides of this issue. I don't agree with using a financial loss as a motivator to get Fr. Jenkins attention, if that worked it would just indicate how materially his values are based. But silly humans dont think ahead of their mouth or pen very well.

Fr. Jenkins is ignoring the Catechism, and we are enjoying the fight at the Church's expense.
We are silly humans. The Church is suffering the most here. More later from this silly human.

A Friend in Jesus...Mass Reading for May 17, 2009

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:36:00 -0700

Remembering back in the days of my teen youth, after falling away from the Catholic Church, I attended a Non-Denom Bible Church where every Sunday they sang "Oh what a friend we have in Jesus" and I found it to be such empty popcorn. It had no context or reality for me as I didnt study scripture, I was there for the social crowd. How ironic that was. I never tied it together that there was a relational theology happening in front of me to provide an example.

This Sundays Mass Gospel reading, John Ch 15:9-17 quotes Jesus telling his disciples:

"...You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father."

Christ is saying that we are raised to his level enough to be beside Him, not under Him. In a Corporate analogy, He held no secrets where we were unfairly put at a disadvantage. Recalling the explicit detail in Luke where he gave examples of Commandment violations, the path of being "In Him" was made clear. Thats what a friend does, he keeps no secrets to his heart.

Obama: No White House Observance for National Day of Prayer

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 6 May 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Obama: No White House Observance for National Day of Prayer

(from Citizenlink.com 5/5/08)

"Breaking tradition with President George W. Bush, the Obama administration has announced there will not be a White House observance for the National Day of Prayer this year.

“We are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration," said Mrs. Shirley Dobson, chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. "At this time in our country’s history, we would hope our president would recognize more fully the importance of prayer.”

The White House has indicated it will release a proclamation recognizing the National Day of Prayer on Thursday.

The National Observance will take place from 9 a.m. to noon EDT, as Dr. and Mrs. Dobson, Beth Moore and others gather in Washington, D.C., to pray for America. The event will be broadcast live on GOD TV (Channel 365 on DirecTV), Channel 138 on Sky Angel and online."

This is quite a display of just what we have gotten ouselves into. Being self-evident, it is a beyond me to even begin to comment.

Oy.

We Interupt this Blogcast # 6 - TheCircle.org

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 1 May 2009 05:59:00 -0700

It is my privilege, May 1st, 2009 to announce the launch today of the website www.TheCircle.org that I am proud to be a part of.

The Site is a goal setting and mentorship community where "circles" are formed of individuals who share a common goal or achievement pursuit, and receive help from a mentor (I was selected as the "Strengthen Your Catholic Faith" Mentor). Fitness, Knowledge, Arts, Religion, Finances, Psychology and other Circles are in place and anyone has the opportunity to suggest a specialized Circle subject for implementation. Each Circle is formatted with its own Mentor(s), blog, forum and media structure for content creation by its member.

A diversity of cultural exposure on a single site is extremely beneficial, and rare. It will be a significant opportunity to practice ecumenism through mutual respect, observance, interaction and co-existence. Remember my "Coexist" Post and you get where I am coming from.

Yes, you may find hybrid posts from my blog here over there, but if so I will contextualize them accordingly. I will not stop or reduce posting here.

Fr. Fride Interview a must

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:55:00 -0700

I caught the first half of an interview with Father Ed Fride on Al Kresta's show yesterday. Fr. Fride's journey from Congregational to Nuclear Physics to Catholicism to Priesthood is stunning, hilarious and profound. Click on the link in the title here and go to 4/28 3rd hour on the left sidebar for his audio/podcast. It will make your commute feel like melted butter.

Yippie...So What.

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:26:00 -0700

Hey, I just noticed, I am a toddler blogger this month...over 1 year Old!

yeah, so what.

The Notre Dame Thing

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:01:00 -0700

I've heard so many skewed judgements about this issue from every angle, its excruciating...here's a variety of official and non-official conclusions published so far:

Obama must be cancelled from speaking at Commencement
Obama can speak but he cant be given the Honorary Law Degree (that would be Catholics honoring a Heretic)
Jenkins needs to be fired for not consulting the Canon Law compatible speakers List
Jenkins' Bishop needs to be fired
They both need to be fired
Obama should take the hint and decline the event, out of respect for the Church
The Church has already sinned by inviting Obama, so all 1 Billion of us need to go to confession, including Benedict, with urgency
The Pope should pre-emptively anathematize Obama before we are all doomed by the Speech actually occurring at ND

I needn't go on.

The damage to the Worlds "perception" of the Catholic Church was done when Obama was elected by a majority of Catholics. Having him speak at ND is microscopic comparatively. Jenkins did what he did, he cant reverse that intent now.

Having Obama get near any kind of real Catholic flavored institution, let alone inside one, is an unprecedented opportunity for a striking influence of magnitude on Obama...if the right Catholics playbook the event with the power given them.

Lets see what happens.

Just sayin'.

Commandments Framework II

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:31:00 -0700

(Continued from here)

The Commandments, while initially easy to read and intellectualize, can be a deal breaker for some of us in the behavior department.

The accumulated emotional baggage of Life, in this World, attribute to our success or struggle with making conscious effort to habitualize putting others first...let alone loving our enemies. Thousands of mental health professionals make a substantial living on just making us aware of our inside-out reality. We are by culture, forced in a cycle of self absorbed maintenance routines and unless we have a natural, inherent motivation to place others first, the "love our neighbors as ourselves" Commandment requires external propulsion.

I gained my first real sense of Gratitude, and giving my time to others voluntarily by counseling Prison Inmates for some years in the 1980's. A team of 4 of us held weekly meetings in a State Prison where I learned how easily I could have been one of the "boys" in there. The taste of "getting out of myself and giving to others" was tangible, but it was overpowered by my weak ego and the feeling of freedom being able to walk out of there every week, while the inmates could not.

That's a good portion of the reason I became a Catechist. While I have done a couple decades of (secular) voluntary counseling, and it clearly benefited others, my motives weren't entirely pure. Since then, after sincerely practicing a Faith for some years, I have enjoyed a gift of valuing others in a deeper sense and what better way to love my neighbor than to hand them what I found to be the highest truth. It becomes effortless, unconditional and therefore infinitely valuable to me. Still it is only a micron of what depth of sacrifice is contained in Christs example of living in harmony, community and unity.

The path is clear, the Church is ready, the people are thirsty and we have the tools to begin obeyance. The price is zero yet the yield is unmeasurable.

...And here's the Source of that Easter Article

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 9 Apr 2009 16:38:00 -0700

Complete with Upper Pinellas Deanery Head Interview.

Come Home for Easter

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 7 Apr 2009 17:32:00 -0700

I opened the local St. Pete Times today and was surprised to find the following nearly full page Document:

Come Home for Easter

Who are we?

We are your neighbors...We live throughout this area. Across the Country, over 25% of Americans are Catholic, and our international family numbers over 1 billion.

We are Christians...We believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God born of the Virgin Mary. We believe that He died to save us from sin and rose so that He might give us eternal life.

We are people of God...who trace our spiritual blood lines through the saints of all centuries back to Jesus, the promised Son of David and the Sacrificial Lamb prophesied by Abraham. Our membership includes Mother Teresa and Al Capone, smart, dull, rich, poor and people of all races and nationalities. One wit defined Catholicism as: "Here comes everybody."

We are the Body of Christ...We believe that the risen Jesus lives in us spiritually through his Holy Spirit and that united with Him in the waters of baptism we form one "mystical body" with Christ as our head.

We are an earthly people...We believe that, since God came to earth, then earth itself is "Christ-alized." The world is good, life is good. people are good. Of course, we know that people sin; but we believe that sin can be forgiven - entirely wiped out, not just overlooked.

We are a sacramental people...Sacraments are signs of God's grace and special presence. Jesus Himself is the most fundamental sign of God's presence for Jesus is God in the Flesh. As Catholics, we believe that through the seven sacraments or sacred signs instituted by Christ, the Lord Jesus still speaks and reveals to us the infinite mystery and presence of God. Through our celebration of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmations, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Marriage, Holy Orders and Healing, we believe that God is as uniquely present to all whom He met.

We are heavenly people...Along with other Christians, we believe in everlasting life after death. We view heaven as a joyous place, a banquet at which God is our host, Jesus our waiter and a crowd of angels as entertainers. Our celebration includes friends and former enemies. We believe that all creation and all people are called to glory.

We are a people of Tradition...We trace our lineage back to Adam and Eve. We do not start each day as if it were not based on yesterday. We do not face each question as if we had learned nothing from experience. We combine the wisdom of scripture and the experience of our life with God through the centuries. This gives us respect for the past, openness to the future and hope for the present.

We are a people of values...With Paul the Apostle we hold on to all that is true and good. We believe that some values never go out of style, that marriage and family are holy and inviolable than that the ten commandments were not given to us as mere suggestions.

We are a people of life...We are convinced that Jesus came to give us life the the full and that God alone is in charge of life. We believe that human life is sacred from the first moment of conception through natural death. We are absolutely opposed to the destruction of life at either end of its spectrum, and we insist on the right to a certain quality of life in between. We pledge ourselves to fight the life-denying forces in our "culture of death."

We are a patriotic people...We are in love with America - even of America has not always loved us. Catholic immigrants were once excluded by law; the Catholic Church was not allowed to own property; Catholics were not even allowed to vote. Organized gangs, called "know nothings" and "Nativists" burned our Churches and persecuted our people. Nevertheless, while Catholics were only 16% of the population during WWI, we made up 35% of the Armed Forces that fought for America. And we have maintained our commitment to America ever since.

We are a church of the people...Catholicism was started by a poor carpenter and a dozen poor fisherman. We have never lost our bind with working people. We formed the craft guilds in the Middle Ages and helped found labor unions in America. We have a grand tradition of the Catholic social gospel. Eleven of the 12 proposals in our "Social Reconstruction" document became a part of the New Deal over 60 years ago. And we continue to help the poor in hospitals, schools, shelters, food banks, etc.

So - whats wrong with us?...Nothing...God isn't finished working on us yet. If you feel perhaps God isn't finished working on you either, we would like to invite you and your family and friends to join us for our celebration of Christ's Resurrection.

All of our Parishes would love to welcome you home this Easter.

Come to me says the Lord

On the left side of the document are the Church names, addresses, phone numbers and websites for 14 north county Parishes in our Diocese.

The first impression this made on me was the immaculate language approach. It conveys a gentle conversation and yet, does not withold our firm convictions. Second, it is also a sampling but clear outline of USCCB Catechetics for RCIA, which we have followed this year in our Parish teaching.

There are many striking points and the one that has timing for this week is the access we have Liturgically to the Divine Mercy Reconciliation.

"Of course, we know that people sin; but we believe that sin can be forgiven - entirely wiped out, not just overlooked."

Only once a year, for 15 days this particular year, are we granted such complete absolution in the Rite of Penance. While the document didnt spell this point out, I see the alignment.

Exquisite work of writing...whoever put this down...for secular outreach. I dont disagree with any facet of its content, even without a published imprimatur. I pray it will catch the eyes of those who need it.

Commandments Framework

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:52:00 -0700

I had the privilege to instruct on the First 3 Commandments recently and my research to outline the discussion revealed a different dimension on them than I had expected. So much so that I am still studying the subject a few weeks later now.

Many seekers struggle with finding a connection to God in their journey to discover Christianity. We (yes I will always be a seeker as well) come under the circumstances of our lives and pray for Guidance, or, in other words, seek "His Will" for us. Our Mass is full of Liturgical prayer seeking Gods Will be done as well. While studying for this presentation, I kept being drawn back to Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23 :

"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 who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven."

If we seek the Will of God we don't have to look very far. God made a series of communications to us in various styles, physical, verbal and written which is shown throughout the OT to reveal his "Will". He demonstrated his Natural-Moral Law through Abraham's obedient Sacrifice of Isaac, through the passover and many other events which all point toward obedience to His Will. God called upon Moses, made a Covenant with Moses, gave Moses a kingdom and judgement power. When Moses tried to argue and debate Gods intention...with God ....God then set him straight with what exactly he wants his children to obey.

Exodus 19:9 :

"The Lord said to him: Lo, now will I come to thee in the darkness of a cloud, that the people may hear me speaking to thee, and may believe thee for ever."

Here is our Father, once again finding even His chosen not getting it right. So in Exodus 20, God writes the 10 Commandments on tablets, with His finger, so we get it right, and he adds the word(s) for ever. This Law is carried over from the OT into the NT, and forever.

Moses doesn't handle it well, Moses later breaks the tablets in utter confusion and frustration and then is given another set, which may or may not be in the Ark. Here we are in only the second book of 73 books of the Word and it was clearly documented what the Will of God is.

Just to be on the safe side, God made another full revelation of His Will. If we couldn't comprehend his teaching from the physical examples (IE. Abraham) or verbal (IE. Orders to Moses) or written (the Tablets), He would just come down and show us how to find and do His Will. He begot Jesus. And Jesus illuminated what it is to obey the Commandments (God's Will). Jesus Christ is the only living human example of complete obedience to all 10 Commandments. Christ also made clear the Law carry-over from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant in Matthew.

Matthew 5:17:

"Do not think I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, I have come…to fulfil them."

This is the Natural Law and the Moral Law of His teaching, written in our hearts. It is also known as Forming our Conscience.

While we like to think we can simplify a comprehension of the Commandments, boiling the Ten down into two main concepts ( as Love of God [1-3] and Love of Neighbor[4-10] ), and leave it there, we should not. The first 3 are held as Love of God by literal hermeneutics, the first 3 are also 3 functions of that Love.

The first Commandment is the Object of our Worship
The second Commandment is the Manner of our Worship
The third Commandment is Time for our Worship

Christ expands and amplifies the Commandments with excruciating detail and examples of violation, motive and intent in Matthew 7 and His Sermon on the Mount, its so hyperbolic...its almost embarrassing to read. The fact that he had to spell it out with such detail says so much about how repeatedly foolish and weak we are as children.

What I get from this first level of study, and as a product of obedience is stated by Christ in Matthew 6. We don't need to think that Gods Will is something mysterious and out of our mental reach. Be like Christ, behaviorally, in love and motive, and we have nothing to fear about all other concerns. He will take care of the rest.
(continued here)

Catholics continue to dominate in U.S.

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 9 Mar 2009 11:57:00 -0700

Thats what "RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer Rachel Zoll, Ap Religion Writer" should have written on Mon Mar 9, 12:14 am ET. Here are excerpts from the study (article link in title):

"Nationally, Catholics remain the largest religious group, with 57 million people saying they belong to the church. The tradition gained 11 million followers since 1990, but its share of the population fell by about a percentage point to 25 percent.

In 2008, Christians comprised 76 percent of U.S. adults, compared to about 77 percent in 2001 and about 86 percent in 1990. Researchers said the dwindling ranks of mainline Protestants, including Methodists, Lutherans and Episcopalians, largely explains the shift. Over the last seven years, mainline Protestants dropped from just over 17 percent to 12.9 percent of the population.

Evangelical or born-again Americans make up 34 percent of all American adults and 45 percent of all Christians and Catholics, the study found. Researchers found that 18 percent of Catholics consider themselves born-again or evangelical, and nearly 39 percent of mainline Protestants prefer those labels. Many mainline Protestant groups are riven by conflict over how they should interpret what the Bible says about gay relationships, salvation and other issues."

A Concert for Peace

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 06:24:00 -0800

Our Church Choirs combined recently to perform "A Concert for Peace". It contains a variety of Traditional Choir/Organ, Contemporary Lifeteen Band, Soloists and a Harpist performances.

Here is the player:

Here is a link to the songlist/performers and streams for download.

A Concert for Peace.

We Interupt this Blogcast #5..

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:24:00 -0800

...to say Big Bangist George Smoot would be far more credible as a Papist...then again, notice how many times he uses the word "Creation":

There is one thing I loathe more than Plagiarism

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 9 Feb 2009 08:59:00 -0800

...and that is myself wanting to commit Plagiarism.

I'm sure I am in good company saying while I struggle to develop a writing "voice" that is as dramatic, compelling, hilarious and meaningful as the committee that I hear carrying on in my skull, I run into those who scribe exactly how I feel and perceive a given thing so well...I wish their words were my own. Example thus:

Blogger Civitas Occiduus said...(On defending any Clergy Sex scandal in the media):

"The Bishops of the Church must defend their flocks -- even to the point of suffering the attacks of civil society.

But I should think that prudence dictates that on such an emotional issue the Bishops should be less on the offensive in public. Rather than attacking the media, the humble thing to do in light of our collective guilt as Catholics on this issue should be to say, "You're absolutly right. I pledge to work tirelessly with civil authorities to bring predators to justice. No child, no adult, no human being deserves this."

For decades, we have all been sinning when we suspected something and did not report it; when we looked the other way because the white collar held some magic aura. Our Holy Father has indicated the proper attitude and posture: humble acceptance and painful sorrow.

Someone else compared this issue to the Holocaust. While the murders of 6 million over 10 years are not the same as the molestations of hundreds of thousands worldwide over decades, the Church is much like Germany on this one: we should never deny, downplay, or object when people become angry over the sexual abuse scandal. Christ Himself told us to turn the other cheek. We have sinned and we add sin to sin when we grow indignant because Justice exacts its price.

Part of the consequences of this kind of horrendous sin are that the wolves of the world -- the lawyers, the atheists, the selfish -- smell blood. Because when one of us falls, all fall, we must be willing, for the Glory of God & the triumph of His cross, to do penance for these terrible crimes.

Bishop Jenky means well, and I give thanks to God for him, but the sooner we accept that victims of sexual abuse are not the enemy, but that the terrible sin that has been commited by those sad clerics is, the sooner everyone will be able to heal."

February 8, 2009 4:31 PM

Bravo, dangit...Bravo.

Messianic Secret – A Catholic Brief Study

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 7 Feb 2009 20:08:00 -0800

Mark 8:30 “And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.”

There has been a popular revival recently of Christ’s often professed forbidding of anyone broadcasting his Messiahship, no doubt due to the Feb 1st Gospel reading (Mark 1:21-28). This subject is true enigmatic material, and fairly deep exegetical water making it worthy study. It is so magnetic, even Pope Benedict has published a take on the secret this month as well. A few other Catholic Blogs have posted about this and repeated the Pope’s reflection, I won’t reiterate that…I’d like to share the richness of truth to be found and studied in His professed restriction.

Late 19th and early 20th Century study yielded scholarly debate about Jesus’ full, but unspoken motive for this restriction. In particular, William (aka Wilhelm) Wrede published a fairly distracted viewpoint that fell into questioning the historicity level of Mark altogether. Wrede’s trajectory, digressing into a broadform History detour, drew majority angst from like Bibliophiles and by reaction, a dozen or so more opinions from Scholars assailed at Wrede’s work, as if the Inquisition began again suddenly.

