Catholic Inside and Out

Dr. Kenneth H. Howell

former Presbyterian minister and seminary professor

Summarizing my journey to the Catholic Church is a bit like attempting to put the Internal Revenue Code on a postcard. But I will venture to sketch the highlights of this journey.

My knowledge of Catholicism in childhood was limited to my father’s side of the family, some of whom were devout, but most of whom were Catholic in name only. I can remember at times being impressed with the aesthetic appeal of the Catholic Church and having a sense of something greater. But I was completely at a loss to know what that was.

In my late teens (college years), I had a deep sense of the grace of God in my life and loved to read the Sacred Scriptures. I read spiritual literature that stressed the importance of a daily communion with God in the Spirit and found at times an unusual degree of closeness to God, which I can only describe as a gift.

During the late seventies, I attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I learned the art of biblical interpretation and other theological disciplines. Although I had no interest in the Catholic Church at that time, I do remember being repulsed by the anti-Catholic attitudes of some of my conservative Presbyterian friends. To me, Catholics were misguided, but they were Christian.

In my seminary days, I remember formulating a theological issue that was to play a crucial role in my journey later on. I realized that the only way to justify the splitting of Western Christianity that occurred in the Reformation was to see the Protestant Reformers as bringing the Church back to its original purity from which it had fallen. This meant that the Protestants were the true Catholics.

Summarizing my journey to the Catholic Church is a bit like attempting to put the Internal Revenue Code on a postcard. But I will venture to sketch the highlights of this journey.

My knowledge of Catholicism in childhood was limited to my father’s side of the family, some of whom were devout, but most of whom were Catholic in name only. I can remember at times being impressed with the aesthetic appeal of the Catholic Church and having a sense of something greater. But I was completely at a loss to know what that was.

In my late teens (college years), I had a deep sense of the grace of God in my life and loved to read the Sacred Scriptures. I read spiritual literature that stressed the importance of a daily communion with God in the Spirit and found at times an unusual degree of closeness to God, which I can only describe as a gift.

During the late seventies, I attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I learned the art of biblical interpretation and other theological disciplines. Although I had no interest in the Catholic Church at that time, I do remember being repulsed by the anti-Catholic attitudes of some of my conservative Presbyterian friends. To me, Catholics were misguided, but they were Christian.

In my seminary days, I remember formulating a theological issue that was to play a crucial role in my journey later on. I realized that the only way to justify the splitting of Western Christianity that occurred in the Reformation was to see the Protestant Reformers as bringing the Church back to its original purity from which it had fallen. This meant that the Protestants were the true Catholics.

In 1978, I was ordained a Presbyterian minister (Presbyterian Church in America) and served two churches while I also obtained a doctoral degree in biblical linguistics. Shortly after my ordination, I was preaching a homily on the unity of the Church and stated that the only justification for the Reformation was that the Catholic Church had left the Gospel. I further said that the demands of unity in the Church, for which our Lord prayed in John 17, required us to do this: If the Catholic Church ever comes back to the Gospel, we must go back to it.

Little did I realize in 1978 that I would someday eat my words.

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How Not to Become a Catholic–Part 2

Three More Rules for Keeping the Dreaded Whore of Babylon at Bay

The ongoing story of a Catholic convert

James Tonkowich

In the first installment of my advice as to how to avoid becoming a Catholic, I suggested two rules. First, assume that all Catholics are idiots. Second, get all your information about the Catholic Church second-hand. Steer clear of Catholic intellectuals, well-catechized laypeople, and young, zealous, orthodox priests and nuns. Look for leftover aging, hippy priests and nuns, poorly catechized Catholics, and ex-Catholics evangelicals who have it in for the Church. And above all, don’t read the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

With those preliminaries out of the way, the next three rules have to do with history.

Rule #3: Avoid Being “Deep in History”

Blessed John Henry Newman, an Anglican priest and scholar who entered the Church in 1845 and was eventually made a Cardinal, quipped, “To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.” And while it’s not a hard and fast rule, if you want to avoid the Catholic Church, do your best to avoid being “deep in history.”

Some history, of course, will do you no harm. Protestant history written by Protestant historians and the shenanigans of Borgia popes are good reading. But always assume that from the death of the last apostle until Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-Five Theses to the door at the Castle Church in Wittenberg there is nothing important to learn. After all, if the Church centered in Rome was utterly corrupt, there is no reason to study it except insofar as its corruption led to the Reformation. 

Continue reading...........

Today's Gospel - March 26, 2012 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10

P S A L M - Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11

R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

2^ND READING - Hebrews 10:4-10

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.

