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For The Greater Glory Of God

July 5, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on For The Greater Glory Of God

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Fifteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: Amos 7:12-15Eph. 1:3-14Mark 6:7-13 In the first reading we hear about Amos whom God called to be a prophet. When the priest tells Amos to leave the Temple and make his living by prophesying elsewhere, Amos responds that he had not been a prophet nor was he a member of a company of prophets. Instead, he says, he was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees.When we hear this description Amos gives of himself, he is the person in society who would be the least expected to be chosen by God. To be a shepherd or a dresser of sycamores is definitely unskilled labor and the lowest…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

July 2, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic, we were unable to hold weekly classes for 22 tenth-grade Confirmation students, so we prepared a series of 14 lessons on the material, with a summary of each commandment and sacrament along with some questions to answer. It occurred to us that this material might be of interest to our readers, so we are passing the lessons along for whatever use you can find for them. We will continue to welcome your questions for the column as well, so please send them along and we will interrupt this series to answer them. See the postal mailing address and email address at the bottom of this column. Special Course On Catholicism And Life — VI…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . Dear Biden: Communion Is Not A “Private Matter”

July 1, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Dear Biden: Communion Is Not A “Private Matter”

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK It didn’t take long for the misrepresentations and evil spin to overwhelm the conversation after the U.S. bishops’ discussion of Communion reception at their virtual June meeting. Even a group of Democrats in Congress released a statement enumerating the so-called “principles” of their diabolical deception. It was publicized so rapidly in response that one suspects it was prepared and ready to launch even before the episcopal Zoom meeting commenced.Twitterati howled in reaction to the threat of sacramental censure. Cong. Ted Lieu of California, among others, doubled down by publicly declaring himself pro-abortion on the social app and daring the bishops to withhold Communion from him. Others boasted of their rejection of Catholic moral teaching, listing…Continue Reading

Bishop Paprocki On Communion Debate . . . “There Should Be No Unity With Iniquity”

June 30, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Bishop Paprocki On Communion Debate . . . “There Should Be No Unity With Iniquity”

By ALEJANDRO BERMUDEZ DENVER (CNA) — In a statement published on Wednesday, June 23, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois lambasted recent media coverage of the USCCB vote to draft a document on the Eucharist.Among the errors pointed out in the statement were claims by several media outlets that the “Vatican had warned the Catholic bishops of the United States not to pass this proposal.”Said Bishop Paprocki, “That is simply false.”To clarify the issue, the bishop continued, “In fact, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, SJ, head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, had written to the president of the USCCB calling for ‘dialogue . . . first among the bishops themselves, and then between…Continue Reading

The Son Of God Has Been Among Us

June 28, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Son Of God Has Been Among Us

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: Ezek. 2:2-52 Cor. 12:7-10Mark 6:1-6 In the first reading today God tells the Prophet Ezekiel that He is sending the Prophet to the people of Israel. That sounds like something we would expect to hear. However, the Lord then qualifies the situation, so the Prophet knows exactly what he is being asked to do and to whom he is preaching. God tells Ezekiel that these people are “rebels who have rebelled against me.” He also says the people are “hard of face and obstinate of heart.”When we look at some of the other prophets God chose and sent to the people, we hear similar things. The work of…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

June 25, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic, we were unable to hold weekly classes for 22 tenth-grade Confirmation students. So instead of using our regular text, Catholicism & Life, which covers the Commandments and Sacraments, we prepared a series of 14 lessons on the material, with a summary of each commandment and sacrament along with some questions to answer, and sent them to the students to complete and return to us. To their credit, they did complete the assignment, and we were able to discuss the material with them at a retreat a few weeks before they were confirmed.It occurred to us that this material might be of interest to our readers, so we are passing the lessons along for whatever…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… Losing The True Sources Of Faith

June 24, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Losing The True Sources Of Faith

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK The enemies of the faith have been hiding in plain sight all along. Now they have simply burst into the open in more obvious ways thanks to the internet and social media accessible in every home and on every cell phone.What we see in the promotion of sodomy as “pride”, same sex simulation of marriage as “love” and abortion as “choice” on social media accounts and in online news sources is not a new reality.The Jesuit James Martin with 300k followers on Twitter is simply taking advantage to a large extent of a superficial social phenomenon of the attractiveness of transgressive behavior.Largely adolescent and by no means proven to be Catholic, these denizens of the…Continue Reading

According To St. Gregory . . . On The Balance Of Love And Correction

June 23, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on According To St. Gregory . . . On The Balance Of Love And Correction

By MSGR. CHARLES POPE (Editor’s Note: Msgr. Charles Pope posted this commentary on June 15 and it is reprinted here with permission.) + + Applying salutary discipline, and balancing it with necessary consolations and encouragement is never an easy task. It is possible that a parents can be too severe on their children, such that they become disheartened, and lack necessary self-esteem. But it is also possible that parents can be too lax such that their children become spoiled and lack proper self-discipline and humility.Hence Scripture seeking to balance teaching with encouragement says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).Pastors too in their leadership of parishes need…Continue Reading

Do Not Be Afraid

June 21, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Do Not Be Afraid

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Thirteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-242 Cor. 8:7, 9, 13-15Mark 5:21-43 The first reading today contains a profound insight for us as we consider our own dignity and our immortality. The writer of the Book of Wisdom reminds us that God created us to be imperishable; He made us in the image of His own nature. Beyond this, we are told God did not create death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living. Rather, it is through the envy of the Devil that death came into the world and those who belong to the company of the vile creature experience death.We must be careful on this last point…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

June 18, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic, we were unable to hold weekly classes for 22 tenth-grade Confirmation students. So instead of using our regular text, Catholicism & Life, which covers the Commandments and Sacraments, we prepared a series of 14 lessons on the material, with a summary of each commandment and sacrament along with some questions to answer, and sent them to the students to complete and return to us. To their credit, they did complete the assignment, and we were able to discuss the material with them at a retreat a few weeks before they were confirmed.It occurred to us that this material might be of interest to our readers, so we are passing the lessons along for whatever…Continue Reading