I Was a Teenage Apologist
I am a thirteen-year-old girl who loves apologetics. I really enjoyed Catholicism and Fundamentalism. I also listened to it on tape. I have read many of your tracts and listened to tapes on apologetics. My dad subscribed toThis Rock, and I read it before he does!
Well, I’d like to say, “Keep up the great work!” I know a lot more than other kids my age (I guess), but there’s more to learn. Thank you for Catholic Answers.
In This Rock it says writer’s guide-lines are available on request. Well, this is a request. I have started writing for the Catholic youth magazine You! Maybe in a couple of years I’ll know enough about apologetics to submit an article to you.
Kate Slattery
Rockland, Wisconsin
Male Blindness?
I should think (excuse me, the dryer just dinged) that it should (wait a sec, the cookies are done) be obvious why (hold it, the tomatoes and the purple-hull peas need picking) there are so few (“Honey, can you iron me a shirt?”) women in apologetics.
The press of family (“Mom, I’m ready to go to Lisa’s”) duties, while giving us time (kitchen floor has to be mopped) to think, leaves us little (“Mommy, read me a story?”) time to write it down. If we do find the time (“Mom? Aren’t you done with the computer yet?”), someone is usually trying to better a score at Tetris.
Although I’m probably adequately prepared to talk on a few subjects, who’d listen? I’ve heard myself on tape: It’s Eleanor Roosevelt, Southern-fried. So it’s not lack of want-tos that keeps us out of apologetics, it’s lack of other things.
Sally Box
Carrollton, Texas
More Answers, Please!
Infrequently you publish in the Letters section a question from a reader without an answer from This Rock or the person whose article is in question. Several times I would have liked, benefited from, the answer myself. I mean these are legitimate questions from obviously sincere people on some point of Catholic doctrine or Scripture.
I can guess that its a point of openness that prompts you to print such questions or difficulties, but I think a good purpose would be served if you would answer the questions, with space limitations in mind, of course.
Thank you for your work. This, I’m believing more and more, is one of those times when lay people (like I really am!) will save the Church by being the Holy Spirit’s instruments. Wasn’t that the case during the Arian heresy when, I’ve read, about a third of the bishops were Arian? (You don’t have to answer that question.)
Brother Marian
St. Joseph Abbey
St. Benedict, Louisiana
“Thundermentalists”
I first got involved with apologetics after overhearing a couple of what I later found out were Fundamentalists deriding Catholicism in a restaurant. I decided they needed a bit of enlightenment. I’d only been a newly converted cradle Catholic for about a year, so I was pretty weak in my biblical understanding of the faith. Let me tell you, they thumped me with the Bible and smugly walked away as I scratched my head and pondered the meaning of petros and petra.
My ego bruised, I told a priest friend about the incident, and he recommended Catholicism and Fundamentalism. The scales dropped from my eyes when I read the book.
After about six months of reading Catholic Answers’ literature and listening to your tapes, combined with daily listening to KKLA and KBRT radio [Protestant stations in the Los Angeles area], I had a good notion of what “thundermentalists” believe. I changed jobs and discovered that where I was working there were about twenty Calvary Chapelists, many of them ex-Catholics. This proved to be excellent training grounds for a budding apologist.
I’d been at the job about six months when Brad Lewis, the ex- Jehovah’s Witness who wrote the cover story in your May/June issue, transferred into the place I was working. I’d never met anyone so anti-Catholic as Brad in my life, and never in a million years did I imagine he would convert to Catholicism. It took six months before he agreed to read Catholicism and Fundamentalism. When he did read the book, it transformed him. He agreed that half of what he had believed had come from professional anti-Catholics.
The shell had cracked, and I gave him a Catholic Answers tract or tape whenever I could. One day, after about a year, Brad gave me the pleasure of taking him to his first Mass. It was all over then. Brad’s heart melted when the beautiful Mass was said. Afterward he turned to me and said how betrayed he felt by the anti-Catholics.
I’m writing this to tell your readers that I’m just an average person, but look what happened. We have the truth, and the weight of the evidence is with us. The greatest gift of all, to me, is that I have received an understanding of the faith I never would have had it if had not been for Catholic Answers.
