The following is a very simple and rudimentary guide to what Catholics actually believe. It is written by a Catholic, a trained catechist (teacher of the Catholic faith), and apologist defender of the Catholic faith). However, this work will be very unapologetic. It's just going to be very simple, yes or no answers, with very... Continue Reading →
I've grown rather weary of the "what would Jesus do?" cliche because everyone is using it now. I would rather ask "what did Jesus do?" I think that's a better question, because it helps to prevent us from injecting our own personal feelings and prejudices into the speculation. To be sure, the Jesus most people... Continue Reading →
Are Catholics considered Christian by Evangelical standards? You've probably heard different things from different people. The best way to determine this is to take a good look at the most commonly-agreed Evangelical Statement of Faith and see where Catholics stand in relation to that. The following is from the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). This... Continue Reading →
When I became Catholic, way back in the year 2000, I did so with an understanding that I gleaned from both Evangelicalism and Anglicanism. Christians need an authority structure, divinely appointed, to settle matters of both doctrine and discipline. The hallmark of Protestantism is the shrugging-off of this authority. It began with Martin Luther, toward... Continue Reading →
As I have been saying from the beginning, there is more to this story than meets the eye, and currently, the ONLY narrative on the Internet is Fr. Treco’s narrative (and that of his supporters). They’re driving this narrative and nobody else. So if we make any kind of judgement, we do so one-sided, with half the facts. We don’t have the bishop’s side. While it would be nice for all of us if some kind of official communication was given from the chancery on this topic, admittedly, there is no obligation. Bishop Lopes is acting like he’s holding all the cards, because he is. Fr. Treco wants to have his day in ecclesiastical court. It’s coming. Let’s wait and see what Rome decides.
When it comes to the Fr. Vaughan Treco affair, I stand with Bishop Steven Lopes. I am tired of seeing the bishop cast in a negative light and Treco made into a hero-martyr of “the faith.”
When we came into the Catholic Church we had to give up being our own Pope, that is, deciding for ourselves the Catholic faith is. And secondly, we had to give up the idea that we could vote on doctrine like a bunch of congregationalists or Anglicans, who in their various synods have brought us such novelties as women priests and bishops and so on.
So I watch the train wreck of Fr. Vaughan Treco’s priesthood with a combination of dismay and sadness. It seems the words of Martin Luther reverberate down the ages: “Here I stand, I can do no other.” And we know how that turned out.
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In my last blog I defined what the Antichurch is. Please go back and read it here before you read on. Now, I'm going to give you some bad news along with some good news. The bad news is this. We cannot defeat the Antichurch. By human standards, it is unstoppable. That's because it breathes,... Continue Reading →
The term "Antichurch" may be a new one to some people. We've all heard of the Antichrist, and a good number of Catholics have heard of an Antipope, but what is an Antichurch? In this blog I'll briefly explore the meaning of the term, and then go into what the Antichurch is, versus what it's... Continue Reading →
Living in the Bible Belt of the United States can be a bit amusing at times, especially when some Evangelicals refer to Catholic statues and icons as "idols." At the same time, however, I have sympathy for these folks, because I too was once as confused as they are. I have to admire their zeal.... Continue Reading →
I think this is a topic that needs to be broached. How much do the antics of liberals and modernists in the Catholic Church harm authentic ecumenical relations? When I say "authentic" ecumenical relations, I'm referring strictly to those that lead to unity with the Catholic Church, as opposed to "superficial" ecumenical relations, wherein... Continue Reading →