While the Historical/Critical debate is a valid one, it loses the teaching in which I grasp a much richer lesson in Christ’s keeping his activity on the “down-low”. Using reason, I hear Jesus’ has much to say with little spoken in this avoidance of becoming a prominent figure by miracle witness word-of-mouth. But let’s take a few other viewpoints and ponder them: (Bart D. Ehrman from Wiki)

1. Literary explanations: a prominent example is proposed by the Exegetic School of Madrid (2007). The conclusion of the philological study is that the messianic secret, more than a theology by the first Church or by Mark, is an invention of modern writers. In fact, in the original Aramaic version Jesus never pronounced those sentences… However, there is no extant copy of this alleged Aramaic original to support this theory.

Nope…the words are there ESM. To say that they are not, while historical forensics reconciled nearly all translations to the contrary is a failure of research and majority of findings.

2. Historical: One possible historical explanation might be that Jesus wished to fulfill the envisaged role of the Jewish messiah only selectively: although he was the 'anointed one', or Christ, he did not appear as a military leader.

No real meat on the “why” in this one although the second half has traction, it should be explored further.

3. Historical: A) It is also reasonable to believe that Christ might want to suppress public fervor about himself until the opportune time.
B) According to the Gospel, he was already a celebrity in Palestine. He might want to retain some measure of anonymity in order to be able to move about Judea without a multitude of followers.

While 3A appears supported by even Christ himself, (speaking to his Mother in the context of performing a miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana…[John 2: 3-5] "O woman, what is it, to you in me? My time has not yet come.") Christ then reveals publicly his Messiahship, doing the exact opposite of keeping secret his Divinity. But, we are going after the “why” for his profession of secrecy, and “the opportune time” falls short of satisfying this inquiry.

3B however follows reason and even as it is vague, this becomes a significant perspective trail to pursue.

Look at the result of Christ’s admonitions to keep quiet those he healed or touched. They all ran off screaming his abilities using whatever lofty moniker for Him to everyone in earshot.

Can you imagine, God says to you: “Jack, the cancer is gone now, and just so you know, I am God so shut up about it.” (sternly). People are healed from terminal or disabling disease, they cannot stop themselves from broadcasting that fact. Is it reasonable to think they will allow the shut up part to trump the primary victory of being healed? The legal gravity of a Gag Order was not understood back then. So when they attest to their being healed they use any word to describe the healer. They most likely were in such a state of Euphoria that when asked “who did this for you?”, any High Title was sufficient…King, Lord, Master, Prophet, etc. Christ did not say “well, if you have to tell, use only the term ‘Son of Man’”…because he likely knew the person would be so overcome with their purified state, the source character label is of little concern to them.

This also aligns well with the Catholic understanding of “both and” refuting those who believe in the “elect” theory of some Protestant denoms. [We understand that God chooses All, and we are free to choose God or not. No predestination or double predestination. Its both and.] Per Mark: “And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.” Yet there is no Biblical citation of Him doing anything about violating his order. Check it – He gave Himself to them, and instructed them on its visibility, yet they chose to violate it. The healings were not reversed or retracted as a result of our choosing as well. See the richness in this repeated example of accepting His Mercy and still failing to abide?

The preeminent motive deduction for secrecy is a combination of those that are supported through reason above and applying the reality of Christ’s teaching. Abp. Fulton Sheen explains it precisely and summarily:

"Our Blessed Lord saw thousands passing in the Passover Caravan on their way to Jerusalem. And his heart goes out to them…he proposes to feed them. Andrew the Apostle pointed to a boy who had 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes. These our Blessed Lord took. Notice the way the Gospel describes what our Lord did and notice also the parallel between this description and the last supper. We are quoting the Gospel of Mark 6:41:
“And he took up the 5 loaves and 2 fishes and looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave to His disciples.” With these 5 loaves and 2 fishes our Blessed Lord fed the multitude of thousands….it was indeed a miracle of multiplication…until, the Gospel says, everyone had his fill. Do you suppose that if our Blessed Lord gave out Money instead of Bread, the Gospel would have said… that everyone had his fill?

The effect of this miracle was stupendous, because they saw the bread and fishes increasing. And the people saw the possibility of making our Lord a King that would bring prosperity and plenty. So they sought to make Him King. That’s what people want, Economic Prosperity. Even from God that walks this Earth. The people now wanted to make our Lord King…an economic political King that would fill their gullets and their stomachs, and if he did that He would have Power according to them. And our Lord knowing they wished to make Him King, fled into the mountains alone.

They could not make Him King,
He was born a King.

It could very well have been that this flight from political kingship produced the disillusion in Judas, as he witnessed the flight and could not bear the thought of not being provided for economically by Christ. (Quoting from John 6:25 on) The next morning he is found at Capernaum and asked how he got there. His answer was to reprimand them as they were identifying Religion with Soup Kitchens. And He said
“Believe me, if you are looking for me now it is not because of the miracles you have seen, it is because you are fed with loaves and had your fill.”
By these words our Lord indicated that they had not taken the miracle as a sign of his Divinity. They were looking for him instead of to him. Our Lord continues in John 6:27:
“You should not work to earn food which parishes in the using, work to earn food which affords continually eternal life. Such food as the Son of Man will give you. God the Father has authorized him.”

Our Lord is here setting in contrast 2 kinds of bread, the bread that parishes, and the bread that endures to life everlasting. And He cautioned them against following Him as a donkey following a Master who holds a carrot. To lift their carnal minds to eternal food. He suggested that they seek the food that the Heavenly Father had sealed or authorized."(Abp)

The Consecrated Eucharist has this Seal does it not?

Christ knew his Ministry would be hindered by the forcing of a Kingship of earthly values. The Secrecy was His teaching of lifting the Carnal Mind to the Eternal Mind, which is not of this Economic and Political World.

Pope demands Bishop Recant Holocaust Position

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 4 Feb 2009 13:28:00 -0800

(AP) "The Vatican on Wednesday demanded that a prelate who denied the Holocaust recant his positions before being fully admitted as a bishop into the Roman Catholic Church. It also said Pope Benedict XVI had not known about Bishop Richard Williamson's views when he agreed to lift his excommunication and that of three other ultraconservative bishops Jan. 21."

This appears to at least coincide with, or be a response to pressure from German Leadership, and many other highly visible world figures recently. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on the pope to clarify that the Vatican does not tolerate any denial of the Holocaust. Pope Benedict is from Germany, where Holocaust denial is a crime punishable with prison terms.

This also comes just a few days after Bishop Williamson apologized to the Pontiff for the "distress and problems" he caused by denying the Holocaust.

Bishop Williamson recently denied that 6 million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, is calling his remarks "imprudent" as he expresses his regrets in a letter posted on Friday on his personal blog.

The bishop also thanked the Pope for lifting the excommunication that the Vatican had imposed on him 20 years earlier because he had been elevated to bishop's rank by a renegade, ultraconservative prelate.

2/6/09 P.S. (Zenit published the Pope's stated motive on Lifting the excommunication):

the Holy Father made clear today that the lifting of the excommunication is about one thing only: Church unity.

"I have carried out this act of paternal mercy because repeatedly these prelates have manifested their sharp suffering in the situation in which they found themselves."

Furthermore, the Holy Father stated, there is the expectation of further steps from the four newly released bishops.

"I trust that following from this gesture of mine will be the prompt effort on their part to complete final necessary steps to arrive to full communion with the Church," the Bishop of Rome said, "thus giving testimony of true fidelity and true recognition of the magisterium and the authority of the Pope and the Second Vatican Council."

Catholic Carnival #210

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 3 Feb 2009 19:15:00 -0800

Is Here. Peace through Blogging.

Pray the Song

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 1 Feb 2009 09:59:00 -0800

Taking some inspirational advice from songwriters, I must share it.

"When seeking Him, or inspiration from Him, pray song/hymn lyrics."

At times when its tough to spell out the interior truth I seek in praying, this song says it for me:

I'm finding myself at a loss for words,
and the funny thing is..
it's ok.
The last thing I need,
is to be heard,
but to hear what,
You would say...
Word of God Speak,
would you pour down like rain,
washing my eyes to see,
Your Majesty.
To be still and know,
that You're in this place,
please let me stay and rest,
in Your Holiness...
Word of God speak.

Link to the audio version, on Godtube

Father, Forgive them, please, because I, the sinner can yet not do so

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:19:00 -0800

There I was, reading along on one of the blogs I follow, and happened upon a post by a Protestant blogger, who is challenging the credibility of Catholic Answers in the all too familiar inflammatory fashion. I read the post, and as expected, it contains Contempt prior to Investigation about CA's influence and whether CA is sufficiently "overseen" by the local Bishop.
Catholic commenters, including myself tried in many attempts to keep the argument focused on the point, showing that CA is moderated and has imprimaturs on most publications, and a Priest on staff, but every Protestant (except one and you know who you are, H/T) escalated diversional opinions without fact finding or exercising any level of mutual observancy. One Catholic commenter put the argument well into focus, and then received the following Protestant take:

Protestant poster states:

"CA is engaged in a 'bait & switch' maneuver: in effect they are saying "we have trained apologists and a Dominican on staff, we're authoritative, but not binding; you can trust us." They remind of me of those "Bankruptcy advisors" who for a fee will help you fill out the IRS and legal forms you could have downloaded for free and filled in yourself. It's "magesterial-lite...".

To which I replied a 4th time:

6:28 PM, January 27, 2009
Blogger The Catholic Journeyman said...

...you just lied to try to advance your point
...and its no small deception
...you quoting CA as:

"...we're authoritative, but not binding..."

CA has never claimed such a thing or even implied it. You havent even read their mission, or all the other responses here which are consistent therein.

With that instigative dishonesty, you are not an example of any kind of Christian I would find credible.

The vast majority of Protestant/Evangelical/Fundamentalists that I have direct or face to face contact with, exhibit such wicked hate in defiance of logic, reason, scriptural support and/or a loving approach. Upon repeated encounter, one wonders how not to fall into sinful cynicism about these,.... individuals. Who would follow such a Christian? What Holy example is this person emulating? Not one that I would find as Christ taught.

I would likely pay a cover charge to converse with a Protestant that understood this perspective, and could maintain a dignified conversation.

It happens that we studied Matthew again tonight with the RCIA class and with the CA comments still in my memory...all these passages, teachings from Christ, flashed in front of me like Neon:

Mt 5:44 - "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven..."

Mt 7:1 - " Judge not, that you be not judged..."

Mt 7:5 - "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye."

Mt 7:12 - "So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

Mt 12:31 - " Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit wiil not be forgiven."

Mt 12:36,37 - "I tell you, on the day of judgement men will render account for every careless word they utter, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Mt 15:10,11 - "And he called people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand, not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."(this parable fully explained by Christ in 15:15-20)

While it may appear this is solely aimed at the instigator...these scriptures speak to me as well, and by demonstration, the 3 people who read this blog occasionally can confirm...I have intentionally stopped posting the ongoing" a-C debate" content. I am through casting pearls before swine (thank you Tim Troutman). That approach results only in the same non-productive hate speech and I now deny giving it any platform other than an example of what not to follow.

We all deserve respect, and as Christ struggles to get it through our thick heads over and over again...this respect, this "communication", this reaching out...must be postured in Love, Mercy, non-judgement, or it is not of Christ. Its the way he ministered, personally with respect and dignity even for those who we as cultured humans often find undeserving of it.

Am I alone here? Can anyone dig this?

I am not worthy to wash this Mans feet...either

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:23:00 -0800

Heavily impacted by this Mans story, I am compelled to share it.

Jan. 15, 2009
Richard Todd Shireman, a forty-six year old husband, father of two sons, veteran Police Officer , Lutheran Pastor and Social Worker, was laid to rest this day.

Rich Shireman was a social worker partnered with a member of the St. Petersburg Police Department. That policeman’s name is Richard Linkiewicz. The two of them rode the streets working with the homeless, addicts, people in desperate need of shelter, food, medicine, relief from an addiction. The City established several of these “teams of two” who work with all the organizations helping the homeless. “Rich and Rich” as they came to be known developed a bonding not just with each other but with those whom they were called to serve. Many of their “clients” were there to claim that “there but for Rich and Rich, I might be dead or in a ditch.”

Rich Shireman died last Saturday as a result of a motorcycle accident. Michael Johnson, a business man and downtown St. Petersburg resident who is also co-chair of the Homeless Task Force of St. Petersburg, has provided a text which Rich Shireman delivered in January of 2006 (the time of the tent-cutting/homeless persecution in St. Petersburg). It reveals a lot about the man hundreds gathered to honor and remember tonight:

”The real question is this: at what point does it become acceptable to blame, drive away, harass, deny services or resources to, or denigrate a homeless person? How are we to separate the victims from the lazy, the malicious, the unmotivated, or the victimizers? And if we could cofidently discriminate between the deserving and undeserving, is a life of poor hygiene, poor nutrition, less than adequate health care, extremely high risk of violent victimization, and extreme exposure to the elements (not to mention all the little things that rob homeless persons of dignity) an appropriate or acceptable sentence or punishment for having made bad decisions or for simply having bad character traits?

Obviously, we cannot protect people from all the consequences of faulty thinking. We cannot even protect people from all the consequences of having been poorly raised or abused as children. We cannot and should not protect people from all the consequences of their criminal behavior. And those who suffer from addictions need to experience many of the negative consequences of their substance abuse in order to be motivated to pursue recovery. Nevertheless, there must be some limit to how much we are willing to let people suffer in our midst. There must be a point at which we say that simply because you are a human being and a member of this society we will not allow you to fall further." Richard Todd Shireman in January 2006.

A Commentary on Pontifax during the Octave of Christian Unity

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:59:00 -0800

Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg writes of this Octave of Christian Unity effort:

"Each January, Catholics, Lutherans and Episcopalians gather for a morning of joint/shared prayer and reflection on the subject of Christian Unity. The meeting is called Pontifax which is an English language derivative from the Latin word, “pontifex” which means “bridge builder.” Interestingly it is a normal title used in referring to the successors of St. Peter, the pope, who are called “Pontifex magnus” or “Supreme bridge-builders.” Historically it is understandable that the earliest popes would be referred to in this way as their task was uniquely to build a bridge between the Jewish faith and paganism to Christianity.

Any way, tomorrow we gather for this year’s Pontifax meeting at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Tampa. The theme this year is “That they may become one in your hand” which was suggested by the Christians in Korea who are one people divided into two countries. These annual meetings were established as a result of informal sharing between the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. In 1970, their respective bishops gave permissions to form an ecumenical committee for the purpose of creating better mutual understanding and common trust in many areas of church life and community service. In 1989 the Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was invited and accepted to participate in this activity.

My Lutheran and Episcopal brothers in the episcopacy, Bishop Edward Beneway and Bishop Dabney Smith respectively, usually attend and each year one of us delivers the homily. This year it is my turn.

Pray for the continued successes of our mutual dialogues which internationally have not gone so well in recent years but locally have produced wonderful relations and a deeper appreciation and understanding of your variouos traditions."

While I fight urges to be cynical about some Ecumenical efforts, and lose that fight occassionally, this post by the Bishop deserves some expansion, elaboration and discussion.

Bishop Lynch's reference to "Pontifex Magnus" indicates the historical job description of the Pope in building spiritual bridges connecting the Old Covenant followers (Jewish) and New Covenant Followers (Christianity). He tells of "joint/shared prayer and reflection" among the Leadership of Catholics, Lutherans and Episcopalians which in itself can be a significant step, Lord willing his grace, Amen. Now, if I am not mistaken, these are the closest Denominations to Catholicism (in a practicing Doctrinal sense) of the Reformed variety. If correct then, one could take the valid perspective that such an effort by Leadership is non-critical and the immediacy of holding spiritual dialogue with them should be overshadowed by more extreme divisions of the Reformed denominations...Baptist, PCA, Singular Fundamentalist, Congregationalist, etc. Its a fantasy to think, Graham or Osteen would call for a reflective prayer session with any "other" Authority at this point in Christianity...or is it?

Back to the Bishops effort...on the other hand, most Reformed and Fundamentalist Leadership appear to give a healthy dose of Theological gravity to Luther followers, then by example may put their Swords against the misconception of Rome down for a minute and see the benefit of such inter-faith efforts. Ergo, ANY Ecumenical effort would produce a gain if it is made more visible among all its varied membership. Its my opinion that this particular event may bear more fruit, if made more visible to the Reformed. Ecumenism among any Denominations leadership wont be counterpointed with a rally against such efforts and that makes it stand alone unblemished.

This gathering post is only the prelude to the event, and I hope to follow up with what may be revealed of its content and potential to continue this thought further.

Tixeront's "History of Dogmas" Found

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:23:00 -0800

I have been scouring the markets for the highly recommended English 3 volume set of Historic Doctrinal Reference by Jospeh Tixeront "History of Dogmas". While out of print (published in 1920) the French Language version is available on ebay, I managed to find Vol. 1 of this set electronically on Archive.org Free. Now I have to find a way to get this pdf on my PDA for portable reading. (!)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS. Adobe has a free Reader for those of us still using a Pocket PC, yay.

Vatican secret confession tribunal opens up

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:04:00 -0800

ROME – One of the Vatican's most secrecy shrouded tribunals, which handles confessions of sins so grave only the pope can grant absolution, is giving the faithful a peek into its workings for the first time in its 830-year history...(news story link in title)

Sacramental Confession...Why let Someone else judge You?

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:35:00 -0800

"It was our Lord's idea, Catholics didnt make it up. Our Lord said to his Apostles, 'whos sins you shall forgive they are forgiven , whos sins you shall retain they are retained'".

Our Lord gave this authority to bind and to loose, to Peter and the Apostles. Through the Succession, through Ordination using the imposition of hands (Accipe Spiritum Sanctum), He gave this power to our Priests. The granting of the power to absolve sin is put with unmistakable clearness in St. John's Gospel: "He breathed upon them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins ye shall forgive they are forgiven them; and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained" (20:22-23).

One has to take this power of our Priests seriously. One should recognise that Priests are different from other People because God wants them to be. They are given powers that they could never hope to have on their own. The power they have is not for themselves but for the benefit of the Faithful. A Priest will spend hours in the Confessional litening to peoples sins and giving forgiveness for them (absolution), in a way that is very clear and emphatic...its a one on one ministry.

Its the way our Lord ministered to people.

He wanted His Church to minister to people in a personal and sacramental way. So when a Priest offers this, he is not offiering his forgiveness, it is Christs forgiveness being given."

Source = Fr. Vincent Serpa, C.A.L. 11/19/08: 27:00 to 30:30

A Lutheran Detour Revisited

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:43:00 -0800

Joseph @ A Catholic Journey has a nice summary take on Luther here. Check it out.

