Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 85
August 7, 2022
A Man Wrote Discouraged by our World and Felt in Despair
A Catholic couple wrote and expressed their dismay at the current state of affairs in our country and the world. He said he was about to give up. I wrote to him these words which I hope will encourage others as well.
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We certainly do live in disappointing times. Seeing the chaos and anarchy in our country, with many even espousing Marxism again, I shake my head sometimes as I see how so many of the bishops and priests, even the Vatican respond to all of this nonsense and anarchy. Rainbow flags fluttering, police assaulted, BLM T-shirts, abortion, pulling down statues, cursing and rioting and killing…
However, remember that the Church has never had a Golden Age and there have been times in the Church that have been much worse than our current situation. Imagine living in England and Ireland during the reign of King Henry VIII and the later in the French Revolution when priests were killed and the Catholic faith was illegal. Families hid priests in “priest holes” and many lost everything including their lives. The horrendous stories of being drawn and quartered…
I always recall Peter’s response to Jesus, “Where else can we go, you are the only one with the words of eternal life (John 6:68-69).”
My wife and I feel as though we were born for these times. God places us in our own period of history for a reason and I believe our reason is to stand up and speak out and be a living example of the Christian life. This is no time to retreat and let evil win. A wise man once said that all evil needs to succeed is for a few good men to do nothing.
Don’t be dismayed or discouraged. Stand strong and stay true to Our Lord and his Church even if our shepherds are more politicians than they are pastors, even if many of our own fall for the seduction and sin of the present age. Jesus suffered for us and he is even now not giving up on us — so we can never give up on him.
If you ever get discouraged read the last book of the Bible and you’ll see that we win in the end. And don’t ever forget that God always has an army of holy saints. We are not alone. The world is full of faithful Christians who will never back down. These days are the kind of days in which saints are made.
The post A Man Wrote Discouraged by our World and Felt in Despair appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
August 5, 2022
August 2, 2022
YouTube Now Available! What Catholic Bible Study Software Does Steve Use?
Join us for a live demonstration now on YouTube and get a 35% discount on Verbum software!
There is no better Bible and Catholic software on the Planet — nothing can touch Verbum! I have been using it since 1990.
Verbum partnered with me for a one-hour webinar on how Catholics can tap into the most powerful program with a library of books and resources that would make Sts. Augustine and Aquinas envious (in a good way, of course).
Watch the YouTube free demonstration PLUS you will get discounts and special offers not extended elsewhere.
To take advantage of the best discounts ever offered by Verbum and to see the various packages, visit www.Verbum.com/steveray
The post YouTube Now Available! What Catholic Bible Study Software Does Steve Use? appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
Live on YouTube 7 PM Eastern. What Catholic Bible Study Software Does Steve Use? Join his Free Webinar and Find Out!
Join us for a live demonstration on YouTube at 7 PM Eastern time Tuesday at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TbYnSvtT4Y
There is no better Bible and Catholic software on the Planet that can touch Verbum! I have been using it since 1999.
Verbum is going to partner with me for a one-hour webinar on how Catholics can tap into the most powerful program with a library of books and resources that would make Sts. Augustine and Aquinas envious (in a good way, of course).
Join me on August 2 at 7:00 PM. Eastern time (6:00 PM Central time) for a free demonstration PLUS you will get discounts and special offers not extended elsewhere. Register here https://catholicconvert.eventbrite.com/
Dr. Steven Smith and I look forward to demonstrating the power and delight of everything Catholic and Bible at your fingertips.
The post Live on YouTube 7 PM Eastern. What Catholic Bible Study Software Does Steve Use? Join his Free Webinar and Find Out! appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
August 1, 2022
Common Sense & Guns
People who visit my blog regularly know that I don’t just post about Bible study and apologetics. I also blog on matters I think I need to be heard about — things on my mind. This is one of those kinds of blogs.
We are being fed a bunch of propaganda by the news media. People in our country have forgotten how to use common sense clear thinking is now in short supply.
So I hope this list is not only entertaining but helps cut through the fog of misinformation that we hear every day.
1 Eleven teens die each day because of texting while driving. Maybe it’s time to raise the age of Smart Phone ownership to 21.
2 If gun control laws actually worked, Chicago would be Mayberry, USA.
3 The Second Amendment makes more women equal than the entire feminist movement.
4 Legal gun owners have 300 million guns and probably a trillion rounds of ammo. Seriously, folks, if NRA members were the problem, you’d know it.
5 When JFK was killed, nobody blamed the rifle.
6 The NRA murders ZERO people and receives nothing in government funds. Planned Parenthood kills 350,000 babies every year and receives $500,000,000 in tax dollars annually. (Let that sink in.)
7 Vigorous background checks are a good idea when it comes to firearms, also immigration, voter I.D., and candidates running for office.
8 Folks keep talking about another Civil War. One side knows how to shoot and probably has a trillion rounds. The other side has crying closets and is confused about which bathroom to use. Now how do you think that would end?
The post Common Sense & Guns appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
July 29, 2022
Wisconsin 4 “Love Being Catholic” Conference
Our first “Love Being Catholic” Conference was a huge success. With an auditorium full of great Catholics we started off with Fr. Chris Alar giving his talk on the End Times.
