WHY I AM STILL ROMAN CATHOLIC AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

PETER’S BASILICA ROME ITALY

As Jesus’ vicar/prime minister, St. Peter established the Mother Church in Rome in 42 A.D. All other Christian denominations over the centuries have their roots in the Church Jesus founded. Just as Bishops today are successors to the Apostles, the Pope is successor to Peter.

 INTRODUCTION

A friend of mine who lives out of town that I have known for 50+ years called on Mother’s Day to wish my wife Happy Mother’s Day.  During the course of our conversation he wanted me to know he believes in God just not the Church.  Gene and I have discussed religion forever.  He is a good man who reaches out in service to others especially the elderly

I reminded Gene that while the Church was divinely instituted, it is humanly constituted made up of saints and sinners.  There is no greater target of Satan then the Church of Christ.  Since their Intellect is darkened and their Will is weakened as a consequence of Original Sin the clergy of the Church are just as susceptible to the “dark” side as the laity.

Of course, it is not just clergy abuse that caused so many to leave the “church.”  Most reply they just don’t believe what the Church teaches.  Well, this is not so surprising since for the last several decades our Catholic faithful, the young and old, have been so poorly served in the area of Catechesis.  It seems when the nuns left the building so did a lot of  strong true Catholic teaching. So we now have generations of the under Catechized who are not able to teach their children about God as well.

Some have asked me why I have the adjective, Roman, before Catholic in my website stillromancatholicafteralltheseyears.com. There are several rites in communion with Rome (Latin Rite) such as Maronites, that never separated and others that did, but have reunited with Rome such as Byzantine, Copts, and Chaldeans. I want readers to know my blog is orthodox and in full communion with the Church of St. Peter.

There are so many denominations out there that have catholic in their names that it is confusing.  There are even groups out there that call themselves Catholics for Choice. This is not a Catholic organization but a pro- abortion advocacy group. There are “cafeteria catholics” who pick and chooses what Catholic teaching they want to follow. Catholics are not free to choose which teachings on faith and morals to obey.

I love my Church warts and all and so grateful to Jesus giving us this guide.  It isn’t perfect.  But Jesus is!,  Jesus founded His Church on  the Apostle Peter.” And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19

FEED MY SHEEP

“JESUS SAID TO SIMON PETER, SIMON, SON OF JOHN, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?

Peter said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my Lambs

 “Jesus said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’

Peter said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’  

He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep’

 .Jesus said to Peter the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’

Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep’”

John 21:17,

Not all are Good Shepherds all the time!  Remember Peter denied Jesus three times but Peter repented and wept bitterly for his sins but returned to Jesus.  Jesus returns the favor by entrusting His Church to Peter and his successors. As far as the Church of Christ goes our trust is not in the human constituency but in the Third person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

The Father, indeed, revealed the fullness of Truth in His Son but the Church in its early days could not take it all in. It needed inspiration, guidance, the breath of the Spirit.  What was (and still is) required is the ongoing influence of the Spirit, the divine interpreter of the Word, who does his work gradually and powerfully as the Church journeys across space and time.

“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.” John 15:26 “The Holy Spirit teaches the Church “all things,” bringing to mind everything that Christ first taught His apostles” John 14:26.

The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost Sunday and a Church was born. After the descent of the Holy Spirit the disciples were filled with courage and faith. They went out into the streets and proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ fearlessly in Truth and the Holy Spirit

PENTECOST SUNDAY

With the Holy Spirit, Jesus sends His apostles and their successors as the Father sent Him “with “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Mt. 28:18).  The apostles, the first bishops, chosen by Christ, exercise the Church’s Magisterium or teaching office of His Church.

It is the Holy Spirit who comes into this world to convict Satan and Sin.  The battle is joined.  Do you know who wins:  Check out the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible..  My trust is in the Holy Spirit not man!

THE BIBLE

Sometimes Catholics are criticized by other denominations as not knowing the Bible or down playing Scriptures.  That is ridiculous.  If you were to attend Sunday Mass regularly in a three year cycle and daily Mass in 2 year cycle you would hear read at Mass from Old and New Testament well over 80% of Scriptures.

There was no Bible in the early Church.  It was the Church–her leadership, faithful people–guided by the authority of the Spirit of Truth which discovered the books inspired by God in their writing.

The canon of the Bible was established by the Roman Catholic Church definitively at the Council of Trent in 1556.  Canon means keeping something “straight” by rule of faith.