Carnival #206

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 6 Jan 2009 19:35:00 -0800

Catholic Carnival #206 can be found here. Enjoy the read.

Goodbye to the "Florida Catholic"

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 5 Jan 2009 19:34:00 -0800

The St. Pete edition at least, and say Hello to "Gathered". This Article from Bishop Lynch tells why. A wise economic move IMO.

German Archeology rewriting Roman Conquest timeline

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 5 Jan 2009 19:00:00 -0800

"We have to write the History books new..." says a German Archeologist of the recent battleground finds...not sure what religious historical implications this may have yet...take a look:

Here's the Article at CNN.

We Interupt this Blogcast #4

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 3 Jan 2009 06:44:00 -0800

to say Hello to Mr. Ross and his 10 fingers....

Luther had no Old Testament Canon

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 2 Jan 2009 19:44:00 -0800

Martin Luther admitted:

"We are obliged to yield many things to the Papists (Catholics) that they possess the Word of God which we received from them otherwise we should have known nothing about it." (Commentary on St. John ch.16) This is Luther, instructing all who hears him that Christians owe their Bible to the efforts of the Catholic Church.

Christians realize that if God has revealed Himself to us, we must be able to know with absolute assurance where that revelation can be found. Since we staking our salvation on the Truth of Gods Word, we need to know exactly and infallibly how the Canon of Scripture came to be. The Canon of Scripture refers to a standard or official list of inspired books that make up the Bible.

The Protestant OT is based upon the Palestinian (Hebrew) canon used by Hebrew-speaking Jews in Palestine. The Catholic OT is based upon the Alexandrian (Greek) canon used by the Greek speaking Jews throughout the Mediterranean region, including Palestine. The city of Alexandria in Egypt had the largest Library in ancient times and during Ptolemy II Philedelphus (285-246 BC) according to history, a translation of the entire Hebrew Bible into Greek was performed by approx 70 Jewish Scholars, about 6 from each of the 12 tribes. It is from this Alexandrian translation that we have the term "Septuagint", which is Latin for 70, the number of translators.

The Greek translation was very popular, the predominate language by the time of Christ, and Hebrew was a dying language by then. (Jews in Palestine spoke Aramaic primarily) So it is fair to surmise that the Septuagint was the translation used by Jesus and the New Testament writers. While the Septuagint contains 46 books the Hebrew canon contains only 39. Why?

The Hebrew canon was established by Rabbi's at the Council of Jamnia (100 AD) in response to the Christian Church which was using the Alexandrian canon. The Jews at Jamnia rejected 7 books from the Hebrew canon (we all know which ones) on the grounds that they could not find any Hebrew versions of these 7 books and portions of Daniel and Esther, which the Septuagint supposedly translated from Hebrew into the Greek language.

At the Councils of Hippo and Carthage (393-397 AD) The Catholic church officially determined which books comprise the canon of the Bible, approving the 46 books of the Alexandrian canon as the Old Testament canon. For 16 Centuries the Alexandrian canon was a matter of uncontested Faith and practice.

In 1529 Luther proposed the Palestinian canon of 39 books in Hebrew as the OT canon, where he justified removing the 7 books from the already uncontested 12 century old Bible using the same concern from Jamnia that the the Greek books had no Hebrew counterparts. However, Dead Sea Scrolls research has yielded ancient Hebrew copies of some of the disputed books, thereby nullifying these rejections.

Whats the point?

Which OT would you rather use...the OT used by Jesus Christ, the New Testament authors and the early Church, or, the OT used by the Jews who rejected Christ and persecuted Christianity?

If your Bible includes the 7 books, then you follow Jesus and the early Church. If your Bible omits the 7 books you follow the non Christians Jews at Jamnia and Martin Luther, who expressed motivation to discard even more Sacred canon (James, Esther and Revelation), who also intentionally added the word "alone" to Sacred Scripture in his German translation of Romans (3:28).

Beyond Luther and even Jamnia, the fairly modern discoveries of Hebrew Sirach documents should shelve that logic of non-canonical altogether and reconfirm the Alexandrian OT once again.

Luther had no canon, and apparently, no historical canon perspective by the time he tossed his Priesthood.

Intellectual Participation II

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:27:00 -0800

...(continued from here)
This long exploration of questions and answers began from a curiosity and progressed during research into needing to fill a spiritual vacuum, a blank, lifeless open mental wound. This mental need for understanding, for resolution, for closure requires intellectual participation. Reading, interacting with others over the subject, listening to other peoples views, positioning the mind in various states of conclusion, measuring logic and reason for each view with fresh, open and objective vision.

During that period of investigation, each discovery led to more hunger for details, corroboration, deeper insight. My intellectual passion was fed by these discoveries and given the amount of time past the event and significant volume of information available each year going by (some valid and some erroneous), I was able to make determinations of fact and find a path of documented events that revealed the most consistent version of truth, means and motive.

This is a parable of my faith journey years ago. My religion from birth was attacked and wounded in my intellect, due to my lack of intellectual, behavioral and spiritual participation. I was defenseless accept to point out the obvious (IE. 1 Billion Catholics cant be wrong) which was fruitless to the attacker and myself. I had to start engaging my intellect in reading Scripture, Doctrine and Protestantism. Thats where participation led to understanding and a presence of the Holy Spirit became evident personally. Once the personal relationship began, a personal conviction was mine to own, use and grow.

Feed Revision Call

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:43:00 -0800

I was forced to correct a feed error to display podcasts in itunes, and doing so may have lost some subscribers, please resubscribe if I have fallen off your RSS or itunes radar, or let me know if you notice any other problems.
-Peace

Christmas Catholic Carnival

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:08:00 -0800

The Christmas Catholic Blog Carnival can be found here. Merry, Merry.

Intellectual Participation I

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:10:00 -0800

If I had a dime for every time I tried to solve the Kennedy assassination between my 2 ears, I could buy a Hummer as a spare ride. No matter what angle I pondered with comprehensive documentation,(I have a library on the event, been to the scene, studied evidence, etc.) I could find no 100% cause fully supported to the exclusion of any other marginally close second. It remains a mystery wrapped in a reality result.

There was, for me for many years, a challenge to be quenched intellectually in the study and commitment to ultimately reach a solid conclusion. Not just a perps name, an engineered motive and identifying players in that as well. The problem is there is just to much evidence with a figure like Kennedy. Too much outside motive, too much public exposure and too many strategic possibilities. When I finally admitted this will remain an enigma, that resignation contradicted my own innate intellectual comfort level. What I was left with having was a faith or a hope in a theory that was supported by the largest amount of evidence. That faith or hope became a belief that Oswald was tasked by underworld leaders to commit the act. I had no knowledge that this was the path of Kennedy's death, all I had was evidence. I cannot ever know for certain, in the absence of pulling the trigger myself, but I can believe based on it.

The belief or faith that this theory held the truth is then mine to hold. I possess it and in spite of my wavering intellectual comfort level, the faith is enough to get me onto the next mental challenge. But it did not. What I discovered in this final thought and in faith was that we humans feel we must reach tangible conclusions or be doomed to exist in a partial vacuum of spiritual fulfillment. My spirit wanted to find those deathbed documents and cancelled checks signed by Jack Ruby that the underworld funded the whole shebang, but its just not there. I have faith, based on research and evidence that this was the case.

This self-discovery of a faith based belief is close to that which I hold for Catholic Doctrine. Patristic research reveals Christs Church. The Bible reveals Christs Church, all 73 books. Secular History validates Christs Church. The Patriarch of Constantinople acknowledges Christs Church is Catholic.

I have no knowledge of this. I was not a witness to the incarnation of God, yet I have a measure of spiritual fulfillment as a result of intellectual participation.
... (Continued in this Post)

Priest Concert on PBS

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:25:00 -0800

As a follow up to my post on the Priests who landed a $2MM Sony recording contract, their Concert with full Orchestra is playing nationally on PBS fundraiser shows. Link in title and check your TV guide for local airings.

Ecumenical Progression

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:17:00 -0800

Theres a moment I had with a stranger in a parking lot. She had this bumper sticker on her truck. I intentionally watched her park and tracked her getting out...as I approached her, my finger pointing at her bumper, our eyes locked. She smiled and said,

"you cant imagine how many people ask me where to get one of those..."

"in fact I can but thats a whole other story" I chided with a smirk.

She didnt ask what "religion" I was and didnt need to, nor did I from her. When one understands and values the meaning of Ecumenism, with knowledge of todays roadside bombings, Hamas, Palestine, Beruit, Serbia, and other modern faith based conflicts ad nauseum, one has no need to ask. The faith allegiance of another is of little concern because the motive is not what is the faith identity, it is what do you value of all others identity. This is an inevitable statement or question all must face.

Coexist.

Post Vatican II has seen significant global effort from Rome to all faiths for Ecumenical acknowledgement. Partly driven by the 4th and final Council of Vatican II having nearly 100 representatives of other Christian Communities participating. V-II resulted in RC authorities professing Ecumenism in every available technological way.

We are not talking about a motive to convert other faiths to our thinking, the strategy is much more subtle (and effective). Its having the sense to see a millenium of conflict in Gaza unresolved by that "my side or die" approach. Catholic Ecumenism is a call to humanize our cross faith understanding first and to demonstrate that willingness in a leading way to disarm the need for conflict.

"In a word, Christians have been converted to a fraternal charity which embraces all Christ's disciples. If it happens that, as a result of violent political disturbances, a certain aggressiveness or a spirit of vengeance appears, the leaders of the parties in question generally work to make the "New Law" of the spirit of charity prevail. Unfortunately, this spirit has not been able to transform every situation where brutal conflict rages. In such circumstances those committed to ecumenism are often required to make choices which are truly heroic." (Ut Unum Sint 1995)

On a Global level, by using this approach, we are in no way advocating the faith motive of the Jihad, for instance, we are only demonstrating there is a non-jihad soul fulfilling a call to express holiness. If the gun is laid down, then the largest hurdle is past.

On a local level, the Catholic Apologist is capable of demonstrating the same approach and motive for Ecumenism. Being knowledgable on our Doctrine and Dogma's scriptural basis, and using a charitable approach can disarm most of the Calvin followers anti-Catholic rage, if it is heard. Realizing it may not be heard immediately, and most likely will only be heard years later puts an Apologist in a mature and patient position as well. These two comprehensive skills, Ecumenism and Apologetics are powerful abilities. We are seeing in what some call the worst of times across faith lines, some astonishing results in America ecumenically.

Appended further:

In Dual Authority efforts, Councils of the Holy See and the Lutheran, Jewish and Orthodox Faiths (among others) have produced Joint Declarations on spiritually common practices and belief components of both Faiths. Imagine the attitude required by those in Heirarchy of these Faiths to enter the dialogue. On a summary level, a full even if temporary truce must be called, but I imagine none is needed with Scholars of that level and maturity. There must exist a basis of reverance for the other Faith and their established visible Leadership within to have such a meeting take place and produce and ecumanical result. These Theologians engage themselves in entering the other Faith on a deep enough level to comprehend the spiritual meaning for each other and its following. Ecumenism at its best human ability.

Should we, the "following", profess Religious character assassination in attempting to talk to a Calvinist, a Lutheran, a Presbyterian when explaining a given Catholic Practice question? It is a fundamental of Human relational dynamics that an attack postion creates defense. One cannot reasonably expect anything else.

" "Cooperation among all Christians vividly expresses that bond which already unites them, and it sets in clearer relief the features of Christ the Servant" ". This cooperation based on our common faith is not only filled with fraternal communion, but is a manifestation of Christ himself." (Ut Unum Sint 1995)

Jillian's Gift Follow up

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:43:00 -0800

Jillian would like to thank the Academy, and share her Christmas spirit!

Another Calvinist Comes home

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:29:00 -0800

I'd like to introduce Jennifer. I was immersed in her Conversion Post on her blog and realized how recently her coming home has occurred. Jennifer is going through some family turbulence over this journey and I am confident support and relation is welcome. She's quite readable. Go say hello!

Lakeside Chapel of Hypocracy

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:20:00 -0800

Ecumenical warning. There is a 100% chance that this post will have zero Catholic ecumenism.

There is a "Chapel" in this town that needs serious evangelical revision. Lakeside Community Chapel.

Years ago (prior to my full immersion in Catholicism), a "Christian" friend of mine who attended there talked up this outfits Bible Study sessions after service on Sunday's. So I went, alone.

The sign outside the "Chapel" states "VERSE BY VERSE BIBLE TEACHING". The 9 am service was ordinary 10 minutes of hymns 5 minutes of prayer and 45 minutes of monologue by a Pastor on Romans. An alter call followed. I wasn't particularly enlightened by the Pastors take on Romans but being a benefit of doubt kind of guy, I stayed focused, figured all Pastors have their challenges, stuck it out and headed for "bible study".

I sit down in bible study with about 10 other people and wait for the study Leader. In walks a man who positions himself at a podium and begins to talk about Paul's conversion and the Road to Damascus event. He used practical analogies of thought and was getting my attention on a few levels, I was impressed, he had a take and it was on point and was not overly interpretive. During the study (rather...another monologue) heads nodded throughout the room frequently and the train of comprehension was consistent. At the 40 minute mark it was apparent the topic was concluding and then suddenly, the punch line came out.

This man then begins state "truly converted believers would never be Methodist". He cited a recent decision by the UMC (at that time 5 years ago) to allow a convention of Gay Methodists at the UMC National retreat facility. For 10 minutes the verbal attack escalated, it was as if this man underwent a personality change...real anger began to be displayed. He called for everyone in the room to write protest letters to UMC leadership with names and addresses given. He tried to convey an obligation to anyone in the room that hearing this "cooperation of the UMC with Satan" meaning...biblically...that we were also passively approving of this sin by the UMC and are accountable as well.

Oy.

After leaving the room stunned by the philosophical whiplash I just experienced, I noticed a rack of Tracts at the lobby exit. There for sale, with retail price tags, was more inter-christian hate publications than a Hotel tourism rack. I stood there reading the cover of each one slowly, MacArthur, Sproul, John Piper, tracts with titles like "The Mormon Road to hell"..."Lutherans Retreat from the Word". One after another, every Protestant denomination, Catholic, Jewish Faith was attacked.

You can imagine my plight. I knew fully I was in Protestant territory, but not a Christian minefield. It was mind numbing and memorable. Since then, I have run into a few members of this "Chapel" and had similar but less intense encounters. One of their members has an active blog in this domain. You will find similar but subtle language there.

I called my Friend that day and discussed the extreme attacking of other Faiths and potentially those in the room, he wasn't surprised at my discovery. "Whats wrong with that? Biblically we are all obligated to save lives from Sin" he said. I told him that in no way biblically is there any call for this type of "ministry" against other Christians, and that even in a Secular approach, attacking a practicing Christian believer of any Faith, that is, initiating an aggressive denouncement of a given Christians spiritual standing using "Satan-sided Faith" language is judgementally hypocritical. I continued to say, the basic principle of denouncing Gays lifestyle as not biblical is not the point, its the twisted interpretation of Christian obligation that those made aware of it are accountable... that is not only hogwash but hypocritical in the "Chapel's" own stated mission...Verse by Verse Bible teaching. Go attack Islamist extremists, and Abortion mills and clear up that mess. Friend stated then.."well its like any Church, take what is uselful and discard the rest".

Again, Oy.

Later that week after, this friends wife called me to agree with my position on the "Chapels" attack of Christians. They subsequently left Lakeside within that year.

The UMC has long had a history of waffling on the Gay/Marriage issues, there are still somewhat divided in their doctrine even as late as the 2008 UMC General Convention. But my point in specific here is twofold:

1) - Don't go to Key West if you cant stand the feather boa's. Pray for those souls in their state of no grace at a minimum.

2) - Don't hold all non-gay citizens of Key West accountable for the AIDS virus worldwide. No logic argument biblically or otherwise supports this approach.

Am I hereby committing hypocracy by posting an "attack" against this "Chapel", I think not. I have balance and have conveyed that here. I am not stating it should close its doors, or denouncing it as Satan-sided. I am saying there is some truth there, but the contrary occurs to overshadow any of its Christian benefit. Have you ever heard the saying "what you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say'? I cant join into a "Church" or "Faith" and take what I like and leave the rest that I don't find true. I need a majority of the content if not 100% to square with Christs teaching.

Science validating Creation

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:11:00 -0800

Teaching RCIA recently, I had the opportunity to present a "God the Father" session. Copied below is one of my tools for addressing belief in God and the Science position:

"Fathers of Science

By Matthew E. Bunson

On March 12, 2008, the John Templeton Foundation made the announcement of the winner of its annual Templeton Prize, which honors achievements engaging the great questions of life and the universe. The $1.6 million prize for 2008 went to Michal Heller, a Polish cosmologist and professor in the faculty of philosophy at the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Cracow, Poland. What makes Heller additionally remarkable is that he is a Catholic priest.

The 72-year-old plans to spend the prize money to establish a research institute-named in honor of Nicholas Copernicus-that will seek to reconcile science and theology. Fr. Heller said:

If we ask about the cause of the universe we should ask about the cause of mathematical laws. By doing so we are back in the great blueprint of God's thinking about the universe; the question on ultimate causality: Why is there something rather than nothing? When asking this question, we are not asking about a cause like all other causes. We are asking about the root of all possible causes. Science is but a collective effort of the human mind to read the mind of God from question marks out of which we and the world around us seem to be made.

As a priest-scientist, Fr. Heller is not unique. Rather, he stands in a long and great tradition of learned priests who were both scientists and men of faith. Some are well-known to history, such as Roger Bacon, the 13th-century Franciscan who stressed the concept of "laws of nature" and contributed to the development of mechanics, geography, and especially optics. Others are obscure. All, however, left a lasting legacy on their eras in learning, science, mathematics, and practical progress.

Above all, the priest-scientists offer a powerful lesson to Catholic apologists: There is no reason to stand mute when the name Galileo is wielded like a cudgel and the Church is savaged as an enemy of human progress. Apologists and well-read Catholics can point to these priest-scientists and declare forcefully what Fr. Georges Lemaître-discoverer of the "Big Bang"-robustly proclaimed in 1933: "There is no conflict between religion and science." What follows is a survey of a few of the many priests and scientists who have bettered our world over the centuries. The list does not pretend to be exhaustive, and the deeper issues that underlie the long-perceived conflict between science and religion, evolution, and cosmology-so much in the modern cultural dispute-will be examined in future articles in This Rock."
(This Rock Vol 19, No.7)

Just how Catholic are we?

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:59:00 -0800

As Catholic Bloggers, we read each others stuff. Its a small circle most of the time. How do you respond to this recent question a Catholic friend of mine posed:

"You have a Catholic Blog? Wow. (think "fanatic") Thats a little overboard...I mean...I feel I'm as devout as any Catholic but to go to that extent, thats a bit extreme."

