Ha! Go Joe! Fantastic story, Mark. This kind of stuff is why I keep dropping by here.
Michael | 08.27.08 - 11:17 am | #

These are good, human stories to hear.

"It may have been a church full of pedophiles and criminals covering up other criminals' sins

“full of pedophiles and criminals…”. Thanks to too many bishops it will be a long long time for the Church to live this down.


“Despite the rebel attire, he says he carries the cross with more reverence than most.”

How does he know “with more reverence than most”? Perhaps it is the writer of the article who is projecting this, but one needs to be careful when judging what is going on in the heart and mind of one’s neighbor.
dpt | 08.27.08 - 11:21 am | #

Ah well, baby steps.
Ed the Roman | 08.27.08 - 12:51 pm | #

Yes, baby steps. God bless him!
JV | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 12:53 pm | #

Joe discussed his book and conversion story with me last Saturday on "Catholic Radio 2.0!". Hear here: http://tinyurl.com/CR2pt0.
Commander Craig | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 1:12 pm | #

I love this story too. A very human story. I think its all the more to his credit that he can be disgusted with the behavior of too many of our priests and bishops, and yet still recognize the beauty that is the Church amongst all the ugliness. As someone said above, "Thanks to too many bishops it will be a long long time for the Church to live this down." I wonder how many others might be prevented from finding the Church, from finding Christ, because of the stumbling blocks that the offending priests and bishops placed in their way!

God bless you Joe and welcome home!
CQ | 08.27.08 - 2:10 pm | #

more like a snail...

"He and Naomi decided they could not, in good conscience, donate a dime to the church because of the clerical sexual abuse scandal."
hislittlelamb | 08.27.08 - 2:38 pm | #

Jeans and a t-shirt are rebellious? LOL, they obviously haven't been to any Catholic church in the city of Portland, Oregon.
Christine | 08.27.08 - 3:01 pm | #

I just got a 'wag more, bark less' t-shirt which I don't dare wear to Mass. But I love it.
Pavel Chichikov | 08.27.08 - 4:54 pm | #

I got a big grin from this story. I love converts. You too, Mark!
Julianne Wiley | 08.27.08 - 5:09 pm | #

Bottom line up front - it's good news.

Sad about the emphasis on the scandal - it was never a surprise that pedophiles seek out professions that get them close to kids, and there's a sweeping slander against ALL priests in the phrase "a church full of pedophiles and criminals" as well as the reference in the article to watching the kids to make sure they were never alone with a priest. Fair enough, as long as he's making sure they were never alone with any adult besides Mom and Dad...

I don't mean to undercut the conversion story. It's great! It's just that getting past the superficial 'oh, they must ALL be pedophiles' attitude. I don't want to blame the media, either, because it was the bishops' aiding and abetting that was the real cause of scandal; but the conspiracy of shallow stupidity on CNN, MSNBC, Fox, etc ni their coverage of just about everything didn't encourage anything thoughtful in the popular perception of the church.

Given that he's a Hollywood guy, it's no surprise that that picture would be in Esterhaz' mind, so it's all the more beautiful that he and his wife saw the beauty of the sacraments through the miasma of episcopal and sacerdotal sin, and the fog of the MSM.
Anonymous | 08.27.08 - 6:01 pm | #

I hope he keeps an equally vigilant eye on his kids at Chuck E. Cheese's, the skating rink, the arcade, and doesn't get them into private piano lessons. Big pedo pounce spots.

Hopefully he's donating his dimes to some worthy charities that support the poor. Fine, don't support your parish, but at least feed Christ in your neighbor.
kentuckyliz | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 7:01 pm | #

Jeez people. Talk about finding the dark lining in the silver cloud. I don't get all the talk about baby steps and so forth. The man is mature enough in the faith to recognize that:

a) good preaching is not an excuse or reason to forgo communion;

b) that where you get communion matters; and

c) that bad hierarchics don't take away from the validity of the Church.

That's more than most Catholics I know understand. Sounds like he's doing pretty well.
Mark Adams | 08.27.08 - 8:22 pm | #

"He's no saint, but he's on the way."

Actually, he is either a saint, or he isn't. It's like being pregnant, either you are or your not.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Mr. Esterhaz is either lost or found. I like to think he's found and saved.
Dale Rudiger | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 8:26 pm | #

"He's no saint, but he's on the way."

