A Catholic Layman's take on the "Twelve Differences Between Catholics and Protestants"

In researching a paper, I came across an article titled  Twelve Differences Between Catholics and Protestants.  The author did not say, in the article, what her affiliation was but claimed to be neutral for this article.  Here are her 12 "simple differences" and some clarifications from a Catholic layman.

Pope Francis

1. The Pope. Catholics have a Pope, which they consider a vicar for Christ — an infallible stand-in, if you will — that heads the Church. Protestants believe no human is infallible and Jesus alone heads up the Church.

Of course the pope is a "difference" between Catholics and Protestants.  The very name "Protestant" bespeaks of the protest of certain men and their followers in the 16th century who left the Church and founded churches on their own feelings, opinions, and personal interpretation of Scripture, and protesting against the authority and doctrine of the Church.

The pope is the vicar of Christ.  It is a title of honor as well as jurisdiction meaning that he is the earthly head of the Church, representing our true Head, Jesus Christ.  Christ Himself appointed Peter as His vicar when He said, "Feed My lambs...feed My sheep" (John 21:16-17).  This authority has been placed in the hands of subsequent popes with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit and soul of the Christ's Church.

The pope however is not infallible in the way Protestants believe the word to mean.  Infallible does not mean he is sinless or never makes mistakes.  The pope goes to confession just like every other practicing Catholic does.  He is not perfect; he does sin.

Actually, infallibility is a charism (a gift or grace from God in order to do something God asks of us) given to the  pope which makes it impossible for him, as pope, to declare any error in doctrine.  This infallibility only applies to proclamations of doctrine that he has prayed over, has run by many theologians and bishops, and declared or proclaimed from the "chair of Peter."  While the pope's other writings and teachings are considered authoritative, they are not all infallible.

An example of an infallible declaration is the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in 1854:

...for the furtherance of the Catholic religion, by the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own: "We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful." [emphasis mine]

Notice the declaration (in quotes) and how it is meant to be for "all the faithful."  This type of proclamation is protected by the Holy Spirit.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC

2.  Big, Fancy Cathedrals. Catholics have them; Protestants don’t. Why? Catholicism says that “humanity must discover its unity and salvation” within a church. Protestants say all Christians can be saved, regardless of church membership. (Ergo… shitty, abandoned storefront churches? All Protestant.)

I can only address some of the many reasons for the "big, fancy" Catholic Cathedrals.  1) They were meant to model the Church after the Kingdom of Heaven.  When one steps into a cathedral (especially the vaulted, medieval ones) you are meant to feel as if you stepped into that Heavenly place.  2) The stained glass windows, statues, wall paintings, mosaics and tapestries of the medieval and middle ages Cathedrals were there to tell the stories of Scripture to illiterate worshipers.   The vast majority of the population lived just above poverty level, with no time to sit and learn to read.  (Even Emperor Charlemagne was illiterate.)  Statues and pictures of saints tell the stories of these wonderful Christians who are a part of the family of God.  In other words, they are family portraits.  3) The artwork in the cathedrals was both education for the people and gifts from the artists (or patrons of the artists).  4) The cathedrals, generally, were built by the people over a century or more as  a gift to God--a form of worship to God.

I would like to know where the quote "humanity must discover its unity and salvation" within a church came from.  I'm not sure what the author is trying to imply here.  The Catholic Church believes that Christ founded one Church and meant it to stay one ("...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.").  So, that is the unity, but it is not about the building.  The Church believes that salvation comes through the Church, however tangentially.  There is the salvation part, but that is not about the building either.  Maybe this is just a case of a Protestant not understanding Catholic vocabulary.?  Who knows.

While it is true that there are crappy store-front Protestant churches, there are also some pretty spectacular Protestant Churches such as the Washington National Cathedral, the Episcopalian Cathedral in DC which took over a century to build in modern times.

St. Walburga

3. Saints. Catholics pray to saints (holy dead people) in addition to God and Jesus. Protestants acknowledge saints, but don’t pray to them.

It is important to clarify here that Catholics do not pray to "holy dead people".  We talk to our living family members.  When we pray to the saints, it is indeed in addition to praying to God, but it does not replace praying to God.  One, we believe the saints to be alive ("He is not the God of the dead but of the living" Mark 12:27) and with Christ their Savior.  Two, we pray to them to talk to God for us, just as we ask the other members of the family of God on earth.

I don't what Protestants acknowledge saints, except Orthodox and Lutherans, at least not in the same context.  Many Protestants believe that all "believers" (In quotes, because believers is whatever their personal definition of a believer might be) to be saints.  Therefore, the meaning of the word doesn't even correlate. 

