Should I read or consume non-Catholic devotional or bible study materials?

Q: Dear Dan, should I read or use non Catholic devotional or bible study materials?

A: This is a very important question. There are other cousin questions that follow the same line of concern. “Should I attend non-Catholic bible studies?” “Should I read protestant commentaries on scripture?” Before I answer this I must make one thing abundantly clear.

An Important Disclaimer

I am in no way anti-protestant or anti-anyone for that matter. I was a fervent protestant for more than a decade and it was a protestant pastor that God used to bring me into the first step of my relationship with Him. I am forever grateful for all the gifts that I received during my time in the protestant and evangelical worlds. As well, it is important to note that anyone and everyone that desires to understand Catholic spirituality is absolutely welcome to interact with us here. That said, the purpose of this site is to specifically spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ as defined by the magisterium of the Catholic Church.

The Tale of Two Wells

Let’s envision that we live in a small village with two wells about a mile apart. One well is known to be very pure. There are no cow pastures around to pollute it, the water is very cool and crystal clear, and tastes as perfect and satisfying as water can be. About a mile away, and a mile closer to your home, there is another well. The water is also clear, but sometimes people get an upset stomach when they drink it, so most don’t. Rumor has it that some, in distant times when it was used regularly for drinking, became very sick from this well. Many people now use it for animals but for people it seems to cause unpredictable problems. Which well would you chose to use for your drinking water? Would you regularly walk the extra mile to a source that you know has been in use and tested for thousands of years and that is even officially recognized as the most pure water in the region? Would you take a chance on impure water when you had the best and most pure water available to you?

As a former well-studied protestant, I can tell you that 100% of the mountain of protestant material I consumed has what we will call assumptions built into it. In the vast majority of the material, these assumptions range from specifically anti-Catholic to other basic assumptions (e.g. sola scriptura etc.) that are simply antithetical to Catholic teaching without any specific animus towards Catholic beliefs. The latter are often hard to detect but in essence serve to chip away at the pure Gospel truth that Christ has provided to us. In all cases, from the standpoint of pure Catholic teaching, the well is tainted. The well is not pure and thus the spiritual and practical results of consumption are unpredictable. The difficult part is that to the untrained eye or the unseasoned traveler, the protestant well might look just fine and the negative effects might not be immediate or obvious. The water looks clear and tastes good. However, if you have a well you know is perfectly pure why take the risk?

Is Good Catholic Material Really That Hard to Find?

This is the really the most baffling part. In the analogy, I have placed the pure well farther from your home and thus more difficult to access. I guess this might be apt for folks living in the Bible belt or those who live in places where good Catholic material is hard to find. However, with the internet, and online stores, EWTN on Television and Radio, the best of the best and most pure water is available to most people most of the time.

Why Go Anywhere Else?

The Lord established a Church. He guaranteed, by his Holy Spirit, that all the firepower of hell itself could not withstand or in any way subvert the heart and truth of his Church. Now, we all know that with human beings, imperfection reigns. However, with very rare exception, the teachings of the Church do not depend on any one individual. In an ultimate sense, they never depend on any individual but upon God Himself. Regardless, the Church provides a well of spiritual resources that is so deep and so pure that no individual, even if given a lifetime purely devoted to study, could every fully consume.

Where to Start?

Well, regarding study of the spiritual life we have provided a solid list of recommended materials. Beyond this list, you can look to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and then the writings of the thirty three doctors of the Church (which have been thoroughly vetted by hundreds of years of study and evaluation by the Church). If you want to know where to buy Catholic materials without worrying about their fidelity to Christ’s teachings, EWTN’s Religious Catalogue is a great place to start.

May you seek and find the pure, perfect, and life-giving water that only Christ and His Church can provide.

Why not integrate teachings of other religions with Catholic spirituality?

Q: Dear Father John, The Church has clearly taught that there is truth and good in other religions – so why then is it a problem to integrate the truths found in prayer traditions outside of Christianity with Christian prayer methods?

A: This is a great question, especially for today’s world, in which religious tolerance is spoken about by so many different groups (though not all) as a universal value. Sometimes we can confuse openness and respect for believers in other religious with the sin of religious indifference Religious indifference can consist either in ignoring the authentic demands of religion, or in believing that all religions are the same. This question is also a good one because it shows the connection between doctrine and practice. What we believe about God, ourselves, and the world affects how we behave and the choices we make. So let’s start by clarifying the doctrine a bit, and then finish with some comments on the practical side.

Starting with Some Doctrine

Here is what the Catechism actually says about the “truth and goodness” found in non-Christian religions (#843):

The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.

In other words, human nature is the same for all people, and so all people experience, even in this fallen world, a yearning to reconnect with God, to live in communion with God. And this is why all people also experience the difficulty, the challenge, the obstacles involved in that search: our common human nature is fallen, and we need a savior. These are common elements in every religion. This is why different religions have so many things in common, and why many aspects of non-Christian religious are in harmony with Christianity.

In the very next paragraph, the Catechism makes a clarifying statement (#844):

In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them: [quoting the Second Vatican Council and referencing St Paul’s Letter to the Romans] “Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.

In other words, although our common, fallen human nature universally searches for the way back to God, that same wounded nature creates a tendency for us to get lost and take dangerous and dead-end paths.

The Christian Difference

This is precisely why God himself intervened. His love and mercy moved him to come to our aid, to lead us along a sure path of return to communion with him and the happiness that we were created for. He did this through what is called revelation: God’s own explanation of himself, the world, and how we can attain salvation. Revelation culminated in the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. Christ’s work and teaching differs essentially from every other religion. It is God’s effort to reach out to man, not just man’s effort to reach up to God.

Getting Practical

Consequently, the teaching and practice of the Catholic Church is unique, qualitatively different from those of other religions. Jesus is our standard, our sure standard, by which we judge the truth, goodness, and utility of all other doctrines and traditions. The spiritual life, in other words, is not a smorgasbord. If we just pick and choose whichever practices we happen to like, we have no guarantee that we will avoid dangerous pitfalls (the “limits and errors” referenced by the Catechism).

Prayer traditions from other religions, therefore, may be able to harmonize with Christianity, but in order to do so they need to be purified and appropriately grafted into the authentic spiritual vine, Christ himself. That can only happen with the guidance of the Holy Spirit through his chosen instrument, the Church.

A final observation. It is often frustrating to find Catholics searching energetically for exciting new spiritual practices, but searching everywhere except within the incredibly rich and abundant traditions of their own Catholic Church. This is one reason we started this website, to make at least a small effort to expose some of our Catholic treasures to modern Catholics who feel spurred on to a deeper spiritual life, but don’t know where to find tools that can help them respond.

How can I learn more about the early Christian Fathers?

Q: Dear Dan, I saw your conversion story on EWTN’s Journey Home Program and I am very interested in learning more about the Fathers of the Church. I am a protestant and do have a personal relationship with Christ but I am trying to better understand more about the early Church. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

A: It was a joy to do the show and even more so to engage in the behind-the-scenes conversations with so many who are seeking to either deepen their relationship with Christ or to really uncover what this Catholic thing is all about. A few have posed some form of this question so I thought I would provide a few resource ideas for those exploring these important source documents. It is worth noting that one of the key turning points in my journey was when I decided to ask the Catholic Church what it meant by what it said rather than allowing those outside of the Church to dictate the entirety of my understanding.

One of the ways I did this was through reading the early Christian Fathers. After all, it seemed absurd to ignore the perspective of those who were either direct disciples of the Apostles themselves, or the disciples of the disciples of the Apostles. Not only did they live and walk with them, many were tortured and murdered because they would recant their faith. As you might imagine it was a bit odd to me that my Evangelical friends insisted on a consistent and contextual interpretation of scripture (i.e. the analogy of faith) but they readily dismissed the context from which the bible itself emerged – the Catholic Church. The scriptures did not drop from the sky. They emerged and were preserved and assembled by the Bishops of the Catholic Church. How is it that we can trust scripture and then completely dismiss those whom God used to bring it to us?

So, the best way, in my opinion, to learn about the early Church Fathers today is through two very trustworthy sources/books:

• The Four Witnesses – The Early Church in Her Own Words
• The Fathers Know Best – Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church

Blessings to you on your journey and exploration. I pray that whatever you learn and uncover will only serve to deepen your love for God and your relationship with Him.

My spiritual director has recommended centering prayer, what should I do?

Q: Dear Dan, I have recently sought the guidance of a Spiritual director which I would say was greatly influenced by your and Fr. John’s suggestions. My concern is that my Spiritual Director has suggested Centering Prayer. I’d appreciate it if you can share your thoughts on that. Thanks.

A: First things first – I am greatly encouraged by your steps toward deepening your faith through spiritual direction! With respect to your question, we actually get a lot of questions like this. Because of the effects of the fall and the inherent differences and nuances that effect each person’s ability to understand the other, communication is hard work. So, the key is to seek understanding by determining exactly what your spiritual director means by what they are saying or suggesting.

This matter is complicated when we approach the topic of prayer in general and is even more problematic in the area of “centering” prayer. Why is this? It is because there is no universally held definition of centering prayer. Different people mean different things when they use the term. The Church itself does not officially recognize “centering” prayer in any form. The good news, is that the time-tested prayer forms of the Church are clearly defined in part four of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This makes things easier. When there is a misunderstanding regarding central matters of our faith, we can go to the source to clear things up.

So, the first step is to find out what your director means by the term “centering” prayer. They may simply be using it as a synonym for some traditional form of prayer. The issue becomes more problematic if your director is advocating a form of prayer or approach to prayer that the Church, in her wisdom, recognizes as problematic and leading to error, confusion, or even spiritual harm.

In the late 80s, recognizing the serious challenges with how some were developing and teaching ideas on prayer, then Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) wrote a letter to all the Bishops regarding his concerns. As you might suspect, the challenges addressed were widespread and serious enough for the Prefect of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to issue a very precise and authoritative warning. This letter was entitled, “A Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation.”

