You Are Loved

I really hope this gets to you.  I had no idea how to reach you, so I put it here and prayed you would find it.

This is the most important thing I will ever tell you.  And it may be the only thing I ever get to tell you.

So, please stop what you are doing.  Please listen to what I am saying for 5 minutes.  I need you to really hear this...deep down...in your innermost being.


You are loved.


You are loved by God.
God!  The creator of the sun, the moon, and the stars, loves you.

He loves you like you can't believe.  With a love unlike anything you have ever experienced.  A love that is given freely, whether you ask for it or not....whether you return it or not...whether you want it or not.  God loves you.

And He knows you.  God knows your thoughts.  He knows your dreams.  He knows everything about you.  And He thinks you are beautiful.  He finds you fascinating.  To Him, you are so important.

He takes great joy in you and is with you wherever you go.  He laughs with you.  He cries with you.  He feels your joy and He feels your pain.  He hates it when you get hurt and He wants more for you...so He did something about it.

He came down to Earth.  To us.
God became man.  For us.

His name was Jesus.
And for thirty years He lived.
Eating, sleeping, working, and breathing like a normal person.

Then He started teaching because He wanted us to know the truth.
Then He started healing because He wanted us to know love.

And then, we killed Him.
We killed Him by nailing Him to a cross.

But He had a plan.
You see, He had experienced the hurt and the suffering in our lives.
He saw that our pain was caused by the bad things we did when we turned from God.
So he offered Himself as a sacrifice to pay for these sins.

He paid the price for every bad thing we would ever do.
He forgave while we were still sinning.
He did it because He loved us.
He freed us from slavery to sin.

And then, because he didn't want us to die, he rose from the dead.
He rose up and conquered death, so that when our bodies die our souls won't.
We can go to Heaven, and be with Him for all eternity.
Which is what He wants more than anything.

And to make sure you heard this, before He died He created a Church.
He gave the keys to heaven to Peter, the apostle.
He told Peter to spread the good news to all nations.
And for 2000 years, the Church has existed so you could hear the truth.

That truth is:
That God loves you, no matter what.
That He wants you to live forever with Him.
That He's already paid the price and set you free from sin, by dying for you.
That He is offering you the gift of eternal life and all you have to do is receive the gift.
That He is waiting to enter your life and all you have to do is welcome Him.
That even now, He is there.  Waiting lovingly.  To be loved back.

God loves you that much.


That's it.
That's what I needed to tell you.
I am alive today so I could tell you that.
I pray that you hear me.
Jesus I trust in you.



Keep Pursuing,

What is Just War Doctrine?

The Catholic Church is the first to testify to the evils and injustices that accompany all war.

However, the Church also recognizes that as long as the danger of war persists, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed.

As such, the Church crystallized thousands of years of learning into the "Just War" Doctrine to inform the decisions and actions of nations around the world.

CCC 2309 states:

The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:

• The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain 
• All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective 
• There must be serious prospects of success 
• The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. (The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.)

Almost every conflict in history fails to meet the conditions listed above. But the Catechism goes on to also discuss the limits for engaging once in a war:

The Church and human reason both assert the permanent validity of the moral law during armed conflict. "The mere fact that war has regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring parties."
Non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. 

Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions. Blind obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them out. Thus the extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide. 

"Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation." A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons - to commit such crimes. 

- CCC 2312-2314

And here, any remaining wars that might have passed the criteria for entering into war, lose their status for a "just war" in how they were carried out.

To be clear, not a single war in history could be labeled as a "just war".

Keep Pursuing,

Additional Resources

Catholic Answers explores the "Just War" Doctrine in more detail

The Rosary

The rosary a great prayer made of a collection of smaller prayers.  The rosary can be prayed on rosary beads like the ones shown below.

This is what you say when praying the rosary:

• Start by making the sign of the cross
• On the cross (1) say the Apostle's Creed
• Then, on the next bead (2) say one Our Father
• On the next three beads (3) say one Hail Mary on each bead
• Then, on the next bead (4) say one Glory Be
• Now we start a decade on the next bead (5) by saying one Our Father
• On the next ten beads (6) say one Hail Mary for each bead
• And on the next bead (7) say one Glory Be to finish the first decade
• Use the same bead (7) to start the next decade by saying one Our Father
• Continue as you did for the first decade all the way around the rosary (five decades)
• Afteive decades you should be back at the beginning bead (5)
• Say one Hail Holy Queen
• And one Rosary Concluding Prayer 
• Finish by making the sign of the cross

Praying the Rosary

There is no wrong way to pray a rosary. Some people like to focus on the words of the prayers they are saying.

Personally, I like to meditate on the mysteries of Christ. There are four sets of mysteries.  Each set contains five mysteries to correspond to the five decades of the rosary.  The four sets of mysteries are:

• The Joyful Mysteries
• Focusing on Christ's birth
• The Luminous Mysteries
• Focusing on Christ's life
• The Sorrowful Mysteries
• Focusing on Christ's death
• The Glorious Mysteries 
• Focusing on Christ's resurrection

(If you go to the links above, you will see that each mystery has 10 "thoughts" associated with it that can be meditated upon while saying the 10 Hail Mary prayers in each decade.  These are not required, but are a nice addition.)

The mysteries are said on a schedule according to the day of the week.  The schedule is:

• Sunday: Glorious
• Monday: Joyful
• Tuesday: Sorrowful
• Wednesday: Glorious
• Thursday: Luminous
• Friday: Sorrowful
• Saturday: Joyful

The Origins of the Rosary

The origins of the Rosary are not confirmed, but it is believed the practice started around 800 AD in the efforts of lay people to imitate the practices of local monks.  

The monks were widely respected for being holy and sang all 150 Psalms each day.  The lay people wanted to imitate the practice, but most of them could not read and the Psalms were too long to memorize.  So the lay people began saying the Our Father 150 times.  

In order to avoid losing count, the lay people filled a leather pouch with 150 small stones and would throw one out each time they completed an Our Father.  

Eventually, a knotted rope with 150 knots replaced the bag of stones as it was much easier to carry around. Soon, the rope was simplified to 50 knots, to be repeated 3 times a day.  

