By Father Paul A. Duffner, O.P.  One major difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is the different way in which they view divine revelation. For most Protestant religions the only true source of divine revelation is the BIBLE, and its interpretation is left to the conscience of the individual Christian. For the Catholic Church, however, God’s revelation is found in SACRED TRADITION, understood as God’s revealed word handed down by the living teaching authority established by Christ in the Church. That includes both written tradition (Scripture) and unwritten tradition received from Christ and handed down orally by the apostles and their successors. The Church founded by Christ on Peter, and only that Church, has been empowered by Christ to interpret His teaching authoritatively in His name. WHAT IS SACRED TRADITION  The word tradition is taken from the Latin word “tradere”- to hand down, to pass on. In this case it refers to a “handing down” of God’s revealed word from apostolic times to our own day. If we would take the word tradition in the broad sense, we could say that the Catholic Church derives it’s doctrines from tradition alone, understanding thereby the body of revealed truth (written & unwritten) handed down from the apostles. St. Paul seemed to understand it in this way when he wrote to Timothy to “hold to traditions which you have learned, whether by word or by our letter” (2 Thes. 2:14). Even though a great part of that tradition has been committed to writing and is found in the inspired books of the Scriptures, the Catholic Church looks upon Tradition and Scripture, not as two separate sources of revelation, but as two different means of transmission of God’s revelation, forming a single deposit of faith. The Bible, then, is a part of Tradition, along with the unwritten instruction received from Christ and handed down by the apostles and their successors. Some writers refer to the revealed doctrines (written & unwritten) handed down by the apostles and their successors as the passive aspect of Tradition, and the living teaching authority (the magisterium) established by Christ to insure that His teaching would be handed down to succeeding ages in its integrity and without error, as its active aspect. To understand the Catholic Church's teaching in regard to Sacred Tradition, we must consider several things: a) Public revelation ceased with Christ and the apostles and evangelists who recorded His teachings; b) Christ commissioned His apostles to preach; c) Christ established a living teaching authority to safeguard the integrity of the gospel message, and to apply it with divine authority to succeeding ages; d) The development of the gospel message is not new doctrine. A) PUBLIC REVELATION ENDS WITH THE APOSTLES  God in his goodness and wisdom revealed Himself gradually through the prophets and patriarchs of the old Testament. But the fullness and completion of that revelation came through the Incarnation of the only-begotten Son of the Father who became man to redeem us, and to bring to completion the revelation of the Godhead and the divine plan of salvation. The message that Christ brought to mankind by His preaching, His deeds, His death and resurrection brings an end to public revelation, as opposed to private revelation, such as occurred in the apparitions of Our Lord and the saints to various persons throughout the Christian era. Referring to this, the second Vatican Council declared in the dogmatic constitution on Revelation: “The Christian dispensation, therefore, as the new and definitive covenant, will never pass away, and we now await no further new public revelation before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Verbum Dei, n.4). (NOTE: It is only public revelation that we are bound in conscience to accept by virtue of the divine gift of faith.) B) CHRIST COMMISSIONED THE APOSTLES TO PREACH  Our Blessed Lord left no written record behind Him, but rather ordered His apostles to hand down His teaching orally. He told them to preach the gospel to all nations: “Go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to observe all I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19). Referring to this the second Vatican Council states: “Christ the Lord, in whom the full revelation of the supreme God is brought to completion, commissioned the apostles to preach to all men that gospel which is the source of all saving truth and moral teaching, and thus imparts to them divine gifts. . . . This commission was faithfully fulfilled by the apostles who, by their oral preaching, by example, by ordinances, handed down what they had received from the lips of Christ, from living with Him, and from what He did, or what they learned through the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The commission was fulfilled too, by those apostles and apostolic men who under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit committed the message of salvation to writing” (ibid. n.7). The first gospel was written, however, some 20 years after the death of Christ, and the last gospel (that of John) was written at the end of the first century. That means that a whole generation of Christians knew nothing of the teaching of Christ, or the duties of the Christian life, except through the preaching of the apostles and their fellow-workers, - that is to say, except through Sacred Tradition. What is more, almost four hundred years elapsed before the inspired books of the New Testament were collected (by the teaching authority of the Catholic Church) into one book. And even after that, since copies of the inspired books were transcribed laboriously by hand, there were extremely few copies available. And that scarcity lasted for almost another thousand years until the coming of the printing press in the fifteenth century. Much that Christ said and did is not recorded in the Scriptures, as St. John so clearly testifies: “There are still many other things that Jesus did, yet if they were written in detail, I doubt there would be room enough in the entire world to hold the books to record them” (Jn. 21:24). St. Paul, too, testifies that part of his teaching received from Christ (Gal. 1:12) was not included in his letters: “The things which you have heard from Me through many witnesses you must hand on to trustworthy men who will be able to teach others” (2 Tim. 2:2). Consequently, while the Sacred Scriptures contain a large portion of God’s revelation, some portion of it was passed on orally and eventually recorded in the writings of the Fathers of the Church, those spiritual and intellectual giants of those early centuries who further explained and developed it. The second Council of Constantinople (553) rebuked those who do not follow the “traditions of the Fathers.” Those traditions “hold the faith which our Lord Jesus Christ, true God, entrusted to the holy apostles, and which, after them, the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church entrusted to their people.” While the writings of the Fathers were not inspired, they were handing down teaching that came from Christ through the apostles under the guidance of the Holy Spirit promised by Christ. (Mt. 28:20). Some practices of the Catholic Church coming down from the primitive Church are recorded only in sources other than the Scriptures. One example of this is the Didache, the full title of which is “The Lord’s Instruction to the Gentiles through the Twelve Apostles.” That document which dates from around the time of the Gospel of St. John tells us of the celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday (the Lord’s day) rather than on the Sabbath, and of the forgiveness of sin through confession. The same is true of the liturgy, an important witness of sacred Tradition, for as the second Vatican Council testifies, “the Church, in her teaching, life, and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that she herself is, all that she believes” (ibid. 8). Changes in the Church’s liturgical customs result not only from adaptation to the times, but also from a development of doctrine that called for corresponding expression