Last week, American television current affairs commentator, Brit Hume, said on a panel show that what maritally-unfaithful celebrity golfer, Tiger Woods, needs is to convert to Christianity.

“He is said to be a Buddhist,” Hume observed, “I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian Faith.”

Plenty of people were quick to label that comment as outrageous and unacceptable. Hume’s words were replayed on a rival show, to shocked laughter from the audience. Others suggested that Mr Hume is a bigot, an idiot, arrogant etc.

Attempts to proclaim the Christian gospel will often be met with mockery and condemnation – or worse. Jesus himself was crucified. About 11 of his twelve apostles are believed to have been put to death for their preaching.

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Jesus had warned them (and us, if we choose to be his followers), “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you . . . the servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you . . . yes, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is doing a service to God.”

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He also told them, “I have still many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will teach you all truth.”

Traditional Catholics take these latter words to be Our Lord’s prediction of his Roman Catholic Church being the means by which God will reveal all we need to know about him and his will for us into the future.

Such a belief can be annoying to non-Catholics. But when you investigate the illogical and/or no-sweat  ideologies on offer as alternatives to the Faith, we see how blessed we are by God to have his Church offering us his sacramental grace and teachings.