Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts

Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts

Reintroducing Logic and Reason to the Age of Sentimentalism

Conversion

All of the posts under the "Conversion" category.

What Would Jesus Do? On San Bernardino and the Need to Defend Ourselves

A few days after the San Bernardino, California gun shooting has occurred, it seemed like a good topic to touch on. There has been a huge increase in news stories dealing with the number of terrorist attacks  occurring in just about every single country. It is ever more evident that the time has come that we ourselves take up arms and conceal carry.

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These terrorist attacks are committed by men and women of varying ethnicities and creeds. They occur mostly in “gun-free zones”. Yet we hear the bombardment of squeals from those calling for more “gun control laws” (because that worked out real well in San Bernardino, didn’t it?). Tougher gun laws are being requested, even though the attack occurred in a gun-free zone, and were committed with guns that are banned in the state of California. Even with all of these cries it is critical that we look to the clear teaching from Our Lord Jesus Christ about the need to protect ourselves.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus makes it very clear to his disciples that they should always be armed:

When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything? But they said: Nothing. Then said he unto them: But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a scrip; and he that hath not, let him sell his coat, and buy a sword. For I say to you, that this that is written must yet be fulfilled in me: And with the wicked was he reckoned. For the things concerning me have an end. But they said: Lord, behold here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough. Luke 22:35-38

Obviously, if we were to apply this Gospel to today’s culture, we could easily replace the sword with a pistol as swords are not commonplace in today’s world. Jesus does later criticize Peter for using the sword when Peter uses it against one of the servants and cuts off his ear (” he who lives by the sword dies by the sword”) but it is important to remember what Jesus meant by this.

Those who live by the sword are referring to those who use violence as their first and primary means. If your first response whenever an issue occurs is using a weapon, you will eventually die by this weapon as eventually you will encounter someone who is better than you are. However, there is nothing at all wrong with defending oneself or those around you, even going as far as using deadly force, if the intention is not to kill the aggressor, but to stop him.

While I am calling for all citizens to begin to carry a gun on them at all times, I am not calling for them to go ahead and murder those around them. I am advocating for them to use the gun to stop the force, if necessary. Obviously, these terrorists would not get very far with their mass shootings if a small army of say ten passersby all pulled out their pistols and began firing back.

A lot of these shootings have also been motivated by groups with ties to ISIS. I have heard the argument from several people that perhaps we are at a point in history in which Catholics are being called to martyrdom. While it is possible that some of us will get to be martyrs for Jesus Christ and the Holy Catholic Church, I would like to point out that one, just because we are called to martyrdom, does not mean we can not defend ourselves and those around us, and two, some of us are not called to martyrdom and are called to defend those weaker than ourselves.

When looking back in history, the Mexican government actively attacked and murdered Catholics due to fear that the Catholic Church would overtake their country. The Christeros rose up against the government and fought back, defending themselves, and even bringing some of the battles to the soldiers. As these battles were just in using the theory of just war, many of the Christeros who died could be considered martyrs. In fact, quite a few of them were canonized by both Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. One can defend oneself, but still die for Christ and become a martyr.

While it is important that we all pray for peace and healing during this time, we must also pray for the unity of the world to join the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Until the world converts and lives a holy life, there will never truly be peace as only communion with Jesus Christ and His Church can give that. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and those who deny Him will be denied by His Father. Jesus founded one Church, the Catholic Church, for all of His followers to belong to. A rejection of this Church is a rejection of Christ, and a rejection of Christ is a rejection of your union with Him in Heaven.

Therefore, as we joyfully await the birth of Our Lord this Advent, I humbly implore you to prayerfully consider accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and coming home into the Catholic Church. And if you haven’t been to confession in a while, please, examine your conscience and go. For just as those who deny Christ can not enter Heaven, those who have offended Our Lord by committing any mortal sin have cut themselves off from His grace, and can not enter into Heaven.

Jeff December 4, 2015 Leave A Comment Permalink

The TradCast Episode 01

On the first episode of the TradCast, I give you a bit of history about me. I discuss my experience at the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Rediscover: Catholic Celebration. What do you do with your orthodox leanings in a progressive parish? And finally, what does it mean to be Catholic and who do we look to in this day when modernism reigns supreme?

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Currently, you can download or listen from SoundCloud. Due to some technical difficulties and lack of foresight on my part, this is the only way you can listen to it. I am working on getting iTunes and self-hosted working soon.

Enjoy and thanks for listening!

One correction, the verse is Romans 16:17-19

Jeff October 14, 2014 3 Comments Permalink

St. Anthony’s Intercession and the Rosary

The other night when it was time to pray the Rosary with my wife, I reached into my pocket only to discover that my Rosary was not in there! I could not remember taking it out and had no clue where it was.

I quickly remembered that I should pray to St. Anthony as this is my favorite Rosary having the St. Benedict medal and the St. Benedict crucifix. I said a quick prayer “Please, St. Anthony, help me find my Rosary.” I went to the office looked over at my desk and next to my mouse and keyboard, was my Rosary. Immediately, I prayed “Thank you St. Anthony for helping me.” I’ve actually misplaced another favorite Rosary of mine a few months ago and have yet to find it. So, I tackled on to my thanks the request “If you could please help me in finding this other Rosary, I’d be super happy, but, it doesn’t have to be now, but over time.”

I went upstairs to pray the Rosary with my wife in the bedroom and about halfway through, I noticed my “man box” on top of my dresser. I felt called to it and I just couldn’t resist and had to get up, mid-Rosary while reciting the Hail Mary’s, and started opening up all the little drawers on it. Much to my disappointment, the Rosary I was looking for was not in there. I turned around to head back to my bed and noticed the drawers on my side table.

