Next Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A False Comparison

Some Catholic apologists portray Protestant churches as being unstable, constantly splitting into new denominations, and full of wide-spread disagreement about foundational issues. (I've had them tell me that there are 25,000 to 30,000 different Protestant denominations.) They contrast this with the Roman Catholic Church, which they portray as being solid and unified. They say that when people interpret the Bible for themselves, it results in chaos and division, as shown by the many Protestant denominations. They conclude that, therefore, Protestantism doesn't work, and interpreting the Bible should only be done by the Catholic hierarchy. [Note 1] In other words, Protestants should become Catholics. However, the picture of Protestant division and the picture of Catholic unity are both greatly exaggerated. The "chaos" is an illusion. And the resulting conclusion is therefore not valid.

THERE IS BASIC UNITY AMONG PROTESTANTS

There are some beliefs which define Christianity. These include things such as the Incarnation (Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man), the Atonement (Jesus Christ died for our salvation), the Resurrection of Jesus, the Second Coming of Jesus, and the authority of Scripture. These are not negotiable. Any person who does not believe them is not a Christian.

Some things are negotiable. These include things such as the form of baptism, the kind of worship music, the form of church structure and organization, defining the relationship between free will and predestination, and eschatology (beliefs about what will happen during the End Times). These are important issues. They can affect the quality of a person's Christian life. But they do not determine whether or not a person is a Christian. These are areas in which Christians can agree to disagree.

Differences among genuine Protestants occur in the second area, the negotiable items. They could be compared to flavors of ice cream. There are many kinds of ice cream, but they are all ice cream. They aren't pie, or cake, or salad. In real life, people know when they are eating ice cream, and when they are eating something else. Some Catholic apologists say that there are 30,000 different Protestant denominations. This is not true. Dr. Eric Svendsen has made an in-depth study of this claim. There is no valid foundation for it. His book "On This Slippery Rock" has a chapter about it, which you can read on-line. Dr. Svendsen also has an on-line article about diversity in Catholic beliefs. [Note 2 gives addresses.]

I looked in my Yellow Pages under "churches". It listed Catholic churches, Orthodox churches, a few cults, and 73 varieties of Protestant churches. Of the Protestant varieties, many are obviously variations of the same thing. For example, it listed nine different kinds of Baptist churches. Let's compare this to something in everyday life. There is a huge difference between cats and dogs and horses. Now if you narrow it down to dogs, there are many different varieties. And within each variety, there are subgroups. For example, there are different kinds of collies and different kinds of poodles.

Catholic apologists act as if differences in Protestant churches are like the huge differences between cats and horses and birds and dogs. In reality, they are like the differences between different kinds of dogs (variations in the same kind of thing.) Often, they are like the differences between different kinds of poodles or different kinds of collies (small variations in things which are essentially the same).

THERE IS DIVERSITY AMONG CATHOLICS

The appearance of unity among Catholics is misleading. There are actually major differences in theology and in practice. I will only discuss a few of them, by way of example. Malachi Martin's most recent book, "Windswept House," deals with some other differences. Although it is a novel, it deals with real issues. Protestants who have differences in practice and belief identify themselves by different names. They openly acknowledge their differences. However, Catholics who have differences in practice and belief still call themselves by the same name (Roman Catholic), and they say that the Pope is their leader. This gives a false impression of unity.

In spite of verbally saying that the Pope is their leader, there are Catholic priests and theologians who openly defy the Pope's authority. Malachi Martin wrote about some of them in his book, "The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church". [Note 3] There are also feminist nuns who openly defy the Pope. (These will be discussed later.)

There are conservative Catholics who want to do things the "old" way that things were done before the Second Vatican Council. This includes having Mass said in Latin. An ultra conservative group called True Catholic believes that Pope John II is not a valid pope because he has promoted "heresy" (things which are contrary to Catholic doctrine which was "infallibly" declared by previous popes). They believe that as a result the papacy has been vacant. In order to remedy the situation, they have elected a pope. [Their web site has information about this. Note 4 gives the address.] There are Catholic theologians who teach liberation theology, which equates "salvation" with armed revolution. There are gun-toting Catholic priests who fight alongside communist guerrillas, working for communist revolution. [Note 5] I first heard about them from a Latin American friend who personally witnessed the destruction and confusion which they have caused.