Now...getting beyond that you could take this as an indication of spiritual depth of the person questioning...so put that aside for a minute or two and consider the question objectively. How "Catholic" are we to put study, energy and time into this, ahem "hobby"? I dont see this as fanatical or extreme, and yet my first inclination is to respond citing the convenience of this technology and using it for Evangelization, but thats just a thread in the cloth here. Its a discovery process, growing a community of believers, etc.

You?

Jillians Gift

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 5 Nov 2008 18:49:00 -0800

My 10 year old daughter, Jill, and I have committed to play a musical duet in her School "Talent Show" tomorrow night. She plays Clarinet and I play Bass, and we've been rehearsing every other night for 2 weeks.

So there we are trying to nail this piece tonight and during a rest she volunteers the following:

J - I know why you have me doing this...(she means playing the Clarinet in general)

D - why Jill?

J - Because you want me to be a musician like you (smiling)

D - Your right...do you know why?...because making music can be life changing...

J - Yeah...it makes it like, easy to express, like, feelings and stuff

D - you are "getting it" aren't you?

J - (She interrupts excitedly) I know I know ! Dad...sometimes when you play certain kinds of music...and I hear certain sounds...I feel like I can do the impossible...like I can do Anything!

I then told Jill she has the "Gift" with the following true story:

When I was in 7th grade my Dad told me (not asked) that I should try out for the Marching band in Junior High School. Intimidated, I reluctantly selected the Trombone and began playing 2 hours a day. See...my Dad was at one time in his life a working Jazz musician. He played in the 40's after WWII in Chicago and NY City in the trumpet section of the Big Bands. Among the horn sections of the Dorsey Brothers and Woody Herman. After 5 years of that he had to "get a real job" when he married my Mom, he said, and never picked up the horn again. But he filled my childhood household with music and exposed me to the entire range of Classical, Jazz, Opera, Blues and popular music growing up. One day when I was 10 or 11, he took me to a Big Band concert, just me and him. It was in the basement lounge of a Hotel here locally in 1970. We stood for 2 hours against the back concrete wall of this lounge while Count Basie and his Orchestra pounded us with Jazz, Bop and Swing. I was penetrated by a flood of sensations I had never before experienced. I asked my Dad on the way home, "is it normal to have goosebumps from the music, I could feel it all over me?"

He replied...you have the Gift, son.

About a 3 years later I ran in from school after a Marching Band rehearsal and told him...

"Its E flat minor Dad! That goose bump chord is E flat minor...does it to me every time!"

He just smiled.

Imagine what it feels like to have the same thing happen to my daughter and me some 38 years later.

whew.

A Prayer to my Mom

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 2 Nov 2008 16:55:00 -0800

Thanks Mom.

Thanks for dragging my whining little 4 year old butt to Catholic Church and making me go thereafter "even if Dad stayed home".

Thanks for grabbing my hands, folding them in reverential prayer and whispering the Creed, the Lords Prayer and the Hail Mary in my ear.

And for making me kneel, when I thought it was the most excruciating torture imaginable,

And for marching me down the aisle every Sunday to get my head crossed and patted by that "dusty old Priest".

For making me stop doodling during the whole atrocious Latin filibuster, Sunday after Sunday after Sunday.

For making me try to outsing that massive scary Mack Truck of a Pipe organ.

For putting me in Catholic Grade school with those fierce Disciplinary Nuns wielding the power of God against all who chewed gum in class.

For exposing me to the most beautiful Liturgy on the planet.

For planting the seed of Catholic truth as best you could, given my constant belligerence, even if the roots took 30 years to stick.

For loving me long enough and deep enough to never let go of me.

I know you know all this but I have to say it.

Thanks Mom.

Love,

Your Son.

Priests land Sony/BMG Record Contract

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:08:00 -0700

How cool is this:

NEW YORK (CNN) -- You could call them New Clergymen on the Block: three Roman Catholic priests from Northern Ireland who on occasion swap their rosary beads for microphones and their parishes for studio time.
The Priests' debut CD -- part of a major record deal -- includes versions of spiritual songs and Irish tunes.

The Priests' debut CD -- part of a major record deal -- includes versions of spiritual songs and Irish tunes.

Fathers Eugene O'Hagan and Martin O'Hagan, who are brothers, and David Delargy have been in the priesthood for some 20 years. But they've been singing together since their early teens.

In February they recorded a demo in Belfast which they sent off -- as Eugene O'Hagan puts it -- to "the powers that be." Sony BMG responded almost instantly with a very nice offering indeed, a record deal reportedly to the tune of somewhere north of $2 million.

The Priests' debut album will be released on November 18 and was produced by Mike Hedges, known for his work with U2 and -- ironically -- Manic Street Preachers (who, of course, are not clergy but punky Welshmen). Some recording took place in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, and the priests maintain they'd like some of the profits from their music endeavors donated to a charity of their choice.

These priests aren't metalheads; you won't find "Stairway to Heaven" or "Highway to Hell" in the Priests' repertoire. Rather, you'll hear their spine-tingling harmonies applied to spiritual songs like "Panis Angelicus" and "Ave Maria," as well as some traditional Irish tunes.

If that doesn't sound hip enough, know that all three clergymen own iPods (two admit to using BlackBerries). And Delargy claims that the first album he ever bought was Blondie's "Parallel Lines."

The Priests caught up with CNN while on a quick trip to New York and talked about balancing their newfound fame with the church.

CNN: How do you manage your priestly duties while embarking on a recording career?

Martin O'Hagan: It's tricky. It's like spinning plates in many respects. We do have in the contract a specific indication that our duties in the parish won't be in any way compromised and we're delighted about that, and most grateful.

CNN: Is it fair to say you consider yourselves priests first and musicians second?
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Eugene O'Hagan: Well, we've always been singing, even before we became priests. So in a sense entering into the musical life of the church has brought us into priesthood. It's a happy fusion of two gifts, really -- priesthood and music.

CNN: How did you enjoy the recording process?

Eugene O'Hagan: It's been hard work. It's been tough work. We've never worked with "cans" (headphones) before. And the whole technological side of recording has been an eye-opener. And for those of us who have never been exposed to that kind of technological world and the advances of science and mixing and recording, it's been a really fantastic experience.

CNN: Which of you has the biggest rock star attitude?

(The three priests point to each other and laugh.)

CNN: Well, what's it like getting all this attention?

Eugene O'Hagan: Well, it's unusual, needless to say. I suppose all priests are at the center of their communities and parishes. We are used to being in the public eye, especially on a Sunday morning or when you're celebrating maybe a wedding or [at] a funeral, a baptism. So that has helped us maybe cope with the growing interest and media interest and what we do and what we sing and who we are.

CNN: Do you expect to offer help to wayward musicians?

David Delargy: Well, we wouldn't be setting out to be the answer to people's needs in that respect. But it's interesting that in the course of the work we've been doing through this recording, we have met people who come from different backgrounds, people who have faith, some people who have no faith, some people who are searching. Other people who have various dilemmas they're working through in their own lives. And perhaps there may be an opportunity just through ordinary interaction and contact to do a little bit of good, but certainly we aren't setting out with that in mind.
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CNN: Is there going to be a tour?

Eugene O'Hagan: At the moment it's hard to see into the future in that respect, but I'd imagine that all three of us would certainly like to do that. And whatever's practically possible we'll certainly consider.

Archeologists report finding oldest Hebrew Text

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:46:00 -0700

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Archaeologists in Israel said on Thursday they had unearthed the oldest Hebrew text ever found, while excavating a fortress city overlooking a valley where the Bible says David slew Goliath.

Experts have not yet been able to decipher fully the five lines of text written in black ink on a shard of pottery dug up at a five-acre (two-hectare) archaeological site called Elah Fortress, or Khirbet Qeiyafa.

The Bible says David, later to become the famed Jewish king, killed Goliath, a Philistine warrior, in a battle in the Valley of Elah, now the site of wineries and an Israeli satellite station.

Archaeologists at Hebrew University said carbon dating of artifacts found at the fortress site, about 20 km (12 miles) southwest of Jerusalem, indicate the Hebrew inscription was written some 3,000 years ago, predating the Dead Sea Scrolls by 1,000 years.

They have been able to make out some of its words, including "judge," "slave" and "king."

Yosef Garfinkel, the lead archaeologist at the site, said the findings could shed significant light on the period of King David's rule over the Israelites.

"The chronology and geography of Khirbet Qeiyafa create a unique meeting point between the mythology, history, historiography and archaeology of King David," Garfinkel said.

(Writing by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Sami Aboudi)

Catholic Answers Voters Guide to be in USA TODAY

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:05:00 -0700

Huge applause for Karl Keating and all who supported C.A. in getting their Voters Guide as a Full Page ad in the USA Today on Oct. 30th, 2008.

Catholic Carnival #196 is up

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:32:00 -0700

This weeks Carnival can be found here.
-Peace

Voting Obligation Revisited

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:18:00 -0700

How self-righteous would I be to make a conscious decision to avoid a scriptural instruction?

I read a friends Blog about not voting for President, specifically due to the precarious and morally flawed Candidates put in front of us. I pondered his post and logic for a good week, and while I have met others (RC and Protestants) who are taking the same position, and I myself cannot intellectually embrace either Candidate fully, I have to vote.

It is a scriptural instruction from Christ.

Whether its a perceived forgone conclusion or not...futile or not...best of 2 evils or not.

I am 99.999% with his feeling on both candidates, truly, we are in sync...except for the voting part. I sincerely believe the intentional "act" of voting in accordance with your developed Catholic or Christian Conscience, in any best case or worst case scenario, is deserving of merit.

Look at last Sundays reading from Mt 22:21 = "....Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."

In context, when amplified, He is telling us to perform our Citizenship obligations, period. And perform our Holy Obligations, period.

Nothing less.

Do you think that the last 4 Sunday Gospel Readings, (all of them were Jesus narrated Parables/Analogies), are "coincidentally" aligned with this Election decision process? I don't. I see the Fairness doctrine, Social responsibility of Exodus and Thes., and Christs instructions to carry out our moral and political duties in all of those scriptures as immaculately timed prior to this Election event. Imperfect candidates are no excuse for avoiding the obligation for me, (although it is convenient, I must admit).

The Security Zone of Matthew 6

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:55:00 -0700

I remain in perpetual amazement of how densely packed the first few pages of Matthew is with soul food. While in Ch. 5 the Sermon on the Mount begins with all its gravity, then 6:9 giving us the Our Father prayer instruction... its Matthew 6:25-34 that feeds me the staple of security to be discovered in the Word, Jesus and the Father.

Imagine the wind of freedom felt by the disciples as these words penetrated:

"...27 and which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life (or to his stature)..."

Here is God made man, conveying how to live entirely fearless, by following his word. Ch 5 through 7 has more spiritual tools than any human can perfect...yet we get a glimpse, a flash of the gift of attainable joy from this obedience. The Father in his will choosing to support us in every way an earthly Father must and more, by articulating loud and clear....follow Him and be not afraid. Is there a price? Only a perceived one. It is, in all actuality, how we were made to live, once our Conscience is formed and refined.

A Protestant Pastors Self Deception

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:01:00 -0700

So, the a-C has a weekly 9-hole evening golf outing on a weeknight during the summer. He covertly pairs me with a man who I will refer to as "Pastor Smith". I thought "this ought to be interesting...."

After some small talk through the first hole, I find out this man was a practicing Attorney for 20 some years and now moonlights as an Assistant Pastor at an Evangelical Bible Church. Once I let that sink in, I knew what territory to cover in discussing theology with him.

I asked him what denomination he was a part of and got no answer...no eye contact. He seemed a bit agitated so I volunteered I was Catholic. Here's how it went from there:

PS - That's nice....
CJ - So whats your view of Catholicism Pastor?
PS - Are you a practicing Catholic?
CJ - Fully...and so is my entire family.
PS - Its fundamentally flawed.
CJ - Hows that?
PS - Well, there is so much reliance on extra-biblical material...
CJ - Like what?
PS - Mary.
CJ - Mary is extra- biblical?
PS - I mean the rituals performed and worship of things that are stated in the bible emphatically NOT to be worshipped.
CJ - Counselor...have you ever been to a Catholic Mass?
PS - Uh, yea long time ago
CJ - Probably celebrated in Latin...eh? Counselor, have you any witness evidence or testimony from Catholics that we worship things that are extra-biblical?
PS - Its rather obvious isn't it?
CJ - That would be no...in fact every Mass I attended in the last few years of recent memory, Mary's name is stated liturgically only once...in the Creed compared to Jesus who is named or referred to over 30 times.
PS - You cant tell me Catholics don't worship Mary...
CJ - I certainly can...unless Counselor you are clairvoyant of other Christians motives of prayer.
PS - Praying is Worship.
CJ - If that's true...that would limit our ability to be justified, Counselor, if all we could convey to our Savior is worship. So your evidence to support Catholics worship of Mary is visual. Have you heard the words of a Catholic in prayer stating "we worship you Mary"?
PS - Its implied.
CJ - You have a weak case here Counselor.

I stopped pushing hard at that point and allowed the golf to dominate our conversation. He did not return to any religious talk from that point on. I imagine my taking the courtroom approach for case building lead to a more adversarial and less ecumenical mood. My motive for that was driven by knowing this Pastors Church hands out Anti-Catholic attack literature by James McCarthy. Hope he has more to think about at a minimum.

We Interupt this Blogcast #3

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 3 Oct 2008 07:04:00 -0700

This Blog has little political content, while I do follow the state of our political and economic planet, the personal context of Catholicism and Life is pre-dominant here.

Unless both subjects cannot avoid each other effectively. Enter Robert Baer.

I heard this interview on NPR’s Fresh Air this morning and understood his non-partisan insight and potential prediction of the reality of what may effect our American lives in and after the November Election, regarding Mid-East Oil, Energy, Credit, Isreal and Palestine.

While I see one Presidential Candidate advocating straight diplomacy with Iran, and anothers cautioning that would be courting the insane, Ex CIA operative Robert Baer lays out why the U.S. needs to sit down with our enemies, or potential enemies, and hear the signals of their intent inside their messages of deception. Or, if not, listen to our recent intelligence on Irans plan to dominate the mid-east and why we know it. While no one is 100% right on this complex situation, I believe Robert Baer has a warning and strategy and multiple scenarios of the future that are all dependant on this mid-east pivotal country of Iran. Whether or not the U.S. views this reality though Isreals lens of understanding, this issue is volatile enough to be a priority of Diplomacy or Intelligence or both. Check out the interview.

Catholic Carnival #192

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 2 Oct 2008 11:58:00 -0700

Here.

Check it out...lots of providential conversion themes this week.

Fear of God

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:31:00 -0700

The barometric measurement I am commonly bumping into with Calvinist Protestants lately is this seeming infatuation with examining every other "believers" Fear of God level. It comes quite strikingly at times. An emphasis on working out ones Salvation with "Fear and Trembling" (Phil 2:12) is made and one is approached with a skeptical glare, as if we should be walking around in an anxious sweat, and if no fear is visible, we are Judged NOT to be Saved by said Protestant. This, sort of, Internal Affairs Bureau (Rat Squad) mentality is virtually identical in many Calvinist Protestants I know. I can understand not wanting to commiserate with the enemy (or a mistakenly mis-identified enemy) but the whole spiritual body scan act is completely not what Jesus would do.

Having a developed belief system in our (human) being, of a God, that motivates our life through Servile fear is not Biblical. To fathom that a follower would emulate the love of Christ so that a lack of punishment is the reward is a spiritual contradiction. This Servile fear is essentially a motive trigger. Believing in Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit in order to NOT suffer fire and brimstone, may produce an initial turn away from sin, but sustaining such a fear as the foundational basis of our belief is archaic and pagan at best. It is however one first step available to work out or form a faith of Salvation, that is tied to Sacred Scripture.

Once I experienced Filial fear of God, that fear of hurting and offending a God who loves me, I began to comprehend the context and reality of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and get my first real glimpse of the incomprehensible magnitude of Gods grace for his children. Without the First Gift....Filial Fear, none of the other Seven gifts are possible for us. Those gifts of Piety, Fortitude, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom are all based on and tied to our committed love (filial fear) for Him and are a result of those "works" which he places in us through grace. When I am able to discern that I have to make a decision or act that may have a consequence of Sin, and I consciously turn away from it because I know I would hurt my God that loves me, I am revealing a work of God in me.

I have run into a few Protestants who fully recognise Filial fear, and live it out...the a-C is one of them. He/they have a well formed Conscience and practice their truth which is, in my experience, compatible Universal truth. They are far more Catholic than they would ever admit ...and I quietly smile when I notice this and think "maybe someday they will come home".

Kingdom of Heaven

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:14:00 -0700

Last Sundays Gospel Reading, and our Parish Fathers Homily about this parable, was significant and I am compelled to publish it here. I have been meditating this understanding frequently since then.

First the reading:

Mt 20:1-16a

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

If we insist on legalistic results from God for our own life, that being... compensation measured by merited effort, then we are taking Mercy off the table from God for us. If we insist that God "play fair" on our limited human level of justice, then we are insisting he never grant us more than we deserve, which is the definition of Divine Mercy. Gods "generosity" transcends our own human equivalent, it has to.

The last three lines are exponentially revealing. Are we envious of Gods ability? Do we "box" God into what we believe "just reward" is in an earthly meaning? Sure we do.

The last will be first is a repeated lesson fom Christ Jesus in other Gospels and provides an example to follow once again in multiple ways. In this stated parable as a description of the "Kingdom of Heaven", Jesus clues us into a new reality of "fairness" to be experienced now.

Catholic Carnival #190

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:37:00 -0700

Is posted here, have a read or three!

Mother Angelica Rocks Marian Apologetics

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:14:00 -0700

I am watching a rerun of EWTN's "Journey Home" 4th anniversary show, where Marcus Grodi and his network CEO Mother Angelica are talking spirituality, about 20 minutes in, Mother pours out an epic take on our holding of Mary, Mother of God (transcribed from the show itself):

Marcus (MG) : "Protestants say 'Why do you worship Mary, why do you pray to Mary rather than Jesus?"

Mother Angelica (MA) : "Well the misunderstanding is we dont worship Mary. We can only worship God, our Lady herself can only worship God. The problem is twofold, its human and its satanic (read "Enemy"). I am not blaming anyone who doesn't believe in Mary, as having a problem with the 'Enemy'. But I think he (God) does inspire us with common sense instead of spiritual sense. Our Lord himself says in the Commandments 'you have to honor your mother and your father'. When we speak of God and then we speak of the Father, designing that his eternal word would become man, he had to create someone special. Specially beautiful and Holy, not only without sin at conception. (Pause)

This is what amazes me....how could anyone think, that even for a split instant, the Son of God would be in possession of his Enemy?

