I do not really wonder why my mother has never become Catholic. I know one of the major reasons. What I have wondered about, especially since becoming Catholic myself in 2011, is how someone like my mother could in so many ways make a great Catholic and yet see Catholicism as something fundamentally incompatible with … Continue reading How Protestant Ideology Killed My Mother’s Chances of Becoming Catholic
There is a quote often attributed to Archbishop Fulton Sheen that has stuck with me ever since I first heard it: "There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church." Whether the exact number … Continue reading Mystery or Confusion
Tears, Adoration, and a Calling People are often surprised when I tell them I don't enjoy debating anymore. That's probably because for years I was known as "the Catholic guy" who was always reading theology, studying Church history, and digging into apologetics. The truth is, there was a season of my life when I thought … Continue reading Why I Stopped Debating
There’s a common claim you hear all the time: works don’t matter, just believe. It sounds simple. It sounds clean. But when you actually open Scripture, that idea starts to fall apart pretty quickly. The tension usually shows up when Catholics talk about works. The response is almost automatic: “That’s legalism,” or “you’re trying to … Continue reading Faith That Moves: What the Blind Man Shows Us About Works
Every Easter I am recalled back to a conversation I had with a friend about this exact topic. I asked her what Jesus Christ meant when He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Without hesitation, she said, “His salvific work is complete.” That’s the answer most people give. It sounds right. It feels complete. But … Continue reading What was Finished on the Cross?
I did not grow up Christian. I was raised in a Buddhist home shaped by immigration, memory, and obligation rather than by formal religious institutions. In America, our practice looked nothing like the tradition my mother had known in Vietnam. There was no temple nearby, no monks, no communal rhythm of worship. What remained was … Continue reading When Fear Masquerades as Conviction
Photo by Chad Greiter on Unsplash From a Facebook Question to the Heart of the Church I recently came across a Facebook post from someone preparing to move to Sioux Falls. They were searching for a church that teaches the Bible well and is active in the community. It was an honest question, and the … Continue reading What the Crowd Couldn’t Accept
I was reading headlines on my phones news app and one headline caught my eye and made me go through a range of emotions likened to someone going through the stages of grief. What was this headline? '17 Celebs Who Won't Leave Their Kids' an Inheritance'. That's the reason for your emotional turmoil? Well it's … Continue reading A Legacy of Faith: Building Spiritual Generational Wealth Beyond Material Riches
I am reminded of a video that I saw online of an elderly woman who suffers from Alzheimer's. Sitting in her wheelchair with headphones on to hear the sounds of music from Swan Lake. She seems to come alive while gesturing with her hands toward the person controlling the phone to "turn it up". As … Continue reading How Quickly We Can Remember
One weekend I was at a family gathering in the twin cities visiting my mom who had come back from Vietnam to see her kids, grandkids, and great grandkid. There was great food, great conversation, and great karaoke. The time went by so fast it was like a blur. A few things stuck out to … Continue reading NO ONE CARES, DUDE!
Disciples At The Ready 