When the monks began travelling and evangelizing, they took the practice of praying on these knots with them.  Soon, praying on knotted ropes was a common practice although the prayers said were not uniform.

Eventually, the prayers were recorded in three sets of five mysteries.  The initial three mysteries were the Glorious, Joyful, and Sorrowful.  Each mystery corresponded to one set of ten Hail Mary prayers, or one decade.  Thus, saying all three sets of mysteries resulted in 150 prayers!

Later, in 2002, Pope John Paul II added a fourth set of mysteries focusing on the public life of Christ, the Luminous mysteries.

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

This wonderful site is the most concise and ordered explanation of the rosary I have found:

http://www.rosary-center.org/howto.htm

It is the resource I used when learning the mysteries.

The Sermons We See

 "Sermons We See" by Edgar A. Guest:

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day,
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely show the way.
The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see the good in actions is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn how to do it if you'll let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true;
But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
For I may understand you and the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

This poem is from the book, "The Light of Faith," by Edgar A. Guest,
copyright 1926 by The Reilly & Lee Co., Chicago.

Keep Pursuing,

Tithing

Tithing is an important aspect of everyone's faith journey, yet it is woefully misunderstood.  Let's fix that!

What is tithing?

Tithing is a sacrificial gift of one's time, talent, and treasure to God.


Where did tithing come from?

Tithing is first mentioned in Genesis 14:18-20.  Abram attributes a victory in battle to God and offers a tenth of the spoils to the high priest Melchizedek in thanksgiving.

After that, tithing becomes frequent.  We see it in Jacob's promise in Genesis 28, in a command from God in Leviticus 27, in Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy 14 and many more times throughout the Old Testament.


Why should you tithe?

First and foremost, you should tithe because it is right and just to give thanks to God for the blessings he has bestowed upon you.

Second, you should tithe because you are required to by the precepts of the Catholic Church.

Third, you should tithe because it is good for you! Tithing accomplishes all of the following:

• SANCTIFIES you because "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
• FULFILLS you by investing you in Christ's mission on Earth to save souls
• WISENS you by preventing you from being overly attached to material things
• HUMBLES you by acknowledging that everything you have came from God
• CHEERS you up because science shows gratitude makes you happy

How should you tithe?

It really is different for every person.  This is  evidenced by stories like "The Widow's Mite" in Luke 21:1-4.  However, I do have four universal guidelines that I believe will help you.

1. You should give of your TIME, TALENT, and TREASURE. (Not just treasure.) God gave you all three, so offer all three up.
2. You should give 'til it hurts. I don't mean agony, but it should affect your life. You should be aware of how much you are giving.  
3. God desires mercy more than sacrifice. (Matthew 9:13) The pain of the sacrifice is not what is important. It is the love behind the giving that really matters.
4. On a logistical note, when planning financials set aside your tithe first. And set aside savings second. Then take care of everything else.  If it isn't a priority it won't happen.

Follow those guidelines and you can't go wrong!  (And if you really need more concrete direction, see the bottom of the Additional Resources below.)

Conclusion

As with all things, God reveals His wisdom and love in tithing.
For it is in sacrificing that we better understand Christ's sacrifice.
And it is in giving what we have, that we receive more than we could ask for.


Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

Below are three articles by Father Rocky at Relevant Radio saying it better than I ever could:

What does the Church believe about tithing? 

Stewardship and the Three T's  

Thou shalt give ten percent?

And here is Catholic Answers, again, doing a better job than I:

What is the Church's position on tithing?

Here is a link to the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the need to tithe:

"The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities."

Here is a link to what Canon Law has to say about tithing:

"The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers. They are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor from their own resources." ~ Can 222_1

There are TONS of Bible verses on tithing.  Check out a lot of them at this link.

Seriously though, how much?

Are you still reading this?!

Well, I meant what I said, it depends on the person.  God gave everyone different blessings to use accordingly. However, if you need some concrete help starting out, consider the following:

Tithing is almost universally understood to mean 10% because that is how much the patriarchs of the Old Testament gave.  Most people should try and start at tithing 10%.

And of that 10%, you don't have to give it all to the Church. I believe a good approach is to give half of your tithe to the Church and the other half to charitable organizations and people in need.

That being said, don't get comfortable!  I have friends whose goal in life is to achieve a "reverse tithe"...giving 90% of their income to charity and only keeping 10% to live on!

Lastly, if Catholics gave just 1% of their income to the Church, the Church would be able to resolve all of its debts and achieve financial freedom.

It may be difficult at first.  It may cause pain re-prioritizing your financials.  But at the end of the day, if Christ's mission (the Church) isn't worth 1% of your time, talent, and treasure.  Can you really say it's important to you?

Are you storing up treasure on Earth?  Or in Heaven?

Bible Verses on Tithing

This is a growing list of Bible verses about tithing:

"Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: 'Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." ~ Genesis 14:18-20 

"All tithes of the land, whether in grain from the fields or in fruit from the trees, belong to the LORD, as sacred to him. ~ Leviticus 29:30 

The tithes of the herd and the flock shall be determined by ceding to the LORD as sacred every tenth animal as they are counted by the herdsman's rod." ~ Leviticus 29:32 

"Honor the LORD with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce" ~ Proverbs 3:9 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." ~ Matthew 6:19-21

(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.  When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. ~ Matthew 6:1-4

"Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.  For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." ~ Luke 12:33-34

When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood." ~ Luke 21:1-4

There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. ~ Acts 4:34-35 

"We want you to know, brothers, of the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously," ~ 2 Corinthians 8:1-3

"Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." ~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

This is part of a mini-series on tithing

Bible Cross Reference Infographic

Chris Harrison has created a series of info graphics on the Bible.  Here is my favorite:

"The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc - the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect." ~ Harrison

Isn't that gorgeous?!  But you know what is also pretty neat?  This only maps a fraction of the cross references in the Bible.  There are literally hundreds of thousands more!  What an amazing work the Word of God is!

