Karl Keating's E-Letter of March 20, 2007

[distracted]

Originally Posted by obadiah

Actually I'm Eastern Orthodox but that's beside the point. You are so right. The Protestants want us to answer them by agreeing with them, but when we put a valid question they never give a coherent answer.

So its like... They have no argument, but keep arguing anyway...
sidestepping this, avoiding that...

But one of our seeds just may find root, so i guess we just need to keep on sowing those small seeds... (carefully).

[Titus]

Originally Posted by distracted

maybe i should just do a search on the web... i could type in Once Saved Always Saved...

i don't see how anyone can read the Bible & come up with such an unbiblical doctrine...

Or sola fides. Although that's Latin- so some of them might not like that so much. All plaster saints, incense and fancy robes. AND LATIN. (Sigh- my family are Protestant).

[distracted]

Originally Posted by Titus

Or sola fides. Although that's Latin- so some of them might not like that so much. All plaster saints, incense and fancy robes. AND LATIN. (Sigh- my family are Protestant).

Hmmm... i am curious as to why you say "Plaster saints..." etc.

Is that what your Protesting friends/relatives say about the Church?

How did you become Catholic? I am always interested in conversion stories...

I am a revert and the story of how i came back is nothing short of miraculous... though it would take too long to go into here and now...

There are things i don't like about the Church (the human side)... but the devil has not yet succeeded in ousting me... (he probably realizes he can't, so he tries to make my life in the Church "miserable", keep me "down" any way he can...so i can't witness 2 others, etc..)... That **^^%$#@ But anyway... Jesus stomped his --- a long time ago, so what am i worried about??

[Titus]

Originally Posted by distracted

Hmmm... i am curious as to why you say "Plaster saints..." etc.

Is that what your Protesting friends/relatives say about the Church?

How did you become Catholic? I am always interested in conversion stories...

I am a revert and the story of how i came back is nothing short of miraculous... though it would take too long to go into here and now...

There are things i don't like about the Church (the human side)... but the devil has not yet succeeded in ousting me... (he probably realizes he can't, so he tries to make my life in the Church "miserable", keep me "down" any way he can...so i can't witness 2 others, etc..)... That **^^%$#@ But anyway... Jesus stomped his --- a long time ago, so what am i worried about??

Well, sorry, I guess I am lucky. Only half my family is Protestant, the other half Catholic. That's how I am one (I'm a cradle catholic) . But the other half aren't too bad- they just have their little misconceptions. Plaster saints= statues etc. It's quite a common derogatory line thrown at Catholics here. I'd love to hear your story though distracted- plus your problems with the Church! I'd be glad to try and set you straight!

[Joe Stong]

Responding to the original post...I have heard and read serious Protestant counter arguments against confession and the Eucharist, but they tend to be based on INTERPRETATION of scripture as opposed to merely quoting a different text.

This is the entree to "theology 101" which I for one accept since if they follow their own line of thinking that scripture isn't 'clear' on something so it needs being explained, it also opens THEM up to the need for an earthy teaching authority, which then leads the whole discussion back to their unbiblical view of sola scritura.

It takes about an hour of patiently going step by step to get there, but once you get them to conceed that sola scritura is not scriptural or even practical (since it wasn't enough to explain away priestly confession and the real presence doctrine in John 6), the dike begins to break on their dislike for "institutional churches" and the real charism of the Holy Spirit in guiding His Church..... which then leads them to question "sola fide".

In the end though, charity and patience are the currency of conversion. I've won arguments but lost the person too many times to think words alone (heh, sola scritura) will succeed. In all things spiritual one needs love, patience, gentleness and compassion.

One needs to conduct the discussion in a mutual atmosphere of respect and search for Jesus' will for us as opposed to a drive to "prove them wrong".

[JDI]

The issue of Confession being limited to a mere 45 minutes or so is not uncommon these days, it seems. I belong to a parish of some 3,000 families who have only that much time available on Saturday afternoons. Our bulletin does say "Any time by appointment" but that doesn't always work in a busy parish. Our previous pastor would happily stand outside the church greeting parishioners, coffee in hand, instead of being available in the confessional before Mass. I used to wonder why he wasn't encouraging his parishioners to come to Mass in a state of Grace to receive Jesus. He seemed more concerned with maintaining good public relations (especially with an upcoming renovation to pay for). Considering about 80% of Catholics are using artificial contraception, as a pastor (shepherd) he should be concerned about the state of his parishioners' souls.
Pax vobis

[Lost&Found]

Regarding the OP: Seems like the whole world jumped onto "feel good". But feel good Catholicism was a failed experiment. Leave the "feel-good-illusion" to advertisers and everyone trying to sell you their garbage products. Catholicism is better at "embrace your reality". That's more what God wants from us.
Anyhow it's a good lesson because those people in LA diocese aren't any different from anyone else in the western world so we should expect the same success elsewhere if anyone else tries it.

[Terry Fenwick]

This was a great E-Letter!