A Note on Fundamentalism

Christian Fundamentalism, which is not the ancient faith, but is a product of the Modern era, is a very stain on contemporary Christianity, and its values are scorned by the overlying teachings of Jesus.

All too often, Liberal Christians are quick to leave the Church, but slow to openly engage the problem of Fundamentalism. I am not advocating "attacking" fundamentalists themselves, but I encourage us to unite in love, compassion, and justice, to free others from the harm caused by Fundamentalism.

Contact Sacred Heart Parish, or respond to this post to discuss this issue.

Join the New Reformation!

Sacred Heart Parish is now beginning a new program for the remainder of 2007 (and beyond?).

We have established a Parish with the understanding that it would be a witness of what it can mean to Catholic in the 21st century.

Now I invite you to be a part of that witness! Enter our discussions, contact me or someone else at Sacred Heart, come to our gatherings.

If you don't live close enough to Sacred Heart, contact us anyway! There are so many ways we can work together to spread the postmodern Catholic faith!

Sacred Heart Parish is on Myspace!

Check out our new myspace page! Use the link at the right, and become one of our growing number of myspace friends!

Advent

As we move into the season of Advent, many of us will have trouble becoming part of the anticipation of Christ in this part of the Liturgical Year. Perhaps it is our learning that gets in the way. Maybe we have become weary of the literal meaning of the birth narratives, and have not yet found a way to incorporate Myth and metaphor properly into our thoughts and meditations during this wonderful time.

Try this. Think to yourself "The Christ that arrives for me at the end of this Advent will be the Christ I will carry with me the rest of the Liturgical year". Then spend Advent simply meditating on who Jesus is to you, and celebrate his coming.

Br. Michael

Sacred Heart Parish

This blog will soon be linked to a website and a myspace page for Sacred Heart Parish, a Community of the Reformed Catholic Church.

It is a Parish that is being started in Pickerington Ohio (east Columbus area).

The vision for Sacred Heart is to be an inclusive community where people can use their gifts and be who God has created them to be, and a place where we can explore together what it means to be Catholic in the Postmodern era.

Br. Michael

Order of Preachers of John the Beloved

As you may know, I am a Friar of the Order of Preachers of John the Beloved.

We are the Dominican Order of the Reformed Catholic Church, an independent Catholic jusrisdiction.

If you wand more information about the OPJB or the RCC, please comment on this blog, email me at: creationmystic@aol.com

You may also visit the RCC website: www.reformedcatholicchurch.org

The Sacrament of Baptism

In Emerging Catholicism, through its creation-centered spirituality, we are forced to rethink the Augustinian emphasis on Original Sin (and the Modern era's obsession with it). If we are to turn the focus to Original Blessing (which is something more prominent in Genesis and in the Gospels) we must discuss the place of Baptism in the Catholic Faith.

If Baptism is to remain a Sacrament, and not just be regarded as a symbol of our initiation into the Church, we must explore its real meaning.

Perhaps we should ask the question, "What is the real power of Baptism?".

Br. Michael

The Sacrament of the Eucharist (Holy Communion)

The Holy Eucharist is central to the faiths of over a billion Catholic Christians worldwide. However, few take the time to see more than mere tradition when it comes to Communion. How many people who take communion every day have taken an active role in persuing this Mystery?

With more and more people pointing out the "cannibalistic" imagry invoked by the Eucharistic ritual, how can we celebrate this as Catholics today?

Let's begin this discussion.

Br. Michael