The Catholic Experience
Spirituality/Belief • Writing • Culture
Catholics turning "followship" into fellowship and helping each other to learn and grow in holiness. Catholicism is an adventure, but we weren't meant to live it in isolation. Holiness is the goal, and the human experience is the vehicle. Community is essential to that experience.
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Live chatted 05/27/2024
Proof that God Exists? Aquinas' Five Ways Ep. 1

Can we prove that God exists? It depends on what "proof" means to you, but the simple answer is YES.
The nature of proof itself is under scrutiny in our this first of a 6-part series on Aquinas' Five Ways (or proofs of God's existence). In this episode I unpack different kinds of evidence, specifically logical evidence and material evidence, and how they contribute to our understanding of "proof". No matter your experience with philosophy, this conversation is designed to be accessible and engaging. This episode serves as a prelude to a series exploring Aquinas' five ways, and whether you're a seasoned philosopher or a curious mind, there's something here for you.
**Available to all members. Subsequent episodes will be for paid members
#Aquinas #FiveWays #Podcasts

Proof that God Exists? Aquinas' Five Ways Ep. 1
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Faith and Fumbles (PRE-RELEASE, Available to All Members)

In this loaded episode I cover a range of topics, starting with the challenges of integrating faith with ordinary daily life, and the 'pain' often associated with practicing religion—particularly Catholicism. That's an important segment for every Catholic, regardless of their experience level and spiritual development.

Midway, I offer an impromptu reaction to a series of late-night comedians' clips about Trump's victory, criticizing their humor and the emotional responses from the liberal side. Taking the show tot a close, I encourage the audience to seek holiness through their struggles, underscoring the need to live a balanced life that harmonizes religious beliefs with everyday experiences.

05:12 The Challenge of Integrating Faith and Life
29:18 Reactions to Trump's Reelection
35:20 Late-Night Meltdowns
52:25 Reflections and Closing Thoughts

01:03:08
Making Catholic Faith REAL - Clarifying my mission here.

(Re-post) - Description: Making Catholic Faith Real - A lot of people misunderstand my intent here in the podcast, on socials, or my online apostolate in general. Let me set the record straight.

In this clip I clarify the mission of my podcast and social media presence. My ambition is not just to help people to become better Catholics, but to guide them towards sainthood by making the Catholic faith REAL for them,

00:13 The Journey Toward Sainthood
00:38 Making Faith Real and Absorbing It
00:57 Experiencing God on Earth
01:21 Challenges in Living the Catholic Faith
01:43 Mission: Knowing, Living, and Becoming the Truth
02:09 Eternity and the Role of Earthly Life
02:24 The Power of the Catholic Faith
03:03 Conclusion and Call to Action
03:11 Outro: The Catholic Avenger

00:03:27
Heaven Isn't Automatic

Going to heaven immediately after death is not automatic, or even likely to happen for most people, unless one is exceptionally holy. We have to remember that Heaven is not automatic, that there are soul in purgatory who need our prayers

00:01:07
FREE - No Sin-Nod at the Synod (Audio)

Here's an audio pre-release of the latest podcast, available to all members of my Locals community. Paid members, look for the video version in the timeline if you prefer video.
DESCRIPTION:
Let's look into the ongoing discussions and heated debates surrounding the Synod on Synodality. I'll share my thoughts on recent articles, including the surprising arguments supporting a Catholic vote for Kamala Harris. I discuss the importance of pure thinking and clarity of mind in as necessities for seeing God, and seeing all TRUTH, and why our connection to the historical church and martyrs matters so profoundly. Additionally, I'll cover the value of local synods, the risk of decentralization of doctrinal authority, and ask the question "Where are Men in the Church?".
Article: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/259631/synod-on-synodality-breaking-news-and-analysis-live-from-the-vatican

FREE - No Sin-Nod at the Synod (Audio)
Wisdom and Foolishness - Ep 39

The Pursuit of Wisdom: Are Catholics Losing Sight?

