US ECONOMY HAS VIOLATED BASIC TENETS OF CATHOLICISM AND TOYS WITH RUIN

From http://www.spiritdaily.com/allthedevils.htm

There is a sense out there -- is there not? -- of holding back: You don't want to spend what you used to.

Everyone has drawn to a more conservative stance because no one knows what will happen next (and not just economically).

One hears this all the time: folks are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There is The Great Uneasiness and that uneasiness is because we know in our spirits that for a few decades we have been living in a bubble (of falsities).

This we wrote before the recent Wall Street protests, which may have some merit but with which, in other ways, we do not agree; at least, we differ politically (and culturally) with many of the protesters.

It has always been our opinion that capitalism is a great system when it is based on conservative Christian values -- and when it is as it used to be: a system that rewards those who contribute the most to society (as opposed to finessing it).

How things have changed.

There has always been abuse (see the sweat shops or slaughterhouses or monopolies of the last century) but a shock it is to learn that banks only have twenty percent or even just ten percent of the actual money -- the capital -- to back the money they lend. In other words, they have enough in reserve only to cover a certain number of loans in the theory that they would never have to cover more than that. In some cases, financial "instruments" need no capital whatsoever!

Folks with mathematics degrees from fashionable schools have invented all kinds of bizarre new financial "products": collateralized debt obligations, credit swap debts. There are negative amortized loans in which you buy a home but pay less than usual in interest and as a result your principal increases. Or, there are loans in which you pay interest only (really, you own nothing).

They made these loans to folks who were required to provide virtually no documentation of income.

So, banks lent money or mortgage originators gave mortgages that were less substantial than air and made money doing so not just from the extraordinary interest you pay (a person often pays nearly as much in interest as the cost of a home over the period of thirty years when all the interest is tallied) but from the fees they collect by tranching and selling pieces of your mortgage -- for example, the interest -- to those who are willing to take a risk that the rate will increase and buy the interest on mortgages like a lottery ticket.

One entity out there may own your interest, while another is backing your principal -- by borrowing from another bank, which also generates a fee. Our mortgages have been securitized: turned into bonds and "securities." Chips at the poker table. Meanwhile, there are loan originators that are not banks and are not even subject to normal banking regulations.

In large part, they're the ones who took on risky, "subprime" borrowers without even minimal capital backing (in the event of a flood of defaults). The funding mechanism for homeowning became a "shaky pyramid of debt." Where was the Federal Reserve. What is the Federal Reserve? (Should it even exist?)

"Long before anybody thought to use credit default swaps to short mortgage bonds, Wall Street firms had taken to combining credit default swaps on a variety of corporate bonds and creating CDOs out of them," write two financial authors in the perhaps aptly entitled bestseller All the Devils Are Here. "They were called synthetic CDOs because the CDOs didn't contain 'real' collateral; rather they were based on the performance of existing bonds held by someone else."

Huh?

Then there's the stock market: it moves like a roller-coaster and like a roller coaster is surrounded by air.

Remember when stocks broke the 1,000 barrier?

Think of this: in the late 1980s the Dow surged to 2000. It was under 1000 the previous decade. It would eventually rise to 13,000. It is now still near that point: despite a plummet, above 10,000. Can you explain what makes the worth of the market more than five times what is was twenty-five years ago, and more than ten times what it was in the mid-1970s -- when inflation has risen only by a fraction of that?

How can it suddenly be at 10,000 -- when, in many ways, the U.S. produces less than it used to?

At the same time stocks increased more than sixfold, the value of the dollar has not even doubled (what cost you a dollar in 1988 now costs $1.92).

This indicates a structure, and society, that is artificial.

What changed so radically to make everything so valuable?

Why should stocks be worth three times what they were adjusting even for inflation?

And why do commodities brokers living the high life on the Upper East Side of Manhattan make more money than the farmers who grow the commodities?

The average pay for Goldman Sachs 35,700 employees was $369,651 last year (you read that right, and it is down from what it was;  in 2007, a year of record pay, all workers tallied together including receptionists at Goldman Sachs were paid an average of $575,000).

Our financial system is not rational. Should it even exist, in anywhere near the size that it is? It has been turned into a game played by math whizzes who use Byzantine formulas to concoct constantly new opaque "products." There are securities that even Alan Greenspan says he doesn't understand. This all started up during the 1980s when deregulation of the financial community -- and a dire lack of oversight -- allowed all kinds of entities, from pension funds to insurance companies, to join in as the holders of mortgages, as they do any stock out there.

Bizarre "products" were derived ("derivatives") in ever more complex games of risk. Your lender doesn't even have the money to cover its loans! It borrows (see again, the tranche) to lend! Everything was "leveraged." Bets were made on securities owned elsewhere. Some securities are even called "synthetic" -- because they are just that: manufactured (with no real backing). Games are played. Paper is shuffled back and forth. It is poker with ever-changing cards. For at least three decades, wealth in our nation has been materialized out of thin air and now that bubble, the balloon, is leaking badly.

Notes an analyst for Moody's: "We may have encouraged financial institutions to grow in ways that do not directly facilitate or enhance the reason for having a financial system in the first place."

There are other bubbles.

There are the tremendous costs of college (for exactly what final product?). There are medical costs. There are unsustainable pensions. And we can get back to those loans: the Bible -- and the Catholic Church -- have long warned against usury, which is defined as excessive interest and in the purest third-meaning in the dictionary even interest, period: we are not supposed to make a profit over a loan, or at least not one that is engineered to enrich the lender (and cause distress to the one who borrows).

That's Christian?

Our society is off base -- at least if you study the precepts of Catholicism.

For Catholicism and its saints have long preached that one should not charge as much as one can (soak the consumer for everything one can get) but rather sell an item at a price that simply and only tallies the money spent on creating the product and the actual hours one put into the effort.

We live in a society where squeezing as much as you can out of a fellow human is considered smart business.

We'll see in purgatory. It is not the Christian way. The "markups" on many products -- by the standards of the Catechism -- are not conscionable.

Look at what pharmaceuticals cost -- and how they suddenly drop so drastically in price when they no longer necessitate a prescription.

Do you remember how phone companies used to charge so much for long distance that calling from one side of the state to another could cost five or ten dollars for an hour?

Now, there is unlimited long distance -- meaning it hardly ever cost the companies anything to start with, or certainly not nearly what they gouged.

Go try and buy a cell phone now.

It has shifted there: you need a data package -- at another $30 a month. Did you ever analyze how much you spend on your cell?

Meanwhile, health care continues to skyrocket. It's one growth industry despite the recession. Its costs have increased nine percent in the past year!

