. . . Including the Original (Much Longer) 1994 Version of A Biblical Defense of Catholicism In August 1995, with my sons Michael (left) and Paul (right) *** (1-5-11) *** I became convinced of Catholicism in October 1990 (see several versions of my conversion story on the Conversion and Converts web page). Having been a Protestant apologist for the previous nine years (and a full-time one in the 1985-1989 period), it was only natural for me to start sharing with friends... Read more
+ My (Protestant) Letter to Karl Keating in 1990 / How I Became an Apologist With wife Judy and Servant of God Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., on the day I was received into the Church: 8 February 1991 (4-25-04) This is probably the primary written document I have, pertaining to my opinions of Catholicism, as I was just starting to seriously study it. It also strongly puts the lie to claims that I wasn’t a “real” Protestant (James White)... Read more
Madonna in Glory (c. 1670), by Carlo Dolci (1616-1686) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (8-16-11) This discussion was condensed from a combox on a friend’s Facebook page. Guy’s words will be in green; Brian’s in blue. * * * * * Guy Duininck I also don’t accept that the ark of the covenant is a type of Mary…….that is all far too presumptious [sic] for this careful student of Scripture. I also don’t accept that she is the woman in Revelation. . . . This [is] all speculation which... Read more
Adam and Eve Driven Out of Eden (1865), by Gustave Doré (1832-1883) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ** (26 June 2002) *** [The following exchange was with a person with whom I have interacted before, in a few lengthy dialogues. This issue came up while discussing something else. He calls himself an evangelical Christian (I think he may have been in the Church of Christ denominations). His words will be in blue] **** I just wanted to defend myself against a few charges.... Read more
(Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 Decree That Widely Allowed the Tridentine Mass) Pope Benedict XVI on 17 October 2010 [Wikimedia Commons / GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2] (6-23-08; updated on 12 August 2013 and 11 January 2016 with revised terminology) * * * * * Various entries from my Facebook page: My position is that of the Holy Father: both the ordinary and extraordinary forms are good. Why do we have to say one is “better” than the other? Why do we have... Read more
. . . with Massive Traditional Documentation, Over Against its Detractors / Summary of Vatican II on Liturgical Reform Blessed Pope Paul VI in 1963 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (6-18-08) ***** This article has been re-posted under the title, “New” / Ordinary Form / Pauline Mass: a Traditional Defense (with Massive Historical Documentation, + Summary of Vatican II on Liturgical Reform) ***** Read more
[see the info-page for this book] (6-16-10) From Gilbert Magazine (Vol. 13, No. 5, March 2010, pp. 14-17; entitled, “‘Can I Get a Quote on That?’: An Interview With Dave Armstrong”). This periodical is published by the American Chesterton Society. Dale Ahlquist is one of the leading experts on Chesterton today. He has written a few GKC books, did the delightful EWTN television shows about him, and is president of the American Chesterton Society. His words below will be in blue. Portions in green were not included in the... Read more
Classic Anti-Catholic Lies: George Salmon, James White, David T. King et al (8-11-11) [I have edited three quotations books of Cardinal Newman’s words: one / two / three] * * * * * The Infallibility of the Church (available online at Internet Archive and Google Books) is an 1888 work by Irish Anglican controversialist and polemicist George Salmon (1819-1904), that still is widely cited as a supposedly compelling extended argument against Catholic historical and dogmatic claims, despite having been roundly refuted by B.C. Butler’s book, The Church... Read more
Simultaneous Assertion of Realism and Symbolism [ [public domain] (2-17-11) The great Church father (who lived from 354-430) made many statements about the Eucharist that have been traditionally seized upon as evidence of his adoption of either a purely symbolic (Zwinglian) or Calvinistic notion of the Lord’s Supper. These are often unfortunately interpreted within the framework of what has been called the “dichotomous tendency” in Protestantism, whereby things are set against each other and opposed, when they need not be.... Read more
Seven Sacraments (Detail), by Rogier van der Weyden (c. 1400-1464) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (9-25-10) 1) St. Augustine [354-430] believed in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist: I promised you [new Christians], who have now been baptized, a sermon in which I would explain the sacrament of the Lord’s Table. . . . That bread which you see on the altar, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the body of Christ. That chalice, or... Read more
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