The Reasons Behind These

Apologetical Explanations

What is apologetics?

Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1 Pt 3:15-16)

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Apologetics is the subset of theology that is concerned with explaining, defending, and justifying Catholic beliefs and practices; apologetics is concerned with developing and presenting explanations against people’s objections to or denial of the reasonableness of the Catholic Faith, Christianity, revealed religion in general, or even the human person’s need for religion at all.

The name apologetics has nothing to do with apologizing for what we believe; it is derived from the Greek apologia, which means “defense.” Far from being an “apology” for the Catholic Faith, apologetics seeks to offer thorough, reasoned defenses when people present objects to Catholic doctrines and practices.

Why does this Bible [webmaster: website] have these apologetical explanations?

St. Peter wrote to everybody in the Church, “Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for hte hope that is in you” (1 Pt 3:15). It is your duty and divine calling to be prepared to defend Catholic beliefs and practices when they are questioned or challenged.

The Commentaries in the Didache Bible [webmaster: this website] are catechetical; this means that they are concerned with instructing you in the Catholic Faith. Many of the commentaries show how various Catholic beliefs and practices either have their origins in Sacred Scripture or are consonant with the revealed Word of God. By studying the commentaries you can learn more about the scriptural support for and the divine institution of the Catholic Faith.

The 105 apologetical explanations in the Didache Bible [webmaster: this website] flow out of that catechesis. Many people have objections to the Catholic Faith because they misunderstand it or simply don’t like what it might be asking of them; and it is impossible to live in the modern world and avoid these objections altogether. It is important that you understand Catholic beliefs and their reasonableness and are able to explain these beliefs to others. These apologetical explanations provide short, reasonable answer to common objections to the Faith. Each is based on Sacred Scripture and provides references to where you can find additional information in the Catechism. [webmaster: links to USCCB online Bible, the Catechism or Vatican documents have been embedded in each apologetics page where possible by clicking for the verse / reading]

When speaking with others about the Faith, it is essnetial that you pray for them. Prayer can often accomplish what all the reasoned arguments in the world cannot. Your prayers and sacrifices can help grace do its work so the objector may progress along the path of understanding and toward conversion of heart and mind.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

 

 

An Apologetical Explanation of

Catholics’ Belief in the Bible

How do Catholics regard the Bible?

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4:12)

Till I come, attend to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, to teaching. (1 Tm 4:13)

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Catholics hold the bible to be the inerrant Word of God. “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord.” (DV 21) The teaching authority of the Church interprets Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition to communicate the sacred truths to all generations; this is how Christ “open[s our] minds to understand the Scriptures” (Lk 24:45)

This teaching office is not above the word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on, listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully in accord with the divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it draws from this one deposit of faith everything which it presents for belief as divinely revealed. (DV 10)

Sacred Scripture tells the story of how God’s plan of salvation has unfolded throughout history. “In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets his children with great love and speaks with them” (DV 21). Salvation history, however, is different from other kinds of history. The Bible not only teaches the meaning of past events but also reveals how those events affect every person’s life in every age. (Cf. CCC 101-104)

The Bible is inspired and inerrant. God himself guided the Sacred Authors, who were enlightened by God the Holy Spirit to write what he wanted and nothing more, making it “not a written and mute word, but the Word which is incarnate and living.” (St. Bernard, S. Missus Est Hom., 4, 11: PL 183, 86). Thus God the Holy Spirit is the principal author of Scripture; the human writers were the instruments through which he chose to reveal himself to his people. (Cf. CCC 105-108)

The Bible is also literature because it uses literary forms and techniques, such as stories, poems, dialogues, and figurative language to convey its meaning. Insofar as these forms and the historical, political, and cultural contexts in which they live are not understood, the meaning of the Sacred Authors remains hidden. These literary tehniques were placed at the service of the religious purpose of the Bible (Cf. CCC 109-119)

Sacred Scripture is not intended to be received either as a scientific treatise or as a mere historical record “but as what is really is, the word of God” (1 Thes 2:13; cf. DV 24). It must be read in light of Sacred Tradition and the teachings of the Church in order to be properly understood. This is why Scripture and Tradition form a single Deposit of Faith, which, guided by the Magisterium, which in turn is guided by the Holy Spirit, preserves and communicates Divine Revelation for all time. (Cf. CCC 84-87)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 104 and 108.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

 

An Apologetical Explanation of

Interpreting the Bible

How can we best interpret what we read in the Bible?

We also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thes 2:13)

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Sacred Scripture is one of the Church’s greatest treasures, and she proclaims the written Word of God at every liturgy: the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rite of Baptism, the Rite of Confirmation, the Order of Marriage, and in the celebration of all the other Sacraments. The Church also encourages the faithful to read Scripture for study, meditation, and devotional prayer.

In order to arrive at a proper and accurate interpretation of Scripture, we must pay attention first to the intent of each of the Sacred Authors, the literary styles each one employed, and the symbolic language each one used; second we must read every passage of the Word of God within the context of Scripture as a whole, Sacred Tradition, and the doctrinal and moral truths taught by the Catholic Church.

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council identified three main criteria for interpreting Scripture: We should attend to the following:

• keep in mind the “content and unity” off all Scripture.
• read Scripture within “the living Tradition of the whole Church.”
• pay attention to the “analogy of faith,” which is defined as “the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of revelation.” (Cf. CCC 112-114)

The Tradition of the Church also recognizes that Scripture has both a literal sense, which forms the basis for understanding all the “senses” of Scripture, and a spiritual sense, consisting of the following:

• the allegorical sense, which views people and events in the Old Testament as a prefiguration of people and events in the New Testament.
• the moral sense, which examines the message or lesson for proper human conduct.
• the anagogical sense, in which concepts and events are seen as foreshadowing eternal life in Heaven. (Cf. CCC 115-118)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 109, 115-117.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

 

An Apologetical Explanation of

How to Read the Old Testament

How can we best understand the Old Testament?

Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself…. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Lk 24:27, 31-32)

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The Old Testament comprises a diverse range of books rich in history, instruction, allegory, and symbolism. The Church calls upon us to understand the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture and their relationship to each other in order to draw forth the full depth and richness of the Word of God.

When reading the Old Testament, it is important to understand first a passage’s literal sense, its most immediate and direct meaning. What was the inspired author trying to say? “All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal” (Sth I, 1, 10, ad I). (Cf. CCC 116)

In order to do this, we must consider the literary genre of the passage. Is it history, law, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic, letter, epic, or allegory? Each type conveys its truths in a somewhat different manner and must be read accordingly. For example, the account of creation reveals God s the Creator of all things and the order and goodness of his creation. Prominent in this narrative is the exalted dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God.

However, we should avoid reading the Old Testament literalistically. A literalistic interpretation would render the earth immobile, flat, and set upon pillars (cf. 1 Sm 2:8; Jb 9:6); in addition, sea monsters would be set as guards at the edges of the seas (Cf. Ps 104; Jb 41).

The spiritual sense is also important to evoke the full meaning of what the Holy Spirit intends. The Catechism describes three main spiritual senses, each of which lends insight into the meaning of Scripture in its own special way:

• the allegorical, or typical, sense, which understands a person, place, or event of Scripture as being a figure, or type, of a later person, place, or event (see “Typology”) [page # removed];
• the moral, or tropological, sense, which understands how the people, places, and events of Scripture can be models right behavior and can teach us about the personal dignity and responsibility; and
• the anagogical sense; which understands how the teachings of Scripture lead to eternal life. (Cf. CCC 116-117)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 116-117.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

God’s Self-Revelation

How does God reveal himself to us?

All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Mt 11:27)

What can be known about god is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. (Rom 1:19-20)

When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts. (Rom 2:14-15)

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God reveals himself to us through the natural law, through his creation, through his Word, and through the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ represents the fullness of Divine Revelation.

God has written upon our hearts the natural law, the innate ability to know of his existence, and to arrive at a basic sense of good and evil, of truth and falsehood, and of the duty to seek always that which is good and true. By human reason, we can develop this knowledge of God and of how he wishes us to live. Keeping the natural law is ultimately what fulfills us as human persons.

Both faith and reason teach us that the origin of the world was by creation. “In the beginning God created the heavens and earth” (Gn 1:1) the Bible proclaims in its opening sentence. When God creates he imprints a “mark” on his creation, and through that mark we can learn something about God himself.

When sin entered the world, our ability to reason and to discern good and truth became clouded. To save all people from sin, God revealed himself gradually and provided the grace necessary to aid human reason. He reveals himself through his works, his prophets, his sacred Word in Scripture, and most perfectly in the Word, Jesus Christ, the Mediator and fullness of all Revelation:

In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son. (Heb 1:1-2)

The Holy Spirit, as Christ promised, continues to “teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (Jn 14:26)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 50 and 73.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Motives of Credibility

Why do we believe that what the Church teaches is true?

If this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God! (Acts 5:38-39)

We must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it…. It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness to signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. (Heb 2:1-4)

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Motives of credibility are what make belief in Divine Revelation and its accurate transmission through the teachings of the Church reasonable. These include miracles, prophecies, the fulfillment found in Christ, and the continuous fidelity and vibrancy of the Church, which “are the most certain signs of divine Revelation, adapted to the intelligence of all, [and] motives of credibility, [which show that the assent of faith is] by no means a blind impulse of the mind” (Dei Filius, 3: DS 3008-3010; cf. Mk 16:20; Heb 2:4).

The light of human reason makes it possible to acquire the rudimentary understanding of God and his moral law. The truths of Divine Revelation and mysteries of faith do not contradict reason but rather surpass the natural power of the human intellect. These rational motives of credibility that mark the Deposit of Faith include the miracles of Christ and his saints, the fulfillment of prophecies, the sublimity of the words of Sacred Scripture, and the holiness and fruitfulness of the Church. “That the submission of our faith might nevertheless be in accordance with reason, God willed that external proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit” (Dei Filius, 3: DS 3009). (Cf. CCC 156)

Miracles offer proof of Revelation because they defy the laws of nature and thus exhibit God’s intervention. Biblical prophets posses knowledge of the future and warn the people to prepare accordingly, and their prophecies are verified by their fulfillment. Christ himself fulfills the loftiest aspirations of the human person–our natural desire for truth, happiness, peace, virtue, freedom, love, and meaning for our existence–and, ultimately, eternity in Heaven. The life of the Church, in her vitality and fidelity despite the defects of her members and in the opposition that she has endured throughout the centuries, is also a motive of credibility. Thus, we believe “because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived” (Dei Filius, 3: DS 3008). The Church has waged a continuous war against corrosive influences in ever generation in order to continue faithfully with the authentic mission entrusted to her by Christ himself. (Cf. CCC 812)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 156.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Deposit of Faith

What is the Deposit of Faith?

There are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (Jn 21:25)

Brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word or mouth or by letter. (2 Thes 2:15)

“Behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20)

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God is the only source of Revelation. The Deposit of Faith is the truth of God’s Revelation as expressed in Sacred Scripture, which is the inspired and written Word of God, and Sacred Tradition, which is the Word of God as taught and transmitted through the teaching authority of the Church.

There exists a close connection and communication between sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end. (DV 9; CCC 86, 97)

Sacred Scripture is the Word of God, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, contain in the collection of sacred books that have God as their true author and are entrusted to the Church (cf. DS 3006). Sacred Tradition (from the Latin traditio, meaning “to hand on’) is the Word of God as received from Christ himself through the Apostles and transmitted to us without alteration–as it were, from hand to hand–by the Church with the assistance of the Holy Spirit (cf. DS 1501; DV 9). Sacred Tradition must not be confused with the “traditions” of a pious, devotional, theological, or disciplinary nature. (Cf. CCC 76-78, 81-83, 2033)

Both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are to be regarded with equal reverence and devotion. Sacred Tradition are to be regarded with equal reverence and devotion. Sacred Tradition preceded the New Testament writings; the first Christians had no written Gospels and only the preaching of the Apostles, the oral tradition, to instruct them about Christ and his teachings. Through Tradition we know which books are inspired by the Holy Spirit, that is, the list, or canon, of the books that make up Holy Scripture. (Cf. CCC 83)

Testimonies of Tradition date back to the first centuries and have been preserved in either ancient liturgical or disciplinary texts and practices or the writings of early Christian authors. (Cf. CCC 120, 175)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 80.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Canon of Sacred Scripture

How were the books of the Bible compiled?

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Tm 3:16)

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The teaching authority of the Church, through its reflection on Sacred Tradition, discerned and established which writings were inspired by God and therefore worthy of inclusion in the Old and New Testaments. “The Sacred Scriptures contain the word of God and since they are inspired, really are the word of God” (DV 24)

The canon of Sacred Scripture is not found in the text of the Bible itself, of course, but is part of the deposit of revealed truths entrusted to and handed on by the Church. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church developed a list, or canon, of those books that were determined to be divinely inspired. Through Sacred Tradition, the Church knows the canon of inspired books with certainty. (Cf. CCC 120)

By the time of the Incarnation, the forty-six books that make up today’s Old Testament canon had already been written and appeared in the Septuagint (a Greek translation made by Jewish scholars in the third or second century BC). The Apostles and the early Christians used this version, even quoting it in the New Testament.

Late in the first century after the Resurrection of Christ, some Jewish rabbis in Palestine decided to exclude several books from their Scriptures because they were composed or preserved primarily in Greek or Aramaic rather than Hebrew. Christians had already been using and continued to use the full Septuagint, and they came to classify the books excluded by Palestinian Jews deuterocanonical (“of the second canon”) while those they shared in common are called protocanonical (“of the first canon”). (Cf. CCC 121-123, 128)

Besides the New Testament books we recognize today, there were numerous other “gospels” of the life of Christ, letters purportedly written by Apostles and other figures, and apocalyptic narratives in circulation. Some were of spurious origin, and others were tainted by false teachings or “revelations.” Many originated with the Gnostics, a heretical sect that claimed secret knowledge and visions in order to justify their beliefs. (Cf. CCC 120, 126)

By the third century most theologians and Church leaders agreed on the essential composition of the canon. In Rome AD 382 Pope Damasus and the Bishops established the canon of the Bible. The Pope then directed that the Bible be translated into Latin, the language of the people. This canon was subsequently endorsed by numerous local Christian councils and reaffirmed by the Ecumenical Council of Trent (1546) and the First Ecumenical Council of the Vatican (1870). (Cf. CCC 131-133)

Protestant reformers of the sixteenth century rejected the deuterocanonical books from their Scriptures. Most Protestant Bibles, however, continued to include the deuterocanonical books in a separate section until the twentieth century. Catholic editions of the Bible today include all forty-six Old Testament books and twenty-seven New Testament books. (Cf. CCC 138)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 120 and 135.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Angels

What are angels?

[The Most High] will give his angels charge of you / to guard you in all your ways. (Ps 91:11)

Bless the Lord, O you his angels, / you mighty ones who do his word, / hearkening to the voice of his word! (Ps 103:20)

Are [the angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? (Heb 1:14)

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Angels are creatures of God who are purely spiritual, personal, and immortal creatures whose purpose is to serve God and humanity. Angels are personal beings, meaning that they possess intelligence, have emotions, and are endowed with free will. They are pure spirit, i.e., they have no physical body. They possess perfection greater than that of all creation (cf. Pius XII, Humani Generis; Lk 20:36, Dn 10:9-12). (Cf. CCC 328-330)

Angels have been present since creation and have held an important role in salvation history. They sealed off Eden after the fall of Adam and Eve, and they made many appearances throughout the Old Testament as messengers of God. It was an angel who came to the Virgin Mary to ask her to become the Mother of God, and it was angels who heralded the Birth of the Savior. Christ was served by the angels, and he will return with all his angels at his Second Coming. Angels at the tomb announced to the women that Christ had been raised from the dead. (Cf. CCC 331-333)

The Church and her faithful benefit from the existence and assistance of angels; as St. Thomas Aquinas taught, “The angels work together for the benefit of us all” (Sth I, 114, 3, ad 3). The angels are invoked in our prayers and our intercessions in the liturgy, and they are recognized among the feasts of the liturgical year. Angels watch over humanity as a whole, but each individual person has a personal angel, or guardian angel, to guide and protect him or her throughout life. (Cf. CCC 334-336)

People’s devotion to angels can be found even in the earliest ages of the Church. We honor them and ask for their assistance. The Church celebrates a feast on September 29 in honor of the three angels who are named in Scripture: Michael (cf. Dn 10:13, 21; 12:1; Rev 12:7; Jude 9), Gabriel (cf. Dn 8:16; 9:21; Lk 1:19, 26), and Raphael (cf. Tb 5:4; 12:15). She also commemorates on October 2 the Holy Guardian Angels; Christ taught that even children’s “angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 18:10)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 330 and 350.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Fallen Angels

What is the sin of the fallen angels?

The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is call the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world–he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Rev 12:9)

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The Devil and the other demons are angels–once good–who sinned of their own free will, rejecting God irrevocably and opposing his will and reign.

In both the Old and New Testaments the demons are represented as personal beings who oppose God and are hostile to human beings, going about like “a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pt 5). Adorned at their creation with sanctifying grace, they sinned and are denied the Beatific Vision and their abode is Hell. Nonetheless, they remain rational beings with the knowledge that they had before their fall, and God permits them–for reasons known only to him–to exercise some influence over us, the animals, and even inanimate creatures. Demonstrating his ultimate power over them, Christ expelled demons and gave his Apostles power to do likewise.

The mystery of evil in the world begins with the creation of the angels, pure spirits whom God created as good and endowed with free will and intellect. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition reveal to us that some of these angels rebelled against God and have since sought to oppose God’s will and to entice human beings to sin against God; hence, they are portrayed as being at war with God’s faithful angels (cf. Rev 12:7-12). These are demons, and their leader is the Devil, called Satan. (Cf. CCC 391)

It is not clear how these rebellious angels sinned against God, although a reflection of their rebellion may be found in the words of Satan, spoken to our first parents, “You will be like God” (Gn 3:5; cf. CCC 392). Whatever their sin, their decision to rebel against God was permanent and irrevocable, and so the demons remain unrepentant and separated from God forever. (Cf. CCC 392-393)

Scripture refers to Satan as “a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44). As seen in the story of the Fall of our first parents, Satan’s influence in tempting us to sin against God is great, yet Satan is still a creature of God, and his power is not infinite. God is greater still, and his grace can help us overcome the influence of the Devil and remain upright in holiness, attentive to the will of the Father. We can endure the presence of evil in the world because our faith informs us that God is ultimately in charge and will triumph in the end. (Cf. CCC 394-395)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 414.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Original State of Human Beings

What was the condition of human beings before the Fall?

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”… And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Gn 1:27-31)

“Because you have [sinned],… I will greatly multiply your pain in child bearing; / in pain you shall bring forth children, / yet your desire shall be for your husband, / and he shall rule over you…. [C]ursed is the ground because of you; / in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; / thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; / and you shall eat the plants of the field. / In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread / till you return to the ground, / for out of it you were taken; / you are dust, / and to dust you shall return.” (Gn 3:14, 16-19)

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God created our first parents in an original “state of holiness and justice” (cf. Council of Trent [1546]: DS 1511), a state of perfect harmony in nature free of sin, pain, and death. Man, uniquely created in the very image and likeness of God, lost this original state by using the gift of free will to choose evil over good.

God created man, “the only creature on earth which God willed for itself” (GS 24), in his own image and likeness, endowed with the ability to know and love him and to choose freely between good and evil. As long as Adam and Eve remained close to God through fidelity o his will, they possessed a joyful relationship with God, with each other, and with the rest of creation. “Sacred Scripture teaches that man … is capable of knowing and loving his Creator” (GS 12). This perfect state bestowed on our first parents is called original holiness and justice. (Cf. CCC 355-357, 374-376)

This state enjoyed by Adam and Eve included a number of gifts that were lost due to Original Sin. These preternatural gifts included immunity from sickness, suffering, and death as well as freedom from disordered appetites and passions. Our first parents’ natural inclinations were subject to the control of their minds and wills, and they enjoyed harmony and self-mastery inside their hearts. In the state of original holiness and justice, work was not a burden but rather an easy and rewarding activity. It was clearly God’s intention for man and woman to find pleasure and fulfillment in every aspect of their lives; indeed, “his plan was to raise men to a participation of the divine life” (LG 2). (Cf. CCC 376-378, 384)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 356 and 375.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Creation and Evolution

What does the Church teach about evolution?

Thus says God, the Lord, / who created the heavens and stretched them out, / who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, / who gives breath to the people upon it / and spirit to those who walk in it… (Is 42:5)

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Catholics may believe in theories of evolution as long as they are not incompatible with Catholic teaching on Creation such as the world having been created according to the plan of God, the descent of all human beings from a single set of first parents, and that every soul is created by an immediate act of God.

In many academic and popular circles today, there is a debate between “creationists” and “Darwinists,” i.e., between those who say that God created the world in six days and those who hold to the evolutionary theories developed by the nineteenth-century natural historian Charles Darwin. The question usually revolves around which version of events should be taught in schools.

The first thing the Bible tells us is that God created the heavens and the earth, which is one of the reasons that the Catholic Church teaches that God created the whole universe. Respecting both science and Revelation, the Church recognizes that there is no necessary contradiction between the teachings found in the account of creation in Genesis and certain theories of evolution. The biblical creation narratives are largely symbolic, and it is not necessary to interpret them literalistically: God could very well have accomplished his process of creation through an evolutionary method. As long as God is seen as the origin of all life and matter, holding the basic tenets of evolution remains a viable point of view.

One distinction, however, is important: The Church permits belief in the evolution of the body but not the evolution of the soul. The soul did not “evolve” but rather was an instantaneous gift of God, who infused Adam and Eve with their souls. (Cf. CCC 366)

What the Book of Genesis does intend to teach with regard to evolution is that God created everything that exists according to his design, whether this process took six days or trillions of years. At a certain point in time, God infused the first human man and woman with a soul, and all human beings are descended from these original parents. (Cf. CCC 70)

While the creation narrative tells us that God is the origin of the material universe, scientists attempt to explain how creation came into existence by an examination of the material universe. The Church has always encouraged research and discussions among learned men and women in science and sacred theology. However, when certain aspects of various theories of evolution conflict with the Deposit of Faith, the Church will indicate the truths that Catholics must believe.

The Catechism address this question in paragraph 366.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Original Sin

What is Original Sin, and how does it affect us?

As sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned…. Yet death reigned from Adam and Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the fre gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many…. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Rom 5:12-19)

The serpent… said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. (Gn 3:1-6)

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Original Sin is part of the human condition by which we are conceived in a fallen state, i.e., without sanctifying grace. It is our inheritance resulting from the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve.

God created man and woman in a state of holiness and justice and in complete friendship with him. God also gave them freedom to choose good or evil, warning them that evil brings dire consequences. By choosing sin, Adam and Eve preferred their own desires over God, distrusting him and ultimately going against their own good. This Original Sin deprived them of the original justice and holiness they had enjoyed. (Cf. CCC 398)

Their transgression had consequences for all humanity–including suffering, death, and a loss of God’s friendship. Original Sin infects each person at conception, rendering us vulnerable to sin by clouding our judgment and weakening our will. As a result, we are inclined toward disordered appetites, enslaved to our passions, and in need of God’s grace to combat evil. The Sacrament of Baptism forgives the guilt associated with our actual sins as well as Original Sin, but our tendency toward sin, or concupiscence, remains.