in the liturgy. Pope Pius XII referred to this in his encyclical on the Mystical Body of Christ: “As Catholic doctrine on the Incarnate Word of God, the Eucharistic sacrament and sacrifice, and Mary the Mother of God came to be determined with greater certitude and clarity, new ritual forms were introduced through which the acts of the liturgy proceeded to reproduce this brighter light from the decrees of the teaching authority of the Church, and so to reflect this light that it might reach the hearts and minds of Christ’s people more effectively” (Mediator Dei, I. 52). C) CHRIST ESTABLISHED A LIVING TEACHING AUTHORITY  Our Blessed Lord not only commissioned the apostles to preach to all the world the saving message He had given them, but He empowered them to “bind and to loose” in His name, so that “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt.16:19). Because of this, He assured them that “he who hears you, hears Me; and he who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me” (Lk. 10:16). Immediately after commissioning the apostles to preach the gospel to all nations, Our Savior continued: “Behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world” (Mt. 28:20). By these words He assured the apostles that He would be with them (through the Holy Spirit whom He would send) so that they could hand down His teaching without error until the end of time. But since the apostles would not live that long, Christ’s promise is valid for His successors, those in charge of the Church in succeeding ages. Thus until the end of time the successors of the apostles will share the teaching authority conferred by Christ on the apostles, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that He promised. After the Ascension of Christ, the apostles did in fact claim for themselves a teaching authority, sending others as they themselves had been sent by Christ, with the power to teach in Christ’s name, to impose doctrine, as well as to govern the Church and to baptize. Christ preached His message, He did not write it. In His preaching He appealed to the Scriptures, but was not satisfied merely to read them. He explained them, interpreted them. So too, in the centuries to come the Church would not merely refer to the Bible, but would explain and interpret it, applying it to the changing conditions of the times. Although the Bible is the inspired word of God, it was not meant to be our sole guide. Just as God provided mankind with the guiding light of the Scriptures, so He provided mankind - through the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit - with an official living authority to interpret those divinely inspired books. One of the main reasons for the division of Christendom into the hundreds of Christian religions we have today, is the claim that the interpretation of the Scriptures is left to the individual Christian. Just as the Constitution of the United States is not left to the interpretation of each individual American, but is interpreted authoritatively by the Supreme Court, so the whole deposit of revealed truth (the Bible and Tradition) is not left to the judgment of each individual Christian, but is interpreted for us by the living authority that Christ established. “He who hears you, hears Me” (Lk. 10:16). The second Vatican Council states this clearly: “In order to keep the gospel forever whole and alive within the Church, the apostles left bishops as their successors, handing over their own teaching role to them. This Sacred Tradition, therefore and the Sacred Scriptures of both the Old and New Testament are like a mirror in which the pilgrim looks at God (ibid. u.7). . . . The task of authentically interpreting the word of God, whether written or handed on, has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church (the magisterium) whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ” (ibid. n.10). D) THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE  As we saw above, public revelation ended with the death of John the apostle. After him no new revelation has been added to the deposit of faith. However, that does not exclude the development of those truths contained in that revelation. As time passed on, the Church, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, came to a greater understanding of God’s revealed word. The second Vatican Council speaks of this: “This tradition which comes from the apostles develops in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit. For there is a growth in the understanding of the realities and the words which have been handed down. . . . As centuries succeeded one after another, the Church constantly moves forward toward the fullness of divine truth until the words of God reach their complete fulfillment in her” (ibid. n.8). Development of doctrine, therefore, does not mean a changing or abandoning of a doctrine originally taught, but rather the growth of the Church’s understanding of it. Revealed truths are not fixed or static concepts. Their richness is inexhaustible, so that succeeding generations have discovered new insights into God’s message to mankind. One thing that has occasioned the development of doctrine has been the attacks on the revealed truths by those not of the Catholic faith. They might deny a truth outright, or might interpret it in a way not in keeping with its true meaning as handed down by the apostles. This requires and occasions on the part of the Church a fuller expression of those truths being challenged. Then, too, there are doctrines of our Catholic faith that were contained in divine revelation only implicitly. And for that reason they became obligatory dogmas only after the passing of centuries. Examples of this are the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Mother of God. From the beginning the Church believed in the singular holiness of Mary, but it was not always clear whether or not she had contracted original sin. Some felt that the universality of Christ’s redemption, and the doctrine that “all sinned in Adam” (Rom.5:12), implied that Mary would need cleansing from original sin. However, with the passage of time and the reflections of saints and theologians (enlightened by the Holy Spirit), it was understood how Mary was redeemed by Christ without inheriting original sin, namely, in anticipation of Christ’s merits. Since the Mystical Body of Christ is a mystery that extends beyond space and time, Mary’s redemption was not curative, but preventative. Hence, only in the 19th and 20th centuries after Christ were these two doctrines, both of which are implicitly contained in divine revelation, declared dogmas of the Catholic faith. These truths had been divinely revealed from the beginning, but the explication and understanding of their divine revelation came only gradually. THE UNITY OF SACRED TRADITION AND SCRIPTURE  Since sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture come from one and the same divine source, there is a close connection between them, both forming one sacred deposit of the word of God. One of them is not complete without the other. As the words themselves imply, SACRED SCRIPTURE is the written word of God divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit; and SACRED TRADITION is divinely guided “handing down” of that revealed truth entrusted to the apostles, and passed on written or unwritten. Hence the second Vatican Council declares: “It is not from sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything that has been revealed. Therefore, both sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same sense of devotion and reverence” (ibid. 9). And since, as we have seen, Christ established a living teaching authority to interpret in His name and hand down His revealed word, the same Vatican Council concludes: “It is clear, therefore, that sacred Tradition, sacred Scripture, and the teaching authority of the Church (the magisterium), in accord with God’s most wise designs, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls” (ibid. 10).   Back (trll.htm)to Light & Life Page | Way Back (http://www.rosary-center.org/~rosary)to Rosary Center Home Page

