Let Us All Remember to Defend The Catholic Faith

And here's one fine new resource that will help us in defending Her:

A Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan

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Have you ever wondered where to begin to discover some of the BEST Catholic references and/or books to learn more about Our Beautiful Catholic Faith? I know that I sure have!

 There is SO MUCH that I did not learn from my Catholic school teachings, from my CCD classes when I was in public schools, and even from my parents. I am a self-educating Catholic from simply the constant reading of literature that is approved by the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Today I discovered this list from a conservative Catholic web-site linked to the Cardinal Newman Society that supports true Catholic education. I can't wait to start reading this list . . . and as the title states, it will take a LIFETIME! Why? The Holy Roman Catholic Church is rich in its treasures and beauty and it will take a lifetime and MORE, to discover Her treasures!

Here is the link for you too:

A Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan

Blessings!

Pentecost - The Coming of The Holy Spirit, Third Person of The Trinity

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As Catholics, we celebrate the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary and the Apostles fifty days after our Lord's Resurrection into Heaven. For Catholics, Pentecost is very important and during Mass, priests wear red vestments which symbolize tongues of fire and the love of the Holy Spirit. At present it is of equal rank with Easter Sunday.

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An interesting custom that takes place in my mother country of Italy is the scattering of rose leaves from the ceilings and alcoves of Catholic Churches which symbolize the miracle of the tongues of fire descending on Mary and the Apostles. Thus, the name of Pentecost Sunday is also known as "Pascha Rosatum" in Italy. The name in Italian refers to the red vestments worn by priests.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs that when the Easter season of seven weeks is complete, "Christ's Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance".

On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. Since that day, the Kingdom announced by Christ has been open to those who believe in him: in the humility of the flesh and in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy Trinity. By his coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit causes the world to enter into the "last days," the time of the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated (732).

We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us (123).

God is Love and love is his first gift, containing all others. God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (733; 124-125).

Because we are dead or at least wounded through sin, the first effect of the gift of love is the forgiveness of our sins. The communion of the Holy Spirit 126 in the Church restores to the baptized the divine likeness lost through sin (734).

He, then, gives us the "pledge" or "first fruits" of our inheritance: the very life of the Holy Trinity, which is to love as "God [has] loved us." 127 This love (the "charity" of 1 Cor 13) is the source of the new life in Christ, made possible because we have received "power" from the Holy Spirit (753; 128).

By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit: . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." 129 "We live by the Spirit"; the more we renounce ourselves, the more we "walk by the Spirit" (736; 130).

Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God "Father" and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory (131)

The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This joint mission henceforth brings Christ's faithful to share in his communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection. He makes present the mystery of Christ, supremely in the Eucharist, in order to reconcile them, to bring them into communion with God, that they may "bear much fruit" (737; 132).

Thus the Church's mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: in her whole being and in all her members, the Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity (738).

All of us who have received one and the same Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, are in a sense blended together with one another and with God. For if Christ, together with the Father's and his own Spirit, comes to dwell in each of us, though we are many, still the Spirit is one and undivided. He binds together the spirits of each and every one of us, . . . and makes all appear as one in him. For just as the power of Christ's sacred flesh unites those in whom it dwells into one body, I think that in the same way the one and undivided Spirit of God, who dwells in all, leads all into spiritual unity (133).

Because the Holy Spirit is the anointing of Christ, it is Christ who, as the head of the Body, pours out the Spirit among his members to nourish, heal, and organize them in their mutual functions, to give them life, send them to bear witness, and associate them to his self-offering to the Father and to his intercession for the whole world. Through the Church's sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body (739).

These "mighty works of God," offered to believers in the sacraments of the Church, bear their fruit in the new life in Christ, according to the Spirit (740).

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words." The Holy Spirit, the artisan of God's works, is the master of prayer (134; 741).

"Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!"' (Gal 4:6) (742).

From the beginning to the end of time, whenever God sends his Son, he always sends his Spirit: their mission is conjoined and inseparable (743).

In the fullness of time the Holy Spirit completes in Mary all the preparations for Christ's coming among the People of God. By the action of the Holy Spirit in her, the Father gives the world Emmanuel "God-with-us" (Mt 1:23) (744).

