Alternate title for David Mills' piece at Crux today: Crux STILL Telling Converts "Shut Up!"

Alternate title for David Mills' piece at Crux today:  Crux STILL Telling Converts "Shut Up!"

David Mills admonishes that "Newcomers to the Church should speak less, listen more." And here's the thing. On one level I DO agree with what Mills writes about converts needing a period of reflection, adjustment, and additional mystagogy -- of getting our feet wet, so to speak, before pronouncing on any and all things Catholic. In retrospect, I wish I had waited before i began to blog about Catholicism shortly after I converted almost a decade-and-a-half ago (I only had been Catholic for 9 months when I "took up the pen" in the Catholic blogosphere.)

But then Mills completely goes off the rails:

"... He may be full of book-learning. But of the real Catholic mind or imagination - the Catholic paradigm, the way Catholics see the world - he knows little. The new Catholic **must work for many years** to get that, and **never will get it fully**. (emphasis added)

"Most converts, as I wrote in The New Oxford Review, will never think and feel exactly as do cradle Catholics. They do by instinct what we will always do by analysis followed by choice.

"For a long time, and perhaps a very long time, the convert will see the Catholic Thing as you see a garden through a bay window, not as you see it when you’re standing amidst the flowers. He sees its design and beauty, but doesn’t feel the sun or smell the flowers or enjoy walking barefoot on the grass. Nor does he know what it is like to get caught in the rain or stung by a bee, or to spend hours weeding. He has to spend many years outside to know what life in the garden is really like..."

What a crock! This is fetishizing the cradle Catholic experience as being the *REAL* Catholic experience, and holding up any alternative to that as somehow less than. I used to do this exact same thing that Mills is doing when I was a new Catholic. I used to lament that I would never be able to experience the Faith with the instinct and the ethos of a cradle Catholic. That I would somehow always be an "incomplete" or not "REAL" Catholic like all my brethren born into the Faith and that I had somehow been "deprived" of my "birthright" as a "true" Catholic.

Now I recognize that for the utter horseshit that it is. It is nothing more than fetishizing cradle Catholicism ... in the same way many people fetishize the conversion experiences of the new Catholic. Converts are no less or no more "REAL" Catholics than are cradle Catholics. We all have our gifts that we bring to how we live our Faith and we all have our shortcomings. And NONE of those gifts or shortcoming are inherent, innate, ingrained, implicit, instinctive, distinctive, or integral (or whatever other word or clinical diagnosis you choose to plug in) to being either a cradle Catholic or a convert. And they are most definitely NOT fixed or inalienable based upon such status.

St. Paul was no more or no less competent to speak out against St. Peter for his having been a convert than were any of the other Apostles who had been with Peter all along. It is high time we stop criticizing and / or fetishizing the experiences of our fellow Catholics based on whether or not they are cradle, convert, or revert Catholics. How 'bout we all just be CATHOLICS?

UPDATE
Upon further reflection, this piece (and it's "speak less, listen more" headline) is actually far more condescending than "Shut Up!"

It's more like "Shhhhh."

UPDATE #2
For more background on the anti-convert dustup taking place at Crux (funded by your Knight of Columbus dues) and elsewhere, read Paul Zummo's excellent post at The American Catholic.

UPDATE #3 
Deal Hudson has written an excellent response to Mills' piece ... also published at Crux.

St. John Paul II, Ora Pro Nobis!

We have this photo hanging in the entryway hall of our home. We bought it shortly after the death of Pope John Paul II, which occurred less than a year after we entered the Catholic Church. If it weren't for this man, I would not be Catholic. For that reason alone, I am thrilled with his canonization today.

St. John Paul II, ora pro nobis!

The "Cardiac" Catholicism of The Duke

Don McClarey has an excellent post on one of my favorite actors of all time, John Wayne.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Rio Bravo: The anti-High Noon

Robert Novak Has Passed Away [UPDATED]

(Hat tip: Ed Morrissey)

Conservative columnist Robert Novak, a Catholic convert, has passed away.

