May the peace and blessing of God be with you!
This weekend, we will be joining the Out of the Darkness Walk at Creve Coeur Lake. Mental health is not only a human concern but also a deeply Christian one. Jesus cared for the whole person, body and soul, and we are called to do the same. As followers of Christ, we are invited to bring light into dark places, to stand with those who struggle, and to both pray and actively work on their behalf.
This past week, we released several new videos exploring Old Catholic themes from a Protestant perspective. More are scheduled to be released in the coming weeks. After this series is complete, we plan to return to a regular rhythm of one or two videos each week. While the current pace of production isn’t sustainable long term, I believe this moment calls for a burst of content that addresses real questions and needs.
Links to the latest videos are provided below—I encourage you to watch, share, and join in the conversation!
Peace,
​Rev. Ben

My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
This weekend’s update is extremely excited as the Ordinariate just released a draft text for our liturgical rites.  I hope to begin practicing these rites and hope to start broadcasting liturgies by the end of the year in hopes of creating a virtual and in-person ministry.
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Moreover, we released several videos this week.  One video explores Dutch Catholicism after the Second Vatican Council.  Perhaps no other bishop’s conference was as enthusiastic about the potential for reforms.  Sadly, these reforms did not have the intended consequences.  One can argue if the Pre-Vatican II church was a shining beacon, but one cannot doubt real losses in identity and vibrancy since the council’s reforms.

I also began a series of videos we will release over the next month of so exploring Old Catholic themes from a Protestant perspective.  So much of my work explores how Old Catholicism fits with Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.  We want to be seen as maintaining the traditions that they maintain and remaining steadfast in the ancient faith.  At the same time, the reality is that Roman Catholics and the Orthodox tend to see Old Catholics as Protestants with vestments.  Maybe we are doing a disservice to our Protestant brothers and sisters by not focusing on our common baptism and Christian inheritance. 

The online apologetics world was shocked this week by Cleve to Antiquity’s sudden conversion from Protestantism to Eastern Orthodoxy.  I heard the anguish of my brothers and sisters in the Protestant world that there are so few online discussions of Protestant belief and practice. I truly believe Protestantism has much to offer the church.  Moreover, there are ways of reading the Protestant tradition that align closely with early church beliefs and practices.  I think we have an obligation to help our Protestant brothers and sisters in their profession of the Triune God especially as many have a Protestant Catholicity.  These videos will examine how Old Catholic beliefs share much in common with Protestants and can help Protestants realize together we can bear common witness to the Gospel. We must pray for our Protestant brothers and sisters to remain faithful to their call as disciples and announce the Gospel to all of creation.
Peace,
Rev. Ben

My Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,
Last week I spoke about our growing polarization. Sadly, this week brought more of the same with the news cycle surrounding Charlie Kirk. I’ll be honest: I know little about him, and those who know me know I’m largely apolitical. Too many people root their identity in politics; I find mine in Christ.
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Dante warned about the dangers of politics—he even places members of his own faction in hell. Christians should engage the public square, but never confuse any government with the Kingdom of God. We’re called to pray for our leaders whether we like them or not. The earliest Christians prayed and worked for the good of a state that persecuted them.

Hatred and violence are never the answer. As a Christian, I must love and forgive—especially when it is hardest.

I recently mentioned a video that was coming out on the First Vatican Council.  Two videos released last weekend offer helpful context for understanding two major theological movements. The first, from Gospel Simplicity, explores the First Vatican Council. Austin examines the assumptions and historical forces behind the council. While balanced, the video can clarify why the Old Catholic movement arose: we saw a papal overreach that treated the pope as the Church and tradition itself, rather than as a shepherd who strengthens his brethren (Luke 22:32). I would add two points not covered: (1) modern devotion to the papacy grew under specific political pressures, including Napoleon’s imprisonment of Popes Pius VI and Pius VII; and (2) beyond papal infallibility, many Old Catholics today find claims of universal jurisdiction even more problematic. Watch Vatican I: An In-Depth Guide here:  https://youtu.be/O8EbLoopUwg?si=WUnu-...

The second video, from a Cold War–focused channel, examines Liberation Theology across Latin America in the 1970s–80s. Liberation Theology emphasized justice and freedom in the present, bringing it into conflict with authoritarian regimes backed by the United States and with the Vatican. Priests and nuns were targeted for feeding the poor, teaching literacy, and giving voice to the marginalized. While some adopted class struggle and uprising, many sought peace and justice—and were silenced under the banner of anti-communism. Watch Liberation Theology — The Cold War .https://youtu.be/Dfu2I_LTKt4?si=WVMa9... May it help us recognize how easily we can participate in “structures of sin” even while believing we are resisting ungodly ideologies.

This weekend, we released the final video on Sacramentalized but not Evangelized which I am linking below. 
May God bless and keep you.
Peace,
Rev. Ben

My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
As we approach September 11, many in the United States—and around the world—carry heavy memories. We mourn the lives lost and recognize the countless others forever changed that day. We also remember the first responders who have suffered from what they witnessed and from the lasting health effects of their rescue work. In the years that followed, the global War on Terror left complex and often troubling outcomes. Looking back, we can see structures of sin at work; yet we also recall a moment when people reached across political lines to help one another. May we continue to seek unity and freedom, grounded in human dignity and responsibility.
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This past week I completed recording a Lenten series for next year. My hope is to invite people into the richness of the season—calling us to repentance, deepening our understanding of Lent, and walking through the rites of Holy Week—so that we may grow closer to God.

Two new videos also went live this week: one on polarization in the Church and in our political life, and another continuing the theme “Sacramentalized but Not Evangelized.” I’ll place the links below.

Finally, I previewed an upcoming Gospel Simplicity video by Austin on the First Vatican Council. It offers a balanced overview and raises important questions about papal claims—questions Catholics should wrestle with. When it’s released, I plan to share a follow-up with my reflections. Even if “Old Catholics” aren’t mentioned by name, I believe it will illuminate concerns our movement has raised and help people understand why our witness matters.

Please also keep our bishop in prayer as he continues work on liturgical texts for our community. I’m eager for their release so we can begin our sacramental ministry and move forward with a non-traditional, extended parish model.
Peace,
Rev. Ben