Dear Friends,
How do you keep your children from falling away from the Church? Many Catholic parents ask that question and urgently want an answer.
And for good reason. After all, many young Catholics these days get lured into a Protestant sect. Others lose their faith. And still others fall for atheism or agnosticism and the false freedom it offers.
And to make matters worse, temptations are everywhere.
You might be surprised by what I'm going to tell you next. The question, "How do I keep my children from falling away from the Church?" is the wrong question! Here's why.
Did you ever see the movie "Patton" starring George C. Scott as General Patton? Among his other exploits, Patton and his men marched 100 miles in 48 hours to rescue the Allied forces that were surrounded in the Battle of the Bulge. Without Patton's unexpected help, the Allies would've been slaughtered.
Patton was aggressive. He knew Hitler was evil. He was eager to engage and defeat the enemy. And he inspired his men. That's what it takes to win a battle!
Now, consider this. What do you think would have happened if Patton had taken another attitude instead: "As long as my men don't quit - if they'll at least refrain from crossing over to the other side and joining the Nazis, I'll be happy." With that kind of attitude, Patton never would have run to the roar of battle. The results would have been disastrous.
A neutral army of disengaged soldiers is of no use to any country.
That's why we parents shouldn't ask "How can I keep my children from quitting the Catholic Church?" Instead, we should ask, "How can I inspire my children to be on fire for the Lord so they'll be actively involved in the fight against evil?"
Consider some of the evils our children face today:
- Religious indifferentism and atheism/agnosticism
- Moral relativism, which is sometimes called situation ethics - the convenient and seductive notion that nothing is right or wrong and that morality depends on the situation
- Internet porn addiction, which has enmeshed millions of men in a web of sin
- The temptation of drug abuse
- The temptation of sexual immorality
Let's face it. Our society is saturated with sin and temptation. Going through life is like walking through a loud, colorful carnival of sin: carnival barkers are shouting out at us from every direction, trying to get our attention and entice us into their booths.
It's not enough for our children merely to avoid quitting the Church. They need to be strengthened for the battle against sin! If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews, I urge you to pay close attention to what I'm telling you in this letter
You see, to protect and prepare our children for life, we need to understand and appreciate the "sacrament of combat"! It's the forgotten sacrament - the sacrament that's underrated and unappreciated.
Tragically, just about every Catholic in America misunderstands what this sacrament is. Many don't know what it is, and many more have a Protestant understanding of it. Few Catholics grasp how important the "sacrament of combat" is.
How important is it? Well, what happens when a weak, ill-prepared soldier meets a strong enemy on the battlefield? The weak soldier quickly becomes a "casualty." And that's what's happening every day to young Catholics who become casualties in the battle against sin. Without the graces and spiritual strength that come from the "sacrament of combat," they can all too easily fall.
War is upon you and your loved ones!
Some Catholics don't want to hear anything about combat. They just want to be nice and go through life without getting into any fights or struggles. They prefer to remain neutral so they don't offend anybody. But there's a big problem with that: our enemy, Satan, is vicious, wicked, clever, and cunning. He wants to pull you and your loved ones into Hell for all eternity. And he'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that.
Incredibly, some Catholics don't even know that a war is on - a spiritual war. And there's no such thing as neutrality in this spiritual war. This war is upon you and me.
Let me put it this way: you're either in a state of grace, working for the Kingdom of Heaven, or you're not. It's that simple. And those who aren't in a state of grace or aren't working for the Kingdom of Heaven are, for now, on Satan's side.
In spiritual warfare there's no DMZ - demilitarized zone. You're on one side or the other. As a living, breathing Catholic, you're part of the communion of saints in the Church Militant. Your goal is to be part of the Church Triumphant in Heaven. And to get there you may need to spend some time in the Church Suffering in Purgatory. For now, you're a soldier of Christ.
How a military man became a soldier of Christ!
Let me tell you Tom Sullivan's remarkable story. When I hired Tom eight years ago as a technical expert, I didn't realize he had a hidden talent.
You see, Tom had spent quite a few years working for St. Joseph Communications. During that time he didn't just listen to Scott Hahn tapes. He developed the Scott and Kimberly Hahn Adult Education on Video Program, which is now in hundreds of parishes around the country.
Believe it or not, Tom has become one of the most outstanding Catholic speakers you'll ever hear. The 350 women who heard his talk at Malvern about the "sacrament of combat" were amazed. Most of them had no idea of the power and importance of this sacrament.
Tom has also appeared as a guest on EWTN's "Life on the Rock" and "The Abundant Life."
When Tom was just 17, he joined the Navy. He took to the Navy like a duck takes to water. And he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a Company Commander at the age of 21. As a Company Commander, his job was to train men and women in the ways of military life.
When these men and women first arrived, they were undisciplined. But under Tom's command, they began to tighten up as a unit. And as they began to think like military men, they soon realized the big picture. Taking pride in their uniform, they realized they were part of the greatest military force on earth.
After Tom left the Navy, he came to realize that God is real. Later he joined the U.S. Coast Guard. That's when his priest asked him to teach about the "sacrament of combat." Tom didn't know much about it, but he said yes. He asked his associate pastor, "What is our objective?" The pastor said it was to prepare young Catholics for spiritual warfare.
