Catholic Truths

Catholic Truths (Part I) edited by Michael J. Coppi

TRUE CHURCH
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Catholic apologist Karl Keating of the radio show Catholic Answers [had] asked a pointed question:

Whom would you believe in the case of an accident -- someone who was there as an eyewitness or someone who came along years later? To learn about the early Christian Church, Keating stressed, it is necessary to read the early Church Fathers who were there from the beginning.

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(From: "Radio Replies" by Fr. Chas. M. Carty & Rev. Dr.L. Rumble, M.S.C. and "Confession of a Roman Catholic" by Paul Whitcomb, a former Protestant Minister.)

The Catholic Church is the church most united in Christ. The spectacle of one billion Catholics, three-fifths of all professed Christians, perfectly, indomitably united in belief, in organization, and in worship - the historical fact that Catholics, consistently the largest body of Christians in the world, have always been thus perfectly united - is evidence nobody can ignore.

Here is the unity of Bible prophecy - nowhere else on the Christian scene was there a unity nearly so compact, nearly so long-lived. Nowhere else on the Christian scene was there a unity so obviously permanent.

Wrote the great St. Cyprian in the third century: "God is one and Christ is one, and one is His Church, and the faith is one, and one His people... Unity cannot be rent asunder, nor can the one body of the Church, through the division of its structure, be divided into separate pieces."

Like His glorified body in Heaven, Christ's Mystical Body on earth never was and never will be a disjoined body. See St. Paul (Eph. 5:30) and John 17:1-23.

You can see in Sacred Scripture that Christ's true church is not the "learning" church but is manifestly a TEACHING church. Moreover, it is evident that Christ's true church is an INFALLIBLE teacher, never liable to teach false doctrine.

When did the Church established by Jesus Christ get the name Catholic?

Christ left the adoption of a name for His Church to those whom he commissioned to teach all nations.

In order to have a distinction between the Church and the Synagogue and to have a distinguishing name from those embracing Judaic and Gnostic errors we find St. Ignatius (50-107 A.D.) using the Greek word "Katholicos" (universal) to describe the universality of the Church established by Christ.

St. Ignatius was appointed Bishop of Antioch by St. Peter, the Bishop of Rome. It is in his writings that we find the word Catholic used for the first time. St. Augustine, when speaking about the Church of Christ, calls it the Catholic Church 240 times in his writings.

St. Justin Martyr, another Church Father of the second century wrote: "This food is known among us as the Eucharist... We do not receive these things as common bread and common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Saviour, being made flesh by the Word of God." Verifications - Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20 & John 6:53-56.

In the most unequivocal language the Apostles [such as Paul in 1 Cor. 10:16] affirmed that the bread and wine duly concecrated on the altar did in fact become the actual Substance of the Saviour.
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TRUE CHURCH

When did the Church established by Jesus Christ get the name Catholic?

Christ left the adoption of a name for His Church to those whom he commissioned to teach all nations. Christ called the spiritual society He established, "My Church" (Mt. xvi, 18), "the Church" (Mt. xviii, 17). In order to have a distinction between the Church and the Synagogue and to have a distinguishing name from those embracing Judaic and Gnostic errors we find St. Ignatius (50-107 A.D.) using the Greek word "Katholicos" (universal) to describe the universality of the Church established by Christ. St. Ignatius was appointed Bishop of Antioch by St.Peter, the Bishop of Rome. It is in his writtings that we find the word Catholic used for the first time. St. Augustine, when speaking about the Church of Christ, calls it the Catholic Church 240 times in his writings.

St. Ignatius of Antioch, disciple of the Apostle John, concerning the heretics of his day wrote: "They have abstained from the Eucharist and prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of Our Saviour Jesus Christ." St. Justin Martyr, another Church Father of the second century wrote: "This food is known among us as the Eucharist... We do not receive these things as common bread and common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Saviour, being made flesh by the Word of God."

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life everlasting and I will raise Him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my bood is drink indeed" (John 6:54-56)

"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they argued. (John 6:53)

"And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. THIS IS MY BODY. And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. FOR THIS IS MY BLOOD." (cf. Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; luke 22:19-20).

In the most unequivocal languge the Apostles affirmed that the bread and wine duly concecrated on the altar did in fact become the actual Substance of the Saviour. Declared the Apostle Paul: "The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?"
(1 Cor. 10:16)

....Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." (John 20:19-23). "Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. 18:18)

"Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God ..." (Acts. 20:28)

"And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed." (Acts 14:22).

