Sometimes it is possible to appear to be addressing one thing, but to avoid it by actually addressing something related (i.e. dodge a bullet).

A case in point is a response by Rick Warren to some of the recent criticism leveled at him.

“The author of the bestselling book “The Purpose Driven Life” then sought to defend Catholics from those who take issue with the practice of seeking the intercession of Mary and the various deceased persons that have been sainted by the Vatican.

‘Sometimes protestants think that Catholics worship Mary like she’s another god, but that’s not exactly Catholic doctrine,’ Warren contended. ‘People say, “What are the saints all about? Why are you praying to the saints?” And when you understand what they mean by what they’re saying, there’s a whole lot more commonality [that we have with Roman Catholics].’”

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The point addressed, prefaced by “Sometimes protestants think”, is whether Catholics worship Mary like she’s another god.

However, he does not address what Catholics do or not do, but only talks about Catholic doctrine.

Those are not often the same things.

Having spent half my life in that world, I, my family, and my friends, frequently did things that were not necessarily according to Catholic doctrine.

The history of the apparitions of the queen of heaven has been often at odds with official doctrine.

These had been big things in my family.

When I was young, my family took us to Mexico, I think we possibly may have visited Guadalupe, though I’m not sure.

Later my Grandmother made a pilgrimage to Lourdes and brought back multiple bottles of “holy water” for the rest of the family.

As an adult, my wife and I were CCD teachers, teaching the seven sacraments and how to pray the rosary.

Around that time, I studied the history surrounding Guadalupe, Knox, Lourdes, and Fatima.

There was a long time when everyone except church leadership believed that they were real, as well as the attending miracles.

The church spent a lot of time studying it and even discrediting some of the things.

Regardless, the devotees did not care what the official church position or doctrine was.

They believed what they wanted to believe and they did what they wanted to do.

Later, I took my own family to Fatima, in Portugal.

Then some years later, I visited the Hillside Cross, at a cemetery west of Chicago, where multitudes flocked to the apparition there.

When I arrived, not only were there many devotees, but there were signs and posters put up there by the Archdiocese of Chicago.

They pointed out that what was going on there had not been sanctioned by the church, and was not officially recognized.

However, at the Hillside Cross, the devotees worshipped the queen of heaven, exactly like is done at Fatima, Lourdes, or Guadalupe.

It did not matter whether the church recognized some but not all apparitions of the queen of heaven, the people still came to worship.

The devotees worshipped her, praised her, sung to her, and prayed to her.

What was done was no different than going to the temple of Dianna to worship her.

Goddess worship is what we did, regardless of church doctrine.

Only when I got saved did I realize that I had been worshipping a goddess, in violation of the first commandment.

When witnessing to people who have moved to the US from Mexico, far too often they want to know one thing first.

They want to know whether or not we worship la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Once we say no, they immediately close the door to further witnessing.

You’d think that we were in Ephesus.

Many, many, many everyday Catholics are goddess worshippers, regardless of official Catholic doctrine.

The goddess worship, and the prayers to the saints, by everyday Catholics, is both idolatry and necromancy.

I did it for years, and so do millions of others, currently, around the world.

            It would appear that Mr. Warren dodged this bullet by diverting the conversation to official Catholic doctrine.

I’m very surprised that he doesn’t know about Catholic practice vs. Catholic doctrine.

                        Gino