Battling Trolls: Apologetics and New Evangelism

St. George battles the dragon.

As Catholics we are called to make "disciples of all nations" and since most nations have now heard of Christianity it is our duty to go deeper and dispel the lies surrounding the Church and her teachings. In the modern world evangelism is no longer a one-size-fits all effort. You no longer have to travel to remote villages in order to engage with people who grew up differently than you. For many of us, all it takes is hopping onto a computer or flipping on our phone. International and interfaith communication has literally never been easier than it is now. 

Trolls

Of course with increased access not all voices are helpful. You're probably well aware that religious sites (yes, even this one) receive its fair share of trolls and occasional death threats. And while it can be spiritually and even emotionally exhausting dealing with these people, we must remember to remain calm and patient. We must wade through the badgering with perfect resilience and view every interaction as what it really is - an opportunity to teach others about the True Faith.

So when you are faced with the persistent troll, remember, they are people too. God created them and no matter what they say to provoke you, you must never stoop down to their petty methods. 

If is Smells like a Troll ...     

It can be difficult to determine whether someone is truly a troll or if they are just ignorant. Not every creature that smells like a troll is a troll. Some people just smell. 

If you engage in Apologetics and interfaith discussions with others it is important to remember that not everyone is a troll. Sometimes people ask questions because they are genuinely curious. They might use the same tired fall backs and phrases that we all know "whore of Babylon," "adding to the Bible," "Sola Scriptura" etc. and while it might seem that they are barraging you with endless questions, a closer look will likely reveal genuine interest. With my whole heart, I really do believe that every man and woman in the world was meant to be Catholic. When non-Caths come and ask questions it might very well be because they feel God calling them towards the True Church but their hearts are filled with fear. 

Don't give them another reason to resist. Please remember to be kind and patient. Don't give answers for things you don't know. It's okay to be honest and say "I don't know" if you don't. It would be better to admit that than to give false information. 

It's Not a Contest... 

New Evangelism and Apologetics are not about "winning" or "losing" arguments. They are really about listening to the concerns of other peoples and calmly dispelling them with arms open and ready to accept anyone-- because you never know where converts will come from. 

New Evangelism and Apologetics are about shouting the truth over the cacophony of lies in the world. They are about dispersing seeds in the hope that something will take and grow.   

Keep in mind why you are doing it and pray that God guide you in your endeavors. 

May God keep and Bless you now and forevermore! 

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Checking Your Connection

Image comes from Creative Commons.

It’s important to build our relationship with God in many ways - through forms of prayer and service. Prayer is like communication. There are many different ways to communicate (written letters, email, Social Media, texting, Skype etc. and face to face conversation) and in the same way there are many forms of prayer (repetition, reading scripture, contemplative, expressive praise and worship, charismatic etc.).

 A lot of people have developed an annoying habit of constantly checking their connection, worried they might have lost a call or missed a message from a friend. Our connection to God does not depend on a tower or a satellite. Our connection to God is constant. He always has a new message waiting for us, we just have to take some time each day to check it.

We don’t need to ask him “Can you hear me” because the answer is always yes. He can hear you and He’s listening. I don’t want to discourage you from using technology. It really is a marvelous modern miracle. But we need to be careful with the way we use it. We need to find some balance in our life and remember our connection to God is more important than our WiFi.

“And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [your] mind, that ye may prove what [is] the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

Romans 12:2 

It can be easy for us to get lost in documenting life and forget to actually live it.

The Bible is full of people well-connected to God. It would be hard to imagine Noah or Ezekiel stopping to talk on the phone. The thought of Jesus playing Candy Crush is ridiculous and not just because it is anachronistic. The only connection they worried about was God.

Growing up, my mother always had a rule, no technology on the Sabbath. We could have chosen any day but with homework and daily life, Sunday seemed to work the best. We quickly found that without the television or radio or phones and pagers, we were forced to actually spend time with one another. Our cabinet of board games was soon overflowing and we can now boast of library with literally more than a thousand books. But more than anything, our No-Tech days gave us hours of all that time that you think you “don’t have”. It gave us time to sit together and pray or read scripture or even just impress each other with political and philosophical debates.

