Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 506

Liz Lev on Benedict's "Light of the World" and Condoms

In the recent edition of Zenit.org, my good friend in Rome, Liz Lev, wrote an astute review of Pope Benedict's interview in the new book Light of the World. She hits the nail on the head — as usual!

ROME, DEC. 2, 2010 (Zenit.org).- I'd like to thank the New York Times and other secular media for helping me get my priorities straight. I had no plans to read right away Benedict XVI's new book-length interview with Peter Seewald, as I was buried under final exams. I was saving the book for quieter times.

But between the international headlines generated by the New York Times and Associated Press reports, I stopped everything I was doing and picked up "Light of the World." It was the best thing I did this semester, as his message of hope in the face of tremendous challenges offers calm amid chaos.

Not surprisingly, the secular media got the Pope's message wrong. One would think with all the expensive educations milling around these news conglomerates, someone might have taken a class in reading comprehension. Ironically, the Associated Press claimed: "Pope's remarks on condoms sow widespread confusion." I would have gone with "Journalist illiteracy wreaks pandemonium."

The point of contention is in Chapter 11, when the Pope speaks hypothetically of a prostitute using a condom as a sign of an awakening of his moral conscience. This tiny paragraph has now spawned novels — proving the Pope's point in the preceding lines, that "concentrating on condoms alone banalizes sexuality."

His remarks make perfect sense, the only mystery being why Catholics would look to the secular media for interpretation of the Pope's teaching, especially those outlets that had spent most of this year trying relentlessly yet unsuccessfully to accuse him of complicity in the sex abuse crisis.

To read the whole review click here. For the Video Intro to the book, click below.

For Family (and probably a very few others)

We went to a short play "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" in a small town here in Michigan. My son and his daughter Maria Faustina (my granddaughter :-) were in the play.

I couldn't help myself — making a small iMovie of it with my iPhone. For those who don't hate family videos, here it is … (from proud grandpa)

Muslims Slaughter Iraqi Catholics during Mass

Gruesome pictures, treacherous story, gut-wrenching funerals.

For those who still think Islam is a peaceful, tolerant religion here is a rude awakening. This is what often happens when Islam predominates in a country. They are quiet when in the minority, but watch out … especially Christians!

To see the pictures and read the story of the murdered young priests, click here. Wake up America! Wake up Christians!

You may also want to read my past blog warning Europe and America about Islam. It is entitled Prepare for the Skyline of the Future.

From Patrick Coffin, host of Catholic Answers Live:

"On Wednesday, Dec 8 you will hear the interview I did yesterday with the Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church, from Lebanon, who has jurisdiction over the Cathedral where the martyrs were murdered.  Amazing man, and very articulate about what's at stake, what's in store for the Christians in the Middle East, and why political correctness is killing us.

The story is shocking, and one is stunned at the courage of those who remain.  The other shock is how little the western media seems to care – the Baghdad event featured the wrong victims!  If a Christian gave a Muslim a paper cut, the NYT would run it above the fold with "gruesome" photos for days.  The age of martyrs will proceed apace as long as Islamists roam the earth unchallenged.

Group Picture of our St. Paul Cruise

Thought you might like to see the group of wonderful pilgrims who joined us for our Footprints of St. Paul Pilgrimage & Cruise through Turkey, Greece and Italy.

We are in front of the Celsius Library in Ephesus, the third largest library in the world in it's day, right across the street from the two-story brothel.

We have another St. Paul Pilgrimage & Cruise planned for March 2012.

Click the image for a LARGER picture.

Free Holy Heroes CD

From my friend, and founder of Catholic Scripture Study, Gail Buckley:

My friends Kerri and Ken Davison, are making a great offer that I want to pass on to you, especially those of you who have children or grandchildren or friends with children or grandchildren :)  They are offering a FREE CD on their Holy Heroes website: www.freeglorystories.com – all you pay is the shipping.

Their Holy Heroes apostolate is family-owned and loyal to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.  They have a great assortment of CDs. DVDs, games, coloring books, prayers, music, bibles, tee shirts, etc. for children and families.  This is a great  (and fun) way to help your children learn and grow in their Catholic faith."

Click here or on the image below.

My Friend Peter Williamson on Journey Home

Peter Williamson is a convert to the Catholic Church and now a Scripture scholar who teaches at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit Michigan. Recently he was with Marcus Grodi on the EWTN's The Journey Home.

