The Pro-Choice Lie

Everybody likes to have choices in life, whether they are financial, personal or business-related.  Having a choice is a good thing – and this is precisely what the pro-death faction plays upon when promoting their agenda of death.  The one thing you’ll never hear from them is exactly what that “choice” means.  Choice means having to make the decision as to whether you will put your child to death - or accepting that gift from God and choosing to let the child live.

Abstinence, chastity and adoption are valid choices that never seem to be promulgated by organizations such as Planned Parenthood, whose founder, Margaret Sanger was not only an avowed atheist, but also an avid believer that certain people like the poor, physically challenged or ethnic minority groups had no reproductive rights.  Over the years her ideas have morphed into slick, non-offensive slogans such as “Reproductive Rights” or “Clean and Safe Abortion”.  There is nothing clean or safe for the child who is murdered by people who had no right to kill him or her.

Unfortunately, in this culture of death, you will find more sympathy from the mainstream media for rescuing cats and dogs than unborn children - who are really the most defenseless members of society. Abortion is an abomination before God because it is a wanton act of murder against a defenseless, innocent victim as well as a refusal of his gift of love.

According to the World Health Organization, the annual worldwide number of abortions is somewhere between 35-50 million.  This is an unprecedented genocide that dwarfs the numbers of victims who were butchered at the hands of Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and every other mass-murderer in the history of the world – against victims who never had a chance – OR a choice.

Contraception

It’s interesting to note that virtually every Protestant denomination held the same position on contraception as the Catholic Church before 1930.  That was the year the Anglican Church parted with the rest of the Christian world at their Lambeth Conference, declaring that contraception was acceptable in some circumstances. Soon afterward, they caved in completely and in the years that followed, virtually every Protestant denomination also accepted this practice.

It should be noted that the current secular view of contraception was born of racism and intolerance.  Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood and an avowed atheist, was the mother of the artificial birth control movement who embraced the Eugenics movement, a doctrine that some people (including the poor, physically challenged, ethnic minority groups) had no reproductive rights.  It is from this movement that Sanger proliferated the practice of artificial birth control as a means of controlling the population of these groups.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2370, 2399) deems any practice that “renders procreation impossible” as intrinsically evil. Early Protestant leaders such as John Calvin and John Wesley also spoke out against this practice.

We must remember that God is the author of life. We must put our complete faith and trust in God, who knows our needs even before we do (Matt. 6:8, Ephesians 3:20). Children are gifts from God – not punishments as some of our political leaders would have us believe.

Our Sunday Obligation

In accordance with the Third Commandment, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2168-2195) deems it our obligation to attend mass on Sunday – unless there is a serious excuse for missing (for example, illness, the care of child, etc).  Deliberate failure to fulfill this obligation is to commit a grave sin. This, coupled with full knowledge and deliberate consent, constitutes mortal sin.

There are groups known as “Sabbatarians” who reject the idea of observing the Lord’s Day on Sunday.  They claim that the 3^rd Commandment is very clear that the day of rest and observance is to be on Saturday.  Saturday was the day for observing the commandment I the Mosaic Law.  However, as Christians, we realize that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law.

For the Jews in the Old Testament, the Sabbath was the seventh day on which the Lord rested after the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth.  In Col. 2:16, we read where St. Paul tells us, “Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath.”  Furthermore, in the New Testament, we find that the Apostles and the early Christians worshipped and broke bread (celebrated the Mass) on the first day of the week, Sunday (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2, Rev. 1:10).

Sunday became our day for observing the Third Commandment because it symbolizes the new creation that was ushered in by Christ's Resurrection. For Christians it is the first of all days, the first of all feasts, the Lord's Day.

Catholic or Christian?

Have you ever heard a non-Catholic tell you, “I’m Christian and you’re Catholic?”

You might be told that since the term, “Christian” is in scripture and “Catholic” isn’t.  This is usually presented as proof that the name “Catholic” came along centuries later, which is not the case.  That’s like asking a man whether he is a man or a human.  The plain fact is that Catholics were the very first Christians.