That just doesn't make any sense to say that the birth of our Lady was natural. (to say) Its really Josephs son, etc.... Because we don't understand how it happened, we say it didn't happen.

But that's a lack of humility on our part. You cant know and understand God. So when you say (Mary was not free from sin) you're accusing God of not following his own Commandments, He honored his Mother.

And they (Protestants) always bring up the Wedding at Cana, it always burns me up. (MG laughs) 'Whats is it to you and to me'...ok...well...he asked her to say fiat to his coming. We don't think of what might have happened if she said no. Her fiat brought him, and it was her fiat that had to begin His 3 years of Miracles and Ministry. That's why he said to her :

'What is it to you in me?'

In other words, (Jesus said) 'You're going to start my Passion, you're going to begin now, you know what you are doing?...you're going to begin my public ministry...you brought me here, and now you are going to begin' So what is it? He wasn't correcting her, he was reminding her what is it. She knew immediately, she responded as always 'Do whatever He tells you'. Otherwise it don't make any sense. If I say 'What is that to you?' you would have to say what it is. See...and that's why we have to love our Lady.......remember she stood at the foot of the Cross.

...so she began, she said fiat, she said 'Do whatever he tells you.' She stood, STOOD...now that word stood is not just another word indicating a position, it indicated her own position as Mother of God which means she too added her terrible pain with her Son. And St. Paul says that, every good Protestant knows that..." (end of transcript)

The pure logic of the scripture, to refute the virginity and sinless purity of Mary would be agreeing that the Son of God was in possession of his Enemy, and in violation of his own Commandment "Honor thy Mother..."

Immaculate evidence indeed.

We Interupt this Blogcast #2...

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:53:00 -0700

...to say, take a deep breath, watch and listen to what Gods gift of ten fingers can produce:

Notes from a Subculturist

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:10:00 -0700

How much fun is it, that is....chasing defense strategies for Mary's "Romanist" position?, or the crusades? or praying the rosary? Haven't we all seen enough spilled ink over these issues to fill a stadium already?

I read a pointed article on the subculture of Catholic Apologetics by Mark Shea that speaks well to this subject. While nearing the end of the article I found myself saying "hey...he's talking about me" (and Mr. Troutman, and Mr. Stellman and a few thousand other bloggers/writers).

Marks' take rings a Centrist bell in me that a balance of content, perspective and experience is essential in this quest for the Church's ultimate truth. Fanaticism is sometimes one post or email away for alot of us, myself included at times. I read volumes of no win fight tactics at the Catholic Answers Forums on occasion and cant help but shake my head and think...forget ecumenism, these people shed zero Catholic Light. Alas...I have been guilty of same.

Intellectualism, and perfecting a vocabulary of stunning effect is impactful, I must admit, I am impressed with the skills those on my Blog List possess, (and on their lists), but there is a time for balance and perspective and open minded pondering of all viewpoints.

Matt Maher was on "Life on the Rock" this past week and was pushed somewhat to point out his apologetic approach when put in that position (not musically). He was beautifully simple about it..."speak in their language, which is the language of relationships."

I am down with that.

So why bother? One could rightfully ween themselves off this Apologetic effort once the volume of already documented positions are counted. The sheer mass of counterpoints that have been published and spoken and recorded and read and regurgitated in book upon article upon tract upon blog should be enough to have the entire planet at Mass on Sunday five hundred years ago. Aren't we all so derivative? Don't get me wrong...I am in for the long haul. And that's one of the primaries I keep this up.

Here's the thing....Someday, Karl and Scott and Jimmy and Patrick and Mark Shea and the rest of the first wave of Catholic Apologists will need us to take up their song harmoniously. Another primary motivating factor is the amazing way apologetics force us to explore the depths of Christ and what he left for us....all of it. The more I discover, not just Catechetically, but from all these other humans' viewpoints, the more the depth becomes, exponentially. The beauty is immersive. The knowledge to be attained is vast.

Tip of the berg indeed.

Besides, if we all had Catholic "buy in", what would we podcast and blog about? Pizza?

Not much fun in a Pizza blog.

Christs "Family"...a Calvinist perspective

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:55:00 -0700

The a-C writes a position as follows which I post here in fairness, exactly as he wrote it and with no response from me yet. While I do what he proposes, and take my time to consider and examine this perspective, I ask the readers to do the same and feel free to comment in advance of a formal response by me. Combox is wide open.

(a-C writes)
I put a lot of time into this, take your time and chew on it

Mary’s Christocentric biblical position…I am sorry, but that is such and incredible attribute to esteem to someone. Is she the only one that has this attribute? Are there others who are Christocentric? Has this same quality been identified in others. I will explain the text of John as the author intended, above all you and I must agree that irrespective of anybodies thoughts on anything, we always go to the intent of the scripture and interpret what the writer conveyed and see how all of scripture establishes this. To say that John intended to convey that Mary is Christocentric is simply not there. If this is all it takes to establish such a doctrine, well then, employing such techniques renders the establishment of doctrine to be nearly limitless. Mary said to the servent, do what ever he says…that establishes something about Mary? I am not being cynical, this is a reality. You must agree with this! To take a mere conversation and exchange between Mary and some servents at a wedding and infer that this establishes anything about Mary is simply beyond me.

The purpose of John is

John 20:30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Similarly, the opening renders its same objective

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The reality is that John’s conveyance of the personification of onlys as they pertain to Jesus are innumerable and solely pointed to the Lord

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The writer of John says his intent of writing is to convey that Jesus is God….that belief in Jesus Christ results in a supernatural Birth that is the only means of entering the Kingdom of God (this in and of itself refutes most all of papal doctrine about the means that Catholicism establishes…but I will ignore that for now, difficult as that is).

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the word (logos in the greek mean word and is referring to the person of Jesus Christ) and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God, all things that were made were made by him, and nothing that was made was made apart from him. Christ had no beginning, he had no mother who created him, he existed prior to the foundation of the World and made every single thing in the universe according to John.

Then he shows how John the Baptist was sent by God to be a messenger …… Jesus esteemed John above all other men (and women including Mary) when he said among man, there has never been one greater…this was the person that the Gospel writers revealed the quality that he must decrease and that his ministry was complete as he desired to see the Lord Jesus Christ alone magnified. That is the heart of the doctrine that equally refutes all this trash of praying to saints or Mary or dead popes or any such notion of anyone contributing to the work of Christ. It is singular!

The fact that Mary instructed the servents at the wedding is revealing about Mary. But look at the Lord’s response to her preceding, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." Mary was anticipating something of the Lord, she knew that something was different, but she clearly did not understand how his ministry would play out. This is evidenced by the reality that none of her children, none of the Lord’s brothers and sisters believed in the Lord Jesus Christ until after his death! They did not understand. The author John also includes insight as to how ordinary the people thought Jesus was in that the knew how ordinary his family was. This rebuke evidences her involvement was so unconnected to the Lord, that she was rebuked for even speakin about the ability to perform miracles. his rebuking of her involvement in thinking that. John further makes it clear that the people were astounded that Jesus was able to do things as he did yet his father and his mother were astounded that his parents (and family for that matter, were extraordinarily ordinary John 6: 42 And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?" If John intended for something about Mary to be conveyed, wouldn’t the Lord have used this opportunity to demonstrate a Christocentric quality about Mary and let her perform the miracle apart from him?

Mary never performed any miracle, never spoke the gospel in the book of acts and never had any role at all subsequent to Jesus departure, never shared scripture with anyone, never was esteemed with teaching Jesus anything, never wrote any scripture (nor did any other woman). never was the object of the Jeruselum council in Acts 15, is not anywhere in the marriage feast of the lamb in Revelation, is not in any way to be deemed to be anything other than a sinner in need of God’s grace in the same way that you and I are. She is not mentioned anywhere in the epistles, no explanation about her supposed intercession, her co-redemtrix, or any such thing what so ever. My friend showed me the Catholic church bulletin and asked how a quote from Luke (I think, don’t have it in front of me) establishes a position about Mary. He read the scripture and said, this does not even speak to this subject. He has grown in biblical discernment as he has now the ability to explain how 8 consecutive chapters of Romans fits like a glove and is overwhelmed when he hears someone explain something with the contents of Romans that is completely outside any scope or intent of what the Holy Spirit spoke thru Paul. The same can be said about John’s Gospel. He stated his intent builds it, concludes with it, and clearly establishes it.

John not only does not esteem any such attribute to Mary, he continues to make it extraordinarily clear that Mary was earthly ordinary and following his departure made it clear that it was John’s responsibility to care for her after the Lord’s departure. John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" That again reveals that the Lords appointment to John to care for his mother was a responsibility that was needed to be done and that the danger that those of the way of Christ faced was imminent. His brothers were not around, likely they were in fear for their lives and did not believe in Jesus at this point. Mary could not even care for herself such that the Lord charged Jesus with the need to care for him to which he did according to John 19:27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own [home.] as the Lord commanded him.

John did not in any way esteem Mary as Christocentric…In Fact that term is not even in the Bible as one might infer it to another person. To the contrary John portrayed her as a woman who was addressed in ordinary terms…woman what does this have to do with me…woman your son….she needed to be cared for, not prayed to at the hour of his death….John did not do any such thing. And to esteem that from these words is beyond incredulous of any person trying to teach such a quality…their condemnation is just.

If you would like to examine Luke’s writing I would be more than happy, first though you must answer the question…am I seen by you as faithfully conveying the biblical intent of John?

CJ Podcast # 003 is up

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 21:16:00 -0700

CJ Podcast 003 is here.

Conscience

Whats to come on this Blog....

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 19:13:00 -0700

No Abdication here

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 09:43:00 -0700

Back to the a-C's request that I go line by line IE.:

"GO POINT BY POINT AND TELL ME THAT THIS IS NOT DISHONORNING AND AGAINST SCRIPTURES IN WHAT I SAID....WHAT BIBLICAL SUPPORT IS THERE FOR ANY OF THESE THINGS ………………………….. I WILL NOT IGNORE THEM…FULL OF GRACE IS ALL THAT YOU HAVE CONVEYED AND YOU HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS STEPHEN OR JOHN THE BAPTIST…NONE HAVE BEEN IGNORED"

JP3 claimed that Mary was his savior when he was shot, his view of Mary is far and above that of simply a departed Saint, she was actively involved in his life and responsible for aspects of his life….She was responsible for his protection, she was responsible for saving his life….He wore her initials on his clothes and so on and so on.

First, his acronym is JP2 not 3.
Second, the fact that I wear a "Fender" logo on my shirt does not mean I worship Fender. It can be said, as you say above, JP2 is a big Fan of Mary. There is nothing in Canon prohibiting anyone, even Peter's successor, from having a tatoo of Mary on his forehead. It does not dishonor or disrespect, just as wearing a Fender shirt does not disrespect Fender.

What Catholics do with Mary is wrong…I don’t have to defend it against your definition of worship. The reality is that it is wrong. Wether you call them worship or not is ridiculous…to say that I don’t understand why Catholics do what -they do is ridiculous…but even more decieiving is to laugh and say….see,,,,,I told you this Is not worship is silly….what ever name you give these is blasphemous against scripture.

What we have discussed, on many occasions, must not have been clear enough. In our conversations your assumed emphasis on the attention Mary receives is far greater than the level of attention most practicing Catholics pay in real life. I nor any Catholic I know, including Priests, Deacons and Catechists dont walk around with a constant adoration and mental vision of Mary. Your emphasis greatly exagerates the proportional amount of attention Mary actually receives in the daily life of a Catholic in general in my experience. In fact, to try and convey this with absolute clarity, Mary is hardly mentioned in the Mass on a regular basis. Its all about Christ.

What Catholics do with Mary is engage her closeness to Christ. All aspects of Mary point to Christ. Everything about Mary is Christocentric. Look at the Wedding feast at Cana in John 3:5 she says "Do whatever He tells you". She said herself in the Gospel of Luke 1:46 "My soul magnifies the Lord".

Her singular role as virgin Mother is engaged via prayer to get results with Christ. JP2 must have gotten results with her engagement/intercession and advocates doing this by wearing her insignia. What is essentially important to address is a distinct difference between Worship and Honor that must be understood. When anyone prays to God, they attach "latria" to this communication. Latria is sacrificial in character, and may be offered only to God. Catholics offer other degrees of reverence to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Saints; these non-sacrificial types of reverence are called Hyperdulia and Dulia, respectively. Hyperdulia is essentially a heightened degree of dulia provided only to the Blessed Virgin. This distinction, written about as early as Augustine of Hippo and St Jerome, was detailed more explicitly by Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae, A.D. 1270, II II, 84, 1: "Reverence is due to God on account of His Excellence, which is communicated to certain creatures not in equal measure, but according to a measure of proportion; and so the reverence which we pay to God, and which belongs to latria, differs from the reverence which we pay to certain excellent creatures; this belongs to dulia, and we shall speak of it further on (II II 103 3)"; in this next article St. Thomas Aquinas writes: "Wherefore dulia, which pays due service to a human lord, is a distinct virtue from latria, which pays due service to the Lordship of God. It is, moreover, a species of observance, because by observance we honor all those who excel in dignity, while dulia properly speaking is the reverence of servants for their master, dulia being the Greek for servitude." From St. Thomas it is apparent that a clear distinction exists among latria and forms of dulia within Catholic theology.

True practicing Catholics know the difference. When a non-Catholic attempts to blur the Worship radar screen with what he sees on the outside, not knowing what is on the inside of said Catholic, thats subterfuge.

We don’t need someone to intercede for us

We agree here. Essential it is not, however it is biblical as stated in Rev. 5:8, thus: "And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" There are accounts as the benefit of praying to Saints. One either accepts this or does not accept it. What one cannot do is read it, then ignore the content and twist it beyond its intent.

God does not need assistants to bring our requests to him

Even if he did, scripture does not distinguish assistants.

Scripture does as stated above and in Mark 12:26-27, your assertion of the term assistants is not relevant.

Full of Grace is used of other in scripture

Correct but not to the exclusion of Mary.

No one participated in our atonement NO ONE>>>>>>FOR HE MADE HIM WHO KNEW NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM

NOT IN THEM!

We don’t need one to pray for us at the hour of our death (at the instant of death believers go to heaven to be with the Lord (2 Thes) why do I need her to pray for me….

This is repetitive, the "need" may not be there, but the benefit is historically validated by thousands.

deceived Roman Catholics do not go to purgatory, they perish in hell eternally, Mary praying will be of no avail.

Scripture makes reference to Purgatory as a place of cleansing for those believers who are in Christs Grace but who are not sinless enough for admission through the narrow gate:

"Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny" (Matt. 5:25-26).

"Each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Cor. 3:13-15).

These passages mark plainly the path which Purgation shall take place.

We don’t pray in vein repetition TO GOD OR TO ANYONE

You must be referring to Matthew 6:7–8. "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Jesus says explicitly that we should not "heap up empty phrases." You may be aware that the word battalogeo is used only once in the New Testament: here in Matthew 6:7. It seems to be a word of special importance. It also can be translated "to babble on" or "to repeat endlessly." You would also logically ask if praying the Hail Mary is not a vain repetition.
Don't stop at the end of verse 8. In verse 9, Jesus says explicitly, "Pray then like this." He then goes on to teach us to pray the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father). If Jesus was against standardized prayers, why did he give us one to pray? And I presume you would agree that he wanted us to pray this on many occasions.

In addition, not all repetition is vain. Consider the prayers spoken of in Revelation 4:8 offered day and night without ceasing: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" Another repetitious prayer pleasing to God is contained in Psalm 136: "For his steadfast love endures for ever." This phrase is repeated over twenty-five times. Finally, Matthew 26:44 tells us that Jesus himself prayed the same prayer three times in the garden in Gethsemane.

Statues and images of Mary are bowed down to around the world and prayers are offered to her directly...Idols are sold by the millions every year with her as a pendant on woman

It isnt that hard to come to an understanding that we mortal humans are limited in our expression of spirit. Showing reverence for any Holy symbolic statue, image or material thing when it is done with intent to acknowledge the supreme reverence of God is based in respect. One should have a compassionate and loving heart to comprehend that the things put in Gods House are for the purpose of glorifying Him.

Mary was a servant of God to bring about the fulfillment of our Mesiah…John the Baptist was declared to be above all other Men…let’s carve a statue to him and light candles and pray to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! while were at it, think of the take if we make one’s for money boxes and kneeling to all the popes….Oh I guess my thoughts are old news…that is what the Vatican did

Now you're getting sarcastic...no comment.

Blessed Mary's Interpreter is a Protestant

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:55:00 -0700

This post is uncategorized as by now you can view how the a-C degrades into generalizing Catholicism across the spectrum of perceived issues. Can you imagine, attempting seriously, with firm conscience to Form a Catholic Faith practice while having a Fundamentalist aggressively attack your faith like this:

(a-C writes):

JP3 claimed that Mary was his savior when he was shot, his view of Mary is far and above that of simply a departed Saint, she was actively involved in his life and responsible for aspects of his life….She was responsible for his protection, she was responsible for saving his life….He wore her initials on his clothes and so on and so on.

What Catholics do with Mary is wrong…I don’t have to defend it against your definition of worship. The reality is that it is wrong. Wether you call them worship or not is ridiculous…to say that I don’t understand why Catholics do what -they do is ridiculous…but even more decieiving is to laugh and say….see,,,,,I told you this Is not worship is silly….what ever name you give these is blasphemous against scripture.

We don’t need someone to intercede for us

God does not need assistants to bring our requests to him

Even if he did, scripture does not distinguish assistants.

Full of Grace is used of other in scripture

No one participated in our atonement NO ONE>>>>>>FOR HE MADE HIM WHO KNEW NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM

NOT IN THEM!

We don’t need one to pray for us at the hour of our death (at the instant of death believers go to heaven to be with the Lord (2 Thes) why do I need her to pray for me….deceived Roman Catholics do not go to purgatory, they perish in hell eternally, Mary praying will be of no avail)

We don’t pray in vein repetition TO GOD OR TO ANYONE

Statues and images of Mary are bowed down to around the world and prayers are offered to her directly

Idols are sold by the millions every year with her as a pendant on woman

Mary was a servant of God to bring about the fulfillment of our Mesiah…John the Baptist was declared to be above all other Men…let’s carve a statue to him and light candles and pray to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! while were at it, think of the take if we make one’s for money boxes and kneeling to all the popes….Oh I guess my thoughts are old news…that is what the Vatican did

You think it intellectual to ignore the substance of what is said and hang on a term and its definition that this is not defined as this term or that term and declare that one is misinformed and that the activity is not actually this term or that term…who cares what term you call it…..term it what you will, it is misleading and leading people down a path that is wrong….sounds like the boys are at it as well with the murders of the inquisition

Mary would detest what Catholocism does with her…God would do the same to Catholics he did with the apostles when Peter asked our Lord at the transfiguration if they should build a memorial to Moses or Elijah………………God thundered from Heaven and declared…this is my beloved son LISTEN TO HIM

I really have no agenda but to study the word with you, as the bible calls me to teach faithful men who will teach others also…to that end I extend myself to you.

