Love Mary

Love. It frequently looks like worship. Have you ever said to your spouse or has your spouse ever said to you, "I adore you."? Or have you ever heard anyone say that to a spouse or to a parent? 
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Analysis of a Conversion - Why I left the Catholic Church, the meaning of faith

Yes, the meaning of faith.

Mark Twain once quipped, "faith is believing in something you know ain't so."  That really made me laugh.  Because, that is almost the same thing that Catholics had always said to me.

Try this yourself.  Ask a Catholic if he believes that God exists.  Typically, here's the answer I get, "I don't know.  I have faith that he exists."

I don't know?  I'm sorry to tell you this, folks.  But that isn't faith.  That is a logical conundrum.  It is impossible to have faith in someone whom you don't know exists.  Here's what Scripture says:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.

If someone asks you whether you believe that God exists, the answer to that question is, "YES!"  Here is the way that Jesus Christ wants you to answer that question:

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.

There's no room for doubts where the existence of God is concerned.  Faith is believing in God and trusting Him with all your heart.  In fact, loving Him with all your heart and soul and mind and body.

But that's not the answer that I ever got from Catholics.

Maybe I was asking the wrong Catholics.  I hope so.  Nevertheless, this sort of lukewarmness was not attractive to me.  And I fell away.

Priests for Life in the Media

December 21 - December 28, 2015

Join us on the morning of January 22 in Washington, DC - before the March for Life - for the National Prayer Service at Constitution Hall!  Tony Melendez will be our musical guest and we will honor Governor Sam Brownback.  See NationalPrayerService.com for more information. “As Governor of Kansas I have signed 15 Right to Life bills reaffirming our commitment that life at all stages is sacred and valuable. I appreciate the efforts of the National Pro-life Religious Council, Priests for Life and their allied organizations in recognizing the people of Kansas and their elected officials at the National Prayer Service. Kansas has enacted legislation protecting unborn children from dismemberment abortions, and I encourage other states to do the same. I ask you, therefore, to join me at this prayer service, so that the action we have taken in Kansas can be an encouragement to similar efforts throughout this great land." - Senator Sam Brownback The Gospel of Life on Radio Maria Airing: Live at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 22 and rebroadcast at 2 a.m. ETon Thursday, December 24 and midnight ET Monday, December 28 (11 p.m. CTSunday). Go to radiomaria.us to listen online.  Families and communities have diverse and spiritual  Christmas traditions whose beauty and meaning transcend  the hustle and bustle of the commercial “holiday” season. Learn about some of the ways your neighbors and friends celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Call in with your questions to 866-333-6279 or ask questions by emailing us ahead of time at info@gospeloflife.com Shows are archived at PriestsForLife.org/RadioMaria and radiomaria.us/the-gospel-of-life. Defending Life on EWTN Airing on EWTN TV: 2:30 a.m. ET Wednesdays.  Listen on EWTN Radio and EWTN shortwave on Sunday at 5am and 1pm.  Also on EWTN shortwave every Saturday at 6:30pm.  On EWTN RadioPlus Sunday at 9am and Saturday at 7:30pm. (All times Eastern) You can also stream EWTN online by going to EWTN.com and clicking on the "television" tab. Defending Life will not air this week as EWTN broadcasts special Christmas programming. For more information and details, go to DefendingLife.tv. The Catholic View for Women on EWTN Airing on EWTN TV: Wednesdays at 11:00 p.m. ET and Fridays at 10:30 a.m ET. You can also stream EWTN online by going to EWTN.com and clicking on the "television" tab. The Catholic View for Women will not air this week as EWTN broadcasts special Christmas programming. Go to TheCatholicViewforWomen.com for more information. Gospel of Life TV on NRB and SkyAngel Airing on National Religious Broadcasters network (NRB), Wednesday, December 23 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The NRB Network is on DIRECTV, channel 378. Gospel of Life is archived on the NRB Network Roku channel for seven days from the original air date.  Also airing on SkyAngel 2 on Friday, December 25 at 6 a.m. ET.  This Week on NRB and SkyAngel: Christmas Special More upcoming... Hear us on EWTN radio on Catholic Connection with Teresa Tomeo. Fr. Frank will be on with Teresa on Tuesday, December 22 at 8:35 am and Monday, Jan. 4 at 8:35am.  Call-in to the live show with questions at 877-573-7825. For more information and to listen to the live show on the internet, go to http://www.avemariaradio.net/hosts/teresa-tomeo/

See additional radio and TV appearances of our team, and other programming details, on the online media schedule, and please spread the word! And remember, there are many ways we can stay connected on social media, and to get an idea, visit PriestsForLife.org/SocialMedia. Along with Facebook and Twitter, you can connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Google Plus, Tumblr, Flickr and YouTube . Please, remember to support our work at PriestsForLife.org/donate.