Holy Water font

4.  Holy Water. Catholics only.

Here the author did not even explain if or why holy water is a problem.  Why holy water?  Yeah, that's a difference, of sorts...

Here are some points on holy water:
--Water was used to ceremonially wash the body before entering the Temple in Jerusalem and it was a custom in the early Church as well.
--Holy water is used for baptism.
--Holy water fonts are available in Catholic Churches to remind us of our baptism and ceremonially cleanse us upon entering the nave (the main body of the Church).
--Catholics are sprinkled with water at certain Masses, reminding us of our baptism and our baptismal promises.

--On the altar, the priest pours a small amount of holy water in the chalice, indicating the water which came from the side of Christ along with His blood.
--The priest purifies his hands (ceremonially washes) before the Eucharistic prayers.
--It is a sacramental, not magic.

Fr. Morris, seen on TV

5. Celibacy and Nuns. Catholics only.

Celibacy was advocated by Christ and soon followed by the Early Church.

The disciples said to him, 'If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is advisable not to marry.' But he replied, 'It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born so from their mother's womb, there are eunuchs made so by human agency and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.'  (Matthew 19:10-12; emphasis mine)

The writings of the Church fathers show that, in the early Church, married priests were not the accepted norm in the main centres of Alexandria, Antioch and Rome. They were considered a "problem" that existed in the outlying regions. By the third century there were almost no married priests and several councils put the issue to rest until around the 9th century when many bishops and priests took wives and had children. The state of the priesthood fell to an all time low.  A huge problem emerged with priests "willing" Church property to their families. Up to that point, the principle of celibacy was never completely surrendered in the official enactments of the Church. In 1123, celibacy was made official. Although, throughout history there have been scattered instances of abuses of the Canon Law, the Roman Catholic Church has consistently stuck to this position on celibate priests.  (Catholic Bridge, "Why Can't priests get married?")

Ingrid Bergman in Bells of St. Mary's

In this day and age of clergy divorce, adultery, and "Preacher's daughters", the importance of singular dedication to God and their calling should be very apparent.  What some anti-Catholics do not understand is that there are married priests in the Catholic church.  Yes, they are the minority, but they do exist.  Celibacy is a discipline in order for priests and other religious to dedicate their whole lives to God without the distractions of spouse, children, and family responsibilities.  Men who become priests are responsible for a much bigger family--Christ's family.

In point of fact the Catholic Church is not the only church with nuns.  Both the Anglican church, and the Orthodox church have nuns, and the Lutheran church has "deaconesses".  I don't know much about Protestant nuns but Catholic nuns are women dedicated to Jesus Christ alone.  They spend their days praying for the salvation of the world and doing good (humanitarian) works.  This can only be a good thing.

6. Purgatory: Catholics only.

Yes and no.

Purgation  or Purgatory is not only Scriptural but traditional.

1030 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 as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.  (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Revelations 21:27 tells us that nothing impure will enter Heaven.

Purgatory is simply a place or state of being in which Christians are cleansed or purged of all stain of sin before entering Heaven.  It is neither a second chance, nor a place or state without hope.  Anyone who is in Purgatory or in the state of purging knows that they will be in Heaven once the cleansing is complete.  Since it is after this life, time does not exist there, so we cannot say that you spend a certain amount of "time" there because time doesn't exist there.

There are other Christian sects that believe in purification before Heaven but will not call this state or process Purgatory in opposition to the Church.  So, actually there are Protestant sects that do indeed believe in it, they just don't call it that.

  

7. Scripture: The be-all, end-all for Protestants is “the Word of God.” For Catholics, tradition is just important as scripture — maybe even more so.

What the blogger fails to point out is that Scripture is part of Catholic Tradition. It is the most important part of the Tradition of the Church.  It is extremely important to the Church and her members.

 "Therefore, the study of the sacred page should be the very soul of sacred theology. The ministry of the Word, too - pastoral preaching, catechetics and all forms of Christian instruction, among which the liturgical homily should hold pride of place - is healthily nourished and thrives in holiness through the Word of Scripture."  (CCC 132)

Protestantism that I have personally experienced has traditions of their own that is every bit as important as Scripture.  Scripture alone as the "be-all, end all" is a protestant tradition not based in Scripture.

