Thanks for the reply. A doctorate from Marquette in Theology ... excellent and I am a bit envious. (in a good way) I took some undergrad courses in theology (required) for my B.A. in English literature many years ago and loved studying theology. This was at St. Bonaventure. I always wanted to pursue a post graduate degree in theology, however marriage and raising daughters intervened. All four daughters (3 20 somethings and one rising senior) have retained their faith which is not that easy to do, so I must have been able to impart some level of Truth to them so that is more important (in God’s will for me).
Our youngest daughter, a rising senior in high school, visited Fordham and absolutely loved it. We became family friends with a Jesuit who was serving for a while at the Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville; he lives now at Fordham for retirement.
My daughter will also be visiting Loyola (Baltimore) and St. Joe’s Philadelphia.
This is the key (as you state); we can really get along (Catholics and non) when it can be seen that the Nicene Creed is our friend and unifier and we are not the evil whore of Babylon. This does not mean that non catholics would have to believe every line of it either - it just means that we do have a common starting point and we should not be in scriptural wars. (this not directed at you personally, of course - general) This would not preclude a friendly, lively and civil discourse at times on the finer points of doctrine which can be very worthwhile, even heated.
The country IS heading toward paganism (indeed we are already there) and we in the Christian remnant are going to have to be a witness of love and charity together to face the onslaught of hate and persecutions that are inevitable.
P.S. I have great respect for the authentic Jesuit charism before the dissidents took the order into such a liberal morass; The Spiritual Exercises are fabulous and one does not need to be exclusively Catholic to benefit from them. (I am sure you know this.) Also St. Bellarmine is a favorite of mine who wrote before (some of) the Jesuits began going off the rails.
On topic: I will pray for Pope Francis that he sticks to doctrine and stays away from liberal causes and stays the course on the true Catholic doctrines on marriage for the upcoming syniod. Catholics have stayed strong on marriage when some protestants caved (Henry VIII, divorce, birth control). Let us hope we can hold the line again. Most important I am praying that the synod leaders don’t come out with watered down, ambiguous sounding documents.
Sorry this is long.
syniod = synod