The bottom line is that if you 1) seek to understand what your director meant by what they said, and 2) seek to understand the time tested, true, spiritually safe, and efficacious forms of prayer that the Church in her wisdom recommends, you will be better able to navigate the situation safely.

No matter what, keep seeking to deepen your relationship with Him!

Seek Him – Find Him – Follow Him

Dan

Is Sunday Mass still an obligation? Part I of II

Q: Dear Father John, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that it is a grave sin to miss our Sunday Obligation unless excused for a serious reason (CCC 2181). Our parish priests and our RCIA team have always taught the same. However, recently I heard someone from the diocese say that it is never a mortal sin to miss Sunday’s Mass; that the Bishops of the United States have relaxed the old rule and if you miss Sunday’s Mass you can simply choose another daily Mass for your “Sabbath”. Could you clarify the Sunday Obligation, please?

A: Well, I’ll try.  But first, a disclaimer.  It is easy to misunderstand what people say.  So the “someone from the diocese” may not have actually said that “it is never a mortal sin to miss Sunday’s Mass,” but they may have said something that was easily interpreted like that.  So, since I wasn’t present and this may not be an exact quotation (or intention) of the person in question, I will simply try to reflect a bit on the Sunday obligation itself.  Wait – one more disclaimer.  We should remember that one of the great advantages of being a Catholic is that we can know when our pastor or priest (or even bishop) is wrong: all we have to do is refer to the Catechism and the teaching of the Magisterium.  So, even if a diocesan representative did state something confusing, we don’t really have to get too upset by it (everyone can make mistakes); we just have to go back to our sources and stick to the truth ourselves.

Part I: The Sunday Obligation

First, let’s make very clear that attending Sunday Mass (on the Sunday or on the vigil) and Mass on Holy Days of Obligation is a primary responsibility of every Catholic.

The Catechism Says…

On the web page run by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we can find the relevant numbers of the Catechism:

• (2180) The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” ”The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.”
• (2181)  The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

On that same web page, there is a report on the bishops’ Catechism committee that correlates extensively quotations from Pope John Paul II’s 1998 Apostolic Letter, Dies Domini, and various numbers from the Catechism. Reading through the correlation is a fantastic way to meditate on the reasons behind the Sunday obligation.  Here is one of the paragraphs from Dies Domini that the bishops’ committee cites – it’s language is a bit technical, but still quite clear:

Even if in the earliest times it was not judged necessary to be prescriptive, the church has not ceased to confirm this obligation of conscience, which rises from the inner need felt so strongly by the Christians of the first centuries. It was only later, faced with the halfheartedness or negligence of some, that the church had to make explicit the duty to attend Sunday Mass: More often than not this was done in the form of exhortation, but at times the church had to resort to specific canonical precepts. . . . The present code reiterates this, saying that ‘on Sundays and other Holy Days of obligation, the faithful are bound to attend Mass.’ This legislation has normally been understood as entailing a grave obligation: This is the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and it is easy to understand why if we keep in mind how vital Sunday is for the Christian life (#47).

In the United States bishops’ own Adult Catechism, they emphasize the importance of Sunday Mass attendance: “God, through the Church, obliges us to make Sunday holy by participation in the Eucharist and by our being prayerfully reflective as far as possible.”  (You can read the whole short chapter here.)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged…” (Matthew 7:1)

Okay, so it’s pretty clear that the Sunday obligation is not optional, and that purposely snubbing God by skipping is indeed a grave sin.  But remember, we are not called to judge our neighbors.  We have to avoid falling into self-righteous Phariseeism in the face of Catholics who do not fulfill this responsibility.  Instead of condemning them, we should reach out to them, help them to understand the many reasons behind this duty, and the many positive fruits that come from fulfilling it – which means we need to understand those reasons ourselves, and live Sunday well enough to begin experiencing some of those fruits.

Common Sense and Pastoral Sensitivity

John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter on this topic did address some challenges to living Sunday well that we face in post-modern times. This can cause some confusion. Basically, the issue has to do with working on Sundays. Our world no longer universally recognizes Sunday as the Lords’ Day.  As a result, we Catholics, in order to keep our jobs, sometimes have to work on Sundays. Likewise, for those of us who do try to live the Lord’s Day well, some family and recreational activities that are perfectly in synch with the Sunday rest require other people to work – at restaurants or community swimming pools, for instance.  How are we supposed to understand this apparent contradiction?

This challenge was one reason the Second Vatican Council authorized the vigil Mass (Mass on Saturday evening) to fulfill the Sunday obligation.  And if a Catholic simply cannot make any of the Sunday Masses, he can speak with his local pastor to receive a dispensation from this obligation, and to work out alternative solutions.

As regards working on a day that is meant to be for rest, the Catechism blends common sense and pastoral sensitivity (#2187):

Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort. Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities. In spite of economic constraints, public authorities should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation toward their employees.

Having seen the reality and gravity of our duty as Catholics to participate in the Sunday liturgy and live the Lord’s Day meaningfully, we are ready to reflect a bit more deeply on the reasons why this is the case, which we will, in my next post.

Yours in Christ, Father John Bartunek, LC, ThD