Why Loaves AND Fishes?

Looking back at last Sunday's readings, Michael Barber at Singing in the Reign blog has a great post on why Christ multiplied the loaves and fishes: Why Jesus Multiplied Loaves AND Fish.

By the way, this is much better than the lousy homily that I heard on Sunday in South Carolina about how the multiplication wasn't really a "supernatural miracle", but instead the "miracle of sharing lunches" - it was the worst sermon that I've heard in my Catholic life.

- Taylor

General Patton on Training the Body

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."

- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

Saint Basil on the Holy Trinity

Below is a beautiful quote from Saint Basil on the Holy Trinity:

"The Godhead is common; the fatherhood particular. We must therefore combine the two and say, 'I believe in God the Father.'

The like course must be pursued in the confession of the Son; we must combine the particular with the common and say 'I believe in God the Son,' so in the case of the Holy Ghost we must make our utterance conform to the appellation and say 'in God the Holy Ghost.'

Hence it results that there is a satisfactory preservation of the unity by the confession of the one Godhead, while in the distinction of the individual properties regarded in each there is the confession of the peculiar properties of the Persons."

Saint Basil, Epistle to Amphilochius (Epistle 236:6)

Anglican priest Fr. Jeff Steel becomes Catholic

Jeff Steel who was once an Anglican priest in England and his family have entered into the Catholic Church. He has entered into full communion with the Holy Father. Isn't God great? Please welcome him!

His story is below:

Journey Home to the Catholic Church: I Have Jumped into the Tiber to Swim Across

I am writing to make the announcement that I am becoming a Roman Catholic along with my wife Rhea and our six children. I realise that this decision is going to make some really happy, some very sad and others possibily angry. But, I have made the decision with the deepest sense of integrity and by conscience. I would like to share a bit of my faith journey though there are many gaps here, it is descriptive of my heart over the past few months. This is not particularly an academic account of what I have done in my studies but rather the spiritual wrestling that went on within me. The announcement was made this morning in all three parishes where I serve and is now a matter of public knowledge. My reception into Holy Mother Church is forthcoming.

My PhD studies really set me on my Catholic journey in a deep theological way though I did not realise it at the time. I have been looking at Bishop Lancelot Andrewes as a catalyst for ecumenism with the Catholic Church in the area of Eucharistic sacrifice. Andrewes was in regular dialogue with S. Robert Bellarmine SJ and it is in this dialogue and Andrewes’ other writings that I saw how Catholic he was with regards to the Eucharist being the Christian offering which consisted of more than a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. It was and is propitiatory as well as other things.

Through my time of study in Catholic sacramental theology and viewing my own priestly ministry within this theological framework the question of communio began to frequently come to mind. I had fully embraced Catholic sacramental theology and believed that I could be a Catholic in the Church of England and planned on retirement from the C of E later in life. With all that is going on around the Anglican Communion presently, and particularly within the C of E and how she makes decisions on matters of doctrine, I began to ask questions about authority. As a theologian praying for reunion with the Holy See the question I was now asking was, ‘on whose terms does this reunion take place?’

What I became aware of was that it was almost impossible to say 'the Church teaching is' within the Anglican church because there are so many various opinions on matters of sacraments, liturgy, morality, scripture etc. What I did not want to experience anymore was proclaiming the teaching of the Church only to end up defending myself rather than the Anglican church defending me. This has become an ever-increasing impossibility that is no secret to the entire Anglican world. My preaching would always be seen as a matter of personal opinion rather than having the authority of the Magisterium that backs up what I teach publicly. Of course there is dissent in the Catholic Church but it is always that, dissent towards what Mother Church proclaims as authoritatively true. It is the truth of Mother Church that I embrace as my own deep personal faith.

In January of this year I began to seriously pray about my journey and was moving deeper into the question of communio. What was God saying to me and why did he bring me all the way to England to have me consider the possibility of becoming a Catholic? What about the last 19 years of my life and the pursuit of serving him in full-time ministry? What do I do about the ever-increasing reaffirmation and sense of call to vocational priesthood? These items I took to prayer with Ss Bede and Cuthbert at the Durham Cathedral each Friday during Lent. There I prayed for requests given to me by people from around the world and my own spiritual journey was a part of this prayer ministry. I gave myself to Mary and her Son and said ‘please lead and guide in the way you want me to go either by remaining a priest in the C of E or a move to the Catholic Church’. At this time I scheduled my retreat during Easter week to make a spiritual journey and pilgrimage to Rome. I had a number of meetings there with priests and a former Episcopal bishop (Father Jeffrey Steenson) who had converted from Anglicanism as well as an American Catholic priest who is in Rome finishing his PhD on the Pastoral Provision of the late Pope John Paul II.