One of my favorites for Children

8. Catechism: Protestant kids memorize the Bible. Catholic kids get catechism.

It is not quite as black and white as that.  The "catechism" that Catholic kids "get" includes Scripture.  While Catholic Children don't memorize large chunks of Scripture word for word, they learn whole sections and stories by heart.  Ask any Catholic kid about Creation, Moses,  the Prodigal Son, or the Wedding Feast at Cana, the Last Supper, or the Passion of Christ, I bet you'd be impressed.  The catechism is a concise outline of the Faith passed down for twenty centuries which includes Scripture.  Children learn their Faith and learn why the Church believes what it believes.  The Catechism, including the children's version, is filled with the rich gift of Scripture. While many Catholic children can't spout memorized Scripture on demand, properly catechized children can tell others about what is in the Bible and what we believe about it.

Vatican Council II

9. Authori-tay: In Catholicism, only the Roman Catholic Church has authority to interpret the Bible. Protestants hold that each individual has authority to interpret the Bible.

 Yes, the Church has the authority to interpret Scripture.  Christ sent the Holy Spirit to His Church at Pentecost for this very reason.  He guided and inspired men who wrote the Scriptures, who taught the Scriptures, and interpreted the Scriptures.  The Holy Spirit-guided Church gave the Bible as we know it to the world--even the Protestants.  And, there has been nearly 2,000 years of Catholic theologians, scholars, and councils studying and interpreting Scripture, why would an individual believe they've come up with something new?  That is the height of hubris.

The error of individual interpretation of Scripture is what gave us the "33,000!" (I'm quoting the blogger, now) different Protestant denominations, churches, or communities--however they want to distinguish or name themselves.  There are protestants fighting protestants.  Just one example would be the importance of baptism for salvation: one groups says it is necessary, others say you're just getting wet.

10. Sacraments: Catholic are the only ones to have the concept of the seven sacraments (baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders, and matrimony). Protestants teach that salvation is attained through faith alone.

Ironically, those that claim that their only authority is Scripture don't or won't understand that the only place that the words "faith alone" are found in Scripture, they appear in the negative.   

"So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:17, NAB)

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:17, KJV)

Faith produces fruit or it is dead, after all, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." (James 2:19, KJV)     

These sacraments are beneficial in the order of grace and all seven were instituted by Christ.  God's free gift of grace helps us with our faith, and our faith gets stronger with each sacrament we partake in.

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. (CCC 1131)

Mary, Mother of God

11. Holidays: Catholics have 10 Holy Days of Obligation (which mean they must go to Mass). Protestants are more like, “Just come to church on Christmas, that’s all we ask.”

This blanket statement is much too general.

Yes, the Catholic Church in America has 8 Holy days of Obligation (2 of the original 10, Epiphany and The Body and Blood of Christ, have been transferred to Sundays) in addition to our Sunday obligation.  The reality is that all Catholics are obligated to go to Mass every single Sunday of the year.  The other eight days are in addition to the Sunday obligation.

The Nativity (Christmas)

The ten (the eight with the other 2 now on Sunday) days are:  Mary, Mother of God (January 1), Epiphany (Sunday after January 1), Ascension (either the sixth Thursday of Easter or the seventh Sunday of Easter depending on the diocese), Body and Blood of Christ (Second Sunday after Pentecost), The Assumption of Mary (August 15), All Saints (November 1), Immaculate Conception of Mary (December 8) and Christmas Day (December 25).

As for Protestants, I don't agree with the blogger's blanket statement.  In the Baptist church in which I grew up, it was expected, if not an outright rule, that all good members of that church went to church on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evenings.  Also expected was attendance to any "revivals" and extra prayer meetings.  You were told in the minister's message how you couldn't be a good Christian if you didn't give time and money to God.  I'm sure that this "obligation" is still true in many Protestant churches today.

 

The Eucharist and Heaven

12. Communion: In Catholicism, the bread and wine “become” the body and blood of Jesus Christ, meaning that Jesus is truly present on the altar. In Protestantism, the bread and wine are symbolic.

While true, this is a broad generalization.  The Catholic Church does believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  The main reason is because we believe Christ words literally.  We believe He meant what He said:

Then he took bread, ...saying, 'This is my body given for you'...He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.' (Luke 22:19,20)

Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28)

Also, in the Orthodox and Lutheran traditions the bread and wine are more than symbolic, but expressed in a different way than the Catholic Church.

I, personally, feel sorry for Protestants who claim they believe in what Scriptures say, yet ignore what Scripture actually says.  If communion is just bread and wine (actually grape juice in most Protestants circles), what was the point of doing it in the first place?  Just going through the motions seems a lot less efficacious than believing in Christ's words.  

