Catholic Info
Traditional Catholic Faith => Crisis in the Church => Topic started by: Nishant Xavier on February 02, 2021, 08:40:49 PM
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https://youtu.be/2MtxyA1hgHM
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I couldn't be a rich, famous video personality -- I don't have a compelling conversion story to wow my listeners with.
I was born into Tradition. In the mid-1970s.
Plus I have a face for radio and a voice for writing.
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We all have our graces and talents from God. You have a wonderful lay apostolate here at Cathinfo, Matthew, that's been a benefit and a blessing to thousands of people.
Thank you for that. I believe all Catholics, especially traditional Catholics, should support and build one another up in this time, so as better to benefit the Church; we will all have our reward for it in Heaven. The more our work was underappreciated here below, the greater will be the reward we have for it from the Lord. As the Lord said in the Gospel, some receive some portions of their reward here below, while others will have it in full from Him alone.
I don't agree with Dr. Marshall on everything, but I like that he promotes and supports all good orthodox Priests, mainstream and traditional, both FSSP, SSPX etc.
So he's in the "Unite the Clans" in Catholic Tradition Camp, as are Michael Matt et al. He also supports both Abp. Vigano and Bp. Athanasius Schneider IIRC.
On another note, for those who think there are no Graces in the New Mass, the recent Popes have never helped anyone become Catholic etc, the video shows that's wrong.
Protestants convert to the Catholic Church when they experience the conviction of the Holy Ghost that the Church was built on St. Peter and his Successors.
Dr. Marshall's attending Holy Mass under His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI clearly obtained some graces for him and led to his conversion. It would take some more time, of course, for him to discover the fullness of Truth in Catholic Tradition. Eventually, God's Grace led him there and completed the work of his conversion.
We cradle Catholics of course have our own blessings in our Catholic Baptism, and in the Life of Grace we have known since then. Arguably, we have the advantage, and probably (hopefully) have grown more in Grace - over the period of a whole lifetime, with so much more opportunities - than our brethren who convert later in life.
But God knows best for each of us. God Bless.
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On another note, for those who think there are no Graces in the New Mass, the recent Popes have never helped anyone become Catholic etc, the video shows that's wrong.
Protestants convert to the Catholic Church when they experience the conviction of the Holy Ghost that the Church was built on St. Peter and his Successors.
Xavier, your conclusions don't necessarily follow. You have a tendency to use anecdotal evidence and emotion. God can give graces freely, and the fact that Dr. Marshall received some actual graces while attending the Mass doesn't mean that they did not flow merely per accidens, i.e. based on his subjective dispositions. Perhaps it was a Traditional priest offering the Tridentine Mass somewhere, or a Traditional nun praying somewhere, who obtained these graces, or perhaps God just gave them for no reason, since grace is given freely.
Overall, the number of conversions has plummeted since the introduction of the New Mass, with droves of people leaving the Church and far fewer entering. And even those who enter, well, we're not even sure most of the time what it is they're converting to. Polls indicate that 90% or more of nominal Catholics are heretical on one point or another, with many adopting a "cafeteria" mentality about which doctrines they want to accept and which they do not. Often conversions are of spouses, who merely view being Catholic as belonging to some social circle.
You did the same thing when trying to draw conclusions about the New Mass from purported Eucharistic miracles. While a demon cannot transubstantiate, a demon can certainly replace or swap out one substance for another in the blink of an eye, and thereby simulate transubstantiation.
Catholics do not draw theological conclusions from anecdotal "evidence", but rather, evaluate things like these miracles from theological principles. We can't conclude that the NOM pleases God and brings graces ex opero operato simply because some people received graces, possibly per accidens, from the NOM.
Of course, I can't prove the opposite either, that no graces come from the NOM, but I can draw theological conclusions about the New Mass based on the principles we find in the Ottaviani Intervention. We had Paul VI inviting some Protestants to introduce changes into the Mass which mirrored those of Cranmer, which was rejected by the Church as an abomination and over which English martyrs lost their lives.
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I am distrustful of the lay "capitalist Catholics" out there who make a living off of evangelization. Where there is money there is corruption, or at least the temptation to become corrupted.
https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall (https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall)
The page says he has over 1,000 patrons (not sure of the exact number) and the first level is 7 dollars a month and the levels go up to 1,000 dollars a month. So he brings in a lot of money from traditional Catholics who watch his youtube videos, and that doesn't even count his books, including The Crucified Rabbi.
