Sunday 24th January 2021

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Catholic Replies

January 22, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. In a recent article, you quoted the Handbook of Indulgences as saying that if a priest cannot be present to impart an Apostolic Pardon at the hour of death, “Holy Mother Church lovingly grants such persons who are rightly disposed a plenary indulgence to be obtained in articulo mortis, at the approach of death, provided they regularly prayed in some way during their lifetime.” However, it is unclear what “triggers” the pardon. Do the persons request it themselves from God? Can someone else request it for them? — K.L, via-mail.A. The Handbook doesn’t comment about this, but we assume that the person approaching death, being “rightly disposed” in the sense of having sincere sorrow for any sins committed, could…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… What Cannot Be Canceled

January 21, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… What Cannot Be Canceled

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK There is much talk, albeit in smaller circles now, of cancel culture.After Twitter banned Trump, and the big tech companies colluded to shut down Parler almost immediately, there was little left of truly free social media. In their apparent desire to leave no Internet avenue of escape for the new Public Enemy No. 1, a duly elected president, the tech oligarchs colluded to garner even more power for themselves in their growing monopoly over public information and communications. Racketeering charges, anybody?In their hatred for one man, the most powerful men in the country are trampling on the rights of millions with impunity. They say the pushback against violence at the Capitol is about the country…Continue Reading

A World Of Expectation

January 20, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A World Of Expectation

By FR. ROBERET ALTIER Third Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: Jonah 3:1-5, 101 Cor. 7:29-31Mark 1:14-20 In the Gospel reading today Jesus begins His preaching by proclaiming: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Jesus’ words about the time of fulfillment were not something surprising to the people of the time of our Lord, but to hear a Rabbi stating this was probably very unusual.The people knew the prophecies of the Old Testament and anticipated that God would intervene for them in some extraordinary way. Sadly, it appears that many thought God was going to intervene in a way they expected. But the way God chose…Continue Reading

Who Really Does The Work Of The Evil One?

January 18, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Who Really Does The Work Of The Evil One?

By FR. JAMES ALTMAN Dear family, we have talked about how big Galilee is, how it comprised the northern quarter of Israel, about 2,000 square miles. And we talked about how Jesus’ reputation spread throughout all of Galilee because — when He was in the synagogue in Capernaum there was a man in there possessed by a demon and Jesus drove out the demon and, quote:“All were amazed and asked one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him.’ His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee” (Mark 1:27-28).Now in this morning’s Gospel passage we heard how upon leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

January 15, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. How would we go about getting Joe Biden excommunicated because of his rejection of Church teachings on abortion, same-sex relationships, transgenderism, etc.? Could he be considered a heretic for promoting these evils? — J.D., via e-mail.A. Some bishops and priests have denied or have said they would deny Joe Biden Holy Communion because they recognize that he has obstinately persisted in “manifest grave sin” (cf. canon 915) by promoting the evils just mentioned and is not worthy to receive the Eucharist. However, Biden’s advocacy of abortion and transgenderism, and his conducting a “marriage” ceremony for two homosexual men, are not excommunicable offenses for a person in his position.For example, an automatic excommunication regarding abortion only applies to those who…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . Epiphany Of Violence At U.S. Capitol

January 14, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Epiphany Of Violence At U.S. Capitol

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK “Rise up in splendor, O Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you” (see Isaiah 60:1-6), as we proclaimed on the day we mark the revelation to the world of a Savior through the wise men of His day.Wisdom is needed no less in our own time. We all experience the wandering in ignorance of God’s will or of the ways to achieve justice in times of corruption, social breakdown, and decay of the moral fiber.The uprising in Washington, D.C., on the very day of Epiphany riveted all of us. We watched and listened as protesters broke through barriers of security at the Capitol building and made their way into…Continue Reading

God Calls Us To Service

January 13, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on God Calls Us To Service

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 191 Cor. 6:13c-15a, 17-20John 1:35-42 In the first reading today, we hear the story of the call of the Prophet Samuel. God calls Samuel three times as the boy was sleeping in the Temple. Thinking it was the priest, Eli, who had called him, Samuel ran to Eli to serve his master. After the second time, Eli realized it was the Lord speaking to the boy and instructed him, if Samuel heard the voice again, to respond: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”Samuel responded generously to God’s call and the Lord was able to work with him and through him as a prophet to…Continue Reading

The Epiphany. January 6. Period.

January 11, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Epiphany. January 6. Period.

By FR. JAMES ALTMAN Dear family, when we look at the USCCB — that organization that somehow is supposed to lead U.S. Catholics deeper into the universal Truth — the always and everywhere Truths of the faith — and not — most definitively is not supposed to be an organization dependent upon the personal opinions of those who currently rule in it. Remember Joseph Bernardin from Chicago in the 1970s and Theodore McCarrick in the early 2000s as archbishop of Washington, D.C. When we look at the USCCB we should find the Truth — the unchanged and unchangeable Truth — and not some watered down, namby-pamby Catholic Lite. We should not seek and find Catholic Lite represented in the predilections…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

January 8, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. In your Christmas Quiz, the answer to question 26 said that the Magi visited Jesus, Mary, and Joseph “in a house.” But don’t we always see the three kings in the stable at Bethlehem? — T.W., via e-mail.A. Yes, we usually do see the Magi in the stable, but the Gospel of Matthew says that after their audience with King Herod, “the star that they had seen in its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary His mother. They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World … Gift Of Eternity Remains Unopened By Many

January 7, 2021 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World … Gift Of Eternity Remains Unopened By Many

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK A neighbor died on Christmas Eve.The very night on which we celebrate the birth of Life itself into this world a human existence found itself in most dire need of it. Such occurs countless times around the globe every day. This time it happened next door.Some of us were decorating the church in preparation for the Nativity of the Lord when I first heard, and then saw, a sheriff’s deputy vehicle turn the corner and come into town on two wheels. An EMT vehicle followed, also with siren blaring. I followed the sights and sounds to a house two doors down and saw people coming and going. After walking to the location, I encountered a…Continue Reading