Hi to all, This is about the papacy. It was written year 2000 in a group name Journey to Catholicism responding to SinnerJohn who was Greek Orthodox. That was before CCA. When that group close, I found the necessity with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to formed CCA, a place for evangelization and apologetics, all welcome no matter the faith or lack of faith. The group was in msn networks group. Another group named Catholicism was taken over by a person who did not allow any attack to the Catholic Church. Apologetics involved to allow attacks to the Church so we can share with love the Truth who is right. All is for the greater glory of God and the salvation of all souls. St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130-202) Adversus haereses (inter A.D. 180/199)  Book III Chapter 3 A refutation of the heretics, from the fact that, in the various churches, a perpetual succession of bishops was kept up 2. Since, however, it would be very tedious, in such a volume as this, to reckon up the successions of all the Churches, we do put to confusion all those who, in whatever manner, whether by an evil self-pleasing, by vainglory, or by blindness and perverse opinion, assemble in unauthorized meetings; [we do this, I say,] by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops. For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its preeminent authority -- that is, the faithful everywhere -- inasmuch as the Apostolic Tradition has been preserved continuously by those who are everywhere. [Ad hanc enim eoclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire ecclesiam, hoc est eos qui sunt undique fideles, in qua semper ab his qui sunt undique, conservata est ea quâ est ab apostolis traditio]. 3. The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [in this], for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome despatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians, exhorting them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the apostles, proclaiming the one God, omnipotent, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Creator of man, who brought on the deluge, and called Abraham, who led the people from the land of Egypt, spake with Moses, set forth the law, sent the prophets, and who has prepared fire for the devil and his angels. From this document, whosoever chooses to do so, may learn that He, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, was preached by the Churches, and may also understand the apostolical tradition of the Church, since this Epistle is of older date than these men who are now propagating falsehood, and who conjure into existence another god beyond the Creator and the Maker of all existing things. To this Clement there succeeded Evaristus. Alexander followed Evaristus; then, sixth from the apostles, Sixtus was appointed; after him, Telephorus, who was gloriously martyred; then Hyginus; after him, Pius; then after him, Anicetus. Sorer having succeeded Anicetus, Eleutherius does now, in the twelfth place from the apostles, hold the inheritance of the episcopate. In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us. And this is most abundant proof that there is one and the same vivifying faith, which has been preserved in the Church from the apostles until now, and handed down in truth. Did you have a chance to come across with this document? Thanks to God, I could find it after somebody mentioned of the existence. This is additional proof about the Papacy. It is very clear. It showed St Peter succession in the same way we have it. It is solid. If you do not see it, you are fundamentalist; in which only Bible matter no History. I know you believe in Traditions. If you do not see all that have been explained and proof, you believe in the Orthodox, in the same way that some Protestants believe Bible only. They do not care what the Early Fathers of the Church said due to ignorance or intentionally. They do not care to know the truth and realize that their position is wrong. Their views are better than the truth, sin of pride, sin of the devil. We will enter to Heaven only if we are truly humble.   Conclusion We are the Church that Jesus founded and we are fully ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, and APOSTOLIC. Apostles, no Jesus Himself, founded Orthodox. If you know the Catholic Church is the Church that Jesus founded and you refuse to belong, you reject Jesus. Because we are truly, the Body of Christ. Jesus gives the Pope and papal succession is part of it. Jesus said I will be with you always, to the end of times. God bless all, Doc