But there are others who make money off of evangelization. Is Patreon and writing books any more disrespectful than selling newspapers like Matt? It is hard to know. It may make sense to have full time lay evangelists who live off of donations, merely because we can not trust the priests. But I think it would be ten times better if some SSPX priests got together and became the evangelists instead of Marshall. I am sure they could take one of their priests and have him make youtube videos all the time like Marshall does. Or perhaps even Bishop Zendejas could start his own Youtube channel.
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I couldn't be a rich, famous video personality -- I don't have a compelling conversion story to wow my listeners with.
I was born into Tradition. In the mid-1970s.
Plus I have a face for radio and a voice for writing.
:laugh1:
Feel much the same way. Maybe if I got made up like Charlton Heston’s Moses ( white hair and beard) it might work on video. So very many people said I should be on radio because of my deep clear voice but good luck finding decent work in that field. Sickness brings on hoarseness often so I would not be able to pony up as it were. Wink wink nudge nudge
I don’t like the limelight. A quiet as monastic as possible life is where I belong.
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I am distrustful of the lay "capitalist Catholics" out there who make a living off of evangelization. Where there is money there is corruption, or at least the temptation to become corrupted.
https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall (https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall)
The page says he has over 1,000 patrons (not sure of the exact number) and the first level is 7 dollars a month and the levels go up to 1,000 dollars a month. So he brings in a lot of money from traditional Catholics who watch his youtube videos, and that doesn't even count his books, including The Crucified Rabbi.
But there are others who make money off of evangelization. Is Patreon any more disrespectful than selling newspapers like Matt? It is hard to know.
After having watched many of his videos out of genuine interest, I discovered quickly he is a Traditionalistic Catholic at best. Like Hellenism to Hellenistic, or real to realistic.
Doc Marshall is realistic. Pull the trigger and you get a sound of cheap metal hitting cheap metal, but it sure looks good.
Bishop Williamson is a real hand cannon. Pull that trigger and you get a whomping BOOOOOOOM.
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I should start watching Dr. Marshall's videos so I can learn about him and get an informed opinion. My current opinion is that he is the leader chosen for us traditional Catholics by the "deep state." I don't know this, but he seems kosher to me. But I know very little. I think I will watch this video and finally see what the Taylor Marshall experience is all about.
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I am distrustful of the lay "capitalist Catholics" out there who make a living off of evangelization. Where there is money there is corruption, or at least the temptation to become corrupted.
https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall (https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall)
The page says he has over 1,000 patrons (not sure of the exact number) and the first level is 7 dollars a month and the levels go up to 1,000 dollars a month. So he brings in a lot of money from traditional Catholics who watch his youtube videos, and that doesn't even count his books, including The Crucified Rabbi.
Sure, who wouldn't want to make a living off the Catholic faith, do something you love so that you don't have to work a real job. :laugh1:
Yes, I agree with your distrust of the "lay capitalist Catholics" (an apt term), people who basically were either Prot ministers before converting or who aspired to become ministers. So they're basically playing the role of some kind of in-between state between lay and priest, like a Prot minister. I'm sure they all get behind the V2 notion regarding the "priesthood of the faithful". This kind of public representation of the faith MUST be left up to the priests, but of course the rampant heresy and Modernism in the NO has left a huge vacuum.
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To piggyback on some of what Matto and Ladislaus said, I also think that when this is one's means of income it compromises one's ability to see things clearly and potentially change their position on the Crisis. To change one's position could mean the loss of all or almost all of your following.
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The apologist for the ѕуηαgσgυє, Taylor Marshall, and those of his ilk, are described in Matthew 7:21-23, which is one of the scariest verses of the Bible.
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...I also think that when this is one's means of income it compromises one's ability to see things clearly and potentially change their position on the Crisis. To change one's position could mean the loss of all or almost all of your following.
I'm assuming that this applies not only to Marshall, but to others as well? If so, is there any line drawn between online personas like Marshall vis-à-vis those in traditional print? In other words, is it acceptable for lay print apostolates (e.g., The Remnant, Catholic Family News, etc.) to make a living off of something tied to the Catholic faith, but not so for people like Marshall et al.? If so, then why?
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In other words, is it acceptable for lay print apostolates (e.g., The Remnant, Catholic Family News, etc.) to make a living off of something tied to the Catholic faith, but not so for people like Marshall et al.? If so, then why?
