The following comes from an Apr. 2 story in Catholic San Francisco.
Marin County pastors and pastoral associates listed a lack of Catholic faith formation and identity in parish families and what they described as a tarnished, aloof church as key reasons for a decline in Mass attendance and participation in the sacrament of the Eucharist at their parishes.
At the March 13 meeting of Marin County deaneries held at St. Sebastian Church, Father Cyril O’Sullivan, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish, Lagunitas, opened a frank first discussion in what will be a yearlong initiative focused on the Eucharist. The goal, he said, is to come to some agreement about the issues related to the diminished understanding, interest and participation in the sacrament, and to work on solutions.
“Many teenagers don’t understand or believe that the Eucharist is the body of Christ,” Father O’Sullivan said of the young people he has prepared for the sacrament of confirmation. It is clear that they think of the sacrament as merely a symbol, he said. “If the teens are thinking this way, the parents must be too.”
Though a deanery-wide plan to fortify the Eucharist at the parish level will be the end result of discussions, Father O’Sullivan, the elected dean of one of Marin County’s two deaneries or parish administrative groups, got a head start last month with the start of Lent. During each Sunday of Lent, he is spending a few minutes before each homily to explain the significance of key steps in the order of the Mass that parishioners see at Mass each week, such as the priest’s reverencing of the altar at the start of Mass and the meaning behind the offertory prayer.
Others around the deanery meeting table, which represented more than eight parishes, said they see that even parishioners who were raised in the Catholic Church or attended Catholic schools are not always well catechized.
“Most of our parishioners don’t really understand the sacraments,” said Mike Morison, pastoral associate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Mill Valley. “They don’t understand divine relationships and have no understanding of the Trinity. If they don’t understand what a sacrament is, how are we going to attract them to partake in it?”
To read the entire story, click here.
Awesome idea, awesome post!
Self defined YFC,
Would you still have complimented Gordon,s comments had he said something against the SIN of Sodomy?
God have mercy May on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
Most literate Catholics in the USA have never been encouraged by Bishops or Parish Priests to study the Bible and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” at HOME.
The Bishops defy the requests of Popes JPII, Benedict and Francis for all to study them.
Many of these same Catholics may not even have a Catholic Bible or the CCC in their homes.
All literate Catholics over age 16 should be reading these.
It is not rocket science, and should not take a year to figure out.
For quotes from our Popes:
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”
https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
Since some non-Catholics read the Bible and CCC, why aren’t Catholics actively encouraged to do the same?
“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved … and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. “ – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg 5)
“….the CATECHISM has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg xiv)
“….. let us ask ourselves if we have actually taken a few steps to get to know Christ and the truths of faith more, by reading and meditating on the Scriptures, studying the Catechism, steadily approaching the Sacraments.” Pope Francis, May 15, 2013.
There is truly a crisis of Faith in the USA. This is due to the fact that the LAITY has not been catechized – prominently, actively and often – encouraged to read a Catholic Bible and the CCC in their own homes.
Parents are mostly responsible for teaching their children. Parents can not teach what they do not know.
Bishops need to get out of politics and other endeavors, and get back to teaching the Faith fully and accurately to all the Laity, and Saving Souls.
There is no excuse in the literate USA.
We might SAY we believe in the true presence of the Eucharistic Jesus – but if we ACT in church like He is not truly present there in the tabernacle – with our talking, laughing, visiting before and after Mass, what do we expect our children to think and believe? We can all start by being more reverent in church. If anyone wants to chat or visit just ask them to step out into the vestibule for conversation. We should all know that God speaks to us best when we are silent – let the children see us being silent.
donald byrnes, I agree with you! Chatting or visiting after Mass inside the church has become common place. I too have been often times been guilty of this. What a great example we give our children and adult friends as well, if we insist on stepping outside the church to visit.
Talk to your Pastor. Ask him to make an announcement before each Mass, and to put a short statement in the Church bulletin asking people to visit outside not in Church, and to dress appropriately. You can help with the details.