The Son of God was consecrated as Christ (Messiah) by the anointing of the Holy Spirit at his Incarnation (cf. Ps 2:6-7) (745).

By his Death and his Resurrection, Jesus is constituted in glory as Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). From his fullness, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Church (746).

The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates, and sanctifies the Church. She is the sacrament of the Holy Trinity's communion with men (747).

Blessings!

Catholics Themselves Need To Be Evangelized!

Hello dear friends in Christ!

Throughout my life, I can say that there definitely have been periods of time when my faith was weak, when I didn't know the tenants of the Catholic faith as well as I do now, where I haven't practiced my faith, and more. I don't think that I am alone in this behavior. I believe, as illustrated in this version of "The Vortex", that this was because I didn't KNOW my faith because I wasn't TAUGHT my faith, at least completely.

Although I attended Catholic school and also attended Catechism classes while in public school, I was easily caught up in what I thought would make me happy in the "world". I'm not going to be a liar and a hypocrite and say that I don't like nice 'things' anymore, because I still do. I just know that I don't need everything or more of anything but rather know that I need GOD and His Church here on earth for my lasting happiness.

I know that I have family members and friends in the Catholic Church who do not practice their faith in accordance with the Magesterium and who've asked why I know so much more about the faith than they do. My response is that "I taught myself by pouring through Church approved books . . . and can say that it has been, is, and hopefully always will be a daily prayer to strengthen my Catholic faith. So the Holy Spirit has led me to the information that I need to read and learn from. And I am SO GRATEFUL. I also pray for those in my life who have either drifted from or who are weak in the practice of their Catholic Faith. This video validates what I have felt. Do you know other Catholics who need to be evangelized in our very own Catholic faith?

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Blessings!

Beautiful Catholic Podcasts For Your Daily Commute And Spiritual Growth!!

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Hello to all my dear friends in Christ Jesus,

I may never have mentioned this on my blogs, but I have a 3-hour daily commute to work (one and a half hours each way). Now, you're probably thinking that this is a complete and total waste of God's time that he as blessed me with. Quite honestly, it is quite a good time for me to spend with the Lord and our Lady in prayer. I drive a fairly fuel-efficient Honda Civic that we lovingly call our "Iddy Biddy Blue" car. I have my Rosary hanging from the rear-view mirror and it is one of the first things that I see each morning as I embark upon my day.

I usually begin my driving time with my morning prayers and follow the recommended prayers of adoration, prayers of gratitude, prayers for forgiveness, and finally prayers for requests. After this good morning hello to God, I proceed to say my Rosary. I may stop through a drive-through to pick up a cup of caffeine so that I don't fall asleep driving.

Then I plug in my earbuds from my handy-dandy little iPod and listen to my downloaded Catholic podcasts. The iPod is truly a wonderful technical innovation and tool that has helped me to learn more about and to strengthen my Catholic Faith! I am so grateful for this blessing of a gadget in my time-crunched schedule. Without it, three hours of simply driving would definitely be an absolute and complete waste of God's precious resource of time!

So I thought it would be nice to share the names of the Catholic podcasts from which I receive spiritual and Catholic nourishment. I found all of these through iTunes which you need to sign up for a free membership online. Several of these on my list below have not podcasted in a few years, but they had already been downloaded onto my iPod and I never deleted them. There may also be some new Catholic podcasts out there either on iTunes or elsewhere that I'm not aware of or didn't find interesting enough to listen to after a couple of episodes. You have to be your own judge of what you want to listen to for your own spiritual needs and growth in our beautiful Catholic faith.

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Here's my list of Catholic Podcasts that I listen to:

American Catholic Radio

The BreadCast

Catholic Answers Live

Catholic Bible Boot Camp

Catholic Exchange's Rock Solid

Catholic Forum

Catholic Music Express

Catholic Podcasts Ministry

Catholic Praise Cast

Catholic Radio International

Catholic Sound Insight Radio Daily

Catholic Spotlight

ChantCast

ChristLife: We Have Been Sent

Daily Bread - Catholic Reflections

Daily Readings from the New American Bible

Divine Office - Liturgy of the Hours

Dr. James Dobbins - Catholic Apologetics

EWTN's Audio Library

Into The Deep

Our Catholic Life

Pray-As-You-Go

Pray-As-You-Go's Review of The Day

Prayer Reflection with Father James Kubicki

Relevant Answers with John Salza

The SaintCast

Verbum Domini

I hope you comment back and let me know what you think of these and if you also have any recommendations for other great Catholic Podcasts that are not on this list! I would really appreciate that!

