Welcome To The Data Trust Apostolate!

I would like to give the warmest of welcomes to everyone who has decided to visit our site and see what our ministry work is all about. The idea of a "data-driven ministry" might seem weird to some. You may be asking "don't ministries usually engage in fundraising, feeding the poor, spreading the Gospel, and so on? The answer is yes, and we do engage in most of these activities. I am paraphrasing here, but Father Mike Schmitz once said something along these lines: "Your vocation is where the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are bestowed upon you meet the need of the world." I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, and in fact, data analysis is one of my strengths. But what does that have to do with my Catholic faith? Let us look at the Gospel according to John, Chapter 8 verse 32: "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The information we receive and the data we absorb into our brains is the result of what we observe and experience in this world. And it should be conveyed without any doubt that the most important information we will find in our lifetime is in the objective truth of the Christian Bible, in particular the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That phrase "objective truth" is something that Christians must begin to familiarize themselves with if they haven't already. Too often in today's world, we see "subjective truth." The idea of "you live your truth and I live mine" is an illogical fault we cannot afford to fall into. More specifically, one thing cannot be true for one person and not true for another. Killing is wrong for both people. Committing adultery is wrong for both people. As hard as it might be to hear, one person cannot engage in homosexuality while others decry it. This is not a healthy way of thinking or living. The idea that one's individual standpoint dictates what truth ought to be is a declaration that they are their own highest authority (rather than God), and is a tenant of moral relativism. Moral relativism and has no place in this world. Karl Marx wrote that there is no objective truth, but rather ideologies that serve certain truths or interests. Friedrich Nietzsche's claim that "God is dead" was a testament to the notion that objective justification from a higher power was not credible. Society has no place for these teachings. While our ministry may or may not regularly delve this deeply into the philosophy behind the matter of objective truth, one thing is for certain: it is right and just that all people be given truthful information to the best of the provider's ability. Exodus chapter 20, verse 16 tells us that "Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor," and speaks the broader sins of purposeful inaccuracies, lying, and lying through omission. Proverbs chapter 20, verse 23 tells us "The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him." We often see skewed numbers in polling, and trained statisticians can usually pick them out quite easily. The point I am trying to drive home here is that a ministry like the Data Trust Apostolate is needed, if only to ensure that we are all keeping it honest, myself included. We do in fact do election projections using a tried and true model that has worked time and time again, but we do so much more. Feeding the hungry is good and holy work, but coordinating the delivery of food to every single county in the Appalachian region of the United States requires the right data and the right information. Evaluating the severity of the threat of human trafficking is no easy task, but with careful research, and significant time taken to put the right information together, our ministry can be of service to those in the Appalachian region. My grandfather always told me to "plan your work and work your plan." And he did just that, up until his last day on this Earth. And I will do that for this ministry. And we will show people through our work that we love them - by giving them the truth, and using that truth to do good works for them. Stay vigilant and keep a sharp mind my brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not only fighting a spiritual battle, but an information-based one as well. The objective truth of Jesus Christ is jeopardized by the subjective and relativistic truths of a fallen world. Be strong. God Bless.