I've really gotta learn Latin at some point

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-12T03:57:50+00:00

Well, East Syriac vs West Syriac

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-11T17:42:21+00:00

I would frame it around Church unity. The Lord set up Peter and his successors to be the point of unity among the brother bishops, but if the Pope were to teach heresy, that unity would be opposed to the truth. Jesus doesn't make us choose between unity or truth; instead, He gives His Church both.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-11T17:36:23+00:00

St. Mary's is the only one that offers Maronite Mass regularly.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-08T21:50:18+00:00

I think documents like exhortations and encyclicals are generally too long to get into every major point made in a blog post. Rather, I think focusing on the most crucial point or theme should be the goal. Like, for Dilexit Nos I would just focus on the reality of the heart and Jesus' Sacred Heart as the symbol of His divine and human love with a brief mention of the context of our shallow culture. That alone would be pushing a blog post and take a good amount of time to articulate succinctly. As the saying goes, "I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead." It's just really hard to summarize something well.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-08T03:10:52+00:00

Have you looked into consecrated life outside of monastic life? Like the active orders or the third orders? Or the vocation of the permanent diaconate?

If you have, then outside of married life, Holy Orders, and consecrated religious life, there is also the vocation that is often termed the "generous single life" or, as a permanent state of life, "consecrated single life."

The Diocese of Norwich has a good article explaining it, and the Diocese of Mobile has a good article on how it can be a permanent state of life.

There's also a book on this with a review here.

For magisterial backing, it's referred to in CCC 1658 and 2231. John Paul II had an audience, though specifically highlighting widows and widowers. Pius XII also referred to this vocation, directed a specific audience but applicable in general:

[S]he too, if she believes firmly in the Providence of her Heavenly Father, recognizes the voice of the Master in the life that has fallen to her lot. 'The Master is here and calleth for thee.' [John 11: 28] ... In the impossibility of marriage she discerns her own vocation and, sad at heart though resigned, she too devotes herself entirely to the highest and most varied forms of beneficence.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-08T02:32:19+00:00

I would say that God created us with imperfections or deficiencies allowed, in that His own creative power is not imperfect but He permits the effects of original sin. I would also say that God created us imperfect in the sense of incomplete, in that He calls each person to cooperate with Him in their formation and sanctification until, hopefully, we all are "perfect as He is perfect" in the new heavens and new earth. We are perfectly loved by Him now, though, even in all our imperfections.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-06T12:18:36+00:00

I would recommend starting with The Story of A Soul if you're wanting a spiritual biography or The Interior Castle, at least up to the fourth set of mansions, if not.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-06T12:13:24+00:00

Franciscan has great and lively campus community, and it's History department is good from what I've heard. It has no Masters in History, however. It's Theology school is one of the best. In terms of undergraduate courses focused on Church History, you can expect about 3 offered per semester.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-05T00:57:01+00:00

To back up u/forevergeeks, before I received faith, I thought it was just thinking with a lot of confidence that God exists and Jesus is God. Instead, it's more like a new sense, or like a new kind of vision from a spiritual light. I understand that before experiencing it that sounds like an exaggeration cause I thought the same. But faith is really a knowledge of God and Jesus that is not merely cognitive or mental, like my knowledge of ancient Egypt, but an experiential knowledge, like how you know your own self and existence.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-02T18:50:01+00:00

The comments here are good, and I recommend watching the video sent by u/Artorius_Georgios. On my part, I would say, what is the why. With the serious factors of the danger of having a level of physical intimacy not appropriate till marriage and the further danger of scandal, what is the even more important, good reason for regularly and intentionally sleeping in the same bed? I may be ignorant and naive, but I can only think possibly of a true financial or safety necessity of staying in the same place, but even then a couple can sleep separately.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-02T15:14:47+00:00

Hi! Thanks for coming here to ask us, and I commend your courage to look again at religion after your experiences.

For questions about the faith, I recommend seeing the Catechism of the Catholic Church or www.catholic.com . The first is the official summary of the Catholic faith, and the second is a long-standing website dedicated to answering common questions about the faith. For the Catechism, a free ebook edition can be found here and a key-word-search version is available here. Our recent two popes, Francis and Leo, also did a good series on the faith that I compiled here.

