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This page records announcements from older meetings of "TYC"

Friday, March 7, 2014
The Pope and Capitalism

On the economic teaching of the Catholic Church.

Last December, Rush Limbaugh called Pope Francis "a pure Marxist" and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said, "The guy obviously does not understand capitalism."
A few years before that, some spokespersons for the Occupy Movement accused the Pope (Benedict) of being "protectors of the capitalist elite" and an enemy of the 99%. So which is it? Or has Pope Francis radically changed the teaching of the Catholic Church on the economy?

This Friday, we will look at the Catholic Church's tradition of social teaching. We will ask: Is the Catholic Church capitalist, socialist, or what? Does the Catholic Church support the Republican Party more, or the Democratic Party? Does the Catholic Church support the USA, China, Russia, or whom? Do we have a First World church, a Third World church, or something else?

Come prepared to discuss!

As always - please let us know if you are coming by texting 912-920-6767 or by registering at this Nativity Doodle.

Friday, January 31, 2014
Contraception - Birth Control

Do we say one thing and do another?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

  • With (artificial) contraception, the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality...

Yet a recent poll shows that 98% of Catholic women in the United States use birth control and 87% of adult Catholics think that it should be allowed. The percentage is higher in Western Europe.

So Catholics say that contraception is wrong but use it anyway! Is that it? What gives? What should give? What's going on?

Here are our questions for the evening: How much have you heard about this topic? What do you know and what would you like to learn more about? What's your opinion? Why? There are lots of side topics here, like abortion, health care regulations, divorce and remarriage, etc., but we will try to stay on topic. Come prepared to speak and to listen. Again - respect for others is the key.

On the right are some videos to get you thinking ...


PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING. There will be food and refreshments.
I will attend TYC in January

December 13, 2013 (6:00 pm):
The Occult or: Why are there still witches and warlocks?

This month's TYC is an outgrowth of October's Haunted Sanctuary. We spent a lot of time "defending" Halloween and its costumes, customs and decorations. Did we go too far? Can one go too far? Are witches still a danger? Can the occult sneak up on you and "capture" you if you play with it, even if you're a believing Catholic?
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Or are some people just hysterical?

We also want to look at the "New Witchcraft" movement and its claims. For example: Is Halloween REALLY the same as Samhain? Or is that a backward reading of history?

Is Christianity anti-body, anti-sex and anti-woman? Can Wicca, New Age and New Paganism teach us something good?

A young neo-pagan from Georgia
discusses with Catholics from New York
what WICCA is all about.

Print article:
Southern, Proud and Pagan
A warlock from Savannah Georgia and a cowboy witch from Little Rock Arkansas get interviewed by a Roman Catholic reporter on Busted Halo.

A male witch carefully explains his understanding of modern witchcraft.
(Audio only)


Print article:
All I Want for Solstice
An interview with musician Andrea Bunch (Congress of Starlings) in Busted Halo on how pagans celebrate Christmas.

TAP The Catholic Edge
on the occult, Satan and angels.
Three talking heads
go at it!

Print article:
Killing Us Softly: Seduced by the Occult
Well known American Catholic religion teacher Lisa Mladinich warns about Satanism. Article from the Australian xT3.

September 27, 2013 at 6:00 pm:
How do I know if I have a vocation?
Or: Does my life even MEAN anything?
Are you called to something? What does that mean, to be CALLED? What is a calling, what is a vocation, and is there a difference? You mean I'm supposed to be a NUN? Are priests better Catholics than married people, or what? And tell me this -

Why should I even get married? And why bother getting married in church?

We´ll discuss these and other questions on the last Friday of August.


Playlist:

Busted Halo: Now what?
Sacraments 101: Matrimony (why make it Catholic?)
Sacraments 101: Holy Orders (what ordination means)

We will also be planning the Haunted Sanctuary

July 26, 2013 at 6:00 pm:

I love Jesus but hate the church. Or:
What do I do if religion is boring?

In 2012, the "rapper evangelist" Jefferson Bethke released a video on YouTube entitled "Why I hate religion but love Jesus". In the last year and a half, this 4 min. video has gotten more than 25 millions views and called forth hundreds of responses in blogs and counter videos. He must have hit a nerve!

His message is well known: Jesus and spirituality are good but ORGANIZED RELIGION has perverted the whole thing. Bethke represents a form of radical protestantism: Christianity is 100 % an inner experience of being saved by Jesus, all forms of institution or "churchiness" are from Satan.

Other people have a simpler message: the Catholic Church is OK in theory, but in reality it's just plain old BORING! Following all these rules is boring. "If it's fun, it must be a sin." Ever heard that?

We will take up the challenge!

