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Memorial Of St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest… Our Gifts Are From God And Should Serve His Kingdom

August 13, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Memorial Of St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest… Our Gifts Are From God And Should Serve His Kingdom

By RAYMOND CARDINAL BURKE (Editor’s Note: Raymond Cardinal Burke is the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He delivered the homily below on August 2 at the Marian Catechist Consecration Weekend, held at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse, Wis. (The readings for August 2, the Memorial of St. Peter Julian Eymard, were: Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 34:2-3; 4-5; 6-7; 8-9; 10-11; and John 15:1-8. (Cardinal Burke’s homily is reprinted with permission; all rights reserved.) +    +    + Praised be Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen. The reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminds us of the good order which prevailed in the early Christian community because those who owned “property or houses”…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . Evangelizing Our Neighbors Through Tradition

August 11, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Evangelizing Our Neighbors Through Tradition

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK An unfamiliar young man came in and sat near the back for the Traditional Latin Mass on a recent Sunday. (See last week’s column.) After the Mass, I spoke with him. He told me his name, that he just moved to our area, is Lutheran and considering taking RCIA to enter the Church. He lives in a town that is about an hour away. Why did he drive that distance, bypassing several churches, to worship with us? Ours is the only church in the tri-county area of southern Maryland that offers the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and the reason why many already drive past their geographical parishes to join us on a regular basis. Serious…Continue Reading

Is Mary The Mother Of God . . . Or Only The Mother Of Jesus?

August 10, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Is Mary The Mother Of God . . . Or Only The Mother Of Jesus?

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 2 Responding to a common misconception among separated brethren and ill-informed Catholics: On the day of the Annunciation and the Incarnation, the Archangel St. Gabriel, “who stands in the presence of God” (Luke 1:19), inspired by the Holy Spirit, said to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. . . . The Holy One who shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” — Luke 1:30, 35). Interesting: the…Continue Reading

The Characteristics Of Faith

August 9, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Characteristics Of Faith

By DON FIER Part 3 Last week, we saw that faith and understanding go hand-in-hand. Although mankind does not possess the capacity to intellectually grasp many of God’s infinite mysteries and truths, he was created with a nature that aspires toward truth, beauty, and goodness. With regard to faith, the human person has a natural desire to seek to understand what he comes to believe through faith. This innate tendency is indeed good, for a more penetrating knowledge leads not only to deeper faith but also to a greater and more profound love of God. We saw also that faith and reason never contradict each other, that although faith is above reason there can never be a true discrepancy between…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

August 8, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. I have a question, after having been, shall I say, “detained,” while receiving Holy Communion in Falmouth, Mass. Is the reception of Holy Communion contingent on the priest’s hearing the recipient say “Amen”? Indeed, is “Amen” even required if the recipient bows before the Eucharist and receives on the tongue? Is “Amen” ever required, or is any sign of respect sufficient? I would appreciate your answer and any source reference. — A.G., via e-mail. A. Yes, it is required that the communicant say “Amen” when receiving either the consecrated Host (on the tongue or in the hand) or the Precious Blood. In the words of the Vatican document Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both…Continue Reading

Testing Strengthens Our Faith

August 7, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Testing Strengthens Our Faith

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Twentieth Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR A) Readings: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matt. 15:21-28 In the first reading God says through the Prophet Isaiah that we are to observe what is right and do what is just. This is certainly nothing new; for Christian people it is supposed to be what our lives are all about. What is interesting about these words of the Lord, however, is the context in which He places them: My salvation is about to come, my justice about to be revealed. Perhaps this is not as stark as our colloquial manner of speaking when someone is preparing to die and we say that they have to get their house…Continue Reading

Pope Francis’ Homily At Mass In Caserta . . . Have The Courage To Say No To Evil And Violence

August 6, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Pope Francis’ Homily At Mass In Caserta . . . Have The Courage To Say No To Evil And Violence

ROME (ZENIT) — On Saturday evening, July 26, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the square in front of the Royal Palace of Caserta, southern Italy. The Mass took place after the Pope met priests from the region. July 26 was the Feast of St. Anne, the mother of Mary and patron of the city, which the Holy Father commented on in his talk. Francis stressed: “Giving primacy to God means having the courage to say no to evil, violence, oppression, living [instead] a life of service to others and in favor of the law and the common good.” Here below is the full text of the homily delivered by the Holy Father. ZENIT News Agency provided the text; all rights…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . “Amazed By Beauty”: Serious Worship Evangelizes

August 4, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . “Amazed By Beauty”: Serious Worship Evangelizes

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK On a recent Sunday a new young man came into church and sat near the back for the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). After the Mass he departed by the side door so I chased him down before he got to his car. He told me that his name is P., he just moved to our area, and that he is Lutheran and considering taking RCIA to enter the Catholic Church. The town where he lives is about an hour away. Why did he drive that distance, bypassing several churches, to worship with us? I think it is because the historic worship of the Church is seen as a more serious encounter with our ancient faith…Continue Reading

Is Mary The Mother Of God… Or Only The Mother Of Jesus?

August 3, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Is Mary The Mother Of God… Or Only The Mother Of Jesus?

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 1 Responding to a common misconception among separated brethren and ill-informed Catholics: For two years in Perth, Western Australia, my wife and I hosted the only talk-radio show run by lay Catholics. It was a great opportunity to share the faith in public and to answer questions about the Church. One day we received a letter from a non-Catholic listener. It read: “Last week you broadcast a musical recording of Placido Domingo singing a classical version of the Ave Maria. I realize that the first part may have been somewhat inspired in the Gospel of Luke. The second part, however, is an R.C. invention: It is inappropriate to call Mary the ‘Mother of God.’…Continue Reading

The Characteristics Of Faith

August 2, 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