The Catholic Undertow

Mary Ann Collins, A Former Catholic Nun

Foreword

The Catholic Undertow is based on a lot of research. It deals with subjects that are often presented in a complex or academic fashion. I have tried to be simple and straightforward in my presentation, in order to be easily understood by people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

I have thoroughly documented the information in The Catholic Undertow. You can study these issues yourself and come to your own conclusions. Much of my information comes from Catholic books and websites. I have also drawn from my personal experience with Catholicism.

This book confronts some touchy issues. I have tried to do so with compassion and objectivity, but sometimes I have had to be blunt in order to make my point clear. Jesus told us to speak the truth in love. I have tried to do that.

I want to make it clear that my problem is with the Catholic system--not the people. I love the people. There are many Catholics who really love the Lord. I used to be one of them.

COMMUNICATION

People think differently. Our minds work differently. We interpret what we read based on our knowledge and personal experience. If we aren’t careful, we may make assumptions, or jump to conclusions.

Please don’t read things into this book that I haven’t said. For example, when I say that a person did something, all I am doing is describing actions that can be objectively verified. I am not attributing motives to people. I can’t do that, because I don’t know the people.

In The Catholic Undertow I will sometimes tell about people who did destructive things. I am not judging those people. Only God knows their hearts. I am just giving you some historical facts.

For example, I discuss the Inquisition. What the Inquisitors did was bad. However, only God is qualified to judge the men who did it. There is a difference between people and their actions. Sometimes people who do bad things are looking for God, but we would never recognize it because of their behavior. The Apostle Paul is an example. Before his conversion, he persecuted Christians to the death.

SOME PRACTICAL ISSUES

If you are a practicing Catholic, then I do not recommend reading this book. It was written for people who have left the Catholic Church. I have another book that is much more appropriate for you. It is called Another Side of Catholicism. Please read that instead. You can read the entire book at the following website.

http://www.AnotherSideOfCatholicism.com

You have my permission to quote from The Catholic Undertow as long as you do it accurately and fairly. You may also copy portions of it to share with your friends, or to use in Bible studies or other classes.

I wanted to give you some good quotations from some papal encyclicals. However, I don’t have permission to quote the material. So I paraphrased the information. You can read the encyclicals for yourself, because they are online, and I will tell you how to find them.

I created a website for The Catholic Undertow. You can read the entire book online. You can also contact me through the website. I encourage you to tell your friends about it.

http://www.CatholicUndertow.com

In quoting from The Catholic Encyclopedia, I have used the classic 1914 edition. This edition has two advantages. First, it is online, so you can read the articles for yourself. Second, it was written before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

Following the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church placed a strong emphasis on ecumenism. It made many changes in its outward appearance, in order to be more palatable to Protestants. The 1914 edition of The Catholic Encyclopedia speaks openly and frankly about some things that more modern editions would probably avoid or water down.

My biography mentions that I left the convent when I was a novice. I never made vows. Some people have asked me why I refer to myself as a “former nun” when I never made vows. According to the 1914 edition of The Catholic Encyclopedia, if a novice has been accepted into a religious order (I was), and has been given a habit (I wore it), then he or she is a monk or a nun in the broad sense of the term.

You can buy The Catholic Undertow online at Amazon.com and iUniverse.com. If you have a bookstore, you can get a discount at iUniverse. If your bookstore is online, tell them that you have a “dot-com” store so that you can get a better discount. In order to get the discount, you have to order the book by phone (877-823-9235).

The Catholic Undertow gives Internet addresses for many online articles. In addition, there are some things that you can easily find for yourself. Please read the information at the beginning of the Notes. It tells you how to find papal encyclicals, articles from The Catholic Encyclopedia, and other helpful things. It also tells you how to locate information in the online edition of The Catechism of the Catholic Church.

All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

A PERSONAL NOTE

In this book I will sometimes tell about people who did destructive things, or who said things that are not correct. I am not judging those people. Only God knows their hearts. I am just giving you some historical facts.

I believe that there are two kinds of people in this world--those who know Jesus Christ, and those who have the potential to know Him. We should love people in the first group because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And we should love people in the second group because they need to see the love of God in us and through us. It is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance. (Romans 2:4) When Christians are loving, it demonstrates God’s goodness.

An example of this is Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman whose family hid Jews during the Second World War. A man betrayed her family and reported them to the Nazis. Corrie’s father died in prison. Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to a death camp. Betsie died there but Corrie survived. Corrie found out that the man who had betrayed her family was in prison and was scheduled to be executed. She wrote to that man. She told him that she forgave him, and she told him about Jesus. He wrote back to Corrie saying that if she could forgive him after what he had done, then he wanted to know her God.

The Bible says that we need to test everything against Scripture. Therefore, as you read this book--or any other book--I encourage you to ask God to give you His perspective about the things that you are reading. We all need to habitually seek God for His guidance.

I have a website with some Biblically-based articles whose purpose is to strengthen and encourage people. I wanted to include some of them in this book, because we live in stressful times, and we all need encouragement. However, that would have made the book too long. But you can read those articles online.

http://www.NewLifeWithChrist.com

A CHALLENGE

If you are disturbed by some of the things that I have written, I understand how you feel. I was a devout Catholic for many years, and strongly loyal to the Catholic Church. It grieves me to learn about some of these things.

If you disagree with what I have said, you are welcome to your opinion. We all have to do the best that we can to discern whether or not things are true. However, I do want to challenge you to do one thing. Please ask God what He thinks about it.

We all need to pray, as David did: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

May the Lord bless you and speak to your heart as you read this book.