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[Catholic Caucus] A Catechism to Save Biden’s SoA Catechism to Save Biden’s SoulFor any who may need a catechism refresher, Biden’s statements on the House floor would qualify as grave external violations of the First and Fifth Commandments. They contain irreverence, scandal, and moral cooperation in murder.In the span of a few brief centuries, what was once an uncharted wilderness has risen to become the single most powerful nation on earth: the United States of America. This great nation is currently governed by a President who claims to be Roman Catholic: a tenure of Church–State relations that should have been...

[Catholic Caucus] A Catechism to Reclaim CatechismsAn ever-expanding mushroom cloud of doctrinal madness presently afflicts the Church, but a new catechism promises a sure sign of hope for the future.In apparent answer to the recent papal prolepsis calling for “a courageous cultural revolution” in Catholic theology, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has formally adopted the categories of “transgender persons” and “homosexual persons.” While vats of ink will be spilled on both counts, faithful Catholics continue to pray for an end to the ever-expanding mushroom cloud of doctrinal madness presently afflicting the Church. In the meantime, it...

“Christian Questions with Their Answers: ‘This Do’” This is the night our Lord Jesus Christ gave his disciples to eat and to drink of his body and blood. And he didn’t mean just for that night. No, Christ was instituting a sacrament to be used often. Already in the pages of the New Testament, we see that the church partook of this sacrament whenever they met on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. And that practice continued through the history of the church. Now tonight, on this night when our Lord instituted the Sacrament, we here intend...

“The Sacrament of the Altar: What Is It, and What Does It Give?” In the Small Catechism, as we just read, Luther arranges his teaching on the Sacrament of the Altar according to its nature, benefit, power, and right reception. Today, I want to focus especially on the first two sections, the nature and the benefit. And so our theme: “The Sacrament of the Altar: What Is It, and What Does It Give?” We start with the “What is it?” question: “What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ...

“Confession: Confession Has Two Parts” Today we continue our midweek series on the Small Catechism with the section on Confession. The catechism asks the question, “What is Confession?” And the way the answer begins gives us our theme for today: “Confession Has Two Parts.” Those two parts, of course, are Confession and Absolution: “Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.” Now you may be thinking,...

“The Sacrament of Holy Baptism: How Can Water Do Such Great Things?” Today we continue our series on the six chief parts of the catechism, and we come to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. And the catechism has some pretty impressive things to say about Baptism: “It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.” “Wow! That’s quite a list! And you’re telling me that Baptism does all of that? That Baptism actually works? That it accomplishes such marvelous things? You’re kidding me, right? Just pouring some water over...

“The Creed: ‘I Believe in God’” In a survey taken by the Pew Research Center in September of 2021, 91% of Americans say that they believe in God or a higher power. Well, whoop-de-do. That doesn’t say much. Which God or higher power do they believe in? And what do they mean by “believe”? Maybe they believe that there is only one God, not many gods. OK, but that does not say much. In James, it says: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!” In other words, even the demons know that much,...

“The Lord’s Prayer: ‘Pray Then Like This’” This year our midweek Lenten series is called, “A Catechetical Lent: The Six Chief Parts of the Small Catechism.” And today we come to the third of those six chief parts, namely, the Lord’s Prayer. We call it the “Lord’s” Prayer, because our Lord Jesus Christ taught his disciples to pray this prayer. And so this is the prayer that our Lord teaches us to pray, because we too are his disciples. We follow him in faith and learn from him and listen to his voice. So when Jesus speaks, we listen. Today...

“The Ten Commandments: Curb, Mirror, and Guide” Today we begin a series called “A Catechetical Lent.” In our six Wednesday services we will be looking at the six chief parts of the Small Catechism: the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, Confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. These are the basics of Christian faith and life. Whether you’re learning the catechism to become a communicant member--and we have catechumens right now at both congregations, St. Matthew and Grace--or whether you are a lifelong Lutheran, it’s always good to come back to the basics....

[Catholic Caucus] “We have to be careful who gets their hands on it”And what is it, you wonder?Why, the Catechism of the Catholic Church of course!Over the past few weeks, the Catechism has been trending here and there for a couple of reasons. First, Benedict XVI’s death, which prompted folks to recall the Catechism as part of his legacy. Secondly, the Catechism in a Year podcast, which is proving to be as popular as the Bible in a Year podcast. Both are in the top 12 Apple Podcasts as I write, and I know the Catechism edition was #1 for...

I started using the Penny Catechism at home on my children. It’s a tiny book, and my intention with it is simple: indoctrination. The format is simple questions and answers. The first two alone impart an entire understanding of the self and the world. “Who made you?” “God made me.” “Why did God make you?” “God made me to know him, love him and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him forever in the next.” I want them to know that their lives were not just intended by their two parents — not just answered prayers...

