Apologist & Others please assist with important Question!

[Mchristian]

My friends maybe you can give me some insight on this matter,

To set the background I’m 110% Catholic and want to honor my vow of obedience( one of the simple vows taken as secular Franciscan) to the Church.

What are your thoughts on using other (than Catholic) materials as long as they don’t conflict with Church Doctrine?

For instance a friend lent me a DVD of Joel Olsteen on being a loyal personis this okay?

another friend suggested i use “our Daily Bread” as a daily devotional. Is it ? Catholic? If not is it okay to use?

Is there a source were we can check theser different things to ensure that they are within allowable materials.

I don’t want to sound overly conscientious, but i learned not all Christian teachings are good for Catholics, right? For instance the only bible I had in my home was a protestant KJV, this was without knowing. Last month after research on which translation to read I was made aware of it and replaced it.

I think alot of well meaning Catholics go through life with the best of intentions but do not research & study our Faith enough. Then again , I also think that some are called to do these things to a higher Degree.

Any and all comments are welcome.

Thanks my Brothers & Sisters in Christ, Pax et Bonum!

 

[kell0618]

Hello!

Just my two cents: You can’t grow and learn in your own faith if you are studying with others who do not understand Catholicism. Certainly inspiration in God is great, but if you are just getting around to buying a Catholic Bible now, I think you need to brush up more on Catholicism and not have to filter the teachings and preachings you will encounter.

Do you get EWTN on radio or television? There is plenty of inspiration programming as well as learning experiences there.

Need other Catholic sources, just ask. There are thousands of books, websites, newsletters, etc. out there that are true to Catholic dogma.

God bless you,

Kelly

 

[Mchristian]

Kelly,
Thank you for your reply. I think I need to add a little further background info.

I have been studying the CCC, the New Adult Catechism (USCB) and apologetics for over 1 year. I really have no interset in learning what other denominations teach other than what applies to my apologetic and evangelical calling.

Peace & Blessings

 

[kell0618]

Kelly,
Thank you for your reply. I think I need to add a little further background info.

I have been studying the CCC, the New Adult Catechism (USCB) and apologetics for over 1 year. I really have no interset in learning what other denominations teach other than what applies to my apologetic and evangelical calling.

Peace & Blessings

I just purchased the New Adult Catechism by the USCCB and love the format. Just remember, there are plenty of inspirational Catholics out there!

 

[Verbum]

Hi Mcchrisian,

Books on personal growth may be good for one individual and not for another. No problem there.

As for books with religious themes, I personally would not lose time on them, until I have read the whole bible, all the Fathers, all of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure, all the encyclicals of Leo XIII, Pius XI, Pius XII, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, plus the Imitation of Christ and … G.K. Chesterton!

Verbum

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

What are your thoughts on using other (than Catholic) materials as long as they don’t conflict with Church Doctrine?

Religious material, Catholic as well as Protestant, varies in quality. Whilst there is plenty of Protestant stuff that is not in any sense doctrinally objectionable, it tends to be that way because it is simplistic or superficial, or maybe intended for children.
Sometimes Protestant material can be subtly anti-Catholic. For instance one evangelical group I knew had cartoons featuring two men in T-shirts, one labelled “man” and the other “God”. God gets rid of all the rubbish in the tunnel which connects them. Then the figure in the “man” T-shirt says “now there’s just you and me”.
Of course this promoting the idea of religion as a private experience with no mediator. I doubt that the authors consciously intended to comment on the priesthood, but that is the effect.

So caution is advised. Whilst we shouldn’t have a knee-jerk reaction against everything produced by someone, of through no fault of their own, out of communion with the Church, we also have to be extremely careful not to confuse simpler or younger Catholics.