Who is the Catholic Legal Beagle?

Catholic Legal Beagle standing at the entrance of a jail cell in the Ancient City of Philippi, in Greece. It is traditionally associated as having housed the Apostle Paul and his partner Silas after they were charged with causing a public disturbance by "questionable religious teaching," as mentioned in Acts, Chapter 16.

I'm a licensed attorney, a Knight of Columbus, and otherwise just an ordinary member of the laity and a Eucharistic Minister at St. Joseph's Church in Shelbyville, Indiana. I can also be found sometimes attending Matins during the week at the St. Athanasius Byzantine Catholic Church in Indianapolis, and occasionally their Divine Liturgy services as well. As a Catholic, I love how the Mass of the Western Church emphasizes the human nature of Christ, while the Divine Liturgy of the East emphasis tends more towards the side of Christ's divinity. I have found immersing myself within both traditions has deepened my Christian faith tremendously. As Pope St. John Paul II once said, "The Church must breathe with her two lungs,** meaning her Eastern and Western Rites, perhaps the same could be said of myself as well. 

My motives for starting a website are multifold, but all grounded in an overarching desire to become a better disciple of Jesus Christ and sharing his message of Salvation with anyone who may stumble across my humble home in cyberspace. I hope to do so by providing a website that will be educational, ecumenical, and evangelical in nature, one that teaches and promotes Christ's Gospel as taught and preserved by the Church Christ founded 2000 years ago. St. Thomas Aquinas said that "All the other Sciences are but handmaids to Theology,"** and I hope to cover the full spectrum of them, including topics such as Cosmology, Physical Science, Philosophy, and Archeology, as well as the History, Spirituality, and Teachings of the Church, stemming both from the Bible and Sacred Tradition. My ultimate goal is to build what can be utilized as a "One Stop Shop" for all important aspects of Catholic Apologetics, that uses all the aforementioned areas of teaching, but present materials in a way that is both informative and fun for the reader (even if the only readers ends up being my wife and my mom:)). 

Among other topics I may address, I'm sure as current events dictate I will address Catholic Social Teachings, and likely will do some features on Catholic Cinema and the Arts. I also hope to do some book reviews (as I love to read but sadly seem to forget 90% of what I've read unless I've written things down). Another regular feature will be that I intend to use this blog as a "travelogue," where I will share some of my past, present, and future adventures involving pilgrimages and vacation destinations, which features people and places that have significance within the Catholic faith. 

Interior of the Chapel dedicated to the Baptism of St, Lydia, the first Christian recorded to have been baptized in Europe (See Acts 16:14-15), near the ancient city of Philippi, Greece.

Not sure how regularly I will update this, but when I do, feel free to leave any questions and or comments that come to mind. In addition, if I can answer questions or address topics that would help others along their own spiritual journey I would be honored to help in that way. As this blog will serve as something of a spiritual journey for me, it would be nice to have some company along the way, so feel free to email or leave comments:)   

Hiking on Mt. Athos, Greece (SEP 2019).

*Ut Unum Sint (1995)
**Summa Theologica (1485)