Believers were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26).  It is interesting to note that the 1^st century bishop of Antioch (St. Ignatius) referred to the “Catholic Church” in a letter to the Smyrnaeans while on the way to his death by martyrdom just a few decades later.  His use of the term makes it clear that the Church was being called the “Catholic Church” for some time.  The word, “Catholic” is derived from the Greek word, katholikos or kath olos, which means, universal or whole.  The Greek manuscripts of Acts 9:31 speak of ekklesia (church) kath olos (catholic). 

The writings of the Early Church Fathers illustrate that they had the very same beliefs that we Catholics of the 21^st century have, including:  the Holy Eucharist, the Real Presence, Sunday worship, the Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Mother, Infant Baptism, Confession, Church Authority, etc.

Our “Bible-only” friends might also be reminded of the fact that simply because something isn’t explicitly mentioned in Scripture doesn’t mean that it is invalid.  For instance, the word “Trinity” is not explicitly named in the Bible but it is implicitly taught and is an essential belief of the Christian faith.  A list of the books that should be in the Bible is not in the Bible - for that matter, the word “Bible” isn’t in the Bible.  It was the Catholic Church who coined these words and declared the canon of Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15).  The Catholic Church was founded by Christ and grew under the leadership of the Apostles and their successors who were led to all truth under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15).  Our non-Catholic friends can only trace their respective denominations back to the 16^th century or later.

Whereas, every single Protestant denomination was started by a fallible human being, the Catholic Church was built by Jesus, the son of God – God himself.

Are we Catholic - or Christian?  We’re both.

All have Sinned – including Mary?

When we speak of the sinlessness and Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother, we sometimes hear the charge that nobody is sinless. After all, we’re told that Romans 3:10, 23 explicitly states: “There is no one righteous, not even one; For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.”  Is that so?  How about babies or toddlers below the age of reason? What about those who are mentally challenged and may not have full use of their intellect and will?  What about Jesus?  St. Paul is speaking about those who trust in the Mosaic Law for their salvation.

In this passage, St. Paul is actually quoting Psalm 14, where it says, "The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God. They are corrupt...there is none that does good.’”  Later in the same Psalm, we hear that “God is present in the company of the “righteous.”

St. Paul was using inclusive language.  This would be similar to somebody saying that “everybody in town” came to the carnival last year. He is referring to the mass of mankind but God can and does make exceptions for anybody he wishes. 

When the Angel Gabriel visited Mary, St. Luke - under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - used the Greek word, Kecharitomene, to describe the angel’s greeting of Mary.  Gabriel didn’t call her “Mary”, but “Kecharitomene” (Luke 1:28), which is the perfect passive participle, indicating a completed action with permanent result.  Thus it translates, “completely, perfectly, enduringly endowed with grace.”

In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was the vessel that carried symbols of the word of God. The Ark prefigured Mary, who was the Ark of the New Covenant and actually carried God in her womb.  The first Ark was lined with pure gold and other pure materials and was blessed so as not to be defiled.  It was not even to be touched for penalty of death.  How much more pure and undefiled would Our Blessed Mother have to be to carry God incarnate within her? 

In the Old Testament, Eve (a type of Mary) was created without sin.  Mary is the New Eve and cannot be inferior to her Old Testament types because the New Creation in Christ begins with her.

The New Testament fulfillment is always more glorious than the Old Testament type.

Why Do I Remain Catholic?

This is a question that each of us must ask ourselves during our lifetime.  Are we Catholics because we were baptized into the Church when we were infants and have always identified ourselves this way?  Is it to keep peace in the family?  Is it out of complacency - or is it simply because we don’t know where else to go?  If you can relate to any of these reasons, this article is for you.

The Catholic Church is, in fact, the very same Church that was built by our Lord, Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:16-19).  It is the same Church to whom Jesus granted ALL authority on earth (Matt. 16:18-19, 18:15-18, Luke 10:16, John 16:12-15, 20:21-23).  It is also the same Church with whom Jesus identified his very self (Acts 9:4-5) and the same one that St. Paul called, “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) and the “fullness” of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23).  No Protestant denomination can make these claims because they were all established by men some 1500 years after the death of the last Apostle and beyond. 

