Safe Haven

31.  One who bona fide buys indulgence is a rare as a bona fide penitent man, i.e. very rare indeed. My comment: We don't deny doctrines because people misunderstand or misuse them. 32.  All those who believe themselves certain of their own salvation by means of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damned, together with their teachers. My comment: You can't be saved by an indulgence, not then, not now, not ever. I doubt anyone of any importance actually claimed otherwise. Also, pronouncing damnation on people is exactly what Jesus said not to do. You're not the Church; shut your pie-hole. 33.  We should be most carefully on our guard against those who say that the papal indulgences are an inestimable divine gift, and that a man is reconciled to God by them. My comment: Papal indulgences are an amazing gift, and an opportunity to participate in the reconciliation won by Christ, and deepen our love for Him. 34.  For the grace conveyed by these indulgences rel...

I'm just that sort of guy. If my feelings for someone (romantically) are strong, they're really strong. I'm glad it never went anywhere That One Time, because who she really is, and who she might have wanted me to think she was, are different. Which isn't to say she was dishonest. She wasn't. We just see what we want to see. Anyway, I was reading a webpage called, "The Date Report." The first article was great. Let me sum up, dudes: Disappearing is a total tool move. Don't do it. I'm not even good at this, and I know that one. If it's over, you can tell her, pansy. I thought the second one would be funny. What the music you like says about you on a first date. Sidebar: I hate the entire concept of dating. It seems cruel and reckless. Anyway, I found two that are a couple of favorites: John Mayer, and John Legend. "John Mayer: You are a virgin." Yes, in fact, I am. I don't see even a correlation here, but OK. Why is this a ...

Sheesh .

26.  The pope does excellently when he grants remission to the souls in purgatory on account of intercessions made on their behalf, and not by the power of the keys (which he cannot exercise for them). My comment: On the contrary; he can do both. John 20:23. 27.  There is no divine authority for preaching that the soul flies out of the purgatory immediately the money clinks in the bottom of the chest. My comment: Assuming someone actually said this, it's only true to the extent that it reflects the Church's actual teaching; insofar as it doesn't, it doesn't matter, no matter who said it. 28.  It is certainly possible that when the money clinks in the bottom of the chest avarice and greed increase; but when the church offers intercession, all depends in the will of God. My comment: This is certainly true, but I don't get the point. Denying the Church's right to intercede does not end greed or avarice. 29.  Who knows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be...

21.  Hence those who preach indulgences are in error when they say that a man is absolved and saved from every penalty by the pope's indulgences. My comment: An indulgence does not absolve from sin; only Reconciliation can do that. If the Pope grants a plenary indulgence for doing some action, it means that it redounds to God's praise much more, having done it in a state of grace, and for love of God, than the time in Purgatory. 22.  Indeed, he cannot remit to souls in purgatory any penalty which canon law declares should be suffered in the present life. My comment: The meaning is unclear here. But obtaining an indulgence and applying its benefits for the souls in Purgatory is a most noble practice, commended by the Church to this day. And once more, trying to tell the Successor of Peter (who could alter canon law with the stroke of a pen right now) about his jurisdiction is a fruitless waste of time. 23.  If plenary remission could be granted to anyone at all, it wou...

This is the kind of stuff  that makes me sure I could add something to our national conversations, such as they are. I'm sure I'll be destroyed by a media deception, or words taken out of context. But we've got to do better than this. Lurking in this pile of nonsense is the idea that consent between two parties is sufficient to establish moral licitness, and a real connection to the common good. In other words, markets are neither moral, nor amoral. But Catholics--left, right, or center--cannot believe this. The state exists to promote the common good; that is, the sum of all the conditions necessary for every single person to reach the end for which they were made. To believe that a particular intervention by government is imprudent, unwise, or unnecessary is different than believing that government has no licit role   by definition in promoting the common good. For this reason, I believe that this philosophy is ultimately destructive, because it views government as such...

He's at it again . At best, (and that's being generous) it's a coin-flip. Frankly, I don't take a stand if it's 50-50 , and neither should you. That was a particularly nasty realization for me. Because the Reformers promised certainty, a tie goes to the papists.

Tony Gwynn, (Sr.) the 8-time National League batting champion and Hall of Famer for the San Diego Padres, has died of cancer. He was just 54 years old. I don't really have the words to tell you how great he really was, or how sad I am, but I'll give it my best shot. In 2001, my mother won season tickets for the Cardinals in a contest. I could only go to one game, and I chose the Padres. I knew that would be the end of the line for him, and I wanted to cheer for him in person. He didn't play that night, but he's quite simply the greatest hitter I've ever seen, and I was happy to know he was in the park. No one ever smiled as much as he did. I've never seen someone so excellent have so much fun playing baseball. That same year, one of the columnists for ESPN wrote about what it was like to cover Gwynn, even though he didn't like to watch baseball himself. What can you say? He's Mr. Padre, the quintessential Nice Guy, the great ambassador, pretty much e...

16.  There seems to be the same difference between hell, purgatory, and heaven as between despair, uncertainty, and assurance. My comment: I frankly don't know how any person who studied the Church's teaching in any depth could say this. Any era, any time. He should have listened to his confessor, and spiritual director. Any person who is this troubled (because scrupulosity is obvious here) should not have been teaching anyone anything. Personally, I know the feeling. I told a friend years ago, "I feel I should drop out of seminary, so I can figure out who God is." (And that's pretty much what I did.) 17.  Of a truth, the pains of souls in purgatory ought to be abated, and charity ought to be proportionately increased. My comment: Whatever Purgatory is really like, the debts paid there are judged by the will of God. We cannot, and should not, wish for a respite for anyone in Purgatory, apart from the will of God. 18.  Moreover, it does not seem proved, on any ...