We ourselves -- our bodies -- have become commodities.

Incredibly, many of those most abused by the greedy have been orchestrated into defending them.

Here is paragraph 2424 of the Catechism:

"A theory that makes profit the exclusive norm and ultimate end of economic activity is morally unacceptable. The disordered desire for money cannot but produce perverse effects. It is one of the causes of the many conflicts which disturb the social order.

"A system that 'subordinates the basic rights of individuals and of groups to the collective organization of production' is contrary to human dignity. Every practice that reduces persons to nothing more than a means of profit enslaves man, leads to idolizing money, and contributes to the spread of atheism. 'You cannot serve God and mammon.'"

If you made money this way, it is perhaps time to discern future income.

Capitalism is a fantastic system -- when backed by Catholic morals.

The old law was that people were compensated for what they contributed honestly.

No longer.

Now, it's the opposite.

Those who manipulate and have assumed control over our financial community sell air and often walk away with billions, even though they not only didn't contribute, not only didn't invent some incredible new product, not only didn't serve anyone, but took advantage of millions.

If this sounds overheated, our apology; it is not said with anger. We are commissioned to report the truth. Read that book on the financial crisis.

Indeed.

You will be educated.

You will also be shocked.

Have you noticed all the store sales now -- how little you pay for clothes at some shops, now that they need your business?

That tells you the incredible, excessive profit margins that had been in place.

At half price, they still turn a nice profit.

Meanwhile, you have to talk to a machine on the phone or go online and struggle through a maze even to give someone your money.

That's dignity?

"The development of economic activity and growth in production are meant to provide for the needs of human beings. Economic life is not meant solely to multiply goods produced and increase profit or power; it is ordered first of all to the service of persons, of the whole man, and of the entire human community. Economic activity, conducted according to its own proper methods, is to be exercised within the limits of the moral order, in keeping with social justice so as to correspond to God's plan for man" (Catechism 2426).

Go ahead and figure out how much interest you have paid on your house -- in all probability, to someone who didn't even have the real money to lend (just the financial positioning). Or who holds that second lien (sometimes, on a negative-amortization loan).

"It is a sin against the dignity of persons and their fundamental rights to reduce them by violence to their productive value or to a source of profit" (2414).

While there is currently a clamor for deregulation, it was ironically the opposite -- deregulation, in the financial community, in the Eighties and Nineties -- that has led us to a false economy, a false standard of living, and the brink of a true crisis.

We are not at the end of it.

We may patch things for a year or two. We may waste money on "stimulus." We may print money backed by nothing.

But the crisis will not end until we descend to the same extent as we have risen artificially.

There is much more until we reach that point.

Look around.

A recession, perhaps; but not yet a very deep one. Right now, folks are perhaps cutting down on the number of cell phones in the family, and shaving down a few nights out at restaurants, and looking for bargains at J.C. Penney's or Belk's or Macy's. Macy's!

Frugality is starting to take hold, if only as yet in a small way (and thank God -- Who wants us to waste nothing!). We will be better off for it. We are being simplified. Time spent spending money can now be spent in prayer.

We can feel and pray for those who have lost honest jobs. So many have!

And there are certainly good, devout rich people (including in the financial sector).

Don't throw them in with the bathwater.

But when we note that the biggest health problem among the rich and poor in our nation is obesity, we can see that we are certainly not near anything like a depression -- although a depression it would be if the real money were counted, currency backed by actual manufacture and sweat or silver or gold, by real land, by real estate -- not the fluff-stuff of that casino called Wall Street.

-- by Michael H. Brown

Five Myths About Worship in the Early Church

From http://www.crisismagazine.com/2011/five-myths-about-worship-in-the-early-church

As the forthcoming new translation of the Roman Missal debunks the myth that liturgical language must be so banal that even the muppets on Sesame Street can understand it, it’s a good time to examine five other untruths that have been wreaking havoc on the Church’s worship in recent decades.

1. Mass facing the people. After studying free-standing altars in early churches, liturgists in the 1930s concluded that priests once celebrated Mass “facing the people,” and that it was only under the influence of decadent medieval clericalism that they “turned their backs” to them. This myth was much in the drinking water at the time of Vatican II (1962-1965). Later, some scholars began to reexamine the evidence and found that it did not support their thesis at all, and that in fact there had been an unbroken tradition — both East and West — of priest and congregation celebrating the Eucharist in the same direction: eastward.

Pope Benedict XVI, who endorsed the most recent book refuting the versus populum error, has been trying to make the facts of the case better known. But in the past generation, millions of dollars have been spent destroying exquisite high altars and replacing them with altar-tables, all in conformity to “the practice of the early Church.” Would that this myth were busted earlier.

2. Communion in the hand and under both kinds. Myths about Holy Communion follow a similar pattern. Fifty years ago, the claim that “Communion in the hand” was the universal practice of the early Church was believed by everyone, even by those who didn’t wish to see the practice resuscitated. Now we’re not so sure. What we can say is that some early Christian communities practiced Communion in the hand, but Communion on the tongue may be just as ancient. And when Communion in the hand was practiced, the communicant received from a priest (and only a priest), most likely by putting It in his mouth without his other hand touching it. And in some places, a woman’s hand had to be covered with a white cloth!

We are more certain that the Roman Church once administered Holy Communion under both species (just as the Eastern churches have always done), but we don’t know exactly how. One interesting practice, which was in use by the seventh century, had the deacon distributing the Precious Blood with the use of a golden straw. Some think he dipped the straw in the chalice (which only he or a priest or bishop could touch), closed one end with his finger, put it over the communicant’s open mouth, and then lifted his finger to release the contents.

In other words, Holy Communion was probably not administered in the fast-food manner we have today, with a “grab-and-go” system of multiple efficient lines that move from one station to the other, and the communicant touching the Host or Precious Cup with his own hands. Our current arrangement may have more in common with the Protestant than the patristic. Significantly, Benedict XVI, a careful student of the Church Fathers, no longer administers Communion in the hand.

3. The vernacular. Another widespread myth is that the early Church had Mass “in the vernacular.” But when Jesus worshipped in the synagogue, the language used was Hebrew, which had already been dead for 300 years. And for the first three centuries in Rome, the Mass was mostly celebrated in Greek, not Latin, which was only understood by a minority of the congregation.

When the Mass was eventually translated into Latin, it retained foreign elements such as the Hebrew amen and alleluia, and even added some, such as the Greek Kyrie eleison. Moreover, the Latin used in translating was deliberately different from what was being spoken at the time: It had curious grammatical usages and was peppered with archaisms. In other words, even when the Mass was celebrated in a language people could understand, it was never celebrated in the “vernacular” — if by that term we mean the common street language of the day.

