I am currently preparing to speak on two topics at a diocesan conference for the first time, ever! I'm a giddy mess of facts, anecdotes, and random tidbits of far-flung Church teachings that I am organizing as a coherent narrative for my audience. Oh, and one of the two topics is that perennial favorite: Catholic… Continue reading Teaching the Cardinal Virtues: All Fun, No Fuss
Tag: Catholic Doctrine
The Tree
On Ke'eamoku St. in Honolulu stands a tree. It is a large tree, with large, fanned roots that in and of themselves are impressive. I am always awed by this tree, and fascinated by its shape: one side obviously receives the brunt of the elements, and the other flourishes with leafy branches. I came across… Continue reading The Tree
It’s Time to Change How We Defend the Church’s Teaching on Contraception
Karl Keating recently wrote about an all-but-forgotten work of apologetics called Some Thoughts on Catholic Apologetics, by E. I. Watkin. Skimming through Mr. Keating’s explanation of the book’s relevance for modern apologetics, I was struck by how much of the sentiment mirrored my own. As Mr. Keating notes, “To Watkin, dry, abstract approaches used during the… Continue reading It’s Time to Change How We Defend the Church’s Teaching on Contraception
What’s the point of Social Justice?
Catholicism, to the surprise of many, barely supports capital punishment. In fact, the robust history of Catholic social justice seems to be unknown to many Catholics, let alone non-Catholics. Otherwise I don't think there would have been such a collective sigh of relief when Pope Francis shifted Church rhetoric away from procreative issues. Just for fun, let me list… Continue reading What’s the point of Social Justice?
Why Can’t the Church Support Gay Marriage?
The topic of homosexuals, gay marriage, and Catholicism weighs heavily on people’s minds. I understand how confusing and hurtful Church teaching seems on this issue, and a good friend has been gently nudging me to address this for a while now. His most recent comment to me is as follows: One thing, as you might… Continue reading Why Can’t the Church Support Gay Marriage?
On Rabbits and Responsibility
Note: This post originated on radinfinitum. I'm sharing it here because future posts will revisit parts of this one, and I want y'all to have the background. Rabbits. Out of an entire lengthy interview that covers some incredibly heavy subjects, all people could talk about this week were rabbits. I think Mr. Cuddles aptly expresses my feelings… Continue reading On Rabbits and Responsibility
What I Wish Everyone Knew About Catholicism
Do you love everything about the Catholic Church? No? Then this is for you. Yes? This is still for you. I'm not writing this to convert non-Catholics or make all Catholics theologians. All I want, all I really want, is for everyone to know a few basic things about Catholicism. If you hate the Church,… Continue reading What I Wish Everyone Knew About Catholicism