Psalm 66:12 Ecclesiastes 12:14 Isaiah 4:4 Isaiah 6: 5-7 Micah 7: 8-9 Malachi 3; 2-4 2 Maccabees 12: 39-42, 44-45 Matthew 5:22 Matthew 5;25-26 Luke 16:9 Luke 16: 19-31 Zechariah 9:11 Ephesians 4: 8-10 1 Peter 3:19-20 1 Corinthians 3; 11-15 1 Corinthians 15:29 2 Corinthians 5:10 2 Corinthians 7:1 Philippians 2: 1-11 Revelation 5: 3, 13 2 Timothy 1: 16-18 Hebrews 12:14 Hebrews 12:29 Revelation 21:27 "But nothing UNCLEAN shall enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." Then there's the Early Church Father's. I'm sure you wouldn't listen to them because they are VERY CATHOLIC. Somebody wrote that, if I remember correctly Fr Cestudei, he was a Catholic priest, responding to anti-Catholic in CCA. The group or community was 3 years old in Microsoft Networks where was started in March 2001.

Red Eye radio conservative talk show in 820am in the radio said that President Trump lost in November 2020 because people voted for Biden because they hated him. The issues did not matter, they hated him because his tweets. They did not believe in election fraud. They believe the same as they have the same mentality as the democrats about the November 2020 elections. They said the courts ruled against Trump, no evidence of fraud. That is exactly the democrat’s position. They did not talk about Mike Lindell’s evidence. The 2000 mules, they downplayed with the same words as democrats. The GPS no accurate, when the FBI used it to arrest people for the Jan 6. If we are honest and we want to know the truth, we looked all the facts. They did not mention many videos of cheating in Georgia and other states and people witnessed that they provided affidavit of the fraud. The facts will show that the courts did not care to take the case. We know is a fact about the corruption in the FBI, DOJ and other government’s agencies. The fact is November 3, 2020 President Trump was winning in a landslide. Many states stopped reporting counting around the same time. I witnessed on TV about Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan. It never happened before. It was strange for me. What happened is they counted President Trump votes after all the fixes and they stop reporting or counting to figure out how many votes needed to pass President Trump and declare the state for Biden. You see a graph like almost 100% going to Biden. Statically is impossibility, according to math experts. That was the cheating. Fact is that before the elections, Biden did not offer anything he would do good for the country. He stayed in the basement and when he was in a rally, he could not fill a Sonic. Trump made USA great in 4 years, energy independent and the enemies respected us. He filled stadiums and did multiple rallies, no basement. Biden said in the debate about getting rid of fossil fuel. Trump said listen Pennsylvania. They want to vote for someone that will cause the loss of the jobs and damage of the economy? I do not think so, many agree with me. USA is not a hateful country and want to self-destroy. They cheated and the evidence is there. There were places that more people voted that were registered. Places that had laws against mailing ballots, it’s were ignored and changed without the legislative process. Wisconsin nursing home had almost 100% of people voting. A son said his mother was in coma and he learned she voted. However, democrat leadership believe people that vote for them are stupid. They said I will hurt you and you vote for me anyway. People in the USA want to follow God, no the devil. To be a country full of hate and vote for Biden because they hate President Trump is to be a country that follow the devil. As God is love and the devil is hate. There are people that follow the devil and they know it. They are pro-abortion too. The democrats are pro-abortion even at the time of birth. God is life, the devil is death. Therefore, the Democratic party is satanic party. Multiple people see and say that publicly. The Media or MSM are part of the democrats. They are the one promoting hate to Trump. They are republicans in that too. We called them never Trumpers and rinos. They are part of the deep state that President Trump called them the swamp. Biden did not win, as he cheated and the Congress approved the cheat. Steve Bannon said correctly, elections have consequences but stolen elections have catastrophic consequences. We see that now October 2022. USA is not hateful country. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. That shows overall USA is a godly country. However, we have satanic states, all democrats and pro-abortion, like New York. We pray for them to be Prolife and follow God.

A lady I know asked me the reasons to call priests father when the Bible said do not call anyone father, Mt 21:9. This link has the answer, in great details. Link is Why Do Catholics Call Priests "Father"? Isn't That Against the Bible? - (churchpop.com).

