It's mandatory for me to contradict myself on this as much as possible; it's a tradition of sorts.
Yes, the real 'interactions' have been off the Internet, where they probably should be. However, since most of these interactions involve things that are being written here and elsewhere, I'll use this as a 'parallel' means of communication (a bulletin board tack for everyone's eyes alongside the everyday conversations). Let me state two realities for the record:
(1) I have not heard from the Pope, nor do I expect to hear from the Holy Father at any point, concerning my being an official spokesperson for the Catholic Church. I do understand that in one sense I am a spokesperson, but in this latest entry series I have acknowledged at least twice that I'm merely trying to provoke thought (not trying to make airtight arguments). I'm a horrible debater, and I'm horrible at making any good points about anything.
So, please (a big Reading Rainbow shout-out here), don't take my word for it. Call me out, challenge me, etc., but don't take one person's word on it. I'm small potatoes. Please take it all with a grain of salt and investigate.
(2) The Catholic Church doesn't have 'all the answers,' despite the charges from hyper triumphalists and skeptics - but let me be more precise in what exactly I mean. The Church is not lacking where 'something else' may 'fill' a void; it is lacking simply where humanity cannot probe the mind of God Almighty or His complex workings in the universe, though even in this She does have the revelation of the Incarnation and the Holy Spirit that provides insight into some of these elements. Ultimately, I'm acknowledging the following: The Church Herself teaches that even if a person is acknowledged as a Doctor in the Church (and there are but a few of these), this doesn't automatically mean that all her/his teachings are immune to the the judgment of heresy. The Catholic Church does not 'make' people saints in some sort of juxtaposition to God's grace (She acknowledges their sainthood and serves as the Holy Spirit's agent of mysterious sanctification in the world), nor can She absolutely say that a person who, for example, commits suicide has automatically dodged 'Go' and gone directly to hell (there are many factors of culpability to be considered, and ultimately we as humans just don't know how a merciful and just God will rule on the matter). We humans do not know the 'precise parametres' of sanctifying grace, nor will we ever know whether or not (or how) God saves souls who do not acknowledge and accept the Lord's lordship and Body. There are many, many things about life we, as humans, simply don't 'know' in any scientific sense, and we simply will never know many things - because some elements of reality are beyond conscious human reason.
This is certainly no excuse for laziness; God did give us human reason for a very beautiful reason. Furthermore, what the Church does say in authoritative/doctrinal terms concerns the best way of living and believing. God, in all beauty and fullness, is certainly beyond human comprehension, and we (in our finite and even fallen state) have only begun to glimpse His glory, even in His extremely visible Son; yet it has been revealed (and given to us as a language) that God is Triune, and it is right and true to talk about God in such terms. This certainly doesn't suggest that we have God 'encapsulated,' but it does suggest we've been given a revelation, a glimpse into the heart/reality of God. Also, as another example, it may be that you make it to heaven by the grace of God if you get crushed by a semi on the way to confessing cold-blooded murder, but why not go to confession frequently and leave the freak accidents freaky instead of gambling?
So, please, let's let the record sit up straight. The Holy Spirit is at work in the Church, and the Church has anticipated/battled several problems that human reason alone would not have anticipated/battled; furthermore, the Church is the fullness of humanity. However, don't think that I'm under the impression that the Catholic Church is 'the answer' in some sort of skimpy, ludicrous, one-size-bandage-fits-all sort of way. The Church as it has been represented in its human characters and various 'sub-plots' has been involved in some very bizarre and questionable actualities and events. All in all, though, She is still the Bride of Christ, for whom He gave His life.
-Rick
