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Catholic Replies

February 27, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. James Likoudis had an article in The Wanderer which indicated that the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin was essentially accomplished by John Paul II in 1984. I think that you concurred with that belief in a previous column. My question is this: Did she not say that if the consecration was accomplished, there would be world peace? I don’t think that any sane person would state that we have had world peace at any time since 1984. Therefore, the only two conclusions that seem possible are: 1) that the consecration did not take place or 2) that the Virgin is a liar. We know that the Virgin cannot lie so it seems that…Continue Reading

Francis’ Dialogue With Engaged Couples . . . A Christian Celebration, Not A Worldly Celebration

February 26, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Francis’ Dialogue With Engaged Couples . . . A Christian Celebration, Not A Worldly Celebration

VATICAN CITY (ZENIT) — Here is a translation of Pope Francis’ remarks on February 14, when he met in St. Peter’s Square with some 20,000 young people engaged to be married. He responded to questions posed by three couples. ZENIT News Agency provided the text and did the translation. All rights reserved. +    +    + Question 1: The Fear Of The “Forever” Holiness, so many today think that to promise faithfulness for the whole of life is too difficult an enterprise; many feel that the challenge to live together forever is beautiful, fascinating, but too demanding, almost impossible. We ask you for your word to enlighten us on this. The Pope’s response: I am grateful for the testimony and for…Continue Reading

Simplicity And Humility Defeat The Devil

February 25, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Simplicity And Humility Defeat The Devil

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER First Sunday Of Lent (YR A) Readings: Gen. 2:7-9, 3:1-7 Romans 5:12-19 Matt. 4:1-11 Many times in these sermons I have mentioned the necessity of embracing the truth. The point is often made that God is truth and that the truth will set us free. We also know that the word of God is all true, as are the teachings of the Church. We also know that Satan is a liar and the Father of Lies. It has often been mentioned, however, that the best lie is nine parts truth to one part falsehood. I bring this up because the last thing we would expect out of the Enemy of our Souls is to be quoting…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… Traditional Latin Mass: Benedict’s Gift And Francis’ Challenge

February 23, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Traditional Latin Mass: Benedict’s Gift And Francis’ Challenge

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK Benedict XVI set the bar for papal humility very high. His resignation made very obvious the fact that he held the needs of the Church above his own. His willingness to step aside and give way for a Successor in order to allow for better meeting the physical and health challenges posed by shepherding the worldwide Church remains a wonderful and unusual example of selflessness for Christ and others. His historic choice will remain a light for others in the Church to follow for many years. Because comparisons are odious, we should certainly refrain from holding his example up against the current occupant of the Petrine chair. Every Vicar of Christ has his own personal…Continue Reading

Debunking The Myth… Sola Scriptura Is Unscriptural

February 22, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Debunking The Myth… Sola Scriptura Is Unscriptural

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 3 Evidently, Jesus did not stay with the apostles and disciples for long after the Resurrection. He founded a Church, His Church. Now, did He found it as a visible Church, with authority to guide, teach, and sanctify the people? Or didn’t He? Either He did or He didn’t. It is one or the other. And what is meant by a visible Church? Just a building upon a hill? Or a congregation sharing unity in one Lord, one faith, one Baptism (Eph. 4:5), under the same government, being taught the same truths, obeying the same Commandments, following the same moral laws, being sanctified by the same sacraments, in short, the one Church of God,…Continue Reading

The Characteristics Of Faith

February 21, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Characteristics Of Faith

By DON FIER Part 2 In last week’s installment, we began an examination of the characteristics of faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) first pointed toward the all-important truth that faith is a grace (see CCC, n. 153). Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, using the classic formulation of St. Thomas Aquinas, expresses it as follows: “Divine faith is an act of the intellect, assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace” (The Faith, p. 36). The Catechism then asserts that believing is “an authentically human act…[by which] the human intellect and will cooperate with divine grace” (CCC, nn. 154-155). Next, we discussed motives of credibility — actions by which God “bore…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

February 20, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. How would you talk to children in grades four to six about such things as adultery, premarital sex, contraception, homosexuality, and similar topics? Is there a resource for catechists and parents of children in middle school and high school that would provide short answers to these and other hot-button issues? — S.H., Massachusetts. A. Catechists of young people face a dilemma when talking about sexuality. Do they ignore or gloss over this difficult topic, or do they give the children a truthful explanation that is appropriate for their age? The first point that must be emphasized, regardless of the age group, is that our sexuality is a gift from God that He expects us to use according to His…Continue Reading

Fr. Lombardi On The UN Committee’s Report . . . Is This An Inability, Or An Unwillingness, To Understand?

February 19, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Fr. Lombardi On The UN Committee’s Report . . . Is This An Inability, Or An Unwillingness, To Understand?

VATICAN CITY (ZENIT) — Here is the translation of the Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi’s February 7 note on the recommendations by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. ZENIT News Agency provided the text; all rights reserved. +    +    + After the large number of articles and comments that followed the publication of the recommendations of the audit of the Committee of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it seems useful to make a few comments and clarifications. It is not appropriate to speak of confrontation “between the UN and the Vatican.” The United Nations is a reality that is very important to humanity today. The Holy See has always provided strong moral support to…Continue Reading

Seek First The Kingdom Of God

February 18, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Seek First The Kingdom Of God

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR A) Readings: Isaiah 49:14-15 1 Cor. 4:1-5 Matt. 6:24-34 In the first reading today, we hear the despairing cry of Israel in the midst of its suffering: “The Lord has forsaken me. The Lord has forgotten me.” This is a complaint that has been spoken by countless people over the course of history while they are in the midst of torments and temptations of various kinds. Two of the questions that often come up are why God is allowing these difficulties and why does He take away the feeling of His presence when we need it the most? At times the troubles are the effects of our own choices. For…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . Public And Private Spheres Get Confused With Dangerous Results

February 16, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Public And Private Spheres Get Confused With Dangerous Results

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK The pattern is well established: a talented, wealthy, successful, famous, and usually beautiful public figure reveals his or her same-sex attraction and everyone gets in line to “canonize” and congratulate this person for heroic honesty and integrity. The glamorization of this endless parade of self-congratulatory egomaniacs is nearly limitless. It can provide somewhat amusing entertainment as a kind of modern circus, but there the diversion ends. The results for young people and families of this kind of exhibitionism can be devastating. For our young people just starting out in life, acting out and speaking out on their feelings which can very well be transitory and very likely can change, following the examples they see lionized…Continue Reading