As we will see, some Catholic priests and nuns teach things which are clearly contrary to basic Christian doctrine. Yet they are still allowed to teach in the name of the Catholic Church, and to hold positions of influence and authority. I ran into some of this when I took classes in Religious Education at a Catholic college in the mid-1960s. Since then, it has become more widespread, and the teachings have become more extreme.

BIOETHICS

The Catholic Church has traditionally been a champion of sanctity of life. However, some Catholic priests at a prestigious Catholic university are actively working to undermine the sanctity of human life, both theoretically and in practical ways.

Georgetown University is run by Jesuit priests. It is the home of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, which is headed by a Jesuit priest. Some of its faculty members are also Jesuit priests. The Kennedy Institute of Ethics actively promotes abortion and euthanasia, which are contrary to the traditional Catholic belief in the sanctity of human life. It is working to have "death" be redefined to include people in "irreversible" comas, so that doctors can get better quality organs for transplants. This is documented in the book "Culture of Death". The Introduction to the book is available on-line. [Note 6 gives the address.]

The Kennedy Institute of Ethics trains doctors, nurses, lawyers, legislators, teachers, and hospital administrators. It also has an annual summer "Intensive Bioethics Course" which is attended by people from around the world. It has branches in Asia and Europe. According to the woman I spoke with, it has the most comprehensive library of bioethics literature in the world.

NEW AGE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES

The "New Age" is actually a resurgence of old paganism which has been "westernized" and dressed up in modern vocabulary. It denies foundational Christian doctrines and basic Christian morality. It is totally contrary to the "official teachings" of the Catholic Church. But in spite of this, there are Catholic priests and nuns who are openly promoting New Age beliefs and practices. This is an area in which there is a wide diversity of beliefs among Catholics. The chapter "New Age Catholicism" has a good deal of detailed, carefully documented information about this. It comes primarily from Catholic authors and Catholic web sites.

I am only giving a brief summary here. I realize that it is a lot to take in all at once. Therefore, I am giving you some on-line articles, so you can see this information for yourself. [Note 7 gives the addresses of the articles.] Some Catholic priests are teaching trusting Catholics to engage in occult practices, including "channelling" (having "spirits" speak through you). Some feminist nuns participate in pagan rituals, worship "the goddess," and practice witchcraft.

There are Catholic retreat houses which promote New Age practices. A Catholic priest runs a Catholic-Hindu "house of prayer" which has statues of Hindu gods, plus a crucifix.

Some Catholic schools no longer teach foundational Christian doctrines, such as the Resurrection. Instead, they teach New Age beliefs. There are Catholic colleges which give workshops on witchcraft rituals, channelling, and goddess worship.

There are feminist nuns who promote lesbianism. A lesbian play which is verbally pornographic has been performed at nine Catholic universities and colleges, with the approval of the priests and nuns who run the schools. At one Catholic college, one of the actresses was a nun. [Note 8 gives addresses of on-line articles.] These New Age beliefs and practices are contrary to traditional Catholic teaching. Lesbianism and pornography are contrary to traditional Catholic morality.

FIRE INSURANCE

Another area of diversity is the approach toward some old fashioned Catholic "devotions". I will illustrate this with one example. Can Catholics be sure of getting into Heaven if they wear a specific religious item showing devotion to Mary? Modern theologians and apologists will probably tell you, "Of course not!" However, as we will see, there are Catholics who believe that Mary will give them "fire insurance" if they follow her directions.

According to tradition, on July 16, 1251, the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Simon Stock, holding a Brown Scapular (two pieces of brown cloth attached by strings). She promised him, "Whoever dies clothed in this [the scapular] shall not suffer eternal fire." This promise is for people who belong to the religious order of the Carmelites, or who are associated with them. Catholics can be "enrolled" into the "family of Carmel" by any Carmelite or authorized Catholic priest. In 1965, Pope Paul VI encouraged Catholics to wear the Brown Scapular and pray the Rosary. [Note 9 gives addresses of articles from Catholic web sites.]