He was one of the few media pundits whose views earned my unequivocal respect; I didn't always agree with Novak, but I always paid respectful attention to what he had to say.

And although this might not be the time or the place for political recriminations, let me opine for the record that Novak had far greater claim to the mantle of conservatism (not to mention turning out to have been RIGHT) than do some of his two-bit detractors.

Requiescat in pace.


UPDATE (19 August)
Chris Blosser has more at Catholics in the Public Square.


UPDATE #2 (19 August)
Don McClarey offers his thoughts on Novak's passing at The American Catholic.


UPDATE #3 (19 August)
Rich Leonardi pays his respects: "The prince of darkness rests".


UPDATE #4 (19 August)
R.S. McCain: "Bob Novak: One of My Favorite 'Unpatriotic Conservatives'".


UPDATE #5 (19 August)
EWTN's Raymond Arroyo: "My Boss, Bob Novak"


UPDATE #6 (20 August)
Deal Hudson: "A Prince of Darkness Heads toward the Light"


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Robert Novak: "My Brain Tumor"

Deal Hudson: "A Conversation with Bob Novak"

Columnist Robert Novak Hospitalized; Diagnosed With Brain Tumor

How Many Times Does Jimmy Carter Plan On "Leaving" the Southern Baptist Convention?

Former President Jimmy Carter has once again announced to the world (at least to those who will listen ... now that George W. Bush is out of office, Carter is no longer useful as a thorn in the side to embarass the previous occupant of the Oval Office, so he'll likely go back to being ignored in relative obscurity) that he is "leaving" the Southern Baptist Convention.

Joe Carter (no relation), a Southern Baptist, offers his take at First Thoughts: "Jimmy Carter Quits the Southern Baptists. Again. Sort of."

Up until 5 years ago, I had been a Southern Baptist all my life. I, as well as the vast majority of my family on both my mother's and my father's sides, attended college at the largest Baptist educational institution in the world. My father attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was a church music minister.

Like President Carter, I, too, was a Southern Baptist deacon. Unlike Carter, however, I hold no animosity toward my former denomination and have managed the severing of ties without raising too much of a fuss. When I decided to become Catholic, at least I had the common courtesy to, you know, actually leave my former Southern Baptist home, and to do so quickly, quietly, and without trashing the place on my way out.

But then, President Carter has always struck me as being something of a scalawag who seems to be lacking at least one virtue highly prized by Southerners: graciousness.

Conversion Rumors?

Another link to American Papist, this one regarding rumors of prominent politicians who are considering entering the Church.

The conversion rumor that sounds most likely involves former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Coincidentally, just yesterday, one of St. Blog's most prominent Catholic bloggers declared Speaker Gingrich to be "disgusting" (in, ironically, a post admonishing conservative Catholics not to demonize those with whom we disagree politically).

Good thing for Speaker Gingrich that Jesus seems to be somewhat more accomodating to "disgusting" sinners.

Deal Hudson: "A Conversation with Bob Novak"

Deal Hudson writes on a conversation he had today with columnist Robert Novak, who is suffering from a brain tumor.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Columnist Robert Novak Hospitalized; Diagnosed With Brain Tumor

Columnist Robert Novak Hospitalized; Diagnosed With Brain Tumor

Sad news about yet another Catholic journalist. Columnist Robert Novak, a Catholic convert, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor:

Robert Novak was admitted yesterday to a Boston hospital where he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. In a written statement given to his publisher, Novak said:

“On Sunday, July 27, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I have been admitted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where doctors will soon begin appropriate treatment.

“I will be suspending my journalistic work for an indefinite but, God willing, not too lengthy period.”

[More]

My Comments:
Prayers for a speedy recovery. We've already lost 2 of my favorite Catholic journalists this year; I don't want to see it happen to a 3rd.


UPDATE
Here's more from Novak's employer, The Chicago Sun-Times.

(Hat tip: Ed Morrissey, who wonders what the reaction will be from the "compassionate" left)

More "Bush Converting to Catholicism" Speculation

The Telegraph (U.K.) engages in more speculation - as the President meets again today with the Holy Father - that Bush may convert to Catholicism: "George W Bush meets Pope amid claims he might convert to Catholicism".

