Musings of a Catholic Convert

Let me tell you something, brother. 

Friday was a great night of fellowship with my brother papists.  Anytime a bunch of Catholic guys can get together for carnivorous eating, card playing, and general "guy talk" it's gonna be a fun night.  But throw in the fact that we are all hardcore papists and you get a totally awesome night.  I feel so blessed to have friends who are not just Catholic in name, but who really live the Faith with gusto.  It is so natural to be talking about the Saint Louis Cardinals one minute, and His Eminence Christoph Cardinal Schönborn the next. 

Let me tell you something else.  We are a bunch of healthy carnivores too.  Big D grilled up some fabulous food for us.  Delish!   

I'm looking forward to a semi quiet day at work.  Several people are taking long weekends so things are a bit less noisy than usual.  I love days like this.  I can get so much more done when there are few interruptions. 

And while I'm thinking of quiet, let me encourage all of you to watch "The Quiet Man", starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.  I don't care if you're Irish or a fan of The Duke.  You'll love this movie on its own merits.  I watch it at least once every month or so.

I have a lot of writing to do this weekend.  Still trying to get my first book done and I'm way behind where I want to be at this point in time.  I'm hoping for some time this weekend, but we'll see what happens.  Catholic convert book or not, the reality of being a husband and daddy takes priority over my own pursuits.  I must constantly remind myself of this.

Well, I guess you'll be watching the basketball this weekend.  Maybe I will join you at some point. I really don't have a dog in this NCAA Men's Tournament anymore so I'm not as interested as I was a few days ago.  The Lady Vols are doing just fine though.  Perhaps I will watch them play.

Have a good one, dudes.  I'm off to work.         

So who do you vote for this year?  I read an article about Pennsylvania "Catholic voters" that may vote for Clinton in the Democratic primaries.  You need to read this article provided to CatholicDestination.com by Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life.

Ten Easy Steps to Voting With a Clear Conscience

It still baffles me that Catholics would vote for abortion "rights".  Actually it baffles me that ANYONE would vote for this.  The right to choose to kill your baby?  Are you serious?  

This reminds me of what I told my Catholic Social Teaching class last night.  We cannot address properly the moral problems of our age by merely treating symptoms.  We must go to the source - page one, if you will - and re-inform the consciences of entire generations of people.  Morality has never been the product of popular opinion, a book club, or even a democracy.  Morality has its root in the Divine Creator.  God is the source and standard of morality and He is unchanging.  Not only that, but God is alone worthy of our worship.  We must obey Him before all others.  People must unlearn all the garbage they have accumulated and internalize this truth.  Then they must internalize the Dignity of the Human Person and the love of neighbor as one's self.  If  we can love God as we ought and love our neighbors as God loves us and as we love ourselves, we can overcome sins like abortion and contraception.  From the basic principles of human existence as beings created in the image and likeness of God stem all our other beliefs, including the proper view of human sexuality.  

The answer is not condoms, it is not the pill, it is not abortion rights.  Go to page one.  What has God revealed about Himself and humankind?  How do they relate one to another?  How is humankind to relate to itself?

Looking for a good primer on the subject?  The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has a Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.  Every Catholic should read it.