Absolutely true. We are evangelical Protestants who send our children to a conservative Catholic school. As we tell our children, we are all Christians with one Lord! The threat is from the leftist woke secularists, not from eachother. Lord Jesus unite us!
This is amazing! My sister and I were just talking about this problem earlier today. I’m an Anglican, married to a lifelong Catholic, and she’s a Catholic who converted from Protestantism. Occasionally people I know talk in negative ways about the Catholic Church, and I present a different perspective, one much like yours in its essence but not so well thought out. One very helpful word is adiophora (sp?), which many people have never heard. And I love Francis Schaeffer’s analogy of the table, with the various denominations located in different places, but all on the table as long as they believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As C. S. Lewis said, the divisions among Christians are a scandal and a hissing. All true followers of Jesus Christ should be joining together to stand arm in arm against the evil overwhelming the world.
That was a beautiful piece, Father Calvin. Thank you for that. Your words should be so obvious. I always joke that you never see anything other than us Catholics in Hammer horror films because we make it look good! I'm happy about my Catholic heritage but we don't have the soul rights on Jesus. On the contrary, what a dreadful thought. "Coming home," is coming to Jesus. And if you choose to do that in a Methodist church, Anglican, Catholic or on your knees in your front room, Jesus is where you want to be. Love to all my fellow Christians out there. And love for all who aren't.
I hope you're having a good day. Obviously I can only speak from my point of view but we have our Father in heaven. I also had a father here on Earth (God rest his soul.) We refer to our priests as 'Father' as a mark of respect and indeed, Father Calvin addressed himself in this manner, and as a man I have tremendous respect for, I will address him as such.
I think the point of all this is that all of us, have very different ways of showing love for Our Lord and none of us are right or wrong. Jesus knows what's in our heart. If for me, the bread and wine LITERALLY become his body and blood and if I'm completely wrong, he knows the love I have for him and the Jesus I know and love will smile at me, pat me on the back and say, "Let me show you how it really is."
As a young man I was so set in my ways and I KNEW how the world was and should be. As a chap coming into old age, I've the tremendous luxury of having realised I knew next to nothing! I'm so willing to become a child again and learn.
God bless, Donato. I truly wish you all the love, happiness and contentment you deserve.
St Paul: "I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me."
Thank you from Canada and stand firm, Dcn. Calvin. I have been and will continue to pray for you that any spiritual attack against you, which I think is safe to assume comes as a consequence of your bold preaching of Christian truth, will be dispelled by the whole armour of God and protection of all the holy angels.
My dear brother: I come from the original side of the Reformation, having grown up Roman Catholic, pre-Vatican 2, through the changes of that Council, but for all of the wrong reasons (a woman who left the Church and left me) I became a Lutheran. It was a rough beginning, but I have settled in and have been a Pastor for the past 35 years. Like you I love the beauty of the Liturgy, which I am honored to preside at the Eucharist twice each Sunday. The parish I serve in retirement also embraces the “contemporary” worship style. In fact a whole new building was constructed just for that format. Delightfully, I have a beautiful traditional sanctuary in which to offer the traditional liturgy with excellent organist. That said, my liturgy is closer to a Vatican II mass than an Anglo-Catholic liturgy here in the States. I have seen you on Fox News and was delighted to find you here. I too have a blog here and i invite you to subscribe as well.
I firmly believe that most "small-o-orthodox" Christians are now heeding the message contained within the concluding paragraph of this post. What used to be bitter arguments regarding certain theological points have now been relegated to good-natured ribbing between friends, as we recognise that we are all one in Christ, and that we must put differences aside to co-operate against the latest heresy. Dark times, but there is reason to be optimistic.
In the words of one (fictional) Catholic priest: "That would be an ecumenical matter"
Amen. Grateful for these helpful thoughts. There are vastly more important issues for Christ followers to focus on in contemporary society rather than becoming a circular firing squad. May God bless you and expand your audience.
Wonderful article Father. As my pastor says, "God does not ask us if we are Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist or Pentecostal. He only asks us to have a relationship with Him.
Absolutely true. We are evangelical Protestants who send our children to a conservative Catholic school. As we tell our children, we are all Christians with one Lord! The threat is from the leftist woke secularists, not from eachother. Lord Jesus unite us!
🙌
This is amazing! My sister and I were just talking about this problem earlier today. I’m an Anglican, married to a lifelong Catholic, and she’s a Catholic who converted from Protestantism. Occasionally people I know talk in negative ways about the Catholic Church, and I present a different perspective, one much like yours in its essence but not so well thought out. One very helpful word is adiophora (sp?), which many people have never heard. And I love Francis Schaeffer’s analogy of the table, with the various denominations located in different places, but all on the table as long as they believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As C. S. Lewis said, the divisions among Christians are a scandal and a hissing. All true followers of Jesus Christ should be joining together to stand arm in arm against the evil overwhelming the world.