Can’ t you see that the “Kiss of Peace” opened the door to all of the distracting noise you now witness at Novus Ordo Masses? A very Holy Claretian priest , Fr. Thomas Matin, CMF, once told me that the post VII Kiss of Peace was poorly placed. It would have been better had it been place before or after the Mass!
More bad fruits of the New Ordo Mass. BTW that is exactly what “Novus Ordo” translates to!
God have mercy May on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
Sandra,
I offer free of charge a “Proper Dress in Church” poster in Spanish and English. All one has to do is email me at: kmfjmj@att.net asking for attached copies and I will respond gladly their request.
God have mercy May on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
Uhhhh…if God is everywhere, if tehre is not a leaf that falls in the forest that He does not know, what—exactly—is going to be the difference if we say something inside the Church or in the vestibule?
# 1 – – –
Bishops (and Priests) need to get back to treating the EUCHARIST like they should treat GOD if we met Him face to face. (Not as a mere ceremony.)
All (who do not have health reasons or are elderly) should KNEEL when receiving Holy Communion.
Would we not KNEEL before God?
Psalm 96: ” O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker”.
Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We should kneel even if the Bishops and Priests do not tell us to do so.
Ask your Parish Priest to provide kneelers for those who otherwise might find it difficult to get up.
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/details/ns_lit_doc_20091117_comunione_en.html
#2 – – –
All Bishops and all Priests should stop giving Holy Communion to ALL those obstinate in public MORTAL SIN, regardless of societal status.
Bishops and Priests should stop the mortal sins of participating in this SACRILEGE, and SCANDAL.
Code of Canon Law ” Can. 915 Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty
and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion. ”
Code of Canon Law: “Can. 1399 In addition to the cases established here or in other laws, the external violation of a divine or canonical law can be punished by a just penalty only when the special gravity of the violation demands punishment and there is an urgent need to prevent or repair scandals. ”
” The Discipline Regarding the Denial of Holy Communion to Those Obstinately Persevering in Manifest Grave Sin” (by Cardinal Raymond Burke, Canon Lawyer)
https://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/holycom/denial.htm
People learn by the example of Bishops (and Priests).
The USCCB must start treating the Holy Eucharist as God, and go back to kneeling throughout the USA.
The bishops as a group and as individuals have consistently failed and offended the People of God by their treatment of victims of sexual abuse, their insistence on limiting the concept of “Church” to the clergy and hierarchy and their squandering of financial resources, all donated, for their own security and protection. This calls into question the authenticity of their claim to be the essential pillars of the Church. In reality, in light of our experience with a growing scarcity of priests, but unfortunately not a comparable scarcity of bishops, and the dependence on the laity, it is probably true that the Church needs bishops as much as a duck hunter needs an accordion.
This is a true laugher. Teenagers do not know, or more accurately refuse to believe when told about their Catholic Faith, because there is little Catholic Faith among the members of the Church with whom they are in contact. And, when they are in contact with clergy and lay administrators and teachers, these same people fail to teach anything much of traditional (and Traditional) value to the teens. Just look at what happened in good old North Carolina when a wonderful nun told Catholic high school students the truth about homosexuality and divorce: the students rejected everything, and so did their parents. And, then, and then, along came Jones. . . no, wrong song. Along came the moral coward, Bishop Peter Jugis and threw dear Sister Jane Dominic Laurel under the proverbial bus. Why? Why? Why? Because the Catholic Church clergy, lay staff, teachers and administrators are largely morally corrupt. Of course, this corruption is entirely lead by the USCCB and its cowardly lion presidents, who give no attention to teaching, and mandating adherence to the Faith. And the Vatican does nothing about this. Now, of course, we read next to nothing about the Faith, but only what new zombie issue — like complaining about the “New” Missal — should be resurrected next. Teens are the canaries in the coal-mine of American Catholicism. One or two more generations, and maybe less, and all will be different: women priests, homosexual marriage, all of that will be “OK” in the institutional church. But the Holy Ghost will not be mocked — just look at Humanae Vitae, which was not the prize of a weak Pope, Paul VI, but a direction of the Paraclete.