This is a good question which I do not know the answer to. My default position towards all of them is distrust. But why are the beggar laymen like Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon and Steve Skojec called "grifters" while people show more respect towards the sellers of trad newspapers? I do not know. And then there are people like Voris who seems to get funding from secret sources to pay for all of his cameras and cruises.
I watched the TM video. It was my first. I thought it was fine, except that people in the live chat wanted him to become a married deacon.
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I'm assuming that this applies not only to Marshall, but to others as well? If so, is there any line drawn between online personas like Marshall vis-à-vis those in traditional print? In other words, is it acceptable for lay print apostolates (e.g., The Remnant, Catholic Family News, etc.) to make a living off of something tied to the Catholic faith, but not so for people like Marshall et al.? If so, then why?
Fair questions. I'm not sure where the line is drawn. Perhaps if it's one's only source of income? Perhaps if one has become more of a celebrity rather than someone providing a service to the Church? I'd be interested to hear what others think.
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I'm assuming that this applies not only to Marshall, but to others as well? If so, is there any line drawn between online personas like Marshall vis-à-vis those in traditional print? In other words, is it acceptable for lay print apostolates (e.g., The Remnant, Catholic Family News, etc.) to make a living off of something tied to the Catholic faith, but not so for people like Marshall et al.? If so, then why?
Just for starters, a newspaper offers NEWS and EDITORIALS from many Catholic writers. Plus other material, such as reviews, ads, classifieds. Newspapers provide a service. The newspaper is a product, and bigger than any of the personalities working for the paper. The Remnant isn't just Michael Matt's personal blog. Much less a youtube channel where the sole attraction is Michael Matt the "Influencer" (that's a new job title, held by young children with their own popular Youtube channels in some cases)
One could list many other companies that produce PRODUCTS or SERVICES touching on the Catholic Faith, but they are legitimate products or services that command value: Chant CDs, Catholic homeschool curriculum, missals, books, chapel veils, statues, artwork, etc.
In the case of Taylor Marshall, you're paying for a layman's two cents, a layman's preaching, a cheap Catholic version of a protestant preacher, basically. Why would I put money in the plate for some layman to give me his take on the Bible, living as a Christian/Catholic, the Crisis, or anything else? I have my own opinions which are probably more valid, or at least have just as much chance of being right. Actually, if I were protestant I probably wouldn't go to church at all, since I'd reason that I can interpret Scripture just as well as the "minister". Why should I help pay his bills, so he can spout off his own opinions full-time? He's not ordained, he has no special power that I don't have. Heck, most protty ministers aren't even full-time working for God; they have wives and kids like everyone else. So they probably spend LESS time praying, studying and thinking about God than many of their protestant parishioners!
But returning to the topic of Catholic-related businesses and services -- CathInfo would also fit into this category. You don't come here because you're a "Matthew" fanboy. My posts make up a small sliver of the content on this forum. The forum is much bigger than me, much bigger than any of us. But someone has to pay the bills, keep everything running smoothly, maintain the server, software, keep out hackers, ban troublemakers, etc.
Nevertheless, one should note I'm not seeking a full time salary for my CathInfo "apostolate". Actually if I worked a few hours a week at McDonald's I would take home more profit. CathInfo only covered part of its electricity/Internet expense BEFORE my ad revenue went off a cliff in January 2021.
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Just for starters, a newspaper offers NEWS and EDITORIALS from many Catholic writers.
Most of whom are getting paid, and presumably making a living of it.
Plus other material, such as reviews, ads, classifieds.
How is that even relevant?
Newspapers provide a service.
Online blogs and/or YT channels do not? Does OnePeterFive.com provide a service?
The newspaper is a product, and bigger than any of the personalities working for the paper.
You sure about that?
The Remnant isn't just Michael Matt's personal blog.
No, but he has A LOT of control over it.
Much less a youtube channel where the sole attraction is Michael Matt the "Influencer" (that's a new job title, held by young children with their own popular Youtube channels in some cases)
Have you not seen "Remnant TV" on YouTube? It's literally Michael Matt editorializing for 30-45 minutes each week.... not all that different than what Marshall is doing.
One could list many other companies that produce PRODUCTS or SERVICES touching on the Catholic Faith, but they are legitimate products or services that command value: Chant CDs, Catholic homeschool curriculum, missals, books, chapel veils, statues, artwork, etc.
Again, how is that relevant?
In the case of Taylor Marshall, you're paying for a layman's two cents, a layman's preaching, a cheap Catholic version of a protestant preacher, basically.
