66 articles from the existing collection.
The Catholic Church presents continence as a vital aspect of chastity, a virtue that governs the proper use of human sexuality according to one’s state in life. In marriage, continence is not about suppressing desire but about ordering it toward the good of the spouse and the family. The Church teaches that human sexuality is a …
The Catholic Church’s understanding of priestly authority to forgive sins is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament. In John 20:23 , Jesus tells His disciples, “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” This passage is centr…
Marriage, in the Catholic tradition, is not merely a contract but a sacred covenant established by God. The Church teaches that Christ elevated marriage to the status of a sacrament, making it a visible sign of God’s grace ( Matthew 19:4-6 ). This sacramental nature requires that Catholics marry in the presence of a priest or de…
The Catholic Church holds that celibacy for priests and religious is a sacred commitment rooted in the example of Jesus Christ. Celibacy is not merely a discipline but a way of life that reflects a total gift of self to God and the Church. In the Latin Rite, priests take a vow of celibacy, while religious men and women profess v…
Yes. The penitent must tell fully and sincerely all his serious sins; he must be truly sorry for having committed them; determine to try to avoid them for the future; and promise to make good any injury to others whether by defamation of character or by theft of money or goods
Yes, and in a certain sense it is true. Baptism implies a certain consecration to God, and the obligation to offer the sacrifice of praise by a sincere life of prayer and of good works. He points out that, as the Jews were a chosen race, so the baptized are the chosen race to day. But the Jews had in addition specially chosen me…
I can do so. The Old Testament predicts that Christ will offer a true sacrifice to God in bread and wine—that He will use those elements. And this prediction is every bit as clear as the prediction that He will also offer Himself upon the Cross. Thus Gen. XIV., 18, tells us that Melchisedech, King of Salem, was a Priest, and tha…
There is no confusion amongst the clergy of the Catholic Church, which alone was established by Christ. And the Catholic Church alone can lawfully claim your allegiance. If you insist upon including all the man-made variations, then you are right about the conflicting views of the clergy. But that would not give you a true view …
Upon what do you base that outrageous assertion?
That you were highly amused at a Requiem Mass which you did not understand only proves that you are devoid of the power to sympathize with what is sacred to other people. Had you understood it, and then been amused, there might have been some excuse. You say that the whole ceremony was a gabble and a mumble to you. Were you to a…
The practice is not anti-Christian. Reception under one kind only is quite sufficient for Holy Communion. Our Lord said simply, “If any man eat of this bread he shall live forever, for the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world.” Jn. VI., 52. In the early Church Communion was at times given to little childr…
For the sake of argument, let us suppose that to be true. But that does not make the Anglican Church true. If they are just as learned as Catholic priests, so also Catholic priests are just as learned as they. So too, they are just as good. And if the learning and character of Anglican ministers make the Anglican Church true, so…
Priests have no obligation to examine the conscience of the penitent. The penitent must do that. If a young girl, or anybody for that matter, has been guilty of improper conduct, then such conduct is demoralizing. But the confession of that sin, sorrow for it, and the resolution not to commit it again, is not demoralizing.
He did not leave the Church voluntarily, but was expelled from it in 1851 by the Bishop of Montreal because the Church could not tolerate his immorality. He pretended repentance, promised to behave himself, and persuaded another Catholic Bishop to accept his services. But in 1856 he was again expelled for immorality. If Pastor C…
In the Catholic Church there are two vocations open to a man who feels called by God to His service. Either he will feel called to be simply a Priest, or else, in addition, to enter a Religious Order. If called to be a Priest, he enters college and is prepared for parish work, in which he must provide for his own necessities. Th…
Because they do not wish to be only natural. They wish to be supernatural. St. Paul was human, but he did not marry. And like St. Paul, Catholic Priests wish to centre their interests in Christ and share their hearts with no one else. Meantime, they are not forbidden to marry as human beings. They are forbidden as Priests. Prior…
The Catholic Church, with God’s approval and authority, following the example of Christ and the Apostles.
Do you mean that no one with human nature can be pure and chaste? That every young couple entering matrimony can be quite sure that the other has led an evil immoral life up to that moment? If you do not mean that, do you mean that a young man in the world can lead a good life, but suddenly becomes corrupt when he gives himself …
No Catholic Priest would himself believe it were it not the doctrine of Christ. It would be the height of folly to believe it without solid evidence that Christ had taught it. God created substance and qualities, and we cannot deny to Him perfect control over them and ability to change them at His pleasure. And when Christ says,…
As human beings—no; as called, not to the state of marriage, but to the Priesthood—yes. For this reason, whilst like all others who for one reason or another do not marry, they are obliged to avoid all sins against chastity; they also take upon themselves an additional obligation to do so under pain of sacrilege by vows of chast…
The Priest cannot tell the people just what he likes. He is obliged to teach just what Christ taught, and which has been taught him in the Name of Christ by the infallible Catholic Church.
Would you condemn a whole family as criminal because one child went wrong? An unworthy Priest does not inspire you with half the indignation he inspires in Catholic hearts. But try to grasp this principle. I have never undertaken to defend the conduct of every individual Priest. Nor, for a moment, would I wish to defend the evil…
Priestcraft is the product of man’s imagination, superstition, and perhaps fear. But priestcraft has nothing to do with the Catholic Church. The Catholic priesthood, a very different thing, is of divine institution, as can be proved to the hilt.
That remark shows that you do not understand the nature of Mass offerings at all. Priests do not sell Masses, and the people do not pay for Masses. The Mass cannot be bought or sold. Even were I to say that the Priest offers the Mass and is paid, not for the Mass, but for his time and services, any evil element such as you sugge…
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