This story reminds me of Cardinal Mahony…. one day after being Archbishop of Los Angeles for over 20 years , he had the startling revelation that there was a vocation crisis in his his own diocese. He acted as if this was big news to him…..the ironic part is that he had been deliberately pursuing policies that destroyed the vocation potential of the Archdiocese. He had caused his own crisis.
Back to Marin County…. for 40 years these parishes have watered down all
Religious Education programs. They have discouraged learning and encouraged “experience”…. and now they wake up like Rip Van Mahony and say “the sky is falling no one believes in the Eucharist”…well duh of course they don’t…. they learned exactly what you taught them….which was that Faith was a light weight insignificant personal experience that held no Truth. You caused your own crisis.
Both Cardinal Roger Mahony and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin both influential in the USA when they were Diocese Cardinals/Bishops did much DAMAGE to our Church. Some of which we still have not recovered.
JimAroo, if my memory serves me well, I believe that after Cardinal Mahoney raised the vocation crisis alarm, he went on to remind the Catholic laity that by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation we were all commissioned as Priests, Prophets and Kings. He suggested that this vocational crisis was really an opportunity given to us by the Holy Spirit for all of us to carry out our proper rolls in the Body of Christ.
Prior to the “vocational crisis”, the laity used to participate in various Apostolates in the Church in support of the Ordained Priesthood. Now we have various “Ministries”. An Ordained Priest is now simply the “Minister of the Sacraments”.
Mahony should be in jail for his vast role in aiding and abetting child abusers. He would be if it were not for CA statute of limitations.
His sinfulness and mere lip service regarding the Faith never promoted anything good. (People saw through him.)
These are the public Court records.
https://documents.latimes.com/los-angeles-archdiocese-priest-abuse-files/
Mahony never told the literate Faithful to study and read the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edtion” at home, so they would know their Faith accurately and in entirety.
Why?
Surprise, surprise! Mass attendance is down, no one believes in the Real Presence, and many don’t understand the sacraments. And who is to blame? Start with the pastors and their associates!
When was the last time anyone heard a sermon about sin and the Last Four Things? Maybe is people were reminded that missing Sunday Mass is a mortal sin that could buy them a ticket to hell their attitude would change.
As an earlier Pope predicted, Holy Communion in the hand and not kneeling for reception diminished the respect for and belief in the Eucharist as the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord. Ahhh, the fruits of Vatican 2.
Maybe if priests actually preached about the purpose, matter, and outward signs of the sacraments and dropped the funny-ha-ha floor shows and the warm pap, feel good “homilies,” the ignorance level would start to disappear.
For the majority who do not know: Last 4 Things – Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell.
Former Altar Boy,
We at Our Lady Help of Christians Traditional Parish in Garden Grove, CA hear about those important things constantly! I seem to remember that Our Lord said “By their fruits ye shall know them”. I observer the fruits coming from Our Traditional priests at Our Lady Help of Christians” and I know that is where I should be for the most part worshipping!
God have mercy May on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
In the pre-Vatican II era, everyone, even Catholics in foreign mission lands, knew their Faith at a very early age. The practice of the Faith was very strong! People who were nearly illiterate, all over the world, were very knowledgeable in their Faith. Some were Saints, even– like St. Bernadette, St. Juan Diego, the three shepherd children of Fatima, etc. When I was young, nearly all Catholics went to Catholic schools, which were very good, in those days. Nearly every Catholic boy knew how to be an altar boy, and also, nearly every Catholic boy dreamed at some point in his life, of perhaps becoming a priest. That was normal! The Church was very strong! She really practiced her Faith! We need a strong practicing Catholic culture, where the Church really cares about the Faith of Christ, to transmit the Faith, and help people come to God! And why are these priests in Marin County talking about reception of Holy Communion for their young people at Mass?? How about the Sacrament of Penance?? And what are their Catholic schools like?? Not very good perhaps! The collapse of the Mass, Sacraments, priesthood and religious orders, Catholic schools and seminaries, etc., and Papal authority after Vatican II, led to this present situation. Our Church could actually disappear, except for a book or two to read about it– if not properly practiced, with an authentic and strong Catholic culture!
Well said Linda Maria!
Very well said Linda Maria!
All baptized Catholics pre Vatican II did not know their Faith.
Only those who went to Catholic Schools or had good catechism teachers learned their Faith. Catholics were not encouraged to read the Bible.
When the Catechism of the Council of Trent was written in 1566AD, the average lay person was not literate.
Today literate Catholics can read the Bible and CCC at home. They do not even have to leave their home. They can watch EWTN on TV or the computer.
There are no excuses today for not knowing the Faith.
(We did have Bishop Sheen 1951 – 1968 on TV and radio each week.)
Each person will be judged by Jesus =
CCC: ” 1791 This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits.”
If people have time to watch tv, be on the computer not related to work, or read books – how will they be able to tell Jesus that they had no time for their Faith?
That they did not know their Faith well enough to teach their children?
How will Bishops and Priests respond to Jesus, when he asks them how they fed His sheep?
Hosea 4:6 – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. ”
“….. let us ask ourselves if we have actually taken a few steps to get to know Christ and the truths of faith more, by reading and meditating on the Scriptures, studying the Catechism, steadily approaching the Sacraments.” Pope Francis, May 15, 2013.
I grew up in marin County and my parish was clsoed to help pay for the clergy sex abuse scandal payouts to victims. The issue with Mass attendance and Eurcharistic participation isn’t a catechetics issue, it’s an overall Church fit issue. Marin county has morphed from a large family Catholic berg into a small family county with Catholics that are far less likely to attend Mass, if ever. Those changes began in the 1960s and have accelerated since then. Because Marin’s base of Cathilics hs become smaller over time, the visual effect of far fewer people at Mass is more pronounced.
“….. let us ask ourselves if we have actually taken a few steps to get to know Christ and the truths of faith more, by reading and meditating on the Scriptures, studying the Catechism, steadily approaching the Sacraments.” Pope Francis, May 15, 2013.
People who do not know their Faith, don’t know what is really going on at Mass, and do not understand the spirituality of the Sacraments.
They can not teach their children or others because they are just going through the motions.
good cause, I am sure it has nothing to do with contraception becoming widely available and used since the 1960’s.
When my siblings and I attended Catholic grammar school, religion was a part of all the subjects that we studied. Example, Sister Josephine has ten apples; she gives two away; how many apples does Sister Josephine have now? This was in arithmetic. In reading, spelling, penmanship and English it was the same thing. The Catholic faith was represented in all the subjects. We had nuns teach us, who wore the traditional habit, and the priest came to all the classrooms every week. Because the nuns and the priests did their job as a labor of love, we children could see this, and we knew that they were dedicated to serving God with joy and gladness. In today’s world, as I have pointed out previously, religion is not even taught in religion class. It is socialism which has taken the place of religion. Seeing the other posts on calcatholic which were posted recently, we see the homosexual agenda being promoted and other non-Catholic and anti-Christian ideas being stressed. Is it no wonder why the students know nothing about the sacramental life of the Catholic Church? In many parishes the pastors promote and encourage their parishioners to go to the non-Catholic churches on Sundays, and the Protestant ministers tell their parishioners to attend the Catholic Mass. So there is interdenominational Communion With all this confusion going on, and the mingling of religions, it is plain to see that the majority of Catholics, no matter how old they are, are totally ignorant of the Catholic faith. Knowledge is power, and Our Lady is the seat of wisdom. By fostering no intimacy with the divine, and keeping the laity ignorant, is it no wonder why most Catholics know nothing, while the Protestants can at least quote the Bible? In the spiritual life, one is either improving each day, or deteriorating each day . It is a safe bet to wager which way the Catholic Church is headed.
Father, don’t you think that the a lot of laity are lazy. There is so much info on the internet today, EWTN, radio, and hundreds of books available. Look out how many hours are spent on social media, video games, and other entrainment. Maybe people don’t want to learn because then they would have to change their lives. It is easier to just do what you and to do and believe what you want to believe.
Literate Catholics are still not encouraged by many Diocese Bishops and Priests to read a Catholic Bible and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” at HOME.
Everyone might be surprised at the large numbers of Mass going Catholics who have never heard of the CCC.
They do not accurately know their Faith in entirety, and therefore can not pass on what they do not know.
Father Karl,
When I attended Catholic school as a child my classmates enjoyed throwing me in the trash dumpster after Mass.
Then, since I was in the first class of a new catholic school, the teachers and clergy could not help but talk about how much better, more moral, and just an environment we had in the school vs. the “evil” outside world.
I must confess, I found all of that puzzling, since I was a very ugly child with buck teeth that stuck out of my mouth wore thick glasses due to a degenerative eye condition, I was the smallest child in my class, and clumsy and uncoordianted. Abuse seemed to be what my peers believed I deserved. And, as sick as it may be, even teachers and priests “like” the “successful” and appealing kids more—that is a hard truth I learned in childhood.
The funny thing is, I was treated better outside the Church, and my catholic grade school. Because I was bullied, I started taking Judo. I happened to be rather talented at it—once I overcame my poor coordination. I started winning tournaments and eventually (in my late teens) was good enough to qualify for national level competitions. So, it was the outside world that treated me with respect, and the world that surrounded the Church which seemed to believe that ridicule and abuse was my proper lot in life.
I believe that ridicule, social rejection, and emotional abuse during the “critical period” of when we first develop sexual attractions play a large role in later sexual orientation. If this is true, is not then the Church once again banging on the “unpopular” kids for being “unpopular”?
Taxes are a way to force people for paying for something which they may oppose. Take the “Together in Mission” (tax) in Archdiocese of Los Angeles for example. When it was first implemented in the 80’s we were assured by Cardinal Mahoney that the monies would ONLY be used to keep Parish CHURCHES open. We were given a scenario that if the the money was not excised from “wealthy” parishes that our “poor” Catholic brothers and sisters would be left with nowhere to worship.
Today the “Together in Mission” (tax) is excised to support 37 parishes and 56 SCHOOLS. If any of these 56 schools are not teaching the fullness of the Catholic faith, then this tax is no less evil than the tax American citizens are being excised to support today’s Leftist Public Educational system.
This year’s TIM goal(using the word goal is dishonest because the parishes will be assessed regardless) is 15.4 million dollars.
Once a bureaucracy puts something in place, it takes a strong person to remove it from the” tax” rolls.
Please read this regarding all Charities (and if you know of violations, contact the Diocese Bishop or the Vatican as appropriate.
“On the Service of Charity” which is now Church Law; “https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20121111_caritas_en.html
and review Code of Canon Law https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM
on Schools (under teaching function).
Anna, thank you for the resource. I believe that the only way that we can expect orthodoxy to return to the Church is for the laity to insist upon it.
I bet you can add San Mateo County to the mix!
It is a real tragedy that so many Catholics do not understand the essentials of the Faith or have left the Church entirely. Certainly, the leadership of the Church bears some responsibility for this; however, so do the laity. From my experience, it is very challenging to raise guide children in the Faith in the current American mainstream culture. The disrespect for life, individuals, family life, sexuality, religion and friendship is nearly pervasive. All three of my children have left the Church due to the scandals, etc. however, they still believe in the Trinity. Let us pray that we will live lives worthy of the Faith that will entice our fallen away Catholics to return home!
lisag, yes, the laity are lazy. They have the wrong priorities. Playing the lotto, going to the mall, fishing and hunting, playing and watching sports are more important to them than saving their souls. Who led the laity down the primrose path? It was the bad teachers in the Catholic schools and the liberal priests who told the people, if you do not WANT to go to Mass, then do not go. God will not be angry with you. It is NOT a sin. Do what you think is best. And then, with the notion that everyone is saved, why spend any effort on saving one’s soul, since all will go to Heaven? The first commandment demands that we have NO strange gods. All the extra curricular activity that we do when we are supposed to pray and worship God ARE false gods. Mankind is basically lazy, and that is why we must practice self control, and seek the higher and more perfect things in life. The Church herself is to blame for preaching the wrong message. Look at how many bishops condemned Mother Angelica at EWTN, and as a result, millions of Catholics have never watched this channel. All the ignorance that is around today is because the hierarchy wanted to keep the laity dumb and happy. As a result, there are half baked, or neo Catholic pagans running around, where there should be well informed future saints.
Father Karl while I agree with you. I must say I didn’t know that bishops condemned EWTN? Do you which bishops actually did? I would like to know so I can write to them and ask them as to why they would do such an evil thing.
I meant to add the word “know” to my question Father….do you know which bishops actually did. Sorry for the typo. I’m typing to fast.
Abeca, this link should be helpful in your search for an answer to your question.
https://www.catholicleague.org/the-odyssey-of-mother-angelica/
The details about the Bishops vs. Mother Angelica starts on paragraph 13 of the article: “In 1978, her life was forever altered when….”
Just a reminder: Search engines are powerful tool! We all need to use them while we are still free to do so!
Abeca,
You just have to go about 200 miles North to the Chancery of Lost Angels to get your answer. The most grevious attacker of Mother Angelica was none other than, you probably guessed it, Roger the Dodger Mahony!
God have mercy May on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Abeca, it was a well know fact that several bishops, including Cardinal Mahoney were publicly attacking Mother Angelica. In fact, I believe he tried to bring canonical action against her, and the Vatican responded by saying, LEAVE MOTHER ANGELICA ALONE! Besides her poor health, she retired and ‘sold’ EWTN because some of the bishops were after her Her convent has no real say on how EWTN is run or managed, and this was done to save the congregation of nuns. She also wanted the altar against the wall (the Tridentine way), but the bishop of Birmingham forced her to have a free standing altar. Much of this information has been published in her biography.
Abeca, an after thought to what I wrote. A day ago or so, a priest, instead of ending Mass the way it is supposed to conclude, sang a song. His name is Father Ray Kelly. I would bet that the vast majority of Catholics think this was wonderful, and so up lifting. This is on youtube. The affair was theater, and it was entertaining; two things the Mass IS NOT supposed to be. We have lost the sense 0f the sacred, and it is widespread.
Our children today are not being Catechized mostly because their parents were never properly Catechized. Unfortunately, this continues today, and one reason is because our parish churches are failing at Catechizing both children and adults.
The New Evangelization in the US is not coming from our priests and Bishops but rather from lay organizations and dedicated people. If you want to Catechize both adults and children, then look to offering some of the following programs in your parish:
YDisciple – a DVD program offered for parish teens by the Augustine Institute at augustineinstitute.org.
Symbolon – a newly released multi-DVD program for both RCIA and for existing Catholics offered by the Augustine Institute.
The Great Adventure Bible study program – a multi-course DVD program developed and taught by Jeff Cavins and available from Ascension Press at ascensionpress.com.
Epic, The History of the Catholic Church – a 20 session DVD course developed and taught by Steve Weidenkopf available from Ascension Press.
After 16 years of Catholic school education I thought I knew my faith. Wrong. It took the past several years of studying the above programs that made me realize How ignorant of my faith and its history I truly was. We all need to work to bring Catholic education to our parishes. Do not depend upon your pastors and Bishops to do so.