Blessings to each of you!

ASH WEDNESDAY, The Beginning of Our Lenten Journey

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Today Catholics and many other Christians embark on the Lenten season when we go within ourselves to do penance and engage in activities that promote our spiritual transformation in order to draw closer to our Lord and prepare for Easter. It is time to purify ourselves through sacrifice and good works. During Lent, I try harder to keep Christ stronger in my mind and heart, by remembering what He sacrificed so unselfishly, so lovingly for my redemption, salvation, and eternal life in Heaven. I keep in mind the time that Jesus went into the desert Himself and that I need to experience my own desert and grow closer to Him through what I do during this 40-day journey.

Catholics receive ashes on our foreheads while the priest repeats the words that remind us that we will ultimately return to dust (Genesis 3:19). We are simply nothing without God!

Ways for Catholics to Live a Holy Lenten Season Life

• Fast from judging others; Feast on the Christ dwelling in them.
• Fast from emphasis on differences; Feast on the unity of life.
• Fast from apparent darkness; Feast on the reality of light.
• Fast from thoughts of illness; Feast on the healing power of God.
• Fast from words that pollute; Feast on phrases that purify.
• Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.
• Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
• Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.
• Fast from worry; Feast on divine order.
• Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation.
• Fast from negatives; Feast on affirmatives.
• Fast from unrelenting pressures; Feast on unceasing prayer.
• Fast from hostility; Feast on non-resistance.
• Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.
• Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion for others.
• Fast from personal anxiety; Feast on eternal truth.
• Fast from discouragement; Feast on hope.
• Fast from facts that depress; Feast on verities that uplift.
• Fast from lethargy; Feast on enthusiasm.
• Fast from thoughts that weaken; Feast on promises that inspire.
• Fast from shadows of sorrow; Feast on the sunlight of serenity.
• Fast from idle gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.
• Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayer that strengthens.

-William Arthur Ward (American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

Blessing of My New Rosary

(Photos above and below were taken from my own camera in my home.)

This week I bought a new rosary, one that has a little bit of water from Lourdes contained in a glass centerpiece. It is simply so beautiful, with a lovely crucifix and clear, shimmery glass beads. So this evening I took it with me to have our pastor bless it after Mass.

You can see the bubble in the water from Lourdes in the rosary's centerpiece above.

So I decided that it would be a good thing to chat about regarding our Catholic faith. So I went to the Catholic Answers web-site and found the following information regarding the Catholic practice of blessing our rosaries:

"The Rosary, like a cross or Crucifix, Holy Water, Blessed Palm is a sacramental.

A sacramental stems from the Church's Sacraments, which are instruments of God's Grace. When you get a sacramental blessed, this holy object now becomes an instrument of blessing.

As Fr. John Corapi says, the prayers said over a blessed object are applied to every situation where that object is used. So, when a priest blesses your Rosary, you receive the blessing of the Rosary, each time you pray with it. You should therefore get your scapula, Crucifixes and other objects blessed.

If you look up the link you will see how the Church has wisely given blessings to many objects of daily use. http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/blessings.html

This is so that we live our lives in such a way that we are already living as we would in Heaven - because in Heaven everything we use and every corner of our Heavenly home will be blessed. I got my guitar blessed, so that I can praise God with my music. You can get some salt blessed, to remind you of how you have to be salt of the earth, use the salt to bless your food or add some to clean water and then bless your house with it.
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Sacramentals stem from the Sacraments, they need to be blessed before they are used so that the prayers of the Universal Church can be applied to the person using that Sacramental.
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From the Cathechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
Chapter 4: OTHER LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS ARTICLE
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1 SACRAMENTALS 1667 "Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy."
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The characteristics of sacramentals1668 Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism).
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1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless.
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Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).
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1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."
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Various forms of sacramentals
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1671 Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father "with every spiritual blessing."
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This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ.
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1672 Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). The dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects.
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First Holy Communion for My God Daughter