The reason for this is simple: Every apostolic Church — to say nothing of every major world religion — has always had a sacred or hieratic language, a linguistic toolbox different from daily speech specially designed to communicate the transcendence and distinctiveness of the gospel.

4. Lay ministry. Another perduring myth is the idea that the laity were “more involved” in the Mass than they were in later ages. In our own day, this has spawned a multiplication of liturgical ministries for lay folk, such as lector, etc. The reality is that in the early Church, all of these roles were administered by the clergy. In fact, the early Church had more ordained clerical offices (the former minor orders) than it does today. The Council of Nicea in 325, for instance, talked about fine-tuning the office of “subdeacon.” This tells us one thing: that subdeacons were already a fixture in the landscape before the council was convoked. Lay Eucharistic ministers were not.

5. The pre- vs. post-Constantinian Church. Lurking behind all of these myths is a powerful “meta-myth,” the claim that there was a rupture in the life of the Church after the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the fourth century. The Church before Constantine, the meta-myth goes, was simple and pristine, a Church “of the people.” After Constantine, however, the Church became clericalist, hierarchical, and corrupted by the desire for grand buildings and highfalutin’ ceremonies.

The truth is that although the Church did indeed change — in some ways for the better and some for the worse — there was far more continuity than rupture. The Church before Constantine already had firm distinctions between clergy and laity, and she already recognized the importance of beautiful art, architecture, symbolism, and solemnity. After all, the Last Supper took place during the Passover, which was itself highly ritualized, and every Mass is a consummation of the ornate liturgies of synagogue and Temple. Indeed, a Eucharistic liturgy in the second or third century was longer, more hierarchical, and more symbolically brocaded than a Sunday Mass today. And since pews are a Protestant invention to accommodate long sermons, you either stood or knelt on the floor the entire time.

Like a bad virus, the myth of a utopian, pre-Constantinian, kumbaya-singing Church continues to impair. A typical example is the 2001 video A History of the Mass, produced by Liturgy Training Publications, one of the more influential purveyors of information about Catholic worship in the United States. After describing an idyllic, egalitarian community in which bishops gave up their seats for poor widows at the Eucharistic table, the narration shifts with the ominous words: “But then… the Emperor Constantine became a Christian.” You can imagine what follows (see here and here).

Moreover, even if every one of these myths were shown to be true, it would still not justify returning to the patristic era. In 1947, Pope Pius XII prophetically warned against archeologism, an “exaggerated and senseless antiquarianism” which presumes that the older is better than that which has developed organically over time and with the approval of the Church (Mediator Dei 64). The pope was worried about liturgical innovators who would leapfrog over 1,900 years of sacred tradition and divine inspiration. He was right to worry, but not even he foresaw the extent to which that targeted Golden Past would be a reconstruction of dubious accuracy.

A Father’s Love by Martina Caffrey

See: http://originalwriting.ie/bookshop/non-fiction/theologyreligion/a-fathers-love/

Also: http://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Love-Martina-Caffery/dp/1908024372/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304025994&sr=8-1

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him…We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4: 16, 19

God the Father loves us deeply and unconditionally. He sent us His Son Jesus Christ to show us His love for us. Through His coming to earth as a Man and through His death on the Cross, Jesus fulfilled the hope of the Jewish religion and laid the foundations for His Church on earth. This faith has been handed down to us through the Apostles led by St. Peter, the Rock, and his successors in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. It is in this Catholic faith that God shows us His love through the sacraments, graces and blessings He has bestowed on us. In this book, the central beliefs of the Catholic faith are explained and we see how the love of God for us and our love for Him shine through in these beliefs. This book is a stepping stone to those who wish to begin their study of the beliefs of the Catholic Church. It is a guide to those who are seeking the Truth in the hope that it will awaken a desire to learn more. It is the voice of a young Catholic speaking to the young and young at heart of the joys and love of God that exist in the Catholic faith.

“The consciousness that, in Christ, God has given himself for us, even unto death, must inspire us to live no longer for ourselves but for him, and, with him, for others. Whoever loves Christ loves the Church, and desires the Church to be increasingly the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ.”
Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI

About the Author

The author is a young woman in her late 20’s who lives in Co. Meath. She was raised a Catholic and still has a strong belief in the Catholic faith. Like many others, she questioned her faith in her teenage years. After several spiritual experiences she sought the answers to her doubts by reading more deeply into the beliefs of the Catholic Church in order for her to see if she accepted and agreed with these beliefs. It was in her examination of the beliefs of the Catholic Church that she found an enriched and fulfilling basis for the love of God that she wished to express in her life. She started to practice her faith with a deeper knowledge and love of God as she now understood the reasoning and spirituality behind the beliefs and practices she had been taught in the Catholic Church.
She completed an honours degree in Communication Studies in 2005 during which she wrote a thesis examining the attitudes of young people towards the Catholic Church. She found a lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of the beliefs of the Catholic Church and wished to instruct others to correct this. From 2006 until 2008 she wrote monthly articles in a traditional Catholic magazine, The Hibernian Magazine, on the beliefs of the Catholic faith. These articles were well received by the readers and upon the closure of the magazine she decided to write A Father’s Love in continuation of her work. She is seeking to correct the misconceptions surrounding the beliefs of the Catholic faith, especially among her fellow youth, in response to a call by the late Pope John Paul II who asked young people to go out and evangelise their fellow youth in the joys of the Catholic faith.