When we removed ourselves from the world, we found a whole new world of opportunities presented themselves. We learned how to connect with one another and more importantly, we strengthened our connection to God.

You don’t have to completely cut technology out of your life in order to be a good Christian but you should be mindful of how much you use it and how you use it.

 Especially during Holy Week we should all take a little bit of time to focus on our connection with God. Your signal is strong and constant. He’s just waiting for you to check in.

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Catholic Fantasy Fiction:MY NEW BOOK!

Hey! I'm in the middle of writing a Catholic Historical Fantasy novel (series). I'm a strong believer in creating a thoroughly Catholic culture. It's the only way we will be able to overcome the evils of our current Culture of Death.

Here's a quick view of my map! For a better look
visit me at The Catholic Crow

I am trying to write it all in a way that mimics other fantasy classics (like The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings) which are not overwhelmingly religious/political (any audience can enjoy it) but Christians are likely to find it extra appealing for its subtle implications. Though I want it to be open to a wide audience, I believe my conservative Catholic views are highly integrated into the complex story which centers around the need for Religious Freedom, Family Values, and (my favorite) TRADITION!
The West is essentially a land rife with Paganism while the Easterners are more or less allegorical for Protestants. The mystical people following the "Ancient" religion (who even pray in the "Ancient" language) are the heroic Catholics of the tale.

Beyond this there are political struggles of ambitious men (young and old alike) as well as ethnic and religious tensions between the different groups and competing cultures. Of course no Fantasy Fiction is complete without fantastical creatures- for which I am incorporating my own elements in addition to using many older Medieval creatures [which those well versed in Medieval Literature are sure to appreciate]. Oh! And there's sibling rivalries, love triangles, betrayal, death, magic, and a pretty strong statement about finding fulfillment in parenthood (without birth control). This is not to say that it is all in-your-face, there are selfish Feminist characters just the same but they are honestly not intended to be the characters one identifies with. Here it is the Radical-Feminist which is portrayed for what she really is- hypocritical and self-serving, to the point of even exploiting other women for the sake of her own "independence". This should hopefully be a breath of fresh air for those that are used to the genre as well as for those that do not typically read Fantasy. (To be honest, though I love fantasy film, I read WAY more Historical Fiction than I do Fantasy so I'll hopefully avoid some of the same old tired conventions- perhaps including just a few for comfort. I'm not sure yet, we'll see.)    
 
I have been posting a few updates and even a preview (don't worry- it was a VERY rough draft). You can read all about it at The Catholic Crow. I would very greatly appreciate your support. Thanks! - Peace and Blessings!

Father Who [Catholic Webcomic] Up & Running!

An updated Fr. Who

The first issue of "Father Who" is now up & running! Now you, your friends, and your children can enjoy a clean Catholic comic without having to worry about profanity, nudity, anti-clerical or anti-papal messages etc. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by it [I hope you subscribe!]

Right now the comic is running FatherWho.thecomicseries.com and on Comic Rocket for those that prefer this site to keep up with their online subscriptions [I was already using it to follow a few- figured I might as well post mine too!] While you're at Comic Rocket- check out "The CruZader Secret Agent of the Catholic Church" - I haven't finished it yet but so far the art is fantastic & if you're into superhero comics you'd definitely find it appealing.

 What I have posted online is the first issue which I created prior to December. I am now beginning to write and draw the next issue- right now I'm setting the story up but by this weekend I'll hopefully decide where they'll be going & who they'll meet on their first journey together through time & space. I picked up "The Golden Legend" for inspiration.

Any suggestions? If you could go back in time & meet one saint or Early Church Father- who would it be?

Father Who [Catholic Comic]

As promised, here are a few pages of the first issue ... [yes, it is intentionally black and white]. I'll try to scan it in a higher resolution next time. Don't worry! It gets better! 