History has shown us that no manmade institution has withstood the test of 2000 years of unchanged doctrine and continuity.  The Catholic Church has for one reason:  It is not a manmade institution but the Mystical Body of Christ of which he is the Head.  The Church of the Apostles is the very same Church that stands today with its Sacraments and valid Apostolic Succession of bishops.  Whereas, doctrine can and does develop over time, those official doctrines and dogmas are beliefs that the Church has always held. The Church does not swap out its doctrines to “fit with the times” as virtually every Christian denomination has over the years – such as in the case with contraception.  Jesus assured the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide the Church to ALL truth (John 16:12-15).

Many non-Catholic communities these days are fond of calling themselves “non-denominational” and reject the moniker of “Protestant” because their particular group did not directly break away from the Catholic Church.  The fact is that since Protestantism is so splintered, every single denomination can trace itself all the way back to the “Reformation”.

Once a person understands that the Catholic Church is the Church built by our Lord, they can truly appreciate why they remain in the Church.  Hence, the faith statement of the knowledgeable Catholic should be, “The Church isn’t right because I believe it to be so.  I believe it to be so because it is right.”

Religious Persecution

Our Lord never said it was going to be easy on earth.  In fact, he said that the world would hate us because of his name (Matt. 10:22, John 15:18) and that it hated him first.

The current administration’s policy requiring Catholic health insurance plans to cover contraception and abortafacients for women - as well as the so-called “compromise” to that policy - is government-sponsored persecution and an assault on religious freedom that is unprecedented in American history.  If history warns us of anything – it’s that the initial steps in the attack against religious liberty are just as crucial as the final steps.

Many people living in Germany in the 1930’s thought nothing of Hitler’s methodical attack on the Jews.  It wasn’t until the atrocities came to light that people cringed – and not until the end of the war that they saw the depth of the evil that was perpetrated on the Jews and others.

One of the most frightening commentaries about what happened during that time was encapsulated in the poem, “First They Came . . .” by German Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemöller, who suffered in the German concentration camp, Dachau.  It chronicles the downfall of society in Nazi Germany and begins with the list of who the Nazis went after - and the complacent attitude of much of the public:

“. . . then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

If all Catholics voted according to Christian ethics instead of a politically-correct, liberal agenda and stood up against this kind of governmental persecution and constitutional manipulation, we could put a stop to it.  If all Christians – Catholics and Protestants - took a stand against the atrocity of abortion, we could end it tomorrow.  If we all sit around and do nothing or continue to vote for those who proliferate these policies – we can expect more of the same or worse.  Scripture tells us that we will be judged for what we didn’t do – just as we will for the things we did do (Matt. 25:14-46).

There is an old saying that states, “The only thing necessary for evil to exist is for good men to do nothing.”  Unfortunately, we are living in a time of horrific change. How long can we simply stand by and do nothing?   What is it going to take before all Christians join hands and finally say, “Enough!”

Some Popular Catholic Myths Part I

Chewing the Holy Eucharist is sinful.
This is one of the most popular and widespread myths among Catholics. The Church has never taught that we cannot bite down on the Eucharist.  As a matter of fact, the Greek word used for consuming the Body of Christ in the Bread of Life Discourse in John 6 is “Trogo(n)”.  This word describes the way an animal eats – to “munch or gnaw”.

Many of us were taught that we had to simply allow the host to dissolve in our mouths and never to use our teeth.  This teaching may have been due to the attempt by some to stress the reverence we are to have for the Blessed Sacrament. However, in their zeal to emphasize this reverence, the idea that we are not to chew the Host is simply a rule that the Church has never officially taught.

At Communion, we must receive both the consecrated bread and wine to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
The fact of the matter is that Jesus is fully present in both species, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  Whether we receive communion in the form of the Host or the Chalice – we receive the Lord in His fullness.

