college student archivos

St Celestine I

April 6, 2024 / Uncle Eddy

Dear Steve,

For once, I am glad you are thousands of miles away. Otherwise, I may have strangled you in a fit of rage after reading your last email. Theological “dissent” is NOT a service to the Church and never has been, no matter what your “amiable and brilliant” young professor tells you. Dissent creates confusion – temptation’s favorite weapon. I don’t have time to go into the fallacies of the Theology of Dissent right now (I am being taken to the interrogation room again in 5 minutes). I hope it’s sufficient to remind you that forcing every Church teaching to pass the test of your personal opinions (which boil down to your personal TASTES) is tantamount to claiming that you are the Pope. If you really believe that, than you ought to be coherent and join a Protestant church. But I don’t think you really do believe that – at least, I hope not. A glance at today’s saint may help refresh your understanding of the Papacy.

Celestine I was a native Roman, and succeeded Boniface to the Papacy. This was in the year 422. At that point the Papacy had already survived for four hundred years as God’s guarantor of Church unity and authentic doctrine. During Celestine’s ten years as Pope, he was busy parrying horrible threats to both. There was a promising young priest in Numidia (Africa – part of modern Algeria’s coast) who became corrupt soon after being named bishop of Fussala. He was creating quite a scandal, and even succeeded in evading discipline by terrorizing his populace. St Austin alerted Celestine to the danger, and the Pope quelled the disturbance prudently and efficiently.

He also had to face three different outbreaks of heresy. Nestorianism (which claims that there were two persons in Christ – a divine person and a human person… it’s a blunder that seems nitpicky at first, but has terrible consequences if taken to its logical extreme) flared up in Asia Minor (Turkey), and Celestine had to call an Ecumenical Council at Ephesus to put it out. He had to rein in some overzealous bishops in Gaul, and he had to send St Germanus of Auxerre to stifle the Pelagianism threatening England.

For the ten years of his Papacy, Celestine used his divinely appointed, universal authority in matters of faith and morals to keep the Catholic Church united and faithful to Christ. That, my bright young nephew, is what the Papacy is for. Therefore, if you start putting your considerable intellectual talent in opposition to Church teaching instead of at its service, you are playing a dangerous (and stupid) game.

Your faithful uncle,

Eddy

St Celestine I Read More »

“Ask a Priest: What If a Professor Assigns a Pro-Gay Book?”

March 24, 2020 / Ask a Priest, General

Q: I am taking a young adult literature class at my school. One of the books we have to read is called Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. (Those are the two names of the kids.) A big theme in the book is their discovering that they are gay and being OK with that. I go to a Catholic college but have come across numerous classes where Catholic teachings aren’t taught. I have spoken to two leaders of my campus, but they don’t seem to want to effect change. This teacher is very pro-gay rights, and I doubt she will let me opt out of reading this book. I’m going to skip some of the classes where we have to discuss this book. But I do have to take two quizzes in class. Is it a sin for me to take quizzes on the book? I would just skip the quizzes, but then I would get two zeroes and that’s not good for my grade. I also don’t know if speaking up in class would be the best. I have shared my views in class before, but I think if I did it this time, people would just get angrier and I wouldn’t really change hearts. I think I do better when I talk to people one on one about my beliefs. But please let me know if I’m committing a mortal sin in any way in this situation. I am agonizing over this. Thanks. – M.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: If only more Catholics were like you!

It sounds as though your suggested approach is the way to go: talk to folks one on one, rather than risk fireworks in the classroom.

The campus seems to be suffering the same problem that plagues a lot of Catholic schools: a lack of coherence in living and witnessing to the faith.

So what to do? I would say that unless the books themselves are a source of sin for you (racy content, for instance), you could take the quizzes. It could be considered a merely academic exercise.

On the positive side, this might be a good moment to step back and view the wider landscape before you.

The culture is a mess, and the human side of the Church hasn’t been spared damage. Even at a purely intellectual level, it’s a pity that the college isn’t assigning weightier books in its classes.

Here, you might want to ask how you will form yourself from now on. This might be the moment to commit yourself to a steady diet of solid Catholic and humanistic works. For starters, you might want to look at The Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan.

In the short term, to survive life on campus, try to network with other solid Catholic students. If possible, avoid the dicey professors and try to invite solid speakers to campus.

Be sure to nourish your soul with prayer and frequent recourse to the sacraments.

And get ready to live in a pagan world. It won’t be easy, but it could a great opportunity to embrace the faith more closely and to look for ways to build a new Christian civilization.

That might sound like a heady task, but there is a precedent. Ancient Christians managed with God’s grace to transform Rome. You might find consistent inspiration in reading about the lives of the saints — for instance, in our daily e-mails from Uncle Eddy.

The change needed in modernity might take centuries to effect, but that’s OK. We aren’t called to change the world. We are called to be faithful.

If we do our part to unleash the Gospel, the Holy Spirit can work wonders.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: What If a Professor Assigns a Pro-Gay Book?” Read More »

“Ask a Priest: What If I’m 18 and Questioning My Faith?”