Conclusion: Christians have a lot more commonality than differences.  We all are sincerely trying to follow Christ and His teaching. Our Lord taught us to love God and love one another. Do I think Protestants are wrong on many levels?  Yes or I would not be a Catholic today.  I have found Christ, His Church, His family.  I am completely in love with my Savior and I believe that I am doing my best to follow Him and help my children know and follow Him.  Other Christians waste a lot of time, money, effort, and hatred on fellow Christians.  It is sad, really, because that is not what Christ intended. We are all God's children and we all deserve respect.

Cancer and all that Goes With It

St. Agatha prayer card

Recently I was diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) [added Dec. 1, 2013: I also had LCIS, that is lobular carcinoma in situ].  Basically that is cancer cells encapsulated in the milk ducts of the breast.  But the surgeons don't want to call it 'breast cancer'.  He kept saying 'you have DCIS,' 'your condition,' or 'this is good news'.  While it is considered stage zero cancer, the urgency with which I had to make a decision about surgery told me that it was life threatening.

As I agonized over whether to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy, many, many people felt they must chime in about what they would do.  I had originally decided to have a lumpectomy, but so many, many women said they would "take the whole thing" out.  And, the more I looked at it, and the fact that I would have to have radiation therapy with a lumpectomy, I finally decided to have a mastectomy.  Then when I finally made my decision, more women were telling me they wouldn't do that.  Really?

Martyrdom of St. Agatha

Oh, and then there's the death stories...Whenever people hear the 'c' word, they must go there, apparently.  Everybody I know seems to have a sister, an aunt, a cousin, a grandmother who died of breast cancer.  Or, they have a brother, sister, father, uncle, the little girl down the street who died of some kind of awful brain or other cancer that they must tell me about, in detail.  Um, why?  Is there some sort of need to share bad news or bad stories with people?  Even if it is true that people need to talk about these tragic stories, does it have to be someone who was just diagnosed with it?  You know, it is not very encouraging, and you need a good attitude to do well with treatment.

The best part of the diagnosis though was that a friend of mine was prompted to have a mammogram done.  She had been neglecting to go, like I had been.  She, like me, had a biopsy done.  She, unlike me however, had a tumor--full blown cancer.  Hers actually was life-threatening.  She needed surgery right away.  She chose to have a lumpectomy, but she will have radiation and [Tamoxifen].  Her surgery was two days after mine and her prognosis is very good.  They got the whole tumor.

17(?)th c. image of St. Agatha, Patroness of Breast Cancer

I got my surgery done.  It was not fun, but it was necessary.  Despite all the encouraging words from my doctors, nurses, and families, I was still a little worried.  My doctor said it was a good thing we did the mastectomy because the DCIS was more wide spread than indicated in my mammogram or biopsy.  So, that was a good decision.  Also, my lab reports a week later indicated that all the cancerous cells had been removed.  There were no cancer cells in the surrounding tissue or the lymph nodes, so that is good news.  But...then come the inevitable death stories.   They never end.  I can't even be happy about my prognosis for a few days.  I still have people that feel they must tell me about how so and so had good news after their surgery but it came back and killed them just a few years later.

Why?

Our Lady of Hope

I know the majority of them are well meaning, but can't I just breath and enjoy hope for a little while?  I know my prognosis is not 0%.  I understand that.  But right now I want to enjoy the "clear" labs and normality of life--as normal as it can be right now.  I am still very sore, I still want to nap a couple of times a day, and I still can't motivate my self to get back to my pre-surgery hectic life (which has adversely affected my 12 year old's sense of self-motivation).  But, I am enjoying my kids more, if that's possible, and enjoying the few people who do fawn over me a little.   I can never thank my mother enough for being here when I needed her, for being so encouraging, and for helping me stay positive through the whole experience.

Please, if you have a friend to whom this happens, give her encouraging words, words of hope, words of support.  Bite your tongue, and don't tell the death stories, not now, maybe later.  She needs to have a positive attitude and plenty of positive words and actions to stay focused on getting well and staying well.

God has blessed me with dear friends and wonderful family.  One friend had his whole rosary group (over 150) praying for me.  My mother's church prayer group was praying for me.  Everybody that knew me at my parish was praying for me.  Their prayers and their support are what got me through this.  I am not done yet.  I have at least one more surgery to go through, but I am positive they'll be there for that, too.  Praise the Lord!

Happy St. Brendan's Day!

