Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 69

Steve Ray’s Seven Rules for Dealing with Non-Catholic Family & Friends – Getting ready for Christmas

My Seven Rules for dealing with family and friends who disagree with us, oppose us, want to argue and are against the Catholic Church and our morals. They are basically common sense, but many have found this article to be very helpful. Yes, it was originally Six Rules but I realized “Patience” had to be added as No. 7.

Cover story on Catholic Answers Magazine

Steve Ray’s Seven Rules:

1) Never argue with them, it will only push them further away.

2) Love them more than ever before, especially between spouses

3) Pray seriously and constantly and make sacrifices

4) Show the Joy of the Lord in your life so they see the result of the fullness of the Faith

5) Study apologetics and do biblical homework so you are ready when they finally ask questions

6) Be patient – God is not in as big a hurry as you are.

7) Ask God to bring someone else into their lives to influence them since they won’t listen to you

Joint us on a pilgrimage. Visit FootprintsOfGod.com.

Read the whole article in  Catholic Answers Magazine

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Fr. Frank Pavone Update 12-20-22 – Five Worthy Articles and a Letter from Frank Pavone

I along with everyone else was somewhat shocked by the actions of the Vatican towards Fr. Frank Pavone. But in some ways not surprised. Even if the actions were justified (though that is far from being proved), it has certainly been done with incompetence and a general sense of possible vindictiveness.

All of us see many injustices and problems coming from the current Vatican. Guys like Fr. James Martin and the German bishops are received by the Pope, while many good priests are cancelled. It seems we are not all playing on a fair or equal playing field.

However, it would be wise for us to step back and let the smoke clear a bit before jumping to too many conclusions. Knee-jerk reactions are never a good idea. The articles below present, what I believe to be, a fair and balanced approach. It seems there are real issues that have festered over the years and the whole distinction between a permanent vocation and and various temporary appointments.

I might recommend reading these three recent articles which each brings out it own particular issues and explanations, or attempts as explaining. I will be a long time before we have the whole story, if ever.

1).  Phil Lawler‘s latest assessment of the situation which he posted today. He is a trusted Rome correspondent who explains the historical situation. Read it HERE.

2).  Canon Lawyer and regular EWTN commentator Fr. Gerald Murray also published an article worthy of consideration emphasizing the legal aspects. Read it HERE.

3).  Crisis Magazine provides a longer history and analysis of the situation with criticism for both sides and an attempt to understand the story with the information we currently have. Read it HERE.

4 and 5).  Fr. Dwight Longenecker and the vulnerability of celebrity priests and their followers and his latest excellent thoughts. Read it HERE and HERE.

6).  And of course, it’s always important to let everyone have a voice and hear Fr. Pavone‘s response. He has been charged in a very unusual manner, under very unusual circumstances and in the very incompetent way according to my estimation. Fr. Pavone’s response HERE.

With these six articles I think we have information to help think through this matter, but there will be much more revealed in time to come.

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Fr. Frank Pavone Update 12-19-22 Two Articles

I along with everyone else was somewhat shocked by the actions of the Vatican towards Fr. Frank Pavone.

All of us see many injustices, and problems coming from the current Vatican. I agree.

However, it would be wise for us to step back and let the smoke clear a bit before jumping to too many conclusions.

I might recommend reading Phil Lawler‘s latest assessment of the situation which he posted today. He is a trusted Rome correspondent.

You can read his article here: https://www.catholicculture.org/comme...https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/vaticans-action-against-frank-pavone-overdue-yet-unexplained/

Cann Lawyer and regular EWTN commentator Fr. Gerald Murray also published San article worthy of consideration.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253111/canon-lawyer-fr-gerald-murray-on-frank-pavones-dismissal-from-priesthood-only-the-pope-can-issue-a-decision-without-appeal

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Fr. Frank Pavone Responds and further updates as available

UPDATE 12-19-22: The situation with Fr. Frank Pavone continues to develop and will over the days and weeks ahead. I have tried to withhold judgment on the situation until the smoke clears a bit. I am trying to provide links and information as we analyze the whole situation. One thing we can be sure of, though is the terrible way this was presented, and the laicization took place.

Here’s in interesting article by Phil Lawle from 2011 which may provide a little more information and the backstory to this whole situation. https://www.catholicculture.org/comme...https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/father-pavones-last-stand/

I am making no final judgments at this point, but watching and learning.

UPDATE 12-18-22: Fr. Frank Pavone responds to his removal from priesthood.

Looks like this will be an ongoing saga. May God bless and help him.

https://www.priestsforlife.org/library/9624-fr-frank-comments-on-latest-developments

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Fr. Frank Pavone Responds

Fr. Frank Pavone responds to his removal from priesthood.

Looks like this will be an ongoing saga. May God bless and help him.

https://www.priestsforlife.org/library/9624-fr-frank-comments-on-latest-developments

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The Rapture? Not All Evangelical Protestant Scholars Agree

I was organizing the 17,000 books in my Verbum Bible Software program on my laptop and noticed this quote about the so-called “Rapture” as taught by many Evangelical Protestants. The Rapture is a new Protestant doctrine that was invented in the mid-1800’s in Scotland.

The recent novelty is mainly based on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The following article taken from the popular Evangelical Protestant commentary – New International Biblical Commentary:

“When our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones: One scenario of the end time embraced by many Christians today sees a twofold return of Jesus: the first in secret to gather up the church, the second openly, following the tribulation (which, on this theory, only the world will endure) to judge the world.