Keep Pursuing,

The Gospel Spectrum Infographic

The Gospel Spectrum hosted by Thirteen Squares presents a unique view of every single verse in the Gospels in an interactive chart shown below.

• Each of the bars (almost 250) represents a major event in life of Christ.  
• The length of each segment indicates the number of verses dedicated to that life event.  
• The color of each segment represents which Gospel the verses being counted came from.

That by itself would be cool.  But then it has tools to splice the data at the bottom!

• The four colored boxes on the left let you toggle which Gospels are being displayed.  
• The thirteen gray boxes in the middle group the near 250 life events into general categories.
• The four blue boxes on the right show how many Gospel's versions are in harmony.

A summary of the creator's thoughts can be found in this PDF.  And an introduction to the tool can be found at this link.

Keep pursuing

Why Yes, Rape is a Big Deal

The Situation

A judge in Montana recently gave a man a 30 day jail sentence for raping a 14 year old girl.  The Blaze reports:

"A former high school teacher in Montana will only serve 30 days in jail, despite being convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl who later committed suicide. 

The sentence was handed down on Monday by Judge G. Todd Baugh to Stacey Dean Rambold, 54, who admitted to having sexual relations with Cherice Morales, a then 14-year-old student. 

Baugh reportedly sentenced Rambold to 15 years in prison for nonconsensual sexual intercourse, but suspended all except 31 days. The judge then gave the former teacher credit for one day served, reducing his total jail sentence to just 30 days." ...Full Article Here

The Reaction

Every person who hears the story is outraged by the judge's decision.  How on earth is it possible for a judge to treat a raping, adultering pedophile who caused suicide so flippantly?!?!

I agree with everyone.  I find this situation repulsive and the decision heinous.

However, I also have to admit that I am surprised that everyone shares my outrage.  Given our society's norms, isn't this expected to happen?  Given our culture's values, shouldn't we expect people behave this way in the future?


The Question

We live in a "modern" culture that champions casual sex.  "Sex is no big deal."

From the time we are in kindergarten we are taught we can't control ourselves when it comes to sex.  Television is flooded with casual sex between strangers.   And ads use sex to sell.  Sex is everywhere.  Sex is no big deal.

Taking this position, I am forced to ask the following question:

If sex is no big deal, then why is rape a big deal?

Logically, if sex is no big deal, then rape is just forcing something that is no big deal.  Where's the problem?

And while some may find this reasoning outlandish, many proponents of the secular progressive movement are already advocating exactly this position!

Earlier this year CNN reporters sympathized for the poor rapists who gang-banged an unconscious girl at a high school party and then bragged about it online.  Just this past week, Richard Dawkins suggested that mild pedophilia is not that bad.  And even this story we are discussing, this mockery of justice, this 30 day sentence for rape, is not being picked up by mainstream media.

So can you really fault these "leaders" for taking the hookup culture to its logical end?  Rape is more akin to a prank than a crime, right?


The Answer

Wrong.

Far from being "no big deal", sex is, in fact, holy.  Sex is not solely a physical act, it is spiritual, touching the innermost being of a person. (CCC 2361) It is a is gift given to man by God Himself. (CCC 2362)

Further human life has inherent value (CCC 2258) and human dignity is sacred (CCC 1929). Each one of us is loved infinitely by an infinite God.  And any act that treats a human being as a means, rather than an ends, is contrary to the will of God.  Thus rape, using a human as a means to your own pleasure, is evil.

So yes, rape is a big deal because sex is a big deal. 

Rape is a horrendous sin because sex is a holy gift.

Rape is a terrible evil because human dignity is sacred. 

Keep Pursuing

Additional Materials

Here is a horrifying story of a second person traumatized by pedophilia and her opinion on this case:

http://www.xojane.com/issues/stacey-rambold-cherice-morales

The Saint Patrick's Breastplate Prayer

This is how you say Saint Patrick's Breastplate Prayer:

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
+
I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.
+
I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.
+
I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.
+
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
+
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.
+
Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.
+
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
+
I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

What a warrior's prayer!  Saint Patrick said this prayer every day when he went out to convert the druid tribes of Ireland to Catholicism.  Saint Patrick succeeded in this endeavor and lived on to found the monasteries of Ireland.

Keep Pursuing

The $1 Abortion Premium

As of August 1, 2013, the HHS Mandate requires insurance providers to pay a premium of $1 per month per person covered if certain conditions are met.  These premiums go into a fund that is solely to be used to finance abortions.

Not sure what to do?  This post covers everything you need to know.


Is $1 a month being paid for me?

If you are enrolled in an insurance plan that covers elective abortions then, yes, your insurance provider is paying a premium of at least $1 per month into an abortion fund because of you.  (Sec 1303 (b)(1 & 2))

To be clear, an elective abortion is different than abortion for medical reasons.  Almost all insurance plans provide insurance for abortions due to medical risk, this coverage does not qualify you for the abortion premium.

It does not matter whether or not you ever have an abortion or plan to have an abortion, if elective abortion is covered in your plan, your insurer is required to pay in your name.

Can't I just ask my insurance provider?

No.  Unfortunately, you can't just ask your insurance provider if they are paying the $1 abortion premium for your account.  

The HHS Mandate states that your insurer can only tell you about this premium at the time of enrollment and cannot tell you about the individual payment made.  (No, I am not joking.  Look it up in Sec 1301 (b)(3)(A & B). This is now infamously known as the "secrecy clause.")

Now, you can ask your insurance provider if elective abortion is covered in your insurance plan.  They are still allowed to tell you that.  Alternatively, you can look up your insurance benefits yourself.

What if my policy covers elective abortion?

There is good news here.  You have options to get out of the abortion premium being paid in your name.  The law requires that every state offer at least one insurance plan that does not cover abortion.

1.) Your first option might be to switch insurance plans with your existing insurance provider.

• Ask your insurance provider to see what other plans are available.
• (This is only an option if your insurance provider offers a plan that doesn't cover elective abortion.)

2.) Your second option is to switch insurance providers.

• Ask your employers if other providers are available.  (Share your values with your employer.)
• For people at companies with only one insurance provider, this means you might have to become self-insured, which can be expensive.