Catholics who wear the Brown Scapular can also qualify for the "Sabbatine Privilege" if they fulfil certain religious requirements. The "Sabbatine Privilege" is a promise that if they go to Purgatory, Mary will get their Purgatory time shortened. [Note 10 gives addresses of articles from Catholic web sites.]

There are other Catholic devotional practices which have promises attached to them. They often involve the use of medals, rosaries, pictures, different kinds of scapulars, and specific prayers. There is even a "five way medal" which consists of a cross with medals at the end of each of the four arms. This enables people to wear a cross and four different medals at the same time in a neat and orderly way. (Five items on five separate chains could become quite tangled.) There are also "four way medals" which have four medals in the general shape of a cross. Sometimes the medal is enclosed in a circle. Some of these medals are solid gold, and quite expensive. You can see them on-line. [Note 11 gives addresses.]

I have known Catholics with a wide range of approaches to these "devotions". Some considered them to be old fashioned, or even superstitious. Others took them quite seriously. I knew one woman who was so devoted to praying the rosary that even when she was carrying on a conversation, her rosary beads were going through her fingers.

THE PROBLEM OF MISTAKES

Should men and women interpret the Bible for themselves? They might make mistakes. This is a problem because nobody is immune from making mistakes. But mistakes can be corrected. We serve a living God who loves us. He is able to correct us if we get off track. Look at some of the prayers in the Bible.

"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults." (Psalm 19:12) "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." (Psalm 119:133) "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139: 23-24) Men and women who study the Bible and interpret it for themselves may sometimes make mistakes. But if people do not know the Bible well, and they are not used to understanding Scripture for themselves, then they will be easily persuaded by authority figures who teach unbiblical things. In order to test a teaching, people need something solid to compare it to.

Catholics are used to trusting priests and nuns, and accepting whatever they teach them. Catholics have not been taught how to test things, and check them out against Scripture. The possibility of making mistakes is something that we have to deal with all the time. For example, there are no perfect parents. Fathers and mothers make mistakes. But that doesn't mean that children should be raised by "experts" in institutions instead of being raised by their parents. ("Experts" make mistakes, too. Look at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, and the Catholic colleges which produced a lesbian, verbally pornographic play.)

The learning process always involves the risk of making mistakes. Hebrews 5:14 says that it is "by reason of use" that people "have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." In other words, it takes time and practice to learn to discern things for ourselves. But God expects us to do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says that we should "prove [test] all things; hold fast that which is good." In other words, test everything and only keep what's good. Romans 8:28 says that "All things work together for good to them that love God." That includes our mistakes. God is big enough and powerful enough and loving enough to make even our mistakes work out for our good. He is "able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy". (Jude 1:24) The Catholic approach says, "You might make a mistake. I'll do your thinking for you."

The Protestant approach says, "Even if you do make a mistake, our God is able to turn it around and use it for good. Do your best and with the guidance of God's Word and the Holy Spirit, you will be able to grow into a mature Christian who is able to handle God's Word correctly ("rightly dividing the word of truth"). (2 Timothy 2:15)

CONCLUSION

Although Catholics have a common name and acknowledge a common leader, there is actually a wide variety of practices and beliefs within Roman Catholicism. For a concrete example of this, compare Mother Teresa with nuns who practice witchcraft.

Although there are variations in Protestant churches, genuine Protestants are in agreement about the foundational doctrines of Christianity. Their differences concern the practical application of how to nurture, develop, and express our Christian life.

It is somewhat comparable to nutrition. There are numerous approaches to nutrition, and "experts" still don't fully understand it. All parents agree that we need to feed our children. But they have different ideas about what constitutes the best way of feeding them. Similarly, Protestant churches have different ideas about what is the best way to feed Christian "sheep".

Chapter 14

Conclusion

There was a time when James and John wanted to call down fire upon some people. "But [Jesus] turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." (Luke 9:55, emphasis added) Can the same thing be said of the Roman Catholic Church?

If you want to know what something really is, then look at how it behaves when it is in a position of power. You have seen some of the things that the Catholic Church has done when it was in a position of power. How do they compare with the way that Jesus and the Apostles treated people? Read the Gospels and the Book of Acts and compare what you see in the Bible with what you see in the Roman Catholic Church. Are they operating in the same spirit?

