Random Catholic Thoughts

I'm living in SC, surrounded by "Bible Christians" and an ever-increasing number of pagans - those who were never baptized nor exposed to Christian ideas.

As a Catholic, I do spend some time explaining that:

• Yes, Catholics ARE Christians


• No, we don't "worship" Mary - we do hold her under higher regard than most people, as befits her life on Earth


• No, we don't blindly follow whatever the Pope and the priests tell us to do - I imagine that Fr. Fabio and Fr. Paul in my church would laugh hysterically at that concept


• We do believe in knowing Jesus Christ - and God and the Holy Spirit - on a personal basis, but we haven't said the MAGIC words that allow Fundamentalists to accept that


• We DO read the Bible - not only the many, including me, that are currently on a journey through the entire Bible, but also - because in a 3-year cycle, we hear during Mass just about the entire Bible (well, except for the litany of the Begats)


• Yes, we are forgiven through the sacrament of Reconciliation - No, it doesn't mean that we can SAY we're sorry and go right out and do it again - we actually have to BE sorry, and work to stop doing the same sins over and over again

There are other misunderstandings, but those are the major ones.

Lent is one of those misunderstood concepts - Mark Shea does a good job of explaining it.

Explaining Catholicism to Protestants.

The BIG secret of Christians.