Here are some of the reasons that the justices gave in the majority opinion for overturning Roe. Demonstrators gather on both sides of the abortion debate outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., after the court released its decision in Dobbs, June 24. (photo: Katie Yoder / CNA) Jonah McKeown/CNANationJune 25, 2022 The U.S. Supreme Court on June 24 issued an opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, returning the question of abortion policy to the states and to the people’s elected representatives. Why did the high court make this decision? Here are some of the reasons that the justices gave in the majority opinion for overturning Roe: 1. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion. The opinion points out that abortion is not mentioned in the Constitution, nor, the opinion says, is such a right “implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely — the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.” 2. Abortion is not “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition.” Supreme Court precedent had held that any right not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution must be “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition” and “implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.” “The right to abortion does not fall within this category,” the court concluded. 3. Abortion is “fundamentally different” than the subjects of related court decisions because it involves the taking of a life. Abortion is “fundamentally different” from other decisions related to sexual relations, contraception and marriage, the justices wrote, because it destroys what other court decisions call “fetal life” and what the Mississippi law in question describes as an “unborn human being.” “None of the other decisions cited by Roe and Casey involved the critical moral question posed by abortion,” the opinion says. 4. Thanks to Roe, women’s voices on abortion have not been heard. By preventing the people’s elected representatives at the state and local levels from regulating abortion, the court argues that women’s voices — both pro- and anti-abortion — were silenced under Roe. “Our decision … allows women on both sides of the abortion issue to seek to affect the legislative process by influencing public opinion, lobbying legislators, voting, and running for office,” states the Dobbs decision. “Women are not without electoral or political power. It is noteworthy that the percentage of women who register to vote and cast ballots is consistently higher than the percentage of men who do so.” 5. States have “legitimate interests” in regulating abortion. A law regulating abortion, like other health and welfare laws, is entitled to a “strong presumption of validity” if there is “a rational basis on which the legislature could have thought that it would serve legitimate state interests.” “These legitimate interests include respect for and preservation of prenatal life at all stages of development; the protection of maternal health and safety; the elimination of particularly gruesome or barbaric medical procedures; the preservation of the integrity of the medical profession; the mitigation of fetal pain; and the prevention of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or disability,” the decision explains. 6. Roe’s reasoning was “exceedingly weak.” “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division,” reads the decision. 7. State consensus on abortion existed before Roe. The right to abortion was “entirely unknown in American law” until the latter part of the 20th century, said Justice Samuel Alito’s decision. “Indeed, when the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted, three quarters of the States made abortion a crime at all stages of pregnancy.” 8. The Supreme Court can’t settle the abortion debate, but legislators may. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” the decision says. “This Court’s inability to end debate on the issue should not have been surprising. This Court cannot bring about the permanent resolution of a rancorous national controversy simply by dictating a settlement and telling the people to move on. Whatever influence the Court may have on public attitudes must stem from the strength of our opinions, not an attempt to exercise ‘raw judicial power’.”

I had question asked about the Sacraments. Who asked was saying that was made by men, no God. I answered Jesus who is God instituted all the Sacraments. The person, a former Catholic, I asked to name the Sacraments but answered knew them. Then, the person said if the Sacraments are in the Bible, would reconsider stand about coming from men. My answer: To be truth, it does not have to be in the Bible, again no Bible in the first 400 years. Sola Scriptura or Bible only is not in the Bible either. You said, “if you can show me in the Bible where God said to institute sacraments, I will reconsider my position.” However, the Sacraments are in the Bible and multiple places, I will share the main ones. First, Baptism-Jesus said to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Mt 28:19. Holy Communion-part of the Mass, Last Supper of Jesus or Holy Thursday during Holy Week, Jesus took bread and said this is My Body, took wine and said this is My Blood, Mt:26:26-28. Confirmation-14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16 for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, Acts 8:14-16. Confession or Reconciliation-who sins you forgive are forgiven, who sins you retained are retained, John 20:22-23. Anointing of the sick- Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, James 5:14-15. Holy Orders-necessary for all Sacraments except Baptism and Matrimony, Apostles were the first bishops, today bishops are successors of the Apostles-Last Supper, when Jesus said do this in memory of me. Last one-Holy Matrimony-what God has put together no let man separate, Jesus words. I think you did not know the Sacraments even that you said you do. I pray that you and others are humble and accept the Truth, that is Jesus Himself, the Truth, the Way and the Life. The gift of faith is the gift of God to the humble heart. Jesus does not force us to accept Him, He wants us to accept Him because we love Him, out of Love.