There is an old saying about the Roman Catholic Church that when it is in the minority, then it is as meek as a lamb. When it has equal power, then it is as sly as a fox. And when it is in the majority (and therefore in a position of power), then it is as fierce as a tiger.

Appendix

"According to Tradition . . ."

We often hear the expression, "According to tradition...". But how reliable are these statements? The following illustrates that people's confidence in these traditions can be disproportionate to the evidence supporting them. According to tradition, around 40 A.D., the Apostle James (the Greater) was in Saragossa, Spain. He was discouraged because his mission had failed. Mary appeared to him. She gave him a pillar (column) of jasper wood, and a small wooden statue of herself. She also told him to build a church in her honor. This is considered to be the first apparition of Mary. [Note 1]

There are some problems with this story. In the first place, in 40 A.D., Mary may well have been alive. (It was only a few years after Jesus was crucified.) If she was alive, then how could she "appear" to anybody? In the second place, the early Christians didn't have churches. They met in people's homes. (See Acts 2:46; Acts 20:20;Romans 16:19; 1 Cor 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2, which all refer to churches meeting in people's homes.) The Book of Acts ends around 60 A.D., when Paul was in Rome. There is no record of any church buildings. (This is about 20 years after Mary supposedly appeared to James and told him to build a church in her honour.

Furthermore, starting with the stoning of Stephen, Christians were killed for their faith. It is basic common sense that people who are being killed for their faith do not want to call attention to their religious gatherings. That is not a good time to build church buildings.

According to tradition, in the eighth century, a hermit "discovered" the body of the Apostle James (the Greater) in Saragossa, Spain. [Note 2] This discovery is questionable in view of the fact that (as we shall see) the Catholic Church has a history of fake discoveries of relics (bodies of saints, pieces of the "true" cross, the nails which were used to crucify Jesus, bread from the Feeding of the Five Thousand, etc.).

Relics were believed to have spiritual power to protect people from demons, give them victory in war, and bless them in other ways. People wore small relics on chains around their necks, as charms for protection. Churches were built over the bodies of saints. Important relics drew pilgrims, which brought money. Bodies of saints were stolen and portions of them were sold for money. Kings and bishops took great risks to steal the bodies of important saints. Towns that had relics prospered and expanded. Fraudulent relics were sold. Graveyards were robbed, and the bodies were passed off as relics of saints. [Note 3]

Relics were important for raising money. Historian Paul Johnson says, "A cathedral without a well-known saint was missing an important source of revenue". [Note 4]

A great cathedral was built in Saragossa in honour of Our Lady of the Pillar. (It is in an area of Saragossa known as Campostella.) It is a major pilgrimage site. The wooden statue of Mary, and the pillar (the column of jasper wood) can be seen on special occasions. [Note 5]

The cathedral in Saragossa has a statue of Our Lady of the Pillar which wears clothing. It has a crown made of 25 pounds of gold and diamonds, with so many diamonds that you can hardly see the gold. In addition, it has six other crowns of gold, diamonds, and emeralds. It has 365 mantles, embroidered with gold and covered with roses of diamonds and other precious stones. It has 365 necklaces of pearls and diamonds, and six chains of gold set with diamonds. The cathedral has another statue of Mary which is five feet high, made of pure silver set with precious stones, with a diamond-studded crown of pure gold. [Note 6]

According to tradition, the head of the Apostle James (the Greater) is buried in Jerusalem. It is in the Cathedral of St. James. This conflicts with the Saragossa tradition. [Note 7] [edit]Biography

I started out as a "liberal" intellectual who was prejudiced against Christianity. I had been taught to believe that Christians were gullible people who were either stupid or uneducated. I was basically an agnostic who didn't know or care whether God existed. For me, the idea of God was irrelevant. I looked to science, psychology, and politics to save mankind from its problems.

During my senior year in high school, I fell in love with a young man who was a devout Catholic. That was my first encounter with someone who strongly believed in God. I may have met Christians before that, but they didn't make their Christian beliefs known to me. This young man prayed. He was a man of integrity. His life was guided by his religious beliefs. He had a kind of compassion and respect for people that I had not seen before. I wanted it. I figured that it had something to do with his religion, so I started taking instruction in Catholicism. The young man moved away, but I continued studying Catholicism.

