Advanced Catholicism 410 and the Future of Our Country

I go to mass every Sunday and I sincerely wonder how many of the people there really understand their faith. Most appear to have an historic, working knowledge of it, but so few "get it." I was one of the ignorant Catholic masses (no pun intended) about a decade ago, so I'm not casting stones. But our biggest failing as a faith is our ability to teach it effectively to the next generation.

That is huge! That allows for misinterpretation and ignorant and harmful dissidence within the faithful. And it's completely inexcusable.

At mass about a week ago our pastor, Father Bob, was mentioning how hard it used to be to get confirmed. It was more difficult because you actually had to know a lot more about the Catholic faith.

Having been trying to get my head around my faith for over 40 years now, I can tell you the bullet-point overview we get now for confirmation does absolutely nothing in preparing our youth to live their faith in high school and in college. The confirmation training offered now is a joke. We have lowered our standards so far that just having a workable knowledge of basic church concepts garners an okie-dokie from the church.

As I listened to Father's homily something occurred to me that could realistically change our nation.

If I were someone with the means, like Tom Monaghan, for example, I would offer a free college education for any confirmed Catholic high school student who could complete an intensive Catholic course that included volunteer hours, essays, a lot of reading and a lot of prayer. This course would be hard. I mean, really hard.

But if you completed it, on top of of your current school work, and you were able to get a B or higher on the final exam, you would get a college education for free.

What would this do? It would offer a college education to any confirmed Catholic with enough drive and passion to get it. That drive and passion would allow them to learn and deeply understand our Catholic faith. They would then take that understanding and faith into college and later, into the workforce.

Within a few decades these people would end up in positions of influence in society. Think of that. A society where many of the leaders of industry and politics would be well trained and, hopefully, extremely faithful Catholics. People who are proud of their faith and able to articulate it effectively to those who oppose anything even hinting at "religion."

In a few short decades it could effectively change the heart of our nation... and our faith community of the American Catholic Church as a whole.

Republicans Should Hope For Clinton to Win...

As a fairly conservative guy I can't tell you how disappointed I am that McCain looks to be the Republican Presidential Candidate. Here's a guy who's so proud about "crossing the aisle," but what that really means is that he becomes a Democrat-lite. Cooperation is one thing. Consistently voting opposite of your party is something else.

The average person calls that not having a moral compass.

And how can conservative voters forget immigration? McCain is the guy who was so out of touch with the American people that he penned, along with Lenin-wanna-be Ted Kennedy, a bill which allows just about every illegal law breaker to stay in the country for the small price of a couple of grand.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for immigration... only the legal kind.

So, given that McCain is the Republican nominee (boy, it pains me to say that) I must then hope that Clinton is the Democratic nominee. Why?

What is McCain? An aged, war-hero, career politician. What's Obama? A young guy with a fresh take and the perceived "outsider" voicing the people's concerns. Sure, he's been a Senator for two years, but apparently it takes three years to be considered an insider.

Anyway, if Obama wins the Democratic nomination and faces McCain... well, it won't be pretty. Can you say "Kennedy vs. Nixon?" Could those two guys look and act and simply be more different? Young vibrant newcomer black guy against an old, stodgy, politically rudderless white guy who is visually the epitome of what a career, inefficient politician looks like.

At least with Clinton there's enough people that know from history that she's less than trustworthy and from personal taste that she's less than likable. At least McCain would have a shot against her. Granted, it would look like a campaign for president of the nursing home instead of the most powerful office in the U.S., but at least McCain could possibly, on a good day, possibly represent my conservative beliefs... maybe.

McCain against Obama, however... ha! Not a chance. Obama's campaign is so invigorated and excited and full of life. Nothing else comes close.

As I heard via email the other day, I believe I have come down with Electile Dysfunction, because I just can't get excited about anyone in this presidential race.

Ugh...

All options suck right now. I can't believe the remaining candidates are the best five people available in this U.S. that are willing to try and run the most powerful country in the world. Are we sure we've looked everywhere?

There's got to be an honest, law-abiding and upholding male or female with integrity out there, isn't there?

Oh, wait a minute, I'm talking about politics. Never mind.

I guess we'll just have to deal with the used car salesmen (and woman) that we're stuck picking from.