-a-C

Dave responds:

You have Disrespect for the Mother of God?
Good Luck with that my friend, let me know how that works out for you.

Its unfortunate that you keep insisting on putting words in other peoples mouths, like:

"You think it intellectual to ignore the substance of what is said...."
Thats incorrect. You cannot assert your speculation into others minds.

"Mary would detest what Catholocism does with her…"
Now you are saying you are clairvoyant and have communicated with Mary and know her feelings about Catholicism? Quite pompous.

"I really have no agenda but to study the word with you,"
Thats not how you come across below now...is it?

It is you that are esteeming yourself as all knowing about Catholicism and when I reveal Biblical reference for each questioned doctrine (IE. you say "…who cares what term you call it") you twist the meaning into what it is not or get all emotional and avoid the meaning altogether.

I cant find any value in your dictatorial approach to your interpretation of the Word. As I have asked you before but you ignored, there is no balance with you. I have read Sprouls, Johnny MacArthur, listened to over 100 hours of Allister Beggs preaching (at your request) and find value and truth there, as well as the RCC. When I ask for your sincere effort on the RCC information I provide...You ignore the Catholic side of the information I bring to substantiate truth in the RCC teaching. No Balance. Its all about you.

As a successful Sales Executive, how would you think this ignorance of the biblical facts I present would ever lead me to listen to you when I have proven your perspective on the Catholic Faith to be misinformed?

-Dave

(a-C responds):

This is ridiculous

UNCLE

Just go line by line in the body of my email…say understood, I affirm or something…I spent the time to type it…what do you summarize as disrespectful

It does not do anygood to respond to a comment, but only say, putting words…that is exactly what you are doing here, I am not asserting anything in anothers mind…I can reason as to what is happening when one ignores the content of what is said and declares that the definition of a term is incorrect and misapplied…ARE ALL THESE ACTIVITIES THAT I HAVE SPELLED OUT DISHONORING…you don’t address them

The bible is clear Hebrews, acts, and many examples in Rev that it was clear that no one wanted to be the object of adiration…they pointed people to the Lord…I am not clarvoayant, I have said that scripture leads me to this

GO POINT BY POINT AND TELL ME THAT THIS IS NOT DISHONORNING AND AGAINST SCRIPTURES IN WHAT I SAID

IT is how I come across, and if you met to go thru scripture you THEN would be able to affirm that, but not from WHAT YOU THINK YOU READ INTO what I type…only that will reveal it.

What biblical facts have you GIVEN ON ANY OF THESE POINTS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NONE_____________))))))))))))))))))) SO IF NONE HAVE BENN GIVEN, NONE HAVE BEEN IGNORED…..WHAT BIBLICAL SUPPORT IS THERE FOR ANY OF THESE THINGS ………………………….. I WILL NOT IGNORE THEM…FULL OF GRACE IS ALL THAT YOU HAVE CONVEYED AND YOU HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS STEPHEN OR JOHN THE BAPTIST…NONE HAVE BEEN IGNORED
-a-C

I have given specific biblical support as documented here and sent to him....he ignores it or renames it as tradition even Rev. 12:1-6.
I have another line item specific summary and produced it here with restraint of repetition.

More Inquisition Madness

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:35:00 -0700

The a-C and I conversed (verbally) where I asked him to cite factually where the RCC or Pope or both instigated and caused a certain Christians execution. I told him I wasnt going to split hairs....that is....if the RCC is shown as a major supporter of such execution, and not held by the "State" to identify Heretics under duress, that would be sufficient for me to consider his broad view of the Crusades as Catholics being willfully aligned with Satan. See below for how the conversation continued and who may be on a path of historical truth.

(Dave writes to a-C):

William Tyndale was not executed by the Catholic Church or a Catholic at all. He published a criticism of the King and was held accountable for it:

" In 1530, he (Tyndale) wrote The Practyse of Prelates, opposing Henry VIII's divorce on the grounds that it was unscriptural and was a plot by Cardinal Wolsey to get Henry entangled in the papal courts. This resulted in the king's wrath being directed at him: he asked the emperor Charles V to have Tyndale apprehended and returned to England "

Where do get your eroneous info on this stuff?

-Dave

(a-C responds):

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ASKED THE KING TO PAY AN INDULGENCE TO THE CHURCH TO ALLOW FOR THE ANULEMENT OF THE MARRIAGE AND IT WAS ALL TIED INTO TOGETHER…YOU THINK YOURSELF TO HAVE RESEARCHED SOMEHTING WHEN YOU FIND SOMETHING TYPED BY YOUR CULT EXPLAINING AWAY AN ASPECT…YOU ARE DECEEIVE BY YOUR SELF DECEPTION OF WIT MY FRIEND….THIS DOES NOT A RESEARCHER MAKE, THE INQUISITION WAS NOTHING OF CATHOLICSIM I SUSPECT YOU WILL BE FULLY CONVINCED OF THAT BY SOME STRANGE DUDE IN A FUNNY COLLAR WITH A POMPAS ROBE….

UNCLE

YOU ARE BEYOND MY REACH

Your blood be on your own head, my warnings clear me my friend…turn from this incidious cult and trust in my Lord and my savior Jesus Christ

May our Lord bless you with understanding what he has revealed about himself in his infallible word of God…

-a-C

Dave responds:

I qouted a secular history encyclopedia, not a Catholic take or source or bent. Your take is false and should embarrass you. See how your Bias leads you to error? These are historical facts not Catholic Facts. Research is not opinion. Black and white facts.

There was no "indulgences paid" (such a thing has never been the official practice...its a myth)
See the bold below. Henry VIII sued for anulment based on an idea of a false papal bull, which was never granted, even though the Pope was a prisoner of Katherines Nephew.

"In 1525, Henry VIII became enamoured with Anne Boleyn, a maid-of-honour to the Queen, and began his pursuit of her.[3] By this time Katherine was not in a physical condition to undergo further pregnancies. Henry began to believe that his marriage was cursed and sought confirmation from the Bible, which says that if a man marries his brother's wife, the couple will be childless.[4] If she had lied when she said her marriage to Arthur had not been consummated, it meant that their marriage was wrong in the eyes of God. It is possible that the idea of annulment had suggested itself to the King much earlier than this, and it is highly probable that it was motivated by his desire for a male heir. Before Henry's father Henry VII ascended the throne, England had been beset by civil warfare over rival claims to the English crown and Henry may have wanted to avoid a similar uncertainty over the succession.[5]

It soon became the one absorbing object of the King's desires to secure an annulment.[6] He set his hopes upon a direct appeal to the Holy See, acting independently of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, to whom he at first communicated nothing of his plans. William Knight, the king's secretary, was sent to Pope Clement VII to sue for the annulment of the marriage, on the ground that the dispensing bull of Pope Julius II was obtained by false pretences.

As the pope was at that time the prisoner of Katherine's nephew, Emperor Charles V, Knight had some difficulty in obtaining access to him. In the end the king's envoy had to return without accomplishing much. Henry had now no choice but to put his great matter into the hands of Thomas Wolsey, and Wolsey did all he could to secure a decision in the King's favour.[7] How far the pope was influenced by Charles V in his resistance, it is difficult to say, but it is clear Henry saw that the Pope was unlikely to give him an annulment from the Emperor's aunt.[8] The pope forbade Henry to proceed to a new marriage before a decision was given in Rome . Wolsey had failed and he was dismissed from public office in 1529. He then began a secret plot to have Boleyn forced into exile and he began communication with Katherine and the Pope, to that end. When this was discovered, Henry ordered Wolsey's arrest and had it not been for his death from a terminal illness in 1530, he might have been executed for treason.[9] A year later, Katherine was banished from court and her old rooms were given to Boleyn. When Archbishop of Canterbury William Warham died, the Boleyn family's chaplain, Thomas Cranmer, was appointed to the vacant position.[10] In November 1531, Katherine wrote to her nephew: "My tribulations are so great, my life so disturbed by the plans daily invented to further the king's wicked intention, the surprises which the king gives me, with certain persons of his council, are so mortal, and my treatment is what God knows, that it is enough to shorten ten lives, much more mine".

-Dave

(a-C responds):

Myth

Perhaps I should obtain a $5,000 check paid by a friend of my brothers to obtain this anulement, would that correct your dilusion

Your understanding of catholocisms influence over all these matters and the matter of wealth and papal wealth associated with all of this stuff is not reflected here. I will be glad to forward you the proper perspective…but it goes back to what you were saying last night that you were hinting that you objected to, about the distance the church is from the government official…The church would have encouraged the king to put him to death in accordance with their standing…
-a-C

Did Calvin play a role in Servetus execution?

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:01:00 -0700

Karl Keating @ Catholic Answers has written that this is true. In my debate with the a-C on the instigation, culpability and guilt professed by Protestants that Catholics/Rome created Christian Martyrdom during the Crusades, I mailed the a-C the following summary of Calvins involvement published by one Reformist Encyclopedia (citation ^ John Marshall, John Locke, Toleration and Early Enlightenment Culture (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History), Cambridge University Press, 2006, ISBN 0-521-65114-X p. 325).

(Dave writes to a-C):
Servetus, a theologian and follower of Calvin and close personal friend of Calvin, was publishing non-trinitarian theology....John Calvin had him executed.

Heres an excerpt from a Reformist History encyclopedia from 1553:

When Calvin requested that Servetus be executed by decapitation rather than fire, Farel, in a letter of September 8, chided him for undue lenity, On 27 October 1553 Servetus was burned at the stake just outside Geneva with what was believed to be the last copy of his
book chained to his leg. Historians record his last words as: "Jesus, Son of the Eternal God, have mercy on me."[24]
The common view of the age, that heretics like Servetus should be subject to punishment, was explained by Calvin as follows:

" Whoever shall maintain that wrong is done to heretics and blasphemers in punishing them makes himself an accomplice in their crime and guilty as they are. There is no question here of man's authority; it is God who speaks, and clear it is what law he will have kept in the church, even to the end of the world. Wherefore does he demand of us a so extreme severity, if not to show us that due honor is not paid him, so long as we set not his service above every human consideration, so that we spare not kin, nor blood of any, and forget all humanity when the matter is to combat for His glory."

-Dave

(a-C responds):
Wow is that so off it is sad

When you have the time, this will be an incredible derivation from trusting in what is written in one source from another. Many good sources report the opposite and John’s own writings reveal the opposite.

John Calvin served this man day and night and was merely a witness called by the state….he was not the accuser, he was not the source of the condemnation, he was in fact a loving follower of Jesus Christ who availed his entire library and every resource he had to help Servetus to see the truth, he was overwhelmed with grief at his demise….

There are many villainizations in history. I have never read one quite more painted than this one.

Many professed evangelicals hate John Calvin and the doctrines of Grace…there could be many sources for this untruth, all are likely and valid, but like our Lord, we know his servants are not above his master, they will be persecuted (Rom 8). Simply stated, truth is truth, and every aspect of biblical truth is truth from the bible, not from men. Calvinism and the doctrines of grace are unmistakably in the bible, and men will go to any length to reject the things they hate.

I make it clear to my kids Encyclopedia’s are not truth, they are a version of the story. The only knowable truth is scripture, all is else is perspective that changes with the fashions.
-a-C

Fair assessment on both sides I think reveals some ecumenical possibilities. The conversation went on and degraded somewhat, so I will leave it here to return to sometime in effort to explore the possibility of common dialogue.

Catho - Linx

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:40:00 -0700

ILO my lack of production lately (secular paycheck black hole syndrome) I added some significant Audio Archives available on the internet (free) in my "Friends & Resources" list. Some are massive resources...like every "Journey Home" since 1998, is in that link on the list. So go get a few hundred CDR's, burn and fill your commute time with the Fullness!

I'll be back soon.

Catholic Carnival #185

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:08:00 -0700

Is here, with a wide variety of great reading and resources of which I am proud to mingle.

Digital anti-Catholicism?

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:48:00 -0700

I searched for the "Lateran Church" (the Popes Cathedral) and this is what I get:

A Call to our Catholic Married Women...its Football Season

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:07:00 -0700

Where are your husbands on Sunday?

I am back from Mass today nearly outraged at yet again another Mass where the Married Women Parrishoners(assumed by my count as they were with children)outnumbered men by 5 to 1. As Winston Churchill once stated..."and that is something up with which we shall not put."

I have a distinct vantage point, as I am one of 5 standing (physically) Musicians for this weekly Mass and can count every head in the Church.

While I should be jaded and silent to it, due to the long standing statistic that only 15% (ish) of Married Parrish registered member Men attend weekly Mass, (a Holy Obligation nonetheless) but I am not callous to it. I cannot be. Its been epidemic level for too long.

And here comes Football season.

How many of you Catholic wives who live with a marginally or perfectly operating Male husband are letting him snow you into "its not my thing...that going to Mass stuff" ? I bet my cable subscription he doesnt make eye contact with you when he says that.

Enough Comedy.

I was one of those Men for a couple years. Until I was challenged for not leading my family by a (married male) friend of mine. No my wife never ran a guilt trip or even hinted at one, while she had every right to. (A master of self restraint that was) There is no reason, particularly if you have growing children, that Man cannot be at your side at Mass.

None.

I want you to make an effort to reach him. If he has a computer or better yet an ipod or mp3 listening device, have him listen to some Men who are leading their families, and more than that, with a little time spent in Catholic Media.

Brian Hathaway

Joe McClane

Patrick Madrid

And you dont have to say anything except "Check this out Honey".

There are a good amount of Catholic Men (not Priests) who have podcasts on itunes that can speak to your...ahem...husband, in a way he will hear it and not feel...ahem..."wifed"...about it, so to say. The Catholic Hack episode #63 speaks abit to this sad dilemna and Fr. Chavez has a take on the Ladies and their talent as well, that may be a tool in your belt for you to use.

Lastly, I read a fair amount of Catholic and non-C womens blogs and hopefully I have a few Women readers that know some that are in the position of which I speak.

I would love any comments on this, and be advised I have Tivo so I can prioritize my watch schedule and include my wife If she wants to see the Bucs pound the Patriots.

CJ Podcast # 002 is up

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:15:00 -0700

CJ Podcast 002

Basis of Belief, Proof and Faith Formation.

Blogcast #2 - #3

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:37:00 -0700

I'll be going away from this blogoshpere on vacation for about 10 days. I plan to (other than spend valued time with the CJ family) put Podcast #2 and #3 in the recorder during the next week or so.

#2 outline:
The real discernment of my personal belief ability. How I was able to get beyond personal conceptual obstacles like my own motive for Belief, cause and effect in my own life history, conscious effort to get outside of my self-imposed mental limits of spiritual comprehension.

#3 will focus on some sacremental research I was pulled into and why, a path to understanding the mechanics of the Mass and some epiphany moments with other Christians who illuminated aspects of tangible Christian personal experience.

I do have a line of a-C post drafts in the works of current conversations, so much so I am getting a bit out of sequence with his database, but will catch up.

So I'll be back in early August.

-Peace

"Roman Catholic Bafoonary"

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:07:00 -0700

I am evidently damned to hell for practicing Catholicism, and so is my family I am responsible for, according to the a-C. I ask YOU, my readers, to absorb the content of the following conversation and comment accordingly....I turn this one over to you and Christ for response...until I am lead otherwise:

(a-C writes):
Was reading 1 peter this morning and was overwhelmed at the love he had for the once for all, one time act of redemption that was accomplished in Christ Jesus my Lord

1 Peter 1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, [like] silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [received] by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

To think that Popery could esteem him to be the establisher of traditions is contrary to the 2 books of Scripture that he wrote…..aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers….he called such tradition, AIMLESS CONDUCT and pointed the reader and us to the blood of Christ alone….The Roman Catholic Mass is aimless conduct in every sense of the word…it does not accomplish anything and Peter would reject this hypocrisy BOLDLY….for the love of the precious blood of Christ

(CJ responds):
"I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:2). "

"So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thess. 2:15)"

"There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures" (2 Pet. 3:16). (Peter referring to Pauls Letters)

Sacred Scripture does not contradict itself. Your personal, out of context, judgemental interpretation of 1P1:18 has lead you astray again.

(a-C responds):
Scripture does not commend the worthless practices of lighting candles and praying to dead saints, being sprinkled with smoke, having a cross with ashes rubbed on your head, doing a criss cross with your hands, praying a rosary, praying to departed saints, making staues of dead saints, sprinkling water on infants heads, Paul nor peter handed these traditions to the church, the letter of 1 corinthians explained the construct of what he was emphasizing to maintain…he is not referring to traditions not mentioned, he goes on in 11 and edifies the traditions he is enumerating…head coverings, woman not shaving their head,

You can not show me one refernce to praying a rosary for the atonement of sins, yet this is a supposed practice handed down…I can show you 100’s of scriptures which would cause a bible reading person to discern such a practice not only worthless, rather an abomination

I must do acts of penance for the forgiveness of sins

There is a treasury of merit

Dave I know a lot of tradtions that are outright damning, and you and your family by practicing them are trusting in them…or as Romans 1:32, not doing them, but approving of those who do them, you are deserving of death….so affiliation with the practices affirms you in affirming others

Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone…you do not cooperate with traditions and your prescriptive works by a priest, you come to Christ and trust him alone

Join the true believers who worship Christ in spirit and truth, not in traditions and sacraments and all the idolatry, spirit is the indwelling of the holy spirit, and truth Jesus said clearly in John 17, I do not pray for those in the world, but for those you have given me, he prayed that they would be sanctified by truth, your word is truth

Jesus made it clear…you must be born again – does your wife know what that means

It is the only YOU MUST that Jesus conveyed in all of scripture

Can you teach your children the truth of what this means or are they confident that all this popery is what they are trusting in

Unless a man be born again, he can not enter the Kingdom of God

Nicodemus was as close to the Pope as they come and he was astounded…by God’s grace he came to saving faith

You are responsible for your family and your abominations will be to the third and fourth generations….you are a reproach to the name of Christ to defend this bafoonary

I am here to explain scripture not refute your cults holdings. You need truth, not Catholicism for dummies to explain their holdings, you need to read scripture for yourself and let scripture interpret scripture. My one email alone on saints should have caused tremendous concerns…over a 100 passages that totally refute the notion that a saint is a departed person who was recognized for their life….and we pray to them….

