My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,
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A few updates from the past week.  We released a video analyzing a work by Cardinal Avery Dulles over the weekend.  Cardinal Dulles was an American Roman Catholic Cardinal who sought to develop models holding diverse perspectives in tension with one another.  Dulles recognized how truth was not reducible to one theological perspective but diversity could illuminate the complexity of Christian belief.  This weekend is the first of three videos analyzing his “The Resilient Church” book.  This week, we also created three videos to be released at the end of the year on Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism as well as Theological Arrogance. 

Moreover, this week provided an opportunity to speak with Austin at Gospel Simplicity.  I came across his Youtube channel and highly recommend many of his videos.  While he comes from a different theological tradition, I see the love he has for God.  I think his videos can help Christians better understand a variety of perspectives in the theological tradition.  Sadly, we sometimes think that we need to create Christian resources from our own churches and theological traditions and engage in apologetics.  Austin shows us a way that we can collaborate with one another.  Part of our mission at Saint Oscar Romero is to provide resources for Christian discipleship and formation.  We do not have to do it alone but can partner with others.  I am proud that we can contribute towards Austin’s work at Gospel Simplicity.  Their videos are having a bit impact and our donation can help their work continue.

Sunday, July 27th is our first clergy gathering for The Old Catholic Ordinariate for Specialized Ministries - U.S.A.  Our newly formed jurisdiction is small with three active priests and Bishop Rob Lyons.  Despite our small size, we have big hopes and dreams for what God can do.  Please pray for the work of our meeting as we collaborate with one another.  We want to provide a jurisdiction that appeals to clergy in specialized ministries and to God’s people who might be underserved. 

I also run a website providing resources for those in or considering the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM).   I wrote a blog article that illustrates what we in the moderate Old Catholic Movement can provide.  https://www.independentsacramental.org/post/exclusivity-and-the-ism-movement  My point is that while we seem to offer very little, perhaps what we do offer is needed in a world full of sectarian apologetics, ecclesial anxiety, indifference and theological arrogance. 
 
Please know that you are in my prayers.
Peace,
Rev. Ben

My Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

May the peace and joy of God’s presence surround you this week.  Just a few updates to note.  First, as part of our religious formation and outreach, we created two videos on Christian spirituality that will be released in December.  The first video is on Christian morality is insufficient and how Christian spirituality takes us further than moral theology.  Morality looks at actions, but discipleship examines the complete transformation of the person by a relationship with God.  Mount Athos is the topic of the second video as the monks of the mountain can share wisdom with us who live in the world. 

This weekend, we are releasing a video on how Jesus Christ fulfils human nature.  So often we can think of Jesus as divine (and he is) but can neglect how his human nature reveals how we are to live and what we can become.  I am linking the video below.
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Please say a prayer this week for our mission and ministry.  I am praying that a couple of partnerships and dialogues may bear fruit for God’s kingdom.  Please know that you are in our payers especially in the Divine Liturgy.
Peace,
Rev. Ben

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,
I hope you see God’s blessings and presence in your life this week.  Just a few updates to share with you.  A video on How to Read a Theology Book was released on YouTube and is also linked below.  Reading a theology book takes skill as the genre is different from fiction and other subject.  Theology is the study of God who by definition cannot be contained in thought.  Theology is an attempt to speak about the reality that transcends thought and language itself.  I remember attempting to read theology the summer before I left for seminary and being frustrated.  The book was a selection of different writings by Aquinas and was surprised that I did not understand it.  The video shows how my method for reading theology books changed over the years.  This video, I hope, is a bit of a resource for people who want to begin reading theology but are unsure of how to do so. 

Speaking of reading, I finished Yves Congar’s book “Faith and Spiritual Life” and will release 2-3 videos later this year.  I created two videos this past week and think I have enough material for one more.  These videos will be released in late November.  I am praying about which book I want to read next.  I feel like I need to release one or two on moral topics.  At the same time, I recently picked up a few books on Spirituality that I believe are important to cover.
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Our patron, Saint Oscar Romero, longed for all people to experience liberation – liberation from poverty, disease, hate, political repression, and so much more.  Liberation was not a revolutionary overthrow for him.  Romero worked for peace and justice while all striving to love even those who disagreed with him.  I say this as I came across two things on the internet this week which deeply moved me.  The first is an article: “Why Evangelicals Turned Their Back on PEPFAR” which is linked here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/why-evangelicals-turned-their-back-on-pepfar/ar-AA1I3EnE?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=4357a37737e64ff48abb4965eae2ee9d&ei=24  Are there certain aspects with the program or the political bias In the article that readers might not agree with?  Certainly.  At the same time, the article shows that Christians cannot stand by while brothers and sisters suffer. I do not believe the United States is morally obliged to be the world’s police force, source of all aid (economic, medical, food, knowledge, and so on).  I do have an issue when so many lives could be saved over a relatively small sacrifice. 
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This week, I also prayed The Stations of the Cross by Nazareth House Apostolate.  The link to their stations is found here: Nazareth House Apostolate Blog: Enduring the Cross in life, in ourselves, in others...  I was deeply moved by the stories of human suffering recounted in these stations.  The Body of Christ on this earth continues to suffer.  How are we going to live out the Beatitudes to minister to Christ who suffers today?  We cannot end all suffering, poverty, disease, lack of education or opportunity, political repression, racism, sexism, discrimination, hatred, and every sort of evil that remains.  We can be faithful in our own way to the example that Jesus sets before us and seek to follow him.  How will our following Jesus this week make us more aware of our brothers and sisters in need?
Peace,
Rev. Ben

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,

May God’s peace and joy be with you.  I was able to finish a faith formation video on Andy Warhol and Catholicism.  This video is a bit different than many as it reflects on an unlikely life of faith in someone whose choices and community seem so antithetical to the Gospel.  This video will be released in the 4th quarter.

 Second, I released a video this weekend on the biblical figure I most identify with.  I think many of us hold the biblical figures in great esteem and forget their real humanity.  We should aspire to be saints but often fall short of the ideal.  Thankfully, the Lord is gracious and merciful.  Even when our priorities are misguided and sinful, God is waiting to take us back and can make all things new.  This video is linked below.

Moreover, this week was spent in emails with our bishop regarding the liturgical life of the church.  I will soon start posting videos on the Daily Office but the format may be changing soon.  I think it might be prudent to wait.  At the same time, you can pray our Divine Office as it currently exists by visiting https://www.ordinariate.info/  and clicking on the links on the left side under the heading “The Daily Office.”

I started reading a new book by Cardinal Yves Congar and hope to begin working on a faith formation video to be released later this year.  Finally, this week let us pray for the liberation of all people seeking religious and political freedoms throughout the world.  May God bless and keep you.
Peace,
Rev. Ben