Christ-Mass!

In this secular world, Christians decry the fact that non-Christians have taken Christ out of Christmas. But that was bound to happen after non-Catholic Christians took the Mass out of Christmas. Christ-mas is Christes Masse, or the Mass of Christ. 
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Paraphrasing the Summa: First part, Question 3, article 1

Article 1. Whether God is a body?

Is God made like a man?  

Objection 1. It seems that God is a body. For a body is that which has the three dimensions. But Holy Scripture attributes the three dimensions to God, for it is written: "He is higher than Heaven, and what wilt thou do? He is deeper than Hell, and how wilt thou know? The measure of Him is longer than the earth and broader than the sea" (Job 11:8-9). Therefore God is a body.

Scripture says that God is three dimensional, with height, length and width.  Therefore, God is a material being, like a man or an animal.

Objection 2. Further, everything that has figure is a body, since figure is a quality of quantity. But God seems to have figure, for it is written: "Let us make man to our image and likeness" (Genesis 1:26). Now a figure is called an image, according to the text: "Who being the brightness of His glory and the figure," i.e. the image, "of His substance" (Hebrews 1:3). Therefore God is a body.

 Again, Scripture also depicts God as an image and with substance.  In fact, men were made in His image.  Therefore, God has an appearance, like a man.

Objection 3. Further, whatever has corporeal parts is a body. Now Scripture attributes corporeal parts to God. "Hast thou an arm like God?" (Job 40:4); and "The eyes of the Lord are upon the just" (Psalm 33:16); and "The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength" (Psalm 117:16). Therefore God is a body.

Scripture also describes God's hands and eyes, therefore, God is made like a man.

Objection 4. Further, posture belongs only to bodies. But something which supposes posture is said of Godin the Scriptures: "I saw the Lord sitting" (Isaiah 6:1), and "He standeth up to judge" (Isaiah 3:13). Therefore God is a body.

Further, Scripture shows God sitting and standing.  Therefore, God has a body, like a man.

Objection 5. Further, only bodies or things corporeal can be a local term "wherefrom" or "whereto." But in the Scriptures God is spoken of as a local term "whereto," according to the words, "Come ye to Him and be enlightened" (Psalm 33:6), and as a term "wherefrom": "All they that depart from Thee shall be written in the earth" (Jeremiah 17:13). Therefore God is a body.

And finally, Scripture also says that God is in a certain place and that people come to Him and depart from Him.  Therefore, God takes up space and is limited.  Therefore, God is like a man.

On the contrary, It is written in the Gospel of St. John (John 4:24): "God is a spirit."

St. Thomas counters the objections by pointing out that Scripture also says that God is a spirit.

I answer that, It is absolutely true that God is not a body; and this can be shown in three ways.

St. Thomas says he can provide 3 proofs that God is not a material being.

First, because no body is in motion unless it be put in motion, as is evident from induction. Now it has been already proved (2, 3), that God is the First Mover, and is Himself unmoved. Therefore it is clear that God is not a body.

He points us to question 2, article 3 and says that the fact that God is the First Mover and yet is unmoved, means that He can't be limited to a material body and must be a Spirit.

Secondly, because the first being must of necessity be in act, and in no way in potentiality.

The second proof says that the First Being, God, must be pure action and can't be motionless.  Can't be waiting to move or at rest.

For although in any single thing that passes from potentiality to actuality, the potentiality is prior in time to the actuality;

In material beings, being at rest precedes moving to action.

nevertheless, absolutely speaking, actuality is prior to potentiality;

But, in reality, action precedes rest;

for whatever is in potentiality can be reduced into actuality only by some being in actuality.

because that which is at rest can only be moved by a being in motion.

Now it has been already proved that God is the First Being.

And God is the First Being

It is therefore impossible that in God there should be any potentiality.

Therefore, it is impossible that God should ever be at rest.

