Catholic convert from Oregon coast becomes a priest (former Evangelical)

cna ^ | June 17, 2009

[NYer]

Florence, Oregon, Jun 17, 2009 / 08:17 am (CNA).- He grew up an evangelical Protestant in Oregon, suspicious of Marian theology. Now he’s a Catholic priest and a physicist. Dominican Father Raphael Mary Salzillo was ordained last month in San Francisco and will take up an assignment at the University of Washington Newman Center and Blessed Sacrament Parish in Seattle.

Born Wesley Salzillo in 1976, he grew up in Florence, a small coastal town. The family converted to Catholicism in the early 1990s.

"My family raised me with a strong Christian faith and a very clear sense that Christ should be the most important thing in my life," Father Raphael Mary recalls, explaining that his faith after conversion remained "generic."

"I was not fully open to the truth that the Catholic faith has to offer," he says.

But when he was 16, a spiritual experience at Mass gave him the strong feeling he was being called to priesthood or religious life. He was not open to it at the time, so tried to convince himself it was just his imagination.

A top graduate from Siuslaw High, he went on to Caltech, earning a bachelor’s degree in applied physics. He attended graduate school and there he felt his vocation being clarified. At the same time, this scientist wrestled with turning over his will so completely.

"I wanted to choose my own religion rather than accepting the Catholic one as a coherent whole," he says, aware that many people today pick and choose within a body of faith. "In a way, choice had become a God for me, as it has to so many in our society."

Through study of church history and theology and deepening prayer life, he discerned that his own intellect and judgment alone could not fulfill his deepest yearnings. He decided to trust Jesus and the Church fully.

"It was through submission of my power of choice in matters of faith, that I came to know Jesus Christ in a much deeper way," he says.

The last part of his faith to fall into place was an acceptance of Mary. That spiritual movement allowed him to love Jesus more, he explains.

"It was Mary who brought me to finally accept my vocation, and it has been her who has sustained me in this life," he says.

He chose the Dominicans for their emphasis on doctrinal preaching and study, as well as their strong community life with "a streak of monasticism."

He studied philosophy and theology in Berkeley, Calif. and also served at the University of Arizona Newman Center.

[Dutchboy88]

Okay...you have this coming. Go ahead and give us your “view” of foreknowledge which does not require foreordination. This ought to be good.

[Petronski]

Try to explain logic to them and in response you get the rhetorical equivalent of “them words youz usin’ is bigguns, Cathlik, but I’m wise to yer booklearnin boastin’ . . . Cathlik!”

[Petronski]

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

Do your own homework.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Petr,

“If that keeps you at peace at night, by all means, keep believing it.”

It gives me absolutely no peace at all. Catholicism is being
affected by a large number of factors, including the CINO factor - of “members” who don’t believe what the church teaches on a number of key issues, but continue to belong and do their own thing.

Down South, Catholicism has lost, what, 10 million or more members to Pentecostalism.

Just a simple statement of fact.

ampu

[Mr Rogers]

Part of me DESPERATELY wants to hit reply to some of these posts - but the better part now understands the futility of it.

Where faith is involved, reason MUST take a back seat. And since these issues have been argued for a few thousand years, internet postings will not resolve them.

Still, it IS tempting...I just have to ask, who is DOING the tempting!

[Petronski]

The accuracy of your stats aside, one region does not make a generality at all.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Petr,
“The accuracy of your stats aside, one region does not make a generality at all.

Did you even read my first post you responded to? I said, “The problem for the Roman Church is the vast hemorrhaging
of RCs to Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism worldwide -
especially in the Americas (N&S).”

I know what is happening in South America. I see what is happening in America. I see the CINO attitude in Europe. Africa is in an evangelical explosion. Korea, the same. China, the same.

Specifically in regards to the 10 million number I suggested
in my earlier post...

“Over the past century, Pentecostals and Charismatics grew dramatically from 12.6 million in 1970 to 156.9 million in 2005.”

I suspect those members came from the Catholic congregations. You can read more if you have interest at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061109/pentecostal-impact-growing-in-latin-america/index.html

There are countries that seem to stay solidly Catholic - Poland, for instance. Mexico, certainly.

But I think my statement was simply a statement of fact,
as I’ve read it and without being judgmental about how
or why.

best,
ampu

[T Minus Four]

this is why I am no longer Catholic

[Petronski]

Did you even read my first post you responded to?

Of course I did.

You quoted stats for ONE area.

