I recently delivered an emotional, first hand appeal to Christian parents and couples to avoid divorce — no matter what. Now, I’d like to take a look at divorce from a more objective, theological view. The big question is this: Is it ever okay for Christians to get a divorce? Short, safe answer? No, it isn’t. It’s expressly forbidden by Christ in Matthew 19: ‘…they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no... Read more
Divorce is an unnatural occurrence. At least, it should be. Unfortunately, we don’t all view marriage through the lens of the Church. We don’t all see marriage as an unbreakable commitment, a Sacrament, or a holy union created by God. Instead, in these modern times, many of us see it as a contract, an agreement, or a legal partnership — and divorce is viewed as a safety clause in case things just get too difficult. Even Christians, when “defending” marriage,... Read more
“I can’t believe you have a freakin’ kid.” I hear that phrase a lot now from my old high school and college friends. “I know,” I say in reply. “It’s crazy.” It is still a little weird to me, I guess. Even weirder how time seems to have sped up since the day I first laid eyes on my son. As I write this, there are bags and party favors and crafts scattered across the desk, remnants of party décor... Read more
My wife and I, being absurdly in love with one another while struggling to be faithful Catholics, are very open to, and actively pray for, a large family. This often brings about reactions of bewilderment from friends, even Christian ones, along with the inevitable question: “How do you think you’re going to afford all those kids?” To which our reply is always the same: “God will provide.” For some reason, that answer never seems to suffice. When it comes to... Read more
A while back, I wrote a piece on the Sacrament of the Eucharist. What I’d like to do now is share with you a personal story about my first real “revelation” surrounding this beautiful and holy Sacrament. It happened roughly six months after my conversion. I was sitting in Mass with my wife, trying to pay attention while simultaneously attempting to contain my fidgety baby boy. At that point in my Catholic life, I had long since accepted Church teaching on... Read more
Last month I wrote about how Catholics do not accept the doctrine of Sola Scriptura (meaning scripture alone) as truth. Now I’d like to move to another “Sola” that is perhaps the one of the biggest rifts separating Catholicism and Protestantism: Sola Fide. Sola Fide translates to “faith alone”. Adherents of Sola Fide express that it is only through faith in Christ that we are saved, rejecting the idea that works are vital to our salvation. The Catholic Church does... Read more
Whenever a Catholic debates the Faith with a non-Catholic — Christian or atheist — the very first argument that often gets brought up is that Catholic teaching contradicts the Scriptures. “Catholics believe (X), but (X) isn’t in the Bible” First off, let me put this out there and get it over with — Catholics do not believe in the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, which translates to “Scripture alone.” Unlike many Protestant beliefs, Catholics do not accept the Bible as the... Read more
At this point, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Catholic teaching strictly prohibits abortion in any and all situations. Despite what you may hear from slanted news stories or dissenting groups like Catholics for Choice, the Church’s stance is unwavering. Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is... Read more
I think the fear of death is largely derived out of the unknown. How will I die? When will it happen? Will it hurt? It’s natural to fear death — or at the very least feel apprehensive about it. However, as Catholics, we believe that our final days can be a time of great glory and spiritual revelation. Therefore, it is important that we handle our death with grace, submission, and dignity. For many, dying with dignity translates to having... Read more
Over the years, I’ve become an outspoken opponent of war in virtually every situation. Much like my stance on the death penalty, my beliefs about war were cemented upon discovering the truth of Catholicism. War is a horrible and evil entity—albeit an unfortunate reality in our world. When it comes to such a thing, there are many philosophical, ethical, and theological questions that arise, and just like every other aspect of life that brings us to a moral impasse, the... Read more
Mackerel Snapper
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