The only human person exempted by God from this affliction is the Blessed Virgin Mary; Jesus Christ, himself a divine Person, was not conceived according to human generation, i.e., has no biological human father.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 397 and 404.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Inclination to Sin

Why are we inclined to sin?

The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are plain: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:17-24)

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Because of Original Sin we suffer from weakness in our will, intellect, and passions and are inclined to sin–an inclination called concupiscence. In order to avoid sin, we must rely on the grace of God and actively seek to choose good and to grow in holiness and virtue.

The sin of our first parents, called Original Sin, is “transmitted by propagation to all mankind” (CCC 404). As a result, every person is conceived in a fallen state that includes concupiscence, or the tendency to sin, which is now part of the human condition. (cf. Gn 3:11; Council of Trent: DS 1515). Although Baptism washes away Original Sin, i.e., fills us with sanctifying grace by which we can triumph over temptation, the Sacrament does not remove concupiscence. (Cf. CCC 399-409, 978-979, 1264)

With our conscience, will, and intellect weakened, we must actively remain faithful and struggle to overcome our disordered passions–primarily our passions of the flesh, for material possessions, and for self-indulgence in pride. To master sin we must rely on God’s grace and strive to master ourselves. The struggle must go on for a lifetime. We are comprised of body and soul–flesh and spirit–and “the flesh” possesses passions that “the spirit” must control (cf. Gal 5:16-17, 24; Eph 2:3). The great gift of Christ’s forgiveness–the grace given especially in the Sacrament of Penance as well as the practices of prayer and mortification for self-mastery–is an invaluable help in our continuing battle against sin. (Cf. CCC 377, 418, 2514-2516)

Many Protestants believe–in contrast to the Church’s teaching and Christian tradition–that concupiscence in itself is sinful and that even Baptism does not affect the sinfulness of our inclination to sin. Martin Luther taught that human nature is tainted so irrevocably that our wills are slaves to concupiscence; we are not capable of actions that are untainted by it.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2515.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Protoevangelium

What is the Protoevangelium?

The Lord God said to the serpent,

   “Because you have done this … / I will put enmity between you and the woman, / and between your seed and her seed; / he shall bruise your head, / and you shall bruise his heel.”  (Gn 3:14-15)

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The Protoevangelium, or “First Gospel,” refers to the passage in the Book of Genesis in which, immediately after the sin of Adam and Eve, God first promised to send a Redeemer.

Not long after Adam and Eve had committed the Original Sin, God made it clear that a “woman” and her seed would defeat the Evil One.  From the beginning, Christian writers have called this assurance the Protoevangelium, the first prophesy of the Messiah who would bring salvation to all people.  (Cf. CCC 410)

Early Christian writers elaborated extensively on the Protoevangelium, applying the names New Adam and New Eve respectively to Jesus the Messiah and the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother.  Christ, the New Adam, made reparation for the disobedience of the first Adam, becoming “obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8; cf. 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45; Rom 5:19-20).  Christ’s selfless and humble obedience to the will of his Father brought about the redemption of the world.  (Cf. CCC 411)

In light of the Good News of Jesus Christ, we understand that the “woman” symbolizes the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Her obedience and humble “yes” to the Archangel Gabriel was the necessary condition for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Savior.  As St. Irenæus taught: “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience; what the virgin Eve bound through her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened by her faith” (Against Heresies, III, 22, 4: Harvey, 2, 124).  Only when she had accepted the invitation to be the Mother of the Savior was Christ conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 148, 511)

In radical contrast to the disobedience of the first Eve, who prompted Adam to bring sin into the world, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the New Eve, cooperated with God to bring about the remedy for sin and win for everyone the possibility of redemption.  Her seed, Jesus Christ, bruised the head of the serpent, the Devil.  By taking on the sins of all people to release us from our sins and lead us to everlasting life, Christ conquered the Devil once and for all, thus fulfilling the words of the Protoevangelium.  (Cf CCC 489, 494, 726, 975, 2853)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 410.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Contraception

Why is it sinful to use artificial contraception?

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”  (Mt 18:5)

Jesus called [even infants] to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  (Lk 18:16)

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The use of artificial means of contraception violates the natural law because it separates the unitive purpose of the marital act from its procreative purpose.

The marital act, as expressed between spouses, is a great good directed toward the two ends of marriage: the unitive and the procreative.  The unitive end of marriage seeks the good of the spouses themselves and their relationship of self-giving love, and the procreative end seeks the creation of new human life directed toward the rearing and education of children.  These two purposes cannot be separated without great damage to the good of the spouses, their relationship with each other, and their relationship with God.  For this reason, the Church from the beginning has opposed the use of artificial methods of contraception.

The actions within marriage by which the couple are united intimately and chastely are noble and worthy ones.  Expressed in a manner which is truly human, these actions promote that mutual self-giving by which spouses enrich each other with a joyful and a ready will.  (GS 49)

The Church teaches that a couple must be responsible in the transmission of human life; she does not, for example, urge married couples to have the largest possible number of children.  She recognizes that a married couple, for grave reasons, might find it prudent to avoid conception in order to limit their family size or space out the births of their children.  They must carefully and prayerfully discern God’s will for their family to ensure that they are not giving in to selfish concerns.

When such a prayerful discernment is made, it is morally permissible for the couple to use only those methods of birth regulation that involve periodic continence, that is, the abstention from the marital act during the woman’s fertile periods.  By contrast, any method of birth regulation that involves physical or chemical barriers, pharmaceuticals, or incomplete sexual acts constitute grave offenses against the natural law, the dignity of marriage, and the respect for the transmission of life.  This teaching flows out of divine law, and not even the Church herself can repeal or violate it.  (Cf. CCC 2366-2371)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 2362-2363.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Typology

What is typology?

Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.  (Rom 5:14)

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  (1 Cor 15:45)

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Many figures, themes, and events contained in the Old Testament point to someone or something that appears in the New Testament.  These typologies, or “types,” illustrate how, in the words of St. Augustine, “The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New”  (Quæst. in Hept., 2, 73: PL 34, 623; cf. DV 16).  This has been recognized since the beginning of the Church  (cf. 1 Cor 10:6, 11; Heb 10:1; 1 Pt 3:21).

Sacred Scripture comprises two testaments, but it is all one act of Divine Revelation, one Word of God.  The Old and New Testaments possess a unity in their sweeping narrative of salvation history and the richness of God’s deepening self-Revelation to man, a Revelation that culminates and is completed in Jesus Christ, who is the fullness of God’s Revelation.  This unity between the testaments is made most evident through typology, i.e., those persons and events in the Old Testament (types) that prefigure Christ and his salvific mission in the New Testament (antitypes).

In the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35), the disciples did not understand these typologies except in retrospect, when Christ explained how his life, Death, and Resurrection fulfilled the Old Covenant.  It is yet one more way that “God may be everything to everyone” (1 Cor 15:28).  As Christians, we read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament, with its Gospel accounts of the Death and Resurrection of Christ.  Even so, the Old Testament has a value all its own: it is the Revelation of God ultimately fulfilled in Christ. (Cf. CCC 129)

What do we mean when we say, for example, that Adam is a “type” of Christ?

It is through typology that St. Paul sees Adam as a prefiguration of particular aspects of Christ, who is the first man of the New Creation.  Even the snake raised up on a staff by Moses to heal the people is seen as a type of Christ (cf. Jn 3:14).  There are various links to the Sacraments  and other New Testament realities as well; for example, it is through typology that scholars and Church Fathers often find Old Testament references to water that prefigure Baptism.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 128-130.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Forty Days and Forty Nights

 What is the significance of the number forty (40) in Scripture?

The Lord said to Moses, “Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”  And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water.  And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.  (Ex 34:27-28)

You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not.  (Dt 8:2)

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be temped by the devil.  And he fasted forty days and forty nights.  (Mt 4:1-2)

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When the number forty is used to quantify a period of time, it signifies a period of preparation, trial, or testing that precedes a new beginning or significant event in salvation history; for example, for forty days and forty nights Christ fasted in the wilderness to prepare for the beginning of his public ministry.

Scripture frequently makes use of certain symbolic numbers.  Seven, for example, represents perfection, while six signifies imperfection; the number twelve relates to the Twelve Apostles, who in turn relate to the Twelve Tribes of Israel.  Whenever the number forty is found in Scripture, it relates to a time of trial or testing in order to inaugurate an event of great significance.  Some examples:

• In the story of Noah, God sent rain for forty days and forty nights to destroy a sinful humanity and to wash away the sins of the world, inaugurating a new covenant with man.  (Gn 7:4)
• God led the Israelites in the desert for forty years in order to form them as a people and to prepare them to enter the Promised Land.  (Dt 8:2)
• Moses was on Mount Sinai with God for forty days to receive the Ten Commandments and the Law.  (Ex 24:18)
• Christ’s forty days and nights in the wilderness prepared him to carry out his mission of salvation that would culminate in his Passion, Death, and Resurrection.  (Cf. CCC 538-539, 566)
• After his Resurrection Christ appeared to the Apostles over the course of forty days, teaching them and preparing them for their apostolic mission before he ascended to Heaven.  (Cf. CCC 659)

The Church traditionally recognizes this symbolic time in the season of Lent, which comprises forty days of prayer, penance, and almsgiving in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection at Easter.  (Cf. CCC 540)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 538-539

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Old Law and the New Law

How does the New Law in Christ differ from the Old Law of Moses?

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.”  (Mt 5:17)

He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.  (Heb 9:15)

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The Old Law prepared for the New Law, which in turn perfects the Old Law.

After the Fall of Adam and Eve, God unfolded his plan of redemption gradually.  An early part of this Revelation was the Old Law, the moral and liturgical precepts given to Moses and the Israelites.  The Old Law is aptly summarized in the Ted Commandments, which encourage dispositions that guide humanity to live according to this love and proscribe behaviors that contravene love for God and neighbor.  In this way, the Ten Commandments and the Old Law served to illuminate the consciences of humanity.  (Cf. CCC 1962-1963)

In this way the Old Law prepared the way for the coming of Christ and the establishment of the New Law embodied in the Gospel message of Christ.  The images and prophecies within the Old Law prefigure elements in the New Law; where the Old Law underscored the dangers of sin and its consequences, the New Law freed us from the burden of sin by showing us the way of forgiveness, love, grace, and salvation.  Where once God’s people were motivated more by fear of punishment under the Law of Moses, they could live now with their eyes on eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven under the Law of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1963-1964)

 The New Law perfects the Old Law.  It completes the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament and fulfills its Commandments by revealing the very root of all its moral prescriptions–the Law of Love–and seeking to convert the human heart by teaching the human person to seek perfection according to the example of Christ.  All that the Old Law had done in preparation is now directed toward the ultimate goal of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Without negating the Old Law in any way, the New Law summarized its moral prescriptions in a single New Commandment: that we love one another as Christ loves us.  (Cf. CCC 1965-1970)

Not only is the New Law a Law of Love but also it is the Law of Grace because of the divine gifts available to us through faith and the Sacraments of the Church; it is also a Law of Freedom because we can fulfill the letter and spirit of Divine Law by acting always out of Christian love in keeping with our identity as adopted sons and daughters of God.  (Cf. CCC 1972)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1982 and 1984.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Formation of Conscience

How can we form a good conscience?

I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men.  (Acts 24:16)

We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’ conscience in the sight of God.  (2 Cor 4:2)

To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.  (Ti 1:15)

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Every person is morally obligated to form his or her own conscience and then to follow it.  Forming a reliable and accurate conscience is a lifelong effort that includes education in the teachings and moral principles of the Church.  It requires the sound use of reason and the fostering of interior virtue through faith and prayer.

While a person is obliged to follow the dictates of his or her conscience, a badly formed conscience can lead to error.  An individual, therefore, must ensure that his or her conscience is well formed so its dictates will be good and true.  It must be informed and enlightened in order to lead a person on the correct path rather than to guide him or her into making poor choices.  (Cf. CCC 1776-1782)

The conscience is properly formed by attuning it to the truth.  In faith we seek the will of God; by reason we apply our faith to every given situation.  We must learn not only the moral law taught by the Church but also its guiding principles.  We are enlightened by the Word of God in Sacred Scripture, particularly the Gospels, the Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Beatitudes.  We also align our consciences to the will of God through humble prayer, contemplation of the Passion of the Christ, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and through frequent and thorough examinations of conscience.  We must always look to the authoritive teachings of the Church for guidance in making moral decisions.  (Cf. CCC 1783-1785)

With a well-formed and certain conscience, we experience freedom as we rise above the ambiguities surrounding many of today’s moral questions, allowing us to see them as God perceives them rather than as the world perceives them.  We also experience peace within our hearts, knowing that what our faith teaches us is the right path so that we can eschew all other options, which only lead to confusion and sin.  (Cf. CCC 1784)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1783.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes

Who were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes?

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”  (Mt 3:7)

A dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.  (Acts 23:7-8)

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These three groups were sects within first-century Judaism, each with somewhat divergent viewpoints on Jewish traditions, theology, and what constituted the required observance of the Mosaic Law.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees represented two prevailing attitudes among the Jews as they dealt with keeping their faith amid the pagan oppression of Roman rule.

The Pharisees’ response was to set themselves apart from the Gentiles, or non-Jews, with pious religious observances and rituals that were more elaborate than those prescribed by the Law of Moses.  The doctors of the Law wrote many volumes of interpretations of the Law, refining the Mosaic texts down to the tiniest details to keep themselves pure from the influence of idolatrous cultures.  The Pharisees took this religious isolation to extremes, however, creating a religious tradition that was burdensome to the faithful in which external rituals and practices became more important than the spirit behind them.  (cf. Mt 23:4-7) Christ’s criticism of these excesses incurred the wrath of many Pharisees, some of whom conspired to have him arrested and put to death.  (Cf. CCC 574, 578-582, 588)

The Sadducees held some doctrines that disagreed with the Pharisees and sought common ground with Gentiles.  They held only the Pentateuch, the first five books of Scripture, as inspired writings and did not believe in the spirit world or life after death.  Their compromising attitude won them important positions in government.  (Cf. Mk 12:18-27; CCC 993)

The Essenes are not mentioned in Scripture, although there is some speculation that St. John the Baptist and even Christ himself may have spent some time with them.  They lived a somewhat ascetic life near the Dead Sea and may have been responsible for hte ancient manuscripts discovered in the mid-twentieth century known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.  They lived the Jewish laws and customs closely except for the Temple sacrifices and practiced a baptism of repentance in preparation for the Messiah.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 579 and 993.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Samaritans

Who were the Samaritans, and why were they unfriendly toward the Jews?

Every nation still made gods of its own, and put them in the shrines of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they dwelt…. They also feared the Lord, and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.  So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away….

     They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the ordinances or the law or the commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom henamed Israel.  (2 Kgs 17:28-34)

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The Samaritans were descendants of the northern tribes during the years of the divided kingdom.  Through separation and cultural adaptations, they had developed different traditions, perspectives, and forms of worship than what the Jews practiced; therefore, Jews viewed the Samaritans as heretics.

Between Judea and Galilee was Samaria.  the Samaritans had intermingled with transplanted Assyrians during the time of the Assyrian occupation.  Throughout the centuries they had developed religious traditions distinct from those of the Jews, who preserved the true worship of God.  The Samaritans only accepted the first five books of Sacred Scripture, the Pentateuch, and worshiped God on Mr. Gerizim, near the present-day city of Nablus in the West Bank.

In the Gospels Jews regarded the Samaritans as unclean, and if a Jew as much as spoke with a Samaritan, he or she would have been tainted by this act.  In the Gospel of St. John, a Samaritan woman is astonished that Christ, a Jew, would even speak to her: “The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (Jn 4:9).  Yet Christ used the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a lesson on love for one’s neighbor (cf. Lk 10:30-37), and the Samaritans were among the first non-Jews to have received the Gospel with enthusiasm (cf. Acts 8:14-17).  (Cf. CCC 1315)

The city of Samaria was destroyed by Alexander the Great and John Hyrcanus.  It was rebuilt by Pompey and later given to Herod the Great, who renamed it Sebaste.  In the twelfth-century crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, a castle was built over what were believe to be he tombs of the prophets Elisha, Obadiah, and St. John the Baptist.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1315.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Common Good

What is the “common good”?

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him.  (Rom 15:1-2)

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.  (1 Cor 10:24)

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  (1 Cor 12:7)

Thus says the Lord: / “Keep justice, and do righteousness, / for soon my salvation will come, / and my deliverance be revealed. / Blessed is the man who does this, / and the son of man who holds it fast.”  (Is 56:1-2)

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The common good refers to those conditions of society by which every human person may become most fully and readily developed as human persons.

The human person is a social being; by nature we live in society, participate in social groups, and possess a certain interdependence in social relationships with others that benefits the personal development of everyone–including ourselves–and helps to meet everyone’s practical needs.  It is just as natural that we ought to be concerned for what is called the common good, which is “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment” (GS 26).  St. Paul referred to the common good when he called for the Corinthians to use their spiritual gifts for the good of all (cf. 1 Cor 12:7).  We must seek the common good with all due prudence and only by way of sound moral decisions.  There is a common good to be seen in each level of society, from within a family to harmony among nations, and in the case of civic society it is the responsibility of civic authorities to ensure that the common good is given priority in public policy.  (Cf. CCC 1905-1906, 1910-1911, 1921)

Concern for the common good entails several indispensable elements.  The basic human rights of every person must be respected, including his or her freedom of conscience, religion, privacy, and pursuit of vocation.  Every person must have opportunities for sound personal development, including not only the basic physical necessities of life (e.g., food, shelter, and clothing) but also things such as access to education, health care, and other fundamental goods.  The common good also needs peace and security because only with these prerequisites can justice be served.  (Cf. CCC 1907-1909, 1912)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1924-1925.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Universal Destination of Goods

What is the “universal destination of goods”?

God blessed [Adam and Eve], and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it’ and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”  And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.  and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”  and it was so.  (Gn 1:28-30)

The company of those who believed were of the one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.  (Acts 4:32)

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The universal destination of goods refers to the Church teaching that the earth, its resources, and the fruit of human labor is meant to provide for individual needs of all people as well as for the common good.

God created the earth and gave humanity dominion over all its creatures and resources (cf. Gn 1:28-30).  This delegation was not intended as a form of domination but rather of stewardship so the earth would continue to serve the needs of men and women through all generations.  The earth, its resources, and that which human work produces from the earth is meant to provide for individual needs and for the common good, as the inherent dignity of all human persons requires that their fundamental needs for such values as food, shelter, and clothing are met.  This proper purpose for the earth’s resources is referred to as the universal destination of goods.  (Cf. CCC 2401-2402)

Although the moral law recognizes the right to private ownership of goods, the universal destination of goods (that is, the demand of the common good) takes precedence.  “In using [earthly goods], therefore, man should regard the external things that he legitimately possesses not only as his own but also as common in the sense that they should be able to benefit not only him but also others”  (GS 69).  These two positive moral principles find their balance and proper order when all human persons regard their own private property as destined to benefit not only themselves and their family but also all others.  All of creation ultimately belongs to God, and so our ownership is provisional; like Adam and Eve, we also are called to act as good stewards of the goods and resource we possess so that we might promote the good of all by their use.  (Cf. CCC 2403-2405)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2404.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Christian Participation in Society

What is the Christian’s responsibility in society?

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor….

    Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly…. Live peaceably with all…. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  (Rom 12:9-21)

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In order to promote the common good, Christians are required to participate in society by taking responsibility in their family and professional lives, an active role in public life as they are able, and work to strengthen moral values in other individuals and within institutions.

Being a Christian living in the world means more than just a life of prayer and belief in Christ.  The moral law and the example of Christ compel us to take an active role in society in whatever way we are able in order to promote the common good.  Our love for God and for neighbor and the inherent dignity of the human person demands that we take responsibility for the people around us and for the moral caliber of the world in which we live.  (Cf. CCC 1912-1913, 2239)

This obligation presents itself first of all in how we carry out our immediate responsibilities.  By our personal behaviors, our conscientious professional work, and our care for the education and well-being of our families, we fulfill the first level of this social responsibility.  Because the family is the basic unit of society, strong and healthy families contribute to a strong and healthy society.  (Cf. CCC 1914, 2207-2211)

We ought to work within our various societies–family, neighborhood, social organizations, acquaintances, professional organizations, parish, student organizations, fellow hobbyists, etc.–for the continual conversion of society to conform more closely with the moral law so the common good may be better served in a climate of justice and peace.  We should also be involved in civic life as we are able, exercising the right to vote responsibly, advocating for or against proposed legislation, or working with civic officers in an elective or volunteer role.  By engaging the culture at all levels–from private conversations to organizing public action–we can help transform society so all citizens may enjoy the personal freedoms and opportunities for fulfillment that are their right in keeping with their dignity as human persons.  (Cf. CCC 1915-1917)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1913 and 2255.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Just War

Is war ever justifiable?

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  (Mt 5:9)

What causes ars, and what causes fightings among you?  Is it not your passions that are at war in your members?  You desire and do not have; so you kill.  And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war.  You do not have, because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.  Unfaithful creatures!  (Jas 4:1-4)

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War, although always devastating and deadly, can be justly waged under certain limited circumstances.  Specific moral principles must be taken into consideration in order to discern whether it is just to wage war in a given situation as well as how the fighting itself may be conducted.

The Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill” (Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17), is unequivocal, and yet we can readily conceive of situations where legitimate defense of ourselves or of our loved ones might require lethal action.  The Church has always recognized the right to self-defense.  Questions about the morality of war are largely governed by the same principles that underlie the right to defend ourselves.  (Cf. CCC 2306-2308)

These principles establish several conditions under which defensive military force might be considered morally permissible; all of these conditions must be fulfilled in order for the action to meet moral standards:

• the aggressor must be causing “lasting, grave, and certain” damage;
• all peaceful solutions must already have been exhausted; the action must have a good change of succeeding in its objectives;
• the damage and evil caused by the military response must not be greater than that which is caused by the aggressor; and
• widespread destruction and the killing of civilians must be avoided.  (Cf. CCC 2309, 2314)

In addition, war can only be waged by the legitimate leaders of a nation or community of nations.  These public authorities may require their citizens to assist in some way with national defense, even while respecting the consciences of those who oppose war and refuse to participate.  Combatants have the right and duty to refuse orders that contradict the moral law, even if these orders come from their commanders.  In wartime, prisoners, civilians, and the wounded must be treated with human dignity.  (Cf. CCC 2310-2314)

Peace is not simply the absence of armed aggression, and so the buildup of arms and the mistrust it engenders puts nations at greater risk of war.  Nations should attempt to work out differences and reduce the accumulation of arms to make the world a safe place for everyone.  (Cf. CCC 2316-2317)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1909 and 2327-2328.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Theological Virtues

What are the theological virtues?

Love never ends…. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.  So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  (1 Cor 13:8-13)

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The theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity (love)—form the very basis for all Christian moral virtues.  These are given to us at Baptism but must be nurtured and developed through practice, prayer, and the Sacraments.

