One of my friends at the University of Washington was Milt Gordon (God rest his soul). Milt was a real scientist, and Chairman of the University’s Department of Microbiology. After I had left academia, Milt did some successful work (not just theory or studies) in plant genetics. Trapping Milt Gordon One evening, as Milt and […]
Chapter 4 Mary’s Immaculate Conception In the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared that the Blessed Virgin Mary “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved […]
Chapter 3 Mary, the New Eve When Adam and his wife were expelled from Paradise, Adam gave her the name Eve (mother) “because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3, 20). In 1 Corinthians 15, 22 St. Paul teaches us: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be […]
Chapter 2 Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant The meaning of Sacred Scripture has been placed there by the Holy Spirit. This has been done in such way that we will never be able to plumb the depths of wisdom that can be found in the Bible. With the eyes of faith we are […]
Preface to Ark of Grace I was officially received in the Catholic Church on Assumption Day 2001 in the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Christ, in London, England. I was drawn to serve the Church but most importantly to serve the Truth. The Catholic Church teaches that the Truth is a Person, Jesus […]
For the past couple of hundred years, Catholic apologists, along with other Christians, have found it necessary to oppose a thing that came to be called “modernism.” Many of us cut our apologetic teeth on its associated “isms.” Against humanism we have recalled man to a measure that goes beyond himself. Against scientific positivism we […]
You may have seen them in your community too. What I am talking about are these very large billboards announcing the end of the world on May 21, 2011. These billboards are promoting the teachings of Mr. Harold Camping, a radio preacher who believes that Jesus will “rapture” Christ’s true believers into heaven and resurrect […]
A few weeks ago, I went to New York to hear a friend’s daughter play the cello for her senior recital at Julliard School of Music. As I walked from the subway station to the school, at the corner of 65th Street and Broadway, a sincere-looking young woman left the place where she had been […]
Teach me, LORD, your way that I may walk in your truth. (Ps 86:11) Sounds simple, doesn’t it? I can’t imagine any Christian looking at the above verse and disagreeing with its content. Essentially, it is a summary of our mission as followers of Christ. But exactly how does the Lord teach us “His way” […]
Looking ahead to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) started a Luther Garden in Wittenberg and invited each of the Lutheran Churches worldwide and also their ecumenical dialogue partners to plant a tree “as a sign of reconciliation and mutual understanding”. In one of his […]
On the heels of this spring’s yet another sighting of Bigfoot, the holy grail for cryptozoologists and the slightly curious worldwide, I experienced my own sighting—this one took place in my mind’s eye, was limited to print, and included just eleven words: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord.” Augustine of […]
Her conversation went something like this… “So-and-so is writing a book about her search for the meaning of life. Her story line is, that having left her Catholic faith as a teen, she took the ‘best of’ from all the various religious practices she could find. Then she designed her own spirituality.” And so it […]
Protestants say we’re saved by faith. Some Catholics say we’re saved by good works. But what does the Bible say? This Sunday’s readings are clear – it’s neither. And it’s both. At the very same time. First, let’s define our terms. When St. Paul says “works” don’t save us, he is really referring to two […]
“The Catholic Church — and I am a life-long member — has disgraced itself beyond belief. If evidence should be revealed that a Cardinal was implicit in this cover-up, he should be indicted. I’m having trepidation as I prepare to attend Mass this morning. I’m afraid that if my pastor reads The Cardinal’s BS letter, […]
When I returned the Catholic faith, or became what some like to call a “revert,” something new was added to my life that was not present before: devotion to Mary. Actually, I believe it was Mary who brought me home, as so many mothers do their lost children. Having mixed with a fair share of […]