A person who suffers from a physical aversion to wheat, such as celiac disease might be concerned about consuming the Host.  Others, who might show a similar concern toward the Precious Blood because of a problem with alcohol needn’t worry, either.  They are receiving our Lord in His fullness under either species.

The Pope cannot make mistakes.
The Doctrine of Papal Infallibility applies to the Pope when he makes formal, binding declarations on matters of faith and morals.  The Holy Father is infallible - not impeccable, which would imply that that is to say that he cannot err in other matters.  He can.  Infallibility simply means that he is protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching error on doctrinal or dogmatic matters – when he makes binding declarations on matters of faith and morals.  Jesus promised the Church that the Holy Spirit would guide her to ALL truth (John 16:12-15).

The Gate is Narrow

The Church’s teaching on Hell is arguably the most disturbing and frightening of all of her doctrines.  In fact, it is so unthinkable that many heretical groups have virtually done away with it. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Unitarian-Universalists, Christadelphians, Seventh-Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, New Agers and others have all watered down the reality of Hell so that it has ceased to be a threatening prospect.  Many other mainstream Evangelical Protestant sects have also taken to this homogenized version of eternal punishment.  They teach that those who do not enter heaven will simply be destroyed and will cease to exist. However, the Bible tells us an entirely different story about Hell. In numerous passages, the reality that Hell is and eternal punishment for the wicked is what we read.

Isaiah 33:11, 14, Matt. 26:24, Matt. 25:31-34, 41, 46, Mark 9:47–48, Luke 3:16-17, 2 Thess. 1:6-9, Rev. 14:11 all speak of the ETERNAL certainty of Hell.  In Mark 9:47–48 Jesus issues this warning: "It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

In Matt. 7:13-14, He also warned that most people will wind up in Hell:  "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Several saints who were given prophetic visions of Hell stated that most people wound up there.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: "Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’” (CCC 1035).

So many people think that since God knows that they are basically “good people”, they will probably go to heaven. The Bible doesn’t say that.  In fact, it says the exact opposite. Jesus stated that NONE of us are good (Luke 10:18) – and that’s because we haven’t yet been made perfect.  Without obedience to Christ, we cannot hope to enter into Heaven – which leaves only the prospect of Hell.  This is why, in Phi. 2:12, St. Paul warns us to “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”  The fear of an eternity in Hell should snap us out of our worldly complacency every bit as much as the hope of eternity in Heaven.  It should shake us down to our very foundations as Christians.

Going to church on Christmas and Easter is not enough – nor is attending Mass every Sunday.  If we aren’t living our faith (Matt. 25:31-46, James 1:22) and carrying our cross daily (Luke 9:23), we are not followers of Christ.  If we vote for people who proliferate the horror of abortion, euthanasia, homosexual “marriage”, embryonic stem cell research and many other abominations, we cannot claim to be Christian.  We are instead, just like those who have watered down His teachings to resemble OUR will – not HIS.

The Hypostatic Union

In the early centuries of the Church, several heresies arose concerning the nature of God.  All of them involved Jesus in relation to God.  There were the heresies of Gnosticism,  Montanism,  Sebellianism, Arianism and Pelagianism, to name a few.  All of them dealt with the misunderstanding of the nature of God, especially in relation to the Son.

In the 5^th century, the Nestorian Heresy arose when the Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, began to teach that Jesus was not fully God.  Rather, he taught that God dwelt within the man Jesus, as in a temple.  Nestorius taught that the human and divine natures of Jesus are separate.

His chief opponent on the matter was St. Cyril of Alexandria, who held to the orthodox teaching that Jesus was God.  This led to the Council of Ephesus in 431, which condemned the Nestorian Heresy.  At this Council, two major Doctrines were declared.  This first was the Hypostatic Union.  This doctrine confirms the fact that Jesus is truly man and truly God - and that these two natures are indivisible.  Any attempt to separate these two natures is an act of heresy.

 

The second doctrine that was declared at the Council of Ephesus was that Mary was not simply the mother of Jesus’ flesh but that she was Theotokos – the God-Bearer.  Mary is the fulfillment of the Old Testament type that was the Ark of the Covenant, which carried symbols of Gods power within it such as the staff of Moses and the tablets containing the Commandments of God.  Since she is the Ark of the New Covenant, she carried not only Jesus in the flesh but she actually carried God Himself in her womb.