During my first year of college I went to a local priest every week for instruction. Under his direction, I studied many books including the "Baltimore Catechism" and biographies of well known modern Catholics. (This was in the days of the Latin Mass, before there was a formal catechumen program.) I was unable to return to college the following year. I found another priest and continued studying Catholicism. The priest gave me books to study including a series of booklets on Scripture. (There was a booklet for each book of the Bible. On each page, the top half of the page contained Scripture and the bottom half contained a Catholic commentary about those portions of Scripture.)

My job was close to a Catholic Church, and I went to Mass during lunch hour. I prayed for God to give me faith. I was praying even though I wasn't sure that God existed. My very first prayer was, "God, if You're out there, show me." I didn't take communion because I wasn't a Catholic. I only said as much of the Apostles Creed as I actually believed. It was a long time before I could even say the opening phrase, "I believe in God".

After several years I was baptized a Roman Catholic. Soon afterwards, my brother also became a Catholic. His instruction was through group classes. I attended those classes with him. I was hungry to learn anything that I could about God. I went to a Catholic college and majored in Religious Education. My classes on Scripture taught a lot of modern "higher criticism," and some of my Religious Education teachers taught things that seemed to be contrary to the official teachings of the Catholic Church. I found a conservative priest and I checked teachings out with him to see if they were the official teaching of the Catholic Church. Because I no longer trusted the teachings of the Religious Education department, I changed majors.

When I entered the convent, I was careful to choose a conservative one which followed the official teachings of the Catholic Church. My training for religious life included studying the documents of the Second Vatican Counsel, other books relating to Catholic doctrine, and biographies of well known saints. I spent over two years as a postulant and a novice. This was a time of testing for the leaders of the convent, and for me, to decide whether or not I should make vows. My mother superior had some questions about my calling, and she and the leadership decided that I should not remain in the convent. I left the convent on good terms and have occasionally been in contact with the sisters since then.

Our mother superior was very careful about which priests she allowed to say Mass at our convent. We had priests who were loyal to God and to the Catholic Church. They believed the Bible. They were faithful men. When I left the convent and went to live with my parents, I couldn't find priests like that. The local priests seemed to have little faith and little loyalty, either to God or to the Catholic Church. I remember one Mass where the homily (a short sermon) was so distressing that I left in tears. I stayed outside, weeping. But then I went back in, in order to take communion. I tried every Catholic church in town, but I couldn't find a good priest. I vividly remember a priest who was spoke about Luke 7:38-50. This was the time when Jesus ate in the home of a Pharisee and a woman came and wept and washed Jesus' feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair, and anointed them with ointment. The Pharisee was critical. Jesus told him that he had not washed Jesus' feet, but the woman did. He had not greeted Jesus with a kiss, but the woman kissed his feet. The Catholic priest said that this event must not have really happened, because it would be rude for a guest to say something like that to his host, and Jesus would never have been rude. This illustrates an attitude towards Scripture which I encountered with a number of priests. It was very distressing.

Meanwhile, my parents had become Christians. They attended a Protestant church where the pastor believed the Bible and loved the people. Because the local Catholic churches were distressing, I started doing the splits. I went to early morning Mass and then I attended my parents' church. I did the splits for years. I made myself go to Mass out of duty. But I went to my parents' church eagerly. I learned exciting things about the Bible there. I sang songs that stirred my soul. I took classes that made me more and more hungry for Scripture. I got to know people who were enthusiastic about God. I learned that Biblical principles really work, and that they make a significant practical difference in real life situations.

As I learned more about the Bible, I began to realize that some Catholic teachings are contrary to Scripture. This was disturbing, but I kind of pushed those contradictions to the back of my mind and didn't deal with them. They made me uneasy, but I wasn't emotionally able to handle the idea that there might be something wrong with the Catholic Church. My brother was a devout Catholic. He assisted the priests at Mass for many years. He lived several hours' drive away from us. We had a tradition that on Easter and Christmas, he would come visit and we would go to Midnight Mass together. One Christmas, at Midnight Mass, the priest taught that the Christmas story as presented in the Bible is basically a pious fairy tale to make people feel good, but it has nothing to do with reality. My brother got so angry that he wanted to jump up and shout, "Are we here to celebrate it or to debate it?"