I've never paid a cent to Marshall.
Why would I put money in the plate for some layman to give me his take on the Bible, living as a Christian/Catholic, the Crisis, or anything else?
Never said you had to.
I have my own opinions which are probably more valid, or at least have just as much chance of being right.
Fair enough, but how is that relevant?
Actually, if I were protestant I probably wouldn't go to church at all, since I'd reason that I can interpret Scripture just as well as the "minister". Why should I help pay his bills, so he can spout off his own opinions full-time?
How is that relevant?
He's not ordained, he has no special power that I don't have.
I'm not sure why you're making this about yourself. The issue is what makes what Marshall et al. are doing any different than Catholic print publications. Or any different than Michael Matt with his "Remnant TV" productions.
Heck, most protty ministers aren't even full-time working for God; they have wives and kids like everyone else. So they probably spend LESS time praying, studying and thinking about God than many of their protestant parishioners!
How is this relevant?
But returning to the topic of Catholic-related businesses and services -- CathInfo would also fit into this category.
Not really. This is a forum, with not much exclusively original content. There may be a poster or two here that provides what one could consider original content, but most of the posts on this (and just about any other) forum are exchanges between individuals related to other content and/or questions/topics.
You don't come here because you're a "Matthew" fanboy.
No argument on that from me. :laugh1:
My posts make up a small sliver of the content on this forum. The forum is much bigger than me, much bigger than any of us. But someone has to pay the bills, keep everything running smoothly, maintain the server, software, keep out hackers, ban troublemakers, etc.
Again, I'm not sure why you're making this about yourself. The complaint, as I understood it, was that Marshall was a layman getting paid to do apostolate work, wherein said payment was above and beyond "just keeping the lights on" sort of stuff. Marshall is making a living on it, including the promotion of his books.
Nevertheless, one should note I'm not seeking a full time salary for my CathInfo "apostolate". Actually if I worked a few hours a week at McDonald's I would take home more profit. CathInfo only covered part of its electricity/Internet expense BEFORE my ad revenue went off a cliff in January 2021.
Again, I don't know why you're making this about CathInfo when the issue I raised clearly did not encompass that.
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I'm not too big a fan of Mr. Marshall because he has many contradictory stances that don't seem to make any sense especially his deep affinity for Jҽωs. He's a strange personality along the lines of E. Michael Jones who for some reason or another believes Vatican II ought not to be criticized because Judaic thought was somehow defeated at this council! :fryingpan:
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What is Cathinfo for? Is it not a place for Catholics to discuss the Faith, and current events in a place with like minded people?
Don’t random semi-anonymous people give their opinions all day long on here every day? Because honestly, that’s pretty much what TM does on his YouTube channel as well (except the anonymous part)
He shares his ‘opinions’ and that’s it. Yeah he makes some money too. That’s what he did as a preacher in a Protestant Church. Perhaps thats what he knows how to do best. Though since his conversion, he’s never claimed he’s anything other than a layman, so what’s the big deal?
He even says of himself, ‘I’m just a dad with a camera and a mic’. I mean what’s so scary about that?
Perhaps there are some here so terrified that TM might utter a heresy? Heaven forbid! The years and years of Sede threads here on CI are chock full of heresy and error (and I don’t need to say which side either because those on both sides of the argument would say it is the other side who proclaims the heresy ::)
Its gonna be ok, pray for discernment and don’t believe everything you read or hear from anyone that shares their own ideas about the Faith, whether it be TM, Matthew on CI, or the guy you chat with after Mass at the donuts and coffee table.
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This is a very good analysis of current state of the art in the media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKUS8Jycrc8 .
The main point: it is more important what they do not say.
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I am distrustful of the lay "capitalist Catholics" out there who make a living off of evangelization. Where there is money there is corruption, or at least the temptation to become corrupted.
https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall (https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall)
The page says he has over 1,000 patrons (not sure of the exact number) and the first level is 7 dollars a month and the levels go up to 1,000 dollars a month. So he brings in a lot of money from traditional Catholics who watch his youtube videos, and that doesn't even count his books, including The Crucified Rabbi.
Should TAN books close their doors too??
Sophia Institute Press too??
No Catholics are to be trusted anymore??
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Should TAN books close their doors too??
Sophia Institute Press too??
No Catholics are to be trusted anymore??
Read my post above. Book publishers are providing a product.
