Tag Archives: ecumenical catholic

It’s hard to tell who’s the priest at St. Clare Ecumenical Catholic Community.

The apostles of Jesus say to him, "Increase our faith." He replies that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed (which is quite small), we could say to this tree "be uprooted" and it would obey us.

Last week the Roman Catholic Church selected its new pope. As pastor of St. Clare, a non-Roman Catholic community, I have been asked a number of times over the past week about my thoughts about the new pope. Since this question has come up so often, in so many contexts, I thought it would be worth sharing my thoughts here.

Last week the Roman Catholic Church selected its new pope. As pastor of St. Clare, a non-Roman Catholic community, I have been asked a number of times over the past week about my thoughts about the new pope. Since this question has come up so often, in so many contexts, I thought it would be worth sharing my thoughts here.

Jesus was not talking about love the way our culture tends to talk about love. This is not about a superficial, “feel good” kind of love. It is not about a short term, self centered kind of love that focuses on me, and mine. Jesus was not saying that what matters is that I am loved, or that I experience that warm fuzzy feeling that we often associate with love.

This isn’t your typical Catholic church.

There’s no incense. No gothic-style building. The congregation doesn’t believe the pope is infallible. And, the priest, the Rev. Tom Altepeter, is married.