Of Crutches And Opioids

Last updated on: July 23, 2023 at 1:33 pm By David Schloss

Is religion the refuge of the weak? Friedrich Nietzsche thought so. Is faith a crutch or an opioid that makes life tolerable but is in itself an illusion? That is what Karl Marx concluded. While both Nietzsche and Marx were avowed atheists, the question of whether organized religion – in this case, Catholicism – exists as a coping mechanism is worth examining. The concepts underlying the conclusions of Nietzsche and Marx are relatively straightforward. Human beings are fragile creatures who... Read more

The Heart Of Catholicism

Last updated on: July 16, 2023 at 10:14 am By David Schloss

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“The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins.” – Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2669. In December of 1673, a French nun named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque started to experience visions that included communicating with Christ. During one of these encounters, Jesus instructed Sister Alacoque.... Read more

On The Dignity Of The Human Person

Last updated on: July 9, 2023 at 9:36 am By David Schloss

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“Man alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God’s own life . . . This is the fundamental reason for his dignity. Being in the image of God, the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone.” – Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 356. What is a human being worth? This may seem like an odd question, but how we answer that question, indeed, how history has responded to... Read more

Is Forgiveness Possible?

Last updated on: July 2, 2023 at 10:29 am By David Schloss

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“God forgives somehow; we have yet to learn the same.” – Mary Chapin Carpenter. A fundamental principle that undergirds the Biblical tradition upon which Catholic theology is predicated is forgiveness. The Catholic faith believes that God so emphasizes forgiveness that He has endowed the Church with the sacrament of reconciliation. To ask God for the forgiveness of one’s sins is a necessary condition for our salvation. But what exactly does it mean for God to forgive us our sins, and... Read more

The Mystical Body

Last updated on: June 25, 2023 at 9:49 am By David Schloss

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When one considers or refers to the Catholic Church, one often intends to connote the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, or Priests that comprise the hierarchy of the Church. This is entirely proper. It is also too restrictive to capture what the Church encompasses. A more comprehensive understanding of the Church involves perceiving it as a living body composed of members both on earth and in eternity. For this reason, and in following the teachings of the Bible, the Catholic Church is... Read more

The War Within

Last updated on: June 18, 2023 at 9:49 am By David Schloss

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It can be tempting to think of saints as people with such an intimate relationship with God that they experienced none of the struggles common to the rest of us. Of course, even a cursory examination of the lives of the saints will disabuse such an opinion. One of those who endured such difficulties was Saint Paul. In this paper, I will explore Saint Paul’s remarkable observation about his own struggle with sin and how that struggle is reflective of... Read more

Is Existentialism Compatible With Catholicism?

Last updated on: June 11, 2023 at 9:29 am By David Schloss

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Philosophy is one of mankind’s oldest pursuits, dating some six hundred years before the birth of Christ. One of the more recent entries into the vast universe of philosophical thought is existentialism. In this paper, I will examine existentialism and review its interactions with Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. I will then argue that even though existentialism has influenced Catholicism and although there have been some notable Christian existentialists, ultimately, the philosophy of existentialism is antithetical to Catholicism.... Read more

The Need For Humility

Last updated on: June 4, 2023 at 12:37 pm By David Schloss

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“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6. It is not uncommon for aspects of the religious life to clash with the secular world. One area where this occurs is in the subject of humility. Catholic tradition, as well as every saint, extols the virtues of humility. In contrast, humility is not highly regarded in the secular world, often taking a backseat to self-confidence and boasting. Why does humility take such a prominent place in... Read more

The Seven Seals

Last updated on: May 28, 2023 at 10:33 am By David Schloss

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The apocalypse, also known as the end of the world, has been the object of both serious theological discussions as well as less serious Hollywood movies. The subject of the apocalypse is undoubtedly intriguing, and the topic is extensive. For the purpose of this paper, I will discuss the mysterious “seven seals” mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The Unveiling The Book of Revelation is one of the most unique books in the Bible. Containing detailed and frequently frightening imagery... Read more

The Evangelical Counsels

Last updated on: May 21, 2023 at 10:37 am By David Schloss

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To the uninitiated, it is easy to view religion in general and Catholicism in particular as being dominated by prudish rules. No more is this the case when the subject is the vows taken by consecrated religious people. In this paper, I will limit myself to discussing vows known as the Evangelical Counsels. Evangelical because they are found in the Gospels (Evangelium in Latin) and Counsels because they were recommended (counseled) by Jesus. Generally reducible to poverty, chastity, and obedience,... Read more