A canon distinguishes what is revealed and divine from what is not revealed and human. Some criteria used to determine canonicity were: special relation to God, i.e., inspiration; apostolic origin; used by the community of believers in Church services guided by the Holy Spirit.

If God has revealed Himself to man and He has, man must be able to know with assurance where that revelation lies.  In other words, man needs to know without error what the books of the Bible are. There must be an authority which will make that decision.  That authority is the Magisterium of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

Is the Bible enough? Jesus told his apostles in His Last Supper discourse, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.  But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.”  John 16:12-13

CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING ON MORALITY

The Church doesn’t make this stuff up. God the Father himself in the Old Testament gave the 10 Commandments to Moses. These commandments were written on stone to symbolize that they could not be changed. Human laws change from time to time, but God’s word never changes.

MOSES RECEIVES GOD’S LAW FOR US

 While I was growing up, I questioned the Commandments and other Church Teaching but that was because I had the notion these were restrictions and I resisted like any “red blooded American“.

As I matured in my faith development I realized the commandments were not prohibitions at all but the best self-help book on the market for living well and happy.  God was not asking me to give up anything that was good for me.

Let’s just take a few examples from the Commandments,, How about worshipping God our Creator on the Sabbath.  What’s nuts about that? All that I am; All that I have; I have received from God.  If I throw that out it isn’t long before I think I am in charge and I am not.

Here’s another one, Do not kill or do violence in actions or words.  Who am I to harm someone?  I don’t want anyone to harm me! And do not commit adultery nor covet your neighbor’s wife.  Well how is that working out for the sexually active outside of marriage crowd? Divorce, fractured families, abandoned children, single parent families, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion etc. Sin has consequences. To deny this is to deny reality!

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God… Deuteronomy 11:26

 SACRAMENTS

God’s plan includes sacraments dispensed by His Church.  Sacraments are an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. Sacraments are the means by which God “resurrects us” in this life. Jesus expresses Himself on earth today through His Sacraments.  Not every denomination has the seven sacraments that Jesus instituted, but the Roman Catholic Church does.

Baptism restores divine life to our souls. Confirmation strengthens our faith and assist us in being faithful witnesses. Eucharist nourishes that life. Sacrament of Reconciliation heals our soul when we have sinned against God and neighbor. Matrimony: the sacramental binding covenant between a baptized man and woman in which they agree to eternal fidelity and commit to being God’s partners in the creation of new life.

Holy Orders continues Jesus’ Apostolic Mission today. This sacrament confers on a man the power of consecrating the offering of the Body and Blood of Christ and of remitting and retaining sin. Pray for vocations to the Priesthood.  They administer the Sacraments in Jesus’ name. Anointing of the Sick stirs up the divine life within us to heal our bodies and prepare our souls for eternal life.

 REAL PRESENCE IN EUCHARIST

Many other religious denominations claim the Sacrament of the Eucharist but do not believe as I do or other practicing Catholics in the Real Presence.  Some denominations say it is a symbol.  Some say it is something we do in memory of Jesus.  Some say it is a fellowship meal.

As Roman Catholic, I believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Sacrament.  I believe that when a priest at consecration says the words, “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you. Take this, all of you, and drink from it for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me”.

I believe Jesus, body and blood, soul and divinity is reserved in the tabernacles of Catholic Churches around the world. Outside of Masses, Jesus may be brought to the sick and home bound.

The body and blood that we eat is the same body that hung on the cross, lay in the tomb, and then rose from the dead. That body is also the same body that passed through walls, that could be in Emmaus one minute, and Jerusalem the next, and then ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

When we eat hamburger or pizza etc. we are physically nourished and it becomes part of our body. But when we consume the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion, the exact opposite happens. Instead of us assimilating Jesus into our bodies, he assimilates us into his body. He doesn’t become part of our body. We become part of his body, a share in the Divine life!

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live  forever” (John 6:51).

“The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51). He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. (John 6:53–56)  He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. (John 6:53–56)

 CONCLUSION

I love my Church founded on Saint Peter.  God can save whoever He wills but there are tremendous, superlative aids within the Roman Catholic Church for happiness and excellence of living in this world and to complete our journey home to Jesus. There are no restrictions harmful to mankind in Roman Catholic Church teaching. I thank God for my faith and my Church that have been there for me throughout my life of joy and suffering, let me persevere, keep my eyes on the prize and finish the race.