The next day, we went to church with our parents. The pastor there told us that Daniel had been in charge of the "wise men" of Babylon (magi). Therefore, they knew about Baalam's prophecy that the King of the Jews would be heralded by a star. Their religion included watching the stars for signs. So when they saw the special star, they realized that it signalled the coming of this special King of the Jews. Also, one of their functions was to decide who the valid king was if there was a controversy about it. So when they came to confirm that Jesus was truly the King of the Jews, they were fulfilling their official function.

Needless to say, the contrast was striking. And troubling. I did a lot of praying after that. By the following Easter, I had left the Catholic Church and joined my parents' church. I didn't know what to tell my brother and his wife, because they were coming to visit at Easter, and I did not want to go to Midnight Mass with them. We had a long, awkward telephone conversation. Then I finally told them. They started laughing. They had also left the Catholic Church, and were in the process of visiting different churches, trying to find a church home.

There was a prayer that had a major impact on my life, but I don't remember the exact words. When I prayed it, I was crying and I didn't know why. And afterwards, things were different, but it's hard to put into words. The prayer was something like this:

"Jesus, I want to know You. Please reveal Yourself to me and make the Bible come alive for me. I want to be clean and start over again. Please forgive my sins. Wash them away and set me free. I want to live right. Please change my heart. Help me love what You love, and turn away from things that displease You. You know what's best for me. I want to do things Your way. Please be the Lord of my life. Teach me to love the way You love. Help me be faithful to You. Thank You for loving me and for hearing this prayer. Thank You for being my Lord and my Saviour."

Since then I have been struggling with issues related to Catholicism. This book emerged from that struggle. In addition to being a former nun, I am also a widow. My husband and I were very close, and his death introduced me to a level of emotional pain that I didn't know was possible. But God is faithful.

Poems

YOUR WORD

Your Word brings life to save my soul.
Your Truth brings light to make me whole.
Your perfect love casts out my fears,
Comforts me, and dries my tears.
I'm in the shadow of Your wings
Where you teach my heart to sing.
Safe and secure from all alarm,
Your faithful love keeps me from harm.
I will bless You all my days.
You fill my heart with songs of praise.

JESUS, SON OF DAVID

Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.
Light my path and guide my way.
Make me faithful, so I'll stay
Close to You throughout the day,
Devoted to You in every way.
Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.
Open my eyes that I may see
The precious truth that You have for me.
Open my heart to love as You do.
Enable me to be faithful and true.
Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.

GOD'S LOVE

The God who made the world has always loved us.

Before we drew a breath, our heart was known.
God created us to live with Him forever,
To sing and dance with joy before His throne.
Our time on earth is hard, but it is fleeting.
No matter how things seem, God's always there.
He'll guide us and protect us and watch over us,
And take away each tear and fear and care.
And when the toil and pain and fear have ended,
When sorrow's gone, and all we know is love,
Then we and God will celebrate forever,
Rejoicing with the saints in Heaven above.

JESUS, YOU'RE THE LOVE

Jesus, You're the love who'll never leave me.
You're the love who'll always understand.
You will not forsake me or deceive me.
You'll stay by my side until the end.
When I'm afraid, You'll wrap Your arms around me.
You're the faithful friend who's tried and true.
No matter what the troubles that surround me
You will find a way to get me through.
Your love is strong, it's deeper than the ocean.
It's higher than the moon and stars above.
When earth and stars are gone and time has ended,
I'll still live, rejoicing in Your love.
You have my permission to set these poems to music. I don't want any royalties

USE OF THIS BOOK:

You have my permission to do the following things with the entire book, and with portions of it.

(1) Quote from it.

(2) Copy it.

(3) Incorporate it into publications of your own.

(4) Put it on your web site.

(5) Translate it into other languages.

(6) Distribute copies of it. This includes permission to sell it for profit. I do not want any royalties or financial remuneration of any kind.. Please share this book with anybody who might be interested in it. You can download this book from my web site (www.CatholicConcerns.com).