W N Raven Ph D

Why am I Catholic? W N Raven Ph D

This manuscript contains little known facts about Catholic history and the contribution of African people as part of the early followers and architects of Christianity. Additionally, it traces the difficulties experienced by many Africans in finding their unique place during our sojourn in early America and their disenfranchisement. While I can not and will not attempt to add to or change the gospel of St. Mark; nevertheless, it must be noted that St. Mark was the first Bishop, Partriarch and founder of the second See of St. Peter, The African Liturgical Rite, (Church), in 43ad. He was born in Libya and died in Egypt. Much of my knowledge about the Church was gained during my travels in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and throughout the U. S. Also, my many years of study at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. Within the structure of the Roman Catholic Tradition there are ten, (10), Liturgical Rites: each having it own language, geopolitical area, Bishop under the governance of the Pope. There is no better way to promote equality, justice, respect for each other than to recognize that the apostles brought these same messages of salvation to each geopolitical region with the same intent. Inclusion of my personal story reveals how my search for truth took me to several corners of the globe and clarified what I had suspected all along. Without knowledge and truth there can be no understanding...standards by which we agree and come together. As an addendum, I included several documents from the early church: The Didache, The Apostolic Tradition and the Liturgy of Egypt, (COPTIC), which were the rules of governance for the early church. Because they were in existence before there was a New Testament and because seven of the apostles works: Andrew, Bartholomew, (Nathaniel), James I, (the Great), Matthias, Phillip, Simon and Thomas, are not included in the New Testament and most of the history of the first century Catholicism in Africa is not included in the New Testament.