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Holy Card Image from Holy Reflections
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Hello my dear friends in Christ,
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This month my family and I celebrated a most holy and special occasion: The First Holy Communion of Ashleigh, my Godchild. It was a most beautiful and sacred event in our lives and we are so delighted for her ability to now receive the Eucharist - "the source and summit" of the Catholic Church.
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Thank you Lord for the precious gift of Yourself that we are invited to receive each and every day of our lives as Catholics.
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Holy Card Image from Holy Reflections
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I found this lovely prayer on CatholicOnline.com:

A Prayer for those who are preparing Children for their First Holy Communion

O Jesus,
who hast loved us with such exceeding great love

as to give us the ineffable gift of the Holy Eucharist,

inflame us with a burning zeal to promote Thy glory

by preparing worthily the little children

who are to approach Thy holy table for the first time.

Protect, O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

these young souls from the assaults of evil,

strengthen their faith,

increase their love and

endow them with all the virtues that will make them worthy to receive Thee.

Amen.

Blessings,

~ bella

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Catholics ARE Christians! Evangelicals today tell me we're NOT CHRISTIAN! UGGGHH!!

Hello dear friends in Christ,

Well the village evangelical idiots are alive and well in the Southeast as I found out during lunch with a friend today.....Oh my precious Lord, I was told by this brainwashed anti-Catholic that Catholics believe that Jesus was just another person and nothing else.

I knew that my prayers to defend the faith and to hopefully draw more in to love and respect the Catholic Church were being answered.

It all started with our discussion of the lack of moral authority that exists today in America and this horrible president that is now seeking shallow fame and glory through his "rock-stardom" and his pitifully self-absorbed wife that the world is setting on a pedestal (what is WRONG with everyone, other than the fact that we know with sincerity that it is the work of the devil that is (and has) influencing(ed) America's first couple and their shallow, glitz-thirsty followers).

So anyhow, during this once peaceful lunch, this fool asks me "Where do you go to church?"

I said, "Our Lady of Lourdes."

He stared at me.

I stared back with a nice smile and said, "Yea, I'm Catholic". Our Lady of Lourdes is the one and only Catholic church in town. No surprise, amidst the 35 Southern Baptist churches, and who knows how many evangelical churches there are, that there is just one Catholic church in this Southern town.....growing beyond their dismay and with, oh my gosh are you ready for this . . . plans to open a new Catholic school soon!

And then, hold on to your Rosaries, my dear friends, this "evangelical" questioned me, by asking with audacity, "Who do you believe Jesus Christ is?"

And I responded with firm conviction, "Jesus is the Word, the Revelation, He is God made flesh, became man, He is one of the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit . . . This is not only stated in the Book of John, but also in the Catechism of the Catholic Church". I could have gone on and on, but I wanted to give this fool a simple definition . . . I'll save more for later . . . hee hee!

He asked, "Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God?" And I said, "Of course!"

He said that every Catholic he had ever met stated that Jesus is just a person and not God. And I said, you don't the Catholics that I know and worship with.

WHERE DO THESE FOOLS GET THIS GARBAGE INFORMATION THAT IS EVIL-Y PASSED ON TO OTHERS?? -- WHAT EVIL UNTRUTHS about the Holy Roman Catholic Church are being spread out there!!!

Then he told methat I was a CANNIBAL because Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus......and so forth and so on!

Then . . . oh here's the line that always goes for the main vein and artery - - HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE BORN AGAIN? YOU NEED TO READ NICODEMUS, cuz YOU AREN'T BORN AGAIN!

Hey friends, can someone point me in the right direction for some good statements to defend ourselves and our Faith? This uneducated, ultra anti-Catholic biased fool will see me again next week and I want to give him some valid grounds for his errors, and of course in a most loving and gracious manner! :)

I don't know about you, but I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MORE IN LOVE WITH MY CATHOLIC FAITH I AM EACH AND EVERY DAY and how I know that there is going to be a JUDGEMENT DAY for fools such as this one that I met today. Little does he know that I have been placed in HIS LIFE to show him the TRUTH and not the other way around. Bring it on!

With peace and love to my friends of the TRUE and ORIGINAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH,

~ bella

PS....After one month's absence from my blogs (due to my teaching vocation), I'M BACK, stronger than ever to defend our Faith and our beliefs!