In my heart, I knew that I had grown to love and believe the Catholic faith as it was taught in the Catholic Catechism. On my final day in Rome on 17 April 2009 I went to the tomb of S. Peter and knelt and prayed for quite some time. I knew in my heart I was a Catholic and asked what it was that was keeping me from converting. All sorts of fears ran through my head and I felt very restless there and at times just knelt quietly asking S. Peter to pray for me because I didn’t know how or the way to go. At the end of this time I went over and knelt at JPII's tomb and asked him to please pray for me as I was scared to make a journey like this with a wife and six children not knowing how God would provide for us.

After praying with JPII, I got up and went to S. Peter’s tomb again and there with conviction of heart signed the Roman Catholic Catechism stating ‘This is the Faith of the Church and this is my Faith’, and signed my name with the day's date. Before leaving the Basilica I walked over to the statue of S. Peter with the key in his hand, rubbed his foot, and said, ‘I am going out to find the way, open the door and make this happen and pray for me as I make this journey.’

One week later I was in a meeting with a couple of Catholic bishops in London. I had made the commitment in my heart that coming home to the Catholic Church was God’s plan for me. I have now made the biggest jump I have ever made in my life and I am trying really hard not to struggle too much as I fall while waiting for God to catch me. The one thing that has not changed in my heart but has only grown over the past nine years is my desire to remain in England as a Catholic. This desire has been confirmed through much prayer and discernment and all signs point to us remaining in England for the entirety of our lives. For numerous reasons, I am discerning God calling me to the southern region of the country, which has been my plan for three years. London will be our new home and if I am ever to be priested in the Catholic Church it is where I will be incardinated.

Though my time in Rome had quite a bit of emotion as I prayed, what I actually came to see was the end of the wrestling with these questions in my mind and heart. It was now time to act on what my conscience was saying to me for some time. It was time to surrender myself and submit to Mother Church knowing in faith that God would open doors. Here I saw the connection of what communio meant and how the union with Mother Church was now bringing me closer to Jesus where I am no longer to be in a party that is merely catholic-minded but am coming into communion with the Church of Jesus Christ which is in union with Saint Peter. This is my salvation. What I mean is that though I have continually been drawn closer to Jesus through worship, sacraments, and the cure of souls, this decision to move is a conversion to Christ that I have not yet experienced. I am now beginning to see how closely this final decision has drawn me to Jesus where what began ten years ago as a love discovered within the ceremonial beauty of worship has been God’s instrumental means of uniting me to the Catholic Church.

Finally, this leads me to my vocation to the priesthood and the cura animarum. I realise that I do not come to the Church making demands. I come offering my life to Jesus and to the Church as I seek his will for my life. For the time being, I am simply giving up being the teacher and am now becoming the student of Mother Church. What she does with me is in the best interest of her and God's kingdom. As I said, the family is preparing to move to London in the near future to begin a new life of ministry and service. There will be more details forthcoming as things become confirmed to me.

There are many people to whom I owe much thanks. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity Bishop Tom Wright entrusted to me by giving me the privilege of serving God in the Durham Diocese as a priest. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the wonderful people of my parishes in Brandon, Ushaw Moor and New Brancepeth. I am grateful for my family of brothers in the SSC, FiFUK and our PEV's for seeking to maintain the Catholic faith in the C of E. I am grateful for the support my Anglican spiritual director, Canon Arthur Middleton, has given me over the past five years. I am also thankful for the support given to me the past few years from Father Peter and Brian my colleagues. For the latter part of this journey I am grateful for my new Catholic spiritual director Father Gerard Bradley who teaches at St. John's Seminary Wonersh and Gerard Hatton a soon-to-be candidate for ordination. My deepest gratitude goes to the wonderful woman who said 'yes' to my question over sixteen years ago. She has given me six wonderful children and all of them have a deep Catholic faith and serve Christ as witnesses to his love. Rhea meant her vows 16 years ago and has followed me throughout our marriage as my best friend, supporter and wisest critic. She is so grateful to finally be becoming Catholic as her family did a few years ago. Lumen Gentium reminded me that, Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved. And so, I swim with my family entrusted to me by God. The process of our reception is now well under way.

There will be much more to come but this blog is now a Roman Catholic blog. I will continue to write within the framework of de cura animarum. Please pray for us as we pray for all of you!

