Blog Archives

Most Catholics do not want a Pope at all

Posted on 20 June 2015 by Ron Conte

Most of my fellow Catholics don’t want a liberal Pope or a conservative Pope or a moderate Pope. They do not really want a Pope at all. For the Supreme Pontiff of the Church has the right and duty to … Continue reading →

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Pope Francis on the Environment: Part Two

Posted on 19 June 2015 by Ron Conte

32. “The earth’s resources are also being plundered because of short-sighted approaches to the economy, commerce and production.” 33. “Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species which we will never know, which our children will … Continue reading →

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The Priestly Abuse Scandal and Homosexuality

Posted on 19 June 2015 by Ron Conte

The vast majority of priests are not abusers. I myself have never been abused by a priest, nor by anyone. But I used to work with sexually-abused children and teens, so I have knowledge of many cases of this type … Continue reading →

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Pope Francis suggests Common Date for Easter

Posted on 19 June 2015 by Ron Conte

Catholic News Agency has the story. No particular formula for setting the date of Easter is being suggested by the Pontiff. From my book: Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary The current date for Easter is determined … Continue reading →

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Pope Francis on the Environment: Part One

Posted on 18 June 2015 by Ron Conte

Laudato si’ is the encyclical of Pope Francis on the environment. The title is not in Latin, but in an early version of the Italian language as it was in the process of developing from Latin. It’s in-between Latin and … Continue reading →

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How many Americans will remain Catholic?

Posted on 17 June 2015 by Ron Conte

The new Pew Research Poll says that the number of Catholics in the U.S. declined from 23.9% to 20.8% from 2007 to 2014. But that is the number of persons who self-identify as Catholic, about 20% of the population. How … Continue reading →

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Catholic Ethics: Faith and Reason

Posted on 16 June 2015 by Ron Conte

The Church teaches that the entire moral law, in all of its requirements and prohibitions, is accessible to human reason alone, without Divine Revelation. Right reason, the God-given faculty of abstract thinking, can never err — if it is used … Continue reading →

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Release To Us Barabbas!

Posted on 14 June 2015 by Ron Conte

The first century Jews would gather at Jerusalem three times each year: the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), and the Feast of Weeks (Jewish Pentecost). [Exodus] {23:14} Three times in each year, you shall celebrate feasts … Continue reading →

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Mark Shea’s faulty Catholic Religion Quiz

Posted on 13 June 2015 by Ron Conte

In part I of the Quiz, Mark Shea makes a mess of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. See my explanation here: Did the Immaculate Conception preserve Mary from all sin? Shea is teaching grave errors to his readers, without … Continue reading →

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The Many Errors of Religious Fundamentalism

Posted on 11 June 2015 by Ron Conte

There is a misconception that fundamentalism is necessarily accompanied by the use of violence. Some Muslim fundamentalists are violent extremists. But religious fundamentalism does not always advocate, nor result in violence. A Muslim can prefer a fundamentalist version of Islam, … Continue reading →

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I don’t really want to comment on Bruce Jenner

Posted on 10 June 2015 by Ron Conte

But I feel morally obligated to correct a grave injustice by some of my fellow Catholics on this subject. One error, more generally, is the politicization of Catholicism. Certain Catholics are distorting the Faith, making it seem as if what … Continue reading →

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An Alternate Version of the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Posted on 9 June 2015 by Ron Conte

From time to time, I change the wording of my recited prayers. One version of the Divine Mercy Chaplet I use changes the wording of the main prayer of the Chaplet to: For the sake of Jesus Christ’s sorrowful Passion … Continue reading →

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