The first return is called the Rapture, the second the Revelation. The Greek word from whose Latin equivalent (rapere) our word “rapture” is derived, is actually used by Paul in 4:17, “we … will be caught up” (but not, we believe in the sense of the modern theory; see discussion on 4:17 and 2 Thess. 2:1). The theory rests largely on a conclusion drawn from the verse before us. If Jesus is to come with his saints, it is argued, as this verse says he will, he must first have come for them. A number of other passages are enlisted to corroborate this scenario (e.g., Mark 13:27; Rev. 11:11f.), but none of them, and least of all 1 Thessalonians 3:13, can bear the weight of this interpretation.

“Some would even doubt that the holy ones refers to his saints; but allowing that it does (see the discussion), what more is Paul saying here than he says, for example, in 4:14? Paul wants to assure the Thessalonians that their dead will not be disadvantaged. They will be raised, the living will be transformed, and together, the living and the dead will “meet the Lord” and be “with the Lord forever” (4:16f.). The “all” of 3:13 is important. In anticipation of his fuller treatment in chapter 4, Paul casually indicates that all will be involved in the Parousia, but he says nothing more than that.

Besides reading too much into a passage dealing with other matters, the whole idea of the Rapture founders (1) on the fact that the church’s hope—based, we may believe, on Jesus’ own teaching—has from the outset been fixed upon his visible return (cf. 1 Cor. 1:7; Titus 2:13); and (2) on the language of 2 Thessalonians 2:1, where Paul speaks of “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him.” Paul used two nouns governed by the one definite article, which shows beyond question that he thought of the “coming” and the “gathering” as two facets of the one event.

In short, Christ’s Revelation [the 2nd Coming as taught by Scripture and the Catholic Church] is at one and the same time our Rapture.

(Williams, D. J. (1992). New International Biblical Commentary: 1 and 2 Thessalonians (68). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.)

In short, Catholics should not fall for, or be intimidated by this unbiblical “Rapture” idea. Protestants can’t even agree with each other on the matter and intelligent Protestants don’t accept it at all.

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Vatican Removes Fr. Frank Pavone of “Priests for Life” from the Priesthood! What??

I’ve looked into this, and it seems like it’s an accurate report. If anyone has any different information, please let me know. The Vatican is now referring to him as Mr. Frank Pavone.

Here is a CNA (Catholic News Association), article confirming that the Vatican has laicized Fr. Pavone.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253106/vatican-dismisses-father-frank-pavone-from-priesthood

See also National Catholic Register https://www.ncregister.com/cna/breaking-vatican-dismisses-father-frank-pavone-from-priesthood

If this is the case, and unless they give some pretty good reasons, I consider this way too the extreme. Who knows what the ramifications of this will be. If there IS a case against Fr. Pavone which we are not privy to, it should be revealed. And why was he laicized in early November and never told (according to what we know), and why did he have to learn it through the media over a month later?

This seems like a cowardly and dishonest way to deal with a priest.

Fr. James Martin and the German bishops get special meetings with the pope, and Fr. Pavone gets removed from the priesthood?

The “charges” mentioned by CNA and other news outlets is “dismissed from the clerical state for ‘blasphemous communications on social media’ and ‘persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop‘.”

According to the definition of “blasphemy” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, I find it hard to see how this could be applied to Fr. Pavone, and even if they do have something unknown to us, isn’t there a middle way to deal with it? Maybe a sabbatical or period of time of restriction and counseling?

BLASPHEMY: CCC 2148   “Blasphemy is directly opposed to the second commandment. It consists in uttering against God—inwardly or outwardly—words of hatred, reproach, or defiance; in speaking ill of God; in failing in respect toward him in one’s speech; in misusing God’s name. St. James condemns those “who blaspheme that honorable name [of Jesus] by which you are called.”
The prohibition of blasphemy extends to Language against Christ’s Church, the saints, and sacred things. It is also blasphemous to make use of God’s name to cover up criminal practices, to reduce peoples to servitude, to torture persons or put them to death. The misuse of God’s name to commit a crime can provoke others to repudiate religion. (1756)
Blasphemy is contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. It is in itself a grave sin.”

(Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Ed. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 519).

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Vatican Removes Fr. Pavone of Priests for Life from the Priesthood! What??

I’ve looked into this, and it seems like it’s an accurate report. If anyone has any different information, please let me know.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253106/vatican-dismisses-father-frank-pavone-from-priesthood

Here is a CNA (Catholic News Association), article confirming that the Vatican has laicized father Pavone, and has now referred to him as Mr. Pavone.

See also National Catholic Register https://www.ncregister.com/cna/breaking-vatican-dismisses-father-frank-pavone-from-priesthood

If this is the case, and unless they give some pretty good reasons, I consider this an absolute travesty. Who knows what the ramifications of this will be.

Fr. James Martin gets special meetings with the pope, and Fr. Pavone gets removed from the priesthood?

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How Large is the New Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation

Revelation 21:10-27 describes the New Jerusalem at the end of time. It is exquisite and the writer of Revelation struggles with words to describe it’s glory and magnitude.

So, how large will the New Jerusalem be? Here is a diagram superimposed on a map of the United States.

Many people, especially the Orthodox Jews, discuss the building some day of the new Temple.

Sorry, there will never be a “new Temple” since that new Temple is already being built. It is the Body of Christ, the Church.

The Gospel of John tells us, “The Jews then said to him, “What sign have you to show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he spoke of the temple of his body” (John 2:18–21).

And St. Peter tells us more, “And like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Our destiny is marvelous, exciting and for all of eternity. But I wonder, does the size of the New Jerusalem imply there may be fewer people there than the universalists think?

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12 Reasons why Sports Fans don’t to to the Game; Why Catholics don’t go to Mass :-)

This is very clever. Sure rings of the truth – enjoy!

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