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Catholic Replies

March 10, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: One of our readers, D.M. of Virginia, has forwarded a letter that he had published in his diocesan paper, the Arlington Catholic Herald, regarding President Trump’s executive order on immigration. D.M. was responding to two articles in the paper. Here are his comments: “The reactions reported by the Herald from Church leaders, the USCCB, lay Catholics, political leaders, and others I found not to be at all commensurate with the executive order and its intention. I suspect that most, if not all, of the protests came from people who had not bothered to read the text of the executive order, but rather relied on reports from a media that apparently have considerable animosity toward our president and are…Continue Reading

The Gift Of God

March 9, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Gift Of God

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Third Sunday Of Lent (YR A) Readings: Exodus 17:3-7 Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 John 4:5-42 As we make our way through Lent, if things are going spiritually the way they should, it is probable that two things have occurred. The first is that you may have fallen a time or two regarding your Lenten penance. The second is that you are recognizing your weakness and, therefore, your sinfulness more than ever. When this happens, we realize our unworthiness to be a Christian person, to be united with our Lord, or to receive any of His gifts, especially the forgiveness of our sins and the Holy Eucharist. At the same time that this realization is taking place, there…Continue Reading

Are Your Ashes Real Ashes Or Just Ritual Ones?

March 8, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Are Your Ashes Real Ashes Or Just Ritual Ones?

By MSGR. CHARLES POPE (Editor’s Note: Msgr. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian, Washington, D.C. Monsignor kindly gave The Wanderer permission to reprint this essay from his blog. All rights reserved.) + + + As a boy, I remember wondering why so many people liked to rush to church to get ashes smudged on their foreheads. Frankly, I had some revulsion at the idea and would secretly rub them off when no one was looking. Today, though I’ll admit I still don’t like it too much, I behave myself and don’t rub them off! I pray that this doesn’t seem impious, but I’m still amazed by how many people pack into the church to get ashes. Sadly,…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… Living Lent In A Fast Food, Therapeutic Culture

March 6, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Living Lent In A Fast Food, Therapeutic Culture

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK This Shrove Tuesday on the threshold of Lent we celebrated also the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus Christ as promulgated by Pius XII in 1953. This image is inspired principally from the veil of Veronica and the Shroud. Some may also be familiar with the Holy Face of Manoppello. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, proclaimed during Quinquagesima, sets the stage for this devotion. Paul writes, “Now we see as in a mirror, but then we shall see face to face.” After our journey of faith through life our hope will be fulfilled the moment we behold the Holy Face of Jesus Christ after our eyes close on this world for the last time.…Continue Reading

What Is Faith?… The Consequences Of Original Sin

March 5, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on What Is Faith?… The Consequences Of Original Sin

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 27 There are many people today, even among churchgoing Catholics, who deny the biblical and patristic doctrine of original sin, or at least cast doubt over it. They do not realize that, without the concept of original sin, the redemption brought about by Jesus Christ would be meaningless. Of course, if there were no original sin, there would be nothing to redeem us from, and Jesus Christ would have died in vain, or more precisely, His redemption would have been nonsensical. Consequence: The whole of Christianity would be a myth, a make-believe story, or perhaps even a sad joke. We cannot have it both ways: We cannot be Christians if we deny the reality…Continue Reading

The Eucharist: Sacramental Sacrifice

March 4, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Eucharist: Sacramental Sacrifice

By DON FIER Over the past two weeks, we have briefly examined the fundamental structure of the liturgical Celebration of the Eucharist, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church succinctly summarizes how the celebration is carried out: “The Eucharist unfolds in two great parts which together form one, single act of worship. The Liturgy of the Word involves proclaiming and listening to the Word of God. The Liturgy of the Eucharist includes the presentation of the bread and wine, the prayer or the anaphora containing the words of consecration, and communion” (n. 277). The celebrant is a validly ordained priest who acts in the Person of Christ the Head (“in persona Christi…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

March 3, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: Invited by a friend to speak to her tenth-grade Confirmation class, we tried the following approach: First, we put just the numbers below on the board and asked the class what religious persons or things the numbers might be referring to. Some of their answers were not what we were looking for, but that was okay. We were still able to focus on the topics below and expand on each one as time allowed. Near the end of class, we passed out the full explanation so they could reflect on it later. There were 25 students present, and they participated in the class both actively and enthusiastically. One of them told the teacher that the presentation was “savage,”…Continue Reading

Walk In Faith And Obedience

March 2, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Walk In Faith And Obedience

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Second Sunday Of Lent (YR A) Readings: Gen. 12:1-4a 2 Tim. 1:8b-10 Matt. 17:1-9 In the first reading today, we hear the Lord calling Abram. Our Father in Faith was asked to do something extremely difficult: to leave what he knew and to go to a place that would be shown to him. In other words, he had no idea where he was going or what might happen along the way. He had some promises that had been made to him by the Lord, but at this point he did not have any background for him to trust in what he was hearing. Having made an act of faith in God, Abram went as he was…Continue Reading

Pope John Paul II On Ash Wednesday And Lent 2004… “Whoever Receives One Such Child In My Name Receives Me”

March 1, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Pope John Paul II On Ash Wednesday And Lent 2004… “Whoever Receives One Such Child In My Name Receives Me”

(Editor’s Note: Below are the texts of Pope John Paul II’s messages for Ash Wednesday and Lent for 2004, the last full year of his earthly life. In these talks, John Paul stressed the needs of children throughout the world. Libreria Editrice Vaticana holds the copyright for the texts. All rights reserved.) + + + Homily Of Pope John Paul II Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2004 1. “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:4, 6, 18). Jesus’ words are addressed to each one of us at the beginning of our Lenten journey. We begin it with the imposition of ashes, an austere penitential gesture very dear to Christian tradition. It emphasizes the awareness of sinners as…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… Silence Implies Consent

February 27, 2017 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Silence Implies Consent

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK Why are protests breaking out all over the USA and almost every week? People know in their hearts that silence can imply consent; they vehemently deplore the resurgence of common sense and America First and thus are speaking out. We’ve seen the annual March for Life joined this year by the Women’s (pro-abortion) March on Washington and other cities around the world, a Day Without Immigrants where people participated by walking off the job, a day for refusing to buy anything, and the list will probably go on. People are deeply aggrieved because change is in the offing. Pro-lifers have marched on Washington since 1974, the year after Roe v. Wade declared an entire class…Continue Reading