" He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me."
- Luke 10:16

Catholic Church is the church most united in Christ. The spectacle of one billion Catholics, three-fifths of all proffessed Christians, perfectly, indomitably united in belief, in organization, and in worship - the historical fact that Catholics, consistently the largest body of Christians in the world, have always been thus perfectly united - was evidence nobody can not ignore. Here is the unity of Bible prophecy - nowhere else on the Christian scene was there a unity nearly so compact, nearly so long-lived. Nowhere else on the Christian scene was there a unity so obviously permanent.

Wrote the great St. Cyprian in the third century: "God is one and Christ is one, and one is His Church, and the faith is one, and one His people welded together by the glue of concord into a solid unity of body. Unity cannot be rent asunder, nor can the one body of the Church, through the division of its structure, be divided into separate pieces" (St. Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church, chap 23).

Like His glorified body in Heaven, Christ's Mystical Body on earth never was and never will be a disjoined body. St. Paul said, a member of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. (Eoh. 5:30)

...Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. ...That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us... I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one." (John 17:1-23).

"All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching then to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." (Matt.28:18-20).

"As the Father hath sent me, I also send you." (John 20:21). Here again is a clear, unmistakable reference to the teaching mission of His Church; for here He is telling the Apostles that they had fallen heir to His own teaching mission. His Church was to be no less of a teacher than He was.

Here is another evidence that Catholic Church is an INFALLIBLE teacher, never liable to teach false doctrine: "These things have I spoken to you, abiding with you. But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you. ... when the Paraclete cometh, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall give testimony of me. And you shall give testimony, because you are with me from the beginning." (John 14:25-26; 15:26-27).

from: "True Church", "Radio Replies" by Fr. Chas. M. Carty & Rev. Dr.L. Rumble, M.S.C. and "Confession of a Roman Catholic" by Paul Whitcomb, a former Protestant Minister.

BIBLE

In 397 A.D., the Catholic Church gave a definitive decision as to which writings and books should be admitted into the Bilble and which should be rejected, and every book which is in the Protestant New Testament today, was put there by Pope Siricus and the Catholic Bishops in the year 397 A.D. If Christ had intended that men should learn Christianity from the New Testament, what about the hundreds who lived before the first Bible was given to the world by the Catholic Church?

Luther's Protestant Bible came out 1520 and before his Bible the Catholic Bible had been translated into Spanish, Italian, Danish, French, Norwegian, Polish, Bohemian, Hungarian and English, there was exactly 104 editions in Latin; 38 editions in German language, 25 editions in Italian language, 18 in French. In all 626 editions of the Bible with 198 in the language of the laity, had been edited before the fist Protestant Bible was sent forth into the world.

What books are not found in Protestant Bible? They are Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch and the two Books of Machabees, together with fragments of Esther (x.4; xvi, 24), and Daniel (iii, 24-90; xii., xiv). These books were contained in the Alexandrian list or Canon of Books which was used by Greek-speaking Jews of Alexandria, Asia Minor, Greece and Italy.

Why did Luther reject 7 books from the Bible? Because they did not suit his new doctrines. He had arrived at the principle of private judgment - of picking and choosing religious doctrines; and whenever any book, such as the book of Machabees, taught a doctrine contrary to his taste he rejected it overboard and overboard that book went because it says: 2 Mach. xii 46, "it is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sins." He not only cast out certain books, but he mutilated some that were left. For example, not pleased with St. Paul's doctrine, "we are justified by faith," Luther added the word "ALONE" to make the sentence read: "We are justified by faith alone." His explanation of this insertion is found in his own words, "I know very well that the word 'alone' is not in the Latin and Greek texts; but Dr. Martin Luther will have it so, and I order it to be so, and my will is reason enough. " St. Paul writes under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Luther creates a Lutheran Bible under his own audacity. He shows little respect for the Bible when he calls the Epistle of St. James "an Epistle of straw with no character of the Gospel in it." He spoke disparagingly about the Epistle of St. Jude, the Epistle to the Hebrews, and the beautiful Apocalipse of St. John.

The Lord's Prayer or the Our Father is in the Bible, but Catholic prayer differs from the Protestant. Protestants use a conclusion which was not in the original Greek copies of the New Testament, namely, "For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen." Catholics say the Lord's Prayer properly.

Before the last book in the New Testament was written the Catholic Church celebrated her golden jubilee; 11 of the Apostles had died.

Hence, THE BIBLE CAME FROM THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH DID NOT COME FROM THE BIBLE. Christianity existed over 300 years without one single Bible Christian.

from: "Bible" and "Radio Replies" by Fr. Chas. M. Carty & Rev. Dr. L. Rumble, M.S.C., Published by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.