To think that this text somehow supports all this popery is ridiculous…read the chapter, he tells you what tradition he is addressing and reinforcing

We Interupt this BlogCast #1

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:51:00 -0700

To say Watch this:

Accountability

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 18:17:00 -0700

Years ago I attended a Christian Mens Evangelical Event with a Methodist friend of mine, where volumes of information was revealed about the modern Christian Mens Ministry movement in this Country. One of the primary tools this particular outfit professed as essential for Christian Men in our culture is the Accountability Group. The pretense is based on (specifically) adult Christian Men establishing close, vulnerable and routine relationships with each other, where they meet routinely to expose their emotional wounds, relate their internal struggles and keep tabs on each other from a goal oriented spiritual foundation, with other like minded-value driven Christian Men. For instance, like minded Christian Married Men in a locality or specific Church meet weekly to have the support of their spiritual peers on the male baggage (Lust, greed, pride, etc.) created by this Culture that we battle daily. Its a good concept...I even tried to get an accountability group started in my area (multi - Denom) but got no response.

The Calvary Chapel denomination has a similar arrangement called "Life Groups". They are a growing denom in my area. These groups often employ some outside ministry efforts on their own but primarily meet in homes and over time establish close enough ties to have a nominally positive effect on their personal lives, generally, in my opinion.

What success these relationships have are based on accountability for your actions (sins) and attempting to the best of their abilities, to employ peer based measure of support and some level of confidentiality. Sound familiar? Its a lay Christian Psychiatry/Psychology practice. Unload your troubles, get related to, get relief and support, rinse and repeat.

While I see the benefit myself, the one thing that is missing from these efforts is the 90% that makes it meaningful spiritually.

Reconciliation. Absolution. Forgiveness.

Catholics have the whole thing covered. Confession (in confidentiality) with one of authority (makes for the accountability) true repentance, penance and the absolute assurance, biblically, that this man walks out of that session able to start anew.

Cant do all that with pal Roger in a coffee shop.

-Peace

Mary as Co-redemptrix

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 7 Jul 2008 06:56:00 -0700

The a-C brought the "co-redeemer" question into play today, stating that JP II wrote official Church Doctrine stating such....which is not the case.

The concept "Co-redemptrix" has not been formally defined as a Marian dogma, although petitions for declaring it (along with Mediatrix) a dogma have been submitted to the pope by various Cardinals and bishops. It would become a fifth Marian dogma if approved by the Vatican.

The concept of Co-redemptrix refers to an indirect or unequal but important participation by the Blessed Virgin Mary in redemption. She gave free consent to give life to the redeemer, to share his life, to suffer with him under the cross and to sacrifice him for the sake of the redemption of humankind.

The Roman Catholic view of Co-redemptrix does not imply that Mary participates as equal part in the redemption of the human race, since Christ is the only redeemer . Mary herself needed redemption and was redeemed by Jesus Christ her son. Being redeemed by Christ, implies that she cannot be his equal part in the redemption process(1).

We (me included) have to be careful to fully research claims coming from incomplete definitions and outside of doctrine writings. I, in my limited comprehension dont have a problem seeing this as compatible with Sacred Scripture, as long as the terms indirect and unequal are stated clearly.

(1) See Wikipedia-"Co-redemptrix"

Catholics "made up" the Rapture

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:17:00 -0700

So heres how it happened...ahem...according to a Protestant, who engaged said CJ in a non Religious forum, here on the old InterWebNet:

Mr. Protestant said:
"I dont want to step on any toes, but were you guys aware that the whole Rapture /Tribulation thing was made up by the Catholic church to counteract Martin Luthers movement, and the belief that was becaoming predominant among Protestants that the Pope was the Anti-Christ? I have all the historical evidence and the names of the two authors if anyone is interested."

To which I replied:
"Oy, .....yeah I'm interested....John Nelson Darby invented the "Rapture" (dispensationalism) in 1830-31 after he left the Angelican Priesthood. No previous Christian, neither Catholic nor Protestant, had ever proposed or taught such an thing. It is not the same as the Tribulation based in 1 Thes. Ch 4-5 and Revelation sources."

MP Response:
"OK, Im not sure this is the place for it, and maybe we're opening a can of worms here-but here goes..........The foundation of the rapture theory was laid over 400 years ago upon the specific orders of the Catholic Church. Every Christian needs to understand how this fabrication of error was designed to neutralize the great Protestant Reformation. If the facts of history were known by Protestants today who defend with such great emotion the rapture theory and the futurist antichrist doctrine, they would be horrified. Luther and his fellow reformers boldly identified the pope as the "man of sin," and labeled the Catholic Church as the antichrist of prophecy. In response to those charges, the hierarchy assigned two Jesuit priests to develop counter- interpretations which would turn the onus away from the Catholic Church. In spite of the fact that the two men founded opposing schools of interpretation, their theories have survived to form the basis of most modern Protestant theology today. Not only did they effectively blunt Luther's assessment of the papacy as the antichrist, but they cleverly divided and diluted the "protest" of all the churches which grew out of the Reformation movement. Modern religious observers were astounded in January, 1984, when men like Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell meekly accepted and defended the establishment of United States political ties with the Vatican. Why could those famous Protestant spokesmen see no danger in being allied with the Church of Rome? Because they are deceived, along with millions of others, by the Catholic-contrived theories of those two priests which have almost eclipsed the historic, biblical position of the Reformers. If the spiritual descendants of Luther and Wesley now had the same doctrine which they taught, not a single Lutheran or Methodist would favor any kind of alliance with the papacy today. Now let's take a look at these two Spanish priests who flooded the sixteenth century with their counter-Reformation propaganda.Alcazar of Seville applied all the beast prophecies to Antiochus Epiphanes, who lived long before the popes began to rule in Rome. His system of interpretation came to be known as the Preterist School of prophecy.On the other hand, Jesuit Francisco Rivera invented a system known as the Futurist School of interpretation. He taught that the antichrist was to be some future superman who would appear near the end of time and continue in power for three and a half years. It is his clever, unscriptural theory which has been resurrected by modern evangelical Protestant Christians. And today millions of Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc., hold this anti-Protestant concoction of the Jesuits as some kind of infallible doctrine. Yet, those same denominations claim to be faithful supporters of Protestant theology. Luther and other stalwart protestors against Catholic errors would be astounded if they were suddenly resurrected to hear what is being taught in the name of Protestantism. In the early 1800s the futurist view of Jesuit Ribera passed through certain refinements and additions, including the seven-year tribulation and the snatching away of the saints. For the first time, it was espoused by Protestant teachers who were seeking ways of reconciliation with Rome. Through the influence and writings of John Nelson Darby of the Plymouth Brethren Church in England, the new doctrine spread to the United States. During the middle and latter nineteenth century, it received its biggest boost from Cyrus Scofield, who incorporated it into the notes of his Scofield Reference Bible published in 1909."

After gaining my composure, I did a good bit of digging, confirming and happened upon the following info and responded:

"Mr. Protestant, here's where your post was copied from, word for word basically.
http://apologetics.scriptmania.com/3400.htm

...which in my view is a highly political attack on Catholics today and in the past. Too bad you didnt post Catherine Andrew's appropriate response as a balance, as the site and your quote is a Catholic Apologetic site resource. I stand by the fact I stated above and Catherine Andrews response in the link. Specifically "The Catholic faith has had a line of her own would-be prophets speaking about the Last Days......The fact that certain Protestant groups borrowed from Catholic eschatology does not constitute a conspiracy on her part." Whats really more important than engaging you, Mr. Protestant, in a "chicken or egg" contest about a warmongers motives in 175 A.D. (Antiochus Epiphanes), is that Catholics today, with any reasonable knowledge of that faiths origins and practices, bear more fruit with Protestants in finding common ground and biblical basis of debate. Catholics did not make up the Rapture theory. "

(End of said lively debate.)

Notice the distinct attack language by MP in his first statement, baiting anyone to challenge him "if anyone is interested". Without regard to the narration that follows (which is opinion and not historically supported), this is a perfect example of intentional ignorance. MP read something emotionally charged against Catholicism, valid or not, and not only chose to repeat it as truth, but published it with a request for engagement!

This is the danger of a Protestant attack, and why I have a specific post category for it. We, as Catholics must research all angles before any assertion, so as not to fall into the same intellectual laziness trap. As well....we have an obligation to our Church to defend it. A non-response is validation, in the perception of the writer. This is actually the essence and primary purpose of this website.

Now, did I win him over to my point here...I couldnt tell. My motive is not to spew "Down
Goes Frasier!" at conclusion. Maybe calling out the partial source of errant info by Mr. Protestant played to the Catholic credibility...I hope so. Maybe the no fluff answer and a call for finding fruit bearing common ground will prevail. Its all I can do to leave it there for someone, just one maybe, to see a misinformed conclusion get a valid, factual response, and remain approachable.

I want to believe thats what He wants me to want, so I do.

R. C. Sproul has it wrong.

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:17:00 -0700

I just spent a few hours with a recording of him...again.

I had been given a cd of Dr. Sprouls speech to the Shepards Conference a few years ago. I had listened through the entire hour once back then, and he addressed the Catholic practice of indulgences and the Lateran Church Relics in an outright attack on RCC Doctrine and Trents councils published practice for receiving indulgences. 3 years ago...not having researched Trents documentation at all, he had a convincing argument against the RCC's practice. He quoted several Trent documents directly with what sounded like accuracy, and certainly, most undeniably, Dr. Sprouls talent and articulation of public speaking added to a high level of perceived credibility to his Lutheran points of attack.

So this week I loaded that speech into itunes, and sat down with some resources on Trent from the Vatican. It didnt take long to uncover why Dr. Sproul turned down a direct debate offer from Robert Sungenis. which is summarized by Mr. Sungenis as follows:

"Upon receiving the letter, Sproul had his secretary call me. She said he was simply too busy to engage in a formal debate, citing his many activities: books, radio, tapes, and so on. I asked her to tell Sproul that if he is going to travel the country accusing Catholics of heresy, he should stop hiding behind his schedule and engage with some respectable opponents who can answer his claims. After all, I said, 1 Peter 3:15 commands us to "give an answer of the hope that is in you to everyone that asks."

Not receiving a return call, I wrote Sproul another letter asking him to reconsider. I also asked that if he maintained his option not to debate, to let us know in writing rather than have his secretary call us. That he did. (See sidebar.)

In reading the letter I was immediately struck by the two-sided answer he gave. First, he attributed his incapacity to debate to the board of Ligonier Ministries, which apparently does not let him out but twice a year. I'm sure, however, that if Sproul really wanted to debate us he could. The second answer probably gives the real reason for his reluctance. He says that the "speaking committee doesn't see the value of my being involved in a debate on sola fide, and I am in agreement with the committee's decision." Here is a man who has spent virtually half his life attacking the Catholic view of justification and now has the audacity to say he doesn't see any "value" in being involved in such a debate."

Sprouls well delivered verbal painting that we can buy indulgences for days off in purgatory were actually dealt with by Trent directly, and are shown to be false.

I think its time someone take him on. I plan to do a podcast on this specific attack by Dr. Sproul, then hopefully some unsuspecting victim will catch our truth before falling for his false conclusion and incomplete research.

You cannot be Serious....

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:45:00 -0700

I really should'nt have to excercise this much self restraint.

The a-C just got off the phone with me, after a lengthy diatribe by him stating that the Crusades/Inquisition murder of Heretics era of Catholicism is active in the minds most Anti-Catholic Protestants. (Um...tell something new please)

Essentially, I was pointing out to him that calling himself an "Anathema" (see previous post)was misinformed of current doctrine. Here is his answer to that:

"So were they (Rome) wrong with the tradition then? It really wasn’t meant to be a tradition? Do we issue an apology to all that were murdered or was that correct for the time and now we now longer do that…so God intended this truth for a brief period of time…I know you see the problem you face here…there is no way around it, the answer is no, you can’t redefine it the word…you are merely muddying the discussion to evade the need to realize that there is nothing that Rome can do with the papal decrees here popery issued in the 1400’s, are you saying they were wrong and now you are correcting? You answer is insufficient…your example is grossly minimizing the significance of this decree (anathema for faith alone, anathema if you don’t hold that the priestly order is only capable of discerning scripture, anathema for many things), these decrees resulted in condemnation both physically and pronounced spiritually….do you have formal issuances from popery that addresses this, NO, they unlike the mormans have never written anything to correct the issuances because they were inerrant in their giving…. You can’t answer no…. don’t they can’t answer this question, and I trust they can’t dupe you into thinking a logical answer is warranted…Rome is not the church and the traditions they prescribe are lies as this one scenario clearly renders…."

The a-C, while I find this attack language offensive, (note: well trained restraint required to absorb Content and not Tone) has a point worthy of addressing. While gathering my answer, I cited a portion of Mr. Akin's article on this subject, thus:

"8. The Church cannot retract its anathemas. Anti-Catholics love to repeat this falsehood for rhetorical flourish. But again, it isn’t true. The Church is free to abolish any penalty of ecclesiastical law it wants to, and it did abolish this one."

I see the a-C's point of linking an Anathema definition to the "victims" of the Crusades is that he would suffer far more greatly if today was...say the year 1067, and he denounced Catholicism. Valid point. So lets address the statement:

"Do we issue an apology to all that were murdered or was that correct for the time and now we now longer do that?...do you have formal issuances from popery that addresses this, NO,.... "

Pope John Paul II did in fact make as formal an apology and penance act as one could today....to obtain forgiveness for the acts of long ago deceased Catholic "Instigators". This CNN article of the 2000 JP II apology takes a mid-line view.

So, the answer is yes, "we" did apologize for all that...although I'm still not sure Catholics had anything to apologize for. I have read purportions by Catholic Apologists that state Calvin executed Servetus, which in plain fact is also not true, factually. So when this kind of debate spurs, coloring Catholics with the brush of murderous motive against Protestantkind, and its left to non-biblical, fallible history books to get right, I cant get conviction from those sources on fault. Fair is fair.

CJ Podcast #001 is up

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:04:00 -0700

CJ Podcast 001

The beginning of a Christian discovery.

Catholic Carnival #177

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:16:00 -0700

I am honored to mingle with the best Bloggers now....click this post title to see!
-Peace

Green Frost

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:35:00 -0700

Took this photo outside a business meeting in Leon County area of Florida. What a piece of work from the Man upstairs eh?

Podcast This...

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 9 Jun 2008 19:57:00 -0700

I am halfway into the first podcast recording/production. While recording and editing, I am finding myself needing to post a description and introduction to format, mainly to keep my purpose within certain lines. (So I can refer back to this post for my own guidance)

The primary message I want to convey here is that I am the American everyman. I am you (unless you are Mr. Akin or Mr. Grodi, etc). I am the guy who lives in this stress charged, media driven Culture and have taken on not just seeking Christ, but am immersing myself in Catholic Faith Re Formation, Catholic Faith Life and Catholic Doctrine Study....all while being attacked by a fallen Catholic Fundamentalist...who I cannot walk away from. The a-C and I have dealings together that require almost daily communication, and those dealings are long term and cannot be dropped for survival reasons.

Initially, the podcast is intended to get you to relate to me. Narrating my intellectual struggle in comprehending this Faith, as deeply as possible. For now, I have no motive to record anything but my voice and some bumper music. This is about the journey as it has been in the last few years up to now. No sound effects, no attempt at lay comedy, no false front that I am trying to be a professional broadcaster. Feedback I'm sure will come.

I hope you come back and find my first podcast and listen.

-Peace

Hypocracy or Intentional Ignorance

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:42:00 -0700

I read a blog post comment today that rang my bell severely.

A while back, I was given a tract at a "Bible Church" that has 52 reasons the Catholic Church was a Cult. I cant seem to locate that tract now but a few things stuck with me enough that when I read this particular post comment it came back vividly.

Many of the "reasons" in that tract were way off, so far off Catholic doctrine and Scriptural Basis that I was dumbfounded. Something like this:

#37 - Catholics worship Mary = Idolatry - The Bible says thou shalt have but one God....blah, blah, blah..." you know the verse language, etc. etc.

Its one thing to outwardly oppose the doctrine of a given religion. Its a whole other thing to misrepresent that religion entirely. That's like me saying Mormons find polygamy acceptable today...basing my assertion on ancient Mormon history/rumor/hearsay, which is not today's Mormonism (as a general rule).

How audacious is it to proclaim a non-fact (Worship Mary) and then print it up and distribute it? What picture does that convey to anyone, once the facts are made known? It conveys intentional ignorance, that is, the Protestant wants to believe a lie in order to save some kind of face with their peers. There is nothing biblical about this kind of attack. The a-C says in doing this he is following scripture in leading Catholics to Christ...away from the false prophets of Catholicism. But he wont hear the correct facts to begin his effort.

That doesn't work, plain and simple. Let alone being a loving attempt at moving someone to his view, right or wrong. Loving approach, not attack is biblical.

Apologetics don't even enter this kind of situation. Its futile, to explain away a non fact is useless wind. Catholics don't worship Mary. End of story. Now, should you require an explanation of why Catholics pay so much attention to Mary, then see my first post....that's when Apologetics find a worthy use.

-Peace

The a-C has a take on Lanciano

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:26:00 -0700

"Hey...a-C, ever heard of Lanciano?

What is it?

Google it...better yet, I'll send you a site link."

I then emailed the a-C 9 different website links, one is a secular science publication article on the testing done on the Holy Sacrament validating its biology. Here's his take after maybe looking at one site:

a-C says....."you believe that hoax?"

"yup"

"Thats the mark of the Devil" says a-C.

When all logic, facts and supporting tangible evidence prevails, he goes with evil supernatural, and then proceeds to find a way to insult me as gullable enough not to see through the "hoax" of the miracle of Lanciano.

nice, huh?

Just the Facts

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 4 Jun 2008 10:48:00 -0700

I work in an intense Corporate environment. There is never a black or white solution to any obstacle in this work life. The ramifications of any business decision being made are analyzed for political, perceptive, time cost and quality impacts from every point of view before the hammer drops on the decision. Although I have some autonomy over staff and my firms internal process compliance...it becomes to a large extent...management by process. Very little creativity can be used in the official side of decisions. I do get to throw some practice pitches which test out what the most effective angle of a decision might be. While decisions are made using facts, the facts are selected, positioned and emphasized in an effort to gain the best result. Lots of the people that are a part of the process become intensely frustrated either short term or long term, which has a hangover through exposure on many others. The amount of restraint required to personally communicate negative facts in a personally accountable position does lead to life ending stress for some. In the big picture corporately, the work of this environment is self-regulated by policy, who has the power, and what decision comes closest to the answer that power holder requires. That is one slant or mindset on this work life.

On the other hand...

If you have been through enough years of this type of result driven process to get a paycheck, ultimately you can choose to have your personal identity created by it, and effected by it hourly....or do the best you can (which means get enough sleep, food, vitamins, and stress relief routinely) and find a more consistent identity outside of your work life. This gives significant weight to the cliche' "God, then family, then self". You or I can choose to be a one of a perceptively insignificant number or "workers" or take the work to live stance and become a person instead.

...a person.

