Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Chastitysf Web Site Review	Deacon Larry	Sunday, November 2, 2008
Question: A bit tardy perhaps, but in reading some of the questions I came across the one about chastitysf.com. To check if a Cathoilc web site is OK I go to CatholicCulture.org which evaluates these sites for fidelity, etc. Below is what they said about chastitysf. Blessings on your work. Deacon Larry Chastity — In San Francisco? chastitysf.com/index.html DESCRIPTION-This website is the work of a Catholic clinical psychotherapist. In it, the webmaster takes an in-depth look at psychological healing within the Roman Catholic mystical tradition. Though he does draw heavily on Church teachings and the writings of the Saints, as well as his own background in psychology, the conclusions he draws are purely his own. Further, there is often a disparity between his conclusions and the teachings of the Church herself. This disparity is often caused by the author's mistaken assumptions about the role of culture and recreation in a truly Catholic life. He assumes that responding to God means we must specifically "Catholicize" all our activities. For a complete explanation of this error, see Christians, Culture and Recreation. STRENGTHS· Example- Large "Self-Help" section -Resources· Example A large and excellent section on prayer -Resources · The excellent design and organization make the site easy to use. -Useability WEAKNESSES· Example The webmaster often presents his own opinions and conclusions about what is necessary to live a truly Catholic life as universally applying to all, without distinguishing them from the actual moral precepts required of all Catholics. -Fidelity · Example -Some of the answers in the Q and A section are problematic. -Fidelity · Example - Some of the material, especially in the answers given to questions, lacks proper Christian charity. -Fidelity · Example - The author seems to at best downplay and at worst totally disregard the unitive aspect of marriage. -Fidelity
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Deacon: Thanks for the information. I had already made a negative review on the psychological approach the guy makes, but had not the time to evaluate the man's approach from a theological and Catholic point-of-view. I am not a big fan of Catholic Culture. This review that you quote seems to be accurate, but I do have a problem with Mirus's pontification of "He assumes that responding to God means we must specifically "Catholicize" all our activities". In the linked article Mirus (who likes to put "Dr." in front of his name) says, "The excesses of this error can be avoided by placing greater value on the interior life. First, it is in the interior life alone that the work of faith must be carried on unceasingly. This is not a requirement of our external activity." Mr. Mirus makes the same arrogant mistake he accuses the psychotherapist: The webmaster often presents his own opinions and conclusions about what is necessary to live a truly Catholic life as universally applying to all, without distinguishing them from the actual moral precepts required of all Catholics. Mr. Mirus, in his article does something similar by presenting his own opinions and conclusions about the exterior practices with dogmatic certitude as if coming from the Vatican and universally applying to all without regard to some of the teachings of the Church and the Saints. I give him a Yellow Light for fidelity. While his article has many good points, it lacks the balance that he accuses chastitysf of not having. The statement I quote above is, in my opinion, not true. It is out of balance. I am reminded of the teaching of one of the saints of our charism, St. Louis de Montfort, who said in his True Devotion to Mary, no. 226: Although what is essential in ... devotion consists in the interior, we must not fail to unite to the inward practice certain external observances. “We must do the one, yet not leave the other undone” (Mt 23:23); because the outward practices, well performed, aid the inward ones; and because they remind man, who is always guided by his senses, of what he has done or ought to do; and also because they are suitable for edifying our neighbor, who sees them; these are things which inward practices cannot do. While every recreation does not have to be explicitly "Catholic" what we do must be evaluated from a Catholic worldview. We will be exercising some worldview in every single thing we think and do. As Catholics that worldview ought to be Catholic. In terms of psychology, it is critically important that the psychotherapist have a Catholic worldview, which includes 100% fidelity to the Pope and Magisterium, the teachings of the Church, and the wisdom of the Saints. I do not think this fella from chastitysf meets that standard. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Chastitysf Web Site Review

Deacon Larry

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Question:

A bit tardy perhaps, but in reading some of the questions I came across the one about chastitysf.com. To check if a Cathoilc web site is OK I go to CatholicCulture.org which evaluates these sites for fidelity, etc. Below is what they said about chastitysf.

Blessings on your work.

Deacon Larry

Chastity — In San Francisco?
chastitysf.com/index.html

DESCRIPTION-This website is the work of a Catholic clinical psychotherapist. In it, the webmaster takes an in-depth look at psychological healing within the Roman Catholic mystical tradition. Though he does draw heavily on Church teachings and the writings of the Saints, as well as his own background in psychology, the conclusions he draws are purely his own. Further, there is often a disparity between his conclusions and the teachings of the Church herself.

This disparity is often caused by the author's mistaken assumptions about the role of culture and recreation in a truly Catholic life. He assumes that responding to God means we must specifically "Catholicize" all our activities. For a complete explanation of this error, see Christians, Culture and Recreation.

STRENGTHS· Example- Large "Self-Help" section -Resources· Example A large and excellent section on prayer -Resources
· The excellent design and organization make the site easy to use. -Useability

WEAKNESSES· Example The webmaster often presents his own opinions and conclusions about what is necessary to live a truly Catholic life as universally applying to all, without distinguishing them from the actual moral precepts required of all Catholics. -Fidelity

· Example -Some of the answers in the Q and A section are problematic. -Fidelity
· Example - Some of the material, especially in the answers given to questions, lacks proper Christian charity. -Fidelity
· Example - The author seems to at best downplay and at worst totally disregard the unitive aspect of marriage. -Fidelity

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Deacon:

Thanks for the information. I had already made a negative review on the psychological approach the guy makes, but had not the time to evaluate the man's approach from a theological and Catholic point-of-view.

I am not a big fan of Catholic Culture. This review that you quote seems to be accurate, but I do have a problem with Mirus's pontification of "He assumes that responding to God means we must specifically "Catholicize" all our activities".

In the linked article Mirus (who likes to put "Dr." in front of his name) says, "The excesses of this error can be avoided by placing greater value on the interior life. First, it is in the interior life alone that the work of faith must be carried on unceasingly. This is not a requirement of our external activity."

Mr. Mirus makes the same arrogant mistake he accuses the psychotherapist:

The webmaster often presents his own opinions and conclusions about what is necessary to live a truly Catholic life as universally applying to all, without distinguishing them from the actual moral precepts required of all Catholics.

Mr. Mirus, in his article does something similar by presenting his own opinions and conclusions about the exterior practices with dogmatic certitude as if coming from the Vatican and universally applying to all without regard to some of the teachings of the Church and the Saints. I give him a Yellow Light for fidelity.

While his article has many good points, it lacks the balance that he accuses chastitysf of not having. The statement I quote above is, in my opinion, not true. It is out of balance. I am reminded of the teaching of one of the saints of our charism, St. Louis de Montfort, who said in his True Devotion to Mary, no. 226:

Although what is essential in ... devotion consists in the interior, we must not fail to unite to the inward practice certain external observances. “We must do the one, yet not leave the other undone” (Mt 23:23); because the outward practices, well performed, aid the inward ones; and because they remind man, who is always guided by his senses, of what he has done or ought to do; and also because they are suitable for edifying our neighbor, who sees them; these are things which inward practices cannot do.

While every recreation does not have to be explicitly "Catholic" what we do must be evaluated from a Catholic worldview. We will be exercising some worldview in every single thing we think and do. As Catholics that worldview ought to be Catholic.

In terms of psychology, it is critically important that the psychotherapist have a Catholic worldview, which includes 100% fidelity to the Pope and Magisterium, the teachings of the Church, and the wisdom of the Saints.

I do not think this fella from chastitysf meets that standard.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum