Due to my rehosting the blog on WordPress.com and heavy traffic on the posts reviewing the Penn & Teller show that tried to smear “the Vatican” from last year, I have copied those posts to pages. The beginning of the review can be found here. Thanks for your support!
0
My old site, http://confiteordeo.info/lexcredendi, is now hosted on WordPress.com at http://lexcred.wordpress.com. Please update your bookmarks!
Penn & Teller Take On the Vatican – Part 2
Posted: September 9, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, excommunication
This post has moved to this new Page.
Penn & Teller Take On the Vatican – Part 1
Posted: September 8, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, excommunication
This post has moved to this new Page.
It’s been eight months since I’ve written anything, as I’ve been particularly busy with work and family life. Also, these last couple of months, I’ve been reading quite a lot. After several years of owning a copy, I have been reading The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis. This book seems to be an excellent introduction to the mystical (as opposed to the intellectual) side of Catholicism. I find that this book increases faith and fervor more than any catechism or purely philisophical work (like the Summa Theologica) ever could. I am also reading a few other books: Divine Mercy in My Soul – the diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva, and lastly, The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O.
It looks like I’ve got my plate pretty full for now!
Remembering the Reason for the Season
Posted: December 20, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: Christmas, holiday, holy day
As the Christmas season quickly approaches (no, we’re not there yet!) I pause to observe how Christmas has been commercialized to the point where a truly traditional Christmas celebration would seem archaic to most people in the USA today. Also, many stores have eliminated all references to Christ, Christmas, and in a few cases, even Santa Claus. Presumably this is done in an attempt to not offend those who are not Christian, yet this is wrong-headed. First of all, probably 80-90% of people in the USA are at least nominally Christian, and would certainly not be offended by religious imagery. Of those, half are offended that companies eliminate the reason why it is that we should be buying their products this time of year. Also, most people of other faiths (Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.) are well aware that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. Many of them, despite not being Christian, celebrate Christmas anyway and do not complain that we Christians would dare wish someone “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays” or some other lukewarm greeting.
So why is the removal of Christ from Christmas so pervasive? The real reason, is because we have allowed Him to be removed. I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t buy presents for each other, or anything like that. What I am saying, is that we have allowed Christmas to be watered down in all realms of life. At stores, we purchase things that say “Seasons Greeetings”. At schools, we allow “winter programs” instead of Christmas plays. What other season is celebrated? Most schools don’t have spring, summer, or autumn programs, so having a “winter program” is a clear veiled reference to Christmas without having to face the reality of the birth of Christ.
If a Jew or Muslim were to wish me a happy Yom Kippur or Eid al Fitr, I would not be angry with them. Also, they would be within their rights to do so. If an Asian person wishes me a happy Lunar New Year, there is no problem. To object to these acts would not only be wrong, they would not be politically correct, as these are minority religious or ethnic groups. Given that the majority of Americans are Christian, there should be no question that wishing someone a Merry Christmas or having a Nativity scene are allowed, even in the public square. To do less would be to deny the Christian heritage of most Americans. While there is some debate about how Christan the Founding Fathers were, and while the Puritans did not like Christmas due to its Catholic origins, Christians of virtually all stripes celebrate Christmas in 2008. Let’s make sure that we all have a Merry Christmas, and not just a Happy Holiday.
http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=31127
"Muslim Convert to Catholic Faith Founds Pro-Life Political Party in Europe"
Posted: December 4, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: abortion, Europe, Muslim, pro-life
Given the usual news about radical Muslims in the news, this is quite an uplifting story! It’s also quite promising to see pro-life sentiments being propogated in Europe – a continent where abortion has been licit for quite some time longer than in the USA.
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=30814
PVS and Catholic Moral Teachings
Posted: December 2, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: medical ethics, persistent vegetative state, PVS, Terri Schiavo
Every now and then, a story about PVS comes out and I am reminded of Terri Schiavo. Terri Schiavo suffered from PVS (Persistent Vegetative State) and was allowed to die from dehydration. Regardless of whether or not she was conscious, allowing her to die in such a manner has uneqivocally been denounced by the Holy See as incompatible with Catholic medical ethics and morals.
http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=30736
Anti-Christian Violence in India
Posted: November 26, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, India, intolerance
Sadly, there has been an upsurge in violence against Catholics and other Christians in India, a country often associated with religious tolerance, rather than religious persecution. Catholic Online has a petition for support of Catholics in India: http://www.catholic.org/catholicaction/india/.
Please pray for all Christians in India, that they may be free from persecution, and that they may spread the Gospel of Christ freely.
Cardinal Stafford's pro-life talk at Catholic University
Posted: November 21, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: Humanae Vitae, pro-life
It is interesting to see how the pro-abortion / pro-licentiousness crowd often frames these discussions as tirades by irrational old men, when the arguments put forth by the Church are, in fact, quite rational and logical.