Augustine's use "infusion" not "imputation" with regard to Justification

I recently wrote a post at the Catholic Perspective on Paul site on how Augustine uses "infusion" (Council of Trent) and not "imputation" (Martin Luther) when he talks about justification:

Augustine uses of “infusion” not “imputation” with regard to Justification

Saint Mary Magdalene as the Bride of Christ (July 22)

If you're Catholic, the title of this post may bother you, because Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code has placed all Catholics on watch for anyone attempting to identify Saint Mary Magdalene as the wife of Christ and the mother of his child. Brown's suggestion is not only ridiculous, it is also blasphemous and heretical. Yet, Saint Mary Magdalene is a "Bride of Christ" according to tradition - just as every nun is consecrated to Christ as a "Bride of Christ". Tradition states that Saint Mary Magdalene lived as the Church's first female hermit who had consecrated her life to the resurrected Christ, just as nuns do today. Nuns are often called "Brides of Christ" because of their vowed commitment to Christ.

So the difference between Da Vinci Code and the Catholic Church is this: The Da Vinci Code states that Mary Magdalene is the the wife of Christ. The Bible and the Catholic Church teach that Saint Mary Magdalene is a Bride of Christ, as a consecrated religious woman.

Ave Maria Univ dismisses Father Fessio (again)

Father Joseph Fessio, founder of Ignatius Press, has been dismissed (again) from the Ave Maria University for criticizing the financial trajectory of the institution.

Tom Peters at American Papist has all the details.

Michael Barber's New Liturgy Reflections (Video)

Liturgy Reflection: Sunday, July 19, 2009

Michael Barber of Singing in the Reign blog and professor at John Paul the Great Catholic University is working with JP Catholic students to launch a new video series offering reflections on the Sunday Readings. It's a great idea. Each reflection is based on the Mass lectionary so that you get solid biblical scholarship on the coming Sunday readings. If you ask me, it is a great way to prepare yourself for Sunday Mass.

You can also find other JP Catholic videos here:

http://vimeo.com/5543406

Today's Saint Lawrence of Brindisi tells you "Read This!"

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi was the greatest linguist of his day. He could read, write, and speak Italian, Latin, Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish and French.

Here's my favorite story about him. He was preaching somewhere and was being heckled by a Protestant minister about a Catholic doctrine not being found in the Bible. Saint Lawrence took his Greek New Testament and threw it at the man and said, "Read this!"

His knowledge of Hebrew was so thorough that the rabbis were convinced that he had once been a Jew who had converted to Christianity.

Photo of Pope Blessing with a Broken Arm in Cast (pretty cool)

Today's Canterbury Tale:
The pope blessed a few hundred faithful Sunday with his right arm in a cast during his first public appearance since undergoing surgery to set a wrist he fractured in a fall.

Catholic Tale: Is there a Catholic bishop of the moon?

Papal Tale: Is the Holy Father's New Encyclical written poorly?

World Tale: July becomes deadliest month in Afghanistan

American Tale: Dems health plan could punish families

Humorous Tale: President Obama gets busted by France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (click to link to photo)

Personal Tale: I'll be teaching Philosophy of Being in the Fall at the University of Dallas.

Did the Apostle Paul consider himself to be a priest?

Saint Paul was a rabbi, an evangelist, a preacher, a missionary, a minister, and an apostle—but was he a priest? First, we must examine how a priest is different than a minister or preacher. Certainly, priests preach and teach, but they do more. Priests also mediate and sacrifice on behalf of others.

Since the New Testament describes Christ as the great high priest of the New Covenant, many Christians have supposed that there are no more priests in the New Testament, or that all Christians are “priests” because each believer has direct access to Christ. Following this argument, there could not be any priests mediating between believers and Christ since Christ is the “one mediator between God and man” (1 Tim 2:5). Moreover, Christ offered His sacrifice “once and for all” on the wood of the cross and so it would be inconceivable for any Christian to offer sacrifice. And yet, the Catholic Church believes that there are ministerial priests who are distinct from the laity and distinct from Christ. Why does the Catholic Church believe this?

Saint Paul taught it.

Click on the triangular “play” button above.
27 minutes.

Visit the "Catholic Perspective on Paul" website.

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Was Paul a Catholic priest? Yes, he refers to his “priestly ministry” in Romans 15:15-16. He administered the sacraments, called himself a “steward of the mysteries”, and he was even celibate! Join us as we look at the priestly language of Paul’s Epistles.

Guess who called Catholicism "polytheistic, degrading and idolatrous"?

Guess who once described the Catholic religion as "polytheistic, degrading and idolatrous"?

The answer is the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman. The quote comes from his pre-Catholic days.


J.H.N. pray for us.

Will G.K. Chesterton be beatified?!