Luke 1:26-38

26 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

SABBATH

WHERE ARE YOU CALLED TO SAY YES TO? I remember the story of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was set in her mission as a school teacher but her encounter with the poor and the Gospel shook her world and led to a new calling: to serve the poorest of the poor. This is where she found Jesus. I remember Joey Velasco who was afflicted with sickness. This became the turning point in his life, to discover Jesus once more in the eyes of the poor. He found a renewed calling: to paint Jesus in the world of the street kids, the neglected farmers, and other marginalized sectors of society. Mary was faced with a similar challenge: Will she take on the role as the mother of Jesus, who is the Son of God? Mary’s world was all set. She was destined to marry Joseph. But now she is called to a new role: to be the mother of the Savior. Initially, she was afraid what this future will look like. I suppose she was scared of what this new role would entail. Who is she to be given this big responsibility? Isn’t she an ordinary young person engaged to an ordinary young man for an ordinary married life? Second, Mary is assured of the Holy Spirit who will overshadow her. The Holy Spirit is a source of new power, a new presence in the life of the prophets, Jesus and the disciples. Mary was also assured that nothing is impossible with God. Even Elizabeth was to give birth in her seemingly old age! Mary was being assured of new power and presence. And the Holy Spirit is an assurance of God’s loving presence. Third, Mary responded with the gift of cooperating with her yes to God: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me as you say.” The psalm echoes the same obedience to God’s will: “Here I come to do your will.” We are all called to say yes to something or Someone. Our yes defines our future.Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your experience of new challenges in your life? How have you been assured of God’s Spirit? What are you being called to say yes to right now? Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to say yes to Your will for my life, no matter how unclear it is. Blessed Didacus of Cadiz, pray for us.  Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.

Today's Gospel - March 25, 2012 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Jeremiah 31:31-34

P S A L M - Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15

R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

2^ND READING - Hebrews 5:7-9 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord; and where I am, there also will my servant be.

John 12:20-33

20 Some Greeks who had come up to worship at the Passover Feast 21 came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. 27 I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. 31 Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

1st READING 2nd READING

think: Submission to God’s will is the act of a strong man.

SABBATH

UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT DIES One of the blessings of priesthood is to accompany people before they finally expire and face our Maker. Usually, it is hard for the family members and also for the one dying. Those who observe the process admit that there are stages that people go through: denial or shock, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Other times, it is all a mix of emotions when one faces death. Jesus Himself faced death and, in some Gospel accounts, He agonized in the garden: “Take this cup away from me.” Or, at the mount of the cross, He cried in frustration: “Father, why have you forsaken me?” Death does not come easy. There is inner stubbornness or fear to submit to the helplessness or the reality of mortal life. The readings remind us of the perspective of faith in facing death: “God will plant a law in our hearts.” As you can see the law is really a commandment of love. Later, we will read in the Gospel, “Perfect love casts out all fear.” In the letter to the Hebrews, we recall how Jesus obeyed. He listened to the will of the Father. Jesus learned to obey through suffering. When the Lord says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain but if it dies, it will yield a rich harvest,” it reflects the faith of the community the way Jesus faced death, and the way He would have wanted His followers to face death. Jesus, after a long struggle with death, cried to the Father: “Not my will but Thy will be done.” Because of the reality of our mortality and the fear that accompanies it, we are reminded of the way of Jesus. Anyone who wishes to follow Jesus cannot escape the cross or the reality of death. Ignatius of Loyola recommends begging for our deepest desires. Beg, then, for the grace to die to our false self, die to our character defects that resist the reality of suffering and death. Translation: the grace of constant renewal. The difficult climb is matched by an easy slide down back to the old ways.Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your encounter with the reality of death in your life? How have you experienced God’s reassuring example in Jesus? Lord Jesus, I beg for the grace to die to my false self. Help me to renew myself constantly and not be pulled down by the negative influences inside me and around me.

St. Dismas, pray for us. 

Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com.
Lots of surprises await.   

PRAY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!

IT WILL ONLY TAKE A MINUTE.

You never know when God is going to bless you! Good things happen when you
least expect them to! 

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear the morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. 

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things that are of you. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over And it is the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. 

Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak . Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.

I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will disregard this without sharing it with others. I pray for those that don't believe.

I thank you that I believe. I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers, and for each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes, that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray
that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God.

Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it.

God Bless!!! Just repeat this phrase and see how God moves!

God,

I love you and I need you, come into my heart, please.