Price:€15.00

The Dangers of Too Much Participation at Mass

By Denise Caffrey

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass recalls and re-enacts the Sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. It is the greatest and most important form of prayer, adoration, reparation and thanksgiving which we can offer to God, Our Almighty Father. At Mass the priest takes the place of Christ on Calvary and offers up Christ’s Supreme Sacrifice for man. The Church has always encouraged and promoted the participation of laypeople and persons other than the priest in the Sacrifice of the Mass. Whilst the priest alone can perform the most important aspects of the Mass, others are given the authority to assist and enhance the celebration to make it more pleasing and more spiritual. Canon law and Sacred Tradition gives us rules as to the length and extent of participation by others in the Mass. Thus we have rules for deacons, altar servers, choirs, etc. There are also rules governing the actions and responses of the laity in the pews. These are done to ensure that the Sacrifice of the Mass is valid and suitable as sacrifice for Almighty God. The whole Church is to celebrate the same form of Mass in union with one another regardless of language or nationality.
During the Sacrifice of the Mass, the priest alone can offer up the prayers of the Mass especially those of Consecration. He is assisted in his prayers by those around him. The Church has always regulated the level of participation by others at Mass and these rules have been kept for many centuries ensuring the continuity and transcendence of the Mass. However, in the last two generations, levels of participation by laity have greatly increased and now pose numerous threats towards the sanctity of the Mass and have increased the potential for abuse. This has been aided by the change in the ordinary form of the Mass from the Tridentine Rite to the Novus Ordo Rite, which is said in the vernacular. With the language of the Mass now in the spoken language of the people, laypeople are being offered more opportunity to participate in the new form of the Mass, and while many see advantages to this, there are inherent dangers towards these levels of participation by the laity.
There is a danger for the priest, when he is assisted far more by the laity than what he would have been previously. This begins in his teaching and his ministry. He is encouraged to view the Mass as a meal rather than a Sacrifice. This makes both him and others see the Mass as a meal to be shared, rather than a re-enactment of Calvary and a Sacrifice. This view is quite detrimental to his Catholic faith. It leads to a loss of faith and lack of belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist. He loses belief in power of transubstantiation at the Consecration. He begins to take the Protestant view that the Bread and Wine do not become the Body and Blood of Christ at Consecration. Even if he does retain this belief, he can lose reverence and awe in the presence of the Eucharist. He handles and treats the Body and Blood of Christ in a casual manner, as he would any other object. It is no longer treated as a sacred object. From these, stem great abuses of the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Communion at Mass.
The priest is also encouraged to delegate his duties to laypeople. Duties which he would previously carry out are now being handled by laypeople. While this can be useful and often necessary in the absence of a priest, this is increasingly being used in every parish even when there is a priest close by and available. Masses have begun to be replaced at times by Eucharistic Services, which have no priest in attendance and operated completely by laypeople. This takes away from the faith of the laity and encourages in them the belief that one is as good as the other. These are in no way equal for nothing can replace the importance of the Sacrifice of the Mass, not even the Eucharist.
In a similar way, the priest is being encouraged to delegate the giving of Communion to laypeople. The Eucharist can only be consecrated by the consecrated hands of a priest, so it is only right that consecrated hands be the ones to handle the Blessed Sacrament and give the Eucharist to faithful Catholics. The Church does allow for circumstances which permit the use of extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. But these circumstances are very limited and the extraordinary ministers must be specially blessed and adhere to a number of conditions. One of the main circumstances in which they are allowed, is when a very large number of laypeople (in the hundreds or thousands) attend a Mass and there is a great shortage of priests. They should be the exception rather than the rule. Unfortunately, this allowance by the Church is being greatly abused by parishes everywhere in order to encourage participation in the Mass.
In every parish, they have put together a list of Eucharistic Ministers, which is used every week. It completely disregards the conditions laid down by the Church as to the use of Extraordinary Ministers and the times when these can be used. Eucharistic Ministers are used at every single Mass, even when the number attending in no way requires another helper at Communion. It is frequent to see more than one Eucharistic Minister giving Communion and sometimes the priest will even sit aside and allow Communion to be given solely by the Ministers at the altar. Eucharistic Ministers often proceed to the Tabernacle to retrieve a ciborium and give out Communion, even when they were not asked or originally required to before Communion. Eucharistic Ministers are given little or no teaching on the Blessed Sacrament or on the proper way to handle or give out Holy Communion. Thus, they have little or no true respect for the Eucharist and can even be lacking in the belief of the Real Presence.
These attitudes are damaging to both the priest and the laity involved. The Eucharist starts to lose a special place to the priest when others take over his duties at Communion. He starts to lose belief in transubstantiation and the Real Presence in the Eucharist. The Eucharist can start to become seen as a casual item or simply a piece of bread. Likewise, a similar effect happens to the laity who becomes Eucharistic Ministers. The Eucharist is seen as an item to be handled as one likes in any manner which they think suitable. This handling makes them lose reverence in the Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament, and some even begin to see themselves to be on equal standing with the priest. Many priests and Eucharistic Ministers do not see or realise the subtle effects of their actions and the consequences from them which build up slowly over time.
The constant use of Eucharistic Ministers and the encouragement of the belief that the Mass is a meal rather than a Sacrifice are some of the reasons behind the recent trend for Communion to be received in the hand. This practice is widespread across the entire Church, and is used to get the laity attending the Mass to participate in it. The belief that the Eucharist can be handled by un-consecrated hands such as those of the Ministers encourages the laypeople to receive Communion in their hands. This has led to a loss of belief in the Real Presence and loss of respect for the Blessed Sacrament. If the Eucharist can be handled by anyone, then it ceases to be a Sacred Object in the eyes of man. All laypeople are being encouraged to receive Communion at Mass and they have begun to see this as a right. Even those who are not baptised Catholics, those who are in a state of grievous sin or those who are completely unprepared are given Communion and this can damage their souls instead of helping them spiritually. The priest has lost most of his control over the Eucharist at Communion; he is no longer able to prevent those who are unworthy to receive from receiving Communion.
