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    Becoming Pratholic: Part Protestant, Part Catholic. A New Twist on Christianity
    Becoming Pratholic: Part Protestant, Part Catholic. A New Twist on Christianity
    Becoming Pratholic: Part Protestant, Part Catholic. A New Twist on Christianity
    Ebook113 pages1 hour

    Becoming Pratholic: Part Protestant, Part Catholic. A New Twist on Christianity

    By Mike Muchowicz

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    About this ebook

    For centuries, theologians and scholars alike have searched for the key to bringing Protestants and Catholics together in unity. Well, I (neither scholar nor theologian) have beaten them to it! In just 3 hours, you will learn the secret to helping bring greater unity to the Body of Christ. Jesus prayed that all Christians would be one--and I believe this is possible!

    Do you roll your eyes when your Catholic friend tells you they went to Confession, then demand that they show you "where that's found in the Bible?"
    Do you clutch your Rosary and scowl when your Protestant neighbor tells you they've changed churches--for the 4th time this month?

    If you've answered "Yes" to either of these questions, then you need to read this book!

    Chances are that you, whether Protestant or Catholic, have unknowingly added to disunity within the Church and have not even recognized it! I will help you go beyond living out your faith as just Protestant or Catholic--you will Become Pratholic.

    Includes small-group discussion questions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMike Muchowicz
    Release dateMar 31, 2015
    ISBN9781311922854
    Becoming Pratholic: Part Protestant, Part Catholic. A New Twist on Christianity
    Author

    Mike Muchowicz

    I am a proud native of Chicago and attended St. Rita high school, Villanova University, and Northwestern University Physical Therapy School.

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      Book preview

      Becoming Pratholic - Mike Muchowicz

      Becoming Pratholic: Part Protestant, Part Catholic

      A New Twist on Christianity

      Copyright 2015 Mike Muchowicz

      Smashwords Edition

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy.

      Scriptures listed as NKJV are taken from The New King James Version (Registered Trademark). Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Scriptures listed as NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (Registered Trademark), NIV (Registered Trademark), Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. (Registered Trademark). Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

      Cover design by Joe Dascenzo

      To K.M. -the most loving person I know

      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      Chapter 1: Rivalries

      Chapter 2: Nomenclature

      Chapter 3: Foundations of Pratholicism

      Chapter 4: Why Pratholic?

      Chapter 5: The Condition of the Catholic Church

      Chapter 6: The Condition of the Protestant Church

      Chapter 7: Fighting within the Body

      Chapter 8: Fighting within the Denomination

      Chapter 9: Coaching the Catholics

      Chapter 10: How Protestants can Minister to Catholics

      Chapter 11: The Priesthood

      Chapter 12: Your Church and You

      Chapter 13: A Few Thoughts on Full Unity the the Church

      Chapter 14: Conclusion

      Introduction

      Please Read This

      Early in my freshmen year at Villanova University, I saw the blue sign taped to the wall in a stairway in my dorm. Its title caught my attention: Knowing God. It was an advertisement for a series of talks that was being held by University Christian Outreach(UCO), a ministry to students at Villanova.

      I went.

      I don’t remember much about the Knowing God series, but somehow I became a very committed attendee of UCO meetings. Throughout my four years at Villanova, I grew tremendously in my faith through the ministry of UCO. The benchmark of their ministry was that it was an ecumenical group which welcomed students from all denominations.

      I met many great people, Protestant and Catholic alike, at UCO. I also jumped into a nearly frozen river on one of our retreats, had my 1st ever surprise birthday party (thrown by UCO friends), and nearly got busted for underage drinking in the dorm at one of our gatherings--until the dorm monitor discovered we were all drinking water.

      One memory in particular stands out to me as I think about this book and its title. A strong Protestant friend of mine from UCO once asked me if I was Catholic or Protestant.

      My answer?

      Pratholic. Part Protestant, Part Catholic.

      I remember that he really liked that answer. And years later in writing this book, it was that answer that led me to entitle it, Becoming Pratholic.

      Thanks for reading this.

      Chapter 1: Rivalries

      "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one Flock and one Shepherd." John 10:16, NIV

      Two Number 2 Pencils

      While I was in college and rapidly growing in the Lord, I started to feel what I would call a burden for unity within the Christian Church--the entire Christian Church. It was apparent that people in the Church as a whole, did not have an understanding of, or respect for, the people and beliefs of denominations other than their own. I still see the same problem today: Protestants and Catholics think they are on two different and opposing teams!

      Once when I was at home from school during a break, I came across a passage in the Old Testament which talked about God bringing unity to the divided Israelites, His chosen people. In Ezekiel 37:15-17, God commanded the prophet Elijah to write the name of one faction of Israel on one stick and the name of the other on another stick. He was then to join them together in his hand, and they would become one stick, symbolizing that God would make them one unified people.

      I felt that this passage had meaning for the Church. So upstairs in my bedroom, I took two number 2 pencils (sticks were not readily available), and wrote on one of them, For Catholics and on the other, For Protestants. Then I taped them together and put them in my dresser drawer.

      No.

      I didn’t open the drawer the next day to find one giant pencil. But more than a decade after joining those pencils, I continue to feel the burden to see a greater unity between Protestants and Catholics (especially in America), so that, somehow, we may be one. This is a desire in my heart, but more importantly, I believe it is in God’s also.

      And if it’s not in yours yet, hopefully it soon will be...

      Perfect Game

      On July 23, 2009, Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game. No runs, hits or walks given up to the opposing team. Also, his team committed no errors. It was quite the accomplishment--especially then, when the hitters seemed to improve each year.

      The perfect game brought about a temporary change in the baseball environment of the city of Chicago, my hometown. It was as though there was a peace between the crosstown baseball fans, with Cubs fans tipping their caps to Buehrle in spite of the fact that he plays for the White Sox--the team which Cubs fans are supposed to hate.

      I say that Cubs fans are supposed to hate the White Sox, because there are Cubs fans, like me, who do not hate the White Sox. I don’t know what it is, I just don’t hate them or their fans.

      Growing up, I went to a few Sox games, and I just found that I really didn’t have a lot of fun when I was at them. I will say that on a few occasions, I did see some exciting moments...like Harold Baines hitting an upper deck home run on the 1st pitch of the 14th inning of a game my little league team went to on a school night (the parents said that if the Sox didn’t score in that inning, then we’d leave, even though the game was still going on). And when this lifelong Cub’s fan walked down the ramps to exit the stadium, he could be heard chanting Haarrrolllllld Haarrrolllllld! with the rest of the stadium.

      And then there was the Grand Slam that Robin Ventura hit in extra innings to win a game, and the fireworks that followed. And also, the time in old Comiskey Park when we actually had a real, sustained wave going around the park. OK, so I did have some fun, but overall, I found the games themselves boring.

      So what led me to become a Cubs fan? One of the main factors was that the Cubs played all of their home games during the day, until 1988, when lights were installed at Wrigley Field. On the weekdays when the Cubs were playing, I’d get home from school, turn on Channel 9 (WGN) and watch the game. It was a nice tradition, and one of many fond memories for me in the 80's (best decade ever). Another major factor which helped secure me as a Cubs fan was Wrigley Field itself.

      If you have ever been to a game at Wrigley Field, you know it's a fun place to be no matter the teams or the score. The bleachers are my favorite seats. They are general admission, so you can sit wherever you want, and they are the prime seats to

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