3.) Your last resort is to cancel your insurance and be uninsured.

• To be clear, I cannot think of a scenario where this last resort is needed.  Being self-insured should always cost less and take less effort than being uninsured.
• Not having insurance will increase your cost of health care.
• Further this will also subject you to fines of 2.5% of your annual salary each year. (Sec 5000A (c)(1 & 2))

Personal Thoughts

Catholicism teaches that knowingly supporting an intrinsic evil, like abortion, is a grave sin.  As with so many other parts of the HHS Mandate, Catholics cannot, in good faith, support such policies.

For my wife and I the decision was simple.  As soon as we learned about this premium, we decided we would do whatever it took to make sure we didn't contribute to the death of a single unborn child. 

What about you?


Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

As always, I urge you to think for yourself and reference source documents!  Here is a direct link to the text of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare):

http://housedocs.house.gov/energycommerce/ppacacon.pdf

If the legal text is too thick for you, here is the best summary I have found of the facts surrounding the abortion premium:

http://www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/content/docs/facts/ObamaCare-and-its-Mandates.pdf

An interesting read striking down some of the myths surrounding the abortion premium:

http://www.aul.org/2012/04/why-huffington-post-is-wrong-on-abortion-in-the-affordable-care-act/

Lastly I urge you to take action if this offends you.  In addition to making sure you are not paying for abortions, call your elected representatives at the State and the Federal level and let them know you don't like this and you want it repealed.

Catholicism Affirms Life Begins at Conception

Intro

In the abortion debate today, one of two claims is made in favor of abortion.  Either the unborn child is not a human life or it is a less important life not worth protecting.

I want to point out that these arguments are not modern.  In fact the Church has been combating them for 2000 years.  And in this post I will explore what the Church has said about the sacredness of human life since it was founded by Jesus Christ.


The Teaching of the Church

Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about it:

"Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life." ~ CCC 2270

And here is a sampling of the verses in the Bible that testify to life beginning at conception:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you." ~ Jeremiah 1:5

"Your hands have formed me and fashioned me; will you then turn and destroy me?Oh, remember that you fashioned me from clay! Will you then bring me down to dust again?Did you not pour me out as milk, and thicken me like cheese? With skin and flesh you clothed me, with bones and sinews knit me together.Grace and favor you granted me, and your providence has preserved my spirit." ~ Job 10:8-12

"You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb.I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth." ~ Psalms 139:13-15

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." ~ Luke 1:41:42

"...He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,..." ~ Luke 1:15

Conclusions

The Catholic Church has always believed that life was sacred, even when it was in the womb.  This belief is reinforced by the Bible, 2000 years of Tradition, and observation of natural law.

This means we now have the law, the Church, and science all agreeing that abortion ends a human life.  Raise these facts!

Do not allow people to get away with calling the precious gift of new human life that is an unborn baby anything else.

It is not "just a fetus".  It is not "the flesh".  It is a baby.  It is a human being.  It is a precious gift.  It has been so since conception.  It deserves to be protected.  And it deserves to be loved.


Keep Pursuing

Additional Materials

This post is part of a mini-series on when life begins.

Science Proves Life Begins at Conception

This post is part of a mini-series on when life begins.

Intro

Science has always been quite clear on the fact that human life begins at conception.

It is only when you muddy the water with politics that you see bizarre claims that human development begins at implantation, or in the second trimester, or at birth, or at any other arbitrary point people have made up to support their agenda.

So to make things plain, in this post we will look at the issue from a strictly biological point of view.


Biological Description

• A woman ovulates once a month 
• During ovulation, the ovaries release one egg (or more) 
• The egg leaves the ovary and begins it's journey down the fallopian tube to the uterus 
• The egg only lasts for 12-24 hours (after ovulation) before dying 

• On the other side of this equation you have the sperm 
• Sperm are released from the penis into the vagina during ejaculation 
• From there, sperm must travel through the uterus into the fallopian tube 
• This journey can be accomplished in as little as 5 hours, but can take up to 5 days 

• Conception occurs upon the sperm reaching the egg and penetrating the outer lining of the egg 
• At the moment the sperm enters the egg, the two cells become one new cell called a zygote 
• This entry sets off a chemical reaction that pushes away all other sperm
• In the zygote the 23 individual chromosomes from the sperm match with the 23 individual chromosomes from the egg to become a full genome, genetically complete, genetically unique, fully human 
• The zygote begins dividing into new cells immediately 
• The collection of cells, that the zygote divides into, is called a blastocyst 
• The blastocyst takes about 4 days to travel down the fallopian tube to the uterus 
• Upon reaching the uterus, the blastocyst will typically float for about 2 days before implanting in the uterine wall 
• It is at this implantation (6 days after fertilization) that pregnancy (as it is currently defined) begins for the mother 

• At 22 days the baby has a heart beat
• At 6 weeks the baby's brain waves can be detected
• At 8 weeks the baby has arms, legs, hands, and feet
• At 12 weeks the baby has a sex
• At 13 weeks the baby's taste buds are working
• At 14 weeks the baby has all organs it will have
• At 20 weeks the baby can feel pain
• At 21 weeks the baby can now viably live outside the womb
• At 23 weeks babies have demonstrated REM indicating dreams
• At 40 weeks the mother gives birth to the baby

Conclusion

At the point of conception, the sperm and the egg combine to create new life. That resulting new cell is both:

• genetically complete - representing a full human being
• genetically unique - different from any person who has ever or will ever exist 

Upon creation, that cell is immediately dividing, growing, and multiplying.  Is that cell growing into an animal, a plant, or "just flesh"?  Of course not.  It is ridiculous to say that baby will grow into anything but the human being it is designed to be.

So we now have the law, the Church, and science all agreeing that abortion ends a human life.  Raise these facts!

Do not allow people to get away with calling the precious gift of new human life that is an unborn baby anything else.  It is not "the flesh".  It is not "just a fetus".  It is a baby.  It is a human being.  It is a precious gift.  It has been so since conception.  It deserves to be protected.  And it deserves to be loved.