This widespread participation of Communion in the hand has led to much abuse of the Blessed Sacrament, both in obvious ways and in unseen ways. Abuse and disregard for the Host is often practised and is usually visible to those around. But further abuse occurs in unseen ways. The Real Presence is in every particle of the Host, no matter how minuscule. These particles, unseen to the naked eye, fall or transfer from the Host with each usage. These end up on the hands and clothes of laypeople when Communion is given on the hand. Abuse to the Eucharist occurs from this, in the actions of these people afterwards.
The practice of standing for Communion is often done for expediency during Communion. Communion can be delivered in a faster manner and this attitude is encouraged by a fast-paced modern world. It encourages the laity in the belief that the Mass is a meal rather than a Sacrifice. Approaching the altar at Communion, standing with hands outstretched, gives the notion that what one is about to receive is only physical food. The Host is treated as bread alone and the Real Presence is begun to be ignored. The act of standing to receive Communion indicates that the person views themselves to be on an equal standing with the Lord. Receiving Communion on the tongue while kneeling is not only a humble, penitential act but it is an act of adoration towards the Eucharist. The layperson acknowledges their state as a sinner by receiving on the tongue and they kneel to show their humbleness before God. They do not touch the Blessed Sacrament with unworthy, sinful hands. But they also adore God in the Real Presence in the Eucharist by these same actions. They show their understanding and belief in the Real Presence and they act with awe and reverence before the Eucharist. Many little acts of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament are lost by those who do not kneel to receive Communion.
While much abuse occurs from too much participation by the laity at Communion, there are other instances in which participation by the laity becomes excessive. Before the Canon of the Mass, and the Consecration, comes the teaching that is given through Holy Scripture and sermons. In previous times, these were delivered by the priest or by the deacon after receiving a blessing from the priest. The sermons were mainly based on the interpretation and application of the teachings involved in the Scripture readings and Gospels for the Mass on the day. But now, the laity is being actively encouraged to take part in this aspect of the Mass. In this way, the priest begins to lose his place as teacher to the people. He is no longer seen as the one giving the Scripture reading to the laypeople. The Scripture reading begins to lose its aspect for teaching. The lay reader is often seen to be just reading a story or passage. The priest begins to lose his awareness of the Scripture readings used during Mass and the applications that can be taken from them for sermons. Sometimes the sermons themselves are delivered by laypeople. These usually are on subjects that have no relevance to the Scriptures used during the Mass or have no teachings of the Catholic Church. The loss of instruction at these times is great. The Scriptures used are given no application and teaching, and the laypeople attending will often disregard what they contain if they are not expanded on.
Laypeople have always been encouraged to participate at Mass through music, song and chant. When these are suitable, respectful and spiritual, they can greatly enhance the spiritual aspect of the Mass and the Sacrifice becomes more pleasing. But the current effort to get more participation by the laity has led to use of unsuitable music and lyrics. Laypeople are encouraged to participate by playing musical instruments which they are proficient at, but not all these are suitable for Mass. The use of modern, electrical instruments and the combination of some of these instruments often becomes loud, noisy and distracting. The Church seems more like a concert hall than a place of sacrifice and prayer. The music from these instruments becomes displeasing and unspiritual during the Mass. The lyrics from hymns that are used are often unsuitable for the occasion for which they are used or contain erroneous teaching about the Mass or the Catholic Faith. Protestant hymns are being used increasingly and are replacing the more suitable traditional Catholic hymns. There is little regulation over the content of hymns used. However, even the use of traditional hymns can be done wrongly. Hymns are being used for something which they are unsuitable for. This often happens with old Latin hymns being used in the wrong context.
Laypeople are encouraged to become more involved in the Mass through the responses that are assigned for them during the Liturgy. Through these responses, they can be attentive to what is happening during the Mass and they combine their prayers with the prayers of the priest, to make the Mass a united prayer by all who attend. But apart from these responses, the prayers of the Mass are those which should only be spoken by the priest. The priest takes the place of Christ and becomes our intercessor to God. The prayers he says are for him to say in this role. However, laypeople are taking some of these prayers and using them for themselves also. They speak aloud prayers which the priest should say alone. Usually they do this for certain prayers, such as those immediately before or after the Our Father. But in some places, the laypeople are encouraged to say aloud the Canon of the Mass and the prayers of Consecration. This practice takes away from the spirituality of the Mass and the understanding that it is a Sacrifice and a re-enactment of Calvary.
When the Mass is viewed as a Sacrifice and a re-enactment of Calvary, then the altar and the area surrounding it is seen as a sanctuary, a holy ground. Only those directly involved in the Mass are allowed on this holy ground during the celebration. The priests and deacons are consecrated and blessed to perform the rituals and prayers of the Mass, and they have a rightful place there. Altar boys are also permitted for numerous reasons. They perform tasks that would otherwise take the priest away from the altar and the celebration of the Mass. The altar boys also take the place of the laity at the altar. They represent the laypeople present and provide a direct connection between the priest at the altar and the laypeople in the pews. They are also present in order to prepare and inspire them towards the priesthood. This is why altar boys must always be preferable to altar girls. Because of these assigned roles, there is no need for additional laypeople to be around the altar during Mass. The presence of other laypeople on the altar at various times during the Mass, taking duties from the priest or deacon, instils the notion that the Mass is a meal to be shared around a table. It instils the idea that all are worthy to approach the altar no matter what the individual states of their souls are or what their standing with the Church is.
Christ ordained twelve men to the priesthood on Holy Thursday and instituted the Mass on that same eve and on Good Friday. Over the centuries, the Church, through divine inspiration, has refined the Liturgy of the Mass to augment that which Christ gave us at the Last Supper and at His Glorious Passion. He reserved the priesthood for men alone, so it is only right that these consecrated men and their male assistants be those present at the altar. For women, there has been reserved other roles, which while not actively involved in the celebration of the Sacraments, are still important and valuable for the running of the Church and the proclamation of the Faith. Returning the levels of lay participation at Mass to what they have been in previous centuries, will not only ensure the sanctity and spirituality of the Mass, it will promote and encourage belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist and the tenets of the Catholic Faith.

