Getting to Know Pope Francis

Jimmy Akin has put together a short video that does a wonderful job of profiling our new pope. Watch the video all the way through for information on obtaining a free copy of  a special report: Inside the Mind of Pope Francis.

Tools for the Toolbox: Conclave Resources

As the Church gears up for the upcoming Conclave to elect a new pope, you might be asking yourself, "How do I find out more about papal conclaves?" I am debating on whether or not to devote a new page on this blog dedicated to all things related to the conclave. For the time being, I have gathered a number of sound resources for you to review and prepare yourself not only for the conclave, but for all the questions you are getting from co-workers, friends and family. These are all great opportunities for evangelization!

Electing the Pope

This new website is a collaboration of several Catholic bloggers, catechists and teachers and it seeks to be a meta site for explaining the conclave and related topics. Its contributors include the likes of Sarah Reinhard who writes the Snoring Scholar blog and is a regular contributor to the Catholic Mom. The  site includes information about the papacy, Catholic symbols and best of all, a Q & A section.

In the Light of the Law

If you are interested in a Canon Law perspective, you need not go any further than Dr. Edward Peters' blog, In the Light of the Law. Dr. Peters is a canon lawyer and has written several books on Canon Law including OSV's 100 Questions About Annulments.

EWTN - The See of Peter

You can never go wrong with EWTN as one of the resources you regularly check for anything Catholic. They have put together a number of resources on a new page entitled The See of Peter. The page includes a number of links including overviews on the papacy and the college of cardinals. The page also includes links to several of the documents governing the election of a new pope.

National Catholic Register

If you are looking for a resource to follow news about the Catholic Church, you needn't go further than the National Catholic Register.  The NCR provides comprehensive and orthodox reporting on the Catholic Church. You will find well written articles, radio broadcasts and blog posts on their site.

Pope Names Book, Jimmy Akin

Jimmy Akin, who is a senior apologist for Catholic Answers, has written an ebook entitled Pope Names. In the book he explores the history of papal names, how name have chosen and he even explores the statistical probability of the name choice for the next pope.

Pentecost & the Role of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost, El Greco

Today we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, in which Holy Spirit was poured out over the Church. Today also marks the birth of the Church. Sometimes I think the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood and often forgotten person of the Holy Trinity.

The Catechism (688) gives a great summary of how we encounter (whether we know it or not) the Holy Spirit:

The Church, a communion living in the faith of the apostles which she transmits, is the place where we know the Holy Spirit:
- in the Scriptures he inspired;
- in the Tradition, to which the Church Fathers are always timely witnesses;
- in the Church's Magisterium, which he assists;
- in the sacramental liturgy, through its words and symbols, in which the Holy Spirit puts us into communion with Christ;
- in prayer, wherein he intercedes for us;
- in the charisms and ministries by which the Church is built up;
- in the signs of apostolic and missionary life;
- in the witness of saints through whom he manifests his holiness and continues the work of salvation.

We need to get in the habit of praying to the Holy Spirit because he is the one that sanctifies us. As we learn to trust him and ask for his help, we will be drawn closer to him. In this way we grow in our love for God and neighbor.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit by Josemaria Escriva (1934):

Come, O Holy Spirit!
Enlighten my mind to know your commands;
strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy;
inflame my will…
I have heard your voice, and I don’t want to harden myself and resist, saying “Later…, tomorrow.”
Nunc coepi! Now I begin! In case there is no tomorrow for me.

O Spirit of truth and wisdom, Spirit of understanding and counsel, Spirit of joy and peace! I want whatever you want. I want because you want, I want however you want, I want whenever you want.

Here are a few videos to help with understanding the Third Person of the Holy Trinity better.

Father Robert Barron speaks about the Holy Spirit:

Jimmy Akin answers What is the Holy Spirit?

Jimmy Akin answers Who is the Holy Spirit?

Lessons & Reflections on the Father Corapi Announcement

My Connection to Corapi

Honestly, it has still not sunk in that Father John Corapi may never preach again as a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. Father Corapi's conversion story, his preaching and teaching have had a tremendous impact on my development and formation as a Catholic man. I can still remember waking up in the middle of the night hearing his conversion story on EWTN. Stacey and I have been to several of his conferences, most recently last August in San Antonio. We own several of his CD's which have aided me in preparing many of my catechetical presentations for RCIA and Joe Catholic.

The Announcement

I was reluctant to write anything about this back at the beginning of Lent when Corapi made the accusations public on his website. Since then, very little had been heard about the status of the investigation until Corapi's announcement yesterday.

First Response

This is my immediate response: these are times for great charity, prayer, mortification and time spent on our knees before the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Not just for Father Corapi, but for ALL priests who come under severe attack from Satan and his minions. As I recently read in another Catholic blog, the devil "hates priests and bishops."

Something Not Right

I don't know if Father Corapi is innocent or guilty of the accusations made against him. At this point, I don't think that even matters. I have listened to his announcement and read the print version on his new website. The one thing that bothered me about it immediately, is his insistence that he will carry on in a new way. He says, "I can only do what I can do. I shall continue, black sheep that I am, to speak; and sheep dog that I am, to guard the sheep—this time around not just in the Church, but also in the entire world. I am, indeed, not ready to be extinguished. Under the name 'The Black Sheep Dog,' I shall be with you through radio broadcasts and writing." 

Disappointment and Disobedience

If he has been asked by his superiors and the bishop(s) to stop his public ministry as a priest, shouldn't he stop altogether? I don't know anything about Canon law but it seems to me that he is towing a fine a line. As another priest noted on his blog yesterday, Corapi is maintaining a "pretense of obedience while he is disobedient." Father Joe Jenkins, the BloggerPriest, goes on to say that once a priest is suspended, he "can neither preach nor teach religion." I think Father Corapi has even said in his talks: once a priest, always a priest. Jimmy Akin, of Catholic Answers, writes "it is hard to read this as anything but a statement that Fr. Corapi plans to ignore ecclesiastical supervision of any kind and continue his pastoral 'sheepdog' ministry."

Final Reflection

To say I am disappointed and perplexed by Father Corapi's actions is an understatement. I don't disagree that there should be some revisions to the judicial process faced by accused priests. Nevertheless, I hoped Corapi would fight THROUGH the process while quietly abiding by his superiors, perhaps even spending hours before the Blessed Sacrament. Instead, he has chosen a defiant path.

I think the following quotation says it all: “We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides.” -St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Fathers Know Best

If you have ever watched the program, The Journey Home on EWTN, you will discover a trend among the guests who share how they have entered into the Catholic Church. (I highly recommend watching this program; it will help you in your discussions with our non-Catholic brothers and sisters.) Many of them, including a great number of former Protestant ministers, were led back to the Church through their study of the Early Church Fathers. 

Jimmy Akin's new book, The Fathers Know Best collects a number of writings and quotations from the church fathers. It is a great read for learning about the early years of the Church and how the leaders dealt with many heresies that arose during that time (some still lingering around to this day) and how that resulted in councils and creeds. It's important to note that one of the great lessons to learn from the work of the Fathers of the Church is that the Church's teaching has been consistent since its inception. The statements were written in response and to clarify, not to create new teaching. 

My favorite statement about the Church Fathers was one made by a Catholic apologist who said, "would you rather heed the words of someone from the 1500's or someone who was around in the early years of the Church"?

If you are interested in reading more about Church history here are some recommendations:

The Fathers Know Best by Jimmy Akin

Triumph, The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church by H.W. Crocker III

Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know by Diane Moczar