I'd love to see it, but I'm skeptical.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Bush a "Closet Catholic"?

Fr. Aidan Nichols, OP, Says: Convert England to Catholicism

(Hat tip: Dave Hartline at The Catholic Report)

Fr. Z comments on a Catholic Herald (U.K.) article on English Dominican theologian Fr. Aidan Nichols' proposed program for re-converting England to Catholicism.

As the article notes, Fr. Nichols is regarded as a potential candidate to become the next Archbishop of Westminster. His new book is titled The Realm: An Unfashionable Essay on the Conversion of England.

For more on Fr. Aidan Nichols, OP, see his website Christendom Awake (also listed in my sidebar).


UPDATE (8 February)
See "The Conversion of England" by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus at First Things.

Catholic Schools Week 2008 - "Catholic Schools Light the Way"

Below is the talk I delivered at the end of Mass at St. Mary's Parish on Saturday night and Sunday morning for the beginning of Catholic Schools Week:

Hello. My name is Jay Anderson. I have been asked to speak to you today about Catholic Education, and to share with you my own family’s experiences with respect to Norwalk Catholic School. As you may know, this coming week is Catholic Schools Week, the 2008 theme for which is “Catholic Schools Light the Way”. Please allow me to relate to you how the Catholic Schools here in Norwalk have helped to light the way for my family.

My family is new to Catholic education. In fact, my family is new to the Catholic Church. Sarah and I are both converts to Catholicism, having entered the Church in June of 2004. At the time of our conversion, we lived in Virginia, and the thought of someplace called Norwalk, Ohio, had never even entered our minds. We had two small children – our oldest, Jamie was only 2-years-old, and Aidan was a newborn. Sarah and I had come from different faith backgrounds – she grew up a Unitarian and I grew up Southern Baptist, but as recent converts to Catholicism, we both knew that we wanted our children to grow up with a solid Catholic foundation and a love for their Faith.

But how were Sarah and I – still ourselves learning about our newfound Faith – how were we going to provide our children with the foundation they needed? We believed we needed a “Catholic support structure” in place to help us in that endeavor. But, apart from our RCIA sponsors and a few Catholic friends, that was something we really didn’t have. No one in our families was Catholic. In fact, both our families were fairly indifferent – if not outright hostile – to our decision to enter the Church. Some of our family members do not share the same values that we want to impart to our children, and none of them share the Faith that we wanted our children to have ingrained within them. So, where were we to turn for such help?

We immediately thought of Catholic education. We wanted our children to attend Catholic schools where they could be provided a solid academic foundation while learning about the tenets of their Faith, learning about God and developing a relationship with Him. Even though Jamie was still a few years away from beginning school, we began investigating some of the Catholic schools in our part of Virginia, and soon discovered that we were not going to have an easy time of it. You see, Catholic education was apparently never made a priority in the Diocese of Richmond, in which we lived. Historically, parish schools were the exception rather than the norm. Instead, the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Richmond tended to be fairly recent start-ups serving several parishes. We discovered that these schools were far beyond what we would be able to afford to pay. Without extensive parish support, almost the entire cost of education came from tuition, which made tuition quite expensive. An example: when we checked into enrolling Jamie in Kindergarten at the nearest Catholic school, the cost was going to be somewhere between $4000 and $5000. [ED.: Looks like I was a little low on that number - actual tuition is nearly $6000.] For Kindergarten. That obviously wasn’t going to work for us, especially with Sarah thinking about leaving her job and becoming a stay-at-home mom as our family grew. But we were committed to obtaining a good Catholic education for our children. So, we began to look elsewhere.

At Thanksgiving in 2004, we visited some of Sarah’s family who live in Milan. I had never been to Ohio before, but really liked what I saw of this area. Sarah and I began thinking maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad place to raise our family. We asked Sarah’s family about the availability of Catholic education in this part of Ohio, and they told us about the excellent reputation of the Catholic schools in Norwalk. When we returned to Virginia, we began investigating. Sarah contacted Sue Riley of FCEDO, and obtained an information packet from her. We were very impressed by what we read in that packet about the Catholic schools in Norwalk, especially the tuition costs, which were much lower than what we had seen at Catholic schools in Virginia.