Keep Pursuing

Additional Materials

EHD has live footage of a developing child from conception to birth:
http://www.ehd.org

Here is a beautiful blog post discussing how science states life begins at conception:
http://catholicdefense.blogspot.com/2013/01/science-v-religion-on-when-life-begins.html

Additional information on development:
http://prolifeaction.org/faq/unborn.php

This post is part of a mini-series on when life begins.

The Books of the Bible

Here is a list of the books in the Bible:

The Old Testament

The Pentateuch

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth

The Historical Books

• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Tobit
• Judit
• Esther
• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees

The Wisdom Books

• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• The Song of Songs
• The Book of Wisdom
• Sirach

The Prophetic Books

• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Baruch
• Ezekiel
• Daniel
• Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi

The New Testament

Gospels

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John
• Acts

The New Testament Letters

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• Hebrews

The Catholic Letters

• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

(This post is part of a mini-series on the Bible.)

The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

This is how you say the prayer of Saint Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy. 

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console.
To be understood, as to understand.
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. 

Amen

Keep Pursuing

Three Things Remain

This mini-series is dedicated to the three things that remain mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:13.

This mini-series contains links to posts dedicated to exploring each of these things in depth:

• Faith
• Hope
• Love

Even better, Pope Benedict dedicated his time to writing three encyclicals on these as well!

• Lumen Fidei (Faith)
• Spe Salve (Hope)
• Deus Caritas Est (Love) 

And, this being a critical subject, Father Robert Barron has also spoke about this in his Word on Fire series.  

Keep Pursuing,

Eudaimonia

(This post is part of the ongoing Happiness Series.)

Some of the greatest minds in history have wrestled with the meaning of happiness.  One man who stands out amongst all the great thinkers, I believe, is Socrates.

Socrates tackled the meaning of happiness in a number of his famous dialogues.  And while he used his usual dizzying discussion methods.  One concept that really shines is the idea of Eudaimonia.


What is Eudaimonia?

Many modern texts translate the ancient Greek word “Eudaimonia” into “happiness”.  But this doesn't do it justice.  Eudaimonia is so much more than the ephemeral positive feelings that people today call happiness.

Ancient Greek was a very specific language.  Just as the Greeks had four different words for "love", they also had different words for various types of happiness.

Eudaimonia would be more closely translated as "flourishing".
("Are you happy?" "No, I'm flourishing!")

This "flourishing" meant thriving in the time you have been given in your life.  It meant growing as much as possible in every way possible.  It was about becoming the best version of yourself.  Only in this manner was the "good life" attained.  Only in this pursuit was real happiness achieved.


How does Eudaimonia work?

Eudaimonia operates on the principle that your are most fulfilled when achieving your potential.  That in growing physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually you increase your capacity for enjoying life and unlock the ability to enjoy higher forms of pleasure.

This definition of happiness is intriguing for many reasons.

First, and most powerfully, this definition makes happiness an act of the will.  Eudaimonia was a choice.  This sets it far apart from happiness (defined today) as a sensation that happens to you.

Second, in being a choice, Eudaimonia became a habit or pursuit that lasted your entire life.  Once again,
this is drastically different than modern definition of a fleeting pleasurable sensation.

Lastly, this definition is universally fair.  What I mean is that anyone and everyone can choose to make the most of what they have, whether it be a little or a lot.  In contrast, one could say that "modern happiness" (read pleasure) is unfairly imbalanced in favor of those born to affluent circumstances.


Why Does Eudaimonia Work?

It is no secret that the sense of fulfillment experienced from accomplishing a goal is incredibly rewarding.

• The euphoria achieved after completing a marathon...
• The edifying experience of helping your neighbor...
• The thrill of learning something new...
• The deep peace of prayer after a period of sacrifice...

And mature audiences know that as humans we can enjoy higher pleasures that are more fulfilling than the base pleasures we share with animals.

• As an experiment, imagine the best food you ever had.  
• Now imagine the best conversation you've ever had.  
• If you could have only one tonight, which would you choose?
• ...exactly

Lastly, I believe everyone has experienced the phenomenon that everything is richer and more vibrant when we are pushing ourselves.

• Relaxation is so much better when we are exhausted
• Faith is so much deeper when challenged
• Imagination is so much richer after learning
• All of these are fruits of the struggle to achieve one's potential.

A Eudaimon life is one spent in pursuit of true fulfillment.  In achieving our maximum potential physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially we also achieve our greatest capacity to enjoy life in each of these areas.  In addition we unlock access to higher forms of pleasure.


Application in Your Life

To be fair, this new understanding of happiness will not get rid of the low points in your life
...but neither will it evaporate like a giddy feeling during a low point.

Rather, Eudaimon pursuits lead to life at a higher level so that the highs are higher AND the lows are less low.

It seems obvious, won't you be happiest when you are the best you can be?

If you agree, I invite you to join me in pursuing the Eudaimon life.
Struggling to grow each day mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.
It is a lot of work, but the result is a life well lived.

Keep Pursuing (Happiness)

Happiness

I am thrilled to be starting a new series on Happiness!

Like so many things in society today, happiness is one of the things we want most and understand the least.  This series hopes to rectify that!

Posts include:

• What is Happiness?
• Eudaimonia
• God Wants You to Be Happy
• Pray to be Happy

Keep Pursuing (Happiness)

Who is Jesus?

Jesus claimed to be the Son of God.  How do we respond to that?

I've struggled with how to write this entry for a long time.  I finally accepted that I cannot improve upon C.S. Lewis' writing on the subject.  Here is what he says on the subject in his book, "Mere Christianity":

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. 

We are faced, then, with a frightening alternative. This man we are talking about either was (and is) just what He said or else a lunatic, or something worse. Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God. God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form.

This premise seems reasonable.  And if reasonable then no one can casually dismiss Jesus as a nice guy or a prophet.

Other Options? 

In the past, many have asserted a fourth option: Legend.  This fourth option implies that Jesus is a fictitious character created by the apostles.

However, in a future post, I will discuss the historicity of Jesus and show that no serious historian doubts His existence.  Further, the Bible has been shown time and again to be incredibly accurate, verified time and again by other historical accounts and modern archaeological findings.