Michael Allen
El Segundo, California
Search and Destroy Apologetics
My hat is perpetually tipped to Karl Keating and the other members of the Defending the Faith III team that was assembled for the Catholic apologetics conference at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in June. Mr. Keating’s condensed one-hour presentation on “Catholic Fundamentalists” on Saturday morning, as well as the few minutes of individual attention he extended between talks, spoke volumes to me and has brought many others to recognize the damage done by Catholics who exercise “distorted Christian charity.”
Dr. Thomas Howard, upon concluding his conversion testimony at the conference, communicated a reality of epic proportions to those who practice what can be accurately labeled “search and destroy apologetics.” He said, “Through my [conversion] experience, I can truly say that the Holy Spirit was there every step of the way, and he was very patient with me.” That one line made me take a hard look at myself and left me convicted that the only thing I needed to “search and destroy” was my own apologetic methodology.
David C. Wilder
Union Springs, New York
This Is Where My Truth Lies
Over the years, after many courses/classes/seminars, I have finally decided where I stand on many issues. I am glad to say that my spirituality is still very much with the Catholic Church–the Eucharist and Mary are two of the most important things in my life. However, I have sadly realized that within the Catholic Church there is a sharp division between conservatives, the right wing, and liberals, the left wing.
Right now, my “truth” lies with the Catholic left, who are working unceasingly for peace and justice issues. I am very involved with groups like Pax Christi USA, Network (a Catholic lobby), Jericho, and Call to Action. Many of these groups are interested in dialoguing about liberation theology and (very important to me) issues of change within the Catholic Church, such as trying to change the Church’s stance on birth control, celibacy for priests, women’s ordination, and recognizing the validity of gay (homosexual) relationships.
Even though I haven’t read your magazines fully lately, I do scan the contents, and I don’t remember your addressing these issues. Before I can renew, I need to know your stance on these issues. I realize that for “political reasons” you may need to support the Church’s current position in your publications, but I am very interested in your true, personal views.
Ros. Fernandes
Santa Rosa, California
Editor’s reply: My personal views are the same as my public views. I’m not the least ashamed of saying I agree totally with the Church’s position on all the issues you list. Keep in mind that most of these are doctrinal, but one is disciplinary.
The doctrinal:
1. Contraception is always immoral and so never can be condoned, even for “a higher good.” The ends still don’t justify the means.
2. Ordination is restricted to males because of the nature of the priesthood, not because of cultural taboos. This issue is closed, no matter how ardently some people may wish to see female priests.
3. Sexual relations between homosexuals are always sinful. Homosexuals are called to live chaste lives, just as heterosexuals are. For them this means abstinence from sexual relations. The “disability” for homosexuals is no greater than that for heterosexuals who aren’t married. If single heterosexuals can live chastely (and zillions do), without committing fornication, homosexuals can live chastely, without committing sodomy.
Now to the single disciplinary issue, priestly celibacy. I have seen no convincing evidence that allowing Western Rite priests to marry will result in any measurable increase in the number of priests. Keep in mind that in the Eastern Rites, where married men may be ordained, shortages of priests also exist.
Celibacy is a discipline, and, like any discipline, it may be changed on prudential grounds. If the Pope were to ask my advice, I’d tell him not to do away with celibacy. Junking it would be a tremendous blunder and wouldn’t do a thing to help the priest shortage.
My working principle is this: On disciplinary matters, if you can’t demonstrate that a change will result in substantial improvement, leave things alone, lest you make things worse.
So far as the political issues you mention are concerned, keep in mind that Catholic Answers is an apol-ogetics and evangelization apostolate. We mainly talk about doctrines and disciplines, not the application of Christian principles to political or economic questions. Yes, I have my own thoughts on these matters, but I keep them out of these pages because they aren’t germane to this work.
In case you’re wondering, I’m not keeping them out because of “political reasons” in the sense you use the phrase. Nothing I could say on politics or economics could drive anyone as far up the wall as the things I already say in public on contraception and other volatile issues.
Missing the Joke?
I was shocked by the title of the tape you are offering, “Papal Bull from Anti-Catholics.” Are you trying to promote anti-Catholicism or Christianity? I am sure our Holy Father does not approve of your approach. Where is your Christian love? I will pray.
Genevieve Burns
Iowa City, Iowa
Editor’s reply: Funny, but, when we visited him in March, the Holy Father didn’t say he disapproves of our approach. In fact, he was pleased when we told him of our work. Also pleased were the cardinals, bishops, and other officials we met with in Rome. If you know something about their attitude toward our work that we don’t, please let us know.