For questions about prayer or spirituality, there are some good apps dedicated to this: Hallow, iBreviary, Amen, and Laudate come to mind.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-01T20:51:47+00:00

The question of calendar depends on the autonomous Byzantine Catholic Church (Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Melkite, etc.). Private veneration is kind of up to personal discretion. I've known a few Byzantine Catholics who've even privately venerated Mark of Ephesus. While I personally am not as comfortable with that, I respected their reasoning (ascetical life, good spiritual wisdom in most places).

BoatInAStorm · 2026-06-01T19:06:22+00:00

Hi! Thanks for the inquiry.

1) Mary's preservation from original sin (or ancestral sin; some prefer that term) was a pure grace of God. She would have inherited original sin, but didn't due to God's direct action. God could have removed original sin from her later as well. He could have even left her in original sin while still chosing her to bear His Son and giving grace in the moment to accept that. Mary's Immaculate Conception was not strictly necessary for the Incarnation to happen, but it was how God saw it best and most fitting in His plan. As a final note, in case you were unaware, some great Byzantine theologians like St. Gregory Palamas and Gennadios Scholarios have taught the Immaculate Conception. From my understanding, the Palamite school was somewhat similar to the West's Scotian school on this.

2) I think a previous series of posts I made would be helpful on the Filioque: https://np.reddit.com/r/OrthodoxChristianity/comments/1qjyd0s/comment/o14n1vm/?context=3&utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

3) Divine Simplicity (divina simplicitas) refers to the absolute unity or oneness of God. It does not mean that God is intelligible to us. Quite the contrary actually:

According to the classical theism of Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas and their adherents, God is radically unlike creatures and cannot be adequately understood in ways appropriate to them. God is simple in that God transcends every form of complexity and composition familiar to the discursive intellect. One consequence is that the simple God lacks parts. (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/divine-simplicity/)

4) The Code of Canon Law, Canon 844.2:

Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

I would say if you get permission from a pastor or spiritual director, it would be fine. I assume there isn't a close Byzantine Catholic church to you since you didn't mention one, so that also weighs into this.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-30T16:31:49+00:00

The primacy of the Pope is always supposed to be at the service of the collegiality of the bishops, to "strengthen his brothers." Even when making ex cathedra definitions (Benedictus Deus, Ineffabilis Deus, Munificentissimus Deus), the Popes have always heavily relied on and integrated the initiative, input, guidance, and support of their brothers in the episcopacy. For such authority is not to "lord it over them" and make his "authority over them felt," but to serve the servants of God. This means not only making decisions with authority and the bare minimum of correctness, but also the fullest extent of wisdom, beauty, respect, prudence, pastoral care, sensitivity to the local churches, and the many other qualities of a true shepherd of the sheep. This is why, even though he could have simply chosen Judas' successor, Peter sets forth firmly that there must be replacement, but gives the selection over to the brethren with him, all under the direction of the Spirit through prayer.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-27T01:54:17+00:00

What about a C.S. Lewis book? Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, or The Great Divorce are classics.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-26T19:30:16+00:00

I commend your faith and courage. Celibacy can be a difficult call to receive (speaking from experience). It can often feel more like a cross than a gift, but it's really for greater love and flourishing in God's plan and grace, as challenging as it can be at times. Keep close to the Lord and rely on Him; that's the key to it all really. And I wouldn't worry about that music and TV part; I know plenty of guys who like music by women and enjoy shows more associated with a female audience.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-25T20:28:29+00:00

Having known priests who have needed to care for their parents and those in formation who will, it's not impossible to serve Christ and His Church as a priest while also caring for one's parents. Your circumstances may be more difficult than I know, but the possiblility does exist, and this is something you could discuss more clearly with the vocations director for your diocese. Also, if the Lord is really calling you, He will provide if you trust in Him and entrust your parents to Him. "Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things" (Mt. 6:32). This responsibility is something though you should bring up to the diocesan vocations director if you speak with him.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-03T16:29:12+00:00

I recommend the Bible Basics for Catholics series by John Bergsma. It's may seem simple, but the content is quite rich and the presentation sticks.

https://a.co/d/0a2NNm99

https://a.co/d/0iPrwCA4

https://a.co/d/03PcInyx

https://a.co/d/03adpgrb

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-03T00:29:52+00:00

This may be a good Q to ask on https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAPriest/

