Victor R. Claveau, MJ
Friends informed me about a group of Catholic laymen who presented seminars on Catholicism and on Fundamentalism, Mormonism, the Jehovah’s witnesses, and other topics. I couldn’t wait to find out more about them. Needless, to say, the group was Catholic Answers (founded by Karl Keating in 1979), based in San Diego, California.
I attended a presentation by Karl Keating on the Jehovah’s witnesses. A week later, I attended a debate between Patrick Madrid and a Mormon official. I was so enthusiastic that when I approached Karl about joining his staff, I must have looked a bit unbalanced. I knew that this was what I wanted to do, but at the time I didn’t have anything to offer except enthusiasm. Karl suggested I begin studying, giving me a list of books, I should master, and he encouraged me to develop an apologetics program of my own. I purchased books, a few at a times, and began my studies at once. The first topic I researched was the theology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I chose it because I thought it would be the easiest. I collected back issues of the Watchtower and Awake! (Five years’ worth) and every book on the subject I could find. I soon found that the Witnesses quote obscure or out-of-print sources to justify their ideas. Most of the sources were not easily available to me, but I checked with used book dealers and soon was able to obtain many of the publications to which the Watchtower Society referred. I purchased the 1914 Catholic Encyclopedia, the 1967 New Catholic Encyclopedia, the Judaica Encyclopedia, and many volumes by Catholic apologists. I endeavored to refute the Witnesses’ teachings with solid research. They use only carefully selected quotations, usually taken out of context, to support their teachings. The study was enjoyable and kept me busy in my spare hours. A couple of months later I was ready to give my first seminar. I submitted my presentation to a local priest to assure him that what I would be presenting would conform to Church teachings. He agreed to sponsor my presentation and helped me advertise in the local area. Eighty-five people attended the seminar. The formal presentation lasted two hours and there was a half-hour question-and-answer period. I was overwhelmed with the enthusiastic response. I had arranged to have the presentation videotaped by my cousin, who is a professional. I intended to use the video to critique my style. As it turned out, people asked to purchase copies of the video. My apologetics organization, Catholic Footsteps, was born that evening.
First Published in This Rock: The Magazine of Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization, San Diego, CA, July 1990.