Posted on 06/03/2026 4:05:52 AM PDT by Cronos
By Catholic Stewardship Consultants
www.CatholicSteward.com
Many years ago, through a simple invitation, Trudy and James Rawlins got involved at St. Ann Church in Kaneohe. They both felt unworthy but were assured that no one is truly worthy on their own. Instead, through the grace of God, we are all given the specific gifts we need to be his hands and feet.
“We answered this first call humbly and agreed to serve,” Trudy said.
This led to increasing involvement, and serving has become a big part of Trudy’s life. Her biggest passion is Bible study because Scripture is such an important part of her faith life.
Rawlins returned to the Catholic faith in the 1980s; at the time, she was interested in reading Scripture, Catholic books and anything she could get her hands on. There weren’t any Catholic Bible studies at the time, so she got involved with a nondenominational group that studied the Bible.
After about seven years with that group, Sister Anne Clare De Costa asked Rawlins to lead a Bible study at St. Ann. The group slowly aged out, but Rawlins got another boost when she found Catholic Scripture Studies, which was similar to the nondenominational study that she had been doing. She’s been hosting this gathering since 2007.
“I think it would be safe to say that my involvement in all other ministries has flowed from this first love,” Rawlins said. “St. Jerome, the patron saint of Catholic Scripture Studies, famously declared that ‘Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.’”
After many years of serving on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults team — now called Order of Christian Initiation of Adults — Rawlins accepted the position of coordinator last summer.
“I am motivated by the desire that our candidates receive the message of Jesus’ love for them and the singular importance of our Catholic faith,” she said. “My model is St. Teresa of Calcutta, who declared, ‘We are not called to be successful, but to be faithful.’”
When Rawlins serves through OCIA, she loves the big reward — welcoming those new Catholics into the church at the Easter Vigil.
“And then looking around and seeing all the familiar faces of those who have gone through OCIA and are still present among us,” she says.
Trudy also leads adult faith formation, where the team plans Advent and Lenten retreats, as well as one-off sessions throughout the year. She also helps with baptism preparations.
Another ministry in which Rawlins feels she receives more than she gives is bringing the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass.
“Seeing their desire to receive him strengthens my faith,” she said. “Sharing the Gospels also feeds them.”
Rawlins also helps coordinate prayer services and prayer opportunities. Making these available is important to her because she believes there is no relationship with Jesus without prayer.
Rawlins encourages everyone to reflect on their gifts and look for ways to serve. She suggests paying attention to where others affirm those gifts.
“Be proactive,” Trudy says. “Search out the ministries in the parish and find a good fit — be not afraid. If it is from God, it will prosper.”
Rawlins said she feels blessed to be a member of St. Ann. It’s easy to get tired because she is so involved, but she leans on St. Paul in Galatians 6:9.
“I love the verse, ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up,’” she said.
Above: Trudy Rawlins participates in many ministries at St. Ann Church in Kaneohe, from OCIA to adult faith formation to Scripture studies. (Courtesy Catholic Stewardship Consultants)
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Thanks for posting!
This led to increasing involvement, and serving has become a big part of Trudy’s life. Her biggest passion is Bible study because Scripture is such an important part of her faith life.
It is God’s Word that reveals hearts and changes people.
Don’t ever let some one else tell you what it says. Go to the original source.
Doctrine and tradition MAY contain God’s word but they are NOT God’s word. Test them with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.
IF she was REALLY into Bible Study, she would already know that a lot of what Catholics teach is NOT Biblical.
https://thesetapartwalk.com/catholicism-is-not-biblical-christianity/
God’s Word is Jesus Christ.
The early Church lived, preached, and passed down the faith through Tradition for decades before the New Testament was even written or compiled. Historically, it was the authority of the Church that officially recognized which books belonged in the Bible in the first place.
When thousands of individuals interpret the Bible in isolation, they often arrive at completely contradictory conclusions—even while sincerely seeking the Holy Spirit. That is why Christ gave us the Church: not to stand between you and the Bible, but to act as a loving guardrail, ensuring we stay true to what the Apostles originally taught. We don’t rely on Tradition instead of God’s Word; we rely on Tradition to protect it.
1 Timorhy 3:14
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul explicitly calls the Church 'the pillar and foundation of the truth.'
When Paul wrote those words, the New Testament didn’t even exist yet. The 'original source' the first Christians went to was the living, teaching Church that Christ established. The Bible is a beautiful, inspired fruit of that Church. So when we look to Church doctrine and tradition, we aren't moving away from the original source—we are standing right squarely upon the very pillar Paul told us to look to
Anti-Catholics say Catholics don't read the Bible. So when they run across a story about Catholics loving, reading, and teaching the Bible, they criticize that.