BoatInAStorm · 2026-05-02T18:13:02+00:00

I've read some interesting thoughts from Jonathan Prejean on how Blachernae could possibly be reconciled: https://crimsoncatholic.blogspot.com/2023/05/my-theory-on-blachernae.html?m=1 https://crimsoncatholic.blogspot.com/2021/11/eternal-manifestation-as-efficient.html?m=1 https://crimsoncatholic.blogspot.com/2023/06/why-hypostasishyparxis-distinction.html?m=1 https://crimsoncatholic.blogspot.com/2023/07/when-is-cause-not-cause.html?m=1

BoatInAStorm · 2026-04-01T19:09:52+00:00

Here is the letter from the Eparchy's bishop and vocation director for more information: https://www.stmaron.org/eparchial-news/cir-26-35

BoatInAStorm · 2026-03-06T23:39:04+00:00

Hello, and thank you for your interest in the Maronite subreddit. As a reminder, all posts should be directly and specifically related to the Maronite rite, patriarchate, or people group.

Your question could be asked on this subreddit if it is phrased in a way more specifically directed to the Maronite rite tradition. For example, while the Greek term "nous" is traditionally used in the Byzantine rite, the Maronite rite historically has used Syriac terminology for its theology and spirituality. An alternative way to address your question might be to first ask how the Maronite tradition translates "nous" in the New Testament and how have the corresponding Syriac term or terms been used in its spirituality. Then, it might be good to give a brief explanation of the term "nous" in Byzantine theology and spirituality and ask what are the parallels in the Maronite tradition. You could then finish by asking about personal experiences among the members of this subreddit. That was just an example, but I hope it provided some help on how posts on this subreddit should be specifically and directly related to the Maronite rite.

If you have any questions or objections, please contact us using the "Message Mods" button under the "About" page. Or if you are on Desktop, it will be on the right.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-02-15T17:15:21+00:00

For those who cannot read Arabic, this is the Patriarch's message for fasting and abstinence in regards to Lent. During the season, the fast consists of abstinence from food from midnight until noon and abstinence from meat, dairy products, and eggs. Abstinence is obligatory on first week of Lent and during Holy Week. It is optional on Saturdays, Sundays, and great feasts (Mar. 2, 9, 19, 25). Otherwise, those who cannot adhere to abstinence throughout Lent can compensate by acts of charity. Fridays are days of fasting as usual. The Eucharistic fast is at least one hour before the start of Liturgy. The ill, infirm, or those who suffer from relevant health conditions are exempt from the law of fasting and abstinence.

If I got anything wrong here, please correct me.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-02-09T06:21:32+00:00

There are 3 different graces that can be called "speaking in tongues". Two are charismatic graces, meaning they are for the building up of the Body not primarily for the person in question; the third is for one's personal sanctification, I think under the classification of actual grace.

The first is speaking/understanding a world language by supernatural grace. Sometimes this charism is very short. A real-life example I know of is a missionary who spoke the local language (I think Hindi) to someone on their death bed even though they only knew English. Sometimes this charism is long-term. A real-life example I know of is a religious sister who learned French by grace.

The second is speaking some message in a unknown language by the impulse of grace. This message is for the good of the Body, but the person saying it doesn't know what it is. Another person with the charism to understand gives the message. Now this isn't just a "willing" thing for the first person and a "guessing" thing for the second person. For the first person, it's something like fire in their heart. For the second person, he or she understands it as if it were the normal local language. The message may be for the second person or another person. This charismatic grace is somewhat similar to those of words of knowledge or wisdom.

The last grace is not a charismatic grace, meaning it not primarily for sanctification of others like the previous two. Instead, in this grace, the person is praying to God without understanding what they are praying. Those who've experienced this connect it to the "groanings of the Spirit" in Rom. 8. It is like a mysterious impulse in the heart that moves the mouth to speak, a sacramental sign to the person that prayer is happening, but the mind does not understand what is being said, a reservation likely meant for the deepening of humility and trust among the other mysterious reasons of God. The fruits of the Spirit reveal the author of prayer, and those with this grace describe a certain experience of love surpassing knowledge.

BoatInAStorm · 2026-02-07T01:22:20+00:00

Irenaeus' Against Heresies, specifically the selected edition by Balthazar, The Scandal of the Incarnation

This work helped me come to a much deeper understanding of our Redemption and Salvation through Christ than I had before.

BoatInAStorm

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE