When one writes or "rights", always, as G. K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc and all writers know, one writes with an audience in mind.
From the beginning of this blog, I have written for two groups, mainly. The first group is that of new Catholics who sincerely want to learn more about the Faith. The second is that of traditional or orthodox Catholics, who want to grow deeper in love with God, as I do. This is not a blog which tries to convert, or convict at the level of the first conversion, which is giving one's life to Christ, although that can happen by reading, for example, the Doctors of the Church, or commentaries on the lives of the saints. Absolutely.
However, there are some people who honestly misunderstand conversion. They think that one is converted only through a dramatic, singular experience of Christ. This is limiting how God calls people to conversion. Sometimes conversion is a slow process of working one's way through the beauty of the teaching of the Catholic Church, to find Christ in His Church. Sometimes it means reading the Early Church Fathers, or St. Augustine's Confessions.
God is not limited in His giving of grace. But, the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church and I write within that context.
That is why Christ set up His Church-to evangelize and to feed.
Now, a person who is not Catholic may become interested in the Church when reading something more than the Penny Catechism, which is a good start. But, apologetics may be confusing to some, especially if that person only dips into reading and does not pursue study.
The art of apologetics is not about basic evangelization, but the systematic defending of the Faith through reason.
My regular readers know this, and realize that my blog is for those who are on the way. I try to give meat, not milk, as St. Paul writes. But, milk and meat can be given together.
Protestants who read my blog may be interested in the Catholic Faith. I hope so. If a Protestant, or a liberal Catholic is offended, I only apologize in so far as I have not, then, made my points as clear as I could have done. Such people who are regularly offended do not have to read my blog. But, one can always follow up sources for real Catholic teaching, of which their are hundreds on this blog.
Also, many posts are not independent, but part of the whole of this blog, which includes many series.
Most of my readers already have a personal relationship with Christ, and want to grow deeper in that relationship. If someone wants a blog which discusses the beginnings of the Catholic Faith, I can recommend many others. There are millions of Christian blogs. I am sure Protestants or non-Catholics rarely if ever read Rorate Caeli, for example.
Blogs have focus, just like any other writings.
If someone wants to discuss matters on this blog, fine, but I do not publish Anonymous comments, which I have noted many times. I see that some people hide behind a non-name merely to be rude. And, if one is hyper-critical without wanting to discuss, and does not leave a name, or uses ad hominem fallacies, personal criticisms instead of reason, I shall not engage.
Rational discourse and faith are the great gifts which the Catholic Church has given to the world.
God bless all those who want to think like Catholics. The world needs you.
If someone wants something else, that reader has millions of blogs from which to choose. I am not into numbers games.
