A few Biblical quotes about celibacy Jesus calls celibacy a gift that is given to some for the sake of the kingdom of heaven : Matthew 19:10-12 The disciples said to Jesus, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept […]

Some of my favorite quotes from John Paul II, “The Christian Meaning of Human Suffering” : The mystery of the Redemption of the world is in an amazing way rooted in suffering, and this suffering in turn finds in the mystery of the Redemption its supreme and surest point of reference!!! (31) With the Passion of Christ […]

Notes, Links and Sources for The Da Vinci Code  Below are the notes from the adult education classes that I have taught the past couple of summers. (downloadable for the moment only as Word (.doc) files) Class 1: Faith vs. Fiction  The main theological issues of The Da Vinci Code : * Was Jesus just a man? * Was […]

This summer, while studying Spanish in Mexico, I stayed with the Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. One of their big feast days every year is the celebration of the Sacred Heart of the Lord. Part of the festivities was a small biblical skit taken from the Song of Songs, in which Jesus comes […]

The Apology of Justin Martyr [Roberts-Donaldson translation, full text here] A really amazing text, written around the year 150 to explain and defend the Christian faith to its pagan opponents. In its final paragraphs, 65-67, Justin describes the Eucharist and their Sunday worship. CHAPTER LXV — ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS. But we, after we have thus washed him […]

Q & A  “What is a deacon?” A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church who assists the priest at Mass and who is entrusted with proclaiming the Gospel and even preaching on occasion. He can also help with celebrating baptisms, marriages, and funerals. “Deacon” comes from the Greek word meaning “service.” See […]

  This summer I had the opportunity to give a retreat for high schoolers, and I had fun coming up with off-the-wall analogies to help them understand different aspects of the faith. This one is my favorite. Like all analogies, it can’t be stretched too far, but I hope you enjoy it…   Christianity is […]

 Andrew Trapp Catechetics February 8, 2005 Accepting the Lord’s Call to the Priesthood            I suppose that most people imagine that a priest (or someone studying for the priesthood) must have been a miniature St. Francis of Assisi right from the womb. But actually, I had a fairly typical American childhood. My parents were always pretty active in […]

Andrew Trapp Moral Theology Research Paper  The Gospel of Suffering as Pillar of Moral Formation in the Parish              Last Fall, I spoke to a local parish’s fifth graders about vocations. Many of the kids had to sit on the floor, so I encouraged them to offer that sacrifice up to the Lord. To my surprise, […]