The Catholic Church (or Christianity as a whole) is not the root of all evil! (Neither is religion for that matter.) You can dislike the belief system and what it teaches, but please refrain from attacking it just because you don't like it. Honestly - you get chastised and smacked down for any other form of prejudice, but attack someone because they believe in Christ? Oh, you are celebrated as a courageous hero!

FYI - when the white towers of government, the media, and higher education are all looking down on something, treating something as inferior, YOU are not being heroic by going along with them. I am sick and tired of being treated like I am ignorant, sick-minded, or an infant because I am Catholic, read the Bible, and believe in God.

I’m tired of the derogatory comments I keep reading on the Pope and his predecessors. Others are doing fine work defending Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict. However, people are reaching even further back to be insulting and inflammatory. So let me look for a moment on Pope Pius XII.

He is insulted and spit upon for being “Hitler’s Pope” – a charge which is untrue. The idea of him being a supporter of Hitler who sat back and watched as the Jews were slaughtered did not come out until a German playwright, Rolf Hochhuth, wrote a play called “The Deputy” in 1963. This play, a ficticious creation ignored the time, the situation, and the atmosphere of the world at the time.

Funny how no one remembers these quotes:

( Get the truth )

Enough is enough.

How does God reveal Himself to Us?

( Revelation )

In addition to my main sources (the Bible, the Catechism, and "Open Wide the Doors to Christ"), I also pulled information on the covenants from the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology - www.salvationhistory.com

What is Faith?

( Faith )

Given a lot of the stuff I've been hearing from people around me, seeing on the news, and on the web, I decided to do some posts on the Catholic Church and its beliefs. I've decided it is going to be a Lenten practice for me. Not only can I (hopefully) get some real information out there about the Church and her teachings, but I can renew my own faith. I will start by posting the first entry tomorrow.

This is especially directed towards Catholics who want a refresher, but also anyone who is interested in the Catholic faith.

I will put the posts under a cut so you can skip them. However, should you read them and wish to ask questions, each new post will build upon the previous one - they start with the foundation and build up. While I will try and answer questions as best I can, please read everything leading up to your question so you will have the background for the information you are questioning. It might even answer your question without having to ask it.

I am not a theology major, teacher, expert, etc. I am a lay Catholic - that is, a Catholic in the pews. I did not study Catholicism in school and I am a regular office worker with a forty hour a week job. This does not mean I'm clueless. I am going to use a few main sources and various supporting sources.

Main Sources:

The Bible
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
"Open Wide the Doors to Christ" by Lucas Pollice

Supporting Sources:

Writings by the early Church Fathers
Writings by the Popes
and various other sources

Speaking as a Catholic woman (single, not married) & wiling to lose "friends" over it:

The Pope is allowed to retire. It doesn't happen very often, but it is within his rights to do so. Personally, more respect should be shown a man who knows when it is time to step back and let younger hands take over. We've got politicians I wish had HALF that much common sense.

It would be nice if Catholics could get a little of the respect people seem to automatically give to other groups. You don't have to agree with our beliefs, but tearing us down? Insulting them just because you don't like them? Who does that say the most about? I don't tear down people who I disagree with - similar respect would be appreciated.

In answer to some of what I've been hearing on the net and in RL -

American Catholics are NOT going to separate from Rome - to do so would make us Protestant, not Catholic, and there are other churches we could go to if we wanted to do that.

The new Pope is not going to overturn Church teachings on women priests, contraception, abortion, gay marriage, etc.

The Church is not going to throw everything out and suddenly become "politically correct" according to the secular world's desires just because there is a new Pope.

I am grateful for the time we have had with Pope Benedict as our shepherd. This is a time of prayer for all Catholics as we wait for our new Pope to be chosen.

May God bless Pope Benedict and his successor.