The virtues of faith, hope, and charity (cf. 1 Cor 13:13) are called theological because their object is union with God.  Growth in the theological virtues comes through prayer, reception of the Sacraments, and the practice of the virtues; thereby, growth in holiness means becoming more imbued with the life of Christ.  As St. Gregory of Nyssa taught, “The goal of the virtuous life is to become like God” (De Beatitudinibus, 1: PG 44, 1200 D).  The theological virtues are infused in us at Baptism, and they are strengthened through the reception of the other Sacraments.  (Cf. CCC 1812-1813, 2098)

• Faith elevates our natural intellect and moves our will so we can assent to the truths revealed supernaturally by God and put those truths into practice.  (Cf. CCC 1814-1816)
• Hope makes us desire eternal life with God and gives us confidence to receive the necessary grace to be with him forever.  It gives our mind and out will the power to trust that God will give us all the means necessary to achieve everlasting life.  (Cf. CCC 1817-1821)
• Charity enables us to love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves with the love of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1822-1829)

All three theological virtues are vital to living a true Christian life.  In St. Paul’s magnificent and well-known essay on lofe (cf. 1 Cor 13), he reminds us that in eternal life our faith and hope are fulfilled, for we will see and realize all that we formerly believed and hoped for.  Charity (love) is the one theological virtue that endures forever.  (Cf. CCC 1698, 1826, 1971, 1991)

“Charity” is used to describe a host of actions: giving money to the poor, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and the like.  Such actions are called “charity” because they are inspired by and flow out of the practice of this theological virtue.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1803 and 1813.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Evangelical Counsels

What are the evangelical counsels, and where do we find them in Scripture?

 [A young man] came up to [Jesus], saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?”  And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good?  One there is who is good.  If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”… The young man said to him, “All these I have observed; what do I still lack?”  Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  (Mt 19:16-21)

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The evangelical counsels—poverty, chastity, and obedience—are virtuous practices and dispositions that are an essential part of our call as disciples of Christ in our struggle for Christian perfection.

It is clear from the teachings of Christ that the Christian life demands of us a serious discipline of our natural desires.  The evangelical counsels are among Christ’s directives to his disciples (cf. Mt 19:6-12, 21, 23-29), and the Church encourages their practice among all the faithful in keeping with their respective states of life.  Moreover, they are most closely associated with the consecrated life (cf. LG 42-43, PC 1).  “The aim of the counsels is to remove whatever might hinder the development of charity, even if it is not contrary to it.”   They “manifest the living fullness of charity” and show the “more direct ways” to practice the great commandment ot love God and neighbor.  (Cf. CCC 1973-1974)

The manner in which the evangelical counsels are practiced varies with our particular state of life.  Poverty entails a detachment from material goods, from “riches.”  Chastity requires the practice of temperance, the self-mastery over our passions, particularly in the proper respect for the gift of sexuality; married couples are to remain faithful to one another, while those in the single life and those who have professed vows of chastity must practice celibacy.  Obedience to proper authority and particularly to Christ and his Church is an obligation of all the baptized.  (Cf. CCC 2341, 2348-2349, 2544)

The evangelical counsels are professed as vows in various forms of consecrated life according to the constitution of the particular religious community.  Diocesan priests generally make promises of chastity and obedience to their local bishop.  (Cf. CCC 918, 944-945, 1567)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 915 and 2053.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Fasting and Abstinence

Why do we fast and abstain from meat?

When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  (Mt 6:17-18)

When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.  (Acts 14:23)

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Fasting and abstinence from meat are traditional Christian penitential practices.  Such acts of mortification help bring about interior conversion, especially during Lent as we prepare for celebrating the Resurrection of Christ at Easter.

The season of Lent is a time in which the faithful prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery, the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ.  Lent is a particular time for penitential practices, and both fasting (abstaining from all foods for periods of time) and abstinence (abstaining from meat) have long been among the forms of voluntary self-denial Christians have practiced for this purpose.  While Catholics are call to penitential practices throughout the year and especially during the season of Lent, the Church designates Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as days of fasting and abstinence, and all Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat (cf. SC 109-110; CIC 1249-1253; CCEO 880-883).  (Cf. CCC 1438)

All Fridays of the year are also penitential days.  “Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday” (CIC 1251).  In the United States abstaining from meat on Fridays outside of Lent may be substituted by an act of charity or penance.

The number forty is symbolic of preparation.  The traditional forty days of Lent is reminiscent of the time that Christ spent in the wilderness, praying and fasting, before beginning his public ministry; the forty days and nights Moses was on the mountain before receiving the Law; the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the Promised Land; and the forty days from the Resurrection until the Ascension that Christ spent preparing his Apostles for their mission.  (Cf. CCC 540)

The fasting and abstinence of Lent should remind us also of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who experienced hunger and pain before repenting of his sins and returning home to his father.  In like manner, our mortifications and penitential practices remind us of our dependence upon God the Father and our utter need for conversion so as to return to his mercy (cf. CIC 1249-1251; CCEO 882).  (Cf. CCC 1439)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1438 and 2043.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Growing In Purity

How can we best maintain purity?

How can a young man keep his way pure? / By guarding it according to your word.  (Ps 119:9)

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  (Mt 5:8)

Shun youthful passions and aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.  (2 Tm 2:22)

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To rise above concupiscence requires purity of heart, faith, prayer, recourse to the Sacraments, and commitment to the virtues that support this disposition.  The struggle against concupiscence takes place primarily in the human heart, which is the source of all personal sin.  In order to overcome temptation, we must rely on God’s grace, strive to control our human passions, and seek purity of heart.  True purity of heart means the aligning of our minds and wills to what God expects of us.  A pure heart fosters purity of body and purity of faith—thus purity in what we desire, what we do, and what we believe.  (Cf. CCC 2517-2519)

Our battle against concupiscence begins at Baptism.  With the help of God’s grace obtained through prayer and the reception of the Sacraments, we strive to live lives of chastity in keeping with our state of life; to have purity of intentions, meaning to seek God’s will in all things; and purity of vision, which is the practice of guarding our senses and thoughts from anything that might lead us away from the will of God.  A life of prayer, of course, is a constant and invaluable aid in building and maintaining purity of heart.  (Cf. CCC 2348-2359, 2520)

Purity is thus the perfection of the motives that inspire our acts.  In merely natural acts, purity of intention is characterized by the motive coinciding with the nature of the action done, for example, eating for the purpose of conserving and building up the body.  In supernatural acts, purity of intention is characterized by the action being done because of our love of God.

Purity also calls for the virtue of modesty, especially in how we dress, act, and speak.  Respect for human sexuality demands that we regard its sacredness even in how we speak of it and how the human body is portrayed in public and in the media.  Aversion of our eyes and ears from inappropriate entertainment and lewd conversations are essential elements of the practice of modesty.  (Cf. CCC 2521-2525)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 2531-2533.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Justification

What is justification?

It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.  (Rom 2:13)

We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another; but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.  (Ti 3:3-7)

Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith.  (Rom 3:21-25)

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Justification means the forgiveness of our sins, sanctification, and interior renewal through faith and the state of being on the path to eternal life—in other words, being in the state of grace.

Under the Old Law the People of God remained in God’s favor as long as they kept the Law of Moses.  Under the New Law of Love instituted by Christ, the Commandments are enriched and perfected; they are now understood not as the sole benchmark of righteousness but as the indispensable expression and response of true faith.  Christ is the “end” of the Law; we are made righteous, or justified, by faith in Christ, who gives us grace through the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 3:22).  (Cf. CCC 1953, 1987-1989)

Justification cleanses us from sin and puts us in right order with God, i.e., in the state of grace.  We are reconciled and no longer slaves to sin.  We are justified first of all in Baptism (cf. Rom 6:3-4) and remain justified as long as we freely cooperate with God’s grace.  We do this by keeping the moral law and the laws of the Church.  It requires continual interior conversion.  Justification is lost by mortal sin but can be restored through the Sacrament of Penance.  (Cf. CCC 1990-2016)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1987 and 2020.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Christian Perfection

How can we “be perfect” as Christ demands us?

[Jesus] opened his mouth and taught [the crowds], saying “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  (Mt 5:48)

Jesus said to [the young man], “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  (Mt 19:21)

Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.  (2 Cor 7:1)

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Although we will not become truly perfect until we enter Heaven, we can approach Christian perfection through steady growth in holiness and grace.

The call to Christian perfection is the call to holiness.  “All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity” (LG 40).  The object of holiness is to become ever more perfectly united to Christ; as we grow in holiness, we necessarily become more like Christ, who is perfect because he is God.  We cannot attain perfection on our own, but by our faith and actions we can dispose ourselves to grow in holiness so that the grace of the Holy Spirit can work within us.  This union we seek is a mystical one because it comes to us through the Sacraments, the “holy mysteries.”  (Cf. CCC 2012-2014)

In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must follow in Christ’s footsteps and conform themselves to his image seeking the will of the Father in all things.  They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor.  In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.  (LG 40)

We are aided in our growth toward holiness and Christian perfection by the practice of our faith, especially the frequent reception of Sacraments of the Eucharist and Penance and a life of prayer.  It is the fruit of the spiritual struggle that we experience in our daily lives.  It comes from self-denial and taking up our daily cross and bearing it virtuously in imitation of Christ.  By following in the footsteps of the Savior, we will find ourselves more closely living the Beatitudes, filled with peace and joy amid our suffering, with our eyes lifted in hope and focused upon our heavenly reward.  Throughout our lives we ought to pray for final perseverance, a “good death” in the state of grace, that we will “finish well,” meaning that we remain faithful throughout our lives until we are called to eternal life.  (Cf. CCC 2015-2016)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2013.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Expressions of Prayer

What are the three expressions of Christian prayer?

Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart / be acceptable in thy sight,  O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  (Ps 19:15)

My mouth shall speak wisdom; / the mediation of my heart shall be understanding.  (Ps 49:4)

After [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.  When evening came, he was there alone.  (Mt 14:23)

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The Church speaks of three modes, or “expressions,” of prayer.  Our exemplar of prayer, Christ himself, taught vocal prayer to his disciples and also practiced meditative prayer and contemplative prayer.  All three forms are of great value in the life of a Christian.  (Cf. CCC 2701, 2721)

Vocal prayer is well suited in communal or liturgical prayer such as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, or a blessing before a family meal.  It is essential for us because of our human need to integrate the activities of both body and soul, and vocal prayer allows us to express through our physical senses what we feel and believe internally, in the depths of our hearts; this is how we pray “with our whole being.”  Liturgical prayer, which is primarily based on Sacred Scripture, also forms us as a Christian community in the Word of God.  (Cf. CCC 2701-2704)

Meditative prayer is ordinarily grounded in spiritual reading.  It is a search for understanding and discernment of what God is calling us to do.  By engaging our mind and spirit, we draw closer to Christ.  Two popular forms of meditation are the Holy Rosary and lectio divina.  The Holy Rosary, which also utilizes vocal prayer, is a meditation on the events of the lives of Christ and his Mother.  Lectio divina is a meditative reading of Sacred Scripture or other edifying texts such as the spiritual writings of holy men and women.  (Cf. CCC 2705-2708)

In the silence of contemplative prayer, we experience intimacy with God as we share in his mystery and make ourselves attentive to his voice.  We approach God with great humility and seek complete union with him; it is sometimes described as a “gaze of faith” fixed upon Christ.  By gazing upon his mysteries, we open ourselves up to hearing the Word of God, illuminating our hearts, hearing the Father’s voice, and infusing all that we do with his love.  (Cf. CCC 2709-2719)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 2722-2724.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Forms of Prayer

What are the five main forms of prayer?

Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Phil 4:6-8)

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kins and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.  This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  (1 Tm 2:1-4)

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In Christian tradition the five normative forms of prayer are blessing and adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise.  All of these are represented in the prayers of the Eucharistic celebration: the Mass, or Divine Liturgy.  (Cf. CCC 2643)

Blessing is a bidirectional between God and us: we pray, God blesses us, and we bless him in return for his blessings.  In adoration we acknowledge the greatness and power of God and stand humble in his presence as his creatures.  (Cf. CCC 2626-2628)

In petition we cry out to God with our needs, particularly our need for forgiveness of sins.  We experience separation from God through sin and unhealthy attachments, and we long for his presence and for the fulfillment of our needs in his kingdom.  (Cf. CCC 2629-2633)

Prayers of intercession are petitions that beseech God on behalf of others—for example, the family, the Church, the community, the nation, the world, or any specific group of persons, even our enemies and persecutors.  We are at once participants in Christ’s role as our true Intercessor as well as acting as members of the Communion of Saints.  (Cf. CCC 2634-2636)

Prayers of thanksgiving can be offered in all circumstances: joy and suffering, plenty and want.  The very word eucharist means “thanksgiving,” so our entire life of prayer centers on thanking God for his great gift of salvation and for his creation, the very gift of life.  (Cf. CCC 2637-2638, 2648)

Praise is prayer that recognizes God for his own sake, for the very fact that he is God.  We praise him for his divine attributes, his perfect glory, his perfection indeed in all good things—even apart from anything he has done for us.  (Cf. CCC 2639-2643, 2649)

The Catechism answers this question in paragraph 2644.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Liturgy of the Hours

What is the Liturgy of the Hours?

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, / to sing praises to your name, O Most High; / to declare your merciful love in the morning, / and your faithfulness by night.  (Ps 92:1-2)

From the rising of the sun to its setting / the name of the Lord is to be praised!  (Ps 113:3)

Seven time a day I praise you / for your righteous ordinances.  (Ps 119:164)

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The Liturgy of the Hours is a cycle of psalms, prayers, litanies, hymns, and readings that is prayed at various times of the day and night.

The ancient Israelites developed the custom of praying psalms in the morning and evening and at the third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, i.e., midmorning, midday, and the midafternoon, a custom that was continued by the first Christians.  By the fifth century the Liturgy of the Hours had become standardized in roughly the form that we have today: the Office of Readings (to be prayed at any time), Morning Prayer (Lauds), Midmorning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Midafternoon Prayer, Evening Prayer (Vespers), and Night Prayer (Compline).

The Liturgy of the Hours, also called the Divine Office, is the public prayer of the Church: “[Christ Jesus] continues His priestly work through the agency of his Church” (SC 83).  It comprises the reciting or singing of psalms, prayers, litanies, humns, and various readings, both from Scripture and from the Church Fathers and saints, which help take the participant deeper in meditation on the mystery of Christ.  Its purpose is to sanctify the say (cv. SC 88), and its celebration at various times throughout the day makes the whole course of the day holy.  (Cf. CCC 1172-1176, 2698)

The Second Vatican Council reemphasized the Church’s encouragement that the laity pray the Liturgy of the Hours either with their pastors, among groups of laity, or even individually.  Pope St. Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI both strongly promoted the Liturgy of the Hours throughout their pontificates.  In the words of Pope Benedict:

I would like to renew my call to everyone to pray the Psalms, to become accustomed to using the Liturgy of the Hours, Lauds, Vespers, and Compline.  Our relationship with God can only be enriched by our journeying towards him day after day.  (Pope Benedict XVI, Wednesday Audience, November 16, 2011)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1175.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Dryness in Prayer

How can we overcome dryness in prayer?

Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  (Rom 12:12)

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  (Col 4:2)

Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance.  (Eph 6:18)

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Dryness in prayer is a common affliction among even the most devoted Christians.  Persistence and vigilance are necessary to overcome this.

Dryness, or aridity, in prayer—the sense that our prayers are ineffective, that they lack feeling, or that we don’t have the words to pray—occurs from time to time within almost everyone who prays regularly.  Even some of the holiest ment and women have spoken of dryness in their own prayer lives.  St. John of the Cross wrote of his “dark night of the soul.” and Bl. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), the twentieth-century nun known for her selfless work for the impoverished and dying in India, explained that she had long periods of feeling distant from God even in her prayer.  It is a phenomenon we often associate with prayer of petition:  God may hear our praise and thanksgiving, but when our requests go unanswered, we sometimes feel he is not listening to us.  (Cf. CCC 2729, 2734-2735)

Dryness characterizes the distance we feel from God when we do not feel his presence or interest in us or when we feel we are not generating enough passion or confidence in our prayers.  At times we do not believe that we are praying effectively because we lack the right words, as if God would answer us if we were eloquent enough.  What is more at issue is whether we are praying “as we ought”: if we are asking for the right things, if we are coming to God seeking to fulfill our passions rather than submit to his will in all humility.  (Cf. CCC 2735-2737)

The key to fruitful prayer is always perseverance and vigilance, steeped in true faith and humility.  Our dispositions in prayer affect its effectiveness; only complete abandonment to the will of God will ultimately satisfy us.  We must seek constant conversion of heart, forever conforming our hearts and wills to the will of God and trusting that like a loving Father he will always give us what we truly need.  (Cf. CCC 2730-2733, 2754)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2754.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Kingdom of God

What do we mean by the “Kingdom of God”?

Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”  (Mk 1:15)

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The Kingdom of God refers not only to Heaven but also to the era of peace, joy, and justice ushered in by Christ and carried on as a “work in progress” by the members of his faithful, the Church.  In a very real way, the Kingdom of God is the Church herself.

The proclamation of the Kingdom of God was the central theme to Christ’s teaching.  Through parables, he gave his disciples images of various aspects of the kingdom and how his followers were to live in it.  His teaching makes it clear the kingdom he established is not an earthly kingdom but rather an intimate communion between God and his people.  “In the word, in the works, and in the presence of Christ, this kingdom was clearly open to the view of men” (LG 5).  This intimate communion is realized through Baptism and membership in his Body, the Church.  (Cf. CCC 670, 782, 1427, 1989)

When describing how his kingdom would affect the world, Christ stressed that his faithful must act as a leaven in the world, transforming it and sanctifying it from within as a tiny amount of yeast leavens a large measure of flour.  Like a mustard seed, the Church began small but grew to be the largest of trees, spreading throughout the entire world.  Christ established the kingdom, but it will never be completely fulfilled here on earth.  Thus, it remains our sacred obligation to help build the Kingdom of God in our world.  (Cf. CCC 764, 2660, 2832)

The Church continues the mission of Christ by calling people to repentance and proclaiming the kingdom’s existence.  Just as Christ’s divinity was veiled under his humanity while on earth, the Kingdom of God stands veiled under the appearance of a merely human institution, the Church.  Only by faith are the faithful able to see the divine nature of the Church, which will be veiled until the glory of Christ is made manifest to the entire world at the end of time.  (Cf.  CCC 770)

In the Lord’s Prayer, “thy kingdom come” makes two requests of Christ: to assist us in building the Kingdom of God on earth and hastening his Second Coming at the end of time.  (Cf. CCC 2818)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 567 and 1060.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Ecumenism

What is ecumenism?

“The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”  (Jn 17:22-23)

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Ecumenism refers to the effort—and the obligation—of all Christian churches separated by matters of faith, practice, and teaching authority to seek unity according to the will of Christ.

Christ founded one Church, but subsequent disagreements among her members led to the fragmentation and splintering of the People of God.  “Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning.  This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time”  (UR 4).  While the Catholic Church remains rooted in the apostolic Faith under the leadership of the Pope and the bishops in union with him—the successors of St. Peter and the Apostles—there are many others that have separated from this faith to varying degrees: the Eastern Orthodox Churches, several Oriental Orthodox Churches, and thousands of major and minor denominations and ecclesial communities of Protestantism.   These divisions are often deep and complex, going back hundreds of years.  Yet because it was the desire of Christ and a vocation from the Holy Spirit that all believers be united as one body (cf. UR 1), we have a solemn obligation to work toward such unity.  This effort is called ecumenism.  (Cf. CCC 816-820)

Ecumenism necessarily involves the commitment of the entire Church, yet we realize that to repair the many divisions and to find real unity can only happen by the power of God and his Holy Spirit, who calls us to be one.  Thus while dialogues and doctrinal discussions remain part of the process, it is above all prayer and humility before God that will draw the many Churches and ecclesial communities toward that goal of unity.  (Cf. CCC 822)

Ecumenism requires several practical elements on the part of Christians.  These include continued renewal of the Church and her members, an ongoing conversion of hearts, prayer in communion among separated churches, fraternal knowledge of each other as fellow sons and daughters of God, sound education of Church members in the necessity of Christian unity, theological dialogue, and the commitment to work together for causes in which we fundamentally agree, such as service to the needy and oppressed.  (Cf. CCC 821)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 820.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Moment of Death

What happens when we die?

Just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.  (Heb 9:27-28)

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At the moment of death, the immortal soul separates from the mortal body, and every person undergoes the Particular Judgment in which Christ immediately judges the person for the choices and actions he or she made in life and whether or not he or she has died in God’s grace and friendship.  As St. John on the Cross wrote, “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love”  (Dichos, 64).  Based on that judgment, the soul immediately enters the state of Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.  (Cf. CCC 990, 1005, 1016, 1022, 1051)

The souls of those who have responded to God’s gift of salvation, die in a state of grace, and have been perfectly purified—either in this life or in Purgatory—will enter Heaven, the state of eternal happiness in which a person shares in the life and love of the Blessed Trinity.  In communion with the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the angels and saints, the soul enjoys a state of perfect happiness, and in the Kingdom of God, the saints will reign with Christ forever.  In Heaven, the blessed will receive the Beatific Vision: they see God face to face and contemplate him in the fullness of glory.  (Cf. CCC 1023-1029)

The souls of those who have responded to God’s gift of salvation, die in a state of grace, but need the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin that results from an unhealthy attachment to created goods, the soul must be purified before entering Heaven.  This purification after death is called Purgatory.  By purifying us of all imperfections before we can enter his presence in Heaven, God shows not only his justice but also his great love and mercy.  (Cf. CCC 1030-1032)

Just as the blessed will enjoy eternal love and joy, those who have rejected God will suffer eternal hatred and unhappiness in Hell.  All souls in Hell suffer the loss of eternal communion with God and punishment for sins committed on earth.  This state of separation from God is eternal, and there can be no repentance.  (Cf. CCC 1033-1037)

The General Judgment at the time of the Second Coming of Christ will not change the result of the Particular Judgment.  At that time, our mortal bodies will rise and be reunited with our souls.  The bodies of those saved will be in glorified form.  (Cf. CCC 1042, 1052)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1022.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Particular Judgment

What is the Particular Judgment?

We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.  an we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.

The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.  (1 Cor 2:12-15)

[Christ] has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by sacrifice of himself.  And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.  (Heb 9:26-28)

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Everyone who has died or will die before the Second Coming of Christ is judged immediately at the time of his or her death.  This is the Particular Judgment.

The New Testament speaks of the judgment mainly from the perspective of a final meeting with Christ when he comes again.  But we also find in many places of the Sacred Scripture references to the retribution immediately after each person’s death as a consequence of his or her faith and deeds.  We know with the certainty of faith that each person, at death, receives—in his or her immortal soul—an eternal retribution in a Particular Judgment.  He or she immediately refers his or her life to Christ, going to one of three states: through a period of purification, directly to his definitive state in Heaven, or to eternal condemnation.  (Cf. CCC 1051)

The Particular Judgment is an act by which God makes the soul understand clearly the state it is in.  This illumination will lead directly either to the soul’s union with God or its rejection of him.  The General Judgment at the end of the world does not alter the results of the Particular Judgment in any way.  The Sacrament of Penance, in which we ask forgiveness for our sins, in effect anticipates our Particular Judgment and aids us to avoid the eternal consequences of our transgressions.  (Cf. CCC 1022, 1470)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1021.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Hell

How can a good and loving God send souls to Hell?