Pope Pius XII on Missing Red Lamp

Eugene Cardinal Pacelli (the future Pope Pius XII) said something which was very prophetic in 1931:

“I am worried by the Blessed Virgin’s messages to Lucy of Fatima. This persistence of Mary about the dangers which menace the Church is a Divine warning against the suicide of altering the Faith, in Her liturgy, Her theology and Her soul...I hear all around me innovators who wish to dismantle the Sacred Chapel, destroy the universal flame of the true Faith of the Church, reject Her ornaments and make Her feel remorse for Her historical past.”

“A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God. In our churches, Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them. Like Mary Magdalene, weeping before the empty tomb, they will ask, ‘Where have they taken Him?’”

Ecumenism before Vatican II

Link http://papastronsay.blogspot.com/2010/09/communicatio-in-sacris-ii-tollerari.html

The priests who survived the atomic bomb

From http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features/2010/08/05/the-priests-who-survived-the-atomic-bomb/


By Donal Anthony Foley on Thursday, 5 August 2010
On Friday, August 6, will see the Feast of the Transfiguration celebrated in the Church. It commemorates the occasion when Christ, accompanied by Peter, James, and John, went up a high mountain – traditionally identified with Mount Tabor in Galilee – and was there “transfigured” before them, so that “his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as light” (Mt 17:2).
The Greek word for transfiguration is metemorphothe, from which we get the word “metamorphosis”. So the Transfiguration was a complete and stunning change in the appearance of Jesus, as his divinity shone through his humanity, in a way which completely overwhelmed the awestricken disciples. Its purpose was to prepare them for the reality of the crucifixion, so that having once seen – in some sense – his divinity, they would be strengthened in their faith.
August 6 is also an important date in world history: the fateful day on which the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan. On that day, a Monday, at 8.15 in the morning, an American B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, dropped its bomb “Little Boy”, which fell to a predetermined detonation height of about 1,900 feet above the city. It exploded with a blinding flash, creating a giant fireball, which vaporised practically everything and everyone within a radius of about a mile of the point of impact. It is estimated that up to 80,000 people were directly killed by the blast, and by the end of the year, that figure had climbed considerably higher, due to injuries and the effects of radiation. Over two thirds of the city’s buildings were completely destroyed.
But in the midst of this terrible carnage, something quite remarkable happened: there was a small community of Jesuit Fathers living in a presbytery near the parish church, which was situated less than a mile away from detonation point, well within the radius of total devastation. And all eight members of this community escaped virtually unscathed from the effects of the bomb. Their presbytery remained standing, while the buildings all around, virtually as far as the eye could see, were flattened.
Fr Hubert Schiffer, a German Jesuit, was one of these survivors, aged 30 at the time of the explosion, and who lived to the age of 63 in good health. In later years he travelled to speak of his experience, and this is his testimony as recorded in 1976, when all eight of the Jesuits were still alive. On August 6 1945, after saying Mass, he had just sat down to breakfast when there was a bright flash of light.
Since Hiroshima had military facilities, he assumed there must have been some sort of explosion at the harbour, but almost immediately he recounted: “A terrific explosion filled the air with one bursting thunderstroke. An invisible force lifted me from the chair, hurled me through the air, shook me, battered me [and] whirled me round and round…” He raised himself from the ground and looked around, but could see nothing in any direction. Everything had been devastated.
He had a few quite minor injuries, but nothing serious, and indeed later examinations at the hands of American army doctors and scientists showed that neither he nor his companions had suffered ill-effects from radiation damage or the bomb. Along with his fellow Jesuits, Fr Schiffer believed “that we survived because we were living the message of Fatima. We lived and prayed the rosary daily in that home.”
There is actually a biblical precedent for what happened to the eight Jesuits, in the book of Daniel. In Chapter 3, we read of the three young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace at the orders of Nebuchadnezzar, but who survived their ordeal and even walked around in the midst of the flames, accompanied by an angel who looked like “a son of the gods”.
After this first bombing, the Japanese government refused to surrender unconditionally, and so a second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki three days later on August 9. Nagasaki had actually been the secondary target, but cloud cover over the primary target, Kokura, saved it from obliteration on the day. The supreme irony is that Nagasaki was the city where two-thirds of the Catholics in Japan were concentrated, and so after centuries of persecution they suffered this terrible blow right at the end of the war.
But in a strange parallel to what happened at Hiroshima, the Franciscan Friary established by St Maximilian Kolbe in Nagasaki before the war was likewise unaffected by the bomb which fell there. St Maximilian, who was well-known for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin, had decided to go against the advice he had been given to build his friary in a certain location. When the bomb was dropped, the friary was protected from the force of the bomb by an intervening mountain. So both at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we can see Mary’s protective hand at work.
The apparitions at Fatima in Portugal took place in 1917, when from May to October three young children, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and their cousin, Lucia dos Santos, saw the Blessed Virgin six times, culminating in the “miracle of the sun” on October 13, when 70,000 people saw the sun spin in the sky and change colour successively, before falling to the earth in a terrifying manner. Many of those present thought it was the end of the world, but the sun reassumed its place in the sky to great cries of relief.
The essence of the Fatima message concerns conversion from sin and a return to God, and involves reparation for one’s own sins and the sins of others, as well as the offering up of one’s daily sufferings and trials. There was also a focus on prayer and the Eucharist at Fatima, and particularly the rosary, as well as the Five First Saturdays devotion, which involves Confession, Holy Communion, the rosary and meditation, for five consecutive months with the intention of making reparation to Our Lady (for more details visit Theotokos.org.uk).
It’s interesting to reflect, then, on the theme of “transfiguration” which links these various events. Christ’s face shone like the sun on Mount Tabor, and at Fatima, Our Lady worked the great miracle of the sun to convince the huge crowd which had gathered there that the message she was giving to mankind was authentic. Consider, too, that the poor people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki suffered as man-made “suns” exploded in their midst causing horrific devastation. But at Hiroshima the eight Jesuits, who were living the message of Fatima, and particularly the daily rosary, were somehow “transfigured,” protected by God’s divine power, from the terrible effects of the bomb.
Surely there is a message here for all of us, that living the message of Fatima, in a world which grows ever more dangerous, and which is still threatened by nuclear war, is as profound a necessity for us as it was for Fr Schiffer and his companions.

The Didache

The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations.
Also known as the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles. This text is believed to have been written around 100AD and is the work of various people. It is viewed as an early form of Cathechism and is considered by some of the Fathers as being next to Holy Scripture. Below is a transaltion of the original text. The early age of this text explains the simplicity of the Sacraments mentioned compared to the Sacraments as practiced by the Church for centuries. The rubrics which have been used for nearly two thousand years had not been fully defined at this stage but the Sacraments are still the same. The Biblical reference scattered amongst the text are for reference of the modern reader and were not part of the original text.
Text from http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

Chapter 1. The Two Ways; The First Commandment
There are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, your neighbour as yourself; and all things whatsoever you would should not occur to you, do not also do to another. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what reward is there, if you love those who love you? Do not also the Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If someone gives you a blow upon your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes away your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one that asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he that gives according to the commandment; for he is guiltless. Woe to him that receives; for if one having need receives, he is guiltless; but he that receives not having need, shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what, and, coming into straits (confinement), he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape thence until he pay back the last farthing. Matthew 5:26 But also now concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.

Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Gross Sin Forbidden
And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, Exodus 20:13-14 you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, Exodus 20:15 you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten. You shall not covet the things of your neighbour, Exodus 20:17 you shall not forswear yourself, Matthew 5:34 you shall not bear false witness, Exodus 20:16 you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued; for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbour. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden
My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads the way to murder; neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper; for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one; for lust leads the way to fornication; neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye; for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads the way to idolatry; neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things; for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads the way to theft; neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy; neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered. But be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, Luke 18:14 nor give over-confidence to your soul. Your soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. The workings that befall you receive as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass.

Chapter 4. Various Precepts
My child, him that speaks to you the word of God remember night and day; and you shall honour him as the Lord; for in the place whence lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord. And you shall seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that you may rest upon their words. You shall not long for division, but shall bring those who contend to peace. You shall judge righteously, you shall not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. You shall not be undecided whether it shall be or no. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give. If you have anything, through your hands you shall give ransom for your sins. You shall not hesitate to give, nor murmur when you give; for you shall know who is the good repayer of the hire. You shall not turn away from him that is in want, but you shall share all things with your brother, and shall not say that they are your own; for if you are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? You shall not remove your hand from your son or from your daughter, but from their youth shall teach them the fear of God. Ephesians 6:4 You shall not enjoin anything in your bitterness upon your bondman or maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is over both; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1 for he comes not to call according to the outward appearance, but unto them whom the Spirit has prepared. And you bondmen shall be subject to your masters as to a type of God, in modesty and fear. Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22 You shall hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord. Forsake in no way the commandments of the Lord; but you shall keep what you have received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom . Deuteronomy 12:32 In the church you shall acknowledge your transgressions, and you shall not come near for your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.

