Catholics today

[Amator Veritatis]

As Lil Red stated, I think one of the most profitable exercises at the centre of any spiritual life is a daily reading of the Lives of the Saints. Probably the best edition in English is Father Alban Butler's [i]Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints[/i], which is published by St. Bonaventure Publications. Be sure, if you wish to be edified by your reading, to obtain a copy of the original edition, not the revision done by Thurston & Attwater.

[Era Might]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Feb 20 2006, 04:58 PM']Of course, I often check back to see if people validate my posts.  I think that's part of the addiction...we want to say something and know that someone out there cares and replies.
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Yep. I think it's just the nature of the Internet. It's faceless, so we have nothing to go on but our own egos.

I don't think we act in real life the same way we do online. We don't shout at people or vilify them or accuse them of this and that. We may disagree, but we're civil because we're talking to a person. Online, we're just talking to a monitor.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Feb 20 2006, 02:58 PM'] Then I realized that it was the pride of wanting to be heard.   Of course, I often check back to see if people validate my posts.  I think that's part of the addiction...we want to say something and know that someone out there cares and replies.[right][snapback]892980[/snapback][/right][/quote] YES!!! so true!!

[quote name='Amator Veritatis' date='Feb 20 2006, 02:59 PM']As Lil Red stated, I think one of the most profitable exercises at the centre of any spiritual life is a daily reading of the Lives of the Saints. Probably the best edition in English is Father Alban Butler's [i]Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints[/i], which is published by St. Bonaventure Publications. Be sure, if you wish to be edified by your reading, to obtain a copy of the original edition, not the revision done by Thurston & Attwater.[right][snapback]892982[/snapback][/right][/quote] yes! i think reading more about the saints has done so much to enhance my spiritual life, making me think of things i could be doing for the Church, or what i am not doing.

[jezic]

so this sounds great and i do agree, the thing is what about the rest of the community?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I don't want this to turn into one of "those" threads, but in light of some thinking I've been doing along these lines recently, I think I need to leave PM. The dynamic of the internet has its good side and its bad side, but I think it would be good for me to leave because I have slowly been realizing that this addiction we like to joke about causes depression, anxiety, pride, and anger toward others.

I'd love to keep in contact with all the friends I've made here, though. I'll check back in on occasion, but I'll be keeping the posts to a certain type and number so as to avoid being drawn in.

My father quit smoking cold turkey...I'm convinced it's the best way to quit anything. If anyone would like to contact me, you can email me through PM.

[Era Might]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Feb 20 2006, 05:15 PM']The dynamic of the internet has its good side and its bad side, but I think it would be good for me to leave because I have slowly been realizing that this addiction we like to joke about causes depression, anxiety, pride, and anger toward others.
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I feel you, definitely. I've wanted to do that for a long time with the Internet in general. Blogs are more a vice for me than Phatmass.

Maybe you can just change how you visit Phatmass. Make it a point to go to the prayer room before anything else and pray for all the new requests. Hang around the vocation station, converts anonymous, the spiritual phorums, etc. And the Word and Apologetics phorum is a good place to discuss apologetics or whatever without the rancor or debate.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Era Might

[photosynthesis]

you should read my blog ( [url="http://theconfessionator.blogspot.com"]http://theconfessionator.blogspot.com[/url] ) because I don't rip people to shreds there. it is a positive blog!

[Quietfire]

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,
deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,

From the fear of being humiliated,
deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
That in the opinion of the world,
others may increase, and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy as I should.


- Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val

This is sweet.

There is no need to leave.
Do you have any idea how many times I started a post, finished it, reread it and completely closed it without posting it.

Heck, if I actually posted every post...my post count would be HUGE.
I often close them out cause after reading them a few times, I realize that ya'll dont need to know every private aspect of my life, or need to know every opinion I have.

Phatmass has helped me curb my tongue outside the internet as well.

Oh trust me...Im still wacked. Im just wacked with less posts!

Edited February 20, 2006 by Quietfire

[Desert Walker]

[quote name='Amator Veritatis' date='Feb 20 2006, 02:42 PM']This is perhaps the most relevant point regulating the manners of Catholics today. Those who sacrifice charity in the search of truth do an injustice to truth and stray from the right path, [i]veritatem facientes in caritate[/i], secundum admonitionem Sancti Pauli. With that said, however, we must not forget the duty incumbent upon us to follow the will of God both in our actions through charity and our words and beliefs through a propagation of the truth, most especially the only true Faith.
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Oh how right you are...

Are Catholics really ripping each-other to shreds over the stuff? I mean, are they really sacrificing charity, or is one side more worried than the other? I for one would like to see the return of a solid Catholic culture, one that is clearly identifiable as Catholic. I get the feeling from the raging debate that no one really knows what such a culture should focus on. My other feeling is that until priests start laying out clearly what ALL Catholics should believe and do, this debate will continue to rage.

It's also a sign that American society in general likes to debate stuff. And hey, as long as people don't start bringing shotguns to the debates, let's just be sure and remember to say "I'm sorry I said that." Because the shotguns would bring the cops.

[Ora et Labora]

I just hate how Catholics disagree about so many things! We ARE the same religion, remember?

[Nicole8223]

Oh my gosh, this thread is such a breath of fresh air! It is so true that so many have become lost in a quest for the most Catholic knowledge and lost track of the quest for holiness and virtue. Knowledge does not make us holy by a long shot. Knowing Summa Theologica and Thomism and all the Vatican documents means nothing without love...hence the scripture verse we all know so well .

I know that I get caught in this often, thinking that I will show that I have knowledge. Pride is the destroyer of virtue in my eyes, and please, I would love acocuntability while on phatmass. Feel free to call me on if you see this attitude in me. I hate pride...I wish I could purge myself of it! And yet, when I get a dose of humility, I complain. Bleh....

Lord, give me virtue to replace the vice that runs rampant in my heart.

Edited February 23, 2006 by Nicole8223

[Ora et Labora]

[quote name='Nicole8223' date='Feb 23 2006, 11:29 AM']Oh my gosh, this thread is such a breath of fresh air!  It is so true that so many have become lost in a quest for the most Catholic knowledge and lost track of the quest for holiness and virtue.  Knowledge does not make us holy by a long shot.  Knowing Summa Theologica and Thomism and all the Vatican documents means nothing without love...hence the scripture verse we all know so well .

I know that I get caught in this often, thinking that I will show that I have knowledge.  Pride is the destroyer of virtue in my eyes, and please, I would love acocuntability while on phatmass.  Feel free to call me on if you see this attitude in me.  I hate pride...I wish I could purge myself of it! And yet, when I get a dose of humility, I complain.  Bleh....

Lord, give me virtue to replace the vice that runs rampant in my heart.
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It is so true...sometimes even I, an ignorant 15 year old study Catholocism just to prove someone wrong!

[OmniaInstaurareInChristo]

Speaking of charity, for those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass like me, today is Quinquagesima Sunday. Below is what our epistle was:

1 Corinthians 13: 1 - 13
Brethren, If I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries and all knowledge: and if I should have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: Charity envieth not, dealing not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.