Actually, he is either a saint, or he isn't. It's like being pregnant, either you are or your not.

And there are couples who are contracepting, or not having sex, and couples who are engaging in the marriage act freely and perhaps trying to time it for conception.

The wife in the second kind of couple may not be pregnant, but she's on the way.
Mary | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 9:01 pm | #

Actually, he is either a saint, or he isn't. It's like being pregnant, either you are or your not.

A. Not true.
B. O'er parsing of language like athlete's foot: after while, vely illitating!
Jon W | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 10:56 pm | #

Mark,

The term Jeez is a form of taking the Lord's name in vain. Not a good way to begin an appeal to charity.

As far as referring to baby steps, or in my case of referencing a snail you should know that I also refer to my own progress in conversion as likened to a snail.
Hislittlelamb | 08.27.08 - 11:44 pm | #

Not a good way to begin an appeal to charity.

Then I guess it's good I wasn't trying to make an appeal to charity.

or in my case of referencing a snail you should know that I also refer to my own progress in conversion as likened to a snail.

Then you did a pretty horrible job making your point.

Two people refer to Esterhaz making "baby steps." You reply, "more like a snail" and then insert a quote about Esterhaz and his wife not giving money to the Church.

A normal person doesn't interpret that to mean, "HLL is saying that, like herself, Esterhaz is slowly but surely striving for sanctity."

A normal person says, "HLL thinks that Esterhaz's decision not to give to the Church indicates that there isn't much yet to be said for his faith."
Mark Adams | 08.28.08 - 12:09 am | #

"Although he is a devout Catholic, Mr. Eszterhas writes bluntly of his disgust for priests who are pedophiles and bishops who have covered up for them."

Shouldn't this read, "BECAUSE he is a devout Catholic...?"
Liam | 08.28.08 - 1:46 am | #

A normal person says, "HLL thinks that Esterhaz's decision not to give to the Church indicates that there isn't much yet to be said for his faith."

I don't know what you mean by normal. I figure those reading the comments are Catholic, and most Catholics are very familiar with terminology i.e. little lamb, or snail (a term I've come to appreciate more than little lamb in it's accuracy to my condition)or baby steps as part of a path that involves humility by degrees.

I figure a devout Catholic says, "Hll thinks Esterhaz's decision not to give to the Church indicates that he is slowly beginning his journey in sanctity as are we all"

I have no doubt that the comment about refusing to give to the church will be one that he will in time regret. There but for the grace of God go I.
hislittlelamb | 08.28.08 - 4:46 am | #

I figure a devout Catholic says, "Hll thinks Esterhaz's decision not to give to the Church indicates that he is slowly beginning his journey in sanctity as are we all"

As are we all? Than what's the point in saying it?

It was obviously meant to be pejorative, a criticism, and possibly snarky.
Mark Adams | 08.28.08 - 7:33 am | #

The term Jeez is a form of taking the Lord's name in vain.

No it isn't.
Sean P. Dailey | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 3:06 pm | #

Even though this is a secular paper, it's nice to see it so positively presenting the Truth here.

I, too, especially liked this part:

Mr. Eszterhas told The Blade that despite his mixed feelings over the church and the abuse scandal, the power of the Mass trumps his doubts and misgivings.

It means that he's got spiritual maturity coming on...he sees that the Church is more than the local clergy (or the Scandal). It's the Mystical Body of Christ!

Sidenote to nitpickers: Yes, the Church is the hierchy. Yes, the local clergy is a part of that. But it is more than that, too. Read the story (and comments on it) with charity.
Christine the Soccer Mom | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 5:07 pm | #

Sheesh! (a form of jeez)

When I ditto'd the 'baby steps' comment it was meant as a compliment. And judging by what I read in the article, he sounds a lot holier than I've ever been. Though in varying degrees, I try to give my best. And God, infinitely, always gives me enough graces to latch onto.
JV | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 8:54 pm | #

Well, since Eszterhas has reverted to the faith he was raised in I hope he can get past the idea that supporting the Church is not an option. I'm delighted that he takes his sons to Catechism but it takes money to keep parish programs running.

Perhaps in time.
Christine | 09.02.08 - 4:35 pm | #