Chapter 5. The Way of Death
And the way of death is this: First of all it is evil and full of curse: murders, adulteries, lusts, fornications, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rapines, false witnessings, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness; persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing a reward for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for that which is good, but for that which is evil; from whom meekness and endurance are far, loving vanities, pursuing requital, not pitying a poor man, not labouring for the afflicted, not knowing Him that made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the handiwork of God, turning away from him that is in want, afflicting him that is distressed, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, utter sinners. Be delivered, children, from all these.

Chapter 6. Against False Teachers, and Food Offered to Idols
See that no one cause you to err from this way of the Teaching, since apart from God it teaches you. For if you are able to bear all the yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able, what you are able that do. And concerning food, bear what you are able; but against that which is sacrificed to idols be exceedingly on your guard; for it is the service of dead gods.

Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism
And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

Chapter 8. Concerning Fasting and Prayer (the Lord's Prayer)
But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; Matthew 6:16 for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Thrice in the day thus pray.

Chapter 9. The Thanksgiving (Eucharist)
Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank You, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom; for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever. But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs. Matthew 7:6

Chapter 10. Prayer After Communion
But after you are filled, thus give thanks: We thank You, holy Father, for Your holy name which You caused to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. You, Master almighty, created all things for Your name's sake; You gave food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to You; but to us You freely gave spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Your Servant. Before all things we thank You that You are mighty; to You be the glory for ever. Remember, Lord, Your Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Your love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Your kingdom which You have prepared for it; for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God (Son) of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maran atha. Amen. But permit the prophets to make Thanksgiving as much as they desire.

Chapter 11. Concerning Teachers, Apostles, and Prophets
Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turn and teach another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not; but if he teach so as to increase righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the apostles and prophets, according to the decree of the Gospel, thus do. Let every apostle that comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain except one day; but if there be need, also the next; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodges; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet that speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one that speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he hold the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall the false prophet and the prophet be known. And every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit eats not from it, except indeed he be a false prophet; and every prophet who teaches the truth, if he do not what he teaches, is a false prophet. And every prophet, proved true, working unto the mystery of the Church in the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself does, shall not be judged among you, for with God he has his judgment; for so did also the ancient prophets. But whoever says in the Spirit, Give me money, or something else, you shall not listen to him; but if he says to you to give for others' sake who are in need, let no one judge him.

Chapter 12. Reception of Christians
But let every one that comes in the name of the Lord be received, and afterward you shall prove and know him; for you shall have understanding right and left. If he who comes is a wayfarer, assist him as far as you are able; but he shall not remain with you, except for two or three days, if need be. But if he wills to abide with you, being an artisan, let him work and eat; 2 Thessalonians 3:10 but if he has no trade, according to your understanding see to it that, as a Christian, he shall not live with you idle. But if he wills not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that you keep aloof from such.

Chapter 13. Support of Prophets
But every true prophet that wills to abide among you is worthy of his support. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support. Matthew 10:10; cf. Luke 10:7 Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you shall take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you have not a prophet, give it to the poor. If you make a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the commandment. So also when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the prophets; and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the first-fruit, as it may seem good to you, and give according to the commandment.

Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

Chapter 15. Bishops and Deacons; Christian Reproof
Therefore, appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, 1 Timothy 3:4 and truthful and proven; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the prophets and teachers. And reprove one another, not in anger, but in peace, as you have it in the Gospel; Matthew 18:15-17 but to every one that acts amiss against another, let no one speak, nor let him hear anything from you until he repents. But your prayers and alms and all your deeds so do, as you have it in the Gospel of our Lord.

Chapter 16. Watchfulness; The Coming of the Lord
Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord comes. Matthew 24:42 But often shall you come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if you be not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; Matthew 24:11-12 for when lawlessness increases, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, Matthew 24:10 and then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an outspreading in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead; yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

Source. Translated by M.B. Riddle. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.)

Ten Facts Most Catholics Don’t Know (But Should!)

From http://catholicexchange.com/2010/07/09/132128/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicex+%28Catholic+Exchange%29

July 9th, 2010 by Gary Zimak

Every time I hear someone claim to be an “ex-Catholic”, a sense of sadness comes over me. In just about every case, people leave the Catholic Faith due to a lack of understanding. After all, if Catholics truly believed that they were members of the one, true Church founded by Christ (and necessary for their salvation), nobody would ever leave! In an effort to help clarify what the Catholic Church teaches, I have compiled a list of 10 important facts that every Catholic should know. More than simply Catholic trivia, these are important concepts that can help us to better understand and defend our beliefs. In no particular order, these items have been compiled based upon my work at Following The Truth and my own study of the Catholic Faith.

1. Women Will Never Be Priests
Often incorrectly lumped in with the subject of married priests, this is a doctrine that has been infallibly decided and will not change. In 1994, Pope John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in which he declared once and for all that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.” Unlike the issue of married priests (which could possibly change), women’s ordination is an impossibility that will not happen. It is not a “glass ceiling” or the Church’s attempt to hold back women. Instead, it is an infallible recognition that men and women have different roles and that Christ instituted a male priesthood.

2. Fridays Are Still Days Of Penance
Ask almost anyone and they will tell you that Catholics are no longer required to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year. However, the current Code of Canon Law (CIC) states that, with the exception of solemnities, “All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the entire Church.” (CIC 1250) Furthermore, “Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities.” (CIC 1251) In the United States, the bishops have declared that it is permissible to substitute some other form of penance, but we are still urged to fast from “something” in remembrance of the Lord’s death on the cross.

3. The Bible Is A Catholic Book
Did you ever wonder how the Bible came into being? A little known, but easily documented fact is that the books of the Bible were compiled by the Catholic Church. For many years after Christ ascended into Heaven, there was debate about which scriptural writings were inspired by God. The canon of Scripture (the books of the Bible) was first formally decided at the Synod of Rome in 382. This decision was upheld at the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397). At these Catholic Church councils, the same 46 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books that appear in today’s Catholic Bibles were declared to be inspired by God. As a side note, approximately 1200 years after this decision was made, Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers removed 7 books from the Old Testament. As a result, most Protestant Bibles are still missing these 7 books.