But every body is in potentiality because the continuous, as such, is divisible to infinity;

Now, St. Thomas throws a bit of a curve here, for me.  He jumps to the fact that bodies are limited (divisible to infinity), in time and space.   And he says that this is the reason why bodies are at rest.

it is therefore impossible that God should be a body.

 I think he means that, since God is the animator of the entire universe, He can't be limited in time and space and therefore, can't be a material being with a body, like a man.

Thirdly, because God is the most noble of beings. Now it is impossible for a body to be the most noble of beings; for a body must be either animate or inanimate; and an animate body is manifestly nobler than any inanimate body. But an animate body is not animate precisely as body; otherwise all bodies would be animate. Therefore its animation depends upon some other thing, as our body depends for its animation on the soul. Hence that by which a body becomes animated must be nobler than the body. Therefore it is impossible that God should be a body.

The third proof is this.  God gives life to all the universe.  And that which gives us life must be better than that which receives life.  Therefore, God who gives life to the body is not Himself a body.

*Scripture says, the Spirit gives life.

Reply to Objection 1. As we have said above (Question 1, Article 9), Holy Writ puts before us spiritual and divine things under the comparison of corporeal things. Hence, when it attributes to God the three dimensions under the comparison of corporeal quantity, it implies His virtual quantity; thus, by depth, it signifies His power of knowing hidden things; by height, the transcendence of His excelling power; by length, the duration of His existence; by breadth, His act of love for all. Or, as says Dionysius (Div. Nom. ix), by the depth of God is meant the incomprehensibility of His essence; by length, the procession of His all-pervading power; by breadth, His overspreading all things, inasmuch as all things lie under His protection.

To counter objection #1 above, St. Thomas points us to Question 1, Article 9 and says that Scripture uses metaphors and figures of speech to express many of God's attributes in a manneer which we can visualize.

Reply to Objection 2. Man is said to be after the image of God, not as regards his body, but as regards that whereby he excels other animals. Hence, when it is said, "Let us make man to our image and likeness", it is added, "And let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea" (Genesis 1:26). Now man excels all animals by his reason and intelligence; hence it is according to his intelligence and reason, which are incorporeal, that man is said to be according to the image of God.

Objection 2 says that man is in the image of God therefore, God is like a man.  But St. Thomas says that the Scripture which says that man is in the image of God is a reference to the spirit which God put into the man to animate his body.

Reply to Objection 3. Corporeal parts are attributed to God in Scripture on account of His actions, and this is owing to a certain parallel. For instance the act of the eye is to see; hence the eye attributed to God signifies His power of seeing intellectually, not sensibly; and so on with the other parts.

Again, St. Thomas says that any body parts attributed to God in Scripture, are similes and metaphors.

Reply to Objection 4. Whatever pertains to posture, also, is only attributed to God by some sort of parallel. He is spoken of as sitting, on account of His unchangeableness and dominion; and as standing, on account of His power of overcoming whatever withstands Him.

So are any positions and postures which Scripture uses to signify God's attributes.

Reply to Objection 5. We draw near to God by no corporeal steps, since He is everywhere, but by the affections of our soul, and by the actions of that same soul do we withdraw from Him; thus, to draw near to or to withdraw signifies merely spiritual actions based on the metaphor of local motion.

And finally, we don't move closer to God in time and space, but in love.  When we do those things which please Him.   We move away from God when we do not love Him or our fellow man, when we sin and do not do His will.

Analysis of a Conversion - Why I left the Catholic Church, party time

I think it was St. Francis of Assisi or it might have been St. John Vianney, who, having passed by a bar where everyone was singing and enjoying themselves, arrived in Church to witness all the sad faces and quipped, "No wonder the bars are full. Who would want to be a Christian after looking at your gloomy faces?" 
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One Plan of Salvation, Two True Religions

There was some confusion in the comments of the the “Two True Religions” article.  The gist of that article is that God established both Judaism and Catholicism.  And that, because of the Sacraments, it is better to be Catholic than Jewish.

One of the commenters said that, "since there is one Plan of Salvation, therefore, there is only one True Religion."  

The assumption is that Plan of Salvation means “religion”.  If that were true, then, of course, that commenter would be correct.

But that assumption is wrong.

The Catholic Church nowhere defines the term, Plan of Salvation, to mean religion.  In fact, it frequently identifies the “Jewish” religion and the “Catholic” religion.  Using different modifiers.  As we can see, here:

839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."

The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."

