Radical Catholicism – Back to the Basics seems to be an unusual name for a Catholic website. Are there many who really consider Catholicism to be radical; that is, a challenging, meaningful religion, founded by Jesus Christ and concerned with the salvation of  individual souls. For some in the Church, the term radical would appear to be unseemly, for others Catholicism is anything but radical; it is depicted as boring, old fashion, and out of tune with the times . However, radical is a very appropriate term.  While there are many who do consider Catholicism to be radical, though in a negative way, others consider the Church to be the sole way to salvation and therefore it is indeed meaningful, certainly challenging, and very relevant to their lives. Radical it is. G.K. Chesterton, the brilliant English 20th century author and convert to Catholicism noted in his classic work, “Orthodoxy”, that  “People have fallen into a foolish habit of speaking of orthodoxy as something heavy, and safe. There was never anything so perilous or so exciting , as orthodoxy.” Chesterton, along with many others, have indeed found Catholicism to be very radical, very challenging, and very motivating.

Many people have come to detest Catholicism, often without really knowing its actual beliefs. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen commented that, ” There are not more than 100 people in the world who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive to be the Catholic Church.”  Part of the purpose of this site is to discuss the radical nature of Catholicism; its motivating and supernatural nature. And what it actually teaches! (Thus those who would still hate the church can know specifically why they hate it.)

The second objective is to invite people to discover or, in some instances, rediscover the basic beliefs of the Catholicism. Many people, both Catholics and non Catholics, do not know or understand the elementary beliefs of the church. Thus they reject what they mistakenly believe the church teaches. Consequently it is vital to review the basic tenets of the Church….without changing or moderating them so they can be acceptable to the current cultural norms.

Finally, quotations from significant members of the Church will be inserted for your contemplation.

Please feel free to comment or add  to the discussion in the Blog section .