I dive into themes of holiness and pursuits beyond earthly treasures, influenced by the Book of Wisdom. Reflecting on my journey as a Catholic communicator, I challenge the Catholic faithful to embrace genuine wisdom above all. Are practicing Catholics still pursuing the essence of their faith? Have we been fooled into missing the whole point? I discuss this vital question along with personal stories and observations. Stay tuned till the end for an announcement about my podcasting journey. Subscribe, enjoy, and let this episode connect us deeper with our faith.

00:00 Welcome to the Catholic Experience
00:29 Introduction to the Special Episode
00:48 Catholic Conundrums: Wisdom and Holiness
03:37 Mass Reading: The Book of Wisdom
04:56 Personal Reflections on Wisdom
06:49 Challenges in Modern Catholicism
09:38 A Journey of Faith and Evangelism
19:41 The Path to Holiness
27:03 The Value of Wisdom
28:07 Pride in the Church
30:00 Faith and ...

Wisdom and Foolishness - Ep 39
A Return to Paganism

The world, and in some ways the church are returning to paganism. Drawing inspiration from an article on the Catholic News Agency about Nigerian youth reverting to the religions of their ancestors, I discuss this concerning trend and its implications for the church at large. We explore what drives these youth back to traditional pagan practices and how this phenomenon mirrors broader global shifts away from Christianity and into pagan or paganistic religions and religious ideologies.

A Return to Paganism
Is Anybody Out there?

Hi, Locals members! God bless you, and thank you for joining me here on Locals. I have a favor to ask of you, in the form of a question: Are you guys out there?
I'm trying to understand where my listeners are. I know many of my Locals peeps probably joined just to help me make my goal of 50 members. I'm so grateful for that. But I wonder how many are actually coming back for content.
I'm not asking out of vanity, I'm just trying to understand my audience's behavior, so that I know how to focus my publishing workflow.
So if you are actually visiting my Locals (on the app or over a browser) to checkout the content I place here, please let me know by leaving a comment to this post. Let me know if you drop by rarely, frequently, or somewhere in between.
Thanks everybody.
Oh, by the way I'm going to produce the final episode of Aquinas' Five Ways this week for my paid members. Be on the lookout for that.
God be with you all!
CA

Thank you, subscribers.

I just wanted to say thank you particularly to my paid subscribers. Your membership payments were deposited today and helped to cover some of the bills associated with running my apostolate. I appreciate you very much!
I’m a working hard for you, and for God and the church. God be with you all.

Coming this week

Greetings fans! I have at least two episodes on the launchpad. I may do both this week or I may spread them out.
1. A few thoughts on the book of Revelation and the mark of the beast. This may be a Locals exclusive, maybe just for paid members. Free members will still get an extended clip from a segment of that episode.

2. What does it mean to win or lose the culture? We hear a lot about the culture wars but do we really know what that is? I have a lot to say about it.

Thank you for joining me here on Locals. Remember that I will occasionally use my own website to supplement what I’m doing here on Locals in order to get around the limitations locals places on my community. I just want to put that out there so that it’s not a surprise as I continue to put that strategy in place. But for the most part, your experience here on Locals won’t change very much. If anything, it will just get a little bit richer.

God bless you all!

What is “Faith?” We See it in Perfection in the Blessed Virgin Mary.
An audioblog (audio and text) discussing what faith is, and how it’s demonstrated in this pivotal moment in scripture — the Annunciation

(Audio is below this little write-up)

Faith is more than just belief. We see that demonstrated when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to conceive and bear the son of God. And this son of God would also be the messiah foretold in the Old Testament, which Mary would’ve known very well. 

Imagine a 15-year old girl being being asked to be a mother, and to be mother to the Son of God, and to be mother to the messiah. This effectively is three separate annunciations, one more earthshaking than the other. How does one raise the messiah? How should a human mother raise or care for the Son of God? How will she explain being pregnant to her new husband?

The answer is, I have no idea. And neither did this young Jewish girl from Nazareth. And that is where her solid faith came into play. But what is “Faith” if it’s not merely belief? I explain here in the audio from that segment of the episode. The transcript is below the audio. The segment begins after having pointed out that, after the annunciation, and after Mary’s “Fiat!” (“So be it!”) the angel departs from her.

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Don't drink the 'Coke'! - Pope Francis Warns Against "Coca-Cola Spirituality
Authentic Catholic faith, without fake sweeteners

In a recent address at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Pope Francis cautioned against superficial faith practices, coining the term "Coca-Cola spirituality." Here’s what he meant by that and why it matters to us all.

The Heart of the Matter

  • What is "Coca-Cola Spirituality"?
    Pope Francis used this metaphor to describe a faith that's more about appearance than substance. Just like a fizzy drink that offers quick satisfaction but lacks nutritional value, this type of spirituality might look good on the outside but lacks depth. -
  • Real-World Example
    Before the Pope's speech, the university's rector praised Bishop Rolando Álvarez, a Nicaraguan bishop who faced imprisonment for his faith. His story serves as a stark contrast to the superficiality warned against, showcasing true Christian courage and commitment. -
  • A Call to Authentic Faith
    The Pope encouraged students and faculty to question their motives and destinations in faith. Are we pursuing a faith that's deep, meaningful, and transformative, or are we just going through the motions?

Pope's Key Messages

1. Stay Grounded: Faith should not become a bureaucratic or overly intellectual exercise devoid of passion and love.

2. Be Heartfelt: Education without heart leads to "arid intellectualism or perverse narcissism." Faith needs to be lived with compassion and warmth.

3. Engage with the World: The Pope emphasized the importance of being missionaries out of love, not obligation, urging everyone to interact with diverse cultures and the cries of the suffering.

" life, like faith, should be about depth, not just display"

Closing Thoughts

Pope Francis's visit wasn’t just about warnings; it was a call to action for all of us. Whether you're 'really religious' or not, the message resonates: life, like faith, should be about depth, not just display. It's about touching lives, getting involved, and making a real difference.

Personal Reflection

This speech makes me think about how often we settle for quick fixes or surface-level interactions in our daily lives, and in our faith lives. For example, one prayer prayed well is better than 100 prayers absently recited from memory. Bringing good intentions to the mass is more important than what the music selections at mass will be.

How about you? Are you living out your Catholic values deeply, or are you caught in the trap of "Coca-Cola spirituality"?

Stay on the Truth-train by signing up for my newsletter and/or LIVE Alerts. I will not flood your inbox or send you marketing emails. Your info is never sold/traded/shared.

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Become a paid supporter on Locals. It's just $5/month, at minimum.

 

 

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All About Conscience
Addressing the Many Dangerous Misconceptions About Conscience, Authority of Conscience and Whether Conscience Trumps Church Teaching

Paid Members article, with a preview for free members. Thanks for joining me here on Locals!

People have a lot of wrong ideas about conscience. Many are convinced that conscience is merely how we feel about the moral quality of an act or that conscience is a little angel on one shoulder, countering the voice of a little devil on the other. Our heads (minds) are caught in the middle, exercising free will to choose between those two opposing voices.

 “Is it a sin to fornicate? I don’t feel it is. Therefore I’m free to do it.” “It’s a mortal sin to miss mass. But I feel God understands, so it’s not a sin for me.”

Wrong, wrong, all wrong.

There is also a misunderstanding of the authority that one’s conscience has. Some hear “authority of conscience” and believe it permits and validates moral relativism. “I believe abortion is wrong, but if someone else, by authority of their conscience, feels it isn’t wrong, they have a right to do what they feel is right.” Still, others see conscience as something that binds reality to its authority. “I feel this isn’t wrong, therefor society should allow it. After all, we have free will and must obey our conscience. The Church even says so!”

Wrong.

On the other hand, there are orthodox Catholics and conservatives who believe conscience can be imposed upon; that people should be forced to do what is objectively right and Good. “There ought to be a law!” echoes this attitude. But that position is not Truth either.

 

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