It would be laughable to think Catholics actually follow the traditions of the fathers if it wasn't for the fact that many Catholics here believe it to be so and will argue you tooth-and-nail over it. Catholics no longer teaches what the early fathers taught and Church "infallibility" is simply a way to cover up or hide behind fundamental changes in doctrinal beliefs. Catholics believing they follow the Church fathers is like Obama thinking the private sector is doing well. It's all an illusion hoping people buy into it.
Catholics don't have to debate what the meaning of the word "Is" is.
Indeed, the devil is happy when people deny the real presence in the Eucharist:
Who, but the devil, has granted such license of wresting the words of the holy Scripture? Who ever read in the Scriptures, that my body is the same as the sign of my body? or, that is is the same as it signifies? What language in the world ever spoke so? It is only then the devil, that imposes upon us by these fanatical men. Not one of the Fathers of the Church, though so numerous, ever spoke as the Sacramentarians:not one of them ever said, It is only bread and wine; or, the body and blood of Christ is not there present.
Surely, it is not credible, nor possible, since they often speak, and repeat their sentiments, that they should never (if they thought so) not so much as once, say, or let slip these words: It is bread only; or the body of Christ is not there, especially it being of great importance, that men should not be deceived. Certainly, in so many Fathers, and in so many writings, the negative might at least be found in one of them, had they thought the body and blood of Christ were not really present: but they are all of them unanimous.” –Luther’s Collected Works, Wittenburg Edition, no. 7 p, 391
So Martin Luther says only the devil believes the bread is only bread.
Where would he get such an idea? From Christ Himself!
HarleyD:
In which way is the Catholic Faith in contradiction with the Apostolic Fathers and the 4 early Councils of the CHurch, Nicea 325 AD, Constantinopile 381 AD, Ephesus 431 AD and Chalcedon 451 AD. Your post is full of errors, the Council of Trent in 1564 did not define a different Canon from the early Church. It was the most definitive statement on the Canon. The Council of Florence in 1442 defined the same canon as Trent over 100 years before. The Canon defined at Florence as the same canon defined by the Council of Carthage in 419AD, it was the same canon defined by Pope Innocents Letter to the Catholic Bishops in Gaul [modern France] in 405 AD.
Your post is either an outright misreprensation of the facts or you are ignorant of said facts. Now you know better
In addition, your statements that the Catholic Church is in contradiction with the early Church Fathers, Please tell me and give me examples.
I will leave it to the reader to decide which church today worships and teaches as St. Justin Martyr proclaimed in his First Apology around A.D. 150:
But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to γένοιτο [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion.And this food is called among us Εὐχαριστία [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, “This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;” and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, “This is My blood;” and gave it to them alone.