The Lord is not… wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  (2 Pt 3:9)

God did not make death, and / he does not delight in the death of the living. / For he created all things that they might exist.  (Wis 1:13-14)

“If that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and beings to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.”  (Mt 24:48-51)

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Hell is the state of eternal separation from communion with God and the blessed in Heaven.  God sends no one to Hell without that person having chosen complete separation from him.  In allowing us the freedom to choose good or evil, God necessarily allows each person to accept him or to reject him.

Those who die having willfully and definitively rejected God and his salvific grace—often by violating his Commandments in a grievous manner and then refusing repentance—place themselves in Hell, the state of eternal self-exclusion from his presence.  Thus, the souls in Hell are those who die stubbornly unrepentant of mortal sin by refusing the love and mercy of God to the end.  Jesus spoke often of Hell as “fire” and “darkness” where the damned will “weep and gnash their teeth” (Lk 13:28).  The souls in Hell continually suffer separation from God even as they wallow in hatred of him.  (Cf. CCC 1035-1036)

We cannot be united in God unless we freely choose to love him.  We cannot love God if we sin grievously against him, our neighbor, and our own selves.  “He who does not love remains in death.  Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 Jn 3:14-15)  To die in mortal sin—without repentance and without seeking refuge in the compassionate love of God—implies a willful choice to be separated from him.  God respects our freedom and will not force us to choose him or abide by his will.  (Cf. CCC 1033-1034)

God wills that all people will be saved and become one with him.  The liturgy of the Church prays that all may seek and find God and that his mercy may draw everyone into eternal life.  (Cf. CCC 1037)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1033 and 1037.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Purgatory

What is Purgatory?

If he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.  But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.  Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.  (2 Mc 12:44-45)

If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.  (1 Cor 3:15)

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Purgatory is a state of purification for those souls who have died in the grace of God but require cleansing from imperfections before they can enter Heaven.

Before entering Heaven, every trace to attachment to created goods must be eliminated, every imperfection of the soul corrected.  The Church uses the word Purgatory to describe the final purification of the souls of those who, having died in grace, have not fully received remission of the temporal punishment for their pardoned mortal sins or their venial sins.  “As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire.  He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come.  From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.”  (St. Gregory the Great, Dial., 4,39: PL 77,396; cf. Mt 12:32).  (Cf. CCC 1031, 1472)

The punishment of the souls in Purgatory is the delay in seeing God and the knowledge that this delay is their own fault for not having fully repented on earth.  These souls also have great joy because they know that they are assured of Heaven.  Purgatory is not a lesser form of Hell but rather a state of preparation for Heaven.  (Cf. CCC 1030)

Scriptural evidence of Purgatory is found in both the Old and New Testaments.  Most strikingly is that Judas Maccabeus offered prayers and atonement for the sins of his fallen soldiers; such prayers for the dead would have been meaningless if the deceased had already reached their final destination (cf. 2 Mc 12:44-45).  The New Testament also speaks of a purification “as through fire” (cf. 1 Cor 3:15).  (Cf. CCC 1032-1033)

Prayers for the dead have always been considered a pious duty, an act of charity and justice.  The Church frequently remembers the dead—who are also members of the Communion of Saints—in her liturgies, prayers, and indulgences.  (Cf. CCC 1475, 1498)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1031.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Heaven

What is Heaven?

“In my Father’s house are many rooms…. And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”  (Jn 14:2-3)

The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first’ then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.  (1 Thes 4:16-17)

I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men.  He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”  (Rev 21:1-4)

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Heaven is the state of eternal happiness and everlasting life with God.  In Heaven we will share completely in the divine life of God and enjoy perfect happiness and complete fulfillment beyond human imagination.  “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, / nor the heart of man conceived, / what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9)

In Scripture the word Heaven designates the dwelling-place of God, his angels, and the saints.

The blessed in Heaven behold the immediate vision of God and remain in perfect communion with him and with one another; they become like God in glory and enjoy eternal happiness.  Each person receives the full measure of happiness that he or she can desire.  (Cf. CCC 1023-1027)

The essential happiness of Heaven consists in the Beatific Vision—the immediate vision of God—in the vision of creatures in God, and in the infinite joy of their vision. (Cf CCC 1028, 1045)  The blessed possess all that is good in a union of perfect love, and sharing in one another’s happiness only increases their own (cf. The Catechetical Instructions of St. Thomas Aquinas, pp. 74-76).  Meeting those whom we loved while on earth will give a special joy.  (Cf. CCC 1022, 1038)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1024 and 1027.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Parousia

What does Scripture tell us about the Second Coming of Christ?

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only…. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  (Mt 24:35-36, 44)

Behold!  I tell you a mystery.  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.  (1 Cor 15:51-53)

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The Second Coming of Christ will take place at the end of the world when Christ returns in glory to judge all of humanity.  It is a moment that the faithful in Christ look forward to with eager anticipation because of the hope for eternal life with God in Heaven.

The Second Coming is also known as the Parousia, a Greek word meaning “apparition” or “presence.”  The Apostles’ Creed tells us that Christ will return at the end of time “to judge the living and the dead.”  This is called the General Judgment, the moment when Christ will separate the good from the wicked, with the good bound for Heaven and the wicked entering their self-imposed eternal separation from God in Hell, “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt 25:41).  The dead will be raised, and each person will be reunited with his or her earthly body—the blessed will be glorified in body and soul.  (Cf. CCC 1038-1039, 1042, 1059)

The Parousia marks the definitive and final triumph of Christ over sin and death, the culmination of salvation history.  The faithful in Christ have awaited the Second Coming ever since Christ ascended into Heaven with the promise that he would return.  For them it is a time of great joy, when our earthly sojourn will end and all of creation will be restored and renewed in Christ.  The Kingdom of God will be established in its fullness, and the Church will be perfected in her heavenly glory.  As the Nicene Creed professes, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead / and the life of the world to come.”  (Cf. CCC 1040, 1043-1048, 1060)

Because of Christ’s deliberate choice to leave us in ignorance about the time of his Second Coming, some people believe erroneously that he did not intend to return or that he is a false prophet.  On the contrary, because no one knows when the Parousia will take place, its imminence is an urgent call for conversion while there is still time to repent.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1040.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Intercession of the Saints

Why do we pray to the saints for their intercession?

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.  (Heb 12:1)

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Because we are joined to those who have gone before us through the Communion of Saints, we can call upon the faithful departed for their intercessory prayers for our intentions here on earth.

The Church, in her prayers and liturgies, frequently asks for the intercession of the saints and those faithful who have gone before us into the next life (cf. CCC 957-958, 2647).  This pious practice pertains to the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, through which the faithful on earth (the Church Militant) are united as one body with the faithful in Purgatory (the Church Suffering) and the blessed in Heaven (the Church Triumphant).  Devotion to the saints corresponds in its very essence to the profound reality of the Church as a mystery of communion.  (Cf. CCC 948, 961, 1476)

We believe in the communion of all the faithful in Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers. (Paul VI, CPG 30; cf. CCC 962)

By reason of the fact that those in heaven are more closely united with Christ, they establish the whole Church more firmly in holiness…. They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, showing forth the merits which they won on earth through the one Mediator between God and man (cf. 1 Tm 2:5)…. Thus by their brotherly interest our weakness is greatly strengthened.  (LG 49)

Just as we ask for prayers from those on earth who have a close relationship with God, we likewise ask for the intercession of saints because we know they are united with Christ.  (Cf. CCC 2683)

It is supremely fitting, therefore, that we love those friends and coheirs of Jesus Christ, who are also our brothers and extraordinary benefactors, that we render due thanks to God for them and suppliantly invoke them and have recourse to their prayers, their power to help in obtaining benefits from God through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is our Redeemer and Saviour.  (DS 1821; LG 50)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 956 and 2692.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Indulgences

What is an indulgence?

Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kinsmen in the sepulchers of their fathers.then under the tunic of every one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear…. And they turned to prayer, begging that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out…. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering.  In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection…. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.  (2 Mc 12:39-45)

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Within the one Church, we “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2).  The saints in Heaven intercede for us who are on earth.  We on earth pray for each other as well as those who are undergoing purification in Purgatory so their burden might be lighter, as Judas Maccabeus did for his fallen soldiers who had secretly trifled with idolatry (cf. 2 Mc 12:39-45).

An indulgence is an act of faith that requires an offering of some prayer, sacrifice, or work of service, in imitation of Christ and the saints.  By doing these things, we can develop virtues—good habits—and become more like Christ.  An indulgence is an act by which we dispose ourselves to receive God’s grace of conversion.  On behalf of Christ, the Church rewards us from the “treasury of merits”—the abundance of grace won for us by Christ and by his faithful people down through the ages.  Indulgences may also be applied to other people.  (Cf. CCC 1498)

An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. (Paul VI, Apostolic constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina, norm 1)

An indulgence is partial or plenary depending on whether it removes part or all the debt due to sin, and the Church requires that those seeking indulgences should also receive the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist near the time they complete the indulgenced act.  (Cf. CCC 1471, 1478, 1498)

The Church frequently makes indulgences available to mark certain feast days or events in her life, most notably on All Souls’ Day, on which the Holy Souls in Purgatory are especially remembered; other indulgences are available to the faithful every day of the year.  The Church’s official list of indulgenced actions is called the Enchiridion (“Handbook”) of Indulgences.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1471.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Names of God

How is God addressed in Scripture?

Moses said to God, “If I come to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”  God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”  And he said, “Say this to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'”  (Ex 3:13-14)

“Do not be like [the Gentiles], for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  Pray then like this:

Our Father who art in heaven, / hallowed be thy name.”  (Mt 6:8-9)

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In the Old Testament, out of reverence for his name, God was generally not addressed directly.  In the New Testament, at the bidding of Christ himself, we are invited to call God “Father”.

In the languages and cultures of Sacred Scripture, a name reflects a person’s character.  therefore, when God revealed his name, he also revealed something of his nature (cf. CCC 203).  Some of the names of God in Scriptures include the following:

• Elohim, which is the plural of El, means “strong one.”  It evokes majesty, and its plurality hints at the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.
• Yahweh (YHWH) is the name revealed by God to Moses in the burning bush: “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am” (Ex 3:14).  This name stresses God as independent and self-existent.  Out of reverence the Jews did not utter this name but substituted Adonai, a plural of majesty, which stresses God’s relationship to human beings as master andn provider.  (Cf. CCC 205-214)
• Theos is Greek for “God” and is the primary name used in the New Testament.  It stresses that God is the only true God, the unique and transcendent Savior.  This name is also used to describe Christ.  Despotes is Greek for “master” and stresses ownership.  (Cf. CCC 450, 2096)
• Kyrios, Greek for “Lord,” stresses authority and supremacy.  It can mean “sir,” “owner,” or “master.”  It is used for Jesus Christ, meaning “rabbi” and “God.”  (Cf. CCC 209, 446)
• Father is strongly identified with the New Testament.  It is used for God fifteen times in the Old Testament, but it is used for God 245 times in the New Testament.  This name stresses God’s loving care; provision; discipline; and the way his people, who become adopted sons and daughters of God through Baptism, are to address him in prayer.  (Cf. CCC 238-240, 742, 1303, 2766, 2781)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 204 and 2781.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Blessed Trinity

How can we understand the mystery of the Blessed Trinity as “three Persons in one God”?

Jesus came and said to [the eleven disciples], “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  (Mt 28:19)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  (2 Cor 13:14)

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Because it is a mystery, the Blessed Trinity is impossible to understand by reason alone.  By faith we can affirm the truths about the Blessed Trinity that have been divinely revealed to us and handed down to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

The Blessed Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian Faith, the very source and light of all other mysteries of Faith.  As such, it is the most fundamental and indispensable truth of Christianity, one that has been revealed to the Church and articulated by her through her reflection upon Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.  (Cf. CCC 234-250, 252)

The Most Holy Trinity is one God in three divine Persons.  The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and each is of the same divine “substance,” “essence,” or “nature.”  They are differentiated as three Persons only in their relationship to one another: “It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds.” (Lateran Council IV [1215]: DS 804).  Yet we ought not attempt to distinguish the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity by their perceived “functions,” as though it is the Father alone who creates, the Son alone who redeems, and the Spirit alone who sanctifies.  All three are united in will and share in all divine works.  (Cf. CCC 253-255, 257-267)

As is the case with all mysteries of faith, truths such as that of the Blessed Trinity are impossible to grasp with our finite, human minds.  “In addition to things to which natural reason can attain, mysteries hidden in God are proposed to us for belief which, had they not been divinely revealed, could not become known” (Dei Filius, 4: FD 3015).  We accept them on faith because it has been revealed to us as such, thus allowing faith to elevate our power of human reason to receive and come to know the other truths of Divine Revelation that have been entrusted to and handed on by the Church.  (Cf. CCC 251, 256)

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 237 and 267.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Symbols of the Holy Spirit

What symbols of the Holy Spirit are found in Scripture and in the Church?

When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting was on him.  (Mt 3:16)

There appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:3-4)

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Water, fire, and a dove are among the symbols of the Holy Spirit in Scripture and Tradition.  From Scripture are derived certain images representing the Holy Spirit and his role in the Christian life:

• Water:  Throughout salvation history, water has been a powerful image of cleansing and new life, as at Baptism.  (Cf. CCC 694)
• Anointing and the seal:  At Confirmation, the Sacred Chrism (holy oil) confers the Holy Spirit to strengthen and heal the recipient to live as an adult believer.  The believer is sealed in the Spirit:  “God the Father set his seal” on Christ and also seals us in Christ (Jn 6:27; cf. 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:3).  (Cf. CCC 695, 698)
• Fire:  At Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended as tongues of fire, bestowing gifts that enabled the Apostles to proclaim fearlessly the message of Christ (cf. Acts 2).  Fire represents both courage and purification.  (Cf. CCC 696)
• Cloud and light:  The Holy Spirit was in the cloud that led the Israelites in the desert (cf. Ex 40:36-38) and in the cloud of the Transfiguration (cf. Lk 9:34-35).  The light of the Holy Spirit reveals to us the truths of God.  (Cf. CCC 697)
• A hand:  From the early days of Christianity, the Holy Spirit has been conveyed by the laying on of hands (cf. Mk 6:5; 8:23; 10:16; Mk 16:18; Acts 5:12; 14:3), a gesture used in several Sacraments and in the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.  (Cf. CCC 699)
• The finger:  Christ expelled demons by the “finger of God,” and the Word is written “with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts” (Ex 31:18; cf. 2 Cor 3:3).  (Cf. CCC 700)
• A dove:  A dove figured in the story of the Flood—and at Christ’s own baptism (cf. Mt 3:16 and parallels).  Christian iconography often uses a dove to depict the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 701)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1189.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Speaking in Tongues

What does it mean when the Bible refers to speaking in tongues?

There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of work, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one.  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.  (1 Cor 12:4-11)

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Speaking in tongues, or glossolalia, is a gift of the Holy Spirit in which the faithful praise God or prophesy in “foreign tongues” previously unknown to the speaker.  A phenomenon that is said to be inspired in the Holy Spirit is the use of the charismatic gifts.  In their more spectacular forms, they include speaking in tongues, prophecy, interpretation of prophecy, and healing.  (Cf. CCC 768, 2003)

These gifts are mentioned in the New Testament, particularly in the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians.  Evidently addressing some abuses or conflicts the community was facing over the various gifts of the Holy Spirit, he cautioned everyone to respect the gifts and to use them properly within the context of the Mystical Body of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 799-801)

Later, St. Paul warned against envy among Christians over the gifts and urged them to seek the “higher gifts” (1 Cor 1:27-31), those means of serving the common good that are far less dramatic or spectacular.  Faith, hope, and charity (love) are the greatest gifts, with charity being the greatest of all (cf. 1 Cor 13).  (Cf. CCC 1971)

Charismatic gifts can also be seen in the healings performed by the Apostles and in their “speaking in foreign tongues” after the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, when they boldly preached openly and found that people from all nations, eighteen mentioned specifically in the account, understood them as if the Apostles were speaking their various languages (cf. Acts 2).  (Cf. CCC 731, 1287)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2003.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Mary, The Mother Of God

Why do we call the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God?

The angel said to [Mary], “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, / and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; / therefore the child to be born will be called holy, / the Son of God.”  (Lk 1:35)

God sent forth his Son, born of a woman.  (Gal 4:4)

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The Blessed Virgin Mary is honored as the Mother of God because she conceived and gave birth to Christ, who is the incarnation of God the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

Since the first centuries of Christianity, the Church customarily has regarded the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God for a simple, logical reason: By the power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Since the divine Person, God the Son, assumed, or took on, human nature, she is the Mother of God in the fullest since:  “What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ” (CCC 487).  The Church solemnly defined this belief at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus AD 431.

But how can a mere mortal be the Mother of the eternal God who has always existed?  Consider how we speak of human motherhood.  Our own mothers supply our human nature, our physical bodies; yet, it is God who supplies our spirit and soul.  We do not distinguish between the two: a mother gives birth not only to our nature but to our entire person.

In regard to Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary supplied his humanity and is thus the Mother of Jesus.  But Christ has both a human nature and a divine nature.  Nevertheless, she gave birth to the one Person who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man.  She is rightly called the Mother of God even though she herself is not the source of his divinity.  (Cf. CCC 496)

This doctrine is taught implicitly in Scripture, especially in those passages where the Blessed Virgin Mary is called the “Mother of Jesus,” or the “Mother of Christ”—perhaps most strikingly when St. Elizabeth greets her with the following words:  “Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43, emphasis added).  Her identity as the Mother of God is intimately linked to Christ’s own identity as fully man and fully God, the Son of God.  (Cf. CCC 509)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 495.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Perpetual Virginity of Mary

What evidence is there that the Blessed Virgin Mary remained a virgin throughout her life?

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”  And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.  (Jn 19:26-27)

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While not explicitly mentioned in Scripture, the Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in no way contradicts Sacred Scripture; it has been held by the Church since her earliest days and thus is securely taught by Sacred Tradition.

From the beginning, the Church has always proclaimed her belief in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ.  This is mentioned throughout Scripture and is precisely affirmed in the Apostles’ Creed.  Furthermore, it was confirmed many times by Church councils.  (Cf. CCC 496)

In addition to proclaiming the Blessed Virgin Mary’s virginity before the Birth of Christ, the writings of the Church Fathers attest that the Church, from its earliest years, has taught that she remained a virgin after the Birth of Christ; she “remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin” (St. Augustine, Serm., 186, 1: PL 38, 999).  A council at the Lateran AD 649 specifically addressed this ancient belief in her virginity before, during, and after childbirth, that is, her Perpetual Virginity (cf. DS 503).  Thus, the Church proclaims that the Blessed Virgin Mary remained a virgin not only before the conception of Christ but always.  (Cf. CCC 499, 510)

Although the Bible makes reference to the “brothers” and “sisters” of Christ, the Aramaic language spoken by Christ and his disciples does not have a word that differentiates “brother” from “cousin” or “near relative,” so such a reference would be ambiguous in translation.  St. James, son of Cleophas, is referred to as a brother of Christ when in fact he was Christ’s cousin.  Also, when one reads Christ’s declaration from the Cross, “Behold, your mother!” (Jn 19:27), one can reasonably conclude that the Blessed Virgin Mary was entrusted to St. John’s care because she had no other children.  (Cf. CCC 500, 2674)

The Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary reflects the great value of virginity in both its bodily and spiritual dimensions.  The call to live a life of virginity has always been honored as a reflection of her virginity.  “Our Lord… did not diminish His mother’s virginal integrity but sanctified it” (LG 57).  Virginity frees a person to live a life dedicated totally to God, as the parenthood of the few is replaced with a parenthood of many.  (Cf. CCC 510, 922)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 499 and 510.

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To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Immaculate Conception

What is the Immaculate Conception?

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”  (Lk 1:28-29)

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The Immaculate Conception refers to the dogma that the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of Original Sin in preparation for becoming the Mother of God the Son, Jesus Christ.

Before the creation of the world, God the Father chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus Christ.  The Archangel Gabriel announced to her that she was “full of grace” (Lk 1:29)—or God’s “favored one,” as in some Scripture translations—indicating her unique worthiness to conceive the Son of God; she “was enriched by God with the gifts which befit such a role” (LG 56).  From the very beginning the Church has believed not only that the Blessed Virgin Mary was a virgin but also that she was not conceived with any stain of Original Sin into which everyone is conceived  after the sin of Adam and Eve.  This unique privilege enabled her to fulfill perfectly her unique mission as the Mother of God.  God the Father blessed the Mother of his Son more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [and chose her] in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love” (Bl. Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus [1854]: DS 2803).  (Cf. CCC 966)

This ancient belief was solemnly proclaimed on December 8, 1854, by Bl. Pius IX in the bull Ineffabilis Deus, which declared the Immaculate Conception of the blessed Virgin Mary a dogma of the Faith.  As if to affirm the solemn proclamation, she appeared to St. Bernadette at Lourdes four years later, identifying herself: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”  The Church marks December 8 as the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Due to the absence of any stain of or effects of Original Sin, the Blessed Virgin Mary did not suffer from any of the disordered passions that can lead to sin and thus remained sinless all her life.  Whenever the Church teaches that all people of sinned, it has always been careful to exclude the Mother of God, who enjoyed this special privilege of God in anticipation of the merits of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 493, 508)

The Church has celebrated the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a feast since perhaps as early as the fifth century, and it was made a Holy Day of Obligation in 1708.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 490 and 492.

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To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Assumption of Mary

How did the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary develop?

A great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars…. She brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.  (Rev 12:1-5)

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The dogma that the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed into Heavy body and soul is implicit in Scripture and has been held by the Church since the early centuries of Christianity.  This dogma was solemnly defined in 1950 by Pope Piux XII through the constitution Munificentissimus Deus.

As the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary has a unique relationship with God that surpasses all creatures who had come before or who would follow.  By her cooperation with God’s will, salvation was brought into the world through Jesus Christ.  (Cf. CCC 494, 511)

The Assumption into Heaven of those especially close to God is not without precedent in the Old Testament: Enoch (cf. Heb 11:5) and Elijah (cf. 2 Kgs 2:11) each are spoken of as having been taken by God without having died.  It is fitting that Christ would bring his own Mother to Heaven.

In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life.  You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death. (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion, Feast of the Dormition, August 15; cf. CCC 974)

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a logical extension of her Immaculate Conception: since she was preserved from any stain of Original Sin, she did not suffer its consequences of concupiscence and death.

The Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all guilt of original sin, on the completion of her earthly sojourn, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:16) and the conqueror of sin and death. (LG 59; cf. CCC 2853)

In her theology and her liturgy, the Church interprets the figure in the Book of Revelation of the “woman clothed with the sun” (Rev 12:1) as the Blessed Virgin Mary, who appears in Heaven full of glory.

Since the fourth century the Church has celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15; in the Eastern Churches this feast is known as the Dormition of the Virgin.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 966.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

True God and True Man

How is Jesus Christ both fully God and fully man?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made….  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father.  (Jn 1:1-3, 14)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  (Phil 2:5-8)

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Jesus Christ, the co-eternal Word of God and Only-Begotten Son of God, took on our full humanity in the Incarnation without loss of his divinity.  This is a mystery of the Faith that is foundational to Christian belief.

This belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is the very foundation of Christianity, and it is a teaching found throughout the New Testament.  In the prologue of his Gospel, St. John emphasized that Christ is the consubstantial Son of the Father.  (Consubstantial comes from a Latin word meaning “of one and the same substance.”)  He did this by describing Christ as the Word (in Greek, Logos) who has existed for all eternity and who is a Person coexistent with God, for he is God himself (cf. Jn 1:1).  (Cf. CCC 251-252)

As the Only-Begotten Son of god, Jesus Christ possesses the divine nature of his Father and is eternal.  As the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he took on, or assumed, the human nature in the Incarnation; this the same human nature, inherited from Adam and Eve, that we all share.  This union of human and divine natures—without mixing the two or confusing either one—in the one Person of Jesus Christ is called the hypostatic union.  Through the power of God the Holy Spirit, God the Son took on a human body and soul in the womb of his Mother.  (Cf. CCC 470-471)

As perfect man and perfect God, Christ has both a human intellect and will and a divine intellect and will.  Yet, his human will and intellect is united to his divine will and intellect such that he is completely obedient to his divine will and there “like us in all things but sin” (Eucharistic Prayer IV).  (Cf. CCC 472-475)

In the early centuries of Christianity, various heresies doubted Christ’s full humanity or full divinity.  Through several Ecumenical Councils the Magisterium refuted these heresies to confirm the understanding of Christ that we continue to possess today.  (Cf. CCC 465-468, 471)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 464.

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To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Early Christological Heresies

What were some heresies in the early Church concerning Christ?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father.  (Jn 1:1-3, 14)

[Jesus] asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?”  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  (Mt 16:13-16)

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In the early centuries of Christianity, as the Church wrestled with fully understanding the identity of Christ, the Magisterium had to confront a number of heresies that challenged Christ’s humanity and divinity.  The Church teaches as a matter of dogma that Christ is true God and true man, but it took centuries for the Magisterium to formulate this teaching in theological language.  Several false teachings, or heresies, arose that created confusion and required an official response.  (Cf. CCC 464)

Among the early heresies were the following:

• Docetism  claimed that Christ was pure spirit and that his physical body was an illusion.  They held that Christ did not truly die on the Cross but merely the illusion of the body.  The Catholic Church has always taught that Christ “was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, / and became man” (Nicene Creed) and that “Christ’s death was a real death” (CCC 627).
• Arianism  claimed that Jesus was a highly exalted creation of God the Father but not eternal or consubstantial with the Father.  The First Ecumenical Council of Nicæa (AD 325) affirmed in response that Christ was “begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father” (Nicene Creed), i.e., of the same substance, or nature, or essence, as the Father.  (Cf. CCC 465)
• Nestorianism  taught that Christ’s human nature was loosely joined to the divine nature of the Son of God.  The Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (AD 431) refuted this by clarifying that Christ possesses two natures, human and divine, and that these natures were fully united in his divine Person from his conception in what we call the hypostatic union.  (Cf. CCC 466)
• Monophysitism  taught that Christ’s humanity was absorbed into his divinity, leaving him with either a divine nature alone or some new mixture of mostly divine and a small part human nature.  The Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon rebutted this heresy (AD 451); later, the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople (AD 553) made further clarifications to the teaching.  (Cf. CCC 467-468)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 464.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Christ’s Descent Into Hell

What does it mean when we say that Christ “descended into Hell”?

“[The Patriarch David] foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.”  (Acts 2:31)

Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison.  (1 Pt 3:18-19)

This is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.  (1 Pt 4:6)

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When the Apostles’ Creed speaks of hell, it refers not to the eternal Hell but to the abode of those persons who had died before the Redemption, both the just and the unjust.  Christ the Redeemer went there after his own Death and preached salvation to the souls who were there.  Scripture uses the Hebrew term Sheol, or the Greek Hades, to refer to this place of the dead; in addition, the New Testament sometimes refers to it as the Bosom of Abraham:

[Jesus said to the Pharisees,] “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom.”  (Lk 16:22-23)

This “hell” is distinct from the post-Resurrection concept of Hell, which designates the state of eternal separation from communion with God and the blessed in Heaven.

Because Christ had not yet completed his act of redemption by rising from the dead, the just who had died could not have entered into eternal life.  At his own Death, because he was truly human, Christ descended into hell.  However, since he was not a human person but the divine Son of God who would redeem the world, he was able to announce the Good News of salvation to the just there.  (Cf. CCC 632-634)

By virtue of his descent into hell, Christ opened the gates of Heaven to the just who had been awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise of Redemption.  “It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham’s bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell” (Roman Catechism, I, 6, 3).  (Cf. CCC 635)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 633.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Redemptive Suffering

What is the value of taking up our cross, or suffering?

For [Christ Jesus’] sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  (Phil 3:8-12)

I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.  (Col 1:24)

Rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  (1 Pt 4:13)

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By enduring our own personal trials and hardships virtuously, we can unite our sufferings to the Passion of Christ.  In doing so, we allow our suffering to share in Christ’s act of redemption.

Christ became man in order to suffer and die for us and thereby save us from our sins (cf. Jn 1:29; cf. Is 53:4-6).  “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases” (Mt 8:17; cf. Is 53:4).  In calling us to take up our daily cross, he asks us to “offer up” all our pain and suffering virtuously in imitation of him.  By configuring ourselves to Christ and his redemptive act, we can give our suffering a redemptive character.  Thus, through our suffering, trials, hardships, and labors, we can grow in holiness and closer to Christian perfection.  (Cf. CCC 1505, 1521, 2460)

During his earthly ministry Christ took a special interest in the sick and suffering, visiting them and often healing them; he identified closely with those who suffer.  By inviting us to take up our own personal crosses, he beckons us to identify ourselves ever more closely with his sufferings and share in his act of redemption.  (Cf. CCC 618, 1502-1503)

There are two popular misconceptions of Christ’s Redemption and our proper response to it.  One understands that his Passion was a mere endurance of physical pain—the scourged, beaten, and crucified Christ as a victim because he did not have the power to stop his torturers; this view leaves us as mere observers who have no role in his suffering.  The other views the Redemption as nothing more than an appeal to the subjective influence of the Passion on our lives.  While it is true that we receive the benefit of Christ’s Redemption, we are also called to share in his redemption by taking up our own crosses and uniting them with his.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1505.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Twelve Tribes and the Twelve Apostles

Why is it significant that Christ chose Twelve Apostles?

[Jesus] called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles. (Lk 6:13)

“You are those who have continued with me in my trials; as my Father appointed a kingdom for me, so do I appoint for you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  (Lk 22:28-30)

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Jesus chose Twelve Apostles because they represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel, thus showing a link between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

In the Old Testament the number twelve is symbolic of perfection and completion, particularly in matters of governance.  Hence, the twelve sons of Jacob gave rise to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who combined to form a kingdom in the Promised Land, which had its political center in Jerusalem.  In the New Testament when Christ was beginning his earthly ministry, he chose twelve of his disciples to be his inner circle, his Apostles, whom he endowed with special powers and responsibilities to govern his Church.  They represented the Twelve Tribes of Israel of the Old Covenant and form the basis of the New Covenant.  Ultimately, in Heaven the Twelve Apostles will judge the Twelve Tribes of Israel (cf. Lk 22:30).  (Cf. CCC 551)

The number of Apostles reflects the continuity of the Old and New Law and the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in the New Covenant established by Christ.  It also looks ahead to the everlasting Kingdom of Heaven, where the faithful will be gathered under God’s holy reign.  In the Book of Revelation, the “twelve apostles of the Lamb” have their names inscribed on the twelve foundations of the city, underscoring the Apostles’ foundational role in the building of God’s kingdom through their apostolic ministry.  (Cf. CCC 865)

The number twelve appears in other parts of Scripture, each of which symbolizes a perfection of governance.  In the Old Testament there were twelve patriarchs from Shem (the son of Noah) to Jacob, whom God renamed Israel.  The sons and tribes of Israel, though there were thirteen, are in every instance recorded as a list of twelve names, usually but not always excluding Levi.  There were twelve people anointed to serve governmental functions, including Aaron, Saul, David, and Solomon.  In the New Testament the Book of Revelation presents twelve foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem, twelve gates, twelve pearls, and twelve angels, all of which symbolize the perfection of Heaven.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 765.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Apostolic Succession

What is Apostolic Succession?

Jesus answered [Simon Peter], “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  (Mt 16:17-19)

They cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.  (Acts 1:26)

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Apostolic Succession describes how the teaching and governing authority of the Church, established by Christ himself through his Apostles under the leadership of and in communion with St. Peter, has been handed down through the centuries in the Catholic hierarchy.

When Christ established his Church as the one assembly of God’s faithful people, he gave her a visible structure and hierarchy.  He did this by selecting Twelve Apostles to serve as her first bishops, and from among these men he chose St. Peter as their head, the “Rock” upon which he would build his Church.  Christ “formed [his Apostles] after the manner of a college or a stable group, over which He placed Peter chosen from among them” (LG 19; cf. Lk 6:13; Jn 21:15-17).  In giving St. Peter the “keys to the kingdom,” Christ appointed his chief Apostle as his vicar, his source and sign of ecclesial unity on earth.”  Just as in the Gospel… St. Peter and the other apostles constitute one apostolic college, so in a similar way the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are joined together” (LG 22; cf. CIC 330).  St. Peter and the Apostles would teach in Christ’s name under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who guarantees that the Church’s teaching authority (Magisterium) will always be protected against doctrinal error.  (Cf. CCC 85-88, 830-834, 936)

Soon after Christ had ascended to Heaven, the Apostles recognized the need to appoint successors.  They knew that the mission Christ entrusted to them was to continue beyond their deaths and endure until the Second Coming, so they elected St. Matthias to take the place of Judas.  Later, Christ himself called St. Paul to be an Apostle.  Sts. Timothy and Titus were also among the first men designated and ordained to share in the apostolic mission.  (Cf. CCC 77, 883-896, 1087)

The early Fathers of the Church such as Pope St. Clement I (d. ca. AD 99) testify to this succession (cf. I Clement, 44:1-3).  All Catholic bishops today assume their office through episcopal consecration and trace their authority in an unbroken line to the original Apostles of first-century Christianity.  The Pope himself is a direct successor to St. Peter.  (Cf. CCC 1555-1560, 1576)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 880.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Apostolic Tradition

What is apostolic Tradition?

Brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.  (2 Thes 2:15)

I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you.  (1 Cor 11:2)

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Sacred Tradition, or apostolic Tradition (from the Latin traditio, meaning “to hand on”), refers to the Church’s teachings that have been passed down by the successors of the Apostles.  “Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God” (DV 10)—a single gift of God to the Church.

The Apostles, eyewitnesses to the teachings and events of Christ’s public ministry, were charged with faithfully preserving and handing on what they had received.  “The Church, in her teaching, life and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that she herself is, all that she believes” (DV 8).  This Tradition was at first transmitted by word of mouth and only later in written form, as in the books of the New Testament.  The written text was just one way that the Word of God lived in the Church (cf. 2 Thes 2:15).  Sacred Tradition actually preceded and gave rise to the writing of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.  (Cf. CCC 81, 83, 120)

For St. Paul, the Tradition that had been passed on by “word of mouth” was as authoritative as the Gospels and letters that had already been put in written form.  The faith of the Church was not only a book but also a living faith that Christ had given to the Apostles.  (Cf. CCC 77-79, 82)

The New Testament itself shows that the Apostles gave the faithful more than texts.  They passed on rituals, like the rites to celebrate the Sacraments (cf. 1 Cor 11:23); they pronounced blessings (cf. Acts 6:6); they conveyed authority to others (cf. Acts 13:3); and they healed the sick (cf. Acts 28:8).  “The words of the holy fathers witness to the presence of this living tradition, whose wealth is poured into the practice and life of the believing and praying Church” (DV 8).  (Cf. CCC 84)

The Second Vatican Council spoke of the fullness of Christian Tradition: “What was handed on by the Apostles includes everything which contributes toward the holiness of life and increase in faith of the people of God; and so the Church, in her teaching, life and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that she herself is, all that she believes” (DV 8).

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 78 and 97.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Hidden Life of Christ

What can we learn from the “Hidden Life” of Christ?

[Jesus] went down to them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart…. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.  (Lk 2:51-52)

On the sabbath [Jesus] began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying … “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”  (Mk 6:2-3)

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Christ’s earthly life between his infancy and the age of thirty years were spent in virtual anonymity, leaving an example for us of how we can sanctify our everyday lives.

The Gospels speak eloquently of many things that Christ said and did during his public ministry, but even his years of obscurity—his so-called “hidden years,” of which the Gospels are virtually silent—speak volumes for us.  Aside from the story of his being found in the Temple at the age of twelve after having gone missing from his family, the years between his infancy and his public ministry, a span of nearly thirty years, remains shrouded in mystery except for this:  he remained obedient to his parents, and he “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Lk 2:51-52).  But in this obedience he was already preparing for and beginning his mission to redeem humanity from sin.  (Cf. CCC 514, 532, 534)

In his Hidden Life, Christ provides a model for our own everyday lives as faithful Christians.  In his youth, he was obedient to his parents, an obedience and submission that would culminate in his submission to the will of the Father on the Cross (cf. Lk 22:42), which atoned for our own disobedience (cf. Rom 5:19).  In all things he sought and acquired wisdom and maintained communion with the Father while serving as a model for his fellow men and women.

The Hidden Life of Christ suggests that he lived in humility, attending to his family and professional duties as he worked his trade as a carpenter while also giving proper time and attention to a life of prayer and contemplation.  In like manner, we are called to carry on the responsibilities of our lives, mindful always of our duty and opportunity to sanctify our family and our daily activities humbly and faithfully.  (Cf. CCC 517, 533, 1115)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 532.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as the Family of God

In what ways is the Church the Family of God?

Stretching out his hand toward his disciples, [Jesus] said, “Here are my mother and my brethren!  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.”  (Mt 12:49-50)

God said, “I will welcome you, / and I will be a father to you, / and you shall be my sons and daughters, / says the Lord Almighty.”  (2 Cor 6:17-18)

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God calls every human person to become his son or daughter, to come into his true family in Christ.  The Church is the assembly of all who respond to that call.

The image of the Church as the Family of God is found throughout Christ’s teaching.  In the Gospels he makes frequent use of family imagery to define his mission, his Person, his commands, his relationship both with God and with his disciples, and the Church’s own relationship with God.  And although Christ also uses other images—both primary and secondary—when speaking of his Church, the image of family remains dominant.  Christ is the eternal Son, sent to regather in himself those whom the Father has called to be his beloved sons and daughters (cf. Eph 1:5).  For this reason, the Catechism teaches that “the Church is nothing other than ‘the family of God'” (CCC 1655).

It is by the Sacrament of Baptism that we become the adopted sons and daughters of God, for it is there that we first receive the sanctifying grace that incorporates us into God’s family.  God’s acceptance of every one of us as his son or daughter is called divine filiation.  This divine filiation that was begun in Baptism is strengthened in the Sacrament of Confirmation.  (Cf. CCC 1213, 1303, 2026, 2798)

The Fatherhood of God is not simply a metaphor.  Christ has revealed that God is an eternal and perfect Father—our Abba, meaning “Father,” or, still closer, “Daddy”—beside whom even the best earthly father pales in comparison.  St. Paul reminds us that God’s Fatherhood is the origin and standard of human fatherhood (cf. Eph 3:14).  (Cf. CCC 2214, 2398)

Although Christ alone is the eternal and Only0Begotten Son of the Father, he nonetheless teaches all of his disciples to approach God as “Our Father.”  United to Christ, the Son, in Baptism, we too become sons and daughters of the Father.  (Cf. CCC 854, 959)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 542 and 2233.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as the People of God

Why is the Church called the People of God?

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah…. I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (Jer 31:31-33)

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were no people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.  (1 Pt 2:9-10)

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The Church, the congregation of all those who believe in Christ, is the People of God, which he himself bought with his Blood.  It is closely related to the assembly of Israel at Mount Sinai.  After setting the Israelites free from their bondage in Egypt, god made a covenant with Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, promising that if they kept the covenant, they would be his Chosen People, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

In the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, God once again set his people free—and called upon all to become his disciples, thus forming the new People of God:

At all times and in every race God has given welcome to whosoever fears Him and does what is right (cf. Acts 10:35).  God, however, does not make men holy and save them merely as individuals, without bond or link between one another.  Rather has it pleased Him to bring men together as one people, a people which acknowledges Him in truth and serves Him in holiness.  He therefore chose the race of Israel as a people unto Himself.  With it He set up a covenant…. All these things, however, were done by way in preparation and as a figure of that new and perfect covenant, which was to be ratified by Christ…. Christ instituted this new covenant, the new testament, that is to say, in His Blood (cf. 1 Cor 11:25), calling together a people made up of Jew and gentile, making them one, not according to the flesh but in the Spirit.  (LG 9; cf. CCC 804)

The People of God have several identifying characteristics.  God calls together his people from among all peoples of the earth.  They become members by faith and Baptism, and have Christ himself as their head.  they possess dignity and freedom as children of God, living according to the new commandment of love and carrying out his sacred mission within the world by virtue of their vocation as a priestly, prophetic, and royal people.  Finally, God’s people are destined for eternal glory in Heaven.  (Cf. CCC 782-786, 802, 1141, 1268)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 781.

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To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as the Mystical Body of Christ

Why is the Church called the Mystical Body of Christ?

As in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  (Rom 12:5)

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ…. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.  (1 Cor 12:12, 27)

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The Mystical Body of Christ is a scriptural image of the Church drawn from the teachings of Christ and St. Paul that illustrates her unity in Christ, her relationship to him, and the interdependence of her members.

The image of the Church as the Body of Christ is found chiefly in the Epistles of St. Paul as they describe the relationship between the Church and Christ.  St. Paul’s understanding derived from his conversion on the road to Damascus, when Christ asked him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?… I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4-5; emphasis added).  Christ had already completed his earthly ministry; undergone his Passion, Death, and Resurrection; and ascended into Heaven, but he identified the persecuted members of the Church on earth with his own Body.  During his public ministry Christ also expressed this intimate relationship between himself and his Church, where the two are spoken of as one Body.  (Cf. CCC 787)

The image of the Church as the Body of Christ is significant because it indicates that the Church is not simply a community of members gather around Christ but that the Church is united in him, in his Body (cf. CCC 789).  The faithful are incorporated and fortified into the Body of Christ through the Sacraments of Initiation, beginning with Baptism.  Through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the faithful are united together in Christ’s Mystical Body; that is, brought into communion with one another through communion with Christ, their Head (cf. Col 1:17-18).  (Cf. CCC 789)

As the Mystical body of Christ, the Church extends Christ’s work of salvation throughout time.  The faithful play diverse roles in the Church just as various body parts have diverse functions (cf. LG 7).  Rather than harm the body, this serves its unity.  (Cf. CCC 776, 846, 1111)

The Holy Spirit acts in the Mystical Body of Christ by giving us grace, unifying and animating the Body, comparable to how the soul functions in the human person (cf. LG 7).  (Cf. CCC 797, 1108)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 779 and 1416.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as the Sacrament of Communion

Why is the Church called the “Sacrament of Communion”?

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.  (1 Cor 10:17)

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The Church is the Sacrament of Communion because of her unique and intimate relationship both within humanity and with God himself.  The Church is fundamentally a community of men and women united in Christ’s fullness of grace as Head of his Mystical Body.  (Cf. CCC 1140)

The Church’s communion—in Greek, koinonia,* includes both an invisible dimension (intimate communion among the Persons of the Blessed Trinity and all humanity) and the visible dimension (communion in the teaching of the Apostles, the Sacraments, and the hierarchical order).†  This communion, then, implies a spiritual solidarity among the members of the Church inasmuch as they are members of one Body, united in Christ.  The union of the Church with Christ is described in Scripture as that of a Bride with her Bridegroom.  (Cf. CCC 771-773)

This communion is above all a gift from God, a new relationship between the members of the Church and God that has been established in Christ and is communicated through the Sacraments and also extends a new relationship to humans among themselves.  It is through this communion that God seeks to gather all of humanity to him in order to draw them toward eternal salvation—the ultimate unity of the human race rooted in heavenly glory.  (Cf. CCC 775-776)

Through Baptism the faithful are incorporated into a Body—the Church—which the risen Lord builds up and sustains through the Eucharist.  The Eucharist, the root and center of the community, is the source of communion among the members of the Church; it unites each one of them with Christ himself (cf. 1 Cor 10:17; LG 7).  “When we share in the body and blood of Christ we become what we receive”  (St. Leo the Great, Sermo, 63, 7).  (Cf. CCC 2837)

By giving us his Body, the Lord transforms us into one Body: the Church.  Hence, St. Paul’s identification of the Church with the Body of Christ means that the Church expresses herself principally in the Eucharist.  While present everywhere, the Church is yet One, just as Christ is one.  (Cf. CCC 1396, 1398)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 777 and 780.

* Cf. St, John Paul II, Address to the Bishops of the United States of America, n. 1, September 16, 1987: Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II, X, 3 [1987], p. 553.

† Cf. Ratzinger, Joseph, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some Aspects of the Church Understood as Communion, 3.

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To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as the Bride of Christ

Why is the Church called the “Bride of Christ”?

The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her…. This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church.  (Eph 5:23-32)

The disciples of John came to [Jesus], saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”  And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?  The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.  (Mt 9:14-15)

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In his Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul compared the relationship between Christ and his Church as that of a bridegroom and his bride:  a headship that is expressed as a covenantal love of total self-giving for the sake of his spouse.

Christ also referred to himself as the “bridegroom” (cf. Mt 9:15; Mk 2:19-20, Lk 5:34-35), and the Church is “adorned” as a bride in the Book of Revelation.  Christ represented himself as the Bridegroom in his parable of the ten maidens (cf. Mt 25:1-13), and even St. John the Baptist referred to Christ as a Bridegroom and to himself as the “friend of the bridegroom” (Jn 3:28-29).  (Cf. CCC 523, 796)

After describing the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ—in which the faithful are members or parts of the Body with Christ as its Head—St. Paul went on to explain this “headship” of Christ over his Body as that of a husband’s union with his wife, his bride (cf. Eph 5:23).  A few verses later he quoted a passage from Genesis that helps draw together these two seemingly unrelated images: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Mt 19:5; cf. Gn 2:24).  St. Paul recognized that it is as Christ’s Bride that the Church is made “one flesh” with him; the Church is truly his Body through which fallen humanity is reunited with God.  (Cf. CCC 789, 823, 1089)

In the Book of Revelation, the image appears again as the Church, the “holy city, the new Jerusalem,” descends from Heaven “as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2) to become “the wife of the Lamb” (Rev 21:9), who is Christ.  (Cf. CCC 756, 865, 1045, 1138)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 789.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as Necessary for Salvation

Must a person be a member of the Church in order to be saved?