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Subject: WORDS OF COURAGE FROM DONNA STEICHEN

What do the Catholic faithful ask of the Church? They ask for shepherds who will teach them her saving truth, provide them with grace through her Sacraments, and enable them to worship in the Sacred Mysteries where Christ Himself becomes the Bread of Life to feed them. These are Divine gifts, precious beyond counting, yet they are what Our Lord promised to provide.

Additionally, faithful Catholics expect their spiritual shepherds to defend them from the world's wolves by identifying and condemning the prevalent errors of the day, whether in society or in the Church.

Thirty years ago, most of the faithful so deeply trusted their shepherds to fulfill those expectations that, as the Church in America collapsed and disintegrated, many of them followed bad shepherds into chaos, and called it renewal. Scandalized, nominal or apathetic Catholics gradually vanished from the pews, but other sheep remained so docile that they went wherever any religious professional pointed, even if it were off a cliff into the sea.

In their blind trust, such Catholics exhibited the simplicity of the dove without the wisdom of the serpent, and so enabled rash and arrogant innovators to dismantle the healthy Catholic subculture that had sustained a flourishing Church. In this they were not following Christ, who said we must be both simple and wise.

The saving faith with which Our Lord endowed His Church is transmitted to new generations through culture, liturgy and catechesis. Today, Catholic culture is dead in America. Liturgy is unstable and, in most places, ugly, irreverent and banal. Two generations of Catholics are effectively uncatechized. As a consequence, the Church is in such grave disarray in America that it may never recover.

Faithful Catholics are not mere consumers of religion, mere subjects owing unexamined obedience to whichever religious bureaucrats happen to be directing parishes and dioceses. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart: Catholic Christians, loyal to Christ and to His Vicar, who leads His Church on earth. They command our faithful and uncompromising obedience, even if religious authority figures closer to us should rebel against them.

Our present situation is too desperate for us to keep silent out of human respect. When our children are being robbed of their saving heritage, we must stop the robbery and expose the thieves. Immortal souls are being lost.

We cannot wait for permission from bureaucrats or intervention by distant authorities. We must exercise our responsibility as adult Catholics to defend the faith now.

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>From Christopher

Why does the Catholic Bible contain seven more Old Testament Books then the Protestant Bible?

From what I have read, the reason that the Catholic Bible has a different number of books in the Old Testament (OT) then the Protestant Bible is as follows:

The Protestant OT is based on the Palestinian (or Hebrew) canon used by Hebrew-speaking Jews in Palestine. The Catholic OT is based on the Alexandrian (or Greek) canon used by the Greek-speaking Jews through the Mediteranean, including Palestine.

The city of Alexandria in Egypt possessed the greatest library in the ancient world and during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 BC), a translation of the entire Hebrew Bible into Greek was begun by 70 or 72 Jewish scholars -- according to tradition -- six from each of the twelve tribes. From this Alexandrian translation (completed between 50-125BC) we get the term "Septuagint," which is Latin for 70 (LXX), the number of translators.

This Greek translation of the OT was very popular because Greek was the common language of the entire Mediterranean world by the time of Christ. Hebrew was a dying language (Jews in Palestine usually spoke Aramaic), and so it is not surprising that the Segtuagint was the translation used by Jesus and the New Testament writers. In fact, 300 quotations from the OT found in the NT are from the Septuagint. Remember also that the entire NT was written in Greek.

The Septuagint contains 46 books. The Hebrew canon contains only 39. Why are there seven fewer books in the Hebrew canon?

The Hebrew canon was established by Jewish rabbis at Jamnia, in Palestine about the year 100AD, perhaps in reaction to the Christian Church, which was using the Alexandrian canon. The Jews at Jamnia rejected seven books from the Hebrew canon found in the Septuagint -- Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, Baruch, Tobit, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. (as well as portions of Daniel and Ester) -- chiefly on the grounds that they could not find any Hebrew versions of these books which the Septuagint supposedly translated into Greek.

The Christian Church continued to use the Septuagint. When the Church officially decided which books to comprise the canon of the Bible (Council of Hippo 393AD and Carthage, 397AD), it approved the 46 books of the Alexandrian canon as the canon for the OT. For sixteen centuries the Alexandrian canon was a matter of uncontested faith! Each of the seven rejected books is quoted by the early Church Fathers as "Scripture" or as "inspired" right along with the undisputed books.

In 1529, Martin Luther proposed the Palestinian canon of 39 books and found justification for removing the 7 books based on the old concerns that the Greek books had no Hebrew counterparts. However, research into the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran has discovered ancient Hebrew copies of some of the disputed books, making their rejection unsupportable on those grounds, but yet the books still remain out of the Protestant bible.

