Steve Ray

Here is the information that we used as the basis for our discussion today on Steve Ray.


Like Scott Hahn,  Ray  is a former evangelical who came to find the Truth of Catholicism in an intellectual quest for Authority.  He began to delve in to the writings of the early Church Fathers in an effort to prove the basic tenants of Protestantism, and instead found, to his consternation and surprise, the teachings of the modern Catholic Church.

Google:  steve ray catholic

Here is the link to his web site, just click on his name below.  I have added it to our link list.  Check it out...there is a real wealth of information on his site.

Steve Ray

Books:
Crossing the Tiber
Upon This Rock
St. John’s Gospel, Bible Study and commentary
The Papacy Learning Guide
Faith for Beginners, Understanding the Creeds

DVD Series:  The Footprints of God

Audio CDs:  Multiple

Travel:  Hosts Biblical Lands Pilgrimages (5th Gospel)


SLG

Back from Ireland

We are back after a wonderful trip to the Emerald Isle, and can report that it is a wonderful place to visit, even in the dead of winter!  We saw most of the northern part of Ireland, and wish that we had had more time to spend most everywhere that we went.  The relative, actually total, lack of competing tourists made things smooth but then again some things were simply closed for the season.  Going to Mass was an important part of the journey and each one that we attended was wonderful and special.  Different, of course, and yet the same in that awesome Catholic way!

That is by way of an excuse for not posting a blog entry for awhile.  Sorry for that!  At our last meeting on Feb 21 we talked about Fr. Robert Barron's Word on Fire ministry, and I shared some of the DVD content with the class about his exciting project to tell the Catholic story from within.  I have added his site to our link page, please go there to learn more and check out some of his wonderful short homilies on You Tube.
Here is the link to the one we discussed:   Fr. Robert Barron on Taking the Disipline

We will be having about 7 more sessions before the break for the summer.  Here are the dates that we are scheduled to have class:
March 7, 14, 21
April 11, 18
May 2, 16

In our discussion last week we kicked around ideas for the completion of the year, and tentatively decided to use the remainder of our sessions this year "looking at" a variety of Catholic Apologists.  I will introduce them to you with some information about them, where to find them on the web, lists of their books and other ways that you can access their content.  When possible I will try to bring something to see and or listen to from them for class so that you can get a "feel" for their style and content.  There are many wonderful folks out there ready to supply us with marvelous thought provoking ideas meant to help us along in our faith journey.  I, for one, find this to be very exciting, but also a tad confusing....after all we only have so much time and there is so MUCH out there!  As I have said before in class, to try to take it all in is like trying to drink water from a fire hose!!  I think the trick is to find several who "work" for you and then make a habit of visiting their blog or web site on a regular basis to check in on what they have to say.

I will be doing the same and trying to post things that I find interesting here, so another hope of mine is that we will use this site to communicate with each other not just now during  "school season", but that we can continue to learn and dialogue with each other via this blog through the summer and the entire year for that matter.  Our on going Catechism does not end simply because school is out.

In an effort to kick start that I am going to quit sending you the content of this blog in an email (with the exception of Marykatharine has no computer) and will simply send you an email notifying you of the new posts as they go up.  So please come here often and DO leave some comments with your thoughts and concerns!!

Yours in Christ
SLG

Topic for January 14

Posted below is the content for the discussion next week, a link to an article by Mark Shea on Catholic Exchange.  I was quite taken with the content of this, and Jimmy and I discussed it some before the session on Baptism today.

I think that it is a wonderful analysis of the situation that we find ourselves in today in our country and in our culture.  I am sure there is a good bit in here for you to resonate with, and likely some things that you might disagree with.  If so, good!  Hopefully this will spark a lively discussion!

Oh....the items on the web page are liked to other material on the web. Pull it up if you have a desire to check out some of these links....like Jesus was a woman, and items 10-25!?!?!?!?.  Anyway, have some fun with this, print it out, read it and mark it up and come, as always, with your thoughts!

http://catholicexchange.com/2010/01/06/125113/

Have a Blessed Week!

Steve

Archbishop Wilton Gregory Visits St. Katherine Drexel Mission Church

We did have to cancel the class today on Baptism due to circumstances beyond our control, so we will hold that topic until next week, January 17.

I had the privilege of attending Mass at St. Katherine Drexel Mission in Trenton and to shoot some images of the event and of the Archbishop's hands for our project.  It was a very moving service con-celebrated by Archbishop Gregory and Msgr. Herbert.  This little parish is at the far end of the frontier of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and the event was one of celebration complete with dinner in the parish hall following mass.

Baptism will be our first topic of 2010

Folks
I will be down in Trenton this Sunday for our Photo project and will be unable to see you at Adult Bible Study which resumes this Sunday, January 10. Hal Hill has graciously agreed to take the class and you will be discussing Baptism.  Below is an outline that I have suggested to Hal, but he will take the discussion in whatever direction he (and you all ) wish to.  Sorry to miss it.
Have a Blessed week, and do try to  "read up" a little on this using Oatis, the CCC and some of the other materials if you have access to the internet.
Yours in Christ
SLG



Adult Bible Study

January 10, 2010

Baptism

It is through Baptism that we are brought into the family of God and are made his children.  “ Baptism is not merely a ceremony, not merely a rite of passage.  It is our entry into a New Covenant bond, a new family, a new life, a new birth, a new creation.”  Dr. Scott Hahn Signs of life pg. 34  Baptism makes us “partakers of the divine nature” (2Pt 1:4).

