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Catholic Bucket List #5: Retreat!

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The last Bucket List item was to go on pilgrimage. Today’s Bucket List item is related to the previous one:

Catholic Bucket List #5: Go on a retreat

In modern society we are surrounded by noise and we fill our days with business and it’s extremely easy for God to be squeezed out of our day. This is one of the reasons why retreats are so needed. Setting aside a day, a weekend or week to reconnect with God and spend some time with him in prayer can be so good for reestablishing a healthy life balance.

No two retreats are ever the same and there are many different kinds of retreat which one may attend. I would suggest that everyone should go on a silent retreat at least once. I know that if you have never gone on one before, the thought of spending long periods in silence is a terrifying prospect, but believe me, by the end you’ll love it!

A couple of years ago I was actively discerning the priesthood and, as part of my discernment I went on a silent Ignatian Spiritual Exercises retreat given by the Miles Christi priests:

Finding time to get away on retreat can sometimes be difficult, especially if one has children. If so, you might like to take a 3 Minute Retreat!

Faith alone?

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Martin LutherOne essential difference which divides Catholics and many Protestants is the question of faith and works in salvation. The disagreement began at the Reformation. In fact, the “material principle” of the Reformation was that we are saved “Sola Fide”, by “Faith Alone” and that works have no place in our justification whatsoever.

This subject often comes up when speaking with Protestants. I think most Catholics have had the experience at one point or another of being told by a Protestant that Catholicism doesn’t preach the Gospel, teaching instead that we have to earn our salvation. St. Paul’s epistles to the Romans and Galatians are often cited during such an exchange.

When this has happened to me in the past, I tend not to dwell too long upon the person’s interpretation of Paul’s epistles. I usually simply point out that in those letters St. Paul is contrasting faith in Christ with the works of the Mosaic Law. I turn then to the Epistle of James, since it presents a bit of a problem if someone wishes to say we’re saved by faith alone…

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Lending Books

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During the Middle Ages, books were so precious that books started to be inscribed with excommunications, much like those of the Ecumenical Councils, against those who either stole or failed to return to their owner. Here’s an example I recently found:

This book belongs to St. Mary of Robert’s Bridge; whosoever shall steal it or sell it, or alienate it from this house, or mutilate it, let him be anathema maranatha, Amen.

I should definitely start doing this when I lend out books…

Sola Scriptura Syllogism

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I was clearing out some old files on my harddrive today and came across I snippet I copied from somewhere on the Internet:

1. Sola Scriptura [implicitly] says everything we need to know that is necessary for our salvation comes from the Bible alone.

2. Knowing what Scriptures are inspired and what Scriptures are not inspired is necessary for our salvation.

3. Knowing what Scriptures are inspired and what Scriptures are not inspired cannot be known from the Bible.

4. Therefore, Sola Scriptura cannot be true.

I’m not sure, but this seems like something Patrick Vanderpool would write…

TOT: How to read the Bible for all its worth….

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It has taken me a while, but I finally got around to editing the audio from my recent Theology On Tap session entitled “Reading the Bible for all its worth”. The audio quality wasn’t great, but I’ve cleaned it up the best I can. For the benefit of those who couldn’t attend my talk, I have created a YouTube video which plays the audio synchronized with my slides:

Extra Files

The video doesn’t contain the Q&A after the talk or the “Mega Bible Study” discussion which took place afterwards. The audio for these sections is available below:

Main Talk (Download)

Q&A (Download)

Mega Bible Study (Download)

pdf

Handout (Download)

Win fabulous prizes!

In my talk I recommend looking for one thing at each Sunday Mass to take away for your spiritual nourishment during the rest of the week and I suggest writing this down in a Mass Journal. I have six Mass journals to give away!

Simply leave a comment below describing an insight from a recent talk, sermon or Bible study which touched you. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering, just something which you might record in your new Mass Journal! The first six comments will win.

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Catholic Bucket List #4: Go on pilgrimage

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The previous bucket list task of lighting a votive candle was rather simple. This next bucket list item is a little more involved…

Bucket List Item #4: Go on pilgrimage

The Catholic Church has an extremely rich history of pilgrimage. From the earliest times Christians have travelled to places of significance for the Christian faith. The hope in visiting such places is that the pilgrim’s faith will grow and that he would be enriched by process of the journey. The journey is itself an allegory for the Christian journey through life, a pilgrimage towards Heaven.

JP2 in Jerusalem

Pope John Paul II in Jerusalem

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