So Tom went home to dig deep into the "sacrament of combat" so he could "plot a course."
Today, Tom is perhaps the leading authority on why this amazing sacrament is needed more today than perhaps ever before. Whenever Tom talks about it, what he says resonates deeply within me. You must hear him.
Just as the Navy men under Tom's command took pride in being part of the greatest military force on earth, so you should take pride in being part of the greatest Kingdom that has ever existed: the Kingdom of Heaven. Of course, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth is the Catholic Church.
It's difficult for most American Catholics to grasp the significance of being part of a "kingdom." That's because we don't live in a monarchy. America is a republic. We have a president, not a king.
But when you and your loved ones grasp Tom's message about the "sacrament of combat," you'll beam with pride to be a soldier in the magnificent Kingdom of Heaven. And you'll want to be actively engaged in spiritual warfare - not just a neutral observer.
Grab your weapon!
"Hand me my weapon," St. Pio of Pietrelcina once said to a Brother. The Brother was baffled. He looked around but didn't see a knife or a gun or any other kind of weapon. "My rosary. Hand me my rosary," said St. Pio.
I tell you that story because each time you pick up your Rosary and pray it, you're making a decision to fight against evil.
The Rosary is a weapon - one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we have.
We need the graces that come from the "sacrament of combat" to be strengthened for the intense spiritual battle in front of us. How do we get these graces? Tom explains everything better than I can summarize it.
Communion nourishes us. And when we're wounded on the battlefield by sin, we can find the "medic" in the nearest confessional and get healed.
How you and your loved ones can get
the graces from the "sacrament of combat"
I want you to hear Tom's amazing insights - as a man with a military background - about the "sacrament of combat." The 350 women who heard Tom speak at Malvern would agree that he inspires not just women but would also inspire men - especially men! That's because a man's highest calling is also a knight's calling: to protect and defend women and children!
As a token of thanks for your tax-deductible gift of $35 or more, I'll send you a CD of my radio interview with Tom about the "sacrament of combat." I guarantee his powerful remarks and insights will help you and your loved ones. Just check the box on the reply memo, and I'll send it to you.
For your tax-deductible gift of $50 or more, I'll send you not only the CD of my radio interview with Tom but also a DVD of Tom's appearance on EWTN's "The Abundant Life." Could you consider sending a gift like that?
To get the biggest benefit, I recommend that you ask for this month's "bonanza package." I call it a bonanza package because you get everything you need to share the truth about the incredible "sacrament of combat." Here's what you get for your tax-deductible gift of $100 or more:
- The CD of my radio interview with Tom
- The DVD of Tom's appearance on EWTN's "Life on the Rock," which is perfectly suited for teenagers
- The DVD of Tom's remarkable talk at Malvern, which is great for CCD teachers and parents
- The DVD of Tom's appearance on "The Abundant Life," which is perfect for families
- A copy of Tom's new book about the "sacrament of combat," which is endorsed by Dr. Scott Hahn, Curtis Martin of FOCUS Catholic campus ministry, Doug Barry of Radix, and other Catholic leaders
You'll want to loan out or give away this life-changing information to your loved ones and friends, and when you have this month's bonanza package, you'll have plenty of resources to distribute. Could you consider making a gift of $100 or more?
Despite the financial difficulties in this recession, my staff and I have been busy this year - unbelievably busy! We put your donated dollars to work in promoting the Catholic values so close to your heart and mine. These Catholic values could transform our whole society and reclaim it for Jesus Christ - perhaps in one generation - if we truly live the truths of our Faith and share them with others.
I'm trusting the Lord to provide for our needs through His faithful servants: people like you.
I'm praying you'll rush your Christmas gift right away!
I need to raise $42,500 by the end of the year so we can enter the New Year with a clean slate. I'm praying that we'll be able to start the New Year in a position of financial strength.
Could you be a hero and consider sending an extraordinary Christmas gift of $5,000, $2,500, or $1,000? A gift like that would be a big blessing to our ministry. If the Lord has blessed you financially, could you consider sending a gift of $10,000 or more?
I'm also praying for many gifts in the range of $500, $250, $100, $75, $50, or whatever you can sacrifice. Would one of those amounts be possible for you?
Every gift helps, whether it's big or small. The Lord can multiply the smaller gifts as He multiplied a few loaves and fishes to feed thousands.
I'm praying for your immediate help. No gift is too large, and no gift is too small. Please send whatever is a sacrifice to you. Please pray about this request, and give what the Lord is leading you to give. Your gift will give me the breathing space I need financially to reach more souls and change more lives.
Please continue to pray for me and for our ministry. And please join me in praying for our benefactors.
May the abundant life of Jesus Christ be yours.
In His service,
Johnnette Benkovic
P.S. Remember, we can't leave young Catholics in the lurch. Rather, we must strengthen them for spiritual warfare, and that's why I recommend that you discover the power of the "sacrament of warfare."
P.P.S. Remember, some of our donors are out of work and can't donate. So if you're in a position to give, please dig deep and try to give extra to make up for those who can't give. Click here and make an on-line Christmas gift donation. If you do not want to donate online, you can also call in your gift to 1-800-558-5452 or mail it to us at Living His Life Abundantly, PO Box 239, Oldsmar FL 34677-3019. |