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Ash Wednesday and Lent

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Dear friends in Christ,

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Today is a most holy day, one that all Catholics around the planet unite together to begin our 40-day journey of repenting our sins, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, sacrificing, and doing good works. Pope John Paul II said that Catholics who fast and pray together as one body, are a most effective weapon against the power of the devil.

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Today, I join with all of you in this wonderful spiritual opportunity to improve our souls, to continue the fight against evil in this world, and to grow in faith ever closer to our Heavenly Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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Blessings,

~ bella

Through all your days . . . keep the Lord in mind, and

suppress every desire to sin or to break His commandments.

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Perform good works all the days of your life, and

do not tread the paths of wrongdoing.

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Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, and

God's face will not be turned away from you.

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Give to hungry some of your bread, and

to the naked some of your clothing.

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Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and

do not begrudge the alms you give.

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At all times bless the Lord God, and

ask Him to make all your paths straight and

to grant success to all your endeavors and plans.

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Tobit 4:5, 7b, 16, 19a

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Catholics Believe in Sanctifying Grace -- What Is It?

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holy card image re-printed with loving permission from "Holy Cards for Your Inspiration"

http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com/

. ". . . and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. amen"

Hello dear friends in Christ,
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How many of us can remember all of the teachings that were presented to us when we were younger regarding our Catholic faith? I know that I simply cannot pull it all out of my brain, even though what I learned didn't even scratch the surface of the depths of our Catholic Faith! I can't explain why; I just can't remember it all! My mother said it's because only so much could have been taught to us as children because our little minds could not grasp it all. I don't think that we as adults can grasp it all either; but it is such joy to learn more and more each day!
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I remember that I was taught with the Baltimore Cathecism and I cannot forget the words that my classmates and I (in parochial school) would continually say:

"God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven. To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart. We shall know the things which we are to believe from the Catholic Church, through which God speaks to us."
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But without that being constantly spoken or heard, those words set aside years ago. I'm so glad that they have been brought to my attention once again. The new Catechism states the same, but in different words. Yet as children, in the Baltimore, we MEMORIZED those words.
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I've been thinking about 'sanctifying grace' lately, what it is and why we need it so very much. Sanctifying grace:

• is a free gift from God, through Christ's death;


• is supernatural;


• we need it for our salvation (to return to God as mentioned above);


• we cannot enter Heaven without it;


• it 'confers in our souls' a new life; a supernatural life that allows us to share in God's life;


• we are not born with it because we are born with original sin;


• we receive it freely through the Holy Spirit;


• when we are Baptised in the Catholic Church, through which our souls become holy and pleasing to God;


• and we become adopted sons and daughters of God;


• God lives in our soul through the Holy Spirit;


• we lose it through mortal sin (1-an act of grievous nature, 2-which we fully know to be mortally sinful, and yet 3-we commit anyway, with full consent of our will);


• without it God is lost from our souls and the devil gains our souls;


• without it we are enemies of God and cannot enter His kingdom of Heaven;


• without mortal sin, we are in a state of grace, necessary to enter Heaven;


• the Holy Spirit lives within us in the state of sanctifying grace and we have a new nature;


• and we become temples of God;


• yet due to original sin, we will still have the tendency to sin, through human imperfection;


• yet it strengthens our will to avoid further sin;


• which then, in turn, expands our heart and influences us to do more good,


• which brings us increased merit for heaven; without sanctifying grace, we can gain no merits;


• by doing so we are increasingly attracted to God;


• we increasingly know and love God;


• if we lose it, we can only regain it through the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) by confessing our sins to a Catholic priest with true contrition, sorrow and a firm resolve and commitment not to repeat the sin; and finally, by making an act of perfect contrition (a prayer of sorrow for offending God because He is infinitely good and worthy of all our love.)


• if in the state of mortal sin, we cannot receive Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (Communion), even if we made an act of perfect contrition);

These points are just a few of note on the ever-important concept of sanctifying grace and should give each Catholic serious pause in thinking about what state our souls are in at each moment in our lives.

Blessings,

~ bella

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The Canon of Scripture (CCC continued, Article 3, Part IV, p. 34)

Hello dear friends in Christ,

I have not posted on the Catechism of the Catholic Church in a while due to the elections and simply being led to chat about other topics of our Faith.

