Stream of Catholicism: Recent Episodes
Reece Collins
A stream of consciousness program of the spiritual themes the Holy Spirit is enlightening me toward.
Are you Catholic? Are you confused about who you are going vote for on election day? I put together a little exercise is weighing the issues using the National Catholic Registers Seven Pillars of consideration for the 2024 Presidential Election. I talk about the issues as I see them and you can use this same method to do an analysis with your own weights.
First Video Episode!!! Covering Challenges and Accomplishments, Vulnerability and Transparency, and adding video.
I went through the month June (aka Month of the Sacred Heart, aka Pride Month) using running everyday as an ascetic practice, posting counter Pride Month content on social media everyday, and prayer to raise awareness to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and counter societies push toward depraved activity. This episode captures some initial reflections of the month and the basis of my stance.
In an intellectual exercise I am going to be completely alone for a year and I can only take five books. The books I chose are Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton, Thinking Life Through by Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and Christian Prayer liturgy of the hours single volume. What do these book choices say about me?
Duty, honor, country. These principles resonate with both soldiers on the battlefield and Catholics in the pews. Today, we explore the surprising similarities between military service and the Catholic faith. From discipline and sacrifice to brotherhood, ritual, and the chain of command there is sure to be something to surprise you.
Can we please stop finding different ways to divide ourselves and just come together to have a conversations. The news this past week has been filled with stories on Christian Nationalism being the downfall of democracy along with the IVF ruling Alabama enraging all sides. This episode tries to easily define what sides are thinking.
Reece revives himself with a recap of the Cross and Sword analogy and framework and how Neil Gaiman plays that framework out in his book American Gods.
I explore the idea of social justice and the challenges and controversies involved with being a Catholic Christian and implementing social justice initiatives.
COVID is back and in light of isolated recent mask mandates and media scare tactics for lockdowns I reflect on the beginning on my experience of COVID era and ask Bishops and Priest not close the doors again.
When we think about Christian Persecution we usually think about Christians in Nigeria, North Korea, China, and the Middle East. Well persecution and discrimination is happening in the United States so when you are praying for persecuted Christians remember the ever increasing number of discriminated and persecuted Christians and churches here in the United States.
The laziness trend on social media has caught people by storm. I get a little personal on where I tend to get lazy and the effect that has on my spiritual, family, and work relationships.
There are numerous articles published over the last couple months about Senator Tuberville's holdout on confirming senior military officers over the DoD stance allowing taxpayer money paying for service members to travel to states where they can receive their choice of “reproductive care”. Reece gives a rebuttal to Sec Austin's readiness concerns and how using taxpayer money to fund travel for service member abortions is wrong and how it could affect his recruiting base.
I am changing it up and getting back at this podcast thing. So if you notice I changed the name of the podcast to Cross and Sword. This is an analogy used across multiple domains to highlight the dichotomy of love (the cross) and hate (the sword). Going forward I am going to hit on opinioned topics that have the potential for division, provide what I believe is the Catholic Churches stance, and lastly where I stand on the issue.
This week's discussion centers on the struggle to find content for this podcast and a method anyone can use to find how God is speaking in our lives everyday.
October is almost over but that doesn't mean you can't pray your rosary to celebrate the Month of Rosary. This episode speaks to Jesus and Mary's fiat as my biggest reflection for this month.
I finished reading (listening really (but I still count that) "The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation" and wanted to share it with everyone because there are some poignant strategies for how we as Catholic Christians can proceed in this new apostolic age. Christianity is on the decline and the idea of living in Christendom is waning. St. Benedict gave an example of how to survive the trying times ahead and this book provided some good examples of small things we can do moving forward.
How are you praying? Are you asking God to work in your life or are you asking God to light the path you want? Turn your prayer to trust and live!