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  (Mk 16:16)

“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”  (Jn 6:54)

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All salvation comes through Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church founded by Christ, regardless of whether the saved person is a member of that Church.  Christ has willed to bestow the merits of his redemption through his Church.  The two Scripture references above point to the necessity of the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and the Eucharist.  Therefore, as the Body of Christ, the Church is “the way” of salvation.  This is why she is also called the “Sacrament of Salvation.”  (Cf. CCC 776, 849, 1111)

The phrase “outside the Church there is no salvation” (“Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus“) was first coined by St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in the third century.  This traditional teaching was further clarified by Pope Bl. Pius IX (cf. Allocution of December 9, 1854).  While emphasizing that all salvation comes from Christ through the Catholic Church., Pope Bl. Pius taught that God does not impute guilt to those who are innocently unaware of the truth of the Catholic Church.  Those who are not aware of the truths of the Church through no fault of their own may attain salvation if they are seeking the truth and try to live according to the truth.  People invincibly ignorant of the truth of the Catholic Church are expected to follow the natural law that is written on the hearts of all people (cf. LG 16; cf. DS 3866-3872).  God binds salvation to Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his Sacraments.  (Cf. CCC 847, 1257, 1955-1956)

It is important to remember that “all men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and his Church, and to embrace it and hold on to it as they come to know it” (DH 1).  (cf. CCC 2104, 2467)

The possibility that people who have never heard the Gospel can be saved does not excuse Catholics from fulfilling their role in the evangelical mission of the Church.  Everyone has the right to hear the truth, and Christ instructed his Apostles to preach to and make disciples of all people.  Without the Sacraments and the guidance of the teaching authority established by Christ, those who do not hear the gospel are at a decided disadvantage as far as the pursuit of truth and holiness is concerned.  This reality makes it all the more urgent that we lead others, by our word and example, toward full union with our Lord through the Church.  For this reason, the Church has always held her missionary role as essential priority.  (Cf. CCC 848-856)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 846.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Mary as the Mother of the Church

Why do we refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the “Mother of the Church”?

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”  And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.  (Jn 19:26-27)

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The Blessed Virgin Mary, because she is the Mother of Christ our Redeemer, is likewise the mother of the Church and, in a special way, the Mother of all believers as well as the Mother of all humanity.

The meaning of this title runs still deeper, however.  By her complete obedience and cooperation with God, the Blessed Virgin Mary models for us perfect discipleship.  she served as a key instrument in our salvation because through her Christ came to restore us in his grace and divine life.  Her role in giving earthly life to Christ made it possible for us to receive eternal life through Christ.  She is thus the Mother of the faithful “in the order of grace.”  (Cf. CCC 963, 968)

The faithful of the Church in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth are members of the Mystical Body of Christ.  The Blessed Virgin Mary, as the Mother of Christ, is the source of his human body.  St. Paul taught clearly that we are members of Christ’s Body.  Thus, the Mother of Christ is therefore the Mother of the Church and our Mother, too.

This was reinforced at the foot of the Cross when Christ entrusted his Mother to St. John, his faithful and beloved disciple; it serves as a sign of her Motherhood to all the faithful.  In a still larger sense, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother not only to the faithful of the Church but also of all the living because Christ came in order to save every human person.  For members of the Church, she becomes our partner in prayer, as “the prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope” (CCC 2679).

We believe that the Blessed Mother of god, the New Eve, Mother of the Church (cf. LG 53, 56, 61, 63), continues in heaven her maternal role with regard to Christ’s members, cooperating with the birth and growth of divine life in the souls of the redeemed (cf. LG 62.  (Paul VI, CPG 15).

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 975.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Fathers of the Church

Who are the “Fathers of the Church”?

Though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers.  For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.  (1 Cor 4:15)

Brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.  (2 Thes 2:15)

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The early Church Fathers, or Fathers of the Church, form the bedrock of the Church’s Tradition.  They were great Christian writers who taught and clarified the teachings of the Church from the first through the eighth centuries.  “The Church, in her teaching, life and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that she herself is, all that she believes…. The words of the holy fathers witness to the presence of this living tradition, whose wealth is poured into the practice and life of the believing and praying Church” (DV 8).

Although there is no official title or list of the “Fathers of the Church,” these teachers and theologians are recognized universally for their holiness, orthodoxy, contributions toward Christian theology (Cf. CCC 11, 236, 250), and piety (Cf. CCC 1177, 2687).  Throughout history, their teachings have been cited in support for the doctrines and pious practices of the Church.  Even today, the Fathers of the Church are called upon for their wisdom, sanctity, and witness to the beauty of Sacred Tradition under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 688)

Some of the Church Fathers (Cf. CCC 8):

• Pope St. Clement of Rome (d. 97) and St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. 110) wrote letters and teachings that were widely influential in the early Church.
• St. Justin Martyr (d. 165) was a pagan philosopher who became a fervent Christian apologist.
• St. Irenæus (d. 202), St. Athanasius (d. 373), St. Gregory of Nazianzen (d. 389), and St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) were among Fathers who helped defeat early heresies concerning the natures of Christ and the equality of Persons in the Blessed Trinity.
• St. Jerome (d. 420) translated the Bible into Latin, which was then the language of the people.
• St. John Damascene (d. 749) defended the practice of venerating images of Christ and the saints against those who considered it idolatry.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 78 and 1094.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Marks of the Church

What are the “marks” of the Church?

“Now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.  Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one…. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one…. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  (Jn 17:11-17)

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The marks of the Church are four essential, indivisible characteristics of the Church (Cf. DS 2888), possessed by virtue of her having been founded by Christ and her divine mission; they are enumerated in the Nicene Creed.  “This is the one Church of Christ which in the Creed is professed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic” (LG 8).  (Cf. CCC 811-812)

The Church is One because she was founded by Christ.  St. Paul described the Church as the Mystical body of Christ, made up of diverse members, bonded in charity (cf. 1 Cor 12:27).  In her intrinsic unity, she is thus an image of the Blessed Trinity, which is her very source.  She also possesses visible signs of her unity: the one faith received from the Apostles; the Sacraments; and the bishops, who are the direct successors of the Apostles.  (Cf. CCC 813-815)

The Church is Holy because she is sanctified by Christ, who is the “Holy One of God” (Mk 1:24; Lk 4:34; Jn 6:69; cf. 1 Jn 2:20; Acts 2:27; 13:15) and loves her as his Bride; she in turn is empowered to sanctify people by the power of Christ and his Holy Spirit working through her, especially in her Sacraments.  (Cf. CCC 823-829)

The Church is Catholic for two reasons:  First, she is the one true Church founded by Christ and is intended for everybody throughout the world in every age; second, she in turn is commissioned with preaching the Gospel to all peoples, drawing every human person to the Church for the sake of his or her salvation.  Everyone is called to become part of the one Church in Christ.  (Cf. CCC 830-856)

The Church is Apostolic because she was founded upon the Apostles, whom Christ established as her leaders and first pastors, with St. Peter as their head.  The teachings of the Apostles were handed on to their successors from generation to generation.  Even today, the bishops in union with the Pope, who are the inheritors of this line of Apostolic Succession, guide the Church by a chain of authority that leads back to the very institution of the Church of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 857-864)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 811.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Precepts of the Church

What are the Precepts of the Church?

Train yourself in godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise fo the present life and also for the life to come.  (1 Tm 4:7-8)

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The Precepts of the Church are five positive laws that the Church gives to guide the faithful to fulfill at least a minimum level of prayer, moral reflection, spiritual growth, and love for God and neighbor.

Far from serving as an onerous legal imposition on the faithful, the Precepts of the Church serve as a fundamental minimum of pious practice expected of all members of the faithful.  There are five precepts listed in the Catechism (cf. CCC 2041):

• The first precept requires that all members of the Church attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and refrain from those activities that would impede the proper sanctification of these days.
• The second precept requires every member of the faithful, after having reached the age of discretion, to confess in kind and number all of their grave sins in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation at least once a year.  It is recommended that they also confess their venial sins.
• The third precept states that the faithful must receive the Eucharist at least annually during the Easter season.  (Cf. CCC 2042)
• The fourth precept stipulates that the faithful must observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence during hte liturgical year as a penitential practice.  The prescribed days of fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  On these days Catholics from the age of eighteen through fifty-nine may have one full meal and two smaller meals, which together do not equal a full meal.  Every Friday of the year is a day of abstinence, and Catholics from the age of fourteen should abstain from eating meat.  On Fridays outside of Lent, the bishops’ conference may allow the faithful in its region of the world to substitute abstinence from meat with an act of charity or penance.
• The fifth and final precept obliges the faithful to contribute to the material needs of the Church as they are able.  (Cf. CCC 2043)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 2041 and 2048.

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An Apologetical Explanation of the

Magisterium

What is the Magisterium of the Church?

Jesus came and said to [to the eleven disciples], “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”  (Mt 28:18-20)

Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.  (2 Tim 1:13-14)

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The Magisterium is the official teaching authority of the Church, constituted by the Pope and the bishops in union with him.  Its authority comes from Christ, and its guidance comes from the Holy Spirit.

Many of the teachings found in Sacred Scripture can be difficult to understand.  Different people—even well-educated people—can and do interpret the same passage of Scripture in very different ways.  When questions regarding the teachings of Christ arose in the first years following his Ascension, the early Christians naturally turned to the Apostles for guidance.  We see this very clearly when a question arose about the necessity of following the Law of Moses; the Apostles gathered in council to ensure one, uniform answer to the question (cf. Acts 15).  They had received not only the Deposit of Faith but also Christ’s authority in the leadership of the Church, including the authority to teach.  The teaching authority of the Church, or Magisterium, is intimately associated with the Deposit of Faith.  (Cf. CCC 95, 2049)

Although the Magisterium is charged with interpreting and applying Scripture and Tradition, it is not superior to the Deposit of Faith but rather its servant.  It can neither add to nor subtract from the Deposit of Faith; instead, it serves as its guardian, preserving and communicating these truths to every generation of believers for all time under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 86)

The teaching authority of the Church comes from Christ himself, who extended this authority to St. Peter and the Apostles; they, in turn, have passed it down through Apostolic Succession to the Popes and bishops of every age.  The Holy Spirit guarantees that the Magisterium will always teach the truth infallibly on matters of faith and morals.  (Cf. CCC 2032-2033, 2051)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 100 and 2033.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Infallibility

What does it mean to say that the Pope is infallible?

“I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you…. He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”  (Jn 14:16-26)

I ope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of god, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.  (1 Tm 3:14-15)

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Not only the Pope but also the bishops in union with him, exercising the Magisterium of the Church, are infallible when they teach definitively on matters of faith and morals.  This is a guarantee given by Christ and the Holy Spirit that the Church may always teach the Gospel free of error.

It would have been futile for Christ to have established a teaching authority on earth if he were not likewise to guarantee the truth of what the authority would teach.  Because of its divine institution and its guidance by the Holy Spirit, the Magisterium of the Church teaches without error on matters of faith and morals.  This is particularly true when the Magisterium solemnly defines doctrines; such dogmas are revealed truths that are proclaimed and bind all the baptized as matters of faith.  (Cf. CCC 88, 2049-2051)

The true interpretation of both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition is expressed in the teachings of the Magisterium, which comprise the Pope and the bishops of the Church, the successors of St. Peter and the Apostles.  (Cf. CCC 84, 95)

The Church’s teaching on matters of faith and morals, therefore, is infallible.  Church teachings are free from error in any of the following circumstances:

• The Pope, in his office as supreme teacher, makes a declaration regarding faith or morals by a definitive act.
• The Pope, together with the bishops in union with him, exercises the Magisterium, particularly in an Ecumenical Council.
• The bishops, in communion with the Pope, propose a teaching that leads to a better understanding of Revelation in a matter of faith and morals. (Cf. CCC 891-892)

Finally, it is important to distinguish infallibility from impeccability, i.e., freedom from sin.  No member of the Church—except the Blessed Virgin Mary by reason of her Immaculate Conception—has ever been without sin.  While the gift of infallibility prevents the Church from erring in matters of faith and morals, the Pope and bishops of the Church are nonetheless human and therefore fallible except in matters of faith and morals.

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 889 and 2051.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

St. Peter and the Popes

If St. Peter was the first Pope, who succeeded him?  Scripture says nothing about it.

“I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  (Mt 16:18-19)

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Historical sources and the tradition of the Church provide the names of all the successors of St. Peter even to the present day.  The immediate successor of St. Peter was St. Linus, who may be the same person from whom St. Paul sent greetings (cf. 2 Tm 4:21).  “The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and the faithful” (LG 23).

St. Peter spent the last years of his life in Rome, where he helped to establish the Christian community and served as its bishop, and where he was martyred about AD 67.  While Scripture does not mention a successor to St. Peter, we know of the men who succeeded him as Bishop of Rome through history and tradition.  The present Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis, is the 265th successor of St. Peter, and he traces his authority directly back to St. Peter.  “In virtue of his office, that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church.  And he is always free to exercise this power” (LG 22).

The complete record of Popes is too lengthy to include here, but here is a list of the ten first and the ten most recent Popes and the years of their reigns:

The first ten Popes:	The ten most recent Popes:
1. St. Peter (AD 32-67)	257. St Pius X (1903-1914)
2. St. Linus (67-76)	258. Benedict XV (1914-1922)
3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)	259. Pius XI (1922-1939)
4. St. Clement I (88-97)	260. Ven. Pius XII (1939-1958)
5. St. Evaristus (97-105)	261. St. John XXIII (1958-1963)
6. St. Alexander I (105-115)	262. Paul VI (1963-1978)
7. St. Sixtus (Xystus) I (115-125)	263. John Paul I (1978)
8. St. Telephorus (125-136)	264. St. John Paul II (1978-2005)
9. St. Hyginus (136-140)	265. Benedict XVI (2005-2013)
10.St. Pius I (140-155)	266. Francis (2013-)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 881-882.

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Apologetical Explanation of the

Primacy of Peter

On what scriptural basis do Catholics believe in the papacy?

“I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  (Mt 16:18-19)

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The papacy, or the office of Pope, derives directly from the primacy of St. Peter among the Apostles and the leadership for which Christ designated him when he established the Church.

The authority given by Christ to St. Peter—and to his successors, the Popes—is called the primacy of Peter.  While the role of the papacy has evolved through the centuries, it is the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, who has the final authority to resolve and clarify matters of faith and morals, and it is the Pope who helps preserve the unity of the Church.

In Scripture evidence for the primacy of Peter is both implicit and explicit:

• All of the Twelve Apostles are listed four times in the Scriptures, and St. Peter is named first every time (cf. Mt 10:2-4, Mk 3:16-19, Lk 6:14-16, Acts 1:13).
• St. Peter was chosen by the Father to receive the revelation that Jesus is “the Christ, the son of the living God” (Mt 16:15-16).
• The angel told the women after the Resurrection, “Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you” (Mk 16:7).
• St. Peter is listed separately as a witness to the Resurrection before the other Apostles (cf. 1 Cor 15:5-6, Lk 24:34).
• St. Peter is charged by Christ to “strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:31-32) and “feed my sheep” (Jn 21:5-17; cf. 10:11).
• St. Peter proposed and presided over the election of St. Matthias as an Apostle and announced the requirements for candidacy (cf. Acts 1:15-22).
• St. Peter was the first to preach the Gospel on the day of Pentecost, which was accompanied by signs of the Holy Spirit (wind, fire, tongues) and 3000 conversions (cf. Acts 2:14-40).
• St. Peter defended the Apostles before the Sanhedrin (cf. Acts 3:6-7, 5:15, 9:36-41).
• St. Peter exercised his authority to discipline Ananias, Sapphira, and Simon the magician (cf. Acts 5:1-11, 8:18-24).
• St Peter received the vision of the Lord in order to inspire the Jewish Christians to allow Gentiles into the Church (cf. Acts 10:9-48, 11:1-18).

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 553 and 881.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacraments

Why did Christ institute the Sacraments as a means of conveying grace?

Jesus came and said to [the eleven disciples]… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  (Mt 28:19)

[Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given up for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”  (Lk 22:19)

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God surely can—and does—dispense his grace as he sees fit in countless ways, and he is by no means restricted to the Sacraments that he instituted.  Yet, Christ instituted Seven Sacraments that he directed his Church to use as special venues of grace.

By nature every person is composed of two elements: body and soul—a material, visible body and a spiritual, invisible soul.  As St. Thomas Aquinas explained, human beings are led by things that are physical, that that can be seen and experience by the senses.

We thus have a fundamental need for ritual, for visible expressions of what cannot be seen.  We also have a natural need to “ritualize” the significant events and realities in our lives.  This is why we have graduation ceremonies, awards banquets, family dinners on holidays, and national days of remembrance.  Each of these rituals celebrates something intangible but important in our lives: achievement, gratitude, or patriotism.

Utilizing this aspect of our humanity, Christ instituted the Sacraments to confer grace through physical signs.  The Sacraments give form to spiritual “events” and serve as signs of deeper realities.  The chief difference with the Sacraments is that, unlike merely human rituals, the very act of administering a Sacrament, body and soul, confers the grace that is signified by the act just as Christ intends.  As St. Leo the Great explained, “What was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries” (Sermo., 74, 2: PL 54, 398).

The Sacraments also serve to express the faith that is within us—both individually and as a community—and to provide a model and instruction to help us grow in faith.  Sacramental signs and rites convey something about what we believe, and their visible expression reinforces those beliefs in others and within ourselves.  (Cf. CCC 1123-1126)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1115 and 1131.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

How the Church Represents Christ

How does the Church on earth “represent” Christ?

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.  (1 Cor 12:12)

You are the body of Christ and individually members of it.  (1 Cor 12:27)

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The Church represents Christ not only as the credible exponent of his life and teachings but also as a sign of his living presence, as his instrument, and as his permanent presence among his people.  “Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church” (St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Smyrn., 8, 2: Apostolic Fathers, II / 2, 311).  It is this singular presence that makes the Church truly catholic, or “universal.”

Christ is present among us in many ways, but he is present in a visible way in his Church.  The Church is dependent upon Christ as she received her doctrines and worship from Christ himself, “the fullness of the means of salvation” (UR 3; cf. AG 6; Eph 1:22-23).  She confesses him in her faith, speaks about him in her teachings, celebrates him in her liturgy, imitates him in her moral law, calls upon him in prayer, desires his consolation, seeks his will, and loves him with a pure spousal love.  (Cf. CCC 669-771, 1071, 1076, 2655)

Because of that dependency, the Church is rightly described as a sign of Christ.  As the Fathers of the Church taught, the Church permanently revolves around Christ as the moon revolves around the earth (cf. CCC 748).  Moreover, the Church, as his Mystical Body, represents Christ because she does not speak about him as an historical figure of the past but as a Person who is alive with us today.  The Church is thus the instrument that Christ founded on earth to make his saving action present to the world through her apostolic mission of preaching and the sacramental life.  As St. Augustine wrote:

Divine virtue and power are not manifested to our eyes in the life of Christ.  That we have not seen.  But we do see these in present things, in his Church that lives now.  The first disciples that saw Jesus did not see the Church. They saw the head and believed in the Body.  For our part, what do we see?  The Church.  What is it that we don’t see that they saw?  We don’t see Jesus in his human shape. Therefore, as they, seeing the head, believed in the Body, so we, seeing the Body, should believe in the head.  (St. Augustine, Sermo, 116: PL 38, 659-660)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 830.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of Baptism

What is the significance of the Sacrament of Baptism?

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  (Mt 28:19)

Peter said to [the multitude], “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”   (Acts 2:38)

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Christ instituted the Sacrament of Baptism as an essential act for our salvation (cf. Jn 3:5).  Its waters cleanse us of all guilt associated with sin—both Original Sin and actual sin—fill us with grace, and make us children of God.  We also become members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church, giving us a share in the Kingdom of God.  (Cf. CCC 1987, 2813)

A bishop, priest, or deacon normally confers Baptism, but anyone can baptize in an emergency by pouring water over the recipient’s head, while praying, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  For this reason, the Church teaches that “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word”  (Roman Catechism, II 2, 5; cf. Council of Florence: DS 1314; CIC 204 § 1; 849; CCEO 675 § 1).  (Cf. CCC 232-233, 694, 1256, 1278)

The Sacrament of Baptism…

• Removes Original Sin and all actual sin.  (Cf. CCC 978, 1263)
• Imprints an indelible sign on the soul that consecrates a person for Christian worship through a share in the common priesthood of the faithful.  (Cf. CCC 1272, 1280)
• Incorporates a person into Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church.  (Cf. CCC 1267, 2782)
• Confers sanctifying grace, which is a share in God’s own life; the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity; and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 1266)
• Confers actual grace, which is assistance from God to resist sin and to follow his will in life.  (CCC 2024)
• Makes the recipient a child of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 1263, 1265)
• Bestows the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude, which help to perfect the natural and theological virtues.  (Cf. CCC 1834-1838)
• Gives us entry into Heaven after a life lived in Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1274, 2020)

Baptism is called the “door” to the other Sacraments because it must be received before any others can be conferred.  (Cf. CCC 846, 1213)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1213.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Infant Baptism

Why does the Church baptize infants, who are incapable of sin?

[Paul and Silas] spoke the word of the Lord to [the jailer] and to all that were in his house.  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family.  (Acts 16:32-33)

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Infants and young children, although incapable of actual sin, are conceived with Original Sin and require the sanctifying grace bestowed in the Sacrament of Baptism.  Infant Baptism has been practiced since the earliest days of the Church.

The Church baptizes infants because everybody is born with a human nature that has been disordered by the stain of Original Sin, i.e., without sanctifying grace in the soul.  Even though infants and young children under the age of reason cannot sin willfully, they still have need of the sanctifying grace bestowed in the Sacrament of Baptism so they might have new life in Christ and the graces to overcome concupiscence, the tendency toward sin, which is a consequence of Original Sin.  (Cf. CCC 1250)

Both adults and infants have received the Sacrament of Baptism since the earliest days of the Church.  The New Testament records instances of whole households receiving Baptism, and the authors make no effort to exclude young children from such households (cf. Acts 16:15, 33; 18:8; 1 Cor 1:16; CDF, Pastoralis Actio).  Moreover, the practice of infant Baptism is attested to in early Church writings: St. Irenæus, writing about AD 180, taught, “All who through Christ are born again to God, infants and children and boys and young men and old men are born again to God” (Against Heresies, 2:22:4).  St. Hippolytus, writing about AD 215, stated, “Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so.  Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them”  (Apostolic Tradition, 21:15).  (Cf. CCC 1252, 1282)

In the case of infants, the Church recognizes their need of the priceless gift of Baptism, as well as the responsibility of parents, as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them, to have their children baptized.  Therefore, Baptism should be administered as soon as possible after birth.  (Cf. CCC 1251, 1257)

Because Baptism is necessary for salvation, the Church commits infants who die without being baptized to the mercy of God.  The Church expresses great hope that these children who lack the Sacrament through no fault of their own will enjoy eternal life.  (Cf. CCC 1261, 1283)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1252.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of Confirmation

What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?

[Paul] said to [some disciples], “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  And they said, “No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”… and Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them.  (Acts 19:2, 4-6)

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The Sacrament of Confirmation is the Sacrament of Initiation that confers the grace of the Holy Spirit by a laying on of hands, an anointing of Sacred Chrism (holy oil), and the words, “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” (ordinary form of the Latin Rite).  Confirmation perfects the grace of Baptism through the action of the Holy Spirit.  With the graces of this Sacrament, a person is enabled to spread and courageously defend the teachings of Christ and his Church.  (Cf. CCC 1212, 1303, 1316, 1320, 1533)

By Confirmation Christians share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  They witness Christ’s love and wisdom; in the words of St. Paul, they exude the “aroma of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15).  (Cf. CCC 1242, 1294, 1310-1311)

Confirmation bestows an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which was also granted to the disciples at Pentecost, By this Sacrament…

• Baptismal grace increases and deepens, and the bond with the Church is perfected.  (Cf. CCC 1285, 1289, 1303)
• An indelible mark is imprinted on the soul.  (Cf. CCC 1121, 1293, 1304, 1317)
• The recipient is rooted more deeply as a child of God.  (Cf. CCC 1308)
• The gifts of the Holy Spirit increase.  (Cf. CCC 1309)
• The confirmed shares more deeply in the common priesthood of the faithful and in the priestly, kingly, and prophet mission of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1546)
• Special graces are given to enable him or her to spread and defend the Faith by word and deed as a true witness to Christ.  (Cf. CCC 900)

In the Western Church the bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation.  In the Eastern churches the Sacrament is called Chrismation and is conferred by the bishop or priest in the same liturgical celebration as Baptism and the Eucharist.  (Cf. CCC 1289, 1312)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1316.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Confirmation in Scripture

What is the scriptural basis for the Sacrament of Confirmation?

