Catholics I Like To Write About
There are things wrong with the sola scriptura doctrine. First, it separates Church and Scripture. But they are one. They are not two rival horses in the authority race, but one rider (the Church) on one horse (Scripture). The Church as writer, canonizer, and interpreter of Scripture is not another source of revelation but the author and guardian and teacher of the one source, Scripture. We are not taught by a teacher without a book or by a book without a teacher, but by one teacher, with one book, Scripture.
-Peter Kreeft, Fundamentals of the Faith (1988)
As an experienced journalist, he should have known that even intelligent readers can find it difficult to grasp an unfamiliar concept when it is presented to them. Within the space of a brief article, he had not only introduced the idea of dum-dum thinking but also tried to apply it to the great St. Thomas. Of course that would elicit confusion among budding heresy hunters—especially when he threw in the part about how Aquinas, after a supernatural experience, likened his Summa Theologiae to chaff.

Part of the credit for Raiders’ singular achievement belongs to the screenwriting contributions of Lawrence Kasdan (who also co-wrote the best Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back). Allen’s Marion, too, is a far more engaging romantic interest than the off-putting leading ladies of the sequels. The master stroke, though, is the inspired choice to build the story around Nazis hunting for the Ark of the Covenant. Iconic good and iconic evil: what’s more, iconic antisemitic villains versus an actual icon of the covenant deity of the Jewish people. Eight years earlier, The Exorcist offered a gut-wrenching morality tale about, among other things, the spiritual dangers of messing around with Ouija boards and demons. The climax of Raiders offers a complementary warning about trifling with the no less terrible power of the holy.
Indiana Jones movies and Raiders of the Lost Ark: Why the original still stands alone – Decent Films
The diversity of thought within Catholic teaching, like variety within the strictures of sonnets, is one of its most beautiful features. It is nevertheless important to listen, as much as we can, to a broad chorus of Catholic thinkers. I have found great consolation in the fact that someone holier and smarter than myself has likely asked my questions already; my job is to find them and to listen, and then to make as many people as possible read block quotations about it.
Sharon Kabel , OSB vs. UFO: Stanley Jaki and the Theology of Aliens (June 16, 2021) OnePeterFive
It is the Holy Spirit that brings peace and confidence in God. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us courage to take up the mission of Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms us into the body of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that inspires us with love for all of our brothers and sisters. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the power to forgive each other’s sins.The Resurrection changes everything | National Catholic
We have Masses said for our deceased grandmas and uncles and other loved ones because we don’t want to take anything for granted — because we can’t know where they are on the purgatorial path, and there’s nothing better we can do for them than to direct some supernatural oomph their way. The same goes for Janis. All we know is that she’s dead, and that heaven is what she was destined for — what she was created for. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt that she immediately recognized Love incarnate at the moment of her death; that she knelt, bowed her head, and uttered her definitive Fiat; that she’s heaven bound now, and could use a celestial lift. Why I Had a Mass Offered for Janis Joplin| National Catholic
Whatever is noble,
Whatever is right,
Whatever is pure,
Whatever is lovely,
Whatever is admirable—
Anything that is excellent or praiseworthy
—Write about such things
so others can think about such things.
Philippians 4:8-New International Version (modified).
Catholics under 40 are well aware: The Church has a personnel problem. We’re dorks. It’s precisely why regular people don’t take us seriously. We need to recapture our cool to spread the Faith to the world at large.
Think about it. What happens when an entire generation of quarterbacks, soldiers, prom kings and social media influencers is told Christianity is about reading books and being generally constipated and boring? A mass exodus ensues. And for no reason, mind you.
While sanctity is a must, Christians also need to be genuine, which goes hand in hand with being fun and interesting.
I’m not advocating ditching holiness and virtue to be cool. What I’m saying is put down the theology books once in a while and learn to recreate like normal people. For the sake of all that’s good and holy, pick up an issue of Sports Illustrated. Perhaps — gasp — play some video games. Maybe, God forbid, lift a weight (something heavier than the Summa Theologiae). Joseph Enders Make Catholicism Cool Again (churchmilitant.com)
It’s ironic that that article appeared on their website. CM even took their mean streak and used it to defend the legitimacy of the Pope.
Why write about those you disagree with?
A Taste of First Peter Five and Patheos Catholic MAY 21, 2020
The silence of Saint Joseph allowed God to speak to His saint and to be heard over the noise of the carpenter’s shop, over the haggling of customers and suppliers in Nazareth, where he plied his artisanship, over the multitude of taxpayers thronging into Bethlehem at the time of the census of Caesar Augustus, and over the foreign tongues that he would hear in Egypt. Joseph, the just man, distinguished himself by his intimate rapport with the Lord whom he served, for he obeyed the Father’s command to take to his home the Blessed Virgin, the living tabernacle of the new and eternal covenant. Saint Joseph provided food, shelter, and a loving home for God the Son, and he protected the Mother of God from idle speculation and malicious gossip.
Father Thomas Kocik, When Silence Speaks Volumes: A St. Joseph’s Day Reflection (March 19, 2017) OnePeterFive
Catholicism values silence. While we have magnificent music for our liturgies, awesome homilies, prayers we say out loud at Mass or together in the recitation of the rosary and so on, we also place importance on a tradition of silence.
There is a hauntingly beautiful and ancient hymn called “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” It is derived from the “Prayer of the Cherubic Hymn” from the Litany of St. James, written in the 4th Century. It’s first verse says:
“Let all mortal flesh keep silence/ And with fear and trembling stand/ Ponder nothing earthly-minded/ For with blessing in his hand/ Christ our God to earth descendeth/ Our full homage to demand.”
The hymn advises silence in the presence of the Lord, who brings us blessings but rightfully demands that we give Him our full attention and respect when we pray. As every teacher has admonished her students, “You can’t listen while you talk!”
The Value of Silence : Musings From the Pew(APRIL 29, 2022) Lois Kerschen Patheos Catholic
Avellina Balestri And Thy Word Broke Their Swords: The Depth of Christmas (December 19, 2016} One Peter Five.com
If your brother/sister who sees you as a heretic writes a hit piece on what a modernist piece of trash you are, write a piece on something good they have contributed to Catholic culture. If you can find it. Why miss an opportunity to heap burning coals on their inflammatory writings? Overcome evil slander with finding something charitable about that person. But sometimes rebuke is necessary. I don’t write hit pieces on other Catholics or groups no matter how much I think their writing is the equivalent of metaphysical puke. I might however write a strong criticism of someone if their causing a lot of mischief in the Catholic world such as Fr. James Altman.
What are people starving for, Fr. Altman? JUNE 22, 2021
Does Wanting To Throw the Pope Into The Sea Make You A More Loving Catholic? SEPTEMBER 27, 2023
Satish Joseph@FrSatishJoseph: The best way for me to understand the Father James Altman phenomenon is a thought from Pope Francis in “Let Us Dream.” In it, @Pontifex refers to “the selective morality of ideology.” Father Altman’s morality is based on a far-right ideology and not on the Gospel. Hence…Fr Altman’s skewed convictions about race, women, Catholicism, vaccines, and everything else. Father Altman is not insincere about his faith and social convictions. But his morality is misplaced. Totally misplaced.
Now that I’ve covered the types of Catholics I like to write about with a particular focus on the good aspects of those I’m not too fond of, I am moving on to
Catholics I’ve Written About
that I am actually fond about.
And these are Catholics whose writing is top tier excellence.
At least in my estimation.
Which is why I wrote about them.