One of my favorite saints and my eldest son's namesake.  Happy St. Brendan's Day! 
[Image from facebook]

Pope John Paul II and Universalism, Part Three

The third so-called Universalist quote is from Centesimus annus:

53. Faced with the poverty of the working class, Pope Leo XIII wrote: "We approach this subject with confidence and in the exercise of the rights which manifestly pertain to us ... By keeping silence we would seem to neglect the duty incumbent on us".¹⁰⁷ During the last hundred years the Church has repeatedly expressed her thinking, while closely following the continuing development of the social question. She has certainly not done this in order to recover former privileges or to impose her own vision. Her sole purpose has been care and responsibility for man, who has been entrusted to her by Christ himself: for this man, whom, as the Second Vatican Council recalls, is the only creature on earth which God willed for its own sake, and for which God has his plan, that is, a share in eternal salvation. We are not dealing here with man in the "abstract", but with the real, "concrete", "historical" man. We are dealing with each individual, since each one is included in the mystery of Redemption, and through this mystery Christ has united himself with each one for ever.¹⁰⁸ [Note: quote from RH 13] It follows that the Church cannot abandon man, and that "this man is the primary route that the Church must travel in fulfilling her mission ... the way traced out by Christ himself, the way that leads invariably through the mystery of the Incarnation and the Redemption".¹⁰⁹

This, and this alone, is the principle which inspires the Church's social doctrine. The Church has gradually developed that doctrine in a systematic way, above all in the century that has followed the date we are commemorating, precisely because the horizon of the Church's whole wealth of doctrine is man in his concrete reality as sinful and righteous.[i]

This Encyclical is a Letter on the Rerum novarum by Pope Leo XIII on its hundredth anniversary. Centisimus annus was Pope John Paul’s way of “re-reading” Pope Leo’s encyclical by inviting a “look back at the text itself in order to discover anew the richness of the fundamental principles which it formulated for dealing with the question of the condition of workers.”[ii] Rerum novarum was a very important document in its day and continues to be, in the Church, a good reference point for many worker’s rights and social justice issues that crop up in modern society and how the Church should face these problems in the light of the Gospel.

Here again, Bl. John Paul II refers to the Incarnation, quoting his own Redemptor Hominis. The Incarnation dignified man because of Christ's Redemption. We, people of the Body of Christ, need to look on every man as part of Christ’s mystery of Redemption, so that we treat all workers fairly and within the dictates of Christ’s Gospel. Bl. John Paul, again, does not want his readers to see “man” as an abstract mass, but, seen through the lens of the Incarnation, as individuals, each reflecting to us the image of God. Here, again, Bl. John Paul II is not stating that all men will be saved, but that through the Incarnation each and every man has a special connection with Christ. We should see all man that way. It should spark the missionary mandate in the Church; it dictates the principles of the Church’s social doctrine.

---

[i] Encyclical Letter Centesimus annus, 53. Footnotes: 107. Encyclical Letter Rerum Novarum: loc. cit., 107. 108. Cf. Encyclical Letter RedemptorHominis, 13. 109. Ibid., 14.

[ii] Ibid. 3.

Blessed Nicholas Steno Honored by Google

Blessed Nicholas Steno

One of the ironies intrinsic to the world's view of the Catholic Church is that the Church has always been at odds with science.  However, over and over again I've come across so many instances of how, in actual history, Catholics have been at the forefront of science. 

Today, Google's "google" honors such a Catholic scientist.  It is Nicholas Steno's, the "father of geology", 374th birthday.  The irony is that they don't call him Blessed Nicholas Steno.  He was a Catholic Bishop who was a convert from the Lutheran church.  His inquiring mind led him to the conclusion that the Lutheran church was wrong because only the Catholic Church could answer his deep religious questions, and he had a sudden and powerful belief in the Real Presence during a Eucharistic rite.  If you click on the Google image it points one to a Christian Science Monitor article, which does not once mention the fact that he was a Catholic Bishop or that he was beatified by Pope Blessed John Paul II in 1988.  His feast day is December 5th, the day before St. Nicholas (the man who "became Santa") Day, December 6th.


Illustration from Steno's
work on fossils and strata
comparing shark teeth and
"tongue stones." 


Steno studied geological strata and built on the work of other scientists of his time.  His comparison of living shark teeth to "tongue stones," which people actually thought fell from the sky, built on the "glossary" of such "stones" by Fabio Colonna published in 1616.  His work called Preliminary discourse to a dissertation on a solid body naturally contained within a solid, published in 1669, contained his observations on fossils, crystals, strata, etc.  Thus giving him the name of "father of geology" or "father of stratagraphy" (depending on the article you read).  According to an article written for a Berkley website, he supposedly "abandoned" his scientific study when he converted.  Considering his inquisitive mind, which is why he became a scientist and a Catholic, I doubt that statement.  He may have changed the emphasis of his life (which was his more important call to holiness) but I am sure his inquisitive mind continued to follow the scientific studies of the 17th century.  Despite the propaganda, the Catholic Church neither discourages (then or now) scientific inquiry nor stops anyone from pursuing it, let alone stop them from being both a scientist and a priest (look at Gregor Mendel, a monk and the discoverer of inherited traits, and, ironically, largely ignored by the scientific community during his lifetime).  The Church is not in conflict with science.  In fact the Church, historically, has been the single largest supporter of scientific study.