On my journey, I am finding at this, ahem, middle age of life (much too late in my opinion) this a value generating attitude. A prioritizing philosophy for self identity. The freedom then to choose an identity of passion is evident. Right now its a Catholic Journeyman...and this journey is worthy of my focus.

Status update

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:27:00 -0700

Been rat racing for secular paychecks up to 16 hours a day since early May, however....because of the long commute to and from work (2 hours a day) I have been studying Mr. Akin's C.A.L. Podcasts and one in particular C.A.L. cast from Karlo Broussard on the 4 Dogmas of Mary. Check them out if you are of the "Ituning" sort. Karlo has Mary solid. Will use this info on the a-C soon in another response to his broken anti-logic.

On another note, I am recording audio pieces to assemble into a podcast, a first episode, and introduce my journey. Currently the Podcast format (thought) would be to take my blog topics and expand them with excrutiating detail...like "Why not the Eucharist" would be one full 40 to 60 minute episode. Thats where I am headed for now. It may be early June before I can free up adequate time to blog post...please come back for that or subscribe.
-Peace

Scripturally handicapped?

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Mon, 5 May 2008 19:30:00 -0700

Its true. The a-C and I had a chuckle recently. He tells me he went to a Charity Dinner, with mostly Catholics, and proceeded to challenge one of them by introducing himself as a "Non-Catholic Anathema". The Catholic looked at him really puzzled and replied..."you're a what"?"

"Anathema, isnt that what you Catholics say the Bible says I am, since I dont believe in Catholicism?"

The Catholic Man replied...

"Um, no, not at all!" with a smile.

The a-C stated..." well Romans Ch3, ver........" The Catholic man then walked away.

I said "a-C, you ought to know better than to attack a Catholic at a casual Secular Dinner Event with Scriptural Apologetics."

He says "Why not?"

I said "a-C, you know we Catholics are Scripturally Handicapped, why rub it in the poor guys face?."

(Of course we know why now don't we?)

(Now for my comments)
This is a typical example of the lack of fundamental basis for the a-C's hostility toward our Faith, and why it is so dangerous.

He has no accurate grasp on the specific definition of an "Anathema". An Anathema was a Publicly excommunicated Catholic. It required a proclamation by the Priesthood no less to fit this definition. The RCC abolished this ecclesiastical law as well (as it is free to do so). The a-C doesn't know that and doesn't care to research its specific basis. He abandoned the Church voluntarily...too bad he doesn't see the embarrassment of his technical ignorance.
The attack is not based in love let alone a cordial or even friendly introduction on his part to another Christian. Its an antagonizing selfishly motivated attempt at inducing the "enemy" into his fight. The motive is clear, even with a display of sarcasm, one could not in any reasonable fashion find this kind of introduction to a person as approachable.
The lack of respect is blatant and intentional. Imagine having a level of righteous arrogance high enough to brush this off as a passing funny exchange.

Protestants like him (not all) are too quick to disdain Catholics, driven by narrowly researched postures, opinions of Catholic practices that are twisted and flawed. Should you run into one of these fragile souls, be kind but keenly aware to defend a sudden attack. Represent our Faith with love in return. It may be the only way to contrast their approach enough to cast a bit of visible light to them of their sinful attacks.

-Peace

The Catholic Freedom Paradox

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:41:00 -0700

I look at the Catechism at times and step back and think...it all looks so complicated. It is so cumbersome, even certain words have only a Catholic Religious meaning. I attended a Bible study of the Sacraments last year, in order to understand their purpose more clearly. The Catechism was being used as the source document of teaching the meaning of the sacraments, with biblical references. In and of itself, the Catechism appears to be laid out in a hypercomplex manner. Initially I went along, best I could, without being obviously irritated. Reading the sacrament descriptive writings at first felt like walking an intellectual knife edge...the "rules" for getting any sacrament to produce results were staggering. Soon into the study, it opened my eyes to the benefit of the massive amount of written "rules".

Fulton Sheen makes this clear in the episode "Conscience". The "rules", requirements, orders, commandments, practices exist because they break us free from our human limitations.

Studying the Bible, the Comandments (more rules) and the examples of following Jesus take a shape of freedom. When we obey and abide, we find ourselves free from guilt, free from indecision, free from the burden of forcing our lives in a direction with an unpredictable outcome, and all that effort and work that entails. The practices, they become meaningful conscious efforts to move us closer to God. The freedom is inherent in practicing compliance and cooperation with rules and orders (read "laws" as well). A perfect analogy is our Freedom based Amercan Society, that is founded on a legislative and governed authority, creating laws which uphold this free environment. So as it is in our Catholic practice, we are put in a mental and spiritual place void of the pressure to measure and compete materially, through grace. When we can use our grounded Christian conscious, our gut, and not our net worth or resume' to make a decision, we have achieved a freedom of immense value.

Why not the Eucharist?

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:54:00 -0700

It is written that Jesus healed a Leper. Jesus walked on water. Christs' witnessed miracles are documented and never (in my experience) doubted by Protestants their reality and validity. If you/we believe those events actually occurred, then, as a Protestant, why not the Eucharist? How hard is it to fathom that he infuses the Eucharist with his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at Mass? John 6, its right there with no wavering adjectives or mysterious side-door symbolic language. Eat. Plain and simple.

Protestants profess the same simplicity with their alter call, "proclaim he is your Savior" and you are "saved". Yes, I am generalizing which of course merits a measure of latitude so forgive my broadbrush, but attempt comprehension of the point.

The Simplicity is there. Just as an alter call profession, it is a reach for grace from Him. It is a hypocracy of some weight to believe in the miraculous and deny his real presence in the Eucharist, when it is all Biblically supported.

Progressive Grace

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:19:00 -0700

Theres a epiphany point for all Christians in their journey. Changes of the Heart come for some quickly and some agonizingly slow. We can all attest to that hindsight 20/20 clarity to reveal a change of heart. (fish oil helps us over the hump types).

Years ago, when I made a distinct conscious decision to follow the Lord, seek his presence, actively pursue the answers to questions all Christians have in their heart...

"am I worthy?...how can He love me?...where will this lead me?...etc"

and if there is a consistent effort, intentional thought and specific prayer in the seeker, changes of the heart actualize. I have felt this progressive grace in my heart over these years since my decision to follow, and know its Him. The selfishness and pride(ego) was the first internally recognizeable change of heart. Within some matter of weeks after the decision, I noticed a lack of my typical frustrations and anger upon the normal triggers. Traffic...seriously...Dude cuts me off and I would seethe to a degree...but not after the decision. I was somewhat amused actually when I got victimized at 65 mph, then the epiphany set in...."thats Him?"...I thought. Sure enough for me it is. I had no conscious effort to restrain internal anger at that...just a lack of weight or need to. There are changes of my heart now, progressively more obvious, more meaningful. My values have changed (I didnt even pray for that), the way I "see" other people in my presence was transformed. I see fragile humanity more clearly today. Changes of the heart are coming and I cannot claim their domain, only recognize their origin, be grateful in the peace of their fruit and thank God he is finding me worthy.

Fair Enough....

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:35:00 -0700

Its time I put out a description of the a-C and myself, for context sake and to better level the playing field for him. Know this...currently the a-C does NOT know this blog exists. I am private enough to only post stuff that is relevant and private info wont be revealed....we all deserve that respect.

The a-C is a man on fire Fundamentalist. He will tell you he is not in any specific flavor of Religion or Doctrine....he doesnt need a Church...he attends a Nondenom but only for meaningful Bible teaching and connection to other like "Saved" Christians. He is in my experience a Calvinist. He was born and raised a Catholic...I have liitle background on what that entailed, confirmed or not, but he shared his exit from the Catholic Church like this....

He sincerely searched for truth there, took part in Sacrements with no results, and being frustrated met up with a Christian (Fundamentalist...my guess) who had him study Romans verse by verse privately. Thats when he was Saved.

These days he wont get near the RCC. I asked him to attend a Contemporary Christian Concert I was playing in at my RCC and he said...and here I quote:

" Dude...If I made it to the parking lot without puking, I still wouldnt go in. To watch a self glorified Priest, resacrifice Christ in blasphemy, insult our Savior is too much to endure." The a-C believes the following"

No Catholic is Saved and there are No Catholics going to heaven....due to
The Catholics disrespect of Christs one time Sacrifice by Re-Sacrificing him repeatedly
None of the Catholic Sacrements are Biblically based
None of the Catholic Practices are found in the Bible
Tradition is not Biblically supported
No Indulgences or forgiveness is ever needed after one is saved, and believing that such things exist is proving to God you do not trust his intial Sacrifice...therefore you truly dont believe...therefore you are not Saved.

The a-C and I in our friendship have come to an affection for each other, sometimes strained, but nonetheless, he is today a well read Bible follower. Sola Scriptura all the way. Very convincing to any non-exposed secular person who encounters him, I must admit.

He has agreed to my ground rules for this comparison and investigation...that being....I will present nothing but biblical based evidence for all the RCC practices....all of them, and he will counterpoint. Do I believe I will ever prevail in bringing him home? I think his unfruitful RCC experience is an enormous obstacle to that, I can only hope. My main motivation here is to discover if his points have merit.

Are we (Catholics) bound for hell by taking in Communion?

It is my intent to intellectually, spiritually and religiously discover that here, in real time.

An a-C response to Mary

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:32:00 -0700

I received a response from the a-C on my conversational points in the post "Mary and her place" below. His response is in CAPS. Enjoy. Peace.

Ave Maria

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Sun, 6 Apr 2008 10:51:00 -0700

or better known as "Mary, Full of Grace". The a-C stated to me...."Where is there any reference in the Bible to Mary being full of grace" ...its just not there". I had to dig deep in reply...I know its there...I hear it at Mass every week...Hup! there it is:

One of many Bible sources of Mary's condition:
a-C,
- read Luke 1, vs. 26 through 38, specifically verse 28 as follows:" And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. 31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. 37 Because no word shall be impossible with God. 38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."

Interesting that you didnt know this a-C. The Devotion to Mary of the Universal Church is widely documented, and as to her intercessionary role and its biblical sources. Her position is further clarified in Revelation 12-1 through 6:" 1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, 2 And being with child, she cried travailing in birth: and was in pain to be delivered........"Now a-C, objectively speaking, who do we know from the bible that fits this description? Is it not reasonable to tie this to John 19 where Christ on the Cross told his disciple "Behold they mother.." pointing at Mary? The Crown of 12 stars in Rev 12-2, what do they represent to you a-C? Not a statement, but a question of research.

The a-C then replies...
"This is revelation that indeed the Lord would come thru her…but to say that she is an intercessor is simply not there, there is no worship or otherwise…the Lord said I will share my Glory with no other…let alone a woman that he created

(Whoa....This is a huge statement...imagine the Chicken/Egg debate going on there...we will have to address this philosophical broadbrush at some point)

She declared that he was her Lord! (well...duh)

The NASB has the proper translation of the word which is used often, she declared herself to be his slave!

38 And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

You would agree that the angel did not pray to her, nor worship her, nor did anyone any where in scripture…nor did Elizabeth become the object of worship or adiration…

When Jesus was on the Cross, he directed John that Mary was now to be taken care of by him…it was a directive to him as she was a widow and her children had not come to faith yet…

This really does not support anything to the notion that she is an intercessor and if she were, would she be mentioned in texts like Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

There is nothing in scripture about her intercession…"

My reply to this assertion...

a-C, you say and I quote"There is nothing in scripture about her intercession…"

I found reference in Romans: The doctrine of one Mediator, Christ, in no way excludes the invocation and intercession of saints. All merit indeed comes through Him; but this does not make it unlawful to ask our fellow-creatures, whether here on earth or already in heaven, to help us by their prayers. The same Apostle who insists so strongly on the sole mediatorship of Christ, earnestly begs the prayers of his brethren: "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the charity of the Holy Ghost, that you help me in your prayers for me to God" (Romans 15:30); and he himself prays for them: "I give thanks to my God in every remembrance of you, always in all my prayers making supplication for you all" (Phil., i, 3, 4). If the prayers of the brethren on earth do not derogate from the glory and dignity of the Mediator, Christ, neither do the prayers of the saints in heaven.

Romans is clear. "Supplication" or petitioning is clear. Just as if I asked you to pray for me Jim, that is valid intercession. So I would be diminishing what God did for us by asking you to intercede for me in prayer? The Bible states otherise.

This particluar conversation went offtrack with the a-C pointing at Romans passages that are interpreted by him to make broad attacks on our Catholic "rituals" which of course is avoiding getting to the bottom of the Mary position.

I asked the a-C to go get me a rebuttal...biblically based, not interpretive...that proves praying to Mary or Saints is ineffective as praying to "dead people". In 3 days no reply so far......

Mary and her place

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:08:00 -0700

Further conversation from me with the "anti-Catholic" (now called the a-C) when he professed the typical falsehood that "we" worship Mary...went like this... ( the a-C response is in CAPS)

"I imagined we were already beyond the false Protestant belief that Catholics "worship" and "Adore" Mary....I guess we need to go back there and clear that up first. The first thing we have to get beyond is that she is not just a dead person...that would mean she was an unjustified sinner and went to hell. If she entered into heaven, then the RCC goes with the following logic, these are my words:A DEAD PERSON OR ONE WHO HAS FALLEN ASLEEP HAS EITHER WENT TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST OR THEY ARE IN THE OUTER DARKNESS ENDURING ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD The Roman Catholic rite does not hold Mary to any level higher than a Saint. SAINTS ARE THE ELECT OR CHOSEN OF GOD WHO HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN…IF THEY ARE DEPARTED THEY DO NOT MANIFEST QUALITIES THAT GOD HAS, NOR ARE THEY WORTHY OF ANYHTING MORE THAN YOU AND I, Take my word for it. The volumes of Biblical callouts to the Blessed Mary in that vain do not allow or depict worship of Mary. Only that esteem which the Mother of God would naturally and logically be given is recognized. I DON’T THINK IT ACCURATE TO SAY THAT THE BIBLE SAYS WE ESTEEM MARY, GOD EXISTED AND WAS LONG BEFORE MARY BROGHT THE GOD MAN INTO HIS EARTHLY FORM…SO GOD DOES NOT HAVE A MOTHER IN THIS SENSE OF THE USE…JOHN 1;1 AND MANY INFERENCE THAT OUR LORD SAID, BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM That esteem or singular position, as there was only one Mother of God...(in contrast to multiple apostles cannonized into sainthood). So Mary's unique part in the reality of Jesus, and those passages which bestow her Divine communion with Jesus on earth and the hereafter give Mary posture that no other has ever had or will ever have, in the view of the Universal Church . SHE DID NOT RECEIVE ESTEEM FROM JESUS HIMSELF, HE ESTEEMED THE CHOSEN AND IDENTIFIED WITH THE BRETHREN, YE ARE MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHER AND SISTER…That logic was never hard for me to swallow. I dont see any worship or adoration of Mary practiced in my Church locally, in the 6 or so other RCC's I've been to in this area, or the Diocese Offices. I dont find that in the Catechism as well. I do find her unique role being defended and used as a conduit for communication in some sacraments, but not worship. NO SUCH CONDUIT IS VALID, AT ALL There are certain liturgical works, NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS WORD, LITURGICAL WORKS? such as the sacrament of the sick and dying which point to Mary as a source of strength MARY IS NEVER DEPECITED AS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH IN DYING…SO IT IS NOT SO OBVIOUS TO ME, for obvious reasons, she being one who lived through the worlds most horrific loss of a Son, and being a Mother figure of care and love. SHE DID NOT LOSE A SON…HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD THREE DAYS LATER AND IS RULING HIS KINGDOM…THE EXPERIENCE WAS HORRIFIC FOR ALL WHOSE SINS HE BORE ON HIS BODY AND MADE THE WRATH HE ENDURED NECESSARY I suppose one would on the surface view a person, kneeling in a Church, praying out loud to Mary directly as worship, however, that is not what is taught in the Roman Catholic rite. SPEAKING TO SOMEONE IN PRAYER IS A HUGE PROBLEM!!!! HUGE IF YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT, IF YOU STOP DISASSOCIATING IT FROM WORSHIP AND TRULY THINK ABOUT SPEAKING TO A BEING IN PRAYER IS ELEVATING THAT BEING TO A LEVEL WITH GOD, WHICH SHE IS NOT Most likely anyone praying the rosary to Mary is praying for a loved one through that posture of respect and esteem. Cant judge that book by its cover, but I can see how it appears to the uninitiated. I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, I ENCOURAGE TO NOT BE OFFENDED WITH THE CONTENT NOR THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SO COMMON TO US BOTH (MYSELF BEING A CATHOLIC FOR 35 YEARS) IS ACTUALLY TRUE ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE…THESE THINGS ARE NOT IN THE BIBLE AND IN FACT ARE WARNED AGAINST IN SCRIPTURE IN MANY MANY WAYS

Keep in mind that I am making a soft approach here and it may not be entirely accurate per the canon...but in a breaking the ice kind of way using personal experience as well. Cant we all get along? sheesh.

Secular Outreach

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 07:59:00 -0700

I produced a promo Video for a Christian friend...to lead seekers to his website...

Which is too long for Broadcast, so its been edited down to a 30 second version, thus...

Still refining the "draw" concept, provoking the viewers thinking and leading them to a place of answer and investigation.....

The Moving Train....

Catholicjourneyman@yahoo.com (Dave Wade) — Tue, 1 Apr 2008 15:01:00 -0700

I have an ongoing conversation with an anti-Catholic...you know them...yea the one with the spotlight of grace only on him. Poor guy...thinks we Worship Mary and waste money on Buckets of Smoke. At any rate, in trying to come "over" to his level and get the discussion on a meanigful track I gave him this summary on why Catholic (not why Catholics have it right, just why...)

The RC Church's main obstacle to bringing Secular non-believers off the "street" is that whole appearance of ritual and adornment and complex processes. The feast of Antioch, the eucharistic adoration process, the RCIA. Unfortunately because the Church is centered around the Mass, and receiving grace from a dependant process of communion, confirmation, confession, penance, and Holy orders...its not a very attractive thing to enter. On the outside, its cumbersome, self boasting, and too complicated. I can imagine trying to make sense of it in Latin back in the 1960's. I liken it to learning to be a proficient musician, yes the path is long, requires repeated exercises of what at first appears boring, and non productive to understand its depth. But then oneday one can find themselves well beyond any depth imaginable...thats when it makes sense. Is it akin to making a Cheeseburger by killing a cow from scratch when I could just go to McDonalds? maybe, but my scratch burger tastes better and has given me a career training to process the meat, skin the animal, dress the hide and cook and prepare the Burger.

So there you have it...the begininng of a new "cast"...Pod or Broad or Blog. Maybe I'll get out the recorder...so much to say and the Pod cast is so portable...hmm.