Rich Leonardi at Catholic Exchange looks at “Catholic Update” which are basically tracts produced by Cincinnati’s St. Anthony Messenger Press with the imprimatur of the archdiocese. Not surprising they are far from edifying or conforming to Church teaching for example making a distinction between the Jesus of faith and the Jesus of history (they put it much more weasally). I guess this makes sense since once you buy this proposal your faith is history.
Rick also maintains this excellent blog.
6 comments
I just finished our diocese’s Formation Toward Christian Ministry classes last May, and we were Catholic Updated to death. I thought it was just me; no one else seemed to have a problem with any of them. I felt that the teaching was awfully watered down to use with our parish’s catechists.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I have felt that the Holy Spirit was leading me in my journey, and I will continue to pay attention when my spiritual hackles go up…
In Christ’s peace and joy,
Robin L. in TX
I sent the above info about these tracts to my pastor, who, as it turns out, was well aware of them:
“Thanks for this info on Catholic Updates. I’ve always hated these things. From time to time someone here in the parish would put them out in the vestibule and I would scoop them up and trash them.
They are poison.”
What an amazing coincidence. I’m about to start teaching RCIA in a month, and was given “Catholic Updates”, along with another book (“This Is Our Faith”), and asked to make a selection for the class. Being the first I’ve heard of “Catholic Updates” I read a few of them and was a little put off, particularly by the tract that argues that those who feel no need to kneel or adore the Blessed Sacrament are actually spiritually more mature/advanced than the old fogeys who still want to kneel.
I was about to reject “Catholic Updates” – now I’m sure of rejecting it.
Anybody know anything about “This is Our Faith”?
Sorry, Cornelius, I don’t. But if I might recommend another VERY good catechetical title…
The Catholic Catechism by Fr. John Hardon, SJ.
Thanks for the kind words.
John: It sounds like you are in the hands of an able pastor.
Franklin: Hardon’s “Question and Answer Catechism” is an excellent abbreviation of “CC” that I can highly recommend for RCIA and adult faith formation. One caveat: He mistakenly calls Mary impeccable.
Wow, cool man, big thanks! http://qteetpoelazyzh.com