Posted on 04/24/2017 12:01:32 PM PDT by BlessedBeGod
In this time of confusion over doctrine and praxis, many people ask me in email what they can do either to maintain equilibrium, or else to “be the maquis”, as it were, and join the resistance against the liberal undermining of our Catholic cult, code, creed and identity.
Yes, I think that there should be a “resistance”, though not every one can “resist” in the same way.
The first step is, of course, to examine your conscience and GO TO CONFESSION. Only after that can you determine your best course of action.
Some of you must be engaged in this struggle, either because of your ecclesiastical office or because you have the spirit and the firepower upstairs to engage effectively. Some of you might engage on a wider scale, though your immediate concern is for your family and close circle. Some of you must not engage actively because these debates and current news upsets you spiritually and brings only confusion fear and anger to your lives.
You have to figure out on your own who you are, though I’ll remind priests out there that their souls are on the line if they either go the way of undermining cult, code and creed or, tepid, shrink from the line of fire and cower in a hole.
That said, there is one thing that everyone can and should do.
Read, review, study the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
I am a huge fan of Kindles (US HERE – UK HERE), but you should also have the BOOK, the material volume which you can hold in your hand and write in. Get the book, which you can flip around in and hold spots in with a couple fingers as you cross check.
Read it. Pick it up. Read portions every day.
St. John Paul II called the CCC, “a sure reference point”.
Ignorance of the content of the Faith, the fides quae creditur, has lead to enormous problems. For one thing, it has turned lots of nominal Catholics into the dupes of liberals who are undermining the Church.
Possession of a copy of the CCC, and a solid familiarity with it, can be both shield and sword in the defense of your Catholic Faith.
Say you are living in the Diocese of Libville, where Most Rev. Fatty McButterpants has gone off into doctrinal la la land. You are stuck in the burbs and you can’t always drive for two hours with your kids to Tall Tree Circle were Msgr. Zuhlsdorf has the TLM. Instead, you fulfill your Sunday obligation at the clustered, “Engendering Togetherness Community of Welcome” where Fr. Bruce Hugalot is busily churning out self-affirmed pantheists through sketchy preaching and dubious sacraments.
You, on the other hand, have the Catechism of the Catholic Church well in hand.
Ignorance of the Faith makes you a potential victim of the predations of the libs.
Tell me:
What would you think of a school where, in its basic chemistry courses, neither the teacher or the the students learn the Periodic Table of Elements?
What would you think of the school where neither the teachers nor the students in math courses know Multiplication Tables?
Would you go to a doctor who never undertook to learn basic anatomy? A pharmacist who didn’t learn the basics of drug actions and interactions?
How about a barber who can’t cut hair?
Would you hire a plumber who doesn’t own a wrench?
See what I mean?
Another question:
Would you respect any of the above in their fields?
The CCC puts us on a sure footing.
And this is for you libs out there:
If in reading the CCC, you find teachings which you don’t agree with, not just which puzzle you but rather which you truly reject, then there’s the door. G’bye! Extra omnes! Get. Out. There are lots of “faith communities” out there with little or no doctrine where you can be right at home. Go be happy somewhere else and leave us alone.
When you hear from the pulpit or some other place a dubious notion that rings an alarm bell, check your CCC. Then you can decide to ask Bp. McButterpants or Fr. Hugalot what gives. “You said X, but the Catechism says Y. What’s with that?”
That’s not everyone’s role or cuppa, of course. Many people will choose not to engage and, for those many, that’s a good choice. Others, however….
Along with the Catechism of the Catholic Church you can review the always dependable Roman Catechism, the The Roman Catechism: The Catechism of the Council of Trent for Parish Priests. Fathers… note the title. Do you have a copy? You should. You should know this stuff like a mathematician knows his tables. It’s basic. And it’s not optional.
Also, make use of volumes of the wonderful Baltimore Catechism, which has different volumes for different ages (US HERE – UK HERE). It’s so useful, in its Q&A format. The Catechism of Pius X is also great. (US HERE – UK HERE). There are many good resources available.
However, make sure you have the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Some might say that the older the better. Fine. But if you are in a “dialogue” with Just-Call-Me “Bruce”, you need the current official Catechism of the Catholic Church. If “Bruce” objects to anything in it, he’s toast… and he knows it, too, deep down.
Fathers, don’t be a plumber without a wrench.
Consider making an entire year of preaching based on the Catechism. Go through it portion by portion, perhaps also with a weekly parish inquiry class on its content which capable lay people might help to run.
GET THE BOOK!
Do you have the book?
READ THE BOOK!
Thus endeth the rant.
More so over the current islamocommie pope.
I recommend either of the following by the late Fr. John R. Klopke, C.PP.S.
ST. JOSEPH GUIDE TO THE CATECHISM: Each section of the St. Joseph Guide to the Catechism is thoughtfully laid out following the Catechism of the Catholic Church and includes commentary, scripture references, and quotes from the Saints and relevant Church documents which enable the reader to discover and communicate the faith in an intelligible manner. Every new generation of Catholics faces challenges and opposition to the faith. This updated St. Joseph Guide to the Catechism is a beautiful response to the challenges.
This abridgement of the Catechism is the ideal companion for those who want to grow in their Catholic faith. It would seem most appropriate for use by individual inquirers, Catholic or not, who wish to deepen their understanding of Catholic doctrine and practice.
AND-OR Fr. Klopke’s “St. Joseph: People’s Catechism.” This may be out of print.
Fr. Klopke taught philosophy and religion at St. Joseph’s College of Indiana for many years.
I taught classes on the Catechism. Having read the material, I can tell you that it is exactly as Fr. Z says. It is a true and sure guide to the teachings of the Church. If you want to know what the Catholic Church REALLY teaches and believes, read this book. You will be surprised at how good it is, how readable it is, and how authoritative it is.
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