So I'll just simply pick right back up at the point where I last posted on the CCC.

The Catholic Church alone discerned and discerns which writings are to be INCLUDED in the SACRED BOOKS of the Bible!! THIS COMPLETE LIST IS KNOWN AS THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE. Included are 46 books from the Old Testament and 27 books from the New Testament.

The Old Testament includes the following books:

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 and 2 Samuel
1 and 2 Kings
1 and 2 Chronicles
Ezra an Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther
1 and 2 Maccabes
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
the Song of Songs
the Wisdom of Solomon
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Ezekial
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zachariah and Malachi

The New Testament includes the following books:

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
the Acts of the Apostles
the Letters of St. Paul to the Romans
1 and 2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Phillipians
Colossians
1 and 2 Thessalonians
1 and 2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
the Letter to the Hebrews
the Letter of James
1 and 2 Peter
1, 2, and 3 John
Jude
Revelation (the Apocalypse)
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Until my next post and visit with you,
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Blessings,
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~ Bella

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What Catholics Believe About Sacred Scripture

Good Afternoon, dear Amici (Friends),

It is a chilly rainy day here in the Carolina's, but a very welcome rainy day! I think we'll probably use the fireplace tonight with a little glass of wine or hot chocolate while we enjoy the evening.

Continuing in the Catholic Catechism, (p. 33) , Catholics believe that there are 2 senses of Scripture: Literal and Spiritual.

Literally, we believe the words of Scripture through the use of RULES of sound interpretation, as stated by St. Thomas Aquinas.

Spiritually, we believe in the "allegorical" understanding of the Word, in other words, we use symbols in Scripture to aid in our understanding (1 Cor 10:2).

Catholics believe that the events written in Scripture GUIDE us in acting fairly and righteously in our lives on earth; Scripture is our DIVINE "moral" INSTRUCTIONS for LIVING (1 Cor 10:11; Heb 3-4:11).

And finally, we believe 'anagogically' that the events in Scripture are of ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE and that these instructions lead us to our eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ and His Heavenly Father. Catholics believe that our Church on earth is a "SIGN of the heavenly Jerusalem ~(Revelations 21:1 - 22:5).

The Letter speaks of DEEDS;
Allegory to FAITH;
The Moral to ACT;
Anagogy to our DESTINY!

Catholics believe that every way that Scripture is interpreted is FIRST and ALWAYS subject to the judgement of the Catholic Church.....ONLY the Catholic Church has the DIVINE COMMISSION to oversee and interpret God's Word.......

Thanks for stopping by today for this brief, but very powerful reading and learning of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

I wish you many blessings and a peace-filled day!

Amore',

~ Bella

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Continuing Discussion of Catholic Beliefs: the Catholic Catechism (CCC)

Good morning dear friends,

I'll pick up where I left off reading, summarizing, and learning the CCC, p. 31, Chapter 2, Article III, Section II - The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture.

Once again, as guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit, the text of Sacred Scripture was divinely revealed and written down; was authored by God and handed down to the Catholic Church. The men who wrote Scripture were CHOSEN by God. The books written are the TRUTH and are without error. Jesus is the WORD of God in these truths and is incarnate and LIVING!

Yet we still need Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to OPEN OUR MINDS to UNDERSTAND the Scriptures. Luke: 24:45.

The human authors who wrote down God's truths and used "their words" (p. 32, line 109); therefore, the reader must consider the times and culture in which they wrote and the way of speaking and narration in those times and not from the context of the current time and culture and way of speaking.

Yet we must remember that Sacred Scripture MUST be read and interpreted in the light of the SAME SPIRIT who inspired its initial writing!

Vatican II stated that three (3) criteria necessary for interpreting Scripture with the Holy Spirit's guidance:

#1 Be especially attentive to he content and unity of the whole Scripture, because God's plan is based on unity, with Christ as the heart and center of His plan. Luke 24:25-27, 44-46.

#2 Read the Scripture "WITHIN THE LIVING TRADITION of the whole CHURCH", the Catholic Church's Sacred Scripture was first written in HER HEART and not in documents and records! Therefore the Catholic Church carries her TRADITION, the LIVING memory of His Word, and ONLY the Catholic Church is granted the knowledge of what scripture MEANS through the prompting and inspiration of the Holy Spirit!

