A Catholic Understanding of Eucharist and Church

Last updated on: April 25, 2018 at 7:07 am By Pete Vere

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), quoting the Second Vatican Council’s Lumen Gentium, introduces the Eucharist as “the source and summit of the Christian life.” When explaining this concept while teaching catechesis or theology, I often use the allegory of Eucharist as “a fountain on a mountain.” That is, our spiritual journey as Christians this side of Paradise is to seek deeper intimacy with Christ, who is present to us through the Eucharist. Moreover, it is through Christ in the... Read more

Time for a New Catholic Apologetics Movement? Four Ideas for Renewal

Last updated on: April 23, 2018 at 7:58 pm By Pete Vere

“Do you think it’s time for a New Catholic Apologetics Movement?” asked Scott Eric Alt via Facebook messenger. The question is one I had been mulling for the past few months. Yet I was retired from Catholic apologetics for nearly a decade, whereas Scott is still active and blogging at To Give a Defence. (This and Dave Armstrong’s Biblical Evidence for Catholicism are two sources of Catholic apologetics I still follow regularly as a retired apologist.) “Maybe,” I replied. “At least... Read more

Dear Mr Arroyo: Our Children Scream the Truth

Last updated on: April 17, 2018 at 4:28 pm By Pete Vere

UPDATE 2: Mike Lewis of Where Peter Is sheds positive light on the Catholic youth gathered for the pre-synod meeting. “Among them were singles, those discerning a vocation, married people, seminarians, and those in religious life,” Lewis states. UPDATE: Mary Pezzulo has weighed in at Steel Magnificat. ****** My first exposure to French priest, writer, and evangelist Fr Daniel-Ange was through his book Ton enfant, il crie la vérité. Subtitled “Catechism for Theologians,” the book’s title translated into English as “Your child,... Read more

Is Eucharistic Ecclesiology the key to restoring communion between Catholic and Orthodox Churches? (Introduction)

Last updated on: April 11, 2018 at 3:55 pm By Pete Vere

In his ecclesiological reflection Called to Communion, then-Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger devotes an entire chapter to Eucharistic ecclesiology. “The Church is Eucharist,” he stated, before introducing the concept of communio – both vertical and horizontal. As the future Pope Benedict XVI explained, although writing as a private theologian: “The Church is communion; she is the communion of the Word and Body of Christ and is thus communion among men, who by means of this communion that brings them together from above... Read more

To My Mormon Friends – Lessons Catholics Learned Surviving Our Sex Abuse Crisis

Last updated on: April 16, 2018 at 4:29 pm By Pete Vere

We are nearing the end of Great and Holy Week in the Byzantine calendar. The last week of Great Lent, we reflect upon Christ’s suffering and the Church’s purification from sin. This in preparation for the death, resurrection, and ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On this Great and Holy Friday, my thoughts and prayers turn to my Mormon friends. (Among my historical fascinations are churches descended from the religious movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr.) My Mormon friends have... Read more

Who are my Assyrian Brothers and Sisters? My First Encounter with the Persecuted Church

Last updated on: March 30, 2018 at 8:39 pm By Pete Vere

Earlier this week, friend and fellow Patheos blogger Dave Armstrong published a blog entry Martin Luther vs. Nestorius Regarding “Mother of God”. Now Dave is a Catholic apologist. So of course he presents Nestorius in somewhat of a negative light. Dave does so to appeal to Martin Luther’s refutation of a position held by many Protestants today–today’s Protestants being the spiritual heirs of Martin Luther’s Reformation. Yet what about our brothers and sisters in Christ who are heirs to the... Read more

Grieving Loss of the Unnecessary during Lent

Last updated on: March 26, 2018 at 1:58 pm By Pete Vere

This year, my most difficult sacrifice during Great Lent was my first motorcycle. Please feel free to skip this particular blog entry if motorcycles are not your thing, but here is my first bike pictured to the left. It is a 2011 Honda CBR 125 in grey and racing orange. A tad underpowered for its 300-pound build, this was the last year Honda manufactured the 125 for the North American market. I had been wrestling with the decision to sell... Read more

Hello world! Hello Church! What does it mean to be “Orthodox in communion with Rome”?

Last updated on: March 23, 2018 at 9:04 pm By Pete Vere

Before jumping into the theme of this blog, allow me to thank fellow Patheos bloggers Mark Shea, Mary Pezzulo, and Kate Cousino for their encouragement to return to the Catholic blogosphere via Patheos, as well as new friend and popular student finance blogger Martin Dasko whose enthusiasm from a non-religious perspective also inspired to start blogging again. And a big thank-you to Rebecca Bratten Weis for her hard work behind the scenes to make this happen, despite my eight-year absence from Catholic media.... Read more