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A Leaven In The World . . . Pope Francis “Brings From His Storehouse Old And New”

December 1, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Pope Francis “Brings From His Storehouse Old And New”

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK This month we celebrated the memorial of St. Albertus Magnus, Albert the Great. The Gospel selected by the Church for this occasion describes the role of scribe, a disciple who reads, writes, and studies according to the vocation of learning. St. Albert was one such, who became so learned himself and taught others so effectively what he had himself learned that he is now deemed a “doctor” of the Church. Albert was also a bishop, the “head of a household,” the household of the faith which is every local Church. Our Holy Father Francis has asked that bishops imitate Albert and in their pastoral zeal avoid an ideology which can end by alienating some while…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

November 30, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. In St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, he talks about Christ appearing to many people after the Resurrection and “last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me” (15:8). What does he mean by being born “abnormally”? — P.R., Massachusetts. A. Other translations make the meaning of this clearer when they have Paul saying that he was “one born out of due time” (Douay-Rheims) or that he was “one untimely born” (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition). Paul means that because he was not with Jesus from the beginning, as were the Twelve, he is “the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God” (1 Cor.…Continue Reading

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

November 29, 2013 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

Public Revelation Vs. Private Revelation

November 28, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Public Revelation Vs. Private Revelation

By DON FIER Our previous installment ended by citing a pair of remarkable verses from the Letter to the Hebrews, verses that concisely summarize God’s divine pedagogy, His master plan of divine Revelation: “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son, Whom He appointed the heir of all things, through Whom also He created the world” (Heb. 1:1-2). As expounded last week, God’s Old Testament revelation, mediated to mankind through the patriarchs and prophets, was gradual and partial — it was revealed in stages and progressively supplemented throughout successive epochs and ages of salvation history. But its culmination in the…Continue Reading

Recognizing Our Sinfulness

November 26, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Recognizing Our Sinfulness

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER Second Sunday Of Advent (YR A) Readings: Isaiah 1:1-10 Romans 15:4-9 Matt. 3:1-12 In the second reading today St. Paul tells us that what was written previously was written for our instruction that we might have hope through the encouragement of the Scriptures. He goes on to pray that God will grant the grace to think in harmony with one another in keeping with Christ. We need, first of all, to address the point of thinking in harmony with one another. St. Paul is not suggesting that he wants us all to be alike in our personalities and powers. In other words, he would not say that an engineer and an artist should think the same…Continue Reading

A Leaven In The World . . . Pope Francis Seeks “Pastoral, Not Ideological” Bishops

November 24, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on A Leaven In The World . . . Pope Francis Seeks “Pastoral, Not Ideological” Bishops

By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK (Editor’s Note: When space permits, Fr. Cusick will conclude his column with a Catechism reflection to go with the Sunday readings.) +    +    + Pope Francis by now is well known for short-round staccato bursts of teaching that can be as hard to parse as they are quick to say. One recent example is, “Sinners yes, corrupt no.” Without explanation someone might think he is approving of sin. In fact, Pope Francis is saying that we are all sinners and must seek forgiveness through the mercy of Christ while at the same time shunning all corruption, that is, appearing to be Christian while lacking the humility of repentance. His teaching in this area can be…Continue Reading

Catholic Replies

November 23, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Catholic Replies

Q. During the upcoming Christmas season, we are almost certain to have homilies describing the Blessed Virgin Mary as an unwed mother. What is the best way of describing Mary’s marital status, her relationship with Joseph, and her perpetual virginity? — J.D.H., California. A. The best way is to read carefully chapter 1 of Matthew’s Gospel, particularly where he says that when “Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly” (Matt. 1:18-19). Notice that Matthew calls Joseph Mary’s “husband” and says that Joseph had decided to “divorce her…Continue Reading

Is The Rosary A Prayer Of “Vain Repetitions”?

November 22, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Is The Rosary A Prayer Of “Vain Repetitions”?

By RAYMOND de SOUZA, KM Part 4 The Pharisee and the publican — improvised prayer and repetitive prayer: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and began to pray thus within himself: ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, dishonest, adulterers, or even like this publican. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I possess’ ” (Luke 18:10-14). Let us notice that the Pharisee was wont to do what Jesus exhorted people to do in the Sermon of the Mount: Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Those were undoubtedly very good deeds, but the Pharisee performed…Continue Reading

Divine Revelation: Gradual And Progressive

November 21, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Divine Revelation: Gradual And Progressive

By DON FIER We left off last week reflecting on God’s motive for revealing Himself to us in a supernatural manner. In a word, His sole motive was that of boundless love for mankind. God gratuitously and unconditionally chose to “communicate His own divine life to the men He freely created, in order to adopt them as His sons in His only-begotten Son” (CCC, n. 52). In the words of St. Paul, “[God] destined us in love to be His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will” (Eph. 1:5) in order that it might be possible for mankind to satisfy the innate desire for happiness that is written into our hearts and that can only be…Continue Reading

Put On The Armor Of Light

November 20, 2013 Our Catholic Faith Comments Off on Put On The Armor Of Light

By FR. ROBERT ALTIER First Sunday Of Advent (YR A) Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matt. 24:37-44 In the second reading today St. Paul tells us that it is time to wake from sleep while Jesus, in the Gospel reading, tells us to stay awake. Obviously there is no way that a human person can remain awake in the physical sense, so we have to understand these statements spiritually. Perhaps we have been lulled into some spiritual sloth or into a false sense of security. It may be that some sort of worldliness has crept into our lives and has begun crowding out the Lord. Regardless of the “sleep” that has overtaken us, the Church is calling us to wake…Continue Reading