Synopsis
It began with a mutiny. Not the upheaval that struck the Church following the July 29, 1968 announcement of Humanae Vitae. Not the many liturgical and other changes that — though not mandated by the Second Vatican Council — were soon implemented.
A far more consequential mutiny followed a conference that took place in July, 1967 in Land O’ Lakes Wisconsin. There, leaders of ten major Catholic universities and of two religious orders issued a declaration of independence; most importantly from Rome.
“[T]he Catholic university must have a true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself.” (Excerpt from par. 1).
Within a few years all but a few U.S. Catholic centers of higher education, including seminaries, followed suit.
Reflecting “The Spirit of Vatican II” and its emphasis on Ecumenism, instruction in many seminaries and universities was abruptly changed. Casting a blind eye toward Early Church Fathers such as Irenaeus, who affirmed unequivocally that the Gospels were written by Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — Matthew and John apostle-eyewitnesses — Church leaders promoted an ahistorical theory of Gospel origin that casts doubt on the Evangelists as writers of the Gospels — they were probably written a generation later by unknown writers who may never have seen or heard Jesus — a theory Pope Benedict XVI would later describe as reducing Jesus to “thin air.” How many of the “hard sayings” of Jesus — preached with conviction before Vatican II and on which our salvation may well depend — are heard today?
In this scholarly but easily read second edition, republished with some of his recent articles, the author respectfully calls Catholic bishops and Catholic academia leadership to consider the compelling historical-critical case recently peer-recognized as “Major” for the restoration of the solidly historical view of Gospel origin that brought the Church to its pre-Vatican II Golden Age.
With the 2nd edition Imprimatur of Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, then bishop of the Scranton Diocese, Censor Librorum of Rev. Charles Connor, well-known to EWTN viewers, and in full accord with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Catholic parents will find in this book an easy way to help their children, who lost their faith in college, recognize the treasure that awaits them upon their return.
With discussion questions after each chapter, detailed Index, a section outlining key differences with other major faiths, the 7-Step Outline in English with translations in Spanish, French, German, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Indonesian, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Addenda clearing the historical-critical fog that hinders return to Catholic orthodoxy, The 7-Step Reason to be Catholic, 2nd Ed., republished, is well-suited for Catholic instruction.