[T Minus Four]

Relics are creepy. Ascribing holy powers to bits of bone, hair and fingernails! YUCK! Reminds me of voodoo!

Even when I was a Catholic I always knew in the back of my mind that this was NQR. And all that broo-haha about “saints” bodies not decaying. What’s the deal with that? They are SUPPOSED to decay. Don’t you know that our earthly bodies are to perish and God will give us imperishable bodies in heaven?

[Desdemona]

And all that broo-haha about “saints” bodies not decaying. What’s the deal with that? They are SUPPOSED to decay.

Yes, they are, but some don't. Have you ever seen an incorrupt body? I have. Santa Zita in Lucca, Italy. She's beautiful. There was another in Italy the last time I was there and I can't remember who it was. For some reason, these bodies didn't decay. There are several of them, too. St. Bernadette in incorrupt. Ever wonder why?

Someone on this thread said my exact thought on the Blessed Mother earlier - where is her grave? Why is there no 1600-1900 year old church with the name "Mater Dormato" on it. There is for every other significant event. The early Christians saw to it. There are no relics, no grave, no stories of her death - only that she walked the Via Delarosa EVERY time she was in Jerusalem (we now refer to it as the Way of the Cross or the Stations). Why? Well, she was assumed body and soul into Heaven. Remember, with God, all things are possible. (That's part of having faith as if being a child. Jesus told us we need to do that.)

[Salvation]

You don't stop being Catholic. You don't stop being Catholic just because you might be attneding another church right now. We invite you back at all times.

I'm sure you have heard of the incorruptibles.

Being Catholic: Sacred Things, Relics and the Incorruptibles

[T Minus Four]

There are many things that WE ARE NOT TOLD. What happened to Mary is one.

John the apostle was charged to care for her as a son. He lived to be quite old. If anything like assumption had happened, he would have documented it. I believe he protected her from the public eye for her own safety and buried her quietly when the time came. The place of her grave perhaps could have been a target for vandals, considering the increasing political climate in the years following Jesus’ crucifiction.

[T Minus Four]

crucifixion

[Desdemona]

John the apostle was charged to care for her as a son. He lived to be quite old. If anything like assumption had happened, he would have documented it.

Who's to say he didn't somewhere along the way. Not all of his writings made it into the Bible. And those books were fairly narrowly targeted.

The place of her grave perhaps could have been a target for vandals, considering the increasing political climate in the years following Jesus’ crucifiction.

Could have been, like the place where the Holy Innocents were found, and several other instances - BUT, the early Christians still found them all and built lots of churches. Even St. Peters is built over his grave, and yes it was found. There's not one for Mary's resting place. Her childhood home was found, why not her grave - unless there wasn't one. This is one that's conspicuous in its absence - and that there were/are no legends or traditions around it. This lends more credence than not. Sorry.

Time for shut-eye. Night,night.

[bdeaner]

THE EARLY CHRISTIANS BELIEVED IN THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST

[bdeaner]

They are SUPPOSED to decay. Don’t you know that our earthly bodies are to perish and God will give us imperishable bodies in heaven?

Ok, smart guy. If bodily decay is such a wonderful thing, why didn't Jesus Christ die and rot in the ground rather than ascend into Heaven after the Resurrection? I guess He missed out, huh?

[Cronos]

The God of Israel is building His Church with the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus. Rome, as it reveres its own significance, is outside wailing and gnashing, strutting and pounding chests. The believers in Christ shun such Pharisaism.

The BElieers in Christ are within The Church -- and that is the Apostolic Church remember, not just the Latin or the Syriac or Syro-Malankara Church. Outside the Church, you may have group that think they are Christian, but many, like the Jehovah's witnesses or Mormons or others are just NOT.

[SuziQ]

If you were baptized a Catholic, you're still a Catholic, you just don't accept the teachings of the Faith anymore, so don't practice it.

I hope you're happy wherever you are now, and find God's Peace in that place.

[bdeaner]

Relics are creepy. Ascribing holy powers to bits of bone, hair and fingernails! YUCK! Reminds me of voodoo!

Relics are completely consistent with both Scripture and Church tradition -- both of which never conflict with one another.

But, first, let's be clear. Catholics do not worship relics in the way we worship God, through adoration. Relics are not worshipped, but rather honored or venerated. Big difference. It's okay to honor or venerate a person other than God. Remember the 4th commandment? Honor your mother and father. You can do that, and God wants you to do it. We are to honor or venerate everything about them, both their bodies and their souls -- everything associated with them, including their bodily remains after their death. That's our duty; it's the Law. If you buried your father in a cheap, burlap sack and dumped Him in the river with a send off with your middle finger, it's time for confession. That's a big sin.