I admit I like the title “Papal Bull from Anti-Catholics,” partly because I coined it, but mostly because it does double duty. It says we get bull (Webster’s: “empty boastful talk, nonsense”) about the papacy from anti-Catholics (quite true, you know), and it includes a play on words: A papal bull is an official papal letter sealed with a bulla, a round seal made of lead.
The tape in question refutes “empty, boastful” charges against the papacy made by anti-Catholics, especially by Fundamentalists.
Helping the Boys in Boise
Recently I wrote to you requesting a donation of some materials for the inmates here at the minimum custody facility in Boise, Idaho. I am now writing to you to convey to you our most sincere gratitude and appreciation for your very generous donation of books, tapes, and tracts.
Your tracts have been enjoyed by many. Even visiting Protestant ministers have expressed their appreciation for these wonderfully written and enlightening pieces of information. It is quite impossible to share just how very important your ministry is in such an environment as prison.
I am soon to be reassigned to San Francisco (to All Hallows Church, in which I served about seventeen years ago). I hope that you will please continue to watch over the men and women prisoners here in Idaho.
Rev. Juan Carranco, S.M.
Boise, Idaho
Camel Stop for Apologists
Please renew my subscription. I find This Rock to be a friendly oasis in the wilderness; there my soul is refreshed. My faith in Christ and his Church is also strengthened and renewed. May our Lord continue to bless you and your work.
Ron Nibby
Peabody, Massachusetts
Wow! Zam! Whoosh!
I attended your recent seminar in Lincoln, Nebraska. It confirmed to me that the tradition I longed to have knowledge of existed in Catholicism.
Since becoming a born-again Christian I longed to evangelize as I was told to do, but found myself falling flat on my face at every attempt. I tried to memorize Scripture, but couldn’t; I tried studying the Bible, but it didn’t make sense. Now it does. In fact, I took good notes at your conference and was able to answer another person’s opposing position–at least on the question of the papacy. Scripture as interpreted by the Church just makes good sense.
After debating this person for about 90 minutes, he said, “Tell me about a good priest, because if the Catholic Church is the true Church, I need to know it.” (Wow! Was God actually able to use me to evangelize someone?) I couldn’t have done it without your obedience to God.
Leann Dredla
Lincoln, Nebraska
Seminarian Keeps Current
Perhaps it’s because I’ve been away at seminary that I’ve allowed my subscription to one of my favorite publications, This Rock, to lapse.
You see, I’ve always felt a certain closeness to your publication since your editor was one of the instruments the Lord used to bring me into his Church. I will always be thankful for Karl’s kind patience with me back in the mid-eighties, when I wrote him a number of letters, some of which, I recall, might have tested the patience of a less kind man.
Walter Wittemann
Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Jesus’ “Brothers” — Again
I receive your subscription and I am totally satisfied with it. I have found it to contain answers to many questions I have had, whether the questions were of my own thought or brought on by non-Catholics.
While reading some passages in the Bible, I came across one that came up in conversation I had with a “born-again” Christian the other day. He said that Jesus had many brothers and sisters. In Matthew 13:55-56 it mentions his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude. Are these his brothers as in born of the same mother or brothers as in cousins/relatives? Please provide evidence or explanation. Please send me a fast reponse, as I am in Saudi Arabia for a 90-day temporary duty assignment.
David Martinez
Saudi Arabia
Editor’s reply: We sent Mr. Martinez our tract “The ‘Brethren of the Lord'”. It answers cleanly the question of Matthew 13:55-56 (hint: the “brothers” have a mother other than Mary, the mother of Jesus), and it shows why a little detective work will demonstrate that Mary could not have had children other than Jesus.
The tract is part of what we call the Sampler of 50 different tracts. It is available for $5.95 plus $2.00 S&H.
Two Sides, One Coin
It certainly seems that our mutual efforts have a great deal in common. We are attempting to have Catholics share their faith, and you are doing everything possible to assure that they have a clear faith conviction to share.
I was particularly struck by the opening words of the first reading of today’s liturgy: “The community of believers were of one heart and one mind” (Acts 4:32). Sadly, these same words do not apply as forcefully today, and I congratulate you for everything you are doing to help us remain a people of “one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all” (Eph. 4:5-6).
Rev. Tom Forrest, C.Ss.R.
International Director
Evangelization 2000
Washington, D.C.