C. S. Lewis had it right with Mere Christianity.
That was a beautiful piece, Father Calvin. Thank you for that. Your words should be so obvious. I always joke that you never see anything other than us Catholics in Hammer horror films because we make it look good! I'm happy about my Catholic heritage but we don't have the soul rights on Jesus. On the contrary, what a dreadful thought. "Coming home," is coming to Jesus. And if you choose to do that in a Methodist church, Anglican, Catholic or on your knees in your front room, Jesus is where you want to be. Love to all my fellow Christians out there. And love for all who aren't.
I thought we have to call only one our Father
Good morning, Donato,
I hope you're having a good day. Obviously I can only speak from my point of view but we have our Father in heaven. I also had a father here on Earth (God rest his soul.) We refer to our priests as 'Father' as a mark of respect and indeed, Father Calvin addressed himself in this manner, and as a man I have tremendous respect for, I will address him as such.
I think the point of all this is that all of us, have very different ways of showing love for Our Lord and none of us are right or wrong. Jesus knows what's in our heart. If for me, the bread and wine LITERALLY become his body and blood and if I'm completely wrong, he knows the love I have for him and the Jesus I know and love will smile at me, pat me on the back and say, "Let me show you how it really is."
As a young man I was so set in my ways and I KNEW how the world was and should be. As a chap coming into old age, I've the tremendous luxury of having realised I knew next to nothing! I'm so willing to become a child again and learn.
God bless, Donato. I truly wish you all the love, happiness and contentment you deserve.
St Paul: "I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me."
— 1 Corinthians 4:14-16
Thank you for writing this.
Thank you from Canada and stand firm, Dcn. Calvin. I have been and will continue to pray for you that any spiritual attack against you, which I think is safe to assume comes as a consequence of your bold preaching of Christian truth, will be dispelled by the whole armour of God and protection of all the holy angels.
Thank you. I appreciate that. I need all the prayers I can get. We all do. 🙏
Fellow Canadian here. ...I agree with J.H. Reinhardt that you are being attacked. Evil/the devil knows when it's being challenged.
Thank you a million times, Father Calvin. This is such a perfectly beautiful and needed article! God bless you!
God bless you, Father Calvin!
Fr. Robinson, thank you for what you wrote. I'm a Roman Catholic Benedictine cloistered nun, and agree with you 100%! May our Lord heartily bless you!
God bless you, sister. Please pray for me.
This was edifying and a much needed call to contend for Christ and not with each other. Grace and peace be with you brother.
My dear brother: I come from the original side of the Reformation, having grown up Roman Catholic, pre-Vatican 2, through the changes of that Council, but for all of the wrong reasons (a woman who left the Church and left me) I became a Lutheran. It was a rough beginning, but I have settled in and have been a Pastor for the past 35 years. Like you I love the beauty of the Liturgy, which I am honored to preside at the Eucharist twice each Sunday. The parish I serve in retirement also embraces the “contemporary” worship style. In fact a whole new building was constructed just for that format. Delightfully, I have a beautiful traditional sanctuary in which to offer the traditional liturgy with excellent organist. That said, my liturgy is closer to a Vatican II mass than an Anglo-Catholic liturgy here in the States. I have seen you on Fox News and was delighted to find you here. I too have a blog here and i invite you to subscribe as well.
I firmly believe that most "small-o-orthodox" Christians are now heeding the message contained within the concluding paragraph of this post. What used to be bitter arguments regarding certain theological points have now been relegated to good-natured ribbing between friends, as we recognise that we are all one in Christ, and that we must put differences aside to co-operate against the latest heresy. Dark times, but there is reason to be optimistic.
In the words of one (fictional) Catholic priest: "That would be an ecumenical matter"
My online name is 'Father Jack'! I greatly appreciated your comment and the end made me laugh out loud!
God bless, mate! 👍
Good post... but Biden really is #notmypresident. 😉
There’s always one! 😂
Too funny!
Thank you Father Calvin. God raises men like you for such times as these. God bless.
Amen. Grateful for these helpful thoughts. There are vastly more important issues for Christ followers to focus on in contemporary society rather than becoming a circular firing squad. May God bless you and expand your audience.
Thank you, Tim. May God bless you, too. 🙏
Wonderful article Father. As my pastor says, "God does not ask us if we are Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist or Pentecostal. He only asks us to have a relationship with Him.
🙏
Amen brother -- from your protestant brother in KY.