Today, there are many sects that claim to be Christian yet they deny the deity of Jesus.  In fact they deny the Blessed Trinity altogether.  Groups such as Oneness Pentecostals, Unitarians, Christadelphians, Christian Scientists and even the Jehovah’s Witness and the Mormons all deny that Jesus is God.  Unfortunately, some of these groups consider themselves to be Christian – even though they reject the most basic of Christian tenets – the Trinity.

Protestant Confusion

At the Last Supper, Jesus fervently prayed for the unity of His Body – the Church.  That it remain ONE – as He and the Father are ONE.  This is recorded in the Gospel of St. John (John 17). 
The greatest affront to the unity of the Body of Christ was the so-called Protestant Reformation that began in the 16^th century, when flawed men decided that they had a better idea because of corruption within the Church.  In their zeal to confront corruption, however, they began to systematically change doctrines and do away with the Traditions that were passed down by the Apostles.  Unfortunately, the confusion that was caused by the Reformation continues to reverberate to this day.  The tens of thousands of Protestant “denominations” continue to splinter day after day, year after year.  The abandonment of the doctrines and precepts of God have given way to the doctrines and precepts of mere men (Matthew 15:8-9, Mark 7:6-7):
Some Protestant denominations believe in baptismal regeneration, while others do not.
Some believe in soul-sleep, while others do not.
Some believe in the total depravity of man, while others do not.
Some believe in the Holy Trinity, while others do not.
Some believe in doctrine of “once saved, always saved”, while others do not.
Some believe in a pre-tribulation “Rapture”, while others do not.
Some believe that only those who were predestined will make it to heaven, while others do not.
Some believe that some were predestined for hell, while others do not.
Some believe in a woman’s right to choose abortion, while others do not.
Some believe that practicing homosexuality is a sin, while others do not.

Most believe in contraception, while others do not – and the list goes on.

While, this is in no way an attack on any Protestant denomination – it is a presentation of the truth of God as preserved, protected and defended by His Church with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15, 1 Tim. 3:15).  The simple fact, however, is that every single Protestant denomination was started by a flawed sinful human being.  By contrast, the Catholic Church was established by none other than Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity – God himself.

New Years Resolutions?

Every year, it seems, we are inundated by the question, “What’s your New Year’s resolution?”  You will hear from your friends that this is the year they are going to get in shape, by a new car, repair or end bad relationships, buck for that promotion at work, take that dream vacation, etc.  The resolutions are usually about self-improvement - but the most important area of self-improvement that we rarely hear about is how we are going to improve our relationship with God.

 

Why is it that when we are in trouble – the first thing we do is to go to God with our needs and worries, but when God calls us through His Church and the sacraments, we seem to forget about Him?  For too many of us, the extent of our relationship with God is to attend mass on Sunday – when we can fit it into our schedule.  We forget that we are required to attend Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation.

We sometimes fall into the non-Catholic fallacy that all we need to do is go to God with our sins confess in private – forsaking the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  We must remember that on no less than three occasions in the Gospel, Jesus gave His Apostles, who were the first leaders of the Church, the power to bind and loose – to forgive or retain sins (Matt. 16:18-19, Matt. 18:12-15, John 20:21-23).  When we are in a state of mortal sin – we are cut off from God’s grace until we confess that sin to a priest.

It’s never too late to get closer to God - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit by making changes in our lives. Here are some New Year’s Resolutions to consider that may be truly life-changing:

- Attend mass at least every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation with our families

- Go to Confession once a month

- Become actively involved in the Pro Life movement to end the abomination of abortion

- Join a parish Bible Study

- Attend one or more parish-sponsored workshops

- Consider joining a parish Ministry by becoming a Lector, altar server, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, joining the choir or one of the many other ministries

- Join the Knights of Columbus

Finding a New Year’s Resolution can be as easy as browsing through the Sunday Bulletin . . .