Breaking In The Habit

Ready for a video that many people think is the most controversial thing I’ve ever done… and yet isn’t controversial in the least?! (Oh, the internet.)

Before you watch this video, let me put something in your head: heaven is a perfect place, free of any hatred, division, or conflict. If we truly believe that, that heaven is a place of perfect peace and justice, then it must be our goal to purify ourselves of EVERY spec of imperfection that we have, no matter how small. There is no use in saying, “Well, it’s not that bad” or “I’m not as bad as other people.” If our goal is perfection, then ANY bad is too much.

With that in mind, I offer you this reflection on the evil of racism, and how each of us must confront it in our lives. It is not enough to say that we don’t hate people of other races. That’s a pretty low bar, don’t you think. Our goal must be complete solidarity. And until we reach that, there are still things to work on in ourselves.

So with that said, enjoy this video that shouldn’t be controversial in the least, and yet it is. Why? Because some people don’t want to confront the fact that they’re not perfect.

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Posted on May 15, 2020 by CaseyOFM

Video

african american, black, casual racism, Catholic Church, Catholic social teaching, Christianity, microaggressions, race relations, racial justice, racism, solidarity, white

Some movies defy explanation. So against the mainstream, you wonder how it was pushed through production, let alone loved by fanatics. They are, simply put, cult films. This week, Br. Tito and I discuss this strange subgenre of filmmaking and discuss why certain films attract such a devoted audience.

Posted on May 13, 2020 by CaseyOFM

podcast

Are Marian Apparitions Real?

It is not an uncommon experience for me to get a message from someone asking about the prophecy of Mary or some saint. Generally, they’re terrifying. Mary is nothing like the docile, “do unto me according to your will” mother that we find in the Bible, but is much more a tyrant usurping her son’s throne to inflict some harm.

It’s easy for most of us to dismiss these things as fabrications or the work of the paranoid, but how do we respond to these things? Surely, there must be an objective way to evaluate such apparitions for some semblance of authenticity.

In fact, there is! In this week’s Catholicism in Focus, I look at the Church’s standards to evaluating miraculous encounters and what they mean for us.

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Posted on May 13, 2020 by CaseyOFM

Catholicism In Focus, Theology

Casey Cole, Catholic, Catholicism In Focus, Knock, Lourdes, Marian Apparitions, Medjugorje, OFM, vision

You Are a Temple of the Lord

Today’s video is my homily for the 3rd Sunday in Easter. The readings can be found here.

Once again, I find myself a bit behind posting videos to the blog. Here is a video I posted on Friday:

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Posted on May 10, 2020 by CaseyOFM

Homilies

5th Sunday of Easter, Casey Cole, Catholic Church, dwelling place, Gospel of John, Jesus, Lord, OFM, Temple

Responding to Myths About the Catholic Church

It was not uncommon for us to have oral exams in seminary. As one professor put it, “When you get a question from a parishioner, you don’t have time to do research and write a 10 page paper. We need to make sure that you can think on your feet and give accurate, succinct answers.” Can’t argue with that logic, and it’s amazing that every class didn’t require them.

Honestly, I think it’s probably good advice for all Catholics. Our faith is never tested on predetermined dates after a week of cramming. People will ask us questions when they have them, not when it is most convenient. Especially when living in places where we are the minority, where questions are more accusatory than anything else, we need to be able to give accurate, succinct answers.

In this video, I look at 15 common misunderstanding that people have about the Catholic Church, and give an answer in 100 words or less.

1 Comment

Posted on May 7, 2020 by CaseyOFM

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featured

Breaking In The Habit

I’m a bit racist. And so are you.

Cult Films: So Bad, They’re Good

Are Marian Apparitions Real?

You Are a Temple of the Lord

Responding to Myths About the Catholic Church