In May of 2005, we made an appointment with Sue Riley for us to come to Norwalk to tour the Catholic schools. Sue was kind enough to spend the better part of a day with us visiting both parishes and all grade levels of both St. Mary’s School and St. Paul’s School. She also explained to us the changes that were just beginning to take place at that time, which would eventually culminate in the formation of a united Norwalk Catholic Schools. Sarah and I explained to Sue that what we were looking for was that “Catholic support structure” that I mentioned earlier, which would help us in bringing up our children as strong Catholics. While we realized that Catholic formation is primarily the responsibility of parents, we were looking for a school, a parish, and a community that would aid us in meeting that responsibility. For that reason, we wanted our kids to attend a Catholic school with a strong sense of Catholic identity – in other words, one that took its mission as a Catholic school seriously and was not “Catholic in name only”. We also wanted a school with strong support from the local Catholic parishes – where the parishes were actively involved in the schools, and the schools, in turn, were actively involved in the parishes. We found that here in Norwalk.

In December of 2005, we finally relocated to Norwalk from Virginia, and we began attending St. Mary’s parish. Since moving here, our family has grown with the addition of our two little girls, Mary Virginia and Grace Assumpta. Jamie is currently attending Kindergarten, and Aidan will begin preschool at the Early Childhood Center next school year. All of our children will be educated in the Norwalk Catholic Schools, and it is our hope that they will grow up to be strong Catholics and active contributing members to our parish, our schools, and our community. We have found the “Catholic support structure” that will help us to see to that. Our schools. Our community. Our parish. YOU are that support structure. YOU are helping us and others like us raise strong Catholic families. And this parish’s commitment throughout its history to providing Catholic education is only a part of that.

This week, you will be receiving the Friends for the Future brochure in the mail. Please take time to read about this 15th annual campaign. The money raised from this campaign is used to assist Norwalk Catholic Schools with current operating needs, tuition assistance, and the endowment fund. As you prayerfully consider a gift, remember that all gifts regardless of the size make a difference in the lives of children at Norwalk Catholic School, and in the lives of families like ours.

The fact that the Anderson family are parishioners at St. Mary’s – that we are residents of Norwalk – is a testament to the commitment that this parish and this community have made to Catholic education throughout the years. My family would not be here today were it not for those who, through their time, talent, and treasure, helped to build the strong foundation of Catholic education in Norwalk, Ohio.

Thank you and God bless you.

REMINDER: Tomorrow - 28 January - is the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of Catholic schools. St. Thomas Aquinas, Ora Pro Nobis.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
The Good News and Bad News of Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week

Joanna Bogle in National Catholic Register

Joanna Bogle of Auntie Joanna Writes has a couple of interesting pieces in the January 13-19, 2008 issue of National Catholic Register:

Anglicans and the Pope

From Polite Respect to Enthusiastic Support

LONDON — Last year’s news that the Traditional Anglican Communion is seeking “full, corporate, sacramental union” with Rome raised hopes for Christian unity.

But divisions among Anglicanism are rampant, and positions run the gamut from something akin to Catholic orthodoxy to condoning homosexual lifestyles.

Lately, there have even been Anglicans expressing their enthusiasm for Pope Benedict XVI.

***
“In general, what traditional Anglicans think about the Pope is that we revere him as the Patriarch of the West,” said Stephen Parkinson of Forward in Faith, the leading group in the Church of England bringing together those who do not accept women’s ordination. “We like Benedict XVI very much, indeed, and we rejoiced at his election.”

Ironically, in 2006, the Vatican formally renounced the title, Patriarch of the West.

[More]

Tony Blair, Catholic

LONDON — Britain’s former prime minister, Tony Blair, was formally received into the Catholic Church just before Christmas — after months of speculation on the subject.