Is religion good or bad? Is the Catholic Church good or bad?
Is my faith boring?
Is my life boring?
What can I do to make it interesting? What can I do to make it meaningful?

Jefferson Bethke. Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus.
Warning: this video will offend you!


A Catholic response: No man made convention
Busted Halo's response: What Works, by Phil Fox Rose
A response by Lifeteen: D.I.Y. Religion
A really good talk by an older teen: The Mass is boring because you are boring
One girl's unique take: That Catholic Girl on Why Mass is not boring
The ultimate theological statement: MR. BEAN GOES TO CHURCH!

From June 28, 2013:

THE DEATH PENALTY:
What is the Catholic Church's teaching on capital punishment? What is your position?

Different states of the United States, and various countries around the world, continue to debate capital punishment and the use of the death penalty. Should we use it more, should we abolish it forever, should it be held in reserve for extreme cases? What do you think? And why?

To get you started, here is some basic information:
  • 65 second excerpt from The Catechism of the Catholic Church (read by a very strange computer voice)
  • A debate on the death penalty by the people who brought you "Mysteries of the Church"
  • Bishop DiMarzio sums up how the Church's position has evolved (skip to 14:40)
  • Bishop Gregory of Atlanta gives the LONG 1 hour version (skip the 1st 8 min.)
  • An alternative version: a renegade priest defends the death penalty
  • "Catholic Update" on the death penalty
  • Cardinal Every Dulles on the death penalty
Remember: it is more important to hear and respect what others have to say than to "prove" your own position.

From May 31, 2013:

from YouTube
Should there be women priests in the Catholic Church?

Should the Catholic Church ordain women to the priesthood and/or diaconate?
What's your opinion? Come let us know!


When we started "Theology for Young Catholics", we promised that we sometimes would discuss/debate controversial topics, themes that some people might find hard to talk about. This is one of those topics.

If we are to have a good, useful and friendly discussion, it requires that every one of us come to the meeting ready to listen to and to respect other people's opinions, feelings, thoughts and arguments. We don't have to agree with every one, but we do need to RESPECT every one!

Fr. Bob will (briefly) summarize the Roman Catholic Church's official teaching on this matter at the meeting. In the meantime, here is some input to get you thinking. In Fr. Bob's opinion, it is difficult to find good material on this question - that is, articles or videos that are concise, well researched and not angry, satirical or just plain thoughtless. The few good things that can be found tend to be LONG. But here are a few videos that give food for thought.

  • Mysteries of the Church - Women in the Church
  • Theology at Warp Speed - against
  • Fr. Roy Bourgeois - for
  • Fr. Wojciech Giertych O.P. - against
  • Women's Ordination Conference - for


From March 8, 2013:

March meeting:
Friday, March 8 at 6:00 p.m.

FOR GREATER GLORY -

Is there a Catholic Jihad?

Meeting place: parish hall at Nativity Church (where is the church?)
Time: 6:00 to about 8:00 pm
"Lenten Pizza", veggies and soda provided
Cost: we will pass the hat to pay for the pizza

Registration: not required,
     but it will help us plan if you let us know you're attending.

     Send a text to 952-290-6767

Are you registered with the youth group?
Click here to register for Theology for Young Catholics
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In 1926, a new government came to power in Mexico. They blamed the Catholic Church for the suffering of the people. They said that the Catholic Church denied the rights of women, supported the rich against the poor and protected priests who abused children. So the government made it illegal for priests to criticize the government or to wear priestly clothing in public. Catholic schools were seized and turned into public schools. Monasteries were forcibly closed. Foreign missionaries were kicked out.

Some Catholics resisted. It finally escalated into a civil war. Thousands were killed.

This Hollywood production raises lots of good questions, like: Who were the good guys and who were the bad guys? What were the real motives of those who took up guns? Should a Catholic be willing to die for the faith? Should a Catholic be willing to kill for the faith? Is there a difference?

The Catholics who declared war on the government called themselves Cristeros - "Christers" - and saw themselves as part of the Church militant. This is an old Catholic tradition that says that we must struggle to make the faith real here on Earth. The ancient Catholic Church used the aramaic world for "the struggle of the Church", namely Jihad. Today, the Arabic word "Jihadist" means a person who is willing to fight for the faith, even if that means taking up arms and killing. This raises two big questions:

Were the Cristeros just jihadists?
What is the difference between a martyr and a terrorist?

Come and give us your opinion!

Here are some reviews of the movie:

From xT3: http://www.xt3.com/library/view.php?id=10135
From EWTN: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/sdg-reviews-for-greater-glory
From the studio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKeOHZ9NWao

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Friday, January 25, 2013
The first meeting of Nativity parish's new youth activity "Theology for Young Catholics"