Many countries set their comics up differently depending on their direction of writing ... As a native English speaker, I have set the pages up in the standard American comic method. In case you're used to Manga or are just unfamiliar with comics ... it is almost like reading a book - you read the frames from left to right (beginning at the top and progressing downward) speech & thought bubbles are read in order from highest to lowest in a frame - also generally left to right (important to know when there are multiple responses). I hope this helps!

Cover Page!

Eventually I will find a webcomic host and use that to post (perhaps in addition to posting here?) ... I'm posting these here without any real editing to the images. I didn't notice until afterwards that there was a long hair on the scanner (thus the line across the top of the pages). The first issue is already done - I was experimenting with a few different styles of comic art and I sometimes switch back and forth between them.

I prefer the darker pages with less white but my brother likes comics to be bright and colorful so I tried to find a middle ground by leaving thick white gutters. The next issue will hopefully be a tad more consistent in character representation. If you're having a hard time telling the characters apart ... the priest(s) have glasses, Al does not (he also has a square jaw). As the pages continue, my art improves - stick around to see the rest. 

Please feel free to share this with others! 

A quick explanation (just in case) ... Aloysius (our young companion) is a bit of a punk. He's featured most frequently in a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up (to hide himself from the world) ... he's hiding himself from the light too :( 

He stands in line waiting... while the monks use the time to reflect, examine conscience, and pray, he just waits.  Enter flashback ... Yep ... Al's parents are dead. 

What do you think so far? I would REALLY appreciate some feedback! 

- God Bless & have an awesome day!

Catholic Comic books and other new things: a general update and more personal notes than ever previously shared

Yep! Catholic Comics! I'm sick of anti-clerical and anti-Catholic comics (especially supernatural and historical fantasy ones) so I'll likely begin to create and share my own.
Its been quite awhile since I have updated this- I've been quite busy with school and have recently taken up running - when I'm not in class, the library, church, or watching the news/napping on the couch, this is typically what I'm up to- putting lots and lots of miles on my new running shoes. Wonderful for my health but of course not so great for my blog. But here I am- making time in the wee hours of the early morning. Oh! Happy St. Patrick's day!

Some general updates ...
I'm still discerning a possible call to the sisterhood but every time I think I have made a choice (between Benedictine or Discalced Carmelites) something happens in my life which makes me think again. I'm almost done with school- in a few months I'll be a college graduate (wow - that makes me sound so old!). One of my little brothers is now in the FSSP seminary and one of my sisters is married and pregnant. (yay! She's being blessed with motherhood!)  

I've been working on my art skills lately. Though I have no training whatsoever, I have had an active interest in doodling since the second grade (though I was thoroughly convinced it was legitimate sketching). I might even enter a local (fairly small town) art show at our fave comic book store at the end of the month. I'm not sure if things will line up yet - we'll see. (I'm also a full time student of Religious Studies/History & Anthropology .. finding time for art can be hard too!)

Our young companion before meeting "The Father" 

Another potentially noteworthy thing is that I began a comic book (for my other little brother) and after much contemplation I think I will be posting it online for the enjoyment of others as well. It is a Catholic parody of Dr. Who which features "The Father" who travels throughout time to visit saints and church fathers with his skeptical young companion who learns about the Faith along the way... oh! Their tardis is a confessional and the Daleks feature prominently as Fundies (don't worry, they're still no match for The Father!). The first issue was filled with inside jokes especially about campy comic book conventions (sassy villains, people getting slapped, etc.). I'm not actually sure how much would be understood by others online though many of the jokes admittedly rely on somewhat extensive knowledge of Catholic history and Theology in order to be completely understood (for example: The Father says something along the lines of - "its not just any Bible ... its a Dhouay Rheims!") If you understand the reference - congratulations! The target audience for such a comic is very slim and you may very well fall within these parameters.  I don't want the whole thing to rely on outside knowledge though as I do plan on using some of the later issues to teach a bit as well. Since the first issue was geared 100% towards a single person (my brother) I felt I could push limits and throw in exactly what I wanted without worrying about alienating an audience. Any issues I post online would take others into consideration though. Perhaps I could include some sort of "author's notes" for some of the more obscure references. Above is one of the pages I found on my hard drive which I didn't know was there. I went ahead and left it unedited to give you a better idea of my natural style- I haven't decided whether or not I want to color it. I've always been a fan of Black and Whites & Noir style ... What do you think?