What happens now? Blair had a strong pro-abortion voting record in the House of Commons and was also responsible for introducing civil unions — effectively homosexual “marriage” — into British law. He famously said he had “given a little skip of joy” when marriage was redefined in Britain.

Blair also forced all adoption agencies to give children to homosexual couples — a move that almost certainly means that Catholic adoption agencies in Britain will have to close. They were given two years to comply with the law, and are still consulting with legal experts to see if there is any way in which they can still maintain their services.

The matter brought a direct clash between Blair’s government and the country’s Catholic bishops.

A request for a comment from Blair’s office had not received a response at press time.

Catholic activists had mixed reactions to the news, but most expressed optimism.

“Just as St. Paul was persecuting Christians before his conversion, so Tony Blair has been persecuting the unborn,” said John Smeaton, director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, Britain’s leading pro-life organization. “He promoted abortion not only in the United Kingdom but all over the world.

“We now want to know whether he now thinks that was wrong, and that in his new public role he will show evidence of his conversion and cease this persecution.”

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children is writing to Blair asking for clarification about his commitment to the Church’s teaching that aborting babies is wrong.

[More]

Bobby Jindal - Catholic Convert and Son of Indian Immigrants - Wins Louisiana Governor's Race

(AP Photo/Bill Haber)
From Associated Press:

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal became the nation's youngest governor and the first nonwhite to hold post in Louisiana since Reconstruction when he carried more than half the vote to defeat 11 opponents.

Jindal, the Republican 36-year-old son of Indian immigrants, had 53 percent with 625,036 votes with about 92 percent of the vote tallied. It was more than enough to win Saturday's election outright and avoid a Nov. 17 runoff.

"My mom and dad came to this country in pursuit of the American dream. And guess what happened. They found the American Dream to be alive and well right here in Louisiana," he said to cheers and applause at his victory party.

His nearest competitors: Democrat Walter Boasso with 208,690 votes or 18 percent; Independent John Georges had 167,477 votes or 14 percent; Democrat Foster Campbell had 151,101 or 13 percent. Eight candidates divided the rest.

***
The Oxford-educated Jindal had lost the governor's race four years ago to Gov. Kathleen Blanco. He won a congressional seat in conservative suburban New Orleans a year later but was widely believed to have his eye on the governor's mansion.

[More]

Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Michael Denton's First Newspaper Column

A Strange Way to Woo Religious Voters

Louisiana Democrat "Know-Nothings" Attack Jindal

Dems Go After Jindal's Catholicism & Ethnicity

A Fellow Southern Evangelical's Journey to Rome

You really should read Tertium Quid's outstanding series on his journey from evangelicalism to the Catholic faith over at From Burke to Kirk and Beyond...

In fact, you really should be reading From Burke to Kirk and Beyond... on a daily basis.

Deal Hudson Rips Evangelical Pastor (a Former Catholic) for Disparaging Sen. Brownback's Catholicism

(Hat tip: Dave Hartline at Catholic Report)

Evangelical Pastor In Iowa Gets A Letter From Deal Hudson After The Pastor Disparaged Senator Brownback's Catholicism, Pastor Said He Was A Recovering Catholic.

My Comments:
Note the irony of the pastor's last name.

Pope Rebukes Blair, Speaks of "True Conversion"

Maybe we should count the Holy Father among those not convinced by Tony Blair's talk of converting to Catholicism:

The Pope spoke yesterday of the need for “true” conversions to Catholicism a day after rebuking Tony Blair over the war in Iraq and legislation passed during his years in power on abortion, gay adoption, same-sex marriage and stem-cell research.

The Vatican said that there had been a “frank exchange” on “delicate subjects” during Saturday’s meeting between Benedict XVI and Mr Blair, who is thought to be close to converting to Catholicism. Vatican sources said that the formula used was “the nearest the Vatican comes to referring to a row without using the word”.

Yesterday, as he addressed English-speaking pilgrims in St Peter’s Square, the Pope said: “Today, as the Church celebrates the birth of St John the Baptist, let us ask for the gift of true conversion and growth in holiness, so that our lives will prepare a way for the Lord and hasten the coming of His Kingdom.”