(It may also be worth noting that Martin Luther had wanted to throw out even more books (James, Esther, and Revelation), and then deliberately added the word "alone" to Sacred Scripture in his German translation of Romans 3:28.)

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BELIEF/SCRIPTURE ALONE

Matt 19:17
"If you wish to enter into life, keep the Commandments."

Mark 10:17,19
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus answered, "You know the Commandments..."

John 15:14
"You are my friends, if you do what I command you."

These are only a few verses showing we must OBEY God, and there are many more.

Since the Bible is clear we must obey God to enter into Heaven, it is false to interpret John 6:28-29 as meaning that 'belief' is all we must do. Belief is the first work, of course, but notice that John 5:28-29 does not add the word, "only." To do so would have contradicted the rest of the Bible. Thus, it is only Martin Luther who is the 'authority' for the leaders of protesting (hence, Protestant) religions that teach "faith alone." *Luther,* not the Bible.

Luther had one thing he was known for. He constantly changing his teachings, except for sola fides (faith alone) and sola scriptura (scriptures alone). For example, one time he said Baptism conferred grace and removed Original Sin,-- then another time he said it did not. He did this on every single teaching.

Luther got worse, the more he aged. In the beginning he taught that the Christian was free, with the help of grace to follow the path of salvation. In his tract "ON THE FREEDOM OF THE CHRISTIAN MAN", written in Oct., 1520, he teaches that the Christian is "...free lord of all and subject to none...." But later he even denied that we HAVE a free will in his book "SLAVE WILL" in which he said,"God is the author of what is evil in us as well as of what is good, and, as He bestows happiness on those who merit it not, so also does He damn others who deserve not their fate." (De Sero Abritrio, inop. lat. 7, 113 seq.).

In the book, "THE FACTS ABOUT LUTHER" (TAN books) are quotes of Luther's plus some quotes of other Protestants who wrote about Luther. If you believe this book is biased, then try to get Luther's "SLAVE WILL" and read it yourself. You will be amazed.

Unlike Luther's opinions on God's capricious predestination of souls, Christ, through the Holy Spirit, established the Sacrament of Baptism, where all may receive the grace of salvation. Nowhere does Scripture teach that the only thing we have to do is merely 'believe' that Christ is the Savior. After all, Satan certainly believes that Christ is the Savior, yet he is not 'saved' by that belief. In fact, Satan knows without the slightest doubt just Who Christ is, yet this does not save him. Remember Jesus did say, "He who believes and is Baptized, shall be saved." (Mark 16:16)

Luther is erroneously called a reformer. If he had tried to change only those things which didn't deny the Gospel message, or had stopped after he corrected those people who violated Church teaching, he would have been considered a reformer. But when he decided to change Apostolic Tradition and contradict the scriptures, then he was no longer a reformer but a DESTROYER.

For many centuries, the Gospel was taught by Apostolic Tradition. The part of Apostolic Tradition that is written down is called "scripture." The part that is not written down continues to be called Tradition. Webster's defines tradition as follows: "The handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction."

The Lutheran religion's doctrine on the Eucharist is close, but not the same as the Apostolic Tradition of the 'Real Presence,' where Christ is really present along with the appearances of bread and wine. The Protestant religions lost this Apostolic Tradition completely, teaching that the bread and wine is only a "symbol" of Christ's Body and Blood. These are two completely different traditions. One came from the Apostles, one came from men. Yet none of these traditions came solely from Scripture. One can be found implicitly in Scripture, but Scripture is not the source of Tradition (tradition is capitalized to refer to the Tradition of the Catholic Church.) Even the writings of the early Fathers are not the source of Tradition. They are only evidence of what has always been taught by the Apostles.

Christianity came from the Apostles, who learned from God and taught it orally, both directly and through their successors they trained. Christianity did not come from the Bible. The Bible can only be understood if the Apostolic Traditions are nderstood.

Luther frequently ignored scripture, like when he said, "If Moses should attempt to intimidate you with his stupid Ten Commandments, tell him right out: 'Chase yourself to the Jews.' " (Wittenb, ad 5, pg. 1573).

Protestant beliefs about the Catholic Church teachings come from Martin Luther, and the Bible is interpreted by Protestants according to Luther and Calvin. Thus, there is that huge, glaring contradiction that every time a preacher says that " the Bible alone" is his authority, he really means the Bible interpreted according to Luther is his 'authority.' And since Luther contradicted the Bible in most all his differences with the Church, and his differences are the 'justification' for breaking off from the Church, Protestant preachers end up having 'Luther alone' instead of Scripture alone' for their authority.

