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A Leaven In The World . . . The Pope Reminds Us: “Communion Is Essential”

February 9, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . The Pope Reminds Us: “Communion Is Essential”

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK Recently Pope Francis reminded us that “Communion is essential” in an address delivered to members of the Neocatechumenal Way. Communion is experienced in two senses in the Church and both are essential. These two senses of communion are interdependent and cannot exist without each other. The communion of the Body of Christ comprising the members of the Church and the Communion of the Real Presence of the Body of Christ which is the Eucharist are these two senses of “communion.” They always have an interior connection. Contemporary treatment or understanding of the value of community or the common good affects the sense of Communion made possible by the Eucharist and vice-versa. The various aspects of…Continue Reading

Debunking The Sola Scripture Myth

February 8, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Debunking The Sola Scripture Myth

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 1 “I am convinced by the Scriptures!” shouted Martin Luther, as he unleashed his revolution against the Church of Rome. A great many people followed him to make a new church, officially based upon the Scriptures alone, with neither Popes nor councils. But people did not read the fine print in Luther’s revolt: “I am convinced by the Scriptures . . . as I interpret them.” Officially, Sacred Scripture was to be open to all Christians and consequently no teaching Magisterium was necessary or even allowed: Each and every Christian became able to read the sacred text and interpret it correctly. The Holy Spirit would make sure of that, we’re told. No Popes, councils,…Continue Reading

The Obedience Of Faith

February 7, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Obedience Of Faith

By DON FIER For the past ten weeks of this series, we’ve been unpacking the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on how God comes to meet man through His divine Revelation. As the Catechism, citing Dei Verbum (DV), so beautifully expresses it, “the invisible God, from the fullness of His love, addresses men as His friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into His own company” (CCC, n. 142; DV, n. 2). Just this one statement is a mystery of our faith that one could meditate on for a lifetime: How is it that the “King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Tim. 1:17) could so love mankind, sinful…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

February 6, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: In the January-February issue of Catalyst, the journal of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, League President Bill Donohue offered a quick synopsis of the facts about priestly sexual abuse that we think would be helpful to our readers. Myth: Children have been the main victims of priestly sexual abuse. Fact: Since more than 95 percent of all the victims of priestly sexual abuse, as reported by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, are not prepubescent, that means that adolescents have been the primary victims. Myth: Pedophile priests have been the problem. Fact: Homosexual priests have been the problem. Proof: 81 percent of the victims have been male, and more than 95 percent have been…Continue Reading

Pope’s Message For World Day Of Social Communications… “Let Our Communication Be…A Fine Wine Which Gladdens Hearts”

February 5, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Pope’s Message For World Day Of Social Communications… “Let Our Communication Be…A Fine Wine Which Gladdens Hearts”

VATICAN CITY (ZENIT) — Here is the text of the Holy Father’s message for the 48th World Day of Social Communications, which will be celebrated on Sunday, June 1, 2014. The Pope’s message is dated January 24, 2014; ZENIT News Agency provided the text. All rights reserved.) +    +    + Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today we are living in a world which is growing ever “smaller” and where, as a result, it would seem to be easier for all of us to be neighbors. Developments in travel and communications technology are bringing us closer together and making us more connected, even as globalization makes us increasingly interdependent. Nonetheless, divisions, which are sometimes quite deep, continue to exist within our human…Continue Reading

The Freedom Of The Children Of God

February 4, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Freedom Of The Children Of God

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time (YR A) Readings: Sirach 15:15-20 1 Cor. 2:6-10 Matt. 5:17-37 In the second reading today St. Paul states that he speaks a wisdom to those who are mature, but, he says, it is not a wisdom of this age nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. The Wisdom of God is Jesus. This is the wisdom we are all supposed to be preaching. However, it has to go beyond just speaking about the Wisdom of God; we have to live it. In the Gospel reading today our Lord tells us that not a jot or a tittle will pass away from the Law until all things have…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . Public Witness Is Not Optional For Faith

February 2, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Public Witness Is Not Optional For Faith

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK When the God of Judeo-Christianity is excluded in a public ceremony which celebrates and glamorizes evil, should His friends be present also? Many Catholics believe that to show their love they should accept invitations to every event at which their presence is requested. Can love also be expressed by the witness made possible by absence from some events? At a recent meeting of priests, the group discussed the dilemmas our Catholics face, especially when invited to participate in what I call same-sex marital-simulation ceremonies. Many Catholics already attend invalid marriages between divorced Catholic individuals, for example; should they make distinctions between different kinds of invalid marriages such as natural and unnatural in order to discern…Continue Reading

Priestly Celibacy: Unnatural? Or…Supernatural? The Biblical Foundations Of Celibacy: Summing Up

February 1, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Priestly Celibacy: Unnatural? Or…Supernatural? The Biblical Foundations Of Celibacy: Summing Up

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM Part 6 The Catholic priesthood is God’s holy calling (2 Tim. 1:5-9) to some men to follow Jesus’ footsteps more closely (St. Augustine). The priest is called to be an angel of the Lord, always keeping His Law in his mouth (Mal. 2:7). A truly celibate priest is one who is a real man, who understands human nature and offers a sacrifice to Heaven for the sake of a higher good: the promotion of the glory of God and the salvation of souls. He acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ, in the imitation of Jesus Christ as perfectly as possible, including in Jesus’ celibacy. The Old Testament provides hints about God’s desire…Continue Reading

The Canon Of Scripture

January 31, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on The Canon Of Scripture

By DON FIER Part 2 We ended last week’s installment by showing that the apostles and early Christians accepted the 46-book Septuagint as the authentic Old Testament right from the Church’s beginning. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches, these 46 divinely inspired books constitute “an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture” (CCC, n. 121) and “bear witness to the whole divine pedagogy of God’s saving love” (CCC, n. 122). Dei Verbum (DV) explains that the canonically approved books of the Old Testament “contain a store of sublime teachings about God, sound wisdom about human life, and a wonderful treasury of prayers, and in them the mystery of our salvation is present in a hidden way. Christians should receive…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

January 30, 2014 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. I am one of those facing the dilemma of how to dispose of the religious articles that are included in the appeals for donations that religious groups are sending out. Can you provide us with the names and addresses of missionary societies that will welcome them so they can distribute them in foreign lands? — C.G.D., Maryland. A. Perhaps some of our readers can suggest missionary societies that would welcome unused religious articles. You could also give them to Catholic schools or parish religious education programs for distribution to children or to those involved in prison ministry for distribution to inmates. One reader, J.F.K. of Ohio, says that what he does “is to send the articles back to the…Continue Reading