WOW! This is our belief as Catholics, and our belief alone. This is why we believe there are other non-Catholic Christians, but they are not living and worshipping in the "FULLNESS" of Christ's first, original church, The Catholic Church.

#3 Be attentive to the analogy of faith (Romans 12:6), which essentially means that we need to pay attention to the overall "coherence" of our faith's truths and within the entire, bigger picture-plan of Revelation.


Now that was a lot to read, learn, and share today. Our beautiful Catholic faith is vast and awe-inspiring. I know that I'm learning as a I read and I hope that you are too.

Have a beautiful, blessed day!

~ Bella

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What Catholics Believe - Continuing the Study of the (CCC) Catechism of the Catholic Church

"Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you,
all things are passing,
God is unchanging.
Patience gains all,
nothing is lacking to those who love God;
God alone is sufficient."

St. Teresa of Avila, Spain, 1515 - 1582

My dear friends in Christ,

As I continue my study of the Catechism in Article 3 of Chapter Two I am reminded to know that:

The Catholic Church VENERATES the Lord's precious Body and never fails to present THE BREAD OF LIFE to the faithful.

The Church receives nourishment and strength from Sacred Scripture, from which our Heavenly Father speaks to us, His children.

God is the AUTHOR of Sacred Scripture and which was written down by man under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Catholics consider BOTH the Old and the New Testaments as Sacred.

We believe that both the books of the Old and New Testaments TEACH THE TRUTH to ALL people, Catholics and non-Catholics. These perfect books, without error, are what we must use to TEACH these TRUTHS when defending the Faith or simply sharing the Faith!

Blessings to you this lovely afternoon in October!

~ Bella

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Catholic Beliefs: The MAGESTERIUM of the Catholic Church (CCC, Art.2,Part III, p.27

To continue my discussion and understanding of the Catholic faith (for my purposes of defending and evangelizing, and hopefully, many others as well)......

Catholics believe in the MAGESTERIUM of the Church.

What's this?"

The task of giving the CATHOLIC CHURCH ALONE, the authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in written Sacred Scripture or from Sacred Tradition.

The task of interpretation is ENTRUSTED to the POPE and to the Bishops through the successors of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.

The Magesterium is a servant to the Word of God and not superior to the Word. It is given through DIVINE COMMAND and through the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

The Catholic Church, through the Magesterium, EXERCISES AUTHORITY FROM CHRIST to the fullest extent when DEFINING DOGMAS or TRUTHS and OBLIGES Christians to irrevocable ADHERENCE and OBEDIENCE of Faith to these teachings. . . and apply it to the fullest in their daily lives.

In Summary:

Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture and the Magesterium of the Catholic Church are supremely connected and wisely arranged by God . . . and CANNOT STAND APART from each other! All are necessary, through the workings of the Holy Spirit, for the soul's eternal salvation.

This is unique to Catholics, the one, true, authentic Christian Church established by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

May God continue to bless His Catholic Church!

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Catholics Believe in Sacred Tradition PLUS Sacred Scripture

Catholics believe in a close, intricate bond between Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture . . . these are communicated together from the same divine source. Catholics believe in the Word of God in the UNWRITTEN Word ... Sacred Tradition!

Sacred Scripture is the "SPEECH OF GOD" in writing led by the Holy Spirit!

Tradition TRANSMITS the entire Word of God entrusted to the apostles through Jesus and the Holy Spirit! Tradition is transmitted through the apostolic successors and spread through their preaching.

Here is another BIG DIFFERENCE between what Catholics believe and what non-Catholics do not believe:

The Catholic Church does NOT derive certainty of all revealed truths from holy Scripture alone. Rather Catholics believe that BOTH SACRED SCRIPTURE and TRADITION MUST BE ACCEPTED and HONORED EQUALLY!

The apostles handed down tradition because the first generation of Christians did not have the New Testament written down yet! Some time took place in between our Lord's life on earth and the time in which Scriptural Scholars wrote it down guided by GRACE. The early Church SPOKE the Word, just like Jesus PREACHED (spoke) to the people. There wasn't anyone there or present or looking on that was writing the books of truth in the New Testament! So Tradition came before Sacred Scripture. Catholics believe firmly in Sacred Tradition.