The Catholic Church teaches infant Baptism, noting that there is also scriptural foundation in its verses that "...whole households" were Baptized, but this verse did not specifically say infants were present in these households. It is very likely, but not certain. That is why Baptists can disagree, and no one can prove either way.

Of course, there are more scriptural arguments for infant Baptism, but none are explicit (scripturally literal) teachings, but 'implicit' teachings based on Tradition, meaning what the Church has always taught and/or practiced. But as Protestants cannot agree on explicit teachings, such as that we must obey God, then how in the world can we expect them to agree on implicit teachings?

The Catholic Church is contradicted by Luther's teachings of sola scriptura and sola fides, because sola scriptura and sola fide are contradictory to Scripture. Even Luther's meaning of the word, "faith" is contradictory to Scripture. Thus, Protestant religions are also contradictory to scripture, since sola scriptura and sola fides contradict the Gospel. They contradict what was explicitly taught, in both the oral, and written (scriptures), Tradition.

Protestantism is based on the belief that the doctrines of Luther and Calvin are primary. The astute reader will immediately notice that this concept is contradictory to even their unyielding belief in sola scriptura, for Luther and Calvin are mentioned NOWHERE in scripture.

Since Protestantism is based on the belief that the books of the Bible are to be determined by those who follow the doctrines of Luther and Calvin, again sola scriptura is contradicted, for scripture says authority is given only to the leaders of the Church Christ founded. And Protestantism is based on the belief that the authority of the Catholic Church should be rejected at all costs, because Luther and Calvin said so.

Because Luther and Calvin are the sources for what Protestantism teaches, which is that the Catholic Church teaches error, Protestantism is a mass of contradictions and confusion.

Luther, being a Catholic, still had a Catholic interpretation of scripture which came from the Apostles, so the first Lutherans were all Catholic. Because of this, the Lutheran religion is much closer to what the Apostles taught than other Protestant religion. Lutheran worship services resemble the Mass much more than a Baptist service.

Another opinion that Luther taught was that a Christian did not have to obey the Commandments to go to Heaven as long as he had 'faith.' No one can come up with ONE single quote from Luther where he said we have to obey God, His Commandments, or do what is good in order to enter Heaven. No one can, because Luther gave in to sin, and to justify his sinfulness he came up with his sola fides, or 'faith alone.'

Sola fides means obedience to God is not necessary. The Ten Commandments become the Ten Suggestions. Once the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Church Christ founded, are rejected, there is no longer a standard of right and wrong and ANY sin can be justified, -- just like it is being done today.

The aggressive evangelists on television are the result of Luther's rejection of the Catholic Church, by means of his teachings of sola scriptura and sola fides. They don't study Luther extensively,-- all they know is Luther's interpretation of scripture alone and faith alone. They therefore can justify ANYTHING they chose to preach. Such preachers are not just on their own television shows, they are also present in all the "Full Gospel," "Spirit-filled," "Non-Denominational" and generic Christian independent religions that dot our landscape. They are the future of Protestant religions, like it or not.

If you are taught a false Gospel, it will be easier to fall for another false Gospel. Just look at history: - in 1887 there was only 1 divorce for every 107 marriages. Before the 1930's, no Protestant religion accepted contraception. Not too long ago, no Protestant religion permitted abortion; there were no homosexual churches, and most Protestant religions would not marry divorced persons. All that has changed. Luther poked the hole in the dike and all of Christianity is flooded with error and confusion.

Luther taught that a Christian did not have to obey the Commandments to go to Heaven as long as he had 'faith.' He had no faith in Jesus because he didn't believe anything Jesus said about obeying His Church, about obeying the Commandments to enter Heaven, about believing His Church, about following His Apostles, and much more. Luther was not a good person. He is rightly known as "The Father of Divorce."

Since the importance of an action is associated with the rewards and punishments assigned to that action, a Christian who constantly hears that "...faith alone is all that is necessary...," and "...good works can't save you...," will soon assign the idea of obeying the Commandments the same importance of taking a bath every day, not littering, or being socially polite.

Why do you think this country, with more TV preachers, more Bibles floating around, more radio preachers, and more Protestant sects than most other countries, has the highest divorce and broken home rates than other countries? Because according to Luther's Gospel, it really doesn't MATTER in the end if someone engages in pre-marital sex, or divorces and remarries, because they are going to Heaven ANYWAY. And it must not be important in God's eyes, because one is still going to Heaven no matter what, as long as he has 'faith.'

