Recently, a reader reached out to me for a one-on-one exchange on social media. He wished to convince me all the God stuff I believe was false superstition. We engaged in a very civil conversation as to why I, a practicing Catholic, ought to abandon my current belief system for his atheistic one. He asked me the basic questions as to why I believe God exists, and I answered him. As the conversation continued, he remarked that he intended to... Read more
I often write about sola scriptura (SS) and its consequences. One of my main concerns is the fact that SS allows for all kinds of interpretations (opinions) of Scripture. Adherents of SS seek to assuage one another by “agreeing” on the “essentials,” while offering tolerance for the “nonessentials.” For most Protestants, these “essentials” tend to reside under the umbrella of Nicene-Chalcedonian Christianity, a Christianity that affirms belief in the Trinity and the Incarnation. Moreover, to deny the “essentials” of the... Read more
Heading into an election year, many feel the need to heighten the rhetoric, especially around those considered ideological conservative. The primary intentions with such a tactic seem twofold: 1) to demonize and 2) to insulate oneself by the demonization of others. Furthermore, by demonizing conservatives, some also feel a sense of validation as they “warn others” of the dangerous ideas such “evil” people spout. Therefore, in order to bring “more light than heat,” and in a spirit of Christian charity,... Read more
First off, in a recent article, I state plainly that Fiducia Supplicans (FS) does not alter Church teaching. However, I do find problematic the use of the word “couple(s)” in an official magisterial Church document about two people of the same sex in a romantic relationship. An acknowledgement by the Church of such “couples” does reflect a subtle, yet profound, challenge to the historic view of human sexuality in Catholic moral teaching. In fact, this official acknowledgement represents the first... Read more
Happy New Year!!! Welcome to Part 2 of A Year in Review. I left off Part 1 in June and the passing of my father. Below, I continue to highlight some of my favorite pieces from each month. Again, thank you for reading and commenting. I sincerely believe all who take the time to read this blog care about important issues. We may not always agree with each other, but we call care deeply. July July started with a look... Read more
Merry Christmas!!! This year offered many writing opportunities for Catholic bloggers. I list below some of my favorites. If you have an article not listed below, please put it in the comment section. January To start off the new year, I wrote about sola scriptura, synodality, Catholics and the common good, the First Crusades, Catholics within the social order, the wisdom of Pope Benedict XVI, and whether or not Catholics should vote Republican. Furthermore, foreshadowing the current confusion regarding Catholics... Read more
As feared, much confusion surrounds the recently released Church document regarding blessing people in irregular situation, Fiducia Supplicans. For example: (a special thanks for Pilgrim for doing the research) Notice that what is blessed, the object of the blessing is the couple. This statement asserts that a relationship of sodomy can be blessed. This asserts that there is such a thing as “couples of the same sex. T.S. Fladers at OnePeterFive.com This declaration is proof that church teaching can—and... Read more
To hear some Christians, Jesus sounds like some kind of “free love” bell-bottomed hippy from the seventies. This Jesus only cares about tolerance, inclusivity, “love,” and charitable work (feeding the hungry and clothing the naked). Now, Jesus did speak about love and what the Catholic Church calls “the seven corporal acts of mercy,” but He spoke and taught so much more. In fact, some of His teachings (and the teachings of St. Paul) may come off as just plain mean... Read more
In a recent article, I analyzed the applicability of Scripture as an ultimate authority regarding matters of salvation throughout Church history. My analysis showed that, due to almost near universal Christian illiteracy up to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Scriptures existed as an inaccessible authority, or God’s Black Box. Its practical use by common Christians depends heavily on Christian literacy. Not mentioned in the article, but also highly relevant, are the multiple layers of scriptural interpretive difficulty... Read more
As we witness the sheer horror of modern warfare in Gaza and Ukraine, and see the widespread suffering, death, devastation, and destruction on our television screens, any right-minded person is forced to confront the question: Is modern warfare ever justified? Catholic teaching on “Just War” doctrine states: The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:... Read more
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