The Value of a Woman

A feminist catholic commentator, who seems to hate everything about heteronormative monogamy, complains about GenX men who still at 40 or 50 see women in terms of sex appeal.

I am worse than that.  I think the main value women have is motherhood, and that value is greater than the value of any man, any career, any other vocation- for it is the only vocation that can bring forth new life.

On Father Mike Schmid's upcoming Catechism In a Year Series- Dogma, Doctrine, and Discipline.

I started writing this as a post for Fr. Mike Schmidt's Catechism in a Year group on facebook, then I realized it had drifted very off topic, so I'm putting it here.

I hope that we start with an understanding of what the catechism is. There is much confusion these days between dogma, doctrine, and discipline; and the Catechism is doctrine.

Dogma is the foundation- it's the deposit of faith the Apostles received from Christ, and has not changed in 2000 years. It's supposed to not change; it's the bedrock of the faith of Peter. If dogma changes, we're in very deep and have essentially started teaching against the gospels. Even many of our separated brethren, be they ethnic orthodox or Protestant, hold to dogma; they'll usually pick some inflection point where Catholicism appeared to separate from dogma as the sticking point causing the branch. To avoid schism, we must avoid such sticking points! Changing the definition of a sacrament, for instance, as the German Bishops are proposing (to change marriage and ordination from the family unit that brings forth children to serve God in the Church, to something else I truly don't understand that can encompass birth control, abortion, women priests, and same sex marriage) runs the risk of schism from the teachings of Christ and from those of us who consider the Sacraments to be dogmatic. Doctrine is our very human, but led by the magisterium, understanding of dogma- it's the Kerygma, the preaching of the Gospel, and how the gospel applies to our lives today. As such, it changes very slowly and carefully- and it's the idealized form of our religion. Nobody can possibly live up to it all, that's why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, that's why we have Purgatory! Not living up to it doesn't mean you're automatically going to hell, and it doesn't mean that you have lost friendship with Christ. It does mean you could, but that depends on a very individual set of circumstances as to how and why you've strayed. Discipline changes both temporally and geographically- and as such can be very different from diocese to diocese and decade to decade. Your local Bishop's job is to set discipline for your diocese. Discipline is boots on the ground, how to apply the teachings of Doctrine. One good example is the "Ordinary Form" General Instruction of the Roman Missal- it's translated into local languages, and implemented by the Bishops, there's a lot less wiggle room for priests than most people think. But it is only discipline- and your experience at Mass will change from diocese to diocese, often subtly. I think it is essential to point this out at the beginning, to avoid scrupulosity and the problems of literalism that can arise from such a study.

A chill just ran down my spine

 My Knights council recently ran an essay contest.  7 days ago, OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot designed to use artificial intelligence to write essays.

On a whim, I modified the topic of the essay, and this is the result.  The first line is my instruction to ChatGPT, the rest was written entirely by AI.  The result is at least as good as 90% of the entries we received.

Write a 750 word essay on how the Catholic Church can evangelize young people age 15-17 The Catholic Church has a long history of evangelizing young people, from the days of Jesus and the Apostles to the present. In the 21st century, the challenge of evangelizing young people age 15-17 is greater than ever. The Catholic Church must develop innovative and effective strategies to reach out to young people and help them deepen their faith. The first step in evangelizing young people age 15-17 is to understand their needs and desires. Young people today are growing up in a world that is constantly changing and filled with new technologies and ideas. They are often overwhelmed by the fast pace of life and need a refuge from the stress and chaos. The Catholic Church can provide a place of solace and comfort, where young people can find peace, hope, and meaning in their lives. In order to effectively evangelize young people age 15-17, the Catholic Church needs to create an environment where young people feel comfortable and welcome. This means providing activities for young people that are engaging and interesting, and encouraging them to participate in the life of the Church. This could include youth retreats, youth groups, and catechism classes. It is also important to create a safe and supportive environment in which young people feel comfortable discussing their faith and asking questions. Another effective way to evangelize young people age 15-17 is to use modern technology. The Catholic Church can use social media, websites, and apps to reach young people and engage them in the life of the Church. The Church can also use technology to create interactive experiences that help young people understand the teachings of the Church more deeply. For example, the Church can create virtual tours of the Vatican, online classes on Catholic doctrine, and online forums where young people can discuss faith topics. Finally, the Catholic Church must focus on building relationships with young people. This means taking the time to get to know each young person and their individual needs and concerns. This could involve one-on-one conversations, group meetings, and other forms of communication. By taking the time to listen and understand the struggles of young people, the Church can build trust and create a foundation for meaningful dialogue. The Catholic Church has a long and rich history of evangelizing young people. In order to continue this tradition in the 21st century, the Church must develop innovative and effective strategies to reach out to young people age 15-17. By understanding their needs and desires, creating an environment where they feel welcome, using technology to engage young people, and building relationships with young people, the Catholic Church can effectively evangelize young people age 15-17 and help them grow in their faith.