[Gamecock]

I asked whether he had children. With great enthusiasm he proceeded to explain how much he enjoys his kids, attending all of their basketball games, going on vacations, and delighting in conversation about their future hopes and dreams. “Do they ever disappoint you,” I asked. “Of course; they are sinners like their mother,” he said with a smile. I then asked, “And when that happens, does it potentially terminate your relationship? Are they in jeopardy of losing their status as your children and being rejected from your family?” “You mean like a ‘mortal’ sin,” he responded? I could see he was starting to get my point. A long pause followed and finally our friend looked up with eyes full of tears and confessed, “I guess I’m secure as a child of God.”

[Gamecock]

From Chris Castaldo

Chris Castaldo was raised on Long Island, New York as a Roman Catholic and worked full-time in the Catholic Church for several years. After eight years as Pastor of Outreach and Church Planting at College Church in Wheaton, IL, Chris now serves as Director of the Ministry of Gospel Renewal for the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.

Chris has earned degrees from Moody Bible Institute (BA, Bible and theology) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and he is a PhD candidate at the London School of Theology. He lives outside of Chicago with his wife Angela and four children.

As a cradle Catholic, Chris has enjoyed many long term relationships with Catholic friends and family, and for years worked in the Catholic Church alongside of bishops, priests, and nuns. These relationships and years of research have provided insight into the issues taken up in Holy Ground.

Approach

Chris comes from a long line of Catholics, including Cardinal Alfonso Castaldo, Archbishop of Naples, Italy (photos below). The December 22, 1958 edition of Time Magazine described the Cardinal’s reputation, “Alfonso Castaldo, 68, Archbishop of Naples, is regarded by the people of his native city as almost a living saint. A poor boy who knew what it was to go hungry (‘It does not only affect your stomach, but it may have detrimental effects on your soul’), Castaldo as a priest devoted himself to welfare activities and schools, is also known for his personal charities.”

[.45 Long Colt]

BFL

[Jim Noble]

A word to the wise for all my Protestant and Catholic brothers and sisters:

Luke 9:49-50 “49And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us”

[Repulican Donkey]

Who cares?

[Old Yeller]

That’s the key to Satan’s control over people in the Catholic “religion”. It appeals to all the senses, except common sense. Glad I escaped it 30 years ago.

[Campion]

A buddy invited me to his home to talk with his Catholic colleague who is struggling with religious guilt, feeling that he is never quite acceptable to the Father. This colleague described his experience in his Catholic parish as “salvation on probation,” a relationship with God that depended upon his ability to observe the precepts of the church (i.e., abstaining from meat on Lenten Fridays, holy days of obligation, auricular confession). Therefore, despite his best efforts, our friend bemoaned the fact that it was only a matter of time before he fell short of the church’s expectations and thus lost his eternal hope.

I'll bet you dollars to donuts that this friend (a) never actually goes to "auricular confession"; (b) regularly ignores "Lenten Fridays"; and (c) can't even name the holy days of obligation.

It's funny, though. There are plenty of Protestant churches which impose all sorts of strange rules and regulations to keep from "losing" one's salvation. (Did you know that Jesus never drank alcohol? Even when the Bible says he turned water into wine, it was really grape juice. So I've been told. Dancing is a big no-no, too. Did you know a waltz with your wife could send you to hell? Me neither.)

How many threads have you posted from former members of those churches about the difficulty they had living up to their man-made rules? Any? Ever?

[Former Fetus]

Great article. Thank you, from the heart of a once-Catholic now Southern Baptist Christian.

[Biggirl]

The ironic thing is that Jesus PRAYED that ALL HIS followers WILL BE ONE from John 17.

[not2be4gotten.com]

This is all very interesting.

[redleghunter]

Good article. Now to read the threads to see at what point the flamethrower comes out:)

I felt very much the same about my Catholic background until coming to FR.