The best way to prepare for a debate is to know your
opponent’s arguments better than they do. As a Catholic evangelist it helps me
to know what other faith traditions are claiming. I probably spend too much
time reading opposing views than what I should be. There is no shortage of
anti-Catholic thought in this world today.
The common thread among all of it is a great misunderstanding of the
actual teaching of the Catholic Church. Misconceptions and falsehoods both abound
and remain even when the light of truth shines brightly. For those who hate the
Catholic Church there is not enough proof to sway them. Those open and seeking
the truth always find their way home to this Church. Archbishop Fulton Sheen
said it best.
“There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.”
As a
Catholic apologist I am obligated to know and pass on only the true teachings
of the Church. I do not have the right to pass on my opinion as official
teaching. Indeed, all Catholics are required to believe all official doctrine
of the Church. This faith is not a strawberry field where we get to pick and
choose the fruit that is most pleasing to us. That doesn’t mean that we can’t
question what we are taught. Questioning a teaching is good because it shows
our desire to understand. We are called to accept and seek to understand and
not reject because it doesn’t jive with my personal thought.
I also spent a great deal of time reading other Catholic
writers. There is some great stuff out there and a wealth of knowledge and
insight. The more I can expose myself to the truth the deeper it ingrains
within me. The problem is that among the wheat there is an increasing amount of
chaff. The number of anti-catholic Catholics seems to be on the rise. It is bad
enough when a Catholic stands up in Mass and says, “I believe…” and then gets
to the parking lot and says, “But the Church is wrong on…” It is much worse
when a Catholic apologist starts spewing his or her personal anti-catholic
opinion as Church teaching.
There are wolves among the flock that do their best to
divide and conquer. I am sure in their hearts they truly believe that they are
trying to save the Church. I also believe Martin Luther thought the exact same
thing. The Church that Jesus created has lost her way and it takes the personal
revelation of the individual to bring her back on course. This is the apostasy
that wasn’t.
My question to all of the anti-Catholic Catholics is this:
Do you love Jesus? Do you trust him to be true to his word? Church teaching on
this is very clear and is not open to debate or to personal choice. If you do not
accept this teaching you are not Catholic no matter what you call yourself or
what Mass you attend on Sunday.
1: Jesus started the Catholic Church.
2: He appointed the Twelve as the official leaders of that
Church. These men became the original bishops of the Church.
3: He appointed one of the Twelve to lead the rest. His name
was Peter and he was the first Pope.
4: He passed on the authority the Father gave to him to
these men who in turn passed it on to their replacements. This became the
Magisterium.
5: He promised to be with his Church until the end of the
age and that even the gates of Hell would not prevail over her.
6: Because of that promise we believe that he guides the
Church through everything she does and will not allow her to fall into
apostasy.
Let me repeat that – We believe that Jesus will not allow
his Church to fall into apostasy.
When you form an opinion contrary to official Church
teaching examine closely where the inspiration for that opinion came from. I
will guarantee you that it did not come from Jesus. The alpha wolf is hard at
work. Don’t allow yourself to be separated from the flock that the good
shepherd has given his life for.