Peter wrote, "A little over a week ago I told the story of my becoming a Catholic on The Journey Home.  The Lord really seemed to anoint the interview, and I've gotten a rather extraordinary response from complete strangers, as well as distant acquaintances.

I think it may be pretty helpful to evangelical Protestants considering the Catholic Church.

Muslim Student …

… reveals the real intent behind her hajib.

Muslim Student's True Opinion

Neoconservative thinker David Horowitz was put on the spot by a Muslim student during a speech at the University of California San Diego. His comeback revealed her true goal.

Anglican Bishop Says Good-bye to 75 Parishes …

… as he says Hello to Rome. Here is Bishop Burnham's "Farewell Sermon." For the whole story and text of the sermon, click here.

One has to respect the sacrifice and integrity of such a man! We welcome him and pray for God's blessing.

On our last pilgrimage-cruise, Fr Stephen Gideon told us his agonizing and joyful story of moving from Episcopalian priest to Roman Catholic priest. We all had tears in our eyes.

Eucharist Means Everything!

Cory wrote me yesterday and said I could share this with everyone:

Hi Steve: I've never written to you before but felt I just had to this time. I watched to your 7 Footprints of God DVD's and your Defending the Eucharist, and it was awesome.

I am a new Catholic. I became Catholic as of last Easter vigil. When I went to the R.C.I.A classes I was very upfront with why I was there. I said I just wanted to know what the Catholic church believed and why my Grandmother believed what she did. To me it was very strange. I told everyone in the class I had no intentions of becoming Catholic. I was just curious.

I was baptized Catholic as an infant, but never grew up in the Faith because my Parents died when I was 3 or 4 years old. My mother was Catholic, but my Dad was an Atheist. I lived in 15 different foster homes before I was 10 years old. My foster parents were Christian Reform. But thru out my childhood, I always had a memory of my Grandmother praying her Rosary everyday. I needed to find out why.

It took me over 50 years to walk into a Catholic church. All my years as a Protestant, I took the Lord's Supper for granted. And why not. After all, its just a symbol, right. We had it the first Sunday of each month. I kept looking to the clock at the back of the church thinking…"For crying out loud, will you hurry up with the bread and wine. I want to get out of here." Steve, I just wasn't into the Lord's Supper at all. If its just a symbol…why do it?

Easter vigil came, and there I was, doing the one thing I said I would never do. I was becoming Catholic. I fully understood what the Eucharist was, is, and will always be, and when I took it for the very first time, I cried my heart out because for the first time in my life, I knew I was truly taking the Body and Blood of Christ. What an awesome Blessing this is.

I'm now part of the Eucharistic Ministry in my Church. I'm the only one in my family who is Catholic, but I'm working on them. For now I will not just BE Catholic…but LIVE my Catholic Faith as a witness for my family and friends.

Thank you so much for your videos Steve. They hold a lot of meaning for me. Your Friend in Christ….Cory

What Council of Church "leaders" Collected the NT Books?

I was just going through the Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines. I find the book very helpful in many respects but was struck by the deceptive "factual" statement about the list of books in the New Testament.

On page 17, under the heading "How We Got the Bible: Ten Key Points," it says, "The books of the Bible were collected and arranged and recognized as inspired sacred authority by councils of rabbis and council of church leaders based on careful guidelines."

Really?!?!

Then I am curious about a few things. First, who were these "church leaders"? Were they Protestant professors or pastors? Or, might they be the Bishops of the Catholic Church? Hum!

Second, who were these rabbis? Might they be the mythical "Council of Jamnia" which even Protestant scholars admit did not decide the books of the Bible? Those rabbis debunked by Jesus in favor of the Church's authority?

Third, if we accept the authority of the Bible Alone — where in the Bible does it say that there will be inspired writings added to the already existing Old Testament? Where does it give us the list of New Testament books or the criteria for knowing what books should or should not be included? And even if it did, wouldn't that be circular reasoning?

Fourth, what were the "careful guidelines" that were used in making this determination? Where can we find this mythical list? :-)

If you want to learn more on this, check out my list of 36 "Questions for 'Bible Christians'".

Protestants don't want to admit it, but the problem of the canon of Scripture is the Achilles Heel of Protestantism and one of the reasons I joined the Catholic Church!