So, although there is one Plan of Salvation, that plan includes two, separate and true religions.  One of them fulfilling the other.

In addition, the Catholic Bible refers to the Jew’s religion as opposed to the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Church of God:

Galatians 1:12-14 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

12 For neither did I receive it of man, nor did I learn it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion: how that, beyond measure, I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.  14 And I made progress in the Jews' religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Therefore, both in the Catechism and in the Bible, the Catholic Church identifies the Jewish religion as distinct from the Catholic Faith.

The other commenter called it a heresy to say that there were two true religions and used this paragraph from the Catechism to support his contention:

2105 The duty of offering God genuine worship concerns man both individually and socially. This is "the traditional Catholic teaching on the moral duty of individuals and societies toward the true religion and the one Church of Christ." By constantly evangelizing men, the Church works toward enabling them "to infuse the Christian spirit into the mentality and mores, laws and structures of the communities in which [they] live." The social duty of Christians is to respect and awaken in each man the love of the true and the good. It requires them to make known the worship of the one true religion which subsists in the Catholic and apostolic Church. Christians are called to be the light of the world. Thus, the Church shows forth the kingship of Christ over all creation and in particular over human societies.

That does say that there is one true religion which subsists in the Catholic and Apostolic Church.  But,   does that imply that the Jewish religion was not established by God?  No, it doesn’t.  If it did, it would contradict paragraph 839, which I quoted above.  Therefore,  it does not deny that God established two true religions.  The Jewish and the Catholic.  

The Catholic Church has fulfilled the Jewish Covenant, and is today, the one true religion.  But it was preceded by the Jewish faith, which was previously, the one true religion.  And the non-Catholic Jews of today, have not accepted Jesus as Messiah but continue to wait for the Messiah.  While we wait for His Second Coming.

Anyway, I hope that clarifies matters.

Have mercy on your children!

Charity begins at home. Why do Americans kick their children out of their home when they turn 18? 
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Seven things that might surprise you, about the Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin is the cloth with which Jesus Christ was wrapped after the Crucifixion. Some people would say, the alleged cloth with which He was wrapped. But the matter has been proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt. Why? 
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Romans 4 and the Sacraments

I was pleasantly surprised that there was so much interest in the difference between how Catholics and Protestants understand Romans 10. That being the case, I’d like to highlight where Catholics and Protestants differ on the understanding of Romans 4. This chapter contains several quotes which Protestants also use to support faith alone. 
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Where does the Bible say that people in heaven can hear our prayers?

I hate to answer a question with a question, but please bear with me. Do you believe in the Trinity? I’m assuming that you do. 
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Planned Parenthood #PrayPP Rally

Join Fr. Frank in Washington DC on Thursday, January 21

December 16, 2015

Brothers and Sisters,

Every year, on the day before the March for Life, I am joined by other national leaders in organizing a prayer rally at the Washington, DC Planned Parenthood.

This year, it's at a new location.

Please join me and other leaders to pray from 9am to 10:30 am on Thursday, January 21. Please spread the word on social media using the hashtags #PrayPP and #ProtestPP.

Event: #PrayPP and #ProtestPP Rally

Where: Planned Parenthood construction site, 1225 4th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

When: Thursday, January 21, 9:00 a.m.

Prior to and after that date, please join in the prayer campaign against the evils of Planned Parenthood. See www.PrayerCampaign.org for the texts of those prayers.

Let's show Planned Parenthood and our nation's lawmakers that we will intensify and sustain our protest against the evils of which Planned Parenthood is guilty. At the rally we will talk about how to have sustained protests against Planned Parenthood throughout the year in your local communities!

Blessings,

Fr. Frank Pavone

Priests for Life
PO Box 141172
Staten Island, NY 10314
Phone: 888-PFL-3448
718-980-4400
Fax: 718-980-6515
Email: mail@priestsforlife.org
www.priestsforlife.org

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Who is the Schoolmaster that leads us to Christ?

Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. This verse was written by St. Paul of Tarsus.  What is he talking about? Most people seem to think he is talking about the Ten Commandments.  And there's nothing wrong with that answer 
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Mary, Queen of Heaven

Why do we call the Virgin Mary the Queen of Heaven, if God, according to Scripture, is angered by that title? 
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Paraphrasing the Summa: First part, Question 3

Question 3. The simplicity of God

Is God a simple or complex being?