Most Protestants in reality deny the sacramental nature of Baptism and so cannot appreciate the importance that it has in the lives of those in the Catholic Church.

Catholic Answers:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Necessity_of_Baptism.asp

http://www.catholic.com/library/Infant_Baptism.asp

http://www.catholic.com/library/Early_Teachings_of_Infant_Baptism.asp

New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02258b.htm#XI

CCC:
         1213-1284

Regarding infants see:
         1252,1261**,1283

** regarding children who have died without Baptism

Holiday Time Off

As we take time out for family and friends during this Christmas Season (and New Years) there are likely to be many times that we are placed in social situations where we are likely to be asked to defend or explain why we are Catholic.  I would hope that we can all come up with some pretty good reasons (how many can you think of?) after the study that we are undertaking on Apologetics.  In our never ending hunt for new information on "things Catholic" the following blog entry turned up today on New Advent:

http://www.ourcatholicfaith.org/reasons.html

This is titled "150 Reasons I'm Catholic, and You Should Be Too" by Dave Armstrong.
I am going to link his blog site to this one, as it has a wealth of information on it.  Please have a look at this and pull it up on your computer.  If you read it there you can click on the Bible verses referenced and they will pop up for you!  Neat!!

During our time off I do hope to get to finish up a list of blog and web site links for this web site so that they will all be in one place for you.

I hope that you all will take a little time out of your busy days and/or evenings for a little reflection on why you are Catholic, on what it means in your daily life, and on what you are doing to share this most important part of your life with those closest to you.

Have a Blessed Christmas! (and of course, A Happy New Year!!)

SLG

Visibly Catholic

As Christians, and as Catholics in particular, we are called to a life of constant prayer.  We are to continually engage in a dialog with our Heavenly Father, and with his only son Our Lord, and with the Holy Spirit.  Or at least try to!  It is not an easy task and we, the children of God, are more often continually distracted (instead of engaged) as we deal with our existence in this worldly world of ours.  Fortunately for us our Catholic Faith provides many opportunities and mechanisms for us to, often with a simple glance, redirect our focus toward God.

Last week I asked us to consider the phrase "and you call yourself a Catholic" for discussion.  We had a wonderful dialog about this yesterday which I will summarize below.  As I thought this over afterward, particularly with regard to the significance of the content of our discussion, it became clear to me that what we are really asking ourselves in this question is "how active is your prayer life?"  We have a wonderful set of customs and traditions available at our disposal, not for the purpose of "showing off" (Matt 6:5), but for assisting us in re-directing and focusing our thoughts and prayers Heavenward.  This is often totally misunderstood by our Protestant brothers and sisters.

As we go through our day we should be visibly Catholic as a consequence of our reliance on and love for God.  It should show forth to all (Matt 5:14-16) we meet.  Clearly a tall order and a lofty goal for sure, and how often we fall woefully short!  So here is our list (from the discussion).  These are the things we Catholics can keep about us to help put us back on track as we go through our day.  I have organized it by location.

Home:
Crucifix
Holy Water font
Icons
Statues of Mary, Martha and other favorite saints
Rosary
Brown Scapular
Holy Palms
Picture of the Pope
Bible and CCC
Library
Catholic periodicals and other reading materials
see office below

Car:
Rosary
Statue or medal, St. Christopher
Brown Scapular
Bumper Stickers
Candles (Advent wreath, votives)
CDs (Lighthouse and others)
Catholic Radio
Judy's patented Spiritual First Aid Kit
Holy Water
Crushed Palms
Scapular
Rosary

Office:
See home above
Desk top on computer
Home page
Programs
Background music

Activities:
Sign of the Cross
Prayer at meals
Pray Rosary

Jewelry and Apparel:
Crucifix
Miraculous Medal
Brown Scapular
Tee shirts
Headcovering in Church/home for prayer

Conversations:
Mention your Faith
Be light-hearted when called for
Show the joy and love of The Faith
See Christ in others and respond


So the question "and you call yourself a Catholic" has evolved to "which of these will assist me in having a more active and vibrant prayer life as I go through my day?"  Have a good look at the list and see if there is something you can add to your environment that will remind you of your Faith and will bring you, with a short thoughtful glance, closer to the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

In his new book "Signs of Life" Dr. Scott Hahn discusses 40 Catholic Customs and their Biblical Roots.  We often know that what we have and do is distinctly Catholic, but really do not know much about the origins and significance of these things.  This wonderful, very readable, book by Hahn can help with this and makes a wonderful addition to your library!

So go have fun, and exude the enjoyment of your Faith and your prayer life!  Go be a light!  Our modern culture needs all the light it can get!

SLG