CNN fails again.

Check this out.

Mr. Roland S. Martin apparently knows all there is to know about Catholicism and has related the Pope's recent assertion of authority as "an old man trying to get a little attention."

Wow, CNN isn't biased at all (note the sarcasm). It's people like this that create schism in the body of Christ, not the Pope (who has integrity).

2000 Years Later (and the press finally catches on)

You'd think it would have been brought up before now, especially recently with all the good will toward the Catholic Church and especially the attention given to Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. And yet, just when you think you're out of the gloomy media buzz that is the liberal, naive American media, they surprise you with a whole new level of ignorance.

Today, strewn across media channels all over the U.S., headlines like "Pope: Other Christian Denominations Not True Churches" and "Pope: Other Christians Not True Churches" are being printed, fought over and googled for over and over again. The doctrine in question, which says a lot more than any one headline can boast, has been central to Church teachings since it's conception... and yet, the media has now decided it's something to report on a level that will anger some and alienate many faithful.

And that, is very sad.

Ignatius of Antioch proclaimed it as early as 110 AD, yes, that early. And it was reinforced and proclaimed again and again by the mouths of Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Jerome, Augustine, and several others (all before the year 393 AD), not to mention countless times in modern times. It's been around that long.

What's the doctrine in question state, you ask? It states that the Catholic Church is the church that Christ himself founded upon the trust of St. Peter. It states that the Catholic Church, being apostolic (that is, the authority of its clergy can be specifically traced back to the apostles), is the fullness of truth (of Christ's church) on earth and therefore has primacy (authority).

It goes on to state about other Christian churches outside of the Catholic Church are indeed Christian and vehicles for salvation (those who attend them may find Christ and gain salvation through their teachings), but that the fullness lies within the Catholic Church, not those churches. Therefore they are "spiritual bodies" with "wounds" in their doctrine and authority.

In other words, if the fullness of truth could be explained in a pie chart, the Catholic Church's would be full while a protestant church's would be partially full.


This has been the doctrine of the Church for forever and will continue to be. Pope Benedict XVI simply reaffirmed a document that stated what the Church has been saying for almost 2000 years. The media simply picked it up and reported irresponsibly on the issue, which will no doubt weaken relations with other churches and alienate Catholics in their secular communities. For once I wish the media would have an expert or Church representative explain things to them instead of reporting half-truths and inciting problems.

Great Article
Great Blog Article

To be more Christ-like . . .

we must follow his example.

Lord Jesus Christ,
the only son of God,
grant me the grace needed
to follow the example of filial obedience and piety
that you displayed towards both
the Father in heaven and your earthly parents.
AMEN.

RIP Miss Mitzi - We'll love you forever.

Today Miss Mitzi left us. Her kidneys failed her at the ripe old age of 13 and we had to put her to sleep in order to save her from horrible pain. She had an amazing life...she was loved by many...she loved us. I can't really remember much before Mitzi and she'll never be forgotten.

She was a good dog. A really, really good dog. I'll love her forever.

It's Possible! Orlando Catanii

Just like most people in this world, I don't lead a monastic life and sometimes it can be hard to juggle the Word and the world in which I live. Everyone I know has struggled with some of the things Christ calls us to do in scripture... give up everything, detach oneself from wealth, etc. As a soon-to-be married man, providing for a family one day, I can honestly say that sometimes it's hard to relate to the great monastic saints of the Church.

We have Christ's lead to follow of course, but as Catholics we also have the amazingly rich lives of saints to ponder over. These amazing people did their best to follow Christ and in doing so are examples of piety and Christian vocation for us. But with the overwhelming majority of them having led monastic lives (or so it seems at times), it can be a bit tough to relate. After all, St. Francis wasn't married. Neither was St. Paul or St. Therese'.

I subscribe to the American Catholic.org "Saint of the Day" email and I'm glad that I do. Today's saint is Servant of God Orlando Catanii. I had never heard of him before, but upon reading his short bio in the email, I was inspired. Orlando was rich, he was nobility, and yet he was inspired by St. Francis and decided to follow his example. Orlando gave his palace at the foot of Mount La Verna to St. Francis and became a third order Franciscan. On his estate a church was erected, as well as, a convent and several chapels. Orlando departed from earthly treasures and instead did various works of charity as a Christian nobleman.

This was a much-needed read for me. It teaches me that there is always a way to follow the pious examples of the saints we admire. I don't have a palace to give up, but I know I have skills God is free to use any time He wants. And I'm more than willing to have Him work through me. Pax Christi.

Pray for Madeleine

She's been missing since May 3rd when she disappeared from a hotel room in Portugal while her family was vacationing. She is four years old. Just this week in Vatican City, the Pope met with her parents, blessed them, and a photo of Madeleine. We are all called to pray for this little girl, even if we haven't as of yet, let us do so now. Not because they are Catholic, not because the Pope met with them, but because they are parents very much in pain over the likely abduction of their daughter.

Lord, Father God,
Please be with the McCann family now in a way they've never felt, offering them the comfort they need to sustain. And please, just God, return Madeleine to their side safely. May she be found healthy and if she was taken, may her abductor see the error of their ways, have a conversion of heart, and hand her over safely.
May your will be done in all things.
Thank you, Lord, we love you.
Amen.

(Photo borrowed from Fox.com, taken by the McCann family)

In the Wake of the Ascension

I overheard a conversation today from someone who's church is in the middle of going through a division. It looks like part of the congregation will be leaving to start another church and all I could do was sit at my desk and feel horribly sad for those people. It happens again and again, churches splinter and make new churches, each with their own interpretations, each splintering again in time. The protestant reformation truly created a lasting effect that's dividing the church still today.

This Sunday (Feast of the Ascension of the Lord) is even a regularly practiced Sunday in non-Catholic churches (Ascension Sunday) and you'd think a message like Jesus' Ascension and our charge to spread the Gospel would bring communities of Christians together, but in the wake of this Ascension Feast, I'm reminded how sad it can be to be away from the Church. I lived that life once and I'm glad I've come home.

I'm not sure what else to say. I'm really, really sad.