Taylor Marshall, by contrast, is providing the same "service" protestant preachers provide their congregation. Notice I said protestant -- Catholic priests provide the Sacraments, which can't be had any other way. And Catholic priests have to give their lives to become a priest. They can't work a side job, nor can they get married. So they deserve and require our support. Protestant preachers just give "their two cents worth" on world events, living in the modern world, culture, how to worship God, the Bible, etc. -- almost exactly the same service TM provides the world.
And 1000 people are paying him for that service. He basically has his own congregation! Might as well be a lay minister. Once a protestant pastor, always a pastor, I guess...
I could list a dozen CathInfo members who would provide (and who DO provide, on a daily and weekly basis) better content than TM provides, but they don't get a red cent from anyone. How is that good for the world at large?
Let's put a twist on this argument. Forget about CathInfo, me, CathInfo members, etc. How about the faithful, well-trained, totally dedicated, celibate RESISTANCE priests and bishops, like Bp. Williamson and Bp. Zendejas? How does their support compare with T.M.'s support?
All too close, I'm afraid. 1000+ Patrons each giving 7+ dollars a month -- I bet Bp. Z doesn't get that much despite travelling full-time to several chapels nationwide. And he is a professionally trained Trad priest, and celibate ("single"). He has given his life for the Gospel.
That is what I'm complaining about. People idolizing talking heads and "Trad personalities" when they should be supporting actual priests, many of whom are barely surviving. And even if they are physically surviving, they aren't THRIVING enough to, say, build up a chapel or two. Building chapels costs money.
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Its gonna be ok, pray for discernment and don’t believe everything you read or hear from anyone that shares their own ideas about the Faith, whether it be TM, Matthew on CI, or the guy you chat with after Mass at the donuts and coffee table.
You can ignore what I say at your own peril. I only state Catholic Church teaching, unless I explicitly state otherwise ("In my opinion...")
My posts about CÖVÌD, ναccιnєs, etc. are obviously just fallible reporting/opinion and have nothing to do with Church teaching.
I hate to break it to you, but I'm neither ignorant NOR a liar when it comes to my posts on Church teaching.
Part of being wise and grasping the truth is analyzing your sources. And human beings are NOT equal in this life. Our souls have equal value before God, and that is the beginning AND end of our equality!
As for THIS source (me), I am not just an average Joe when it comes to knowledge of the Catholic Faith. It is a fact that I had an above-average amount of training in the Catholic Faith. It is also a fact that I got an above-average benefit from that training. My IQ and memory are above average, and I got A's in my classes at the seminary. I tested out of the seminary's 3-year Latin program after 2 years. So my memory and intellect are not in question.
So unless the average Catholic has spent 3 1/2 years full time in a Trad seminary, I am not average. Just stating a fact.
Nevertheless, I'm not one of those IDIOTS who has to chime in with a strong opinion on every topic. No one is educated or competent in EVERYTHING. If they claim to be or act like they are (by chiming in on every single thread), you know they're full of s*** up to their neck. If I don't know something, I remain silent. If I'm not sure about something, I remain silent.
Ever heard the saying, "He's so stupid, he doesn't even know how stupid he is!" When you are ignorant, you don't even know what you don't know. You are blissfully ignorant of all the complexities of ____, _____, and ______.
P.S. I post my opinions on the Crisis, because there IS no Church Teaching or dogma anyone can draw on for this topic!
But I never post my "opinion" on Catholic theological matters. I'm not a Theologian, and my opinion on such important matters is less than worthless. Hence my commitment to either spouting official Church teaching or remaining silent.
Opinions are like a... armpits. Everyone has one, and they stink.
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Two other nice traditional channels are Sensus Fidelium (https://www.youtube.com/user/onearmsteve4192/videos) and Return to Tradition (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbgdypwXSo0GzWSVTaiMPJg) (Anthony Stine). It's a "free market" out there, and everyone has their likes and preferences. Sensus Fidelium has rock solid sermons on the spiritual life, mostly I believe from Priests of the Fraternity of St. Peter. In most videos, the Priests are αnσnymσus. I agree it is ideal for Priests to be preaching the Gospel and building up the Church. Priests also are the first who deserve our support, particularly financial support. Dr. Marshall has some good stuff, but no one is impeccable or infallible or beyond criticism. If someone thinks Dr. Marshall's videos aren't helpful, he or she can always watch or listen to something else.