When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for the Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 8:14-17)

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Confirmation is rooted in the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Apostles’ practice of the “laying on of hands” as part of the initiation of the newly baptized.

Following the events of Pentecost in the Acts of the Apostles, we read about Baptism being followed by a laying on of hands to confer the Holy Spirit.  The Sacrament of Confirmation finds its origin in this apostolic practice, as Pope Paul VI noted:

The Apostles—following the will of Christ—communicated to the newly baptized Christians the gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands.  This gift was to complete the grace of Baptism (cf. Acts 8:15-17; 19:5-6).  This explains why, in the letter to the Hebrews (cf. Heb 6:2), the doctrine on Baptism and the laying on the hands is mentioned among the first elements of Christian formation.  The imposition of hands is rightly recognized by the Catholic tradition as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation, which in a certain way perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church.”  (Paul VI, Apostolic constitution Divinæ Consortium Naturæ: AAS 63 [1971] 659)

While the New Testament refers to the Sacrament as the “laying on of hands,” the early Church added an anointing of perfumed oil—known as Sacred Chrism, or Myron in the Eastern Churches—to the imposition of hands to signify better the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  Anointing with Sacred Chrism strongly illustrates the name Christian, a follower of Christ, the “Anointed One” (cf. CCC 1289).  For this reason, in the Eastern Churches this Sacrament is known as Chrismation.

In the Western Church, however, the Sacrament is known as Confirmation, which was first used by St. Ambrose of Milan (340-397) to describe to a group of newly confirmed Christians the significance of the Sacrament they had received:

You have received the spiritual sign, the sign of wisdom; God the Father has sealed you, Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has given you the gift of the Spirit in your heart.  (St. Ambrose, De Mysteriis, 7.42)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1288.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of the Eucharist

What are the benefits of receiving the Eucharist?

Jesus said the [the Jews], “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”  (Jn 6:53-56)

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The Holy Eucharist, in which the faithful receive the Body and Blood of Christ, is the ultimate sign of our sharing in the divine life of Christ as well as of our status as one Body in Christ.

In the Gospel of St. John, Christ identified himself as the “bread which came down from heaven” (Jn 6:41).  At the Last Supper he took the bread and the cup filled with wine and said, “This is my body…. This is my blood of the covenant” (Mt 26:27-28).  Each time a bishop or priest repeats these words of consecration in the Mass, the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Cf. CCC 1365, 1374, 1376)

Because the members of the Church are one Body in Christ, we partake of the one bread, the Body of Christ, in the Eucharist, “the fount and apex of the whole Christian life” (LG 11).  Holy Communion is thus a rich symbol of our unity in Christ and of Christ’s presence dwelling within us.  (Cf. CCC 805, 1384, 2120)

Though every Catholic is required to receive the Eucharist at least once yearly, he or she should receive it as often as possible, even daily, as long as he or she is properly disposed.  (Cf. CCC 1388-1389, 1417)

The person who receives the Eucharist is blessed with many graces.  The Eucharist…

• Maintains and increases intimate union with Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1325, 1391)
• Reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1396, 1398)
• Removes venial sins and increases charity toward God and neighbor.  (Cf. CCC 1394)
• Strengthens the recipient from grave sins.  (Cf. CCC 1395)
• Decreases temporal punishment due to sin.  (Cf. CCC 1414)
• Helps the recipient to avoid temptation and control concupiscence.  (Cf. CCC 1393)

In the Eastern Churches, as in the early Church, the three Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Communion—are given even to infants in one continuous liturgical celebration.  (Cf. CCC 1233, 1285, 1322, 1533)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1416.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Liturgy of the Church

What is the purpose of the liturgy of the Church?

Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.  And they held steadfastly to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.  (Acts 2:41-42)

Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.  (Heb 12:28)

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The liturgies of the Church help us to give glory to God individually and communally, avail us of grace through the Sacraments, and express our response to God’s call to discipleship.  They are, furthermore, a sharing in the eternal liturgy of Heaven.

As in all states of Christian life, the lay faithful can neither respond to the universal call to holiness nor contribute to the mission of the Church without a life of constant prayer, both individual and communal.  Our worship of God has both a personal dimension and a communal dimension.  Private prayers and devotions complement, but do not replace, our need for communal worship—and vice versa.  (Cf. CCC 821)

The purpose of the liturgy (from the Greek ergos, “work,” and leiton, “of the people”) is diverse.  It gives glory and honor to God, builds up the faith of the people, and instructs the faithful in the Faith.  The Christian liturgy is the response of faith and love to the “spiritual blessings” with which the Father constantly enriches us.  At the same time, the Church unceasingly offers to the Father her own gifts “to the praise of the glory of his grace.”  (Cf. CCC 1983, 1091)

The liturgy is also an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ, continued in and by the Church under the impulse of the Holy Spirit.  In the Eucharistic liturgy—the Mass, or Divine Liturgy—led by ordained ministers and involving the prayer and participation of the entire assembly of the People of God, the Holy Spirit prepares the assembly to encounter Christ; recalls and manifests Christ to the assembly; makes the saving work of Christ present and active by his transforming power; and makes the gift of communion bear fruit in the Church.  (Cf. CCC 1070, 1097, 1112)

The Eucharistic liturgy constitutes a sharing in the liturgy celebrated in Heaven, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.  (Cf. CCC 1329, 2855)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1097 and 1187.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

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An Apologetical Explanation of

Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist

How is Christ truly present in the Eucharist?

Jesus said to [the Jews], “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life…. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”  (Jn 6:53-55)

[Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given up for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”  (Lk 22:19-20)

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The Church teaches that Jesus Christ is truly, really, and substantially present—in his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—in the Eucharist.  The bread and wine consecrated by the bishop or priest in the Liturgy of the Eucharist become the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Church has always recognized Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist.  Christ’s words in instituting this Sacrament at the Last Supprt were unequivocal: “This is my body…. This is my blood” (Lk 22:19-20).  In the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained” (Council of Trent [1551]: DS 1651).  St. Paul condemns the unworthy reception of the Eucharist as a profanation of the very Body and Blood of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 11:27-29).  Already in the fourth century, St. Cyril of Jerusalem exhorted, “Do not see in the bread and wine merely natural elements, because the Lord has expressly said that they are his Body and his Blood: faith assures you of this, though your senses suggest otherwise.”  (Cf. CCC 1373, 1375)

This change in the Eucharistic species in which the substance of the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ is call transubstantiation.   It occurs at the consecration during the Mass, when the bishop or priest pronounces the words of consecration over the bread and wine as Christ commanded.  (Cf. CCC 1376-1377, 1411-1413)

In the Eucharist Christ remains truly and totally present under the appearances of bread and wine.  He offers his Body and Blood to us in Holy Communion to be nourished by his divine life.  The Eucharist is, therefore, not merely a symbol of Christ’s presence, but also the active presence of Christ himself, who gives himself to us unconditionally so our lives might be united to his intimately.  The Eucharist is “the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend” (STh III, 73, 3c).  (Cf. CCC 1323-1325)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1360 and 1374.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Eucharistic Adoration

Why do we adore, or worship, Christ in the Blessed Sacrament?

A great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!”  And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.  (Rev 7:9-11)

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Christ is present to us in many ways, as in the assembled faithful or the Word of God; however, his presence in the Eucharist is unique and qualitatively superior in that he is present truly, really, and substantially in his Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.

When the bishop or priest repeats the words of consecration during the Mass, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.  Only the appearance of bread and wine remain.  This mystery of Faith is known as the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.  “This presence is called ‘real’ not to exclude the idea that the others are ‘real’ too, but rather to indicate presence par excellence, because it is substantial and through it Christ becomes present whole and entire, God and man” (Paul VI, MF 39; cf. Council of Trent, Decree on the Holy Eucharist, c. 3).  (Cf. CCC 1377)

It became the custom of the early Church to set aside some consecrated hosts when the Mass had ended; today, every Catholic church has a tabernacle where the Body of Christ is reserved.  The Eucharist is thereby available to distribute to the sick who could not attend Mass.  Since Christ is truly present, an act of reverence is made toward the tabernacle; in the Western Church a genuflection, by which the right knee is touched to the ground, is normally used.

The Real Presence of Christ invites us also to the adoration of the reserved Blessed Sacrament; this has led to the development of many Eucharistic devotions.  Eucharistic adoration before the tabernacle is one such pious practice.  Many churches also have periods of adoration when a consecrated host is displayed, or exposed, in a monstrance.  Some churches have chapels for perpetual adoration, which is prayer before a host that is exposed continuously.  The Forty Hours devotion is practiced in many churches that do not have perpetual adoration.  Eucharistic processions are conducted when the Eucharist is placed in a monstrance, which is then carried around the church and even through the streets of the town or city.  (Cf. CCC 1378-1379)

When, therefore, the Church bids us adore Christ hidden behind the Eucharistic veils and pray to Him for the spiritual and temporal favors of which we ever stand in need, she manifests living faith in her divine Spouse who is present beneath those veils. (Pope Pius XII, Mediator Dei, 131)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1378-1379.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Mass as a Sacrifice

Why is the Mass considered a Sacrifice?

[Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them saying, “This is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”  (Lk 22:19)

Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.  Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world.  But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  (Heb 9:24-26)

I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands and thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, “To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!”  And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.  (Rev 5:11-14)

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The Mass is a Sacrifice because it is a participation in the one Sacrifice of Christ, which is made present through the Eucharistic liturgy.

Christ died for our sins once and for all, and his one perfect Sacrifice atones for all our sins for all time.  Because of this, there is no need for the Temple sacrifices of the Old Law, where animals or goods of the harvest were burned in atonement.  Yet the Eucharistic liturgy of the Church—the Mass, or Divine Liturgy—remains a holy Sacrifice because it is a sharing in the one Sacrifice of Christ, which is re-presented, or made present among us, each time the Eucharist is celebrated.  (Cf. CCC 613-614, 1382, 1545)

When Christ consecrated the bread and wine at the Last Supper, he instructed his Apostles, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Lk 22:19).  The idea of remembrance, or memorial, in this context refers not to the mere calling to mind of a past event but rather a re-living, or a re-presentation, in a mystical way the event of Christ’s eternal Sacrifice on the Cross.  “The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice on the cross…. The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice” (CCC 1366-1367).  (Cf. CCC 611, 1323, 1330, 1545, 1566)

The Mass is also called a Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for God’s creation, which he has given us.  (Cf. CCC 1357, 1359)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1382.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Mass as the New Passover

Why is the Mass called the “New Passover”?

[Jesus] said to [the apostles], “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”  And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”  And likewise the chalice after supper, saying, “This chalice which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”  (Lk 22:15-20)

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At the Last Supper, which was a celebration of Passover, Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist to commemorate his Sacrifice on the Cross and Resurrection, which was the definitive Passover that deliver his people from their sins.

The celebration of Passover was a Jewish feast commemorating the day that God had delivered the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt.  His own Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension are the New Passover of the New Covenant by which the faithful are saved from their bondage to sin and enter new life in Heaven.  In consecrating the bread and cup at the meal and directing his apostles to repeat this act as a memorial of his Death and Resurrection, Christ established the celebration of the Eucharist, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as the celebration of this New Passover.  (Cf. CCC 1339, 1362)

The liturgical celebration of the Eucharist makes the New Passover of Christ present again in three ways:

• It is a sharing in the Sacrifice of Christ, which is expressed most fully by the reception of Holy Communion.
• It is a sharing in the Death and Resurrection of Christ.
• It anticipates the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover in the Kingdom of God.

This threefold commemoration of the Eucharist is reflected in the various prayers of the Memorial Acclamation, for example: “When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, / we proclaim your Death, O Lord, / until you come again.”  (Cf. CCC 1403, 1409)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1340.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Preparing to Receive Holy Communion

How can we best prepare to receive Holy Communion?

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.  (1 Cor 11:27-29)

Jesus answered [the Jews], “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will life for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”  (Jn 6:51)

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In order to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion and to avail ourselves of its graces, we should make sure we are properly disposed and free of mortal sin.

Christ invites us urgently to receive his Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Eucharist in Holy Communion.  As with all the Sacraments, grace is given by virtue of the celebration of the Sacrament, but our acceptance and ability yo benefit from that sacramental grace is dependent upon our disposition.  Our acceptance of Christ’s invitation requires that we come properly prepared, with the proper interior disposition (cf. CIC 916) and in a state of grace.  St. Paul exhorted the faithful of Corinth to perform an examination of conscience before they presented themselves to receive the Eucharist lest they commit the sin of sacrilege by receiving unworthily.  (cf. 1 Cor 11:27-29).  (Cf. CCC 1384-1385)

Recognizing our unworthiness to receive the Body and Blood or Christ is an essential step in our preparation.  The liturgy of the Church has us echo the words of the centurion (cf. Lk 7:6) in a prayer before Communion, “Lord, I am not worthy / that you should enter under by roof.”  In keeping with the solemnity of this great Sacrament, we should prepare with the period of fasting required by the Church (cf. CIC 919) and approach the altar with reverent and respectful posture, gestures, and attire.  (Cf. CCC 1098, 1387-1387)

Above all, we must not be aware of any mortal sin on our souls.  Mortal sin constitutes a breach in our relationship with God and the Church and thereby obliges us to refrain from receiving the Eucharist, the Sacrament of unity.  If we have committed a mortal sin, we must receive the Sacrament of Penance before presenting ourselves to receive Holy Communion.  (Cf. CCC 1395, 1457)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1387-1388 and 1415.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Our Daily Bread

What does the Lord’s Prayer mean when we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread”?

“I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?… Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”  (Mt 6:25-33)

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The petition for “our daily bread” is an expression of trust in God to provide for our earthly needs; it also refers to our spiritual food, the Eucharist, which is the Body of Christ, the Bread of Life.

Though the Lord directs our eyes to the essential, to the “one thing necessary,” he also knows about and acknowledges our earthly needs.  While he says to his disciples, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat” (Mt 6:25), he nevertheless invites us to pray for our food and thus to turn our care over to God.  (Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, 150)

Common bread is emblematic of our fundamental human need to eat.  We speak of a worker “putting bread on the table,” meaning that he or she works to provide the basic food and essentials that a family needs to survive.  When we ask God to “give us this day our daily bread,” we are asking that our human needs be met.  Yet in the Lord’s Prayer, this petition is more than a simple request: It also implies a trust in God will provide for us, a trust in his Divine Providence (cf. Mt 6:25-34).  Even if we work for our bread (cf. 2 Thes 3:6-13), it is still a gift from god that calls for our gratitude.  (Cf. CCC 2828-2830, 2834, 2836)

There are other dimensions to this petition.  It also reminds us that we share responsibility for those in the world who do not have their basic needs fulfilled: the hungry, the homeless, the oppressed, etc.   It also reminds that “man does not live by bread alone” (Dt 8:3; Lk 4:4; cf. Mt 4:4), that we need to be nourished also by Christ, the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35, 38), present in the Eucharist and in the Word of God.  (Cf. CCC 2831-2833, 2835, 2837)

To those who seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, he has promised to give all else besides.  Since everything indeed belongs to God, he who possesses god wants for nothing, if he himself is not found wanting before God.  (St. Cyprian, De Dom. orat., 21: PL 4, 534 A)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2830.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

Why is the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation necessary?

[Jesus] breathed on [the disciples], and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”  (Jn 20:23)

“Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”  (Lk 13:3)

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The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, or simply Confession, was instituted by Christ to forgive those sins committed after Baptism; for this reason, Tertullian called it “the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace” (De pænit., 4, 2: PL 1, 1343; cf. Council of Trent [1547]: DS 1542).  Bishops and priests are empowered to give us absolution in the name of Christ.

Baptism cleanses us from all sin, but the inclination to sin, or concupiscence, remains part of the human condition.  Christ established the Sacrament of Penance as a means to receive God’s forgiveness and healing for sins committed after Baptism.  (Cf. CCC 986, 1423, 1486)

Christ entrusted this ministry to the Apostles (cf. Jn 20:23, and this power is handed on through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  Through the Sacrament of Penance, God reconciles the penitent with himself and his Church and restores his friendship after it has been either broken through mortal sin or wounded by venial sin.  (Cf. CCC 976, 1446)

To receive God’s forgiveness the penitent must have contrition for his or her sins.  When a person is sorry for sins out of love for God, it is called perfect contrition; when sorrow arises from fear of Hell or punishment, it is called imperfect contrition.  Either perfect or imperfect contrition is sufficient for divine forgiveness.  (Cf. CCC 1440, 1451-1454)

The form of the Sacrament has changed over the centuries, but its essential elements—admission of guilt, contrition, absolution, and penance—have remained.  In the Rite of Penance, the penitent confesses aloud to a bishop or priest, who grants absolution and prescribes a penance or restitution.  (Cf. CCC 1447, 1450, 1460, 1491, 1494)

In addition to forgiving sins, the Sacrament of Penance restores sanctifying grace lost by mortal sin, remits eternal punishment and part of the temporal punishment due to sin, imparts actual graces to avoid sin in the future, reconciles the penitent with the Church, and gives peace of conscience and spiritual consolation.  (Cf. CCC 980, 1422, 1468-1471, 1496)

While the Church requires Catholics to confess all mortal sins at least once yearly, it is best to confess any mortal sin as soon as possible.  The Church recommends frequent confession even of venial sins as a way to help combat sinful tendencies.  (Cf. CCC 1456-1458)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1446.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

What is the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick?

Is any among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you many be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.  (Jas 5:14-16)

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The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, an outgrowth of Christ’s own healing ministry during his earthly life, provides grace to strengthen one who is in danger of death from serious illness, serious injury, or old age.

During his earthly ministry Jesus healed people both to demonstrate he is the Messiah and to show compassion for those who were suffering.  These healing acts demonstrated that the Kingdom of God had arrived.  Through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, Christ brings about a radical healing of the soul amid the pain and suffering due to severe illness or old age and assists the individual to draw strength by uniting his or her suffering to the Cross.  (Cf. CCC 1514, 1526-1528)

The Anointing of the Sick is conferred by a bishop or a priest using the Oil of the Sick, which is blessed by a bishop, and imparts special graces on those who receive it.  The Sacrament…

• Unites the recipient to the Passion of Christ for his or her own good and the good of the Church.  (Cf. CCC 1521)
• Bestows strength, peace, and courage to the recipient to endure, in a Christian manner, the sufferings of illness or old age; resistance to temptation; forgiveness of sins, if the person is at least implicitly sorry for his or her sins and unable to receive the Sacrament of Penance; and the reduction or removal of all temporal punishment due to sin when the ill person is properly disposed.  (Cf. CCC 1520)
• Confers an “ecclesial grace” to the recipient through the celebration of the Sacrament within the community, who intercedes for the suffering person just as he or she sanctifies the Church through the same suffering.  (Cf. CCC 1522)
• Restores health if it is good for the salvation of the recipient’s soul.  (Cf. CCC 1532)
• Prepares the recipient for passage into eternal life.  (Cf. CCC 1523)

Ideally, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick should be celebrated along with the Sacrament of Penance and the reception of the Eucharist.  The first Sacrament to be received should be Penance, followed by the Anointing; finally, Holy Communion is received in the form of Viaticum as preparation for hte moment of passing over from this life to the next.  (Cf. CCC 1524-1525)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1527.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Mortal and Venial Sin

What is the difference between mortal sin and venial sin?

The works of the flesh are plain: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  (Gal 5:19-21)

If any one sees his brother committing what is not a deadly sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not deadly.  There is a sin which is deadly; I do not say that one is to pray for that.  All wrongdoing is sin which is not deadly.  (1 Jn 5:16-17)

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Mortal sins are grave offenses that sever our friendship with God and, consequently, cause a loss of sanctifying grace.  Anyone dying in a state of mortal sin would suffer eternal separation from God in Hell.  Venial sins are lesser offenses that injure but do not destroy one’s relationship with God.

The gravity of each sin depends upon the nature of the sin itself and circumstances that may either increase or mitigate guilt for that sin.  (Cf. CCC 1853-1854)

A mortal sin cannot be committed “accidentally”; willful or pretended ignorance of divine law does not excuse us and may in fact compound our guilt.  A mortal sin requires three conditions:

• The evil act must constitute a “grave matter”, a serious offense against God’s law.
• The sinner must be fully aware that the act is indeed evil.
• The sinner must fully and freely consent to the evil act, even if he or she does not explicitly and directly wish to offend God.  (Cf. CCC 1857-1860)

If any of these requirements is not met, then the sin is considered a venial sin.  The sinner’s relationship with God and the charity within his or her heart is weakened by venial sin but is not severed.  (Cf. CCC 1862-1863)

Mortal sin results in the loss of sanctifying grace and thus requires recourse to the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation before any of the other Sacraments may be received, especially the Eucharist in Holy Communion.  Venial sins to not preclude the reception of Holy Communion.  Nevertheless, the Church recommends frequent confession of venial sins to receive the sacramental grace that gives us the strength to overcome imperfections and habitual venial sins.  It is important to bear in mind that venial sins can easily lead to mortal sin unless they are held in check.  (Cf. CCC 1385, 1415, 1457-1458, 1861)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1854-1855.

 

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Loss of the Sense of Sin

What do we mean by the “loss of the sense of sin”?

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  (1 Jn 1:8-10)

Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  (Heb 3:13)

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The loss of the sense of sin involves an insensitivity to the truth that works of evil offend God, ruin our relationship with him, and have a destructive effect on society.  A manifestation of this loss of the sense of sin is seen in the denial of objective moral truth or even of God himself.  When questions of moral right and wrong are seen strictly as matters of personal opinion, the awareness of person sin and its consequences is diminished.  This dismissal of the moral law ultimately puts a person’s salvation at risk.

