Getting prepped for tonight’s Catholics Come Home team training event at the Pastoral Center. 14 parishes, 44 participants, 1 mission.

If an abyss is where we’re headed, I’d rather be regressive than progressive.

My friend Brian Pizzalato comments on the upcoming Sunday readings at Mass for Catholic News Agency at http://is.gd/4GauI

The Scientific Impossibility of Evolution (Nov. 9 Conference to be held in Rome) – http://is.gd/4G8z4 – looks interesting…

What makes a good parish website? http://bit.ly/1syo1V (via @geerlingguy)

Oh My God starring Hugh Jackman (Australia), Seal, Ringo Starr, & David Copperfield looks great! http://www.omgmovie.com/960.mov

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

Video reflection on Bible readings for Mass by @michaelpbarber on Sunday, Nov. 1 at http://vimeo.com/7267630

The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics ($14.93) looks yummy (http://is.gd/4Ddq8). If you’d like to get it for me, go here: http://is.gd/4DdvY

Jimmy Akin

Jimmy Akin serves as the Director of Apologetics and Evangelization for the non-profit lay apostolate: Catholic Answers in San Diego, California… and his very popular blog can be found at JimmyAkin.org

I first became aware of Jimmy back when he still went by the name of “James” in the 1990’s as I read the material on the Catholic Answers website at Catholic.com and subscribed to the apologetics magazine titled “This Rock.”  These days, I absorb Jimmy’s wisdom by downloading and replaying – via podcast on iTunes – episodes of his numerous Q&A guest appearances on the extremely internationally popular radio show: Catholic Answers Live (played on my iPhone through my car speakers during my morning and evening commute using the iSimple car adapter).

A fellow Texan (he’s originally from Corpus Christi), Jimmy was raised as a nominal Protestant and experienced a profound conversion in his 20’s, which led him to the desire to become a Protestant minister.  However, his thorough and ongoing study of Scripture brought him to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church in 1992.  In the well-written compilation of 11 individual conversion stories, Surprised By Truth (Amazon link), you can read Jimmy’s own story, which is titled “A Triumph and a Tragedy.”  I have especially enjoyed his book titled The Salvation Controversy (Amazon link), a text that systematically lays out the Catholic doctrine of justification in clear and precise terms, outlaying its full Scriptural background.

Jimmy’s talks:

A Triumph and a Tragedy
Jimmy recounts his spiritual journey from lukewarmness to committed Evangelical to devout Catholic, describing what he found in Scripture that guided him down that path: many specifics that collectively convinced him that all of Catholic doctrine is true.

Defending the Faith
Catechesis, evangelism, ecumenism, and apologetics share interchangeable parts. Drawing heavily from Scripture, Jimmy explains how apologetics is the bedrock on which all the others rest and which cannot be undertaken without first understanding apologetics.

Why be Catholic?
Prepared for and well received by Protestant seminarians, this presentation focuses on the irrefutable truth that the Catholic Church is a creation of Christ and how the institution and perpetuation of the papacy is essential to it.

Exploring the Bible
A tour de force into Scripture that gives the history of the Bible, how its contents were chosen, the various parts that comprise it, how to appreciate God’s word, and common mistakes in interpreting it.

The Key to Understanding Mary
A straightforward explanation of Marian doctrines that brings all Catholic teaching about Mary into harmony.

The Keeper of the Keys
A unified understanding of the purpose of the papacy’s existence as seen through the Old Testament and the key Gospel text regarding Peter and how that understanding answers common objections to the papacy.

Mormonism Exposed
A thorough explanation of Mormon belief, why it is incompatible with Christianity, and guidance on how to respond to common Mormon claims.

Q & A Open Forum
A face-to-face version of Jimmy’s exhilarating and charitable exchanges in his popular weekly appearances on “Catholic Answers Live.”

Talks on other topics are offered by arrangement.

Fees:  Costs include an honorarium for the first talk of $1200 plus travel expenses (air fare and/or mileage, lodging, a rental car if necessary, and a per diem of $35). The honorarium for each additional talk given that day is $800

You may book Jimmy Akin by calling +1 (619) 387-7200

What I enjoy most about listening to Jimmy Akin is his consistent application of balanced logic and insightful charity.  He’s literally a walking Catholic encyclopedia who inspires within his listeners a desire to pursue truth.

Another stellar video reflection on this upcoming Sunday’s Scripture readings by @michaelpbarber at http://vimeo.com/7189214

Sample online video lectures from the Augustine Institute distance education program: http://vimeo.com/channels/aide

RT @CurtJester: Te Deum! Another aborturary closes down. http://bit.ly/2lHEup

Pope B16’s address during yesterday’s general audience is more than worth the read – beautiful! – http://is.gd/4w0gl

Eloquent, pro-life presentation by Robert George on Conscience, Justice, & Human Life (iTunes) -http://is.gd/4vXnX

Without God We Are Nothing – http://is.gd/4utwC

The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity by Taylor Marshall – http://bit.ly/4bxcqf

RocketTheme has expanded into offering their killer themes for #wordpress and I’m drooling at the bit – http://is.gd/4qVKs

Bishop Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa issues excellent pastoral letter on authentic renewal of the Church – http://is.gd/4ohdY

Video reflection & insight on Biblical readings at Mass this Sunday at http://bit.ly/c74nL

I’ve been playing the stock market with zecco.com this year and have made $400+ so far… Not bad for an amateur.

Carl Olson’s reasoned analysis of a Nat. Catholic Reporter editorial reflecting thinly veiled dissent: http://is.gd/4kXdq

How to integrate parish life with electronic communication (e.g. RSS feeds, text msgs, email, Facebook) using flockNote – http://is.gd/4hOLP

“Do you realize that Jesus is in the tabernacle just for you, for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart.” St. Thérèse

For anyone who needs granular Access Control Level capabilities for #wordpress, I found the perfect plugin here: http://is.gd/4ergS