In the news there has been the issue of the President actively supporting abortion and promoting it while claiming to be a good Catholic and whether he should be denied Communion? Years ago (2006) however there was a so-called "statement of principles" by 55 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The signatories of the letter stated that "we seek the Church's guidance and assistance but believe also in the primacy of conscience."
READ MOREThere was a recent article in Inside the Vatican September-October 2021 wherein the author John Byron Kuhner raises the question how does language operate in the liturgy? He then asks the provocative question: why wouldn’t we want our prayers and Mass in the mother tongue instead of Latin? In answering this question he raises the notion not simply of language but what’s called hieratic or sacred language. A couple of bullet points from his essay:
READ MORE(This past November 11 we celebrated Veteran’s Day which is also the feast of St. Martin of Tours a former soldier who left the army to follow Christ. Here an edited version of the essay by Matthew Plese. For the full essay go to onepeterfive.com)
…Armistice Day is kept in honor of the ending of World War I which concluded on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In 1954, the United States amended the holiday to include a remembrance of all the living and the dead of the nation’s veterans. And the name was subsequently changed to Veteran’s Day on June 1, 1954.
READ MORE1021 Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in his second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul - a destiny which can be different for some and for others
READ MOREIn the history of the Church there have been associations of the faithful called Purgatorial Societies. Purgatorial societies are Catholic associations or confraternities which aim to assist souls in purgatory to get to heaven. One of the crises following the Second Vatican Council was ceasing to preach and teach the doctrine of the Church about souls in Purgatory and clergy and people starting placing the deceased at funerals in heaven, which is really Protestant doctrine.
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