Official Catholic Geek

Can we get a logo over here, please?

I think it's time to declare a new category..not just Amateur Catholic, but Official Catholic Geek. That, my friends, is T-shirt worthy! OCG!

Perhaps you wonder why I have made this declaration? Well, I've come to realize I'm a Catholic Geek.

It's not about involvement in the parish...after all, that can be quite a social activity. It's not about prayer...we are all called to prayer, geeks and non-geeks alike. It's expected us all of us and is actually a pretty basic instinct.

Well, I was hit with a revelation recently, and the priest at my parish actually pronounced it to be so...I am a geek.

Why?

Well, not only am I a revert with this seemingly insatiable thirst for all things Catholic, but I have actually gone so far as to begin to read the Church Fathers by way of a wondeful book, FOUR WITNESSES The Early Church in her Own Words Clement of Rome, Ignatious of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons. Now, this book discusses the Didache, which is the early teaching of the Apostles...the first record of the first Catechism. It highlights the writings of these Fathers of ours and discusses the historical context at the time, including descriptions of the violent martyrdoms of themselves and other early Christians. It discusses the first "denominations", because, of course, Satan immediately sought to wreak division among the souls, thus we have Gnosticism, Docetism, Montanism, etc.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Folks, the Church is facing the EXACT same problems now as she did 2,000 years ago. The Martyrdom is different, but it's still there and has taken a different course. I really think there are many Catholics out there living lives of quiet martyrdom, and we will never recognize most of them...but the Lord does, and what He sees in secret, He rewards.

Now, back to the geekiness....I am going to begin teaching RCIA this year. As I've never really taught before, this year is likely to be more about learning than teaching, but I hope to at least get my feet wet by standing in front of the class with the Catechism in one hand and the Bible in another. (I'm not sure how holding two tomes will lead to wet feet, but I digress).

Well, this weekend, I visited an awesome Catholic store, one in which I believe the proprietors of which nearly consider me to be a stockholder... St. George's Christian store, in Blaine, MN. Well, I happened by a couple of textbooks: The Didache Series. Thest textbooks are apparently used often by homeschooling parents...those who are serious about imparting their faith to their children, are endorsed by Cardinal George, Scott Hahn, and the like...and they have GREAT pictures! I'm not talking about drawings..I'm talking about true historical art...good, in depth summaries, references to the Catechism, references to Scripture...wow!

Well, I BOUGHT two of the textbooks, and I'm actually READING them! And I intend to read them COVER TO COVER.

That's when it hit home and I realized that my parish priest really did mean what he said, and his assessment of me was correct....I'm a Geek.

So I began to take stock of my Catholic library, and here is what it contains:

* 4 Bibles: 2 NAB, 1 New Jerusalem Reader's Edition, 1 Ignatious RSV
* The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
* The Compendium
* The Baltimore Catechism
* Four Witnesses-The Early Church in Her Own Words ~ Rod Bennett
* Where we Got the Bible ~ Henry G. Graham
* Catholic Source Book
* The Essential Catholic Handbook
* Pope Fiction - Patrick Madrid
* Theology for Beginners - Frank Sheed
* Catholics and the New Age - Fr. Mitch Pacwa
* Forgive Me Father, for I am Frustrated - Fr. Mitch Pacwa
* Prayer Primer - Fr. Thomas Dubay
* The Fire Within - Fr. Thomas Dubay
* The Screwtape Letters - CS Lewis (I of course have Narnia as well)
* Father Brown Mysteries - GK Chesterton
* Truth and Tolerance - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
* Catholicism and Fundamentalism - Karl Keating
* The Davinci Hoax - Sandra Meissner and Carl E. Olson
* Why Do Catholics Do That? - Kevin Orlin Johnson
* Dark Night of the Soul - St. John of the Cross
* A Story of a Soul - St. Therese of Lisieux
* Nuts and Bolts - Tim Staples
* Ungodly Rage - Donna Steichen
* Confessions - St. Augustine
* The Didache Series - The Complete Church History, and Understanding the Scriptures
* Surprised by Truth 2

Well, I think I'll just end it there. I haven't read everything on the list, although I've read bits of all of them and have consumed most of them at one time or another. I have other books not named, and of all of the above...I RECOMMEND ALL very strongly.

It might be time to constitute exactly what creates a Catholic Geek, and what, exactly, is involved in designating geekhood. I'll be taking comments and will set them out all out in a future post.

I know you're out there...come on out, Catholic Geeks...make it official! You know who you are...and you have the same books as I in your library...and more! What ELSE makes you a geek. Inquiring other geeks want to know!