4. The Mass Is The Same Sacrifice As Calvary
The biggest mistake that many Catholics make is treating the Holy Mass as “just another church service”, similar to those held by other religions. In the Mass, Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross is made present, its memory is celebrated and its saving power is applied. The Council of Trent teaches that Christ left a visible sacrifice to His Church “in which that bloody sacrifice which was once offered on the Cross should be made present, its memory preserved to the end of the world, and its salvation-bringing power applied to the forgiveness of the sins which are daily committed by us.” When we attend Mass, we are mystically transported to Calvary, where we can unite ourselves with the Lord’s Sacrifice to the Father!

5. Annulments Are Not Catholic Divorces
Unlike the legal process known as “divorce” (in which a marriage is terminated), a declaration of nullity (annulment) states that a valid marriage never existed. This decision is based upon the finding that on the day that marriage vows were exchanged, some essential elements were lacking. This process is completely in conformity with the Catholic teaching regarding the indissolubility of marriage. Incidentally, the granting of an annulment does not render children illegitimate.

6. In Vitro Fertilization Is Morally Unacceptable
Many Catholics suffering from infertility utilize this process in the hopes of conceiving children, while remaining unaware that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) declares it “morally unacceptable”(CCC 2377). In the Vatican Instruction, Donum Vitae, the Church states “…in conformity with the traditional doctrine relating to the goods of marriage and the dignity of the person, the Church remains opposed from the moral point of view to homologous ‘in vitro’ fertilization. Such fertilization is in itself illicit and in opposition to the dignity of procreation and of the conjugal union, even when everything is done to avoid the death of the human embryo.”

7. There Is No Salvation Outside Of The Catholic Church
Originally stated by St. Cyprian, the Latin axiom “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” reminds us that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church. This dogma was declared at the Fourth Lateran Council and is a source of confusion for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. According to the Catechism, all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is His Body. It does not mean that non-Catholics cannot achieve salvation. Individuals who are unaware that the Catholic Church is the one, true Church may still achieve salvation through the merits of the Church, despite their lack of knowledge.

8. In An Emergency, Anyone Can Baptize
Although the ordinary ministers of Baptism are bishops, priests and deacons, anyone can baptize in an emergency, even a non-baptized person. This extraordinary decision can be attributed to the necessity of Baptism for salvation and the Church’s desire to make it readily available to all.

9. Hell And Purgatory Still Exist
Contrary to the belief of many Catholics, the Church still teaches that “the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin, descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, eternal fire” (CCC 1035) Furthermore, “all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (CCC 1030) This purification process, formally declared by the Church at the Councils of Florence and Trent, is known as Purgatory.

10. Catholics Don’t Worship Mary And The Saints
Many Catholics are confused about the role of the Blessed Mother and the Saints. Should we pray to Mary and the Saints or should we go “right to the top” and pray to God? In a nutshell, the Catholic Faith teaches that we must worship God alone. Mary and the Saints are to be honored, not worshipped. However, their intercession can be extremely powerful and emulating their virtues can put us on the road to Heaven.

While the above list only scratches the surface of the robust Catholic Faith, it provides a glimpse into the depth of Catholic teaching. Further explanation on these and other topics can be found by examining the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, both of which can be found online at the Vatican website (www.vatican.va). Not only will studying the teachings of the Catholic Church enable us to better defend her when challenged, it will help us to become closer to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who founded our Church 2,000 years ago.

The "Hail Mary" of a Protestant is Powerful! (A True Story)

A little six-year-old Protestant boy had often heard his Catholic companion reciting the prayer 'Hail Mary.' He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. 'Look, Mummy, what a beautiful prayer,' he said to his mother one day.
'Never again say it,' answered the mother.' it is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who adore idols and think Mary a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything that we are bound to do and have to do.' From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily 'Hail Mary' and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead.
One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: 'Mummy, I have found the 'Hail Mary' in the Bible which says: 'Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women. ' Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?'
On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. Elizabeth to The Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle. MAGNIFICAT in which Mary foretold that 'the generations would call her blessed.'
He said no more about it to his mother but started to recite the 'Hail Mary' every day as before. He felt pleasure in addressing those charming words to the Mother of Jesus, our Savior.
When he was fourteen, he one day heard a discussion on Our Lady among the members of his family. Every one said that Mary was a common woman like any other woman. The boy, after listening to their erroneous reasoning, could not bear it any longer, and full of indignation, he interrupted them, saying: 'Mary is not like any other children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The Angel called her FULL OF GRACE AND BLESSED AMONGST WOMEN. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit is not the Spirit Of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be the foundation of the Christian religion.'
So deep was the impression which the boy's talk had made that his mother many times cried out sorrowfully: 'Oh my God! I fear that this son of mine will one day join the Catholic religion, the religion of Popes!' And indeed, not very long afterwards, having made a serious study of both Protestantism and Catholicism, the boy found the latter to be the only true religion and embraced it and became one of its most ardent apostles.
Some time after his conversion, he met his married sister who rebuked his and said indignantly: 'You little know how much I love my children. Should any one of them desire to become a Catholic, I would sooner pierce his heart with a dagger than allow him to embrace the religion of the Popes!'
Her anger and temper were as furious as those of St. Paul before his conversion. However, she would change her ways, just as St. Paul did on his way to Damascus. It so happened that one of her sons fell dangerously ill and the doctors gave up hope of recovery. Her brother then approached, her and spoke to her affectionately, saying:
'My dear sister, you naturally wish to have your child cured. Very well, then, do what I ask you to do. Follow me, let us pray one 'Hail Mary' and promise God that, if your son recovers his health, you would seriously study the Catholic doctrine, and should you come to the conclusion that Catholicism is the only true religion, you would embrace it no matter what the sacrifices may be.'
His sister was somewhat reluctant at the beginning but as she wished for her son's recovery. She accepted her brother's proposal and recited the 'Hail Mary' together with him. The next day her son was completely cured! The mother fulfilled her promise and she studied the Catholic doctrine. After long preparation she received Baptism together with her family, thanking her brother for being an apostle to her.
The story was related during a sermon given by the Rev. Father Tuckwell. 'Brethren, he went on and said, 'The boy who became a Catholic and converted his sister to Catholicism dedicated his whole life to the service of God. He is the priest who is speaking to you now! What I am I owe to Our Lady. You, too, my dear brethren, be entirely dedicated also to Our Lady and never let a day pass without saying the beautiful prayer, 'Hail Mary', and your Rosary. Ask her to enlighten the minds of Protestants who are separated from the true Church of Christ founded on the Rock (Peter) and 'against whom the gates of hell shall never prevail.'