Some Catholic News, and My thoughts

-The Pope is seeking to restore the prayers that were said at the end of Mass. This is something that needs to happen, i do not see why they were ever stopped. Perhaps this will stop people from running out of church as soon as the Mass is over.
-The Pope is also seeking to encourage Bishops to actually have Exorcists in their diocese. Considering what I am currently reading in the book "An Exorcist Tells His Story" I think that this is a good move. Many liberal Catholics hardly believe in the devil anymore.
- I really like Pope Benedict. He is solid in his theology. He is amazingly knowledgeable, yet at the same time makes his knowledge really practical. He is also good at moving things forward in the Church, and preparing the Church for the future, though he is doing this by reaching into the past and emphasizing the truths that the Church has always taught.

An Observation

So.... I have noticed that Christmas is the time when Protestants are the most like Catholics. During Christmas, both Protestants and Catholics talk about Mary, Protestants have nativity sets(which are the closest they get to having statues and the such as Catholics do). In other words, Christmas, focusing on Christ's birth, is a time for Catholics and Protestants to come together and realize what we do have in common.



In other news.

- I think that I have discovered a better explanation for why Christmas became so prominent in the Church around the time that it was growing more in the Roman Empire- It was to combat the heresy of Arianism, which was also gaining prominence at that time. Since Arianism denied Christ being divine and human, a special celebration of his birth would help fight back against this heresy.

-St Nicolas, the person from whom we derive "Santa Claus", was actually incredibly AWESOME. He was a middle eastern bishop of the church, who was imprisoned during persecutions of the Church. He also was from a wealthy family, yet donated all of his inheritance to the poor. Perhaps the coolest thing about him though, is the fact that at the Council of Nicea(in 325 ad), he punched Arius when Arius was trying to win others over to his false beliefs. He was kicked out of the Council, but eventually was let back in. I think that last point is pretty sweet.

Spe Salvi- Saved by Hope

Today, on the feast of St Andrew the Apostle, Pope Benedict XVI has released his newest encyclical- Spe Salvi(Saved by Hope). It is the second encyclical of his Papacy, His first was "Deus Caritas Est"(God is Love), I only hope that we will in the near future see an encyclical on "Faith" so as to complete the series of faith, hope and love.

The encyclical can be found online here.

It is 26 pages long, with 2 pages of works cited. I would definetly recommend reading it. I just finished it for myself, and I must say that I was moved by what Pope Benedict presents. I love his writings, they just always come across as wonderful theology; and not only good orthodox theology, but practical theology. Spe Salvi is no different. It is a thorough look at why Christians have true saving hope because of our hope being in something far bigger than any other thing ever hoped for. The Pope examines the Biblical and Patristic thoughts on hope, as well as critiquing modernism and individualistic Christianity.

This is a must read. Go read it now!

I have returned! Back to the Blogging

The Church
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"When the Gospels were written, they recorded a tradition that was already there. They did not create it. After a while men had decided to put the traditions into writing, which explains the beginning of the gospel of St. Luke. He begins, "That thou mayest know the verity of these words in which thou hast been instructed". He assumes people already had been instructed. The Gospels did not start the Church the Church Started the Gospels. The Church did not come out of the Gospels; it was the Gospels that came out of the Church. The Church preceded the New Testament, not the New Testament the Church. Men did not believe in the Resurrection because the Gospel said there was a Resurection. The Gospel writers recorded the story of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection because they believed it.

In like manner, the Church did not come to believe the Virgin birth because the Gospels tell us there was a virgin birth it was because the Living Word of God, in His Mystical Body, the Church, already believed it and the sacred writers set it down in the Gospels"
-Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Perhaps the biggest difference between Catholics and Protestants is found in the area of Ecclesiology(doctrines regarding the church). Many other issues are minor in comparison to this one, and once someone accepts either view the rest of the doctrines can usually fall into place. Protestants adhere to the theological principal known as "Sola Scriptura" which sees the Bible as the only source for authority and doctrines in the church. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, believes that the Church has teaching authority(Magisterium) and that the Scriptures are complemented by Holy Tradition. Together these make up the "Deposit of Faith" which was given to the apostles, and passed down through Apostolic Succession through the Bishops.

To me the Catholic view seems more historically feasible. The Church had existed for quite a few years before the first of what we know as the New Testament was written. The New Testament was produced through the Church. I think that this view also provides a better frame for interpretation of Scripture, instead of that of personal/private interpretation. This was one issue that I had the hardest time getting through in my journey to the Catholic Church, and it is a huge one. Once one is convinced of either side being correct though, then many of the other doctrines which puzzle believers make sense.

This is my beginning of a new series of blogs. I am hoping to soon take you back in a journey through time, to the time of the early church, and see how things worked back then.

Archbishop Burke takes a stand

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/10/03/archbishop-says-giuliani-should-be-denied-communion/

Praise God that at least one American Bishop is making a strong stance for life.

Sorry for the long break

I know it has been awhile, sorry any possible readers. I have been busy since i have come back to school. Hope all is going well.

Today i watched Latin Mass on EWTN, and let me say it was simply amazing. I really enjoyed it.

More posts should be coming again soon...

St Francis De Sales-Patron Saint of Authors

St Francis De Sales is perhaps one of the coolest Saints I have discovered since I became Catholic. He Was born in 1567 and died in 1622, His life is an example to all.

He was born into nobility, and his father wished him to carry on that nobility, but it was not what God had planned for his life. He studied for many years, eventually becoming a doctor of both law and theology. When done with his studies, he refused to marry the wife that his father had chosen for him, instead becoming a priest in the diocese of Geneva. Geneva was the main hub of Calvinism and a major Protestant city.

St. Francis actively evangelized to the Protestants, hoping to win them back to the Catholic faith. Francis engaged in a mission to convert back the major protestant areas. He went through the countryside, where he was rejected by many. After three years, he still had not converted anyone, but kept up with his mission. He began to write pamphlets to slip under peoples doors. These are compiled in a book now called "The Catholic Controversy". These letters were very influential and won many back to the Catholic Faith. During this time he was also made Bishop of Geneva, which placed him at an even more prominent role.

NewAdvent.com has the following to say about his mission:

"Risking his life, he journeyed through the entire district, preaching constantly; by dint of zeal, learning, kindness and holiness he at last obtained a hearing. He then settled in Thonon, the chief town. He confuted the preachers sent by Geneva to oppose him; he converted the syndic and several prominent Calvinists. At the request of the pope, Clement VIII, he went to Geneva to interview Theodore Beza, who was called the Patriarch of the Reformation. The latter received him kindly and seemed for a while shaken, but had not the courage to take the final steps. A large part of the inhabitants of Le Chablais returned to the true fold "

Throughout the years St Francis wrote many books among them was Introduction to the Devout Life. His amount of writing is the reason that he was proclaimed Patron Saint of Journalists and Writers.

He died in 1622 at Lyons, and was proclaimed a Saint in 1665 by Pope Alexander VII. In hindsight it can be seen that he was a truly a hero during the time when many sought to destroy the Church and its faith.

Feast Day: January 24


"Lord, I am Yours, and I must belong to no one but You.
My soul is Yours, and must live only by You.
My will is Yours, and must love only for You.
I must love You as my first cause, since I am from You.
I must love You as my end and rest, since I am for You.
I must love You more than my own being, since my being subsists by You.
I must love You more than myself, since I am all Yours and all in You. Amen."
-Prayer of St Francis De Sales