I have a nice conversation with this person that I want to share here. Her name in disqus is AnnieGotAGun. I will shorten to Annie. She said, “In my opinion, if Jesus's church is falling away, they are religious. They have never had a relationship with God. They do not possess the Holy Spirit. Religion is evil and takes people away from God, not to God. In order to survive these times and all times, a relationship with Jesus is necessary. Rituals rites, sacraments and sacrifices do not save. what I assume we are seeing here is a result of the religion of Santa Muerte. Just another religion created by Satan in which Satan deceives many. Honestly, I cannot remember a single instance in which God glorifies death. My response is: I agreed they did not have the Holy Spirit as they did not know Jesus. However, when you said sacraments and sacrifices do not save that is not true. It sounds you do not know the meaning of Sacrament. We do a have a sacrifice that saved us. Jesus’ death on the cross. The Church that Jesus founded is the Catholic Church. The Body of Jesus as St. Paul said. Members of the Church on Earth do fall away but no Jesus. The Sacraments deal with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I have a website, you and anyone are welcome to join. There we can have a friendly dialog about the Truth. The link is https://www.ccatruthandlove.... Annie’s response: I do not mean to offend, but I fled the Catholic Church for those very reasons in the link. I became born again In the Spirit. Scripture is clear about rites, rituals and sacraments. Scripture says these things were created by man, not God. And God will not accept them. I know there are many in the charismatic Catholic Church that are saved They just don't seem to have the ability to let go of that which they were born into. I was actually baptized in the spirit at a charismatic event. What they were saying at the baptism was ridiculous according to the word of God, but it didn't matter to me because I had the fire of God within. I have never seen a Catholic Mass in which someone gives a word from the Holy Spirit. There is no speaking forth a word given by God. There is no prophesying. There is no one speaking in tongues and no one to interpret that word. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can do amazing things within those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have a relationship with him. Nobody speaks about the power brought by the Holy Spirit within a believer. I do not know how you share the gospel with others or how you use the power of the Holy Spirit. But if you don't understand the power of the Holy Spirit within a believer, I pray you do soon. I do not want you to miss out on the greatest power of God moving throughout the world as we speak. We need to do everything the Lord has assigned us to do. Share the gospel, speak of his prophecies, share the word the Lord has given us, and bring many to the Lord Jesus Christ Please walk hand and hand with me while we fulfill the Word of God.! 😁🙏✝️❤️🇺🇲 My response: No offense, you are a former Catholic. the link is a website and have multiple topics. Did you read all the topics? Can you be specific the reasons you left the Catholic Church? If you wish, it would be easier if you become member as former Catholic or no faith are welcome to join, and choose the topic that is related to the reason you left the Catholic Church. We can have a conversation about that and share about Jesus who is the Truth. It is harder to do it here. You said, “Scripture is clear about rites, rituals and sacraments. Scripture says these things were created by man, not God. And God will not accept them.” Did you read the Old Testament? You will read that God commanded to Moses multiple rituals or to be specific, to do things the way God wanted. In the New Testament you will read things the Apostles did guided by the Holy Spirit, if you follow what happened during certain Mass, what they did then, we still are doing today. I had conversations in the past with multiple people, multiple faiths and former Catholics. What you are saying about the Holy Spirit is what many Pentecostals believe. What specific faith do you follow now or what church do you go now, are you Pentecostal? It is good to share the Gospel or Jesus. That is the reason for this website: CCA, that you and anyone are welcome to join. To know Jesus, then that Truth will set us free. If we are humble, we are opened to the Truth and accept the Truth. Annie’s response: I have no denomination. I am simply a follower and disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, I have read the Old Testament. I have read the Bible from beginning to end multiple times. That is how I know. the Catholic Church continues to push the "LAW" when Jesus has already fulfilled the law. Why did I leave the Catholic Church? Because it is the Pharisees and Sadducees of our time. The Catholic Church has sent more people to hell hands down then any other religion. Religion, riites, rituals and sacraments do not save. Only being born again in the Spirit can a man be saved. I saw this early on when I came to the Lord. My question for you is why haven't you seen it yet? My response: Before addressing what you said, I would like to know when you said, “the Catholic Church continues to push the "LAW" when Jesus has already fulfilled the law.” Do you refer the “Law” the 10 Commandments if not, what “Law” are you talking about it? Annie’s response: The need for rites and rituals (such as given by God in the Old Testament) which were always indicative of or pointing to Jesus's sacrifice on the cross are no longer necessary. The CC uses "sacraments" in the same way. Yet, Jesus has already satisfied the Law. At least with God's Law, they were not created by man. This is why I called it the modern day Pharisees and Sadducees who added to the Law with unnecessary burdens and rituals. These things are not of God but rather of man and are designed to replace relationship with God. So long as Catholics take part in these sacraments, they are good with the Lord and the church. Or so it is taught. My response: My response did not make it here. Why? It was blocked? I hope no. Both sides must be heard as part our freedom of speech. Specially when it is truth, and some people do not like the truth to be known. I will place that discussion in CCA, Church and Unity topics. Again, I would rather discuss there than here because the website CCA is for that. Link is https://www.ccatruthandlove.... The website is bilingual named is Catholic Church Apologetics (CCA). It sounds that you have no issues with the 10 Commandments. You seem to have issues with the Sacraments. As you said, “added to the Law with unnecessary burdens and rituals. These things are not of God but rather of man and are designed to replace relationship with God. So long as Catholics take part in these sacraments, they are good with the Lord and the church. Or so it is taught.” You misunderstood the meaning of the Sacraments. They did not add to the 10 Commandments. Sacraments do not replace relationship with God. They are how God works in our souls. They are instituted by God. The official definition of Sacrament is outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification. The Holy Spirit is necessary for the Sacraments to get the inward grace that sanctify our souls. Do you know how many Sacraments we have and can you tell me what they are? My other response: According to your own words, you said you are disciple of Jesus, with no denomination or church, all by yourself. You seem to be against any religion or organized or community of believers. You read the Bible. First, you are going against what is in the New Testament. It talks about church or community, no by ourselves. On earth, they were united. Acts 4:32, community of believers were one mind and one heart. Three thousand people just were baptized, and they were like one person. They have same beliefs, same worship and the same leadership, the Apostles of Jesus, St. Peter, the first pope, the leader of the Apostles. Check this discussion in the website Catholic Church Apologetics (CCA) titled and link Evidence about why the Catholic Church Jesus founded. I placed that as the discussion said, in Microsoft Networks, the website CCA was made there originally in 2001. Since then, I am waiting for someone to prove me wrong. Otherwise, nothing to said against the Truth. You left the Catholic Church because you said, “Because it is the Pharisees and Sadducees of our time. The Catholic Church has sent more people to hell hands down then any other religion.” How do you know who is in hell? It sounds that you are going against what is in the Bible and the words of Jesus, no judge. That statement shows that you are anti-Catholic and it is false. Nothing new for me, most and the worse anti-Catholic were former Catholics. They have in common that they thought they knew the Catholic faith but in reality, they are ignorant of the Catholic faith or they are arrogant close to Truth, and only care for their own beliefs even that is going against Jesus. They reject to change their lives to do the will of God. We do have Sadducees and Pharisees in the Catholic Church. The words of Jesus accomplished clearly in the Catholic Church, as Jesus said the wheat and the weed will be together until He comes to judge the living and the dead. We have 100% faithful Catholic and unfaithful in the same Church. They are easy to spot. They do not care to follow what the Church teaches for 2,000 years. Their bad example discourages people to continue to be Catholic, as yourself or non-Catholic to be Catholic. However, that will no take away that Jesus founded the Catholic Church as the link I provided is one of the multiple types of evidence. Did you read that St. Paul said that the Body of Jesus is the Church? If Jesus is the Savior, so His Body. Jesus is One as God is One, 3 Persons, One God, Most Holy Trinity, adoration forever. We have thousands of churches. Jesus is not a monster with thousands of Bodies. If Jesus has One Body as He does, then it must be one Church. That Church is the Catholic Church. The Apostles chose the name the Way. The Pagans called them Christian first in Antioch per Acts. In the second century was changed from the Way to the Catholic Church. God founded only 2 faiths, Jewish faith with Moses that is the Old Covenant and the Catholic faith with Jesus, the New Covenant. The rest of faiths men founded. Orthodox used to be one with us. Parts of them have come back. You said, “Religion, riites, rituals and sacraments do not save. Only being born again in the Spirit can a man be saved. I saw this early on when I came to the Lord. My question for you is why haven't you seen it yet?” Born again in the Spirit because I am Catholic, you think I have not seen it yet? That is judging again. If you know the Catholic faith, born again in the Spirit is the Sacrament of Baptism. We receive the Holy Spirit and all sins are clean besides the original sin that we are born with it. It is like born again. Catholic faith and Jewish faith are religions. You seem to think religion is bad and cannot save. That will go against what St. James said James 1:27, Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. By being 100% faithful Catholic, we persevere with God grace away for the world that goes against God. The link is https://welovetrump.com/2022/04/29/over-150-skulls-found-at-crime-scene/#comment-5849064128