Whether you like comics or you have children that do, I've been thinking a lot about this lately and I'd really like to put forward some more family-friendly (definitely Catholic-friendly) comics. (Martyrs will likely appear and if I can figure out how to draw a dragon- St George will too. Still more child-friendly than most comics though!) I will also try to go out of my way to ensure all characters are dressed modestly and use clean language- I feel like this is really important and often overlooked as well. Oh! I almost forgot- The Father wears a cassock! Rather than "bow ties are cool" his phrase will be "Cassocks are classic".

Its finals week for me right now and I left the first issue at home so I haven't been able to work on it in quite awhile. Once I'm able to scan all of it I might do some light editing and will likely be posting it. I'm definitely not a pro but I would like to believe that I am not completely horrendous either. If you're not already, please subscribe! I should be posting fairly soon with another update and perhaps a few pages of the first issue.
          

Saint Gertrude Chaplet- release 50,000 souls from Purgatory!

Print this & share it with others!

  I have had many requests to redo my St Gertrude Chaplet (video on YouTube). It is a surprisingly difficult chaplet to get ahold of... 1 of St Gertrude's prayers releases 1,000 souls from Purgatory (it may also confer special graces and indulgences for living souls). . . This chaplet has what I like to think of as a Spiritual Multiplier Effect. If prayed faithfully, this chaplet releases (up to) 50,000 souls from Purgatory! (What happens to souls released from Purgatory?...) Those 50,000 souls are able to go to Heaven and pray for us (for our soul & the world)! God literally gave us a prayer to increase the number of souls in Heaven- and it's so easy too! Why is this prayer (and chaplet) so difficult to find? Satan tries to hide things like this from us in order to keep us from living a faithful life... and to prevent the release of souls into Heaven. This means its up to us to share it with others! You can try printing a few & leaving them in the back of your Church [it might be a good idea to ask your priest first]... or share it with the your church's youth group & (CCD) Faith Formation classes... you can even repost it on Facebook, leave it in Catholic books at your library (for some lucky person to find in the future), share it with your family, friends, and Catholic neighbors... the possibilities are endless!

So...I only had one class today, "The Devil in Film" and it was cancelled so I came back home, researched a guide for the Saint Gertrude Chaplet (so I could redo my video & post this with it) ... but I couldn't find any that were very useful. (There were a few but they were poorly written and difficult to follow so after struggling to figure out their instructions... I believe I have put it into an easy to use guide by reformatting a standard 5-decade Rosary guide.) ... I have a 2 page paper to write tonight (I'm analyzing the concepts of soul, sin, sexuality, and Protestant thought in the 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - I chose both topic & film so- yay! This should be interesting). I also have some Philosophy articles to read on the ethics of war but if all goes as planned, I should hopefully find some more time today to rerecord my Saint Gertrude Chaplet video & post it tonight - or maybe sometime later this week... Oh! I almost forgot... it might be a little hard to see but the Immaculate & Sacred Heart prayers come before the Glory Be.
 ... Pray on!

Catholic Veils - Women in Mass

This is not one of my videos... but it is amazing & very dear to me - I thought I'd share it here :D
Also- if you are looking for a place to purchase a veil, you CAN use VeilsbyLily but it can get a bit pricey [though there is an excellent selection- remember... you can only use 1 at a time... if you take good care of your veil it might last you- years!]. If you are looking for something a bit cheaper... try http://rosamysticamantilla.com/ or even a just a plain [wide] scarf which you might already own!