ROME, JULY 14, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) is well known for his clever and humorous writing, and his thought-provoking paradoxes. But he might also become known as a saint, if a proposal to launch his cause of beatification goes forward.

ZENIT spoke with Paolo Gulisano, author of the first Italian-language biography of the great English writer ("Chesterton & Belloc: Apologia e Profezia," Ediciones Ancora), about the origins of this proposal. Here, Gulisano explains why Chesterton might merit recognition as a saint.

Read the whole thing from Zenit:

"Blessed" G.K. Chesterton

Did Paul teach that the Eucharist is a Sacrifice? What about Transubstantiation?

Click on triangle above to listen to:

Episode #8
Paul on Eucharistic Sacrifice and Transubstantiation (34 minutes)

Join us as we examine the origin of the Eucharist in Old Testament typology. Saint Paul deeply understood this continuity and speaks of the Lord’s Supper and the “table of the Lord” with sacrificial language. We’ll also take a look at how the Council of Trent examined specific passages in the epistles of Paul with respect to transubstantiation and the Real Presence.

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Tags: 1 Corinthians, Covenants, Eucharist, Lord's Supper, Old Testament, Participation, Real Presence, Romans, Transubstantiation

Is Pope Benedict's Encyclical Infallible?

My first reaction to our Holy Father's new encyclical Caritas Veritate is cautious. I do like how the Holy Father stressed that there is not "pre-conciliar Church" and a "post-conciliar Church". However, I always get a case of the heebee-jeebees when the Holy Father talks about the United Nations or even hints that they could be part of the solution (67).

Some Protestants and pro-capitalist Catholics have asked:

"Is this new encyclical Caritas Veritate infallible?"

The short answer is that it's not infallible.

Infallible proclamations are pretty clear. Here is an example of an infallible statement from Pius XII's Munificentissimus Deus:

For which reason, after we have poured forth prayers of supplication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of Almighty God who has lavished his special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church;

by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma:

that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

Notice how Pope Pius, of blessed memory, invokes authority with the words: "by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma."

He invokes Christ, Peter, and Paul and then gives the threefold formula of " we pronounce, declare, and define". Nowhere does the current Holy Father use such formulations in his new encyclical Caritas Veritate. Does this mean that we can ignore the document altogether. No.

I'm still taking in the new encyclical. I'd be happy to hear the reflections of others. What do you think of it?

If you haven't read it, here it is: Caritas Veritate.

Godspeed,
Taylor

Did you know that Paul taught Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead?

Episode #7 Saint Paul on Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead (29 minutes)

No doubt, this topic should raise some eyebrows among the Protestants listening to this podcast series.

Many non-Catholic students of Paul’s epistles assume that purgatory is the farthest thing from his mind. They may be surprised to learn that the Catholic Church looks to Paul as a defender of the doctrine of purgatory and prayers for the dead.

Join us as we make the case for Paul’s doctrine of Purgatory and prove that he did in fact pray for the dead.

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My Top Ten Books of All Time

My favorite book is the Holy Bible, without a doubt. However, if we exclude the Sacred Scriptures, here are my favorite ten books. This list is not in any particular order:

1. Summa theologiae by St. Thomas Aquinas
2. Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
3. Resurrection of the Son of God by NT Wright
4. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
5. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
6. Divine Comedy by Dante
7. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
   
8. On Duties (De officiis) by Marcus Tullius Cicero
9. Essay on the Development of Doctrine by John Henry Newman
10. Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton

- Taylor

John Calvin's confusion over Substance and the Eucharist

I hope y'all are checking out the new group site entitled: Called to Communion. The site is getting tons of traffic and the comments are amazing. Lots of Protestants and Catholics going back and forth over the claims of Catholicism - in a respectful and cordial way.

John Calvin's confusion over Substance and the Eucharist

I recently posted something at Called to Communion about John Calvin and his use of "substance" with respect to the Eucharist:

Several years ago when I was once a Calvinist, I remember reading this quote by John Calvin and being impressed by it:

We must confess, then, that if the representation which God gives us in the Supper is true, the internal substance of the sacrament is conjoined with the visible signs; and as the bread is distributed to us by the hand, so the body of Christ is communicated to us in order that we may be made partakers of it (John Calvin, Short Treatise on the Lord’s Supper, 17).

The interesting thing is that Calvin here discusses the presence of Christ in terms of “substance.” Not only that, Calvin speaks of the “internal substance” being “conjoined with the visible signs.” This comes close to consubstantiation, where the substance of Christ is conjoined to the substance of bread and wine. Quite remarkable.

Click to continue reading: "Calvin's confusion over Substance and the Eucharist"