There is much more to his story.  You can read the not so objective Christian Science Monitor article (which does not mention his Catholic Faith, let alone his beatification), the Wikipedia Article, Berkley's anti-Catholic article (at least they mention his conversion to the Catholic Church, but obligingly denigrate her) or the rather short Catholic Encyclopedia article.

The Solemnity of Mary, January 1, 2012

Today's Gospel reading from Luke chapter 2:

16 So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, 18 and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them.  19 As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.  20 And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.   21 When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

The Solemnity of Mary is a very important feast in the calendar of the Church.  It is part of the Octave of Christmas.  It is the day Jesus was taken to the Temple, named, and circumsized (as St. Paul said in Gal. 4:4
"subject to the Law".) 

"In the encyclical Marialis Cultus (1974) Pope Paul VI states: "This celebration, assigned to January 1 in conformity with the ancient liturgy of the city of Rome, is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation. It is meant also to exalt the singular dignity which this mystery brings to the 'holy Mother . . . through whom we were found worthy . . . to receive the Author of life.' It is likewise a fitting occasion for renewed adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels, and for imploring from God, through the Queen of Peace, the supreme gift of peace. For this reason . . . we have instituted the World Day of Peace, an observance that is gaining increasing support and is already bringing forth fruits of peace in the hearts of many" (no. 5)." 

"The mystery of Mary's maternity is expressed in the Entrance Antiphon of the Mass: "Hail, holy Mother! The child to whom you gave birth is the King of heaven and earth for ever." This implies God's choice of her who is "full of grace" (Lk 1:28) as well as her voluntary consent: "Let it be done to me as you say" (Lk 1:38). The word "conceive" applies not only to the body but also to the spirit, as was stated by the Second Vatican Council: "The Virgin Mary, who at the message of the angel received the word of God in her heart and in her body . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the Redeemer.... Rightly, therefore, the Fathers see Mary not merely as passively engaged by God, but as freely cooperating in the work of man's salvation through faith and obedience" (Lumen Gentium, nos. 53 and 56)."

[passages from "Mary, Mother of God" on the EWTN website]

"Our Lord needs from us neither great deeds nor profound thoughts. Neither intelligence nor talents. He cherishes simplicity."   -- St Therese of Lisieux

Immaculate Conception

I sure hope you all went to Mass today, after all, it is a holy day of obligation.  I meant to share this wonderful coloring page I found.  I used it in my second grade RE class to explain what the Immaculate Conception is.  So go to Catholic Icing for a copy and print it out for you kids or your RE Class.  It is sweet and I am so happy I found it.  It is the best physical way I've found to explain the concept to seven year olds. 

    

St. Nicholas Day--December 6

One of my favorite feasts of the year is that of St. Nicholas--the man who would become Santa Claus.  His generosity to the poor and his care for children seems naturally to have morphed into the Santa Claus stories of today.  His is a wonderful, fun, and inspiring story. 

Read the Children's version (great for adults, to) on The Real Santa Claus by Carol Myers by clicking on the title or go here for an adult version.
   
Go here for a St. Nicholas' Day Blessing by Thomas G. Simons as a wonderful addition to your regular advent prayer routine.  .

For online games and activities for kids go here: 

For some really wonderful printable activities for kids go here.

For some really fun crafts to make a St. Nicholas figure, including one from chocolate go here.

Celebrate this wonderful saint who was the figure behind the legend of Santa Claus. 

Feast day:  December 6.

On a more personal note, it is the day we celebrate new life for my oldest son.  He was diagnosed with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes on St. Nicholas day, 2006.  At one time in the not too distant past, it would have been a death sentence.  With the wonders of modern medicine (insulin) and modern medical technology (insulin pump the size of a cell phone) he can live a relatively normal life.  God gave him this cross for a reason we don't know yet, but we celebrate God's gift of life to him and us.