God’s moral law, interpreted and applied by the Church, forms our foundation for discerning good and evil.  Sinful choices can cause this power of discernment to become so clouded that the person cannot effectively perceive the seriousness of sin (cf. CCC 37, 1954-1955).  This diminishment of conscience, described as the “loss of the sense of sin,” has several causes:

• Moral relativism is an outlook that denies objective moral truth and allows individuals to judge the moral value of a given act based on circumstances, feelings, and opinion.  If “truth” is subjective, then no one can speak meaningfully of “sin.”  (Cf. CCC 1790-1793)
• Faulty psychological theories characterize guilt and shame as disorders or repression instead of the fruits of a good conscience.  These theories blame personal sins on traumas or developmental factors.  From a Christian perspective, such factors may mitigate guilt for sin but do not necessarily erase personal responsibility.  (Cf. CCC 387, 1746)
• Confusion between “moral” and “legal” arises because civil and criminal laws do not always reflect divine law.  Human laws cannot be trusted blindly and can lead to errors in moral judgement if they do not reflect the divine law.  (Cf. CCC 1902, 1959)
• Secular humanism seeks to improve society or enrich the human condition solely through human effort in areas such as technology, science, and political or economic means with no reference to God or the moral law.  Human efforts that either implicitly or explicitly reject God and his eternal law will have deleterious effects on society.  (Cf. CCC 2124)

We must recognize the seriousness of sin if we are truly to appreciate Christ’s gift of forgiveness and reconciliation.  Centering our life on Jesus Christ brings a healthy realization of the evil effects of sin and instills the strong hope that it will be conquered.  (Cf. CCC 1848)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1865.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Conversion and Penance

How does interior conversion and penance take place?

“I despise myself, / and repent in dust and ashes.”  (Jb 42:6)

I turned my face to the Lord god, seeking him by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.  (Dn 9:3)

“I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country to Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance.”  (Acts 26:19-20)

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The primary keys to conversion and penance are fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.  Also helpful in fostering interior conversion are other acts of mortification, pious devotion, and charitable works.

Conversion of heart is an ongoing effort in the life of a Christian.  We are converted to Christ at Baptism, but the combination of our inclination to sin and our human weakness causes us to drift from this gift of grace.  Thus, conversion is a lifelong process since we must struggle continually to grow in holiness and against the tide that threatens to carry us into sin.  We carry on this struggle within the Church both individually and communally.  (Cf. CCC 1426-1429)

While conversion is in its essence an interior reorientation—as humans we have a natural need to express our interior dispositions in external acts.  Fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (cf. Tb 2:8; Mt 6:1-18) are the primary  and indispensable vehicles for fostering and nurturing penance.  Penance also finds expression in concern for the poor and oppressed, efforts at reconciliation, charitable acts, acceptance of suffering (“take up your cross”), firm resolutions to change our lives, acts of humility, and enduring persecution for a righteous cause.  (Cf. CCC 1430, 1434-1435)

Other important helps include receiving the Eucharist, reading Scripture, voluntary self-denial, pilgrimages, and sincere acts of devotion or worship.  (Cf. CCC 1436-1439)

Penance is expressed most appropriately in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, whereby with the proper dispositions we can receive absolution and ample graces to assist us in our resolution for ongoing conversion and orientation to Christ.  (Cf. CCC 1422-1423)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1434.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Making a Good Confession

What do we mean by making a “good confession”?

When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person is guilty, he shall confess his sin which he has committed; and he shall make full restitution for his wrong.  (Nm 5:6-7)

Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.  (Jas 5:16)

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To make a good confession is to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with the proper dispositions: a full admission of sins, true contrition, a firm resolution to avoid sin in the future, and the satisfactory completion of penance.

Contrition—which includes true “sorrow of the soul” and hatred of the sin committed as well as a firm resolve to refrain from all sin—is required for a good confession.  As with all Sacraments, grace is given by virtue of the celebration of the Sacrament, but our acceptance and ability to benefit from that sacramental grace is dependent upon our disposition.  Contrition can be perfect (resulting from a pure love of God) or imperfect (resulting largely from fear of sin’s consequences); both forms dispose us well to receive forgiveness of sins in the Sacrament of Penance.  (Cf. CCC 1451-1452)

In summary, a good confession requires a complete and humble accounting of our serious sins, contrition, resolution, and true satisfaction through penance, including restitution for wrongs committed wherever possible.

The best tool for recalling our sins and fostering proper contrition is an examination of conscience, whereby we review our acts, thoughts, and attitudes since our previous confession to determine where we have failed in virtue.  It is often helpful to meditate on the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, or on any of the many examinations of conscience that have been composed in the form of a series of probing questions.  (Cf. CCC 1454-1455)

Mortal sins should be confessed as soon as possible, but regular confession even of venial sins is highly encouraged by the Church as an aid in helping to form our consciences correctly and to combat concupiscence.  The grace of frequent reception of the Sacrament strengthens us against sin and temptation.  (Cf. CCC 1456-1458)

The penance assigned by the confessor—usually prayers, spiritual reading, charitable acts, or acts of self-denial—as well as restitution (e.g., the return of items stolen or repair of injured reputations and relationships) must be completed satisfactorily in order to complete a good confession.  (Cf. CCC 1459-1460)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1450.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of Holy Orders

What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed.  Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.  (1 Pt 5:1-3)

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Holy Orders is the Sacrament at the Service of Communion whereby a man is ordained to serve the Church as a deacon, priest, or bishop.  Men who receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders are called by God to the ministry of preaching and administering the Sacraments in Christ’s name.  Through this Sacrament, the mission entrusted by Christ to the Apostles has been handed on faithfully and will continue to be handed on until the end of time.  The Sacrament is conferred in three levels.  (Cf. CCC 1087, 1142, 1535, 1598)

Service of the faithful by teaching the Faith and administering the Sacraments is the main purpose of Holy Orders.  Holy Orders is called a Sacrament at the Service of Communion because it primarily exists for the sanctification of others.  (Cf. CCC 1534-1535)

Holy Orders presupposes a divine vocation.  “One does not take the honor [of ordination] upon himself, but he is called by God” (Heb 5:4).  Bishops, priests, and deacons are servants of the Word of God and God’s Sacraments.  They dedicate themselves to lives of self-denial and sacrifice for the good of others.  In the Western Church, moreover, ordination to the transitional deaconate and to the priesthood is ordinarily received only by candidates who freely and publicly embrace a life of celibacy.  (Cf. CCC 1578, 1599)

A bishop receives the highest level of Holy Orders and participates fully in the priesthood of Christ.  Bishops are the successors of the Apostles and members of the college of bishops, of which the Pope is the head.  A bishop is usually the head of a diocese, called a particular church.  He has the power to ordain deacons, priests, and other bishops.  (Cf. CCC 1313, 1557, 1594)

A priest, whose role is to assist his bishop, often cares for a community of the faithful called a parish.  Priests celebrate the Eucharist and administer to Sacraments of Reconciliation, Baptism, Matrimony, the Anointing of the Sick, and, in certain circumstances, Confirmation.  (Cf. CCC 1548, 1565)

A deacon, whose role is to assist his bishop, is a minister of the Gospel and Holy Communion and is ordained to perform acts of service and charity, serving the bishop and parish in many ways.  In the Western Church deacons also celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony.  (Cf. CCC 1570)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1536.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Office of Bishop

What is the role of bishop?

A bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled; he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.  (Ti 1:7-9)

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A bishop is a successor to the Apostles and thus able to participate in the exercise of the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church.  A bishop heads a local church, or diocese, as part of his threefold office of teaching, sanctifying, and governing.

When Christ began his ministry, he chose the Twelve Apostles to help him spread the Good News.  He entrusted his Church to them and made St. Peter their leader.  In turn, the Twelve chose others among their followers to help them and to continue their mission.  (Cf. CCC 1555-1556)

First among these is the office of bishop, collectively called the episcopacy (from the Greek episkopos, meaning “overseer,” which is the root of the word “bishop”).  As the successors of the Apostles, a bishop of the Church possesses the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, for he has received the full authority that Christ gave to the Twelve.  Therefore, only those who have been validly ordained as bishops are able to confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders, whether to the episcopacy, the priesthood, or the diaconate.  (Cf. CCC 1313, 1538, 1557, 1576)

Generally, each bishop is entrusted with a “particular church,” i.e., a diocese (or archdiocese), in which he acts as Christ’s chosen representative and the legitimate pastor of all the faithful within that diocese.  “The individual bishops…are the visible principle and foundation of unity in their particular churches [and] exercise their pastoral government over the portion of the People of God committed to their care” [LG 23).  He is the visible source of unity within the diocese and is responsible for the celebration of the Sacraments—especially the Eucharist—as well as the teaching and governing of the flock entrusted to his care.  (Cf. CCC 833, 1516, 1594)

The bishops of a particular country or region are often organized in to a bishops’ conference, which schedules regular meetings at which they discuss and adopt pastoral polices, issue statements on moral and social issues of concern, and both implement and make recommendations on practices and polices for the portion of the universal Church, [bishops] are effectively contributing to the welfare of the whole Mystical Body, which is also the body of the churches” (LG 23).  (Cf. CCC 887)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 886.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Office of Priest

What is the role of a priest?

[Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”  (Lk 22:19)

[Jesus] breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”  (Jn 20:22-23)

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A priest is a man ordained through the Sacrament of Holy Orders to preside at the Eucharist and celebrate the Sacraments for the faithful.  He is the image of Christ, endowed particularly with the power to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Penance and to consecrate the Eucharist in the Mass.  “Let [priests] be imbued with that truly Catholic spirit… to help the needs of the whole Church, prepared in spirit to preach the Gospel everywhere”  (OT 20).

All baptized persons belong to the common priesthood of the faithful, but some are called to serve the Church in the ministerial priesthood, collectively called the presbyterate.  Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, priests are empowered to serve the common priesthood by celebrating the Eucharist, conferring the Sacraments, and preaching the Gospel.  “The spiritual gift which priests receive at their ordination prepared them not for a sort of limited and narrow mission but for the widest possible and universal mission of salvation ‘even to the ends of the earth'”  (PO 10; Acts 1:8; cf. OT 20).  (Cf. CCC 1120, 1547, 1554, 1592)

Christ instituted the priesthood when he celebrated the Last Support with his Apostles, offered his Body and Blood in the form of bread and win, and invited them to “do this in remembrance of me” (Lk 22:19).  He gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins after his Resurrection: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven” (Jn 20:22-23).

Because the bishops alone have received the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, each priest depends upon his bishop for the proper exercise of this priestly power.  The priests of the Church are co-workers of the bishops, assigned to carry out certain tasks of their apostolic ministry, often within an individual parish community.  Principal among these tasks is the celebration of the Mass, which the priest offers in the Person of Christ and as the bishop’s representative.  (Cf. CCC 877, 1564)

Holy Orders is reserved to men according to the example of Christ, who selected only men as his Apostles.  Celibacy for priests is the currently the norm in the Western Church.  As this is not a matter of faith and morals but rather of Church discipline, exceptions can be made, for example, in the case of a married Protestant minister who converts and is ordained as a Catholic priest.  Additionally, married men can receive Holy Orders in the Eastern Churches.  (Cf. CCC 1577, 1578-1579, 1599)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1552 and 1565.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Office of Deacon

What is the role of deacon?

Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain; they must hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.  And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons…. Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and them them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Jesus Christ.  (1 Tm 3:8-13)

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A deacon is ordained to serve his bishop and the Church.

Like the office of bishop and the office of priest, the office of deacon is bestowed through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  Unlike bishops and priests, however, deacons are not ordained for priestly ministry; rather, they are ordained for the ministry of a servant (in Greek, diakonos).  (Cf. CCC 1569)

The office of deacon appears in the Acts of the Apostles, when St. Peter called for several men to be selected who would manage the distribution of food to the widows and orphans so as to free up the Apostles to attend to their duties of preaching and teaching (Acts 6:1-7).  The first martyr to be mentioned by name in the New Testament is St. Stephen, who was one of these first deacons; his eloquent preaching of the Gospel resulted directly in his death by stoning (Acts 6:8—7:60).

The office of deacon—known collectively as the diaconate—is the first of the three levels of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, followed by the office of priest and the office of bishop.  While a deacon’s primary ministry is that of service, the deacon in the Western Church also is empowered to baptize, to preside at weddings and funerals, to proclaim the Gospel and preach at Mass, and to assist at the altar during Mass (cf. LG 29; SC 35; AG 16).  (Cf. CCC 1256, 1536, 1554, 1570)

There are two types of deacons.  Men who are preparing for ordination to the priesthood are ordained as transitional deacons before receiving their ordination as priests; such deacons are generally unmarried in the Western Church.  Men who are not pursuing priestly ordination, whether married or celibate, may be called to serve as permanent deacons.  (Cf. CCC 1571)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1570.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sacrament of Matrimony

Why is Matrimony considered a Sacrament?

“From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’  So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”  (Mk 10:6-9)

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her.  (Eph 5:25)

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Sacred Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Church teach that Christian marriage is a lifelong, exclusive, and fruitful covenant between a man and a woman that reflects the bond between Christ and his Church.

The Sacrament of Matrimony joins a baptized man and a baptized woman in a covenant for life.  It is by God’s own design that marriage is permanent and exclusive, for the Book of Genesis describes how our first parents were created in the state of marriage.  Christ cited Genesis to affirm that marriage is meant to be a lifelong and faithful union, and he raised natural marriage to the dignity of a Sacrament between a baptized man and woman (cf. CIC 1055 § 1; cf. GS 48).  (Cf. CCC 1303, 1611, 1638)

In the Western Church the man and woman themselves are considered the ministers of the Sacrament of Matrimony.  In giving their mutual consent with the Church—represent by her minister, a deacon, priest, or bishop—as their witness, they confer the sacramental graces upon their union.  These graces enable them to share the same self-sacrificing love of Christ and his Bride, the Church, an image described by St. Paul.  Specifically, matrimonial grace strengthens the couple for the for the challenges of marital life, especially regarding the education and formation of children.  Moreover, Matrimony confers graces to grow in holiness and charity in a spirit of forgiveness, patience, and service.  (Cf. CCC 1603, 1617, 1620, 1642)

Marriage is ordered toward the good of the people.  A husband and wife in a Christian marriage are to help sanctify one another so each many one day receive eternal life.  It is also ordered to the begetting and formation of children, the fruits of marriage.  Sexual intimacy, which must always be reserved for the bond of marriage, serves to express and unify the love of the couple and must remain open to the conception of children, “the supreme gift of marriage.”  (Cf. CCC 1652, 2201, 2225)

A valid sacramental marriage cannot be dissolved.  Only when an investigation by the competent ecclesiastical tribunal that validity was lacking can the Church declare a marriage null; this annulment is not akin to divorce, which claims to end a marriage, but rather a statement that a valid union never existed.  (Cf. CCC 1629, 2382-2386)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1660.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Marriage

Why is marriage considered a divine institution?

God blessed [Adam and Eve], and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”  (Gn 1:28)

“From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’  ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’  So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”  (Mk 10:6-9)

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In his creation God instituted marriage between Adam and Eve.  By his design marriage is an exclusive, lifelong, and fruitful commitment of self-giving love between a man and a woman that reflects the very image and likeness of God.  The Blessed Trinity is a communion of three divine Persons, and marriage is a communion of a man and a woman together with their children.

The Book of Genesis indicates that God created man and woman for marriage since God saw that “it is not good that a man should be alone” (Gn 2:18).  According tot he teachings of Christ, a husband is “joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Mk 10:7; cf. Mt 19:5).  The truth of this teaching can be seen in the vital role that marriage has played in our history: It is the original cell of social life, and it has been such from the very beginning of human existence.  (Cf. CCC 1604-1608, 2207)

St. Paul pointed out that this union of a man and a woman is meant to be a sign of Christ’s love for his Church:

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church…. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…. This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church. (Eph 5:21-33; cf. CCC 1616-1617, 1642)

Reflecting Christ’s total self-giving to his Church, marriage is a permanent, lifelong, and indissoluble union of two persons.  God has willed that marriages be fruitful, open to the bearing and raising of children within the family.  Through marriage and parenthood, a husband and a wife participate in God’s work of creation.  In his publish ministry Christ reaffirmed the divine origin of marriage (cf. Mk 10:6-9), elevated its meaning, and emphasized its nature as a lifelong covenant and vocation.  (Cf. CCC 1617, 1639, 1652, 1661)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1603.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of

Sacramentals

What are sacramentals, and what is their scriptural basis?

God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.  (Acts 19:11-12)

Behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind [Jesus] and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well.”  Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”  And instantly the woman was made well.  (Mt 9:20-22)

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God….”  And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.  (Mk 10:14-16)

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Sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church to prepare us to receive grace.  They are not Sacraments in themselves but resemble the Sacraments insofar as they increase our holiness and draw their power form the same source, which is the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ.

The Church institutes sacramentals as sacred signs that help dispose us to receive grace, especially from the Sacraments.  They provide means by which ministries of the Church, particular states of life, and situations in Christian life are made holy.  (Cf. CCC 1667-1668)

Whereas the Sacraments are channels of grace by their celebration, sacramentals do not give grace but rather prepare us to cooperate with grace.  All sacramentals receive their power from the same source as the Sacraments: the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ.

Primary among sacraments are blessings.  When we make the Sign of the Cross, when we pray before and after meals, or when we bless objects or persons with Holy Water, we are using sacramentals.  Some blessings consecrate persons to the service of God—as in religious professions or the blessing for certain lay minsters—whereas others dedicate objects, buildings, and other material things to the service of God (cf. CCC 1670, 1672).  While some blessings can only be performed by a bishop, priest, or deacon, there are many blessings that nay of the faithful can give because of his or her status as a member of the common priesthood of the faithful.  In addition to blessings, sacramentals include churches, sacred vessels, statues or icons, rosaries, scapulars, crucifixes, and other sacred and devotional goods.  (Cf. CCC 1668, 1671)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1677.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Veneration of the Crucifix

Since Christ is risen, why do we venerate his crucified image?

“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of my compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him.”  (Zec 12:10)

Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  (1 Cor 1:22-24)

Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?  (Gal 3:1)

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A crucifix is a depiction of Christ on the Cross.  We venerate the crucifix as a reminder of Christ’s Passion and Death, by which we have been redeemed by God.

Christ suffered and died on the Cross for our salvation; he also told us to take up our crosses daily and follow him.  His crucified image serves as a power reminder of what he endured out of his divine love for our sake and of the true cost of our own discipleship: the willingness to endure every pain, hardship, and humiliation for the sake of attaining eternal life and being with him forever.  The crucified Christ reveals to us the power of redemptive suffering.  (Cf. CCC 618, 2132)

St. Paul called the crucified Christ “the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor 1:24-25).  He told the Corinthians that we “preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23).  It is through his taking on human flesh and his voluntarily experiencing the suffering and humiliation of his Passion and Death that the glory and power of God is ultimately revealed in his Resurrection.  (Cf. CCC 272)

As a prayer in the Byzantine liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration says:

On the mount you were transfigured, and your disciples, as much as they could bear, beheld your glory, O Christ God; so that when they should see you crucified, they would know your Passion to be willing, and would preach to the world that you, in truth, are the Effulgence of the Father.  (Cf. CCC 555)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1192.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Sign of the Cross

What is the Sign of the Cross?

Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power…. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of god.  (1 Cor 1:17-18)

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The Sign of the Cross is a gesture used at any time, especially at the beginning and end of prayer.  It serves as a reminder of the Cross of Christ and of the Blessed Trinity, and it strengthens us during times of trial.

The Sign of the Cross dates back to the earliest days of Christianity.  St. John may have been referring to this Christian practice in the Book of Revelation when he spoke of the faithful having the seal on their foreheads (cf. Rev 7:4, 9:4, 14:1).  In the Old Testament we find a foreshadowing, or type, of the Sign of the Cross when Ezekiel writes of the faithful who mark the Hebrew letter tav (in Greek, tau), meaning a mark, a sign, or a cross, on their foreheads (cf. Ez 9:4).

As a sacramental the Sign of the Cross is used by Christians (Catholics, Orthodox, and some Protestants) to bless themselves when beginning and ending prayers and at other times throughout the day to strengthen them in faithfulness and virtue.  It is not only a symbol of faith but also a manifestation of belief in the Blessed Trinity and in the Sacrifice of Christ on Calvary as the origin of all grace and salvation.  Through this sign our prayers are offered to God in the name of each Person of the Blessed Trinity.  (Cf. CCC 786, 1668, 1671, 2157)

In the Western Church the Sign of the Cross is made with the right hand, fingers extended together, toughing first the forehead and then the chest (forming the vertical beam of the cross) and next the left shoulder and then the right (forming the horizontal beam).  In the Eastern Churches the thumb and first two fingers are joined together to represent the Blessed Trinity, and the last two fingers are tucked into the palm to represent the two natures of Christ; the “horizontal beam” is traced from the right shoulder to the left.

The Sign of the Cross is usually made while saying a short prayer such as the following:

• “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.”  (Cf. CCC 2166)
• “By the Sign of the Cross, deliver us from our enemies, you who are our God.”

The Catechism addresses this question ion paragraph 2157.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org

An Apologetical Explanation of the

Rosary

How did the Rosary develop, and is it a scriptural prayer?

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”  (Lk 1:28)

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”  (Lk 1:42)

“Henceforth all generations will call me blessed.”  (Lk 1:48)

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Rooted firmly in Christian tradition, the private devotion known as the Holy Rosary comprises prayers and meditations on an entire series of events in the lives of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary that are explicit or implicit in Scripture.

The Rosary is one of the most recognized Catholic symbols.  The Dominican Order helped to popularize devotion to the Rosary.  It had long been the practice of people in the consecrated life to recite the 150 Psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours, but many of the faithful who were illiterate began the practice of reciting 150 Our Fathers (cf. Mt 6:9-13) to substitute for the Psalms.  As devotion to Our Lady increased, some of the Our Fathers were changed to Hail Marys.  Later, a meditation on the life of Christ accompanied the recitation of the prayers.  The Rosary became a wonderful tool of faith and prayer, a simple means for people to pray throughout the day and to meditate on the events of our salvation in the life of Christ.  (Cf. CCC 2678)

Although the Holy Rosary is associated with most closely the Blessed Virgin Mary and is indeed a Marian devotion, it points us directly to Christ.  The Rosary is sometimes called the “epitome of the whole Gospel” because its meditations call to mind the key events and truths of the Gospel message.  (Cf. CCC 971)

The Holy Rosary is a form of meditative prayer.  It is among the forms of piety and popular devotion that extend the liturgical life of the Church.  (Cf. CCC 1674-1675)

The meditations of the Holy Rosary and correlating passages of Scripture are as follows:

• The Joyful Mysteries   (Mondays & Saturdays)
  • The Annunciation  (Lk 1:26-28)
  • The Visitation  (Lk 1:39-56)
  • The Nativity  (Lk 2:1-20)
  • The Presentation  (Lk 2:22-38)
  • The Finding of Jesus in the Temple  (Lk 2:41-51)
• The Sorrowful Mysteries  (Tuesdays & Fridays)
  • The Agony in the Garden  (Mt 26:36-46)
  • The Scourging at the Pillar  (Jn 19:1)
  • The Crowning with Thorns  (Mt 27:29)
  • The Carrying of the Cross  (Jn 19:16-17)
  • The Crucifixion  (Jn 19:18-30)
• The Luminous Mysteries  (Thursdays)
  • The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan  (Mk 1:9-11)
  • The Manifestation of Christ at the Wedding of Cana  (Jn 2:1-12)
  • The Proclamation of the Kingdom of god, with His Call to Conversion  (Mk 1:14-15)
  • The Transfiguration  (Mt 17:1-8)
  • The Institution of the Eucharist  (Mk 14:22-26)
• The Glorious Mysteries  (Wednesdays & Sundays)
  • The Resurrection  (Mk 16:1-8)
  • The Ascension  (Lk 24:50-52)
  • The Descent of the Holy Spirit  (Acts 2:1-13)
  • The Assumption  (Ps 16:10)
  • The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  (Rev 12:1-2)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 2708.

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The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org