This could be read as a papal reminder of the need for those considering conversion — even a world figure like Mr Blair — to do so away from publicity.

The Pope wished Mr Blair well on his plans to work for Middle East peace and inter-faith dialogue. The two met privately for 25 minutes and then — in an unusual gesture — were joined by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster and head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The Papal statement also referred to the Pope’s disappointment over Mr Blair’s failure to back the Vatican’s campaign to have a reference to Europe’s Christian roots and values inserted into the EU constitution.

(emphasis added)

My Comments:
Don't you love how all the media outlets are trying to make the Pope's criticism of Blair all about the Iraq War? Don't get me wrong: I realize that the Holy Father is not pleased with the initial decision to go into Iraq, nor with how things have gone since the invasion began.

But if Iraq were really the sum total of what was bugging the Holy Father, wouldn't the communiques coming from the Vatican following the Pope's meeting with President Bush last week have been equally, if not more, harsh? In fact, Pope Benedict, while sternly criticizing the President on Iraq, had strong words of praise for the President on his record of promoting a culture of life and defending the traditional family. (Instead, all the MSM had to focus on was the President's alleged faux pas in referring to the Pope as "sir".)

No, the Vatican doesn't seem chiefly concerned with Iraq where Tony Blair is concerned. Rather, the Pope seems to be taking issue with the incongruity of Blair's quite public intimations of a conversion to Catholicism while the Blair government has had such a horrendous record, both domestic and international, on matters of import to the Church. (In fact, I would guess that the Holy Father was expressing more concern with the new U.K. Sexual Orientation Regulations and their potential effect on the Church in Britain than he was about Iraq.)

See also the American Papist for the Pope's comments about miracles being "hard to come by in Britain" here and here.

Blair to Become a Catholic Deacon?

Source: The Hermeneutic of Continuity
Regular Guy Paul and Fr. Tim Finigan are reporting that Tony Blair - who hasn't even converted to Catholicism yet (assuming he even will) - is already talking about being ordained as a Deacon of the Church.

Check out this quote that Fr. Finigan has highlighted from a Fr. Timothy Russ:

Father Timothy suggested that taking on a formal role in the Church could give [Blair] fresh moral clout when he campaigns on climate change and Africa.

Un-frickin-believable. Just so long as we have our priorities straight there, Fr. Russ. Moral clout on climate change. Sheez. Never mind the Blair government's stance in opposition to the Church on issues like abortion, ESCR, and most especially the same-sex regulations where Blair's government has made persecution of the Church a real possibility.

And how will it look when "Deacon" Blair's so-called "devoutly Catholic" better half is off galavanting around at nonsense like this (scroll down to the second entry)?


UPDATE
Hey, while we're at it, why not make Nancy Pelosi a Deacon(ess)?

National Catholic Reporter on Sam Brownback

Sam Brownback is the cover story for the May 11, 2007 issue of National Catholic Reporter:

WASHINGTON (National Catholic Reporter) – Sam Brownback, the two-term conservative Kansas senator and recent Catholic convert who wants to be president, is unconventional enough to be interesting, senior enough to be considered seriously, and substantive enough to have a message that could resonate in the Iowa presidential caucuses.

But beyond the challenges of name recognition, fundraising and organization – no small hurdles even for the so-called top-tier candidates in the Republican field – Brownback’s got a bigger problem, one that he readily pinpoints: he is trying to convince the electorate that a social conservative, shaped and tempered by a decidedly Catholic ethos, can be a political winner.

First, the message

The “protection of innocent human life,” he told National Catholic Reporter in late April from his Senate office, “is a moral absolute. It is not one of those issues that falls to prudential judgment.” Here Brownback is not talking just about abortion, where his is the leading pro-life voice in the Senate. That’s an easy one. Applying the principle to other issues is the tricky part.