I Pray Thee



Richard III

Today reading Richard III by Shakespeare, of all things, reminded me of the protestant misunderstanding of the word pray.  Catholics are constantly accused of worshipping the saints in Heaven because we pray to them.  Well, I ask you, was Clarence worshipping the assassin (Act I, scene 4) when he said "Pray tell me"  who asked the man to kill him (Clarence)?  I think not.  And, if a protestant was honest with us and themselves, they would admit that 'pray' in English has more than one meaning (the act of worshipping God).
Merriam-Webster says:  "Definition of PRAY
transitive verb
1: entreat, implore —often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea
[pray be careful]
2: to get or bring by praying

intransitive verb
1: to make a request in a humble manner
2: to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pray

When Catholics or Catholic writings talk about praying to the saints, can't protestants even entertain the possibility that Catholics mean #1 of either the transitive or intransitive forms of this verb?  #2 "to address God" is not the only meaning.  Are they so entrenched in their anti-Catholic bigotry that they can't even make this concession to logic? 

When we pray to a saint we are making a request in a humble manner that they, as our brothers and sisters in Christ, pray to God for us.  Can't we ask God what we need on our own?  Of course we can!  However, you tell me whether or not protestants ask each other to pray for them.  I know my Baptist Church (the church I grew up in) members did it all the time.  We had prayer meetings every Wednesday evening in which we prayed to God for each other's needs.  Our prayers to the saints are the exact same thing.  Even if you don't see it that way, can't you see that we DO see it that way, and give us a tiny bit of the doubt here?  We do not worship saints.  Period.


Christ the King


Are Catholics idolaters?  No, we don't worship idols.  The statues, paintings, and stained glass windows are portraits of our friends and family, just exactly like that picture of your dead Grandmother on your piano or uncle Joe in Texas.  Do we pray to saints as if they we gods?  No, we ask our friends to pray for us, just like protestants do. 

I pray all who are reading, pray for peace in Jesus Christ's Church--His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

My January Rant

Wow!  Being on some of these "discussion" groups where protestants and Catholics are debating, can be so tiresome.  Them repeating the same anti-Catholic propaganda, day after day, forum after forum.  When do they ever listen?  When will it stop?  Even the Scriptures and doctrines that aren't just Catholic are now being denied.  Here is a sampling:

1.  The Body of Jesus is not a miracle.  His body is human like every one else's; only his conception was a miracle.

A:  Really?  So there was NOTHING different about Jesus' body?  Nothing, say, like housing God's soul, right?  Nothing like everything He endured, beating, whipping, torture for hours on end before He was forced to carry His own cross, before He died, nailed to that same cross.  Any body could have done that?

2.  Manna, bread from Heaven, was not the type of Jesus' Body but the type of our faith in Him.

A:  Really?  So, when Jesus talks about manna as the bread from Heaven, then calls Himself the Bread from Heaven, He does not actually mean that comparison.  He's just joking.  He says, "You must eat My Flesh...Drink My Blood...to enter Heaven."  But, He didn't really mean what He said.  One (manna actually eaten in the desert) has nothing to do with the other (Bread from Heaven, His Body, is to be eaten).  Wow!  Are you blind if you can't see that!

3.  Physical baptism isn't "technically necessary."

A:  Really?  So, He didn't really mean it when He told His disciples to "Go, preach and make disciples of all people, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."  Guess He was just kidding about that, too?  And there really was no reason, at all, that He was baptized Himself by His cousin St. John.  And they call them selves Bible believers, and/or sola scripturists (Bible alone)?  But when push comes to shove they just completely ignore Christ's own words--His commands--and make up their own doctrine.  "Baptism saves us now."  Obviously that line in the Bible MUST be ignored!

4.  Repetitious prayer is a sin.  Catholics always repeat prayers so they are sinning.

A:  For one thing St. Paul was talking about PAGAN prayers to PAGAN gods.  He was not talking about heartfelt prayer to God.  Isn't Jesus the One Who said the one who asks and asks and asks will be answered?  I do believe it was.  Funny thing is, when I was a protestant we repeated the "Doxology" every Sunday.  That is not repetitious prayer?  Many prot churches repeat The Lord's Prayer.  That is not repetition?  Memorized prayer is for the faithful, especially the young and immature in the faith, to have a way to pray from the heart especially when one cannot find your own words or your own expressions to God.  God wants to hear from us, no matter what the form. 

5.  Praying to saints is a sin.

A:  Number one, Catholics (BTW, Orthodox and other churches pray to saints also) ask the saints to pray for them;  we all know they cannot do anything on their own.  One is erroneous in thinking Catholics do anything but ask a member of the family--God's family--to pray for them.  If you object to this, then you better NOT be asking ANYONE to pray for you--your mother, wife, pastor, friend--ANYONE--because you are doing the EXACT SAME THING you are accusing us of--asking someone else to do your praying for you. 

Number two, Catholics do not worship any but the true God.  Never have, never will.  Have there been Catholics and other Christians who have done this wrong?  Of course, there have.  There has never been a Protestant who has had his "flock" kill themselves, follow them out into the desert to wait for Christ on a certain day, follow him to hell?  Of course, there has.  But all Catholics, at all times, must be perfect or the Church is blamed.

Number three, saints are our family.  Statues, paintings, icons, stained glass windows are the EXACT SAME THING as your FAMILY PORTRAITS--EXACTLY THE SAME.  I know that a lot of prots don't want to see it that way.  That is their problem and their error.  If you have a picture of your grandmother on a shelf, stop by it and think of her, you are just as much an idol worship as a Catholic who stops in front of a statue of Our Lady and thinks of her and asks for her prayers.  It is the same thing.

I really get so sick and tired of prots who say, "Show us where it says that in the Bible."  We do.  Then they do their little prot dance, close their eyes, plug their ears, and say, "La, la, la, la, it's not there, it's not there, it's not there."  All Catholic doctrine was developed in the Early Church long before the NT Scriptures were collected by the Church and put into a Bible.  All the beliefs, all traditions,  and all practiced can be seen in the Scriptures and in the writings of the early Church.  We still believe and practice what the 1st century Church did.  Those who cannot and will not believe that, deceive themselves.

The Thin Man and Another Popular Misconception

Recently, I watched one of my favorite movies:  1934's "The Thin Man" starring William Powell and Myrna Loy.  Few people know, and I just recently learned, that the "thin man" is *not* William Powell's Nick Charles.  The "thin man" is the man whose murder Nick solves in the first movie.  It was so popular a movie that they kept the "thin man" in the title of all five sequels.
    
Why do I bring this up?  It was and is a popular misconception that the "thin man" was Nick Charles.  It reminds me of the myriad of misconceptions about Catholicism.  One of the biggest, even among Catholics, is that the Immaculate Conception refers to Our Lord Jesus' conception.  This is not true.  The immaculate conception refers to St. Mary's conception, always has. 

"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful." [Ineffabilis Deus (The Immaculate Conception) Pope Pius IX] http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/p9ineff.htm


St. Ann and the Immaculate Conception


A dogma "...according to a long-standing usage...is now understood to be a truth appertaining to faith or morals, revealed by God, transmitted from the Apostles in the Scriptures or by tradition, and proposed by the Church for the acceptance of the faithful. It might be described briefly as a revealed truth defined by the Church..." [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05089a.htm]  In other words, in order to call yourself a Catholic, you must believe a dogma.  If you don't even know what that dogma is, how can you believe it?  How do you know you believe it?  The Immaculate Conception is an official dogma of the Church.  You must believe it.  If you don't, call yourself a protestant because that is what you are--you are protesting the teaching of the Church.



St. Mary & Our Lord Jesus

 So, next time someone asks you, 'What is the Immaculate Conception?" simply answer, 'It is the belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved of all stain of original sin from the moment of her conception in her mother's womb.'  St. Ann conceived St. Mary in the usual way with her loving husband.  But, St. Mary's Son, God the Son, gave her a special gift; She was to be the new Eve and received the same gift, no original sin on the soul.  The difference between St. Mary and Eve is that St. Mary always obeyed God, and said "Yes!" to Him when He sent the angel to her.  She thus became the spotless vessel into which Our Lord Jesus Christ, Immanuel (God with us), was born.  What a wonderful miracle to remember at this time of year.  The spotless Ark bearing the Word of God. 

So, now you know.  Don't mistake the "Thin Man" for Nick Charles.  And, don't mistake the Immaculate Conception for the Virgin Birth.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

It is a special day of rejoicing for this family.  It is the fourth anniversary of my eldest son's trip to the ER and the begining of  his journey as a diabetic.  The nurses in the PICU asked him what day it was (in this way they can measure the patient's cognizance--he was in and out of consciousness that first day) and he said, "Saint Nicholas Day."  Of couse, it being a Baptist hospital, they did not understand.  They thought he was confused and thought it was Christmas.  We laughed a little and explained that today was indeed the feast day of St. Nicholas, the man who's image and generous deeds would evolve into Santa Claus. 

We rejoice on this day and say a special thank you prayer to this special saint in heaven who watched over our son that year.  Today, we set out the kids shoes like we did when living in Germany.  The kids receive candy and one small toy to enjoy this special day in Advent.  In the words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one." 

"Who is St. Nicholas?"
"The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

"Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th..."

"Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need."

"One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver." 
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38