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A Blindness In The Heart

August 27, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Blindness In The Heart

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Twenty-Third Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: Isaiah 35:4-7a James 2:1-5 Mark 7:31-37 In the first reading God speaks through the Prophet Isaiah telling the people that those whose hearts are frightened should be strong and not afraid because God is with them. He then says that on that day the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be cleared. This is truly an astounding thing, but in our day it does not seem so amazing. On the natural level a distinction needs to be made between those who were born deaf or blind as opposed to those who have lost their hearing or vision. We know that…Continue Reading

Novena To Our Lady Of Knock . . . The Family Is Reason To Give Thanks

August 26, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Novena To Our Lady Of Knock . . . The Family Is Reason To Give Thanks

By MOST REV. KEVIN DORAN KNOCK, Ireland (ZENIT) — Here is the homily given Sunday, August 16 by Bishop Kevin Doran for the 2015 National Novena to Our Lady of Knock, which lasted through August 22. The theme was “Always and Everywhere Giving Thanks — The Gift of the Family.” Bishop Doran heads the Diocese of Elphin, Ireland. ZENIT News Agency provided the text of his homily. All rights reserved. + + + Always and everywhere give thanks: Giving thanks is a central theme in the writing and preaching of St. Paul. I think it comes, in the first place, from a deep-down sense of gratitude for everything that God has done in his own life and especially for the…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… Our Persecuted Faithful Desire Leadership In Tradition

August 24, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… Our Persecuted Faithful Desire Leadership In Tradition

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK Many of our Catholic people today are very insecure in their faith and thus needlessly fearful because they are without the experience of the presence of God in an abiding way. Whether because of Islamic terrorism which is committing genocide against Eastern Christians or attacks through a newly re-paganized society and our unjust and anti-Christian laws in the West, many Christians are experiencing great uncertainty. But without a serene sense of the firmness of the faith as a source of solace and strength, Catholics can feel tossed on stormy seas rather than seated firmly within the barque of Peter and securely set on course for eternal life. With my recent guests at our parish in…Continue Reading

An Apologetics Course . . . Jesus’ Greatest Miracle: His Resurrection

August 23, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on An Apologetics Course . . . Jesus’ Greatest Miracle: His Resurrection

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 16 If we take the Gospels as simple historical records about the life of a Galilean preacher, we’ll find in them a remarkable entry: They say that the man died and rose again. He was crucified, had His side pierced after death, and was buried. No doubt about it. The tomb was found empty, and He was seen later by His apostles, shared a meal with them, and made His wounds available for touching by anyone who could not believe his own eyes. Saul of Tarsus, renamed Paul the Apostle, a former enemy of Christ and of His Church, records that the Risen Lord was also seen by more than five hundred individuals, and…Continue Reading

Ecclesial Ministry In The Church

August 22, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Ecclesial Ministry In The Church

By DON FIER The Christian faithful, as we saw last week, are comprised of all who have been incorporated in Christ through the saving waters of Baptism. As taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): “From the baptismal fonts is born the one People of God of the New Covenant, which transcends all the natural or human limits of nations, cultures, races, and sexes” (n. 1267). Each member of the faithful, from the Pope to the newborn infant who has just been baptized, is equal in dignity as a child of God. Likewise, all are called, each in accordance with the gifts he or she has received, to “cooperate in the building up of the Body of Christ”…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

August 21, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. What do you say to someone who tells you that Popes were appointed by emperors for a long time? How did the Church approve the appointment of a Pope by an emperor? — E.G., Florida. A. The first thing we would say is, “So what? What point are you trying to make? Are you trying to say that the papacy was not established by Christ to govern His Church? But that’s not true. Are you trying to say that Popes do not have the authority to teach in the name of Christ? That’s not true either. Or are you trying to say that Popes put into office by secular rulers were not protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching…Continue Reading

Be Doers Of The Word

August 20, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Be Doers Of The Word

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Twenty Second Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR B) Readings: Deut. 4:1-2, 6-8 James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 In the first reading today, Moses tells the people of Israel that they are to observe all of the Commandments of the Lord, neither adding to them nor subtracting from them. He goes on to say that in this way they will show to the nations that they are a truly wise and intelligent people. Beyond that, the nations will wonder at them because God is so close to them. We know that the Israelites did not obey either God or Moses in this matter. They showed themselves to be worldly rather than spiritual and, choosing…Continue Reading

John Cardinal Tong… “We Must Carry The Cross Together With Jesus Christ”

August 19, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on John Cardinal Tong… “We Must Carry The Cross Together With Jesus Christ”

HONG KONG (AsiaNews) — John Cardinal Tong, bishop of Hong Kong, issued an urgent appeal on August 13 against the demolition of crosses in the province of Zhejiang, a practice that has already touched more than 1,000 crosses in Catholic or Protestant churches. In his appeal, the prelate calls on the Chinese government to stop these “unlawful acts” because many dismantled crosses and buildings had all the required permits. The campaign against the crosses and Christian buildings began in early 2014, when Zhejiang Party Secretary Xia Baolong saw that the skyline of the city of Wenzhou (Zhejiang province) had “too many crosses.” Many Christians suspect that the real aim is to reduce the impact and influence of Christian communities, both…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World… The Goodness Of Creation

August 17, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World… The Goodness Of Creation

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK The 70th anniversary this August of the bombing of Nagasaki is followed by our participation in the Day of Prayer for Protection of Creation on September 1 as requested by Pope Francis. So much loss of life, suffering, and devastation wrought by the evil of the false gods of war and hatred find their antidote in the greatness of God whom we begin to touch, understand, and love in everything He has made. The God who made everything, including us, calls us back to Himself over and over again by the recreation in Christ which continues in the Eucharist. Of course we know and reaffirm that, just as creation found its greatest expression in the…Continue Reading

Apologetics Course… Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Zealots, Essenes, The Jewish Sects

August 16, 2015 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Apologetics Course… Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Zealots, Essenes, The Jewish Sects

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 15 In our days of unbridled ecumenism, when togetherness and being “nice” to everyone are more important than truth and orthodoxy, many Catholics take exception to the affirmation that the Jewish people lost their election, and that the Old Covenant has been replaced by the New, to the point of celebrating Jewish holidays and affirming that they do not need to convert to Jesus Christ. “God’s plans are unchangeable,” they say. “God’s choice is there to stay; who are we to say otherwise,” they say; “The Jews are God’s Chosen People, and this is a fact,” they say. They forget that God is Lord, and has established a New Covenant in the Blood of…Continue Reading