Courage to Be Catholic

Streams of Mercy ^ | May 2007 | Heidi Hess Saxton

[NYer]

Several years and another lifetime ago (when I was single), I used to attend CBA (Christian Booksellers Association Convention) each summer, to meet with authors. At the first convention I attended, shortly after I joined Servant, I was particularly nervous about one meeting -- breakfast with Elisabeth Elliot and her husband Lars. Elisabeth is a veteran missionary and evangelical radio personality, a revered spiritual icon in evangelical circles (My mother nearly fainted when she found out I had met Elisabeth. "Oh, dear ... you didn't tell her where you go to church now, did you Heidi?")

In point of fact, I had mentioned it -- but only after Elisabeth peppered me with questions until I couldn't evade them any longer. I wasn't ashamed of being Catholic, but I was a bit nervous about the possibility that Elisabeth might lecture me (like so many others had) about turning my back on the "faith of my fathers." In the eyes of this great faith warrior, I did not want to look like a slacker. And so, I decided not to bring up the subject. Anyway, I told myself, it's not like someone as famous as Elisabeth Elliot would care two bits about my little story.

I was wrong. We had just settled down over our pancakes when Elisabeth opened the conversation with, "So ... you haven't always been Catholic, have you dear?"

That mouthful of pancake was thoroughly masticated before I responded, cautiously. "Why do you ask?"

"You mentioned that you used to work for Bethany House, and they are certainly not a Catholic publisher."

Still I hesitated... A little impatient, she continued. "Do you know my brother, Thomas Howard? He entered the Catholic Church some years ago. I only wish I had his courage."

I nearly choked. This comment from a woman who had courage enough to set up housekeeping for herself and her daughter among Aucas of Ecuador, the very Indian tribe who had martyred her husband and their associates in cold blood. Not only was this august personage not going to scold me, she admired the decision I had made to enter the Church, as her dear brother had! After she had sung the praises of the Catholic Church for several minutes, I worked up the nerve to ask Elisabeth why she did not follow in her brother's footsteps.

"Cowardice, I suppose. My listeners and readers simply would not understand."

That, I understood. I understand it even better now, in light of the recent hubbub surrounding the reversion of Dr. Francis Beckwith, former president of the Evangelical Theological Society. Despite the fact that it meant losing the respect and fellowship of his colleagues, not to mention his livelihood, Dr. Beckwith's courageous position was unequivocal: unless there is a serious theological reason not to, the default position of every believer must be to belong to the historical Church founded by Christ.

Why? In his book The Night is Far Spent, a collection of essays by Thomas Howard newly published by Ignatius Press, Dr. Howard offers five reasons for this "fallback position," which he outlines as the five "marks" of the church: her antiquity, authority, unity, liturgy, and sacraments. He writes:

What is at stake here is the rock-bottom question as to what worship is, and how you do it.... [W]orship is the thing we were created for -- to know God, and knowing him, to bless him and adore him forever....

To worship God is to ascribe worth to him. It is an activity distinct from teaching, and from fellowship, and from witnessing, and from sharing. It is an act, not an experience. ... Our task in worship is to offer the oblation of ourselves and our adoration at the Sapphire Throne.

Obviously this is a daunting and an august task. Fortunately we are not left to our own resources, nor to the whim of the moment, nor even to our own experience. The faithful have been worshipping God since the beginning, and there is help for us. All of us, even those of us who come from the so-called free churches ... are accustomed to borrowing secondhand, canned words to assist in worship. I am speaking of hymns. When we sing "Amazing Grace" or "O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing," we are borrowing John Newton's or Charles Wesley's words. And we discover that, far from cramping or restricting our worship, these secondhand words bring us up to a level quite unattainable by our own spontaneous efforts. They take us away from ourselves. (p.254-255).

These reflections on worship contrast strangely with the protestations of many of those who leave the Church for what they perceive to be greener (certainly noisier) pastures. "I feel closer to God there ...," they say, or "the people are so much friendlier, and they have more to offer in the way of children's programs." Thinking they can choose a church the same way we can choose a new school or a new home, they rely on subjective factors of preference and comfort, rather than the single most important consideration of all: Which is the most authentic expression of the Body of Christ as He originally envisioned it? Not, "which is more entertaining?" but "Which leads me with surest steps along the pathway to holiness?" Not, "Which makes me feel good?" but "Which is most effective in treating my spiritual ills?" Not "which has the best music," but "which draws me closest to the sacramental presence of the Living Christ?"

Can you enter heaven without professing membership in the Catholic Church? Yes, the Church has always taught that there is hope for those outside her "visible boundaries" -- a hope that is based on the treasury of truth and faith that has been preserved by the Church for two thousand years. In the same way, a group of tourists who fall off a cruise ship hope that the lifeboat that has been tossed down will save them. The lifeboat (part of the equipment of the larger ship) may indeed save them; but how much better if they had never fallen overboard!

Holy Spirit, pour out your restorative presence among your people.
Unite us once more, we humbly pray,
with all our brothers and sisters in the faith,
for the glory of God and the benefit of all.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world!

[sitetest]

Dear samiam1972,

If you're serious, ask around at your parish if they have a parish-based Council, or what Council serves your parish. Councils are the basic unit of membership, and every Knight belongs to a local Council. The pastor should know your Council. Also, you can find out somewhere on the Knights’ website: www.kofc.org.

If you're serious and run into any difficulty finding the appropriate Council, let me know, I'll ask you to e-mail me some info, and I'll hunt it down.

Vivat Jesus!

sitetest

[big'ol_freeper]

I will pray for you that your eyes may be fully opened then. You obviously have a desire to be in full communion with your Savior.