It seems to me that even non-Catholic Christians would know this FACT.....so why do they continue to shove this FACT aside? Catholics acknowledge, admit, respect and REVERE this FACT of Sacred Tradition!

This is yet one more belief of Catholics!

More Catholic Catechism: The Gospel is HANDED DOWN through APOSTOLIC SUCCESSORS

Continuing in Article 2 of Chapter Two in the Catholic Catechism (CCC, pp. 24-25), as Catholics, we believe that the Gospel is HANDED DOWN in TWO WAYS:

Orally - by the apostles and their institutions

and in

Writing - "by the apostles and other men associated with the apostles, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who put the Gospel into the written Word".

Now here's a Catholic belief that non-Catholics do not share:

"In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church, the apostles LEFT BISHOPS AS THEIR SUCCESSORS . . . who were given TEACHING AUTHORITY. This apostolic preaching IS TO BE PRESERVED IN A CONTINUOUS LINE OF SUCCESSION . . . UNTIL THE END OF TIME!

WOW! Only Catholics have this blessing from God!

This is what Catholics believe in . . . and it is called TRADITION!!!

It is distinct from Sacred Scripture and it is how the Catholic Church teaches Catholics through every generation, ALL THAT SHE BELIEVES!

The Holy Spirit leads believers in the FULL TRUTH through the Church's voice and Gospel.

This is one of the the PILLARS of our Beautiful Catholic Faith that DIFFERENTIATES our beliefs from all other religions and denominations!

Part One, Article 2: Our Call as Catholics to Teach Others of God

Hello everyone again on this beautiful October day,

Before I go outside to savor and soak up this gorgeous autumn day, I'll continue discussing our beautiful Catholic Catechism:

Because God DESIRES ALL of us to be saved, to KNOW the truth of Jesus, we, Catholics, MUST PROCLAIM our Lord to ALL people all around the entire planet! (1 Tim 2:4; Jn 14:6)

Catholics are COMMANDED to preach the Gospel to let others know of God's gifts to them. It is the Gospel that is the source of truth and moral discipline necessary to achieve salvation (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15).


So dear friends in Christ, in your prayers, ask our Heavenly Father, our Lord, and Blessed Mother to give us the fortitude to just drop a verse of the Bible to anyone that needs a word of guidance or uplifting.

Yesterday, my husband and I had some friends over and they poured their hearts out to us about a terrible, and I do mean horrendous, ordeal that they have been suffering through.

I took my Bible over to them (non-Catholics) and led them to read Psalm 37, which was the same verse that a dear friend once read to me in my greatest time of trouble. They said that they would go home and read it. I don't know what happened after they left, but I do know that God gave me the strength to do what He called all of us as Catholics to do . . . to share the Gospel.

I never used any force, or "in-your-face" tactics that we know some folks can use. I shared this verse with love and concern for these friends. They know that I am Catholic and so that also helped their perception of the Catholic Faith.

I think that once we successfully share, we gain more strength in continuing to spread the Gospel each time afterwards.

With that said, dear friends, I am going to go outside and enjoy this day that God has given each of us.

Blessings!

~ Bella

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More Catholic Beliefs (from CCC): Ch. 2 Article One, Section III. Jesus is the Fullness of God's Revelation and There Will Be NO FURTHER REVELATION

Catholics believe (CCC, p. 28) that after Jesus' life on earth, there will be NO FURTHER PUBLIC REVELATION OF GOD until the glorious manifestation of our Lord. God's covenants with our first parents, with Abraham, Noah, and Moses, and their descendants will remain in force as long as the world lasts and there will be no further Revelation (1 Tim 6: 14; Titus 2:13).

We Catholics believe that our Lord will return and that we have a life-long covenant with God!

We read in today's Psalms:

You gave food to those who fear you, mindful of your covenant forever.
You showed powerful deeds to your people, giving them the lands of the nations.
The works of your hands are right and true, reliable all your decrees,
Established forever and ever, to be observed with loyalty and care.
You sent deliverance to your people, ratified your covenant forever;

holy and awesome is your name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who live by it.

Your praise endures forever.

Psalm 111

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