Important study: “On Doctrinal and Moral Disorders Abiding in the Church” — Fr. John Hardon’s 1990 critique of the “revised draft” of the Catechism (Part 1) Rorate has received from Drs. Maike and Robert Hickson the following important study, which introduces and then provides the critique written by Fr. John Hardon, S.J. (1914–2000) in 1990 when he was given the opportunity to review a “revised draft” of what would become the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The text offered here, in two parts, was first published in Christian Order in 2016 and is now being made available on the...

Martin Luther, to all faithful and godly pastors and preachers: grace, mercy, and peace be yours in Jesus Christ, our Lord. The deplorable, miserable conditions which I recently observed when visiting the parishes have constrained and pressed me to put this catechism of Christian doctrine into this brief, plain, and simple form. How pitiable, so help me God, were the things I saw: the common man, especially in the villages, knows practically nothing of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are almost entirely incompetent and unable to teach. Yet all the people are supposed to be Christians, have been...

(ANALYSIS) Germany’s Catholic bishops embarked on a series of conversations in 2018 aimed at reforming church teachings. It was an ambitious, if not audacious, effort on everything from homosexuality, priestly celibacy and the ordination of women. Conservative Catholics across the world decried the prospect. The tensions that arose at that time — and still simmering today — even caused some to warn that a permanent split could occur. Indeed, the dreaded “s-word” — schism — can be used to describe the current moment. It was just last year that a high-ranking prelate argued that pushing such changes could lead to...

“Inculcating the Reformation through Catechesis” (Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36) First, let me tell you my title for this message. It’s “Inculcating the Reformation through Catechesis.” Now the next thing I want to tell you is this: Don’t let that title scare you off! Don’t worry, I’ll explain each of those terms: “Inculcating the Reformation through Catechesis.” So here we go. The first one I’ll explain is “the Reformation.” What is the Reformation? This term refers to the much-needed reforming of the church--straightening it out where it had gone wrong--the reforming movement undertaken by Martin Luther and his associates in the...

A gay baker in Michigan is speaking out after she received a request for a custom cake with a homophobic message. Esteemed baker April Anderson, who has baked for Oprah Winfrey, owns and operates Good Cakes and Bakes with her partner in Detroit. On July 19, she said she received a $40 online order for a custom red velvet cake. A $10 tip was also included, Anderson told the Detroit Free Press. As Anderson looked at the order, which had the word “Pride” in all caps, she realized it contained a homophobic message. “I am ordering this cake to celebrate...

But though God can do all things, yet He cannot lie, or deceive, or be deceived; He cannot sin, or cease to exist, or be ignorant of anything. These defects are compatible with those beings only whose actions are imperfect; but God, whose acts are always most perfect, is said to be incapable of such things, simply because the capability of doing them implies weakness, not the supreme and infinite power over all things which God possesses. Thus we so believe God to be omnipotent that we exclude from Him entirely all that is not intimately connected and consistent with...

[Catholic Caucus] Burke: Often Mentioned "Francis Magisterium" Is Not The Magisterium A soon-to-be-published “Catechism of the Catholic Church with Theological Commentary,” edited by Curia Archbishop Rino Fisichella, will "not have the authority” of the 1994 Catechism, said Cardinal Raymond Burke.He told TheWandererPress.com (January 8) that the current Catechism “will continue to be the authoritative text" while "whatever authority the new edition has, will depend on the correctness of its fidelity to doctrine.”Burke linked the continuing doctrinal and moral confusion in the Church to the 4th century Arian heresy, pointing out that, at that time, St Athanasius defended Christ's divinity at...

Pope Francis is considering adding ‘ecological sin’ to the official teachings of the Catholic Church. He said there are plans to update the Catechism of the Catholic Church to include environmental damages that risk “the common home” of humanity. The spiritual leader called on the global community to recognise ecocide as a “fifth category of crime against peace” and stressed corporations must not go unpunished if they cause harm to the planet. He said the term ‘ecocide’ covers “the massive contamination of air, land and water resources, the large-scale destruction of flora and fauna and any action capable of producing...

[Catholic Caucus] “Of What Use Is a Changing Catechism?”: Dr Kwasniewski in Chicago, June 14 I have been invited to give a talk by the Catholic Citizens of Illinois at their monthly Forum Luncheon on June 14, 2019. The event is held at the Union League Club of Chicago, 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, and begins at 11:45 am. Tickets are $40; the Club requires business attire. To register, call Maureen at 708-352-5834 or use this link. My topic will be “Of What Use Is a Changing Catechism?” After the 16th-century Council of Trent, Pope St. Pius V promulgated the first...