From Catholics on the
Web
by Msgr.
Robert H. Aucoin
Keep the Faith – Spread the Faith
In days gone by, a common expression was “keep the faith,”
that is, don’t give up the faith. Then, some pundits believed, and
rightly so, that we should not keep the faith to ourselves, but should “spread
the faith.” Apologetics is a means to help Catholics remain loyal to their
faith and spread the faith. StayCatholic.com is a wonderful place to learn more
about apologetics or to hone one’s knowledge of Catholicism.
This website assists those who may be tempted to stray from the Church because
friends, acquaintances, or even other family members may have tried to convince
them that our teachings are not embedded in Scripture. Of course, the
resources available here are also for those who may have friends or relatives
whose faith is wavering because of these attacks from others. The articles on
these pages respond clearly, succinctly and accurately to those many erroneous
charges.
The webmaster, Sebastian Fama, has skillfully put together a series of articles
that respond to the many objections posed by non-Catholics about our beliefs.
Objectors to the Catholic Church will claim that our many dogmas are not
rooted in scripture. The good apologist will prove the validity of our
beliefs and practices based on Scripture and the constant and consistent
Tradition of the Church, with a greater emphasis on the Bible.
Some of the favorite topics addressed by apologists are the Eucharist,
purgatory, confession, Freemasons, religious objects, infant Baptism, and, of
course, indulgences – to name but a few. Mr. Fama has written thirty-one
well-researched and easy to follow essays addressing these ‘hot’ topics.
Their content is such that they should not be reserved solely for apologetic
purposes. In fact, many could be fruitfully used even in Confirmation
classes since children of that age group need to have their knowledge of the
faith strengthened as they strengthen their commitment to the Lord.
Here is an example of an argument against some of our practices. In Mt 6:7
Jesus tells his listeners to avoid vane repetitions. Some will say that
the Rosary is not a worthy prayer because the prayers are repeated. Mr.
Fama in his essay on the Rosary rightly points out that Jesus condemned vain
repetition, not repetition itself. After all, do we often not say:
“Praise Jesus” or some other pious phrase?
There is an additional section of articles written by a large selection of solid
authors. These high-quality articles clarify our traditions and beliefs
and explain the practical lived expression of our faith. These are more
expository writing for the believer while the essays mentioned above tend to be
more focused on explaining our faith to objectors. In any case, the
articles and essays are both first-rate.
Mr. Fama has also accumulated an impressive list of links to other Catholic
sites. In fact, while surfing, I was able to find a nice selection of
places to write about in the future. Many of these sites are replete with
a fantastic collection of downloadable articles.
Reading, watching good videos, and listening to inspired speakers are still the
primary means of building up our knowledge of the faith. Mr. Fama has
provided listings of books, videos, and tapes. He even has a store from
which many of the items can be purchased.
Every season of the year is a time to become more informed. Don’t wait.
A visit to staycatholic.com could be your beginning of a renewed and more
mature understanding of the richness of the Catholic faith.
Copyright © 2002 Robert Aucoin