437 articles from the existing collection.
The Catholic Church’s claim to infallible authority rests on its understanding of Christ’s commission to His apostles. Catholics believe that Jesus established the Church as the guardian of divine truth, as seen in Matthew 16:18-19 , where Peter is given the keys to the kingdom. This passage is interpreted as Christ granting the…
St. Peter, originally named Simon, was chosen by Jesus Christ to be the foundation of the Church ( Matthew 16:18-19 ). The Catholic Church teaches that Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, symbolizing his authority over the Church. This authority included the power to bind and loose, indicating his role in governing and teac…
Jesus’ words in Luke 9:58 —that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head—highlight the radical poverty He embraced during His earthly ministry. This statement responded to a would-be disciple, underscoring the cost of following Him. Jesus traveled without a fixed home, relying on the hospitality of others, as seen in His stays…
The Catholic Church teaches that Christ is fully present in both the consecrated bread and wine, a doctrine rooted in the concept of concomitance. This means that the whole Christ—body, blood, soul, and divinity—is received under either species. The practice of Communion under one kind reinforces this truth, emphasizing that rec…
The Catholic Church’s prohibition of Freemasonry began in the 18th century, with Pope Clement XII’s apostolic constitution In Eminenti in 1738. This document condemned Freemasonry for its secretive nature and its promotion of ideas contrary to Catholic teaching. The Church saw Freemasonry as a potential threat to the spiritual w…
The Catholic Church traces its origins to Jesus Christ, who established it as the foundation of His salvific mission. In Matthew 16:18 , Christ declares, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” This passage underscores Peter’s role as the first pope, a position the Church has maintained through apostolic succes…
The question of press freedom has been addressed by the Catholic Church, particularly in the 19th century when the press became a powerful tool for shaping public opinion. During this period, the rise of liberal ideologies prompted popes to articulate the Church’s stance on media and its responsibilities. Pope Gregory XVI, in hi…
The concept of indulgences in the Catholic Church has roots in the early Christian practice of penance for sins. In the early Church, grave sins such as apostasy or adultery often required public penance, which could last days, months, or even years. These penances were not merely punitive but aimed at spiritual restoration and …
The Catholic Church has long held that state authority is a natural and necessary component of human society, rooted in the need to promote the common good. This perspective is grounded in the belief that humans are social beings who require organized structures to live in harmony and justice. The Church does not view the state …
The Catholic Church claims a divine origin, established by Jesus Christ Himself, as recorded in Matthew 16:18 , where He declares Peter the rock upon which the Church is built. This foundational moment is not merely historical but carries a theological promise of endurance. The Church’s indefectibility, a core Catholic doctrine,…
The narrative of Moses striking the rock appears in two key passages of the Old Testament: Exodus 17:1–7 and Numbers 20:1–13 . In both accounts, the Israelites, wandering in the desert, faced a dire shortage of water. Their complaints against Moses and God reflected their desperation and lack of trust. God instructed Moses to st…
The holiness of the Catholic Church is not a human achievement but a divine gift, established by Jesus Christ as the means of salvation for humanity. The Church is described as the Body of Christ, with Christ as its head, guiding it through the Holy Spirit. This divine origin sets the Church apart from any institution that could…
The fourteenth century was a turbulent period for the Catholic Church, marked by political and ecclesiastical challenges that culminated in the Western Schism (1378–1417). This crisis arose after the death of Pope Gregory XI, who had returned the papacy to Rome from Avignon, where it had resided for nearly seventy years. The ele…
Marriage, in its essence, is a covenant rooted in the natural order, established by God for the mutual support of spouses and the procreation of children. The Catholic Church teaches that this natural institution was elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament for baptized Christians (CCC 1601). This sacramental character d…
I do not feel very proud of myself. I am very proud of the Catholic Faith which, owing to God’s sheer goodness, I now possess. But you have a wrong idea of Torquemada. He was head of the Inquisition in Spain, a great ‘theologian and a good man. All the opprobrium associated with the Inquisition has been heaped upon his head, but…
Why do Catholics repeat the same prayer over and over again when they pray the Rosary? Is this not the vain repetition condemned by Christ in Matthew 6:7?
No. Hadrian IV. was an Englishman; Martin IV. a Frenchman; Zachary a Greek; Gregory III. a Syrian; Hadrian VI. a Dutchman. The present Pope happens to be an Italian, but the Cardinals could quite easily elect an Englishman next time, should they think fit.
Some misguided writers have spoken of a female Pope named Joan, who was supposed to have reigned from 855 to 857 A.D. But never was a greater hoax put over a credulous public. Voltaire laughed at the gullibility of fools who believed this tale. The Encyclopaedia Brittanica says that she is a pure myth. Chambers Encyclopaedia cal…
The doctrine is not in the three Creeds you mention. But they do not contain the whole of Christian doctrine. They are partial statements insisting upon certain doctrines against special errors of those times. It is true that Pius IV. Included the doctrine in his profession of faith, but you are wrong when you say that there was…
Catholic tradition is not a mere matter of rumor and report. It is down in black and white in documents as historical as any other documents, beginning from the year 97 with the declaration of the fact by Clement. It would not matter if Scripture did not give any evidence on this point. However it does. St. Peter ends his first …
It is not a question of a name, but of the thing. And the universal spiritual society now known as the Catholic Church is most clearly described in Scripture. Christ said clearly that His Church would be one fold under one shepherd, the fold embracing all nations, the shepherd being St. Peter, and his successors. Either the Cath…
The Catholic Church drills into every one of her children that drunkenness is m unjustifiable sin. But we refuse to admit that prohibition should be enforced pon all. The particular abuses do not justify so sweeping a thing as abolition of Irink altogether. You don’t throttle a man because one tooth is aching. The Church loes he…
Her dogmas are anything but worn-out. However to your main point I must reply by giving you the moral teaching of the Church concerning lies. The Church absolutely prohibits the use of any dishonest means, and declares that a deliberate lie is a sin under all circumstances. No good end in view can justify a lie.
The passage you quote tells us that “When Peter was come in, Cornelius came to meet him, and falling at his feet, adored.” Peter saw that Cornelius was giving him a worship more than could be permitted, and said, “Arise. I myself am also a man.” If the Pope detected the same dispositions in those who came to honor him he would u…
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