Don’t ever let some one else tell you what it says. Go to the original source. Doctrine and tradition MAY contain God’s word but they are NOT God’s word. Test them with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.
And if that conflicts with what your church is teaching, then you run off and join another church that agrees with you, or you go start your own which is what has led to tens of thousands of Protestant denominations and a plethora of quasi-Christian sects.
Doctrine and tradition MAY contain God’s word but they are NOT God’s word.
Where in the Bible does it say that God's word is restricted to the Bible?:
--------------------------
What Does “Word of God” Mean in the Bible?
Some Christians—especially Evangelicals and Fundamentalists—think the phrase “word of God” in Scripture always refers to the Bible. Often it does, but often it doesn’t. In many places it refers to Jesus, to oral prophecy, or to the oral preaching of the gospel. Here are a few representative examples.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Is. 55:10-11).
“[T]he word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness; and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:2-3).
“[Jesus] was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret” (Luke 4:44; 5:1).
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; . . . the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:11-15).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).
“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). “[W]hen you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13). “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:11-13). “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen. For by it the men of old received divine approval. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear” (Heb. 11:3).
Doctrine changes. THE WORD OF GOD DOES NOT
You have an erroneous concept of doctrine. Authentic and established doctrine, derived from the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit Christ gave to the Church he founded (not to individual believers who are subject to error) never changes. Otherwise we would see critical doctrines (that only became clear over a period of centuries and that all orthodox Christians have accepted since they were established by the Church) be subject to change. Some obvious examples (numerous more could be named) are the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the canon of Scripture.
You are exactly right: the Word of God never changes. But as John 1 tells us, the Word of God is a Person—Jesus Christ—not a book.
Jesus didn’t leave us a written text; He left us a living Church.
While human understandings of doctrine can deepen over time, the Catholic Church’s core teachings don’t change precisely because they protect the unchanging truth of who Jesus is. Scripture and Church tradition are simply the two ways that one, unalterable Word is preserved for us.
GOD never contradicts his word.
That must be the current talking point for roman catholics.
Yet it remains when God wanted people to remember things He gave it to them in writing. The idea of the written word being authoritative goes all the way back to the 10 Commandments being written down.
As some have noted, Rome has greatly distorted, and in many cases abandoned the very word they claim they "gave" everyone.
But Catholic Church teaching changes.The Bible doesn’t.
Amen to that. Though the Roman Catholic won’t admit that.
LOL!!!
I'll give you this cronos....you're consistent in your lack of a sound hermeneutic.
There is a vital difference between a discipline that changes and a dogma that cannot.
the Word of God never changes. But as John 1 tells us, the Word of God is a Person—Jesus Christ—not a book.Jesus didn’t leave us a written text; He left us a living Church.
While human understandings of doctrine can deepen over time, the Catholic Church’s core teachings don’t change precisely because they protect the unchanging truth of who Jesus is. Scripture and Church tradition are simply the two ways that one, unalterable Word is preserved for us.
Precisely—God never contradicts Himself. And because Jesus is the unchanging Word, He would not contradict the promises He made about His Church, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, founded by Him on Pentecost 33 AD.
Jesus promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18) and that the Holy Spirit would guide it into all truth (John 16:13).
If the Church's core doctrines could actually corrupt or contradict the Bible, then Jesus's promises failed but He did NOT fail.
We trust Church tradition not because we trust human beings, but because we trust that God keeps His word to protect His Church from error.
eagleone I will ignore that and go straight to an ad hominem attack
It’s not a talking point; it’s just a historical and scriptural fact.
Yes, God gave the 10 Commandments in writing—but notice that He gave them to a structured, authoritative community (Israel) led by Moses. Writing alone wasn't enough; God established an office to interpret and enforce it. When the fullness of time came, God didn't send a book; He sent His Son. Jesus chose to write nothing down except some dust in the sand. Instead, He built a Church, appointed Apostles, and promised that the Holy Spirit would guard them from error.
We don't trust the Church because the men in it are perfect; we trust the Church because we trust the promise of the God who established it at Pentecost in 33 AD
Typical ealgeone :) --> As you cannot answer the points about history, you revert to pre-school mode!! :)
If the hermeneutic is so unsound, Eagleone, it should be easy to dismantle.
1. Where is the scriptural or historical error?
2. Do you honestly believe that God did NOT give the law to an authoritative community?
Have you not read the scriptures were Jesus established a Church instead of writing a book?
As usual, you will not be able to answer either of these but will resort to whataboutism or ad hominem lame insults - or going by your MO, both
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