Immediately and without hesitation, I walked over to the side table and opened the bottom drawer. Nothing at all in there. Opened the middle drawer, shoveled some papers around, and there it was in its little pouch! Immediately I thanked St. Anthony again for interceding for me. I hadn’t seen this Rosary in some time and proceeded to open up the pouch and pour the Rosary onto the bed.

A surge of memories came flooding through of why I loved the Rosary so much and how much Our Lady of Fatima had inspired me to start praying the Rosary, even as someone who knew nothing about Catholicism. This Rosary has blue beads with bits of green on it, and to me makes it appear to be the Earth. Our Lady of Fatima talked about how we can pray for people in the world and through our prayers can help them convert.

St. Anthony is a great saint to pray to when you have misplaced or lost something. The Rosary is a powerful devotion that can help combat heresy and give you numerous graces.

Jeff April 25, 2014 Leave A Comment Permalink

Celebrate Your Feast Days

As Catholics, we have a lot to celebrate: Baptisms, Confirmations, Anniversaries, Saint Feast days, and of course, the many Holy Days that are attributed to our faith.

Celebratorial Balloons

But, how often do you actually celebrate your Baptismal Day or your Confirmation Day or even the Feast days of your favorite Saints or Confirmation Saint?

We really should get in the habit of making the time to celebrate these days. If you are married, you celebrate your Anniversary, which is a Sacrament. If you are ordained, you celebrate your ordination day, which is a Sacrament. Likewise, we should begin to celebrate the days in which we were Baptized and Confirmed.

Baptism is a day to be celebrated, as it is the day in which you were washed clean of the stain of Original Sin. God marked you as one of His own, one of His children. If you do not know the day you were baptized, you can call the parish that you were baptized at, assuming they have good record keeping. If that doesn’t work, you should be able to contact your diocese as they usually keep track of this as well.

Confirmation should be celebrated as it was the day in which you reaffirmed your baptismal vows and promised before God and those in attendance that you would continue walking the Catholic faith. Similar to above, you can call the parish or the diocese to find out the date.

If you are married, I won’t even bother mentioning why you should celebrate your anniversary, especially if you are a guy. Likewise, if you are ordained, you should celebrate as well.

The Saints are great examples to us, as they have lived a life here on Earth, and have gone before us into Heaven to intercede for us. It is wise to celebrate your confirmation Saint and any other Saints that you admire.

There is much to celebrate in our faith. Enjoy your “feast days” and celebrate your faith. There are many hard days out there, so enjoy these days so that you might one day grow in Holiness and intercede for those here on Earth.

Jeff April 15, 2014 Leave A Comment Permalink

What Does It Mean to “Live the Gospel”?

There appears to be much confusion as to what the Gospel is today. Many Catholics and Christians alike will say that we need to go out and “Live the Gospel”. The thing is, there is no record throughout Catholicism or even in Protestantism about “living the Gospel” until the last hundred years or so.

From what I have noticed, the phrase “Live the Gospel” is a very vague phrase that can be used depending on what the individual person wants to convey with their own interpretation. However, in general, it appears that there are several components to what they want to do by “living the Gospel”. It generally includes helping the poor, giving people what they want (not what they need), being nice to people and affirming them in their sin, not correcting anyone if they are incorrect, and in general just being a “good person”. There is no emphasis on helping people realize their sin and repenting of it, not being a good Catholic, proper worship and reverence and obedience to Christ and His Church and the like.

It is important to understand what proper definitions of words are so that we use them correctly. The Concise Catholic Dictionary of 1943 has several definitions of what the Gospel is:

1. Literally “good news”. A recording of the life and works of Jesus written by an evangelist. 2. Collectively, the writings of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, contained in Sacred Scripture. 3. The reading of an extract from Sacred Scripture, taken from the gospel narrative, which takes place in the ceremonies of the Mass just before the Offertory. There is a second Gospel right after the final blessing of the Mass which is of the feast day or vigils, days of special commemoration, and days in Lent when a feast is celebrated, but usually this second gospel is the first fourteen verses of the Gospel of St. John, first chapter.

If you are to actually look into what the Gospel is, you would understand that the phrase “Live the Gospel” makes logically no sense. After all, the Gospel is literally the “Good News” as noted above. So what is the Good News you ask?

The Good News in its simplicity is that we are all horrendous sinners, worthy of the eternal damnation and punishment of Hell. We are unworthy of the rewards of Heaven. Jesus Christ, being the Son of God, came to forgive all of us so that we may have (a chance of) eternal life. He came so that we may be baptized and washed clean of original sin. He came so that we may repent of our sin and through Him, reconcile ourselves with God. Jesus died on the cross, taking up all of our sin, becoming the sacrificial lamb, so that we can attain Heaven. He died and rose again from the dead to show that when we die, we too will rise again in our glorified bodies to show-off to Satan, that even though he introduced death into the world, that Jesus Christ has conquered death, so that we may have everlasting life.

When you understand properly what the Gospel is, you realize that “living the Gospel” is a modernist heresy introduced to cause confusion among the faithful. “Living the Gospel” as is used today is about reducing Jesus Christ, who came for all the reasons mentioned above, to just a mere man who was a “nice guy” who did “nice things” for “some people”. That is not what He did.

Everything Christ did was for the glory of His Father who art in Heaven. To reduce Jesus to this “nice guy” is an insult to the Holy Trinity.

If we are to truly “live the Gospel” as is properly understood, we are to live the commandments as Jesus taught us, following Him, His bride the Church and making disciples of all nations. This is what living the Gospel is all about. Sharing this Good News, so that others may have the chance at eternal and everlasting life. To withhold this from others, is selfishness.

Jeff March 21, 2014 Leave A Comment Permalink

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