“The best way to draw people into the pro-life message is to be ‘whole life,’ ” said Brownback. “I can go to the media, even the most liberal media, and talk about Darfur, about the specialness of that child in Darfur, and they’ll agree and see it,” he explained.

“I can go and talk about the flaws in our penal institutions, recidivism rates of two-thirds and the specialness of a person in prison, and they’ll agree with that. And then I’m going to talk to them about how that applies to the child in the womb.”

At which point, he acknowledged, some of his interlocutors stop and say, “Wait a minute.” Still, said Brownback, even those who balk at equating a gestating American fetus with a starving African child acknowledge and appreciate the consistency of the message. Promoting the idea that all human life is sacred and worthy of dignity “is the key way to grow the Republican Party,” said Brownback.

In the ’90s, Pope John Paul II was a key influence on the then-evangelical Protestant.

“He’d say a lot of things I really agreed with as a conservative Republican – [such as on] life issues, marriage,” said Brownback. “But then he would push me on death penalty issues or caring for the poor and I’m kind of going, ‘I wish you wouldn’t go quite that far.’ But the more I studied it and thought [about it] I saw the point: All life is sacred and we should work for all of it.”

The late pope’s message is a potential political winner, said Brownback, one that a substantial number of Iowans will embrace in the winter of 2008, catapulting their Kansas neighbor from long-shot status to top-tier contender. The key challenge, he said in his Midwest near-monotone, is to “articulate it right.”

Said Brownback, “The problem is always being able to say it in a way that attracts people and not pushes them back.”

[More]

My Comments:
Overall, a fairly even-handed and perhaps even sympathetic treatment (at least by NCR standards) of Sen. Brownback and his candidacy. Apart from NCR's usual gratuitous swipes at Opus Dei, that is.

Dr. Francis J. Beckwith on "My Return to the Catholic Church"

(Hat tip: Dave Hartline at Catholic Report)

Baylor University Professor of Church-State Studies Dr. Francis J. Beckwith writes at his blog Right Reason:

During the last week of March 2007, after much prayer, counsel and consideration, my wife and I decided to seek full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. My wife, a baptized Presbyterian, is going through the process of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). This will culminate with her receiving the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation. For me, because I had received the sacraments of Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation all before the age of 14, I need only go to confession, request forgiveness for my sins, ask to be received back into the Church, and receive absolution.

***
The past four months have moved quickly for me and my wife. As you probably know, my work in philosophy, ethics, and theology has always been Catholic friendly, but I would have never predicted that I would return to the Church, for there seemed to me too many theological and ecclesiastical issues that appeared insurmountable. However, in January, at the suggestion of a dear friend, I began reading the Early Church Fathers as well as some of the more sophisticated works on justification by Catholic authors. I became convinced that the Early Church is more Catholic than Protestant and that the Catholic view of justification, correctly understood, is biblically and historically defensible. Even though I also believe that the Reformed view is biblically and historically defensible, I think the Catholic view has more explanatory power to account for both all the biblical texts on justification as well as the church’s historical understanding of salvation prior to the Reformation all the way back to the ancient church of the first few centuries. Moreover, much of what I have taken for granted as a Protestant—e.g., the catholic creeds, the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, the Christian understanding of man, and the canon of Scripture—is the result of a Church that made judgments about these matters and on which non-Catholics, including Evangelicals, have declared and grounded their Christian orthodoxy in a world hostile to it. Given these considerations, I thought it wise for me to err on the side of the Church with historical and theological continuity with the first generations of Christians that followed Christ’s Apostles.

[More]

Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Professor Francis J. Beckwith ... Catholic

Professor Francis J. Beckwith ... Catholic

Several months ago, I blogged about the tenure imbroglio involving my undergraduate alma mater, Baylor University, and Baylor Associate Professor of Church-State Studies Francis J. Beckwith.

(See here, here, here, here, and here.)

Now, Jimmy Akin reports that Dr. Beckwith, who is also president of the Evangelical Theological Society (and who, apparently, has now been awarded tenure by Baylor, despite the initial denial), has crossed the Tiber.


(Hat tip: Amy Welborn, who also has additional links and information re: this story)