March 13, 2020 / Ask a Priest, General

Q: I am turning to you in desperation. I am 18 years old. I was raised Catholic, and for the first time I am beginning to question the truth value of my faith. I have begun to apply a narrow-minded frame to Catholicism that compares it to “logic” and “science.” I feel very scared and disconcerted by these thoughts, and I am too ashamed to talk about this to any of my friends, priests or family members. How do I renew my faith in God, without seeking proof of his existence, which is inherently disrespectful? Is this merely an existentialist phase that comes with being a college student? Thank you for your time and God bless. – B.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It is not uncommon for young Catholics to question their faith. This can actually be a healthy sign. It shows that you are maturing intellectually and are no longer satisfied with the simple formulas you might have learned as a child.

This is a time of your life when you can learn the beauty and depth of the Catholic faith and embrace it as your own.

God created both faith and reason, and he wants us to use both in order to know and love him more. Until now, perhaps, you have been going on simple faith. Now your reason is kicking in — and it has lots of questions. That’s OK … because Catholicism has lots of answers.

A few practical steps might help.

First, try to make time for prayer each day. Speak with Jesus. He is at the heart of our faith. Catholicism isn’t just about doctrines and rules. It’s about a personal relationship with Jesus who suffered and died for each one of us. He is also your best friend. You can learn more about him by reading a bit of the Gospels each day. It’s important that you keep your eye on Our Lord.

Second, try to learn more about your faith by reading solid material. A few suggestions: the Youth Catechism, or YouCat; the Catechism of the Catholic Church; its Compendium; The Case for Catholicism; and Fundamentals of the Faith: Essays in Christian Apologetics.

Websites with lots of resources include Catholic Answers, EWTN, Peter Kreeft’s site, and The Catholic Thing.

One caveat: Be careful not to expose yourself to the wrong things. Internet is filled with dicey things.

Also, try to network with other Catholics who are serious about their faith. Perhaps there is a Newman Center at your campus. Or keep an eye out for events that might attract serious Catholics, such as talks or retreats.

It would be good to stay close to the sacraments, too. Monthly confession with a solid priest, and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament can do wonders.

Cultivate a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary through the rosary. She will intercede for you. And count on my prayers.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

“Ask a Priest: What If I’m 18 and Questioning My Faith?” Read More »

“Ask a Priest: Would a Tattoo Bar Me From the Priesthood?”

December 4, 2018 / Ask a Priest, Vocation

Q: I am a 22-year-old college student and have been growing deeply in my faith and relationship with God this past year. Right now, I am fasting from dating and focusing on finishing school and finding where the Lord is calling me to. I have no idea what occupation or vocation God calls me to. Am I to be a husband to a woman and a father to our children? Or a husband to the Church, my bride, and a father to our people? I know God has called me to be one of the sheepdogs protecting and leading his flock — hence, my previous belief that I had no calling but the military (I’m in the Marine Reserves). I hear a voice telling me not to turn down a religious vocation for false fear thinking that I “can’t be holy enough,” and I am just trusting God and seeing where he calls me to for the next couple of years. Anyway, these following questions popped into my head: 1) Can someone with tattoos apply for the priesthood? (I have a tattoo on my shoulder); 2) Is there a general GPA requirement you need to apply?; 3) I feel that I have holes in my knowledge of our faith; could you recommend one resource or book to start to learn more of the deep parts of our faith so I can better help lead and protect our people? Thank you. – A.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It is good to hear that you feel called to protect people and are at least open to the idea of a priestly vocation. That shows a spirit of generosity.

To briefly answer your specific questions:

A tattoo, if it is discreet, wouldn’t necessarily ban you from the priesthood. You would have to check with a vocation director or religious superior.

There is no magic GPA required, though someone usually needs at least average or above-average intelligence. Studies for the priesthood are serious and long, and a priest should keep up his intellectual formation throughout life.

For your knowledge of the faith, the best resources would be the Catechism and its Compendium. Helpful, too, might be the Youth Catechism, or YouCat.

There are lots of authors who make the faith accessible: Fulton Sheen; Frank Sheed; John Hardon, S.J.; Patrick Madrid; Peter Kreeft; and Pope Benedict XVI/Cardinal Ratzinger, to name just a few. You could find out about their works online.

Be sure to read the Gospels. You want to get to learn about the person of Christ. He is the one High Priest. He is the one who calls men to the priesthood. He is the model for every priest.

And it would be good not to just read the Gospels, but to pray them. My colleague Father John Bartunek has an app to help you do that; it’s called “The Better Part” (it also exists as a book). He also made a video about understanding and discovering one’s calling. You can find it here (scroll down to the bottom for the last video – the “conference” video — of Be Not Afraid: A Retreat Guide on St. John Paul II).

And, yes, don’t worry if you “don’t feel holy enough.” All of us are a work in progress. Holiness comes from God. We just need to be open to where he leads us.

In the meantime, you might want to contact a vocation director. Perhaps you could visit your local seminary if you feel called to the diocesan life.

For more material about vocations, you might find check out http://vocation.com/. You also might find it useful to check out some of the testimonies of members of my own religious order, the Legionaries of Christ, at http://legionariesofchrist.org/our-stories/.

I hope some of this helps. Count on being included in one of my Mass intentions.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

“Ask a Priest: Would a Tattoo Bar Me From the Priesthood?” Read More »

college student

St Celestine I

“Ask a Priest: What If a Professor Assigns a Pro-Gay Book?”

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

“Ask a Priest: What If I’m 18 and Questioning My Faith?”

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

“Ask a Priest: Would a Tattoo Bar Me From the Priesthood?”

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Alex Kucera

Atlanta