The Bible Belongs to the Catholic Church

Sometimes anti-Catholics talk as if the Catholic Church is the enemy of the bible. The contrary is true; the bible is the Catholic Church’s book! The late Paulist priest, Fr. Alvin Illig, joked, “It is a shame we never got a copyright on OUR book.” The bible did not suddenly come into existence or out [...]

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VATICAN & SPACE ALIENS

VATICAN CITY (AP) – Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican’s chief astronomer said in an interview. Of course, an exorcist priest in Rome claimed not long ago that UFOs were of demonic origin. Oops! Are they friend or foe? What can I say… Halloween [...]

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A VATICAN TIME MACHINE?

In the middle decades of our century, an Italian Benedictine monk claimed to have made just such a journey. His name was Father Pellegrino Maria Ernetti. He was a priest and scientist and musicologist, one of the world’s leading authorities on archaic music. He claimed to have yoked the insights of modern physics to the [...]

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Catholic Approach to Scripture Fosters Unity in Christ

In comparison to the fragmentation evident in Protestantism, the uniformity in doctrine as derived from an ultimate teaching authority over Scripture and Tradition has done much to sustain the Catholic faith. There is only one Christian faith– a single flock of Christ– and one shepherd over all. Legend has it that Martin Luther lamented on [...]

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The Pope and Bishops are the Official Interpreters of Scripture

Luke 10:16: “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Matthew 16:18: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death (gates of hell) shall not prevail against [...]

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The Bible is NOT Self-Interpretive

2 Peter 1:20: First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. 2 Peter 3:16: . . . speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their [...]

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The Issue of Heresy

Galatians 1:8-9: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let [...]

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Commanded to Keep Traditions

2 Thessalonians 2:15: So then, brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. 2 Timothy 2:2: . . . and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others [...]

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Tradition Supplements the Scriptures

John 20:30-31: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. John 21:25: But there are also many [...]

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Christianity is Not a Book Religion

Romans 10:17: So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. Mark 16:20: And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen. Mark 16:15: And he said to them, “Go into all [...]

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PADRE PIO PRAY FOR US!

Today at the morning Mass I took a relic of the good priest brought to church by a faithful parishioner and blessed the congregants after my brief homily. They came up one by one and I blessed them with these words: “Through the intercession of Padre Pio, may almighty God give you pardon, peace and [...]

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The Cafeteria Is REALLY Closed!

Given my ministry, I sometimes miss bits of the news on the so-called Blogosphere. One of these items was about Gerald Naus (Gerald Augustinus) and his blog, THE CAFETERIA IS CLOSED. He was a strong supporter of the Pope and the catechism. His site was well-known and many agreed that we had to accept the [...]

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