Lunatic

The gospels give us a cogent description of Jesus' ministry.  He spoke strongly, acted lovingly, and performed unbelievable feats.  There is nothing in the gospels that would lead one to question His sanity.

Liar

Now it could be posited that Jesus did all of this to form the biggest deceit of all time.  That He consciously acted and spoke in such a way to give us hope when He knew it all to be false.  If this was the case, then He is the biggest con artist of all time and is, most certainly, an incredibly evil person.

However, there is absolutely no evidence in the gospels to support such a hypothesis.  Further, having the advantage of 2000 years of Church history and billions of Christians to look back on.  The teachings of Jesus seem to be true.

Lord

That leaves us with the conclusion that Jesus was who He claimed to be, the Son of God.

This position is supported by the testimony provided by the gospels.  It is supported by the prospering of the Catholic Church.  And, I will also say it is supported by my experience with God.

Given that Jesus was Lord and Christ, His other claims become trustworthy and believable.
He does have the power to forgive sins.
He did resurrect after dying on the cross.
His Father is in Heaven.
He went to Heaven to be with Him.
And He will come again.


Keep Pursuing

Stop Breeding Hatred

Here's a true story that happened to me yesterday, July 2, 2013.  I am not telling this story for sympathy, nor to show one side's superiority.  Please bear with me.

...

I went to the capitol to to register my support for HB2 (a pro-life bill).  After registering, I shared the elevator back up with a woman wearing a bright orange shirt and shorts (signifying she was pro-choice).

We joked about needing to get out of the suffocating environment. When we reached street level, I opened the door for her.  As we walked out we discussed what a nice day it was. 

A man covered in tattoos and piercings approached us and asked as where to go to register.  Together we provided directions that ensured he would get there. 

Afterwards, she asked me where I worked. I told her National Instruments and she shared that her grandfather had worked at NASA and was a specialist on a key piece of hardware.

At this point we had been walking together for five minutes, two amicable strangers being friendly and making conversation.

Then she asked, “So what side are you on?”

I replied, “Oh, I am very pro-life.”

Horror stretched across her face. She turned 90 degrees and starting walking away at a brisk pace while accusing me over her shoulder. 

“You disgust me.” 

“You hate women.” 

“You don't believe in religious freedom"

"You're a jihadist who wants to enslave women."

In my shock, I offered, “You don’t need to yell, we could have a discussion about this.”

She turned to face me while walking backwards and screamed:

“I will never talk with you, YOU TERRORIST!"

"You can’t tell me what to do with MY BODY!”

I replied (perhaps mistakenly), “But it’s a child.”

She was now at the street corner and stopped in a crowd to scream back:

“It is NOT."

"It is FLESH!"

"AND YOU ARE A TERRORIST!”

…

This event shocked and saddened me. We had been acquaintances having a friendly conversation. And the moment she found out I held an opposite point of view she was outraged and terrified. 

This woman isn't alone. And she isn't the bad guy. She is a victim of cruel leadership and vile propaganda that breeds hatred.

The “pro-choice” side isn't the only side that does it. All sides of all issues are doing it more and more. It needs to stop now.

If I’m supposed to be enemies with others who don’t share my views, does that mean I can only be friends with like-minded individuals? What a narrow minded, bland way to live!

Am I supposed to hate everyone who disagrees with me? What a hate filled, cowardly life!

The demonizing of the “other side” is hurting everyone. How can we ever have a logical discussion to settle our disputes when all we do is attack and refuse to listen?

The hatred needs to stop!

What You Can Do

Start with people who will listen to you.  Stand up to your friends when they used exaggerated, hurtful words.  Stand up and leave when people on "your side" incite hatred and bigotry.

I know that I am asking for a lot of courage.  These are the hardest people to stand up to, the ones you don't want to let down.

But the "tactics" being used now hurt everyone, including the people on "your side".  This is causing pain, ruining relationships, and eliminating any chance of ever settling a dispute logically and peacefully.

Please stop hating.


Keep Pursuing

Popes through History

Here is the complete list of the Popes of the Catholic Church:

