The Bible7 min read
The account of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart appears in Exodus 7–14 , where Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to release the Israelites from slavery. This phrase occurs in several passages, such as Exodus 7:3 and Exodus 10:1 , alongside descriptions of Pharaoh hardening his own heart, as in Exodus 8:15 . The interplay between these sta…
God & Faith1 min read
You are not really a materialist. Neither thought nor love are material things, yet you believe in them. Your statement, too, conflicts with reason. When you say “alleged or otherwise” you can only mean “alleged or not merely alleged but historically true.” The miracles in favor of revelation are historically certain.
The Church1 min read
If the new convert did contribute to the support of his religion that would already be an advantage to him, if Christ rightly commended the poor widow who gave her mite to the Temple. But even if a convert could give nothing he would be none the less welcome. The Catholic Church never wants anyone for what he will bring to her, …
Moral Life2 min read
What do you mean by no half-measures? For the man who cannot resist getting drunk, I admit that there are no half-measures. He must inflict rigorous prohibition on himself, and if necessary the law must forbid him to be served with Irink. If you mean that prohibition must be inflicted on everybody, I deny your issertion. Such pr…
Other Christians & Religions1 min read
Good Catholic women often make bad wives for Protestant husbands. But it is not because they are proud and selfish. Their religion teaches them humility and self-denial. But the same religion teaches that a Catholic may not give way one jot or tittle in matters of Catholic obligations. The deepest thing in man is his religious c…
Sacraments & Worship1 min read
I deny that it was anything like a universal practice. Some early Christians were specially endowed by God with the power of healing, in order that the Church might appeal to onlookers in a special way. But the Church has been built, and there is no need to show a stone from the quarry whence it was hewn in order to prove its ex…
Sacraments & Worship1 min read
If the Sisters conduct an institution, that institution is distinct and separate from the convent proper, and may be inspected at any time by any authorized person. But the right to inspect a public institution does not give the right to inspect the manager’s private home. Would you insist that he must show you the kitchen, dini…
The Bible1 min read
Without the Catholic Church you cannot prove it to be the pure Word of God. Nor need anyone be afraid of the pure Word of God. What we must fear is the Word of God adulterated by people who read into it whatever they like.
Other Christians & Religions1 min read
Whilst there is life there is always hope. Such a man may return to the Catholic Church, or at least die sincerely repenting of ever having left it.
Last Things & Salvation2 min read
For one reason, precisely because it is dead! In modern and living languages, words are constantly changing their meaning whilst in a dead language, such as Latin, they do not. The essential doctrine and significance of Christianity must not change, and the safest way to preserve it intact is to keep it in an unchangeable langua…
Last Things & Salvation1 min read
Men very much need humility. Few are overburdened with that virtue. But you would teach men a still more foolish pride. Christ said, “Learn of Me to be meek and humble of heart.” Meekness demands manhood. It is much easier not to be meek, but to give way to the first impulse which surges upon one, and to pour out the first rush …
Mary, Saints & Angels1 min read
Holy water is ordinary water sanctified by the blessing of the Church. It differs from ordinary water in so far as some salt has been added to it to signify preservation from corruption, and in so far as it conveys the blessing of the Church and of God where ordinary water does not do so.
The Church1 min read
You are wasting your prayers. The Catholic Church, even if our country became entirely Catholic, would not wish to assume purely civil government. Free and easy divorce laws would be repealed; the sale of birth-control requirements would be prohibited; and various other un-Christian liberties would be withdrawn. But where legisl…
Other Christians & Religions1 min read
No. In 1917, the Church decreed as follows: “It is not lawful to assist at Spiritistic Seances or manifestations whether with or without a medium, even though such meetings seem to be honest and religious.” Spiritualism claims to be a new religion, and therefore meets with the same fate as all other religions invented by men sin…
The Bible1 min read
Catholics are quite free to possess and read approved versions of the Bible. As you cannot have searched every Catholic home in the country I can but wonder at your credulity in thinking that Catholics do not have Bibles in their homes.
Moral Life1 min read
I am quite satisfied with the king, and wish to hear nothing to his discredit. I do not accept his hospitality. A child does not accept the hospitality of his own parents. I was born a British subject. I do my duty. The king does his. I admit that he is head of the Anglican Church, although I deny that he is head of the true Chu…
The Church2 min read
To British Catholics the Church is not controlled by a foreigner. She is controlled by the Vicar of Christ. It would be just the same if St. Peter were still there to-day, and he was a Palestinian Jew. If a Frenchman or an Englishman were elected, no Italian Catholic would regard the Pope as Pope in the light of any foreign nati…
Sacraments & Worship1 min read
It nowhere says that they were not, and implicitly demands that they should be.
The Church1 min read
Then she is a very poor agent indeed. She would be far more efficient if she cried out, “Sin does not matter—go ahead. Confession is nonsense. Eat anything you like on Fridays, the day on which Christ died. Marriage does not bind, divorce yourselves whenever you like. Continence is absurd. Artificial birth-control is progress. D…
The Bible2 min read
Nor did he. And the expression “till” in Hebrew usage has no necessary reference to the future. Thus in Gen. VIII., 7, we read that “the dove went forth from the ark and did not return till the waters dried up.” That expression does not suggest that it returned then. It did not return at all, having found resting places. Nor doe…
Mary, Saints & Angels1 min read
They do not worship relics as they worship God, by adoration. If you mean worship in the sense of honor or veneration, then Catholics certainly venerate the relics of Saints. The law, “Honor thy father and thy mother” extends to their persons, body and soul; to their reputations, and to all connected with them. We reverence thei…
God & Faith1 min read
The fullest revelation of those things of God which man is intended to know has been made as far as this life goes. It has been given by Christ, as we shall see later on. No man yet has sounded the full depths of the truth revealed by Christ, and as we progress in the knowledge of His doctrines we get nearer and nearer to that f…
Moral Life1 min read
The margin of difference is rather wide; however, taking the amount as two millions, on the Catholic population of the United States the average is again less than ten cents a year from the individual towards the support of Priests from this source. And at McCabe’s maximum, the individual Priest would receive the average income …
Sacraments & Worship2 min read
Christ said, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Now one of these commandments is, “Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day.” Thus God demands the sanctification of one day in seven in a special way. His very use of the word “Remember” implies a grave obligation not to forget or omit this duty. It is a mo…