The Catholic Church teaches that God is pure spirit.  Ancient mythologies would picture their gods as immortal humans or animals.  So, it is important to that those who believe in God understand what God is and is not, in order that they don't fall into the error of worshipping the creature instead of the Creator.

Catechism of the Catholic Church #43 Admittedly, in speaking about God like this, our language is using human modes of expression; nevertheless it really does attain to God himself, though unable to express him in his infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Creator and creature no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude"; and that "concerning God, we cannot grasp what he is, but only what he is not, and how other beings stand in relation to him."

To investigate Question 3 in more detail, St. Thomas breaks it down into the following areas:

1. Is God a body?
2. Is He composed of matter and form?
3. Is there composition of quiddity, essence or nature, and subject in Him?
4. Is He composed of essence and existence?
5. Is He composed of genus and difference?
6. Is He composed of subject and accident?
7. Is He in any way composite, or wholly simple?
8. Does He enter into composition with other things?

Is God a body?

No.  God is pure spirit.  But what is spirit?  Spirit is sometimes called ether.  Sort of a cloudlike, formless, essence.  It is also called "immaterial", which simply means that it is not any sort of material.

Is He composed of matter and form?

The Church says that God is spirit.  So, no, He is not composed of any matter nor does He have any form.

Is there composition of quiddity, essence or nature, and subject in Him?

I don't understand any word in this question, except, "composition".  And we know that God is not "made".  Composition implies being made and also, being made in different parts.  God is spirit and is eternal.  He is not made nor is He composed of any thing.  

Is He composed of essence and existence?
Is He composed of genus and difference?
Is He composed of subject and accident?
Is He in any way composite, or wholly simple?
Does He enter into composition with other things?

All of these questions have the word, "composed" or "composite" in them.  Therefore, we know that the answer is no.  God is utterly simple.  He is not composed of anything.  He is pure spirit.

Well, that's the way I understand the questions.  Let's see how close I came to the answers. 

Mother of My Lord

One of the things which always astounded me. Astounds me to this day, really, is the fact that a Protestant and a Catholic can look at the same verse and come up with two radically different understandings of that verse. 
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Catholic Answers Conference, Restoring Marriage Today

JUST ANNOUNCED!

FATHER PAUL CHECK OF COURAGE WILL JOIN

OUR AMAZING LINEUP OF SPEAKERS!




Join us March 3-5, 2016 for the Catholic Answers Conference, Restoring Marriage Today,
and find out how you can become part of the solution.

Sign up now and take advantage of our Early-Bird Special

Full Conference: $245

*Partial Conference: $95

Register soon! Prices will increase January 1, 2016

Father Paul check joins our lineup of incredible guest speakers: Bishop James Wall, Fr. Larry Richards,
Dr. Ray Guarendi, and Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse. As well as Catholic Answers personalities Patrick Coffin,
Tim Staples, Jimmy Akin, Trent Horn, and Christopher Check.

The Augustine Institute, become a member!

With the recent merger between the Augustine Institute and Lighthouse Catholic Media, we are in a position to reach more souls for Christ than ever before. Together we can profoundly impact hearts and minds with the Truth of the Catholic Church. Will you join us by becoming a Member of the Augustine Institute?

As a Member, not only do you support one of the most dynamic apostolates serving the Church today, but you also will receive access to our Online Media Library, including full-length graduate theology course videos including:

• Salvation History with Dr. Edward Sri,
• Christian Marriage with Dr. Pia de Solenni, and
• Jesus and the Gospels with me.

These resources are a great way to deepen your knowledge of the faith and to advance your spiritual life, and we’re adding new content to the Online Media Library all the time. Will you join us as a Member today?

Shalom,



Dr. Tim Gray, PhD
President,
The Augustine Institute

Become a Member Today

So, you've been to the Catholic Church for the first time, what now?

You took the plunge, you went to the nearest Catholic Church. But you didn’t take my advice. It was too intimidating to follow all those people in. So, you did a little reconnaissaince. You found the Mass times and you decided to go at a time when the building would be vacant. First, you drove by and saw no one there. So, you parked and inspected the grounds. 
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Where do we find the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Bible?

As I’ve mentioned before, I believe that one of the best ways to understand Scripture is to first understand the Teachings of the Catholic Church, which are the basis of the New Testament. It is upon these Oral Teachings of Jesus Christ which are passed down by the Church, which are the bedrock of the New Testament. 
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