[Tax-chick]

I had no idea Thomas Howard was Elisabeth Elliot’s brother! Fascinating. Such outstanding people must have had a remarkable education and upbringing, and saintly parents.

[Tax-chick]

Knights of Columbus life insurance policies are comparable in price and quality with the major highly-graded insurers. And they come right to your house when you’ve had a baby :-). Which reminds me that we may have forgotten to insure Vlad! (A Whole Life policy is actually cheaper once the child’s reached 2 or 3 :-).

[Boagenes]

How about a litany of those reasons?

Okay.

Prayers to Mary.

Prayers to Saints.

Confession to a Priest instead of directly to God.

The Immaculate Conception.

The Assumption of Mary.

The "Hail, Mary" recited as a prayer or mantra.

The Marian doctrines - specifically all of the "cooperation" or "Co-Redemptrix" stuff.

Purgatory.

Justification (though I think the Lutherans and Catholics are coming together on this one).

[Pyro7480]

The Marian doctrines - specifically all of the "cooperation" or "Co-Redemptrix" stuff.

I'll let others answer the others, but the second part of the above is not dogma. But it is through Mary's "Ave" that the life of Jesus Our Saviour began on Earth. The unique character of that is undeniable.

[Boagenes]

I don’t think anything I said denies that.

[notaliberal]

I am truly impressed... a Grand Knight! My Father was a member of the Knights and always did a lot for our church and the school. As a matter of fact, he was given a certificate of recognition from John Paul II for his tireless work in the Church! (and he was a convert!) It’s hanging on the wall in my bedroom. My Father has since passed.

[Pyro7480]

Oops, not “Ave,” (which is “Hail”), but “fiat” (”be it done”).

[notaliberal]

Have you ever listened to Father Corapi’s Lectures?

[xone]

A good list.

[AnAmericanMother]

OK, I'll take on the Confession issue, since I used to be a protestant!

1. You are confessing to God, not to the priest. He is simply God's authorized representative.

2. God in the person of Jesus Christ directly authorized his apostles to hear confession: "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." John 20:23. The apostles could not decide which sins to remit and which to retain, without hearing them.

3. Apostolic succession transmits that authorization to the successors of the apostles.

I will add, fwiw, that my former denomination had "General Confession", in which the congregation as a whole recites a confession and receives absolution. There is no comparison with the act of making an auricular confession -- in preparation for Confession and contemplating your sins in kind and in number, you become acutely aware of them in a way that you cannot with just a general confession. I find it a tremendous help in trying to "walk the walk".

[AnAmericanMother]

Had an interesting experience today.

I was way, way, way out in the country, at a small Georgia county's brand new Community Center, helping set up a banquet hall for the Hunting Retriever Club Grand Hunt, which our club is sponsoring this year. After helping set up tables and stuff giveaway bags for the handlers, I was wandering around the empty entrance hall, which had a high dome overhead and amazing acoustics. So amazing that I was moved to sing the "Regina Coeli" chant. It did sound fabulous, almost as good as singing in the shower.

About ten minutes later the janitor came through pushing a broom, and I told him what a lovely building they had. He asked, "Were you the one singing out here?" and I admitted I was. Turned out he loved music too, and we talked about sacred music for awhile. He was a deacon at the local Apostolic Holiness church, and I did hesitate for just a minute about admitting that I was a Catholic, but I did, and we talked a little bit about ministries and what our churches did. I did say that, "I know some folks think Catholics don't know Scripture, but we have Bible Study 3 times a week - " and we quoted each other a few verses of a general kind about going out into the world and preaching, and decided it was right for churches to wear their hearts on their sleeves, and that Christians should stick together!

We worked hard from 10 AM until we finished cleaning up around 9 PM, and every time we met as we passed, we smiled at each other.

I think I made a friend!

[fkabuckeyesrule]

****Elizabeth E is a precious saint by any measure....Have had the honor of meeting her and asking her as many questions as I could think of at the time.****

I saw her speak at the Campus Crusade for Christ Christmas Conferences (Chicago-1982 & KC83). I have one of her books (The Mark Of A Man) somewhere in my closet. I always liked her.

[Quix]

She’s as absolutely authentic and candid . . . wise and truly spiritual

as they come.

Very Christ-like, imho.

[oldvike]

Thank you for those links.

[thefrankbaum]

I guess I'll take the "Prayers to Mary/Saints" issue, since you've already got some good answers on some of the other ones.

First, do you believe we, as Christians, should pray for each other? If yes, do you believe Christians who leave this realm are truly dead or do they continue to live in Christ? Do you believe that those in Heaven, such as the Angels the Psalmist commands to praise God, can hear us? Do you believe the prayers of Holy people are especially powerful?

I'm assuming you agree to all the above. All prayers to Saints and Mary are simply requests that they ask God to help us. Like the Scripture says, the prayers of Holy people are especially powerful, and we believe those who have gone to Heaven before us are such Holy people - especially Mary, who was blessed with carrying God. Such an honor which has not been provided to anyone else.

Prayers to those who have gone before us do not seek the assistance of power of the Saints. They are merely asking those close to Him to bring our requests to Jesus.

[lastchance]

I will pray for her and I agree 100% that she is a saint by any measure.

[lastchance]

Thanks for expressing your reasons with such civility. I pray you will continue to serve God with all your being.
Christ keep you.

[Quix]

Much appreciate the prayers.

If any mortal in our era has earned them in service to Our Lord and His Kingdom, I believe she has . . . though she’d consider it all as filthy rags, likely.