Unearthing St. Peter: A True Account

Our First pope was an enemy of state. He was crucified upside down . . . he was denied a proper burial . . . and his friends were prevented from recovering his body. But where did his body go? Where are the bones of the Church's first Pope? For centuries, tradition held that St. Peter's Basilica was built over St. Peter's grave. But is it true? Nobody knew for sure. Even the popes themselves did not know if St. Peter's bones were truly underneath the high altar. This was one of history's greatest unsolved mysteries. Then, in a stunning announcement, Pope Paul VI declared in 1968 that the well-preserved skeletal remains of St. Peter had been found beneath St. Peter's.   In John Walsh's book, The Bones of St. Peter, you will read the engrossing true story of how a team of determined researchers solved the puzzle of St. Peter's burial and rescued his remains. In a story beginning thirty years before the Pope's announcement, you will be there as workmen preparing a burial place for Pope Pius XI break through to a previously unknown mausoleum. Dig alongside the researchers, scholars, and scientists who for decades unearth clues as they slowly tunnel their way through a tangle of ancient structures beneath the Basilica of St. Peter arriving finally at the bones of St. Peter. More than just a detective story, The Bones of Saint Peter brings the Prince of the Apostles to life in ways and dimensions unlike any other treatment of the Church's first fisher of men. The Catholic Herald says that The Bones of St. Peter"reads like an Agatha Christie thriller, as clue after clue is found and solved." The Biblical Archaeology Review calls it "a marvelously interesting tale." This week only save 15% at checkout enter code: HLABSP15  (*For a limited time, shipping not included, not eligible for any other discounts.) Bones of St. Peter   by John Evangelist Walsh 256 pgs pbk $18.95 ____________   Fine Catholic Books  from SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS    1-800-888-9344 We always welcome contributions to our non-profit apostolate. If you would prefer not to use the PayPal button below, you can add a contribution  directly to your shopping cart at our on-line store.    Sophia Institute Press is the publishing division of

Pray on Monday with C-FAM

Dear Friend of C-FAM,

This is a global call to join C-FAM and all of our supporters around the world in prayer on Monday morning, March 19, at 10 a.m. (Eastern). We know that our fight is a spiritual one!

We are praying on Monday because it is the Feast of St. Joseph who is the Patron and Protector of the Family. We chose 10 a.m. because it coincides with the time Pope Benedict begins his afternoon walk through the Vatican Gardens to pray his Rosary. So, we are uniting our prayers with him. 

Here is the prayer we are saying to St. Joseph. You may use this or any prayer you find suitable (many of our readers and supporters are not Catholic and do not share our belief in praying to Saints. We do not want to miss your prayers, so please join us in another prayer but one that asks Our Lord to protect the family at the UN). 

Here is the prayer:

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Prayer to St. Joseph for Life

"St. Joseph, You are the chaste and loving spouse of the Virgin Mary, the foster father of Jesus, the protector and provider of the Holy Family and of all families. We have complete confidence in your loving care for new life and your fidelity to the family. We commend our efforts to your prayers and protection. Help us always to defend the gift of human life that it may grow to the abundance of eternal life promised and bestowed on us by your son, our brother, Jesus Christ. Amen."

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PLEASE JOIN C-FAM AND OUR GLOBAL FAMILY IN STORMING THE HEAVENS FOR PROTECTION OF THE FAMILY.

Many thanks!

Spread the word.

Yours sincerely,

Austin Ruse

President

C-FAM

Today's Gospel - March 18, 2012 with Reflection

1^st READING - 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23

P S A L M - Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

R: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you.

2^nd READING - Ephesians 2:4-10

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

John 3:14-21

14 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” 16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.”

SABBATH

BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME I was once a guidance counselor of a parochial school. Many students came to me having problems with their studies, not because they were dumb or bad, but because they didn’t feel affirmed, loved and accepted by their parents. Most of them say that when they get home, it’s as if no one has arrived. Married men and women would confess to me that they are tempted to have an affair not because they no longer love their spouses but simply because their spouses have become cold and inexpressive of their love. God understands our need. In today’s Gospel, God reassures us of His love for us. Listen to the Word of God saying to us, “For God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life” (v.16). Today, we are reminded of Jesus’ love for us, a love that reached its climax on the cross. But you know what is so surprising with Jesus dying on the cross? Let me illustrate this with an experience of mine. When I was still a seminarian, I was assigned to do some apostolate in a home for unwed mothers. In that place I met women, some as young as 16, who were already pregnant, rejected and disowned. Most of them who came into the home felt they were garbage. But after delivering their baby, they leave the place totally renewed, feeling good about themselves. Why? Because during their stay in the home, some people dared to love them even in their most “unlovable” state. Jesus did not wait that we become good, holy and lovable before He loved us. In fact, it is because Jesus loves us that we started to be lovable and feel good about ourselves. When we look at the cross, let us be reminded of this love. Let us also be reminded not to postpone our acts of loving. Let us not wait for the people around us to become lovable before we love them. Let us love them now, and that will make the others more lovable. Or at least, this will make us dislike the other less. Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Are there unlovable persons around you? Why not decide to love them now, one person at a time? Lord Jesus, grant me a loving and accepting heart. May I learn to love like You. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.