Does Shroud of Turin PROVE the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?: Check is out. Tell us what you think., thanks.

Our God, Jesus is so merciful that provides that miracle and many of them to strengthen our faith. We do not deserve it but He is an Ocean of mercy. We thanks Him to be our God and He is truly present in the Eucharist. Here the link https://www.churchpop.com/2020/12/28/the-incredible-christmas-eucharistic-miracle-of-2013-cardiac-muscle-typical-of-an-agony/.

You said, “The concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture." First, the New Testament does not teach that there are to be priests in the New Covenant." That statement is completely false. First, let talk about the priests, when you see the word presbyters in the New Testament, in means priests. Jesus started the priesthood in the New Covenant. It is true that He is the High Priest. He offered Himself for our sins to the Father when He died on the cross. He is victim and priest at the same time. He instituted the priesthood in the Last Supper. He told the Apostles do this in memory of me. Do you know that was the first Mass? Jesus instituted together with the priesthood. He was victim and priest as priests offer sacrifices. The Mass represents Calvary. The priest offers Jesus as Victim as Jesus commanded them to do. That why the Mass is so awesome and a mystery. It is true worship of God, in Spirit and Truth as Jesus said in the Gospel. It was prophesized in the Old Testament. Read Malachi 1:11. About confessions to the priests, Confession or also called Reconciliation is one of the seven Sacraments. Jesus instituted all of them and happened to be in the Bible, however as I shared before is not required to be. It is interesting that you said this,” Catholics do point to John 20:23”, after that silence. That verse said when you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven, when you hold them bound, they are held bound. First, Jesus asked to forgive others with no limits. So how can we retain sins? If that applied to us, it will be a contradiction of the words of Jesus. Jesus will not contradict Himself, men do. Who has the authority to forgive and retain sins? Jesus gave to the Apostles. To forgive or retain, the priests need to know our sins, so we need to confess to them so if we are truly sorry to obtain forgiveness. Any questions let us know.