1. St. Peter (33-67)
2. St. Linus (67-76)
3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
4. St. Clement I (88-97)
5. St. Evaristus (97-105)
6. St. Alexander I (105-115)
7. St. Sixtus I (Xystus I) (115-125)
8. St. Telesphorus (125-136)
9. St. Hyginus (136-140)
10. St. Pius I (140-155)
11. St. Anicetus (155-166)
12. St. Soter (166-175)
13. St. Eleutherius (175-189)
14. St. Victor I (189-199)
15. St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
16. St. Callistus I (217-222)
17. St. Urban I (222-230)
18. St. Pontain (230-235)
19. St. Anterus (235-236)
20. St. Fabian (236-250)
21. St. Cornelius (251-253)
22. St. Lucius I (253-54)
23. St. Stephen I (254-257)
24. St. Sixtus II (257-258)
25. St. Dionysius (260-268)
26. St. Felix I (269-274)
27. St. Eutychian (275-283)
28. St. Caius (Gaius) (283-296)
29. St. Marcellinus (296-304)
30. St. Marcellus I (308-309)
31. St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
32. St. Miltiades (311-314)
33. St. Sylvester I (314-335)
34. St. Marcus (336)
35. St. Julius I (337-352)
36. Liberius (352-66)
37. St. Damasus I (366-383)
38. St. Siricius (384-99)
39. St. Anastasius I (399-401)
40. St. Innocent I (401-17)
41. St. Zosimus (417-18)
42. St. Boniface I (418-22)
43. St. Celestine I (422-32)
44. St. Sixtus III (432-40)
45. St. Leo I (the Great) (440-461)
46. St. Hilarius (461-68)
47. St. Simplicius (468-83)
48. St. Felix III (II) (483-92)
49. St. Gelasius I (492-96)
50. Anastasius II (496-98)
51. St. Symmachus (498-514)
52. St. Hormisdas (514-23)
53. St. John I (523-26)
54. St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)
55. Boniface II (530-32)
56. John II (533-35)
57. St. Agapetus I (535-36)
58. St. Silverius (536-37)
59. Vigilius (537-55)
60. Pelagius I (556-61)
61. John III (561-74)
62. Benedict I (575-79)
63. Pelagius II (579-90)
64. St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)
65. Sabinian (604-606)
66. Boniface III (607)
67. St. Boniface IV (608-15)
68. St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)
69. Boniface V (619-25)
70. Honorius I (625-38)
71. Severinus (640)
72. John IV (640-42)
73. Theodore I (642-49)
74. St. Martin I (649-55)
75. St. Eugene I (655-57)
76. St. Vitalian (657-72)
77. Adeodatus (II) (672-76)
78. Donus (676-78)
79. St. Agatho (678-81)
80. St. Leo II (682-83)
81. St. Benedict II (684-85)
82. John V (685-86)
83. Conon (686-87)
84. St. Sergius I (687-701)
85. John VI (701-05)
86. John VII (705-07)
87. Sisinnius (708)
88. Constantine (708-15)
89. St. Gregory II (715-31)
90. St. Gregory III (731-41)
91. St. Zachary (741-52)
92. Stephen II (752) *Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him*
93. Stephen III (752-57)
94. St. Paul I (757-67)
95. Stephen IV (767-72)
96. Adrian I (772-95)
97. St. Leo III (795-816)
98. Stephen V (816-17)
99. St. Paschal I (817-24)
100. Eugene II (824-27)
101. Valentine (827)
102. Gregory IV (827-44)
103. Sergius II (844-47)
104. St. Leo IV (847-55)
105. Benedict III (855-58)
106. St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)
107. Adrian II (867-72)
108. John VIII (872-82)
109. Marinus I (882-84)
110. St. Adrian III (884-85)
111. Stephen VI (885-91)
112. Formosus (891-96)
113. Boniface VI (896)
114. Stephen VII (896-97)
115. Romanus (897)
116. Theodore II (897)
117. John IX (898-900)
118. Benedict IV (900-03)
119. Leo V (903)
120. Sergius III (904-11)
121. Anastasius III (911-13)
122. Lando (913-14)
123. John X (914-28)
124. Leo VI (928)
125. Stephen VIII (929-31)
126. John XI (931-35)
127. Leo VII (936-39)
128. Stephen IX (939-42)
129. Marinus II (942-46)
130. Agapetus II (946-55)
131. John XII (955-63)
132. Leo VIII (963-64)
133. Benedict V (964)
134. John XIII (965-72)
135. Benedict VI (973-74)
136. Benedict VII (974-83)
137. John XIV (983-84)
138. John XV (985-96)
139. Gregory V (996-99)
140. Sylvester II (999-1003)
141. John XVII (1003)
142. John XVIII (1003-09)
143. Sergius IV (1009-12)
144. Benedict VIII (1012-24)
145. John XIX (1024-32)
146. Benedict IX (1032-45) *Appears three times because twice deposed and restored*
147. Sylvester III (1045) *Considered by some to be an antipope*
148. Benedict IX (1045)
149. Gregory VI (1045-46)
150. Clement II (1046-47)
151. Benedict IX (1047-48)
152. Damasus II (1048)
153. St. Leo IX (1049-54)
154. Victor II (1055-57)
155. Stephen X (1057-58)
156. Nicholas II (1058-61)
157. Alexander II (1061-73)
158. St. Gregory VII (1073-85)
159. Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
160. Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
161. Paschal II (1099-1118)
162. Gelasius II (1118-19)
163. Callistus II (1119-24)
164. Honorius II (1124-30)
165. Innocent II (1130-43)
166. Celestine II (1143-44)
167. Lucius II (1144-45)
168. Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
169. Anastasius IV (1153-54)
170. Adrian IV (1154-59)
171. Alexander III (1159-81)
172. Lucius III (1181-85)
173. Urban III (1185-87)
174. Gregory VIII (1187)
175. Clement III (1187-91)
176. Celestine III (1191-98)
177. Innocent III (1198-1216)
178. Honorius III (1216-27)
179. Gregory IX (1227-41)
180. Celestine IV (1241)
181. Innocent IV (1243-54)
182. Alexander IV (1254-61)
183. Urban IV (1261-64)
184. Clement IV (1265-68)
185. Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
186. Blessed Innocent V (1276)
187. Adrian V (1276)
188. John XXI (1276-77)
189. Nicholas III (1277-80)
190. Martin IV (1281-85)
191. Honorius IV (1285-87)
192. Nicholas IV (1288-92)
193. St. Celestine V (1294)
194. Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
195. St. Benedict XI (1303-04)
196. Clement V (1305-14)
197. John XXII (1316-34)
198. Benedict XII (1334-42)
199. Clement VI (1342-52)
200. Innocent VI (1352-62)
201. Blessed Urban V (1362-70)
202. Gregory XI (1370-78)
203. Urban VI (1378-89)
204. Boniface IX (1389-1404)
205. Innocent VII (1404-06)
206. Gregory XII (1406-15)
207. Martin V (1417-31)
208. Eugene IV (1431-47)
209. Nicholas V (1447-55)
210. Callistus III (1455-58)
211. Pius II (1458-64)
212. Paul II (1464-71)
213. Sixtus IV (1471-84)
214. Innocent VIII (1484-92)
215. Alexander VI (1492-1503)
216. Pius III (1503)
217. Julius II (1503-13)
218. Leo X (1513-21)
219. Adrian VI (1522-23)
220. Clement VII (1523-34)
221. Paul III (1534-49)
222. Julius III (1550-55)
223. Marcellus II (1555)
224. Paul IV (1555-59)
225. Pius IV (1559-65)
226. St. Pius V (1566-72)
227. Gregory XIII (1572-85)
228. Sixtus V (1585-90)
229. Urban VII (1590)
230. Gregory XIV (1590-91)
231. Innocent IX (1591)
232. Clement VIII (1592-1605)
233. Leo XI (1605)
234. Paul V (1605-21)
235. Gregory XV (1621-23)
236. Urban VIII (1623-44)
237. Innocent X (1644-55)
238. Alexander VII (1655-67)
239. Clement IX (1667-69)
240. Clement X (1670-76)
241. Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)
242. Alexander VIII (1689-91)
243. Innocent XII (1691-1700)
244. Clement XI (1700-21)
245. Innocent XIII (1721-24)
246. Benedict XIII (1724-30)
247. Clement XII (1730-40)
248. Benedict XIV (1740-58)
249. Clement XIII (1758-69)
250. Clement XIV (1769-74)
251. Pius VI (1775-99)
252. Pius VII (1800-23)
253. Leo XII (1823-29)
254. Pius VIII (1829-30)
255. Gregory XVI (1831-46)
256. Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)
257. Leo XIII (1878-1903)
258. St. Pius X (1903-14)
259. Benedict XV (1914-22)
260. Pius XI (1922-39)
261. Pius XII (1939-58)
262. Blessed John XXIII (1958-63)
263. Paul VI (1963-78)
264. John Paul I (1978)
265. John Paul II (1978-2005)
266. Benedict XVI (2005-2013)
266. Francis (2013-present)

