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A Leaven In The World… Preaching A Gospel Neither Right Nor Left

November 16, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Preaching A Gospel Neither Right Nor Left

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK On the grounds of my parish near the rectory, there was a dying fir tree when I arrived to begin my assignment here five years ago. It shortly thereafter completed its return to the elements from which it had been fashioned by its Creator, and the spot where it stood eventually left no trace of its previous existence. Many parishioners today only learn of it because I share its story. Eventually, in my rounds of exploring the physical plant and its contents, I came upon some evidence that, once upon a time, that tree had been illuminated annually for Christmas. Every car that entered or departed our little riverside village would have been greeted by…Continue Reading

An Apologetics Course . . . “Sola Scriptura” — Bible Fiction

November 15, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on An Apologetics Course . . . “Sola Scriptura” — Bible Fiction

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 28 Sometimes it is difficult to prove the obvious. Or, in common parlance, we say that the worst kind of blindness is when the blind man refuses to see. The concept of “Bible alone” is so nonsensical that it never ceases to amaze anyone who is able to think logically. The fact is that the sola Scriptura dogma of Luther is just a work of fiction, purely and simply. Imagine, for instance, if Jesus had said to the apostles something like this at the Last Supper: “Gentlemen, this is our last celebration of the Passover. Here is a book containing all the essential teachings I have given you in the last three years. Please…Continue Reading

Forms Of Consecrated Life Within The Church

November 14, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Forms Of Consecrated Life Within The Church

By DON FIER Part 2 Five general forms of consecrated life are recognized by the Catholic Church and, as we saw last week, each is essentially outlined in both the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and the 1983 Code of Canon Law (CIC). One of the most ancient forms is that of eremitic life, the founding of which is most often ascribed by historians to St. Antony of Egypt who, at about the age of 18, divested himself of all property and worldly goods. For the next 20 years, he retreated to a solitary life in the desert marked by asceticism, personal mortification, rigorous fasts, and assiduous prayer. However, as pointed out by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, hermits…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

November 13, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. Do we find in Num. 5:11-31 a ritualized abortion that God commanded the Israelite priests to perform? — G.P., Florida. A. No. The passage has to do with a woman suspected of adultery. Her husband was to bring her to the priest, who would force her to drink “bitter water.” Once she had done so, the Bible says, “if she has been impure and unfaithful to her husband, this bitter water that brings a curse will go into her, and her belly will swell and her thighs will waste away, so that she will become an example of imprecation among her people. If, however, the woman has not defiled herself, but is still pure, she will be immune and…Continue Reading

A Kingship Of Love And Service

November 12, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Kingship Of Love And Service

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Solemnity Of Christ The King (YR B) Readings: Daniel 7:13-14 Rev. 1:5-8 John 18:33b-37 In the first reading today the Prophet Daniel describes a vision he had in which he saw one like a son of man being presented before the throne of God and receiving from God dominion, glory, and kingship. This is not just a kingship over a nation or a people. Daniel says that all peoples, languages, and nations serve him. But this kingship is not limited to just “the people,” because in the second reading St. John tells us that Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the Earth. This places Him in His proper position as the highest member of…Continue Reading

Purgatory Is Based On A Promise Of Jesus’

November 11, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Purgatory Is Based On A Promise Of Jesus’

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.) + + + On this Feast of All Souls, I want to reflect on Purgatory as the necessary result of a promise. Many people think of Purgatory primarily in terms of punishment, but it is also important to consider it in terms of promise, purity, and perfection. Some of our deceased brethren are having the promises made to them perfected in Purgatory. In the month of November we are especially committed to praying for them and we know by faith that our prayers are of benefit…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… Inviting The Poor, The Crippled, And The Blind

November 9, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Inviting The Poor, The Crippled, And The Blind

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK In Matthew, chapter 11, the man who invites his guests to the “great dinner” symbolizes God the Father and the banquet of Heaven. Jesus tells the story of those who rejected the invitation, making excuses by setting up unnecessary conflicts with other competing goods. The resulting command sends the servants out to “the streets and alleys of the town” to “bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.” These others are at “the margins” spiritually and do not possess the rich grace of God’s merciful Fatherhood, are blind to God, or cannot walk spiritually in the Lord on their own. What does it mean to “make them come in”? This…Continue Reading

An Apologetics Course . . . A Loose Network Of Loosely Related Denominations

November 8, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on An Apologetics Course . . . A Loose Network Of Loosely Related Denominations

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 27 Something that not even Superman would be able to do is to give a clear and brief account of the thousands of variations which the original doctrines of Lutheran Protestantism have undergone. If he were to attempt it, it would be like fiddling with kryptonite to him. Some liberal Protestant theologians even maintain that Christ did not found any Church at all, therefore, there is no unity of belief, morals, or government. In practice, you believe what you like, and that’s the end of the story. Religion, for these convoluted souls, has become a matter of make-believe. Whether what you believe is true or false, it does not matter. What matters is that…Continue Reading

Forms Of Consecrated Life Within The Church

November 7, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Forms Of Consecrated Life Within The Church

By DON FIER The consecrated life, characterized by profession of the three evangelical counsels, is based upon the example of the chaste, poor, and obedient Christ. The call to strive for the perfection of chastity, poverty, and obedience was added by our Lord to the Commandments to counter the effects of the threefold concupiscence inherited by mankind from our first parents, “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16), which continues to reside within us despite the grace of Baptism and its increase and strengthening in Confirmation. While the Commandments demand that followers of Christ avoid the evil of sin, the counsels invite those called to the consecrated life…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

November 6, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. Since Satan’s evil seems to me to surpass the sin of the fallen angels, I assume he tempted them. Also, why did God allow sin in Heaven? Is this why he’s making a new Heaven and Earth? As a side comment, I think that the fallen angels were intelligent, but also really stupid. Keep up God’s work. I enjoy your column and answers. — D.H., via e-mail. A. It is beyond our ability to give a complete answer to these questions, so we will turn to Fr. Gabriele Amorth, formerly the chief exorcist for Rome, who has written an excellent book about the power of Satan and possession by evil spirits. In the book, which is entitled An Exorcist Tells…Continue Reading