The purpose of revelation is not to confirm what man can know of material and immaterial things through his own natural capacity. The purpose is to inform man of the supernatural plan of God: “His will that men should have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit and […]
As children, all Catholics are taught the Ten Commandments. We learn that it is wrong to kill, to steal, to commit adultery, to worship other gods, etc. The Ten Commandments come from the Old Testament, and for the most part they transfer over to Christianity quite seamlessly. However, there is one exception: the third commandment […]
In the encyclical, FIDES ET RATIO (Faith and Reason) Pope St. John Paul II explains how faith and reason are the foundation for human wisdom. He begins by referencing the Greek philosophical dictum, ‘Know thyself’ and then goes on to explain how revelation builds upon and completes human wisdom. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ […]
On February 22, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the importance of Christian hope in the face sin during his weekly General Audience. Although his reflections focused on the corruption of creation, they are not the opinions of a left-leaning environmentalist but the profound insights of a man of God. The Environment Unfortunately, many Catholics will most […]
This month marks the first anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’. Upon reading it, I was struck by certain parallels of thought between it and something I had not initially expected to be relevant: Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. However, if we are to emphasise the importance of […]
The Book of Genesis outlines material creation focused on the earth. Material creation is in stages with the final stage, the creation of man. A seventh stage, the Sabbath, is not creational. The Sabbath emphasizes the fact that material creation has ceased. The era of the Sabbath is post-creational, except for the continued spiritual creation […]
If we were to follow Richard Dawkins as our guide, we would conclude that living creatures are not created. Opposing Arguments Differ in Defining Design The point to which Dawkins’ position is a counterpoint is the argument for God, dubbed “Intelligent Design”. Both arguments are based on mathematical probability, but reach opposite conclusions. Biology […]
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God” – Anne Frank Last Saturday, I was running errands around Denver. Grocery store, check. Gas, check. Bank, check. I had a handful of things I could work […]
When someone talks about a cathedral or church, we often think about a building. Stained glass windows, candles, crucifixes and tabernacles might come to mind. Words like “chapel” invoke different imagery for different people, but there are similar themes and descriptors. These physical places of prayer are important. However, Christians sometimes forget there is another […]
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalm 19A (KJV). “The laws of nature themselves tells us that not only can the universe have popped into existence like a proton and have required nothing in terms of energy but also that it is possible that nothing caused the big bang. ” […]
Conspiracy Theories and Catholicism is a series of posts about things like albino assassin monks, secret Bible books, pagan Santas and secret councils— popular culture related to Catholicism, sometimes in unexpected ways. If you have a suggestion for a future article, please leave a message in the comments or email me. Prior posts available by […]
\”Happy those who feast on wisdom and savor her knowledge, She will nourish and refresh them.\” Happy Those Who Feast on Wisdom, Hymn for the Office of Readings, 28th August Who is your favorite saint? Mine is St. Augustine (Hippo), whose feast day was last Wednesday, August the 28th . Rather than giving his biography and conversion […]
Most of us love a good mystery. PBS has issued “spoiler alerts” this week for their popular series Downtown Abbey. The younger generation has taken mystery a step further with fantasy worlds of trolls, wizards, dragons, and werewolves. But why do we find it difficult to accept a mystery in real life? St. Augustine famously […]
Are Most Christians Clueless About Their True Identity?
A good friend, Martha, from Madonna House, “happened” to sit beside a self-proclaimed witch on an old bus heading towards the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Noticing Martha’s large cross identifying her as a member of the Lay Apostolate, the witch cynically remarked that most Christians were stupid because they were completely clueless […]
The Catholic Church and Science
Many people erroneously believe that the dark ages were caused by the Catholic Church and its hatred of science/love of superstition, and its dominant control of the mind of man during what has been called the “medieval” or “dark ages.” But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, just the opposite is true. […]
Our Faith Is Not About Clean Uniforms
A few years back I was visiting a friend when a man in a sparkling white uniform walked out of my friend’s home. When my friend told me that this gentleman was there to repair his washing machine, I was somewhat surprised. After all, I thought, how can anyone repair anything without getting at least […]
Shaping the Image of God: Thoughts about Fatherhood
I have been thinking a lot about fatherhood lately. Having put in quite a few years as a dad with three beautiful children, you would think that by now I would be an expert on the subject. Sadly, such is not the case. I find myself still questioning why I am not the “perfect” father […]
The subtle, evil coercion of lies I was told, and expected to believe as true, from the women’s movement over our reproductive rights came to encompass my ensuing years in solitary confinement. This affliction was never spoken of, nor allowed, as it was the forbidden subject — a slow drip of acid as the lifelong sentence for […]
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