So God really doesn't care if we break the Commandments. And one can always say, as Oprah Winfrey said on TV to justify her actions when someone in the audience said that God forbids divorce and remarriage, "That's YOUR interpretation of the Bible!!" --All these rationalizations are the results of Luther's teachings

It was Luther's teaching of sola scriptura that led U.S. President Clinton to justify abortion when he said, "...the Bible does not forbid abortion." Since he was taught to reject Apostolic Tradition and the authority of the Church that Christ founded, he becomes his own pope and can rationalize the same way other 'Christians' on the Supreme Court did by saying that the unborn baby is not a person and has no rights.

According to Luther, no one is infallible, so there is no one to interpret the Bible with authority, meaning that the Church Christ instituted for ALL time on earth is useless, since nobody knows what the Gospel is. Since "...the Catholic Church can't tell us what is right and wrong...," we can all figure that out for ourselves, but since no one can agree, there IS no right and wrong!

All that matters is that we 'accept Christ' and 'love God,' but we don't have to respect Him by obeying Him. Therefore, there is no more right and wrong, except when the government declares something to be right or wrong, because once the authority of the Church is rejected, the government becomes our moral teacher, and eventually, our totalitarian ruler.

Hitler and Stalin hated the Catholic Church. They are known as the greatest mass murderers in history. Our present government has no love for the teachings of the Catholic Church either.

Have we killed more unborn babies than Hitler killed Jews? Absolutely.

Once the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Church Christ founded, are rejected, there is no longer a standard of right and wrong and any sin, any horror, can be justified, just as is being done today.

And all thanks to Martin Luther, sola fides and sola scriptura.

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Jesus Christ is the Only-Begotten Son of God and Our Lord and God

First, we are going to show, on the authority of God -- the true Author of the Sacred Scripture -- and on the authority of His divine institution -- His Mystical Body, the infallible Holy Roman Catholic Church, which approved the Sacred Scripture -- that Jesus Christ is the Only-Begotten Son of God, and that He is Our Lord and God.

Matthew 16:15-17. "Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 26:63-64. "But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the Son of God. Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and coming in the clouds of heaven."

Luke 22:66-70. "And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people and the chief priests and scribes came together. And they brought him into their council saying: If thou be the Christ, tell us. And he saith to them: If I shall tell you, you will not believe me. And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all: Art thou then the Son of God? And he said: You say that I am."

After the resurrection, Jesus visited the Apostles.

Matthew 20:24-29. "Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said: Peace be to you. Then he said to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither and see my hands. And bring hither the hand and put it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said to him: My Lord and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."

We believe in one God the Father almighty, creator of all things visible and invisible. And in our one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, the only-begotten born of the Father, that is of the substance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, born, not made, of one substance with the Father (which they call in Greek "homousion"), by whom all things were made, which are in heaven and on earth, who for our salvation came down, and became incarnate and was made man, and suffered, and arose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven, and will come to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy Spirit.

Pope St. Leo IX on his epistle "Congratulamur vehementer" to Peter, Bishop of Antioch, April 13, 1053 declared the symbol of faith:

For I firmly believe that the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is one omnipotent God, and in the Trinity the whole Godhead is co-essential and consubstantial, co-eternal and co-omnipotent, all things, through whom all things, in whom all things [Rom. 11:36] which are in heaven or on earth, visible or invisible. Likewise I believe that each person in the Holy Trinity is the one true God, complete and perfect.

I believe also that the Son of God the Father, the Word of God, was born eternallly before all time from the Father, consubstantial, co-omnipotent, and co-equal to the Father through all things in divinity; born of the Holy Spirit from the ever virgin Mary in time, with a rational soul, having two nativities, the one from the Father, eternal, the other from the Mother, in time; having two wills and opcrations, true God and true man, individual in each nature and perfect, not having suffered a fusion and division, not adopted or phantastical, the one and onlv God, the Son of God in two natures, but in the singleness of one person, incapable of suffering and immortal in divinity; but in humanity for us and for our salvation suffered in the true passion of the body and was buried, and arose from the dead on the third day in the true resurrection of the body; because of which we must declare with the disciples that He ate from no need of food but only from will and power; on the fortieth day after His resurrection with the flesh in which He arose, and with His soul He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, whence on the tenth day He sent the Holy Spirit, and thence, as He ascended, He will come to judge the
living and the dead, and will render to each one according to his works.

I believe also that the Holy Spirit, complete and perfect and true God, proceeding from the Father and the Son, co-equal, co-essential, co-omnipotent and coeternal with the Father and the Son in all respects, has spoken through the prophets.

