I am a young Catholic that lives in the Diocese of Oakland. I love the Catholic faith and how Faith and Reason can unite to enrich our lives. This blog will cover my faith reflections as well as serve as an intro point to the philosophical ways of approaching God.
Outside of my faith, I love Science Fiction and Fantasy as well as card games, especially Bridge. I occasionally dabble with drawing. And, satanic panics not withstanding, I absolutely love Dungeons and Dragons. Tolkien, the Father of modern Fantasy was a Catholic wasn’t he?
I am a layperson, though I have served in various ministries throughout my life. This blog is just meant as a personal faith reflection and not as an official source of Church teaching.
Some might wonder if I am a “liberal” or “conservative” Catholic. It is sad that the Church right now is so divided. I don’t want to inflame the current conflicts, but the honest truth is that I am a bit of an odd duck when it comes to the current Church infighting. I am a supporter of the Latin Mass and believe that there are many, sadly, who are trying to dilute the demands of the Catholic faith. But often I fear that traditionalists “circle the wagons” too quickly and I read books like “Who Wrote the Bible?” that I’m sure some traddies would be horrified by. And I play Dungeons and Dragons. A non-starter in some traditionalist circles.
I suppose I am, in a sense, a Dante Alighieri Catholic – I like my poetry beautiful, my hellfire hot, my theology guided by reason, my criticism of Church authorities biting, my admiration for all that is good in pagan culture lavish, but always my faith in “the Love that moves the sun and the stars.” Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, The Sinner.
Favorite Websites
WordOnFire.com – Bishop Barron’s videos helped introduce me to the philosophical ways of approaching God. You may see a few of his videos around this website.
Works of Aquinas Online
- On Being and Essence
- The Summa Theologica
- A wide collection from The Priory of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies
Favorite Books
- The Case for Jesus by Brant Pitre
- Jesus of Nazareth Trilogy by Pope Benedict the XVI
- The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
- Hail, Holy Queen by Scott Hahn
- True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montefort.