This is the position of 100% faithful Catholic. This Catholic is doing God’s will. Jesus said no everybody who says Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only who does the will of the Father who is in Heaven. Who is not 100% faithful, like 99% faithful or less is lukewarm. Jesus said in the Book of Revelation what He does to lukewarm. He vomits them. He said to St. Faustina that the only way for lukewarm to be saved is to go to His Mercy. Being lukewarm, no repentance with humbleness at time of death, he or she will be in hell for eternity. Lukewarm or Cafeteria Catholics have the sin of pride, in the area of abortion and voting for the satanic party that supports abortion and other no negotiable issues. They say their way is better than God’s way. That is why they vote pro-choice or pro-abortion, that is the platform of the Democratic Party. Voting for them is to vote for the devil. We must respond to God how we vote at time of death. I pray that people vote for God, not the devil. What do you think? The Link is here

On Good Friday, the Divine Mercy Novena starts. The link is The Divine Mercy Novena. It is part of EWTN the station of God and it explained the reason and how to pray the Divine Mercy Novena. Any questions let us know. Today is Good Friday. The best moment to pray is at 3:00pm when Jesus died for our sins, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Let pray as the EWTN link said for the end of coronavirus pandemic in US and the world and for Mass to resume and churches open for the public and other intentions.

This is the first time in USA history that it will not be a public Mass during Holy Week and Easter Sunday. We did not have Mass today Palm Sunday No Eucharist, no Jesus, who we need the most and the most important, no palms because coronavirus. It is serious. Pray to our God, Most Holy Trinity with the the intercession of Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, for the Mass to come back in the month of May and the virus stop harming people. Who is sick because of the virus completely healed. Who has died, God has mercy of their souls and has obtained salvation.

Esta es la primera vez en la historia de Estados Unidos, que no va haber Misa pública en Semana Santa ni Domingo de Resurrección. No hubo hoy Domingo de Ramos, no Eucaristía; no Jesús, lo más necesario y importante, no palmas porque coronavirus. Es serio. Recemos a nuestro Dios, la Santísima Trinidad con la intercesión de la Virgen María, Madre de Dios y nuestra, para que el mes de Mayo vuelvan la Misa y el virus no haga más daño. Y lo que la tienen se recuperen completamente. Y los que murieron, Dios tenga misericordia de sus almas y hayan obtenido salvación.

Vamos ha orar para que Nuestro Señor Dios tenga misericordia y se acabe la pandemia de Coronavirus en Estados Unidos y el mundo. Por medio de la intercesión de la Virgen María, Jesús nuestro Dios nos ayude.

Let pray for the Lord our God to have mercy and the end for this Coronavirus pandemic in the USA and the world. Through the Blessed Virgin Mary intercession, Jesus our God helps us.

The Qur'an says that Allah did not give Muhammad power to perform miracles (al-An`am 6:109-112; bani Isra'il 17:92-97; al-Kahf 18:10; al-`Ankabut 29:49-50), that he was a mortal like anyone else (Ha Mim Sajdah 41:6) and that he was an ordinary man, (bani Isra'il 17:90-96). [29.50] And they say: Why are not signs sent down upon him from his Lord? Say: The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a plain warner29.47] And thus have We revealed the Book to you. So those whom We have given the Book believe in it, and of these there are those who believe in it, and none deny Our communications except the unbelievers. If the Koran said only Allah does signs and Mohammad did not do any signs and he was ordinary man, and the Koran said Jesus did signs, therefore based on the Koran, Jesus is Allah because He did signs which only Allah does signs. Jesus is God, as the Catholic Church founded by Jesus who is God declared. The Most Holy Trinity, three Persons but One God, Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, adoration is forever.

Hi to all, I want to clarify something. God almighty does not have body as us. God is Spirit. That is true. However, God is also communion of Persons, Three Persons, and One God. We call Most Holy Trinity. All share the same substance or nature, divine nature, as the Nicene Creed said, made in the year 325 AD, God from God, true God from true God. Those Persons are God, no three Gods; only one God. They are God the Father, the Creator, God the Son, Jesus or the Word, God the Holy Spirit, the soul sanctifier. Before God the Son became flesh and dwelled among us, all three Persons were Spirit. Can they assume a body then, yes, nothing is impossible for God Jesus said. When God the Son became flesh in the womb of our wonderful Mother, Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), He acquired a human nature. He had divine nature already, as He is God. That is why we said God became flesh. John 1:1 said the Word was with God and the Word was God. Everything was created through Him, the Word. It shows clearly one God and God was not alone, at the same time He is three Persons, as we said already. One of the Persons became man, the same as us but no sin. That is Jesus. He is the only Divine Person with a Body as us but glorified now. It became glorified after His Resurrection from the dead. God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are the only ones of the Three Divine Persons with Spirit. To say God has Body can be confusing if we do not clarify which Person has a body. We can say God has Body. That is Jesus. Do not confuse and think that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit has body too. That is false. The Holy Trinity is mystery too, as the Eucharist is too. God revealed both to us. All through His Church He founded, the Catholic Church, the Body of Jesus and the Truth too, 1 Tim 3:15. God bless all, Doc

This is the link of the article: https://catholic-link.org/should-a-5th-marian-dogma-be-added/ . I have been praying daily that the pope or a pope eventually declare that 5th Dogma as Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption of the BVM. I see no problems. What do you think?