Let me begin this by wishing everyone a happy New Year. I truly am looking forward to 2023. The great reawakening is well underway and so much truth has come out that I think we have finally reached a critical threshold. If we find the courage to continue to push and push hard, I think 2023 will mark the year that the tide finally turns towards freedom and patriotism. This is not to say it will be an easy year, but rather, that I believe this year will mark a difficult year in which “we the people” finally say enough.
My optimism is based in the reality of many moving pieces but also contemplates a recognition by Christians that our faith is under attack. To that extent, I do not think there is a greater example of the attacks on Christianity than what is occurring in the Catholic Church. As a disclaimer, I am Catholic (yes – I do go to church) and my perspective on this is not the perspective of someone that is done with the church and moving on, but rather, someone trying to reform the church into actually being Catholic; I do not believe it is behaving as such recently.
Tom’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
I want to coin the phrase, CIFO, or Catholic in Faith Only. That is how I feel. I have read the Bible, studied the teachings, and believe that Christ is my savior. What I do not believe is that the Church is the only path to heaven (faith and a relationship with God is the only path), nor that the church is in the ballpark of a representative body of Christ’s teachings at this point. The Catholic Church originated on the foundation of Christ’s teachings, has produced incredible thinkers and saints, and done a tremendous amount globally for the benefit of humanity, but is now torn apart by corruption and, dare I say, sin.
Allow me to give an example. I know a wonderful family with a beautiful daughter conceived in vitro (I actually know a few families like this). Despite the fact that the birth of a child is nothing short of a miracle, and the church spends substantial time teaching about the importance of life, the church will not baptize the girl. At the same time, the Pope has continued to support communion for people like Nancy Pelosi despite the fact that she actively supports killing babies through abortion.
Church and prior to COVID, each week I listened to my priest tell me that communion was the number one reason we needed to be at mass every weekend. The opportunity to commune with the true body and blood of Christ is necessary to your faith life he would say. I agree, communion is very meaningful to me and something that helps my spiritual life in ways I cannot properly describe. Despite all this, the second COVID hit the same priest (and nearly the entirety of our diocese) shut down the churches (including communion) and many even quit blessing the sick and dying. That’s right, many priests would not even provide the anointing of the sick.
None of this changed my view of my faith or the value of these sacraments, what it did was made it clear that the Catholic Church is full of people that do not practice what they preach. Christ was quite clear that there are worst things than death… I’d say he embodied that more than anyone in history. Despite this, the Church was fine denying sacraments to their flock and are still to this day not providing the blood at mass in my diocese. To be clear, at no point did they stop asking for money however.
Speaking of money, the same church that is lead by a guy that is currently promoting communism, globalism, climate change nonsense, and many other absurdities, is also ensuring that pedophile priests get the best legal representation anyone could ask for. A good portion of our weekly tithe (I refuse to donate except to specific causes) is being used to fund legal defense for pedophiles – I’m not sure how that didn’t make the bulletin. Instead of protecting kids (Pretty sure Jesus said something about leading children astray), helping the families of victims, and allowing the justice system to take its course, the Catholic Church is spending an obscene amount of money to cover up and defend perverts. I’m not okay with this.
The Church is facing many other obstacles at the moment but, I believe, the ultimate problem comes down to one of faith. As a Catholic, I believe my faith must always remain in God rather than a church ran by humans but also that the Church plays a critical role in the world. Because my faith remains in God, it is unaffected by the corruption of the church but that corruption makes it clear that we have work to do. It is not time for Catholics to leave, but rather to renew their faith in God while fighting to reform the Church. Much like the rest of American society, the Catholic Church is lost, but, also like America, the Church is worth fighting for so keep your faith in God, your money in your pockets, and your fight towards corruption in the Church.
Hopefully my Church will find its way again and I will not have to continue to be a Catholic in Faith Only.
Tom’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