So, there is nothing wrong with honoring or venerating a person. We are required to honor or venerate our parents, and we are allowed to honor or venerate whomever we feel is deemed worthy of that esteem. In fact, we are encouraged to do that, because people who are holy can serve as good role models -- we should follow their example. That's the primary function of the Saints and their veneration: they serve as role models for us. We want to get to Heaven; they already got there. We can look to them to help lead the way Home.

Just like we honor the remains of our parents when we bury them and hold a funeral in their honor--and just as we all keep relics of our deceased loved ones (pictures, a lock of hair, a cherished books with notes in the margins, a painting, clothing, heirlooms, etc.), we can keep and honor relics of the Saints. We certainly don't want to desecrate them! Nor do we want to be lukewarm and indifferent to them. And we can't worship and adore them, as we would God. So what is left? Honor and veneration. No other reasonable option left, is there?

Honoring and venaration of relics is a good thing! In A.D. 787, the 7th Ecumenical Council condemned "those who dare to reject any one of the things which are entrusted to the Church, the Gospel, or the sign of the cross, or any pictorial representation, or the holy relics of a martyr." A martyr is one kind of Saint. So, that's a pretty big endorsement for relics. Don't ya think?

As a Protestant, I bet you're not a big fan of the Council of Trent, but nevertheless, that Council told bishops and pastors to communicate to their diocese and parishes that "the holy bodies of saintly martyrs and others now living with Christ - which bodies were the living members of Christ and the temple of the Holy Ghost and which are by Him to be raised unto eternal life and glorified - are to be venerated by the faithful, for through these (bodies) many benefits are bestowed by God on men; so that they who affirmed that veneration and honor are not due to the relics of Saints, or that these and other sacred monuments are uselessly honored by the faithful, . . . are wholly to be condemned, as the Church has already long since condemned and now also condemns them".

For those Sola Scriptura folks, yes, it's all in Scipture.

Exodus 13:19
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you."

I guess you think Moses is creepy, huh?

2 Kings 13:20-21
And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band [of men]; and they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood on his feet.

Creepy Elisha with his healing bones. Those are relics. Yep.

Sirach 49:18
And his bones were visited, and after death they prophesied. They prophesied... That is, by their being carried out of Egypt they verified the prophetic prediction of Joseph. [Genesis 50]

Matt. 9:20
20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

A garment is a relic. Wouldn't you want to touch Christ's cloak if you could?

Acts 15-16
As a result, people[f] kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he went by. 16Even from the towns around Jerusalem crowds continued coming in to bring their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

Shadow = relic.

Acts 19:11
God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul.[d] 12When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them.

Yep, Paul did creepy stuff too. Must be voodoo!

Sure, you talk a good game about Scripture, but when push comes to shove, relics are Scriptural, whereas being creeped out by them...that's your deal.

Not only is veneration of relics Scriptural, the early fathers of the church also venerated relics.

See, for example, the Acts of St. Polycarp (AD 156), where he wrote, "We adore Him (Christ), because He is the Son of God, but the martyrs we love as disciples and imitators of the Lord...Then we buried in a becoming place his (St. Polycarp's) remains, which are more precious to us than the costliest diamongs, and which we esteem more highly than gold."

St. Ambrose told a story about the healing of a blind men as he encountered the bodies of Sts. Gervasius and Protasius. "You know," he said, "nay you have seen with your own eyes, how many were delivered from demons and a great number were cured of diseases when they touched the garments of the saints; how there was a repetition of the miracles of the early days when, in consequence of the advernt of our Lord Jesus Christ, abundament grace was showered down upon the earth."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem says: "This holy wood of the Cross is still to be seen among us; and through the agency of those who piously took home particles thereof, it has filled the whole earth."

St. Chrysostom relayed a story about how people at one time worse articles of the Cross in golden lockets on their necks, and St. Augustine said, "we have not erected an altar to the martyr, Stephen, but with the relics of the martyr Stephen we have erected an altar to God."

But I guess you know better than the church fathers.

You know, if you trusted the wisdom of Church Tradition and its teaching of Scripture, as Christ assured us it could be trusted when he built it upon the rock of St. Peter, you'd find you wouldn't be building your faith on a pile of sand. And it wouldn't be so easy for folks like me to blow over your sand castle like I just did. *POOF*



God bless.