That this holy and individual Trinity is not three Gods, but in three persons and in one nature and or essence [is] one God omnipotent, external, invisible and incommutable, so I believe and confess, so that I may truly proclaim that the Father is not begotten, the Son is the only begotten one, and the Holy Spirit is neither begotten nor unbegotten, but proceeds from the Father and the Son. I believe that the one true Church is holy, Catholic and apostolic, in which is given one baptism and the true remission of all sins. I also believe in a true resurrection of this body, which now I bear, and in eternal life.

I believe also that there is one author of the New and Old Testament of the law both of the Prophets and of the Apostles, namely the omnipotent God and Lord. (I believe) that God predestined only the good things, but that He foreknew the good and the evil. I believe and profess that the grace of God precedes and follows man, yet in such a manner that I do not deny free will to the rational creature. I also believe and declare that the soul is not a part of God but was created from nothing and was without baptism subject to original sin.

Furthermore, I declare anathema every heresy raising itself against the holy Catholic Church, and likewise him whosoever has honored or believes that any writings beyond those which the Catholic Church accepts ought to be held in authority or has venerated them. I accept entirely the four Councils and I venerate them as the four Gospels, because through four parts of the world the universal Church, upon these as on square stone, has been founded . . . . Equally I accept and venerate the three remaining Councils. . . . Whatever the above mentioned seven holy and universal Councils believe and praise I also believe and praise, and whomever they declare anathema, I declare anathema. (Denzinger, The Sources of Catholic Dogma, 30th Edition, # 343-349, p. 141-142)

But it is not enough to believe in Jesus Christ to be saved. To be saved, one has belong to the Holy Roman Catholic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. Various Popes in the past has defined ex-cathedra the dogma "Outside the Roman Catholic Church there is no salvation" (extra Ecclesiam nullam esse salutem) and has condemned the error of indifferentism which says that all religions can save.

Pope Boniface VIII in the Bull "Unam Sanctam", November 18, 1302, declared ex-cathedra:

"We firmly believe and simply confess this (Church) outside which there is no salvation nor remission of sin." (Denzinger, The Sources of Catholic Dogma, 30th Edition, # 468, p. 186) (Note: the Bull is the most authoritative document of the Church which the Pope signs and seals with his ring [bulla].)

"Furthermore, we declare, say, define, and proclaim to every human creature that they by necessity for salvation are entirely subject to the Roman Pontiff." (Denzinger, ibid. , 30th Edition, # 469, p. 187)

Pope Eugene IV declared ex-cathedra in the Bull "Cantata Domino" on February 4, 1442:

"It (the Roman Catholic Church) firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart "into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels" [Matthew 25:4I], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church." (Denzinger, Op. Cit., 30th Edition, #714, p. 230).

Pope Pius IV in the Bull "Iniunctum Nobis", November 13, 1565, declared ex-cathedra:

"This true Catholic faith, outside of which no one can be saved." (Denzinger, Op. Cit., 30th Edition, # 1000, p. 304)

Pope Gregory XVI, in his Encyclical "Mirari Vos" On Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism, August, 15, 1832, pronounced against the error of indifferentism which Maitreya proclaims:

"14. We now come to another and most fruitful cause of the evils which at present afflict the Church and which We so bitterly deplore; We mean indifferentism, or that fatal opinion everywhere diffused by the craft of the wicked, that men can by the profession of any faith obtain the eternal salvation of their souls, provided their life conforms to justice and probity. But in a question so clear and evident it will undoubtedly be easy for Us to pluck up from amid the people confided to your care so pernicious an error. The apostle warns us of it: "One God, one faith, one baptism." Let them tremble then who imagine that every creed leads by an easy path to the port of felicity; and reflect seriously on the testimony of our Savior Himself, that those are against Christ who are not with Christ, and that they miserably scatter by the fact that they gather not with Him, and that consequently they will perish eternally without any doubt, if they do not hold to the Catholic Faith, and preserve it entire and without alteration...."

"15. From this poisoned source of indifferentism flow that false and absurd, or rather extravagant, maxim that liberty of conscience should be established and guaranteed to each man -- a most contagious error, to which leads that absolute and unbridled liberty of opinion which for the ruin of Church and State spreads over the world, and which some men, by unbridled impudence, fear not to represent as advantageous to the Church. "And what more certain death for souls," says Saint Augustine, "than the liberty of error!"=A0 (Angelus Press, 2918 Tracy Avenue, Kansas City, MI 64109; pages 11-12.)