This list was taken from http://www.ucatholic.com/features/popes/

Almost 2000 years later, the apostolic tradition of the Catholic Church can be traced back to Jesus handing the keys of the kingdom to Peter.  Amazing.


Keep pursuing,

What is the Catholic view on the death penalty?

The results of the Gosnell trial  have sparked lots and lots of discussion about Catholic teachings, pro-life sentiments, and the death penalty.  So what does the Catholic Church teach about the death penalty?


Murder

Well to start with, we have the Fifth Commandment of the Ten Commandments given to man straight from the mouth of God in the Old Testament in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21: Thou shall not kill.

While that seems relatively straight forward, the Mosaic Law between Exodus 19:1 and 24:18 also lists numerous instances in which killing is acceptable or even called for.  And from there, as usual, we humans made quite a mess of things following the technicalities of the law.

Fortunately, in the New Testament, Jesus came to set us straight.  He preached the spirit, rather than the letter, of the law.  (A great example is the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37).  He also led by example, saving numerous sinners from their executions, such as the adulteress in John 8:3-11.  The Catechism summarizes all of this with:

In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord recalls the commandment, "You shall not kill," and adds to it the proscription of anger, hatred, and vengeance. Going further, Christ asks his disciples to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies. He did not defend himself and told Peter to leave his sword in its sheath. ~ CCC 2262

In short the deliberate murder of an innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being, to the golden rule, and to the holiness of the Creator. (CCC 2261)

Self Defense

So we have established that murder is bad, however the Catechism goes on to address a specific situation that arises all too often: self defense.

Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one's own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow. ~ CCC 2264

Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for someone responsible for another's life. Preserving the common good requires rendering the unjust aggressor unable to inflict harm. To this end, those holding legitimate authority have the right to repel by armed force aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their charge. ~ CCC 2265

I find the distinction for self defense to be logical.  And while I do find relief in the fact that I am called to protect myself and my loved ones, this may also open the door to justification for the death penalty.

Capital Punishment

Skipping the intricacies of the relationship between Church and State, let's focus on whether we Christians should support capital punishment or not.  Well, starting with the basics, the Catechism states:

The State's effort to contain the spread of behaviors injurious to human rights and the fundamental rules of civil coexistence corresponds to the requirement of watching over the common good. Legitimate public authority has the right and duty to inflict penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime. ~ CCC 2266

To re-emphasize, it is the duty of a just State to protect human rights by penalizing crime.  But to what end?

The primary scope of the penalty is to redress the disorder caused by the offense. When his punishment is voluntarily accepted by the offender, it takes on the value of expiation. Moreover, punishment, in addition to preserving public order and the safety of persons, has a medicinal scope: as far as possible it should contribute to the correction of the offender.  ~ CCC 2266

Fascinating.  The punishment is not only for the safety of society, but also for the rehabilitation of the criminal.  That is a beautiful concept.  So with this premise established, is capital punishment ever called for?

The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude, presupposing full ascertainment of the identity and responsibility of the offender, recourse to the death penalty, when this is the only practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the aggressor. ~ CCC 2267

So yes, the Church acknowledges the potential need for the death penalty.

That could be considered the end of the argument.  However we would be repeating the mistakes of our Old Testament brethren if we only followed this technicality and did not give due diligence to the qualifiers listed: CERTAINTY of the offender and NO OTHER WAY to protect the innocent.

"If, instead, bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.  ~ CCC 2267

Practical Application

Those two qualifiers (certainty that you have the right guy and no other way to protect innocents) seem to be rarely, if ever, met.  Look at how many people are freed from wrongful imprisonment by modern DNA testing.  In addition, today we have the most advanced penal systems the world has ever known.

It appears that I am not alone in my reasoning either.  Blessed Pope Jean Paul II wrote similarly in EV 56.  In addition, I called Father Simon at Relevant Radio and you can listen to his answer in this broadcast between 18:14 and 20:25.

Given this, I can't see ever justifying the use of the death penalty today.

But we can still go further.  We also established that the punishment should be, whenever possible, aimed towards the rehabilitation of the criminal.

Just as a parent punishes because they love their child and hopes to correct ill behavior so their child can be a better person.  So to should we strive for correctional measures that help an offender to no longer commit crime.  This beautiful concept is very much in line with "love the sinner, hate the sin".  

And loving the sinner leads me to my final point.  That we, as Catholics, do not want ANYONE to be damned to an eternity in hell without God.  Rather, our mission in this life is to evangelize and lead as many souls to salvation as possible.

If that is true, then how could we ever wish for the death penalty for someone who is obviously in a state of mortal sin?  Given our calling, doesn't reason dictate that we always want to grant the criminal the opportunity to meditate on wrongdoings, obtain a penitent heart, and seek absolution?

Given this logic, and given the capabilities at the disposal of modern society, I don't think we should ever support capital punishment.

Closing Thought

In Luke 15:4-7 we learn that "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance".  In opposing the death penalty we might allow millions of sinners a second chance to come back to Christ.  If only one sinner repents and comes back, won't that be worth it?

Keep Pursuing,