This was a first for many Catholics to discuss the End of Time, the book of Revelation from Scripture and Tradition and the Saints.
He was followed by Fr. Don Calloway who gave a very inspiring and challenging talk on Saint Joseph. Both of these priests are fun to listen to, full of energy and good humor.
We followed this with our Q&A panel discussion with myself and the two priests. Great questions and a lot of fun dialoguing back-and-forth with the audience.
Lunch along the Mississippi river and then we came back for my talk “Swimming Upstream, How to Live a Catholic Life in a Pagan World.“ Time for fellowship and purchasing books and praying the rosary. Then we had mass with three priests and a deacon celebrating.
That was followed with a luscious banquet dinner and then Jeromy McClellan took the stage for an hour of hilariously funny Catholic humor. His description of standing in the confession line as one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.
We all hugged and said goodbye and the conference came to an end. Everybody is now heading for home after a great week here in Wisconsin.
Fr. Don Calloway’s excellent homily
The post Wisconsin 4 “Love Being Catholic” Conference appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
Wisconsin 4 Our 1st “Love Being Catholic” Conference
Our first “Love Being Catholic” Conference was a huge success. With an auditorium full of great Catholics we started off with Fr. Chris Alar giving his talk on the End Times.
This was a first for many Catholics to discuss the End of Time, the book of Revelation from Scripture and Tradition and the Saints.
He was followed by Fr. Don Calloway who gave a very inspiring and challenging talk on Saint Joseph. Both of these priests are fun to listen to, full of energy and good humor.
We followed this with our Q&A panel discussion with myself and the two priests. Great questions and a lot of fun dialoguing back-and-forth with the audience.
Lunch along the Mississippi river and then we came back for my talk “Swimming Upstream, How to Live a Catholic Life in a Pagan World.“ Time for fellowship and purchasing books and praying the rosary. Then we had mass with three priests and a deacon celebrating.
That was followed with a luscious banquet dinner and then Jeromy McClellan took the stage for an hour of hilariously funny Catholic humor. His description of standing in the confession line as one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.
We all hugged and said goodbye and the conference came to an end. Everybody is now heading for home after a great week here in Wisconsin.
Fr. Don Calloway’s excellent homily
The post Wisconsin 4 Our 1st “Love Being Catholic” Conference appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
July 28, 2022
“Hey, I Like Your Cross!”
That’s why I always where my San Damiano Cross. It is colorful and catches people’s eye. Even yesterday while traveling two people commented.
My response is always, “Thanks, I wear it proudly as a Catholic!”
Invariably an interesting discussion ensues. An atheist once asked why he should become Catholic. What fun!
Yesterday two people at the airport commented and both started a lively discussion, one with a lukewarm, unsure Catholic who was inspired by our the warm discussion.
I LOVE being Catholic and love sharing it with every one. I encourage Catholics to wear their conviction around their neck.
Recently a man told me “I’ve always carried my crucifix in my pocket. From now on I’m wearing it to be a testimony to the world!”
The post “Hey, I Like Your Cross!” appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
Wisconsin 3 Rudolph Grottos, Guadalupe Shrine, Cardinal Burke
Very full day. Ending our pilgrimage and overlapping with first day of our Love Being Catholic Conference. Cardinal Burke joined us for the end of the pilgrimage and the beginning of the conference.
We had a marvelous breakfast again at the Hyatt Regency before driving two hours through the beautiful countryside of Wisconsin to Rudolf Grotto Gardens. After touring and lunch of Jimmy Jones on the bus we continued on our way to La Crosse Wisconsin arriving at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine.
We had a guided tour of the shrine and time for prayer and devotions and then prayed Vespers with the Norbertines before Dinner with Cardinal Burke and Archbishop Sample.
The 100 conferees all arrived and they joined us for the Mass and for a marvelous dinner at the Hotel. We had a concert with a 25 young people from Saint Augustine homeschooling Academy.
Then our conference began. The day ended with night prayers led by Fr. Conlon.
Homily of Cardinal Burke
The post Wisconsin 3 Rudolph Grottos, Guadalupe Shrine, Cardinal Burke appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
Wisconsin 3 Guadalupe, Cardinal Burke & Concert
Very full day. Ending our pilgrimage and overlapping with first day of our Love Being Catholic Conference. Cardinal Burke joined us for the end of the pilgrimage and the beginning of the conference.
We had a marvelous breakfast again at the Hyatt Regency before driving two hours through the beautiful countryside of Wisconsin to Rudolf Grotto Gardens. After touring and lunch of Jimmy Jones on the bus we continued on our way to La Crosse Wisconsin arriving at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine.
We had a guided tour of the shrine and time for prayer and devotions and then prayed Vespers with the Norbertines before Dinner with Cardinal Burke and Archbishop Sample.
The 100 conferees all arrived and they joined us for the Mass and for a marvelous dinner at the Hotel. We had a concert with a 25 young people from Saint Augustine homeschooling Academy.
Then our conference began. The day ended with night prayers led by Fr. Conlon.
Homily of Cardinal Burke
The post Wisconsin 3 Guadalupe, Cardinal Burke & Concert appeared first on Defenders of the Catholic Faith.
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