In similar terms, Pope Pius IX declared against the error of indifferentism in his Encyclical "Quanto Conficiamur moerore", August 10, 1863 :

"And here, beloved Sons and Venerable Brothers, We should mention again and censure a very grave error in which some Catholics are unhappily engaged, who believe that men living in error, and separated from the true faith and from Catholic unity, can attain eternal life. Indeed, this is certainly quite contrary to Catholic teaching. It is known to Us and to you that they who labor in invincible ignorance of our most holy religion and who, zealously keeping the natural law and its precepts engraved in the hearts of all by God and being ready to obey God, live an honest and upright life, can, by the operating power of divine light and grace, attain eternal life, since God who clearly beholds, searches, and knows the minds, souls, thoughts, and habits of all men, because of His great goodness and mercy, will by no means suffer anyone to be punished with eternal torment who has not the guilt of deliberate sin. But, the Catholic dogma that no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church is well-known; and also that those who are obstinate toward the authority and definitions of the same Church, and who persistently separate themselves from the unity of the Church, and from the Roman Pontiff, the successor of PETER, to whom "the guardianship of the vine has been entrusted by the Savior," cannot obtain eternal salvation." (Denzinger, Op. Cit., # 1677, p. 424-425)

The following three errors (among others) are also condemned by Pope Pius IX, i.e. those who believe them are anathematized:

1. "In the worship of any religion whatever, men can find the way to eternal salvation, and can attain eternal salvation." (I, 3, 17) (The numbers following each statement refer to the INDEX "of the Acts of PlUS lX, from which the Syllabus or Collection has been excerpted) (Denzinger, Op. Cit., # 1716, p. 437).

2. "We must have at least good hope concerning the eternal salvation for all those who in no wise are in the true Church of Christ." (13) (Denzinger, Op. Cit., # 1717, p. 437).

3. "Protestantism is nothing else than a different form of the same true Christian religion, in which it is possible to serve God as well as in the Catholic Church." (5) (Denzinger, Op. Cit., # 1718, p. 437)

Remember that an ex-cathedra definition or declaration by a legitimate Pope has the force of an dogmatic truth the refusal of which means excommunication and being cut off from the Mystical Body of Christ, and therefore, being cursed (anathematized). In addition, the definition or declaration (which usually starts with "We firmly believe, profess, and proclaim that ...." for a positive definition, and "let him be anathema" for a negative definition) is irreversible, meaning that no statement from any other Pope afterward can contradict the previously declared dogma.

Pope Pius IX defined the infallibility of the Pope as he chaired the First Vatican Council (session 4) on July 18, 1870:

"And so We, adhering faithfully to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, to the glory of God, our Savior, the elevation of the Catholic religion and the salvation of Christian peoples, with the approbation of the sacred Council, teach and explain that the dogma has been divinely revealed. That the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when carrying out the duty of the pastor and teacher of all Christians in accord with his supreme apostolic authority he explains a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, through the divine assistance promised him in blessed Peter, operates with that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer wished that His church be instructed in defining doctrine on faith and morals; and so such definitions of the Roman Pontiff from himself, but not from the consensus of the Church, are unalterable." (Denzinger, Op. Cit., # 1839, p. 457)

"But if anyone presumes to contradict this definition of Ours, which may God forbid: let him be anathema." (Denzinger, Op. Cit., # 1840, p. 457)

Most recently, in his Speech to the Third General Assembly of Latin American Bishops, January 28, 1979; and in the Radio Message on Eighth Centenary of St. Francis of Assisi, October 3, 1981, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed the Sacred Tradition:

"The mystery of salvation is revealed to us and is continued and accomplished in the Church . . . and from this genuine and single source, like ' humble, useful, precious, and chaste' water, it reaches the whole world . . .

"She must therefore he called upon, respected, and served; for no one can have God for his Father if he does not have the Church for his Mother. One cannot love Christ without loving the Church Christ loves. The Spirit of the Church is the Spirit of Christ, and to the extent to which one loves the Church of Christ does he possess the Holy Spirit . .

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From: Anna Doyle, doylea@ele.uri.edu
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Our Lord said,

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me." (John 6:53 - 57)

Where else but in the Catholic (and Eastern) churches can one find the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist?

Then John 6:66 shows those who couldn't accept this teaching, "From this time many of his disciples turned back and followed him no more."

But St. Peter, the first Pope, even though he didn't understand, said, "Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life. We believe and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:68 - 69)

I am a Jew who met Jesus and became a Christian, I was a non-denominational Christian for many years, but it was this scripture that pointed me into the Church.
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[ Continue to part II ]