Anyway, a decade after Summorum Pontificuм, and with increasing scandals coming from the Vatican, there clearly has been a huge volume of interest in Tradition and Traditional Doctrine. That's good, and shows the Traditional Movement is growing and winning hearts and minds. That's a work of God's Grace and the result of many prayers and sacrifices. I see it even among many mainstream Priests like Fr. Heilman and Fr. Z. Fr. Z recently had very positive things to say about the SSPX, and Fr. Heilman about the Traditional Liturgy. Things are moving forward, and Tradition needs public spokesmen in order to reach a wider audience. So some of those may be imperfect men, but as long as souls are benefited, I rejoice. St. Paul said some preach the Gospel from less than worthy motives, but as long as Christ is preached, he rejoices. We should too imo.
That being said, there's always a danger of seeking one's own interests rather than the interests of Jesus Christ, as St. Paul the Apostle also says. So if one seeks one's own glory or fame or just money etc and doesn't do what one does for the love of Christ and of souls, one won't have any reward for it from Our Lord Jesus. Not judging anyone, just stating a general principle. Our Lord said the Pharisees do what they do in order to have praise of men. A humble Nun in a Convent somewhere who offers her life for the spread of the Gospel and the building up of the Church for pure love of God will merit a greater reward than one who does external works without that love.
"The Soul of the Apostolate (http://www.mountsaintbernard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Dom-Chautard-The-Soul-of-the-Apostolate.pdf)" is a great book that describes how any traditional apostolate should work.
CFN/Remnant/TAN Books etc have all done good work for quite some time too. We have a lot of options to "take our pick" from, as it were. Myself, I prefer sermons, Gregorian Chant and Prayer Videos, and occasionally I watch live streamed Masses online. I actually don't follow Dr. Marshall all that much. I just heard recently that he went to the SSPX during the lσcкdσωns, and he also lost some friends over it etc for defending the Society of St. Pius X.
Three of Dr. Marshall's most repeated words, from what I've seen are probably (1) Pray the Rosary every day (2) Read the Bible every day (3) Find a Traditional Latin Mass, which is quite solid.
Imo, in the next decade, Tradition will have to grow within the mainstream Church, especially by attracting mainstream Priests to Tradition. Dr. Marshall is friendly with many mainstream Priests and could, in time, influence them toward embracing the traditional Mass for their parish. I think there's potential there, and that is good.
Lad, we'll discuss Theology, Eucharistic Miracles and the New Mass etc on the "One Ring" Thread if that's fine. God Bless.
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You can ignore what I say at your own peril. I only state Catholic Church teaching, unless I explicitly state otherwise ("In my opinion...")
I hate to break it to you, but I'm neither ignorant NOR a liar when it comes to my posts on Church teaching.
Part of being wise and grasping the truth is analyzing your sources. And human beings are NOT equal in this life. Our souls have equal value before God, and that is the beginning AND end of our equality!
As for THIS source (me), I am not just an average Joe when it comes to knowledge of the Catholic Faith. It is a fact that I had an above-average amount of training in the Catholic Faith. It is also a fact that I got an above-average benefit from that training. My IQ and memory are above average, and I got A's in my classes at the seminary. I tested out of the seminary's 3-year Latin program after 2 years. So my memory and intellect are not in question.
So unless the average Catholic has spent 3 1/2 years full time in a Trad seminary, I am not average. Just stating a fact.
Oh dear,
I’ve offended you by putting your name next to Taylor Marshall and the guy at the donut table at church :(
Well, what if the guy at the donut table had 4 years in the seminary? Would that give him more credibility in your eyes?
Though it doesn’t matter really, my comment had nothing to do with you as a person or your credibility, because I’m sure you do try to quote Church Teaching carefully, but so do others. You are admin of a Catholic online forum, which is why I named you, you aren’t infallible, and neither is Taylor Marshall. Or the donut table guy.
I should have added to my post that the best source for guidance in matters of Faith is ones priest/spiritual director. Not all of us have one of course, but to rely on online, or Church laypeople for 100% infallible Church Teaching would be foolish (like maybe ‘fanboys’ of TM might do) That is what I meant when I said don’t believe everything you read or hear from this that or other person. Pray, ask a priest, discern.
It is important to note also, that it isn’t the amount of studying or training that one learns the Faith, but also by prayer, good works, avoiding all sin, and living the Faith well on a day to day basis. Someone with zero years in a seminary, but who lives the Faith perfectly, or even near perfect, could far surpass others in their wisdom and knowledge of the Faith, so please don’t think Seminary Guy automatically beats Donut Table Guy, or The One Who Came Late to the Party Guy.