Next Meeting! Sept 10

Hey folks, this meeting we've got to special guest lined up to speak with us about Catholic Spirituality especailly as it relates to the Charismatic Movement. Rev. Jack Crocker, Deacon and Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP will be presenting.

Remember that the meetings are from 6-8ish with the first half hour as a time to socialize, have a beer or two and order some good food.

See y'all at Delaneys!

Next Month's meeting Catholic GOTV

Catholicism and Islam

Hi Folks!

This week's meeting topic will focus on interreligious dialogue among Catholics and non-Christians. The main point of discussion will be our relationship with Islam.

I'm sure that you may all be familiar with Pope Benedict's quotation from a 14th Century text about Islam in a speech from September 12, 2006: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." But, how many people read the rest of the speech?

Benedict certainly apologized for making the remarks and made clear that the remarks did not reflect his personal opinion. Still, many are left wondering how, as a Catholic, we should understand our relationship with the Mulsim world?

We will take a look and dicuss the document Nostra Aetate, the Vatican II document that outlines the church's relationship with non-Christian religious. In addition to that document we will also discuss what other popes have said about Islam. We will also look at some of the positive outcomes following the Regensburg lecture.

With this in mind, we look forward to a spirited discussion on Catholic and Muslim relations at Delaney's from 6 to 8 PM on Wednesday, August 6!

Schedule for the Rest of the Year

OK folks, we've got our schedule of meetings worked out - location will be the same, except for perhaps the December meeting, and the times - we'll let you know about the dates and times in each "meeting post."

Comments are more than welcome and encouraged.

All meetings will take place at Delaney's in Five Points from 6 to 8 PM (except for the Advent party--TBD).

• August: West meets East, Catholicism and Islam - we're working on getting someone to come speak to our group.
• September 10: Holy Mary Mother of God!:Catholic Spirituality, devotionals, prayers, practices - this is going to be a two part series with the second half in the new year, for this meeting we're going to discuss the Charismatic movement in the Church and have a guest speaker come to discuss Charisms and practicing the faith charismatically.
• October 8: Catholic GOTV - we're going to look at the Bishops voter guide and have some one from both the Democratic and Republican party (anyone know an official with the Libertarian party?) come speak to us about the upcoming election and where there candidates stand in relation to the issues.
• November 5: It's all about 'we' - a discussion on our role as lay persons within the Church and more importantly within our communities.
• December 12 (TBD): Happy Advent and Merry Christmas - the first annual YACS Christmas party, do communicate over the next couple of months a time and location.

Check back soon for the next "meeting post" for August's meeting.

Who is Cathol and what are his teachings? (Part 1?)

Catholics and Catholicism are at the receiving end of a great deal of startling vituperation in contemporary America, although generally, those responsible never think of themselves as bigots... What is striking about [anti-Catholic comments] is not any individual phrase or accusation, but the completely casual way in which these views are stated, as if any normal person should be expected to share these beliefs.... Complaints about anti-Catholicism are likely to provoke counter charges of oversensitivity, much as complaints about racism or anti-Semitism did in bygone generations. As Andrew Greeley writes, anti-Catholicism is so insidious precisely because it is not acknowledged, not recognized, not explicitly and selfl-consciously rejected. The attitudes are so ingrained as to be invisible.

-Dr. Philip Jenkins,

The New Anti-Catholicism

From the above quote, it should be fairly clear to what July's meeting is about.

We live in a pluralistic society. In the market place of ideas, it's very often that the values of any one person or group are going to be debated, that sometimes toes are going to be stepped on, it's inevitable. But sometimes debate moves into derision, and for much of our history and experience Catholicism has suffered such derision albeit subtle or nuanced. It's how we handle such situations that matter most.

Unlike African Americans and the Jewish Community, two groups where such derision has come to be termed bigotry and looked down upon, Catholicism isn't an immutable quality of biology as in the case of race, and for better or worse is not a single monolithic culture as with the Jewish Community - it's a free association, though an association that carries qualities not unlike both.

As the quote above notes, because one's Catholicism isn't an immutable fact of your nature nor is Catholicism limited to a cultural minority AND because Catholics haven't, unlike African-Americans or Jews, been overtly oppressed it's considered OK to take it further than friendly debate - without any regard or deference afforded as to other groups in that very market place of ideas.

Interestingly enough as Catholics the assault is three fold, we get get chided from the Left - usually associated with Atheists, pro-Identity groups (Feminism, Gay Movement are only two examples); from the Right - from Protestant Religious Groups, the "Gun Lobby" (an umbrella term here), Capitalists, and anti-environmentalists , and then again from the inside - from the person in the pew over who may subscribe to any of the above listed ideologies and more.

Being attacked from all sides and even under friendly fire it begs the question how do we handle such situations? Since our Religion is a free association perhaps the first (two part) question to ask is -

Why am I Catholic and what does being Catholic mean to me?

After we determine the answer to that question we can then address the discourse, debate, and mud slinging that is coming from all around us. Whether it's a Pastor demeaning Roman Catholicism as the whore of Babylon, or your Protestant friend asking you if you've been saved. Whether it's a co-worker who says that Catholicism denigrates women because she won't ordain Women and is anti-abortion, or perhaps the cousin who believes that the church is anti-gay.
What about the "NeoCon" who believes the church protests too much about waging war, Or the local NRA chapter questioning why the Church cares so much about guns. The list of supposed grieved goes on and on and on.

This folks is the art of apologetics.

So we look forward to seeing you all on July 9, 6pm for drinks and discussion at Delaney's in 5 points. Cheers! ~ Matt

PS: So after all that seriousness - here's the reason for the title of the post and what made me think of the "Apologetics" theme for this meeting - Eddie Izzard "picking" on the Church of England.

First Meeting Pics

Thanks so much to everyone who came out last night for the inaugural meeting of "Imbibing the Spirit!" We had a great time and here are a few of the pictures! See you all in a month, if not before! More posts to come soon.

"Getting to Know You"

Hi Y'all!

Our meeting on June 4 will be a Getting to Know You session where we will introduce ourselves to one another and discuss the direction that this group will take in the upcoming months. The first couple meetings have already been planned out, so that we will actually have something to discuss.

The theme is Who is Cathol and what are his teachings? (trust us the title may be irreverent but after we break bread and discuss it'll make a lot of sense!!!)

Your collective responses to these introductory gatherings will guide the direction future group meetings--Thank You Holy Spirit.¹

So, come and join us at Delaney's Pub on Saluda Ave in Five Points on June 4th from 6 to 8 PM.

The first beer is even on us!

Click on Delaney's for more information on food and beverage selection!

And for your viewing pleasure, because you know you were reminded of it with that snazzy title (thanks Matt) here's the scene from The King and I.




Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Details About the New Group

This group will be exclusively run by young adult Catholics! And is open to all young adults Catholics in Columbia from ages 21 to 35!

The Young Adult Catholics of Columbia will meet monthly or bi-weekly for fellowship and discussion. We anticipate meeting for drinks and dinner followed by discussion of our meeting topic. Topics will range from the basics of belief to current events.

So please stay tuned to this blog and our email list, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/colayacs, for future updates!

Zach and Matt