Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth - Answers to Questions About the Catholic Church

Catholic Answers ^ | Karl Keating

[Salvation]

This is wonderful. I have read the pamplet before and will read the entire post again.

God bless and keep the faith!

[NYer]

YOUR TASKS AS A CATHOLIC
Your tasks as a Catholic, no matter what your age, are three:

Know your Catholic faith.
You cannot live your faith if you do not know it, and you cannot share with others what you do not first make your own (CCC 429). Learning your Catholic faith takes some effort, but it is effort well spent because the study is, quite literally, infinitely rewarding.

Live your Catholic faith.
Your Catholic faith is a public thing. It is not meant to be left behind when you leave home (CCC 2472). But be forewarned: Being a public Catholic involves risk and loss. You will find some doors closed to you. You will lose some friends. You will be considered an outsider. But, as a consolation, remember our Lord’s words to the persecuted: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven" (Matt. 5:12).

Spread your Catholic faith.
Jesus Christ wants us to bring the whole world into captivity to the truth, and the truth is Jesus himself, who is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Spreading the faith is a task not only for bishops, priests, and religious—it is a task for all Catholics (CCC 905).

Just before his Ascension, our Lord told his apostles, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19–20).

If we want to observe all that Jesus commanded, if we want to believe all he taught, we must follow him through his Church. This is our great challenge—and our great privilege.

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[Salvation]

Amen to the three goals you have listed!

[Aquinasfan]

This is a great pamphlet. I try to keep a handful around. You never know when they'll come in handy. It's a good thing to leave in rest rooms 8-)

[american colleen]

Bump and thank you!

[MarMema]

Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The Protestant churches were established during the Reformation, which began in 1517. (Most of today’s Protestant churches are actually offshoots of the original Protestant offshoots.) Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth century, in the fifth century, and in the first century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing. The line of popes can be traced back, in unbroken succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by any institution in history.

These are the kinds of statements which make the RC so popular in the religion forum. Many of these sentences are simply based on your point of view. One is a stretch of the truth. Peter founded the church of Antioch before he went to Rome, so we also have direct apostolic succession to Peter. And if you were going to get picky about it, ours came first. LOL.

That said, I don't recall reading in the sermon on the mount about the importance of maintaining apostolic succession. What I do recall is that we treat others with love and humility, ie Blessed are the Meek, Blessed are the poor in spirit, etc.

"Omitting nothing". LOL. And we would say, "But adding much".

[MarMema]

When, centuries ago, they split away from the Catholic Church, the theological ancestors of these Christians eliminated some authentic beliefs and added new ones of their own making.

That's funny. The recent discussion on the filioque would seem to directly bely this statement. As I remember it, and please correct me if I am wrong, the RC had agreed that we were correct and had preserved the correct statement in the Creed. If so, that would mean the Roman church had actually been the ones to "add news ones of their own making".

I welcome your input and feedback.

[OLD REGGIE]

The line of popes can be traced back, in unbroken succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by any institution in history.

How many years without a Pope would be required for the line to be broken?

[MarMema]

God constantly uses material things to show his love and power. After all, matter is not evil. When he created the physical universe, everything God created was "very good" (Gen. 1:31). He takes such delight in matter that he even dignified it through his own Incarnation (John 1:14)

I really, really like this paragraph. Still reading through the entire post.....

[MarMema]

Once we become members of Christ’s family, he does not let us go hungry, but feeds us with his own body and blood through the Eucharist.

Unless you are a child? How do you reconcile this with children not being allowed to commune? I have never understood this.

[NYer]

Beautiful picture! Thanks for posting it.

This 'pamphlet' was written, IMHO, for the benefit of the lapsed catholic and/or those whose children have wandered away. Many cradle catholics, despite good or bad catechesis, are simply ignorant about their faith.

As for distributing the Eucharist to children, 2nd grade is when they receive their First Communion. This would be the 'age of reason' when they can best appreciate and understand the Real Presence. At what age do children begin communing in the Russian Orthodox church? Who decides this?

[MarMema]

I have some personal commentary to offer on this, I think, but until then, here is a website with much discussion on this.

Infant communion

It is not uncommon at all to see women in line for communion with a 3 month old infant. Usually, the infant is given the Mysteries first, then the mom.

[NYer]

A very interesting history on Infant Communion.

"n these circumstances the Church began to feel uneasy about the communion of persons who might not be able to swallow the host. "

This was my first thought. How does one deal with an infant who 'spits up' the consecrated host. As for dipping fingers in the Sacred Blood and placing it in the mouth of an infant to suckle ... well, I believe that the introduction of microbiology probably nixed that practice.

It is not uncommon at all to see women in line for communion with a 3 month old infant.

So it is the mother who determines when an infant is old enough to commune?

[AKA Elena]

I used Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth as my "text" as I homeschooled my grandson (through the two middle school years) to enforce and reinforce his Faith.

It is explanatory, precise, deep, thorough---yet easy to understand and beautiful at one and the same time.

He is "out in the world now" -- having a job as he awaits his call to the US Navy, and I think that I will reprint this for him as the timing could not be more apropos.

His High School was Paraclete (the Holy Spirit, as you know) and I have always prayed that He be my grandson's anchor through his life.

Thanks for the post!

[MarMema]

So it is the mother who determines when an infant is old enough to commune?

No, sorry. I was not clear. Infants and on up receive communion just after they are baptized and chrismated. Usually the baptisms and chrismations are done on a Saturday and they commune the next day at liturgy.

Let me ask today at church about your excellent question, about spitting up. I know that Saint John Maximovitch once ate the Mysteries that a woman spit up (who had rabies, I think) after taking it to her in the hospital.

[MarMema]

Now here is my question for you. How do you accept the long time period between baptismal regeneration and the seal of the Holy Spirit? Does that mean the infant is without the Holy Spirit until they have confirmation?

And how does baptism also confer church membership in your church, as it does in ours?

[AKA Elena]

A quick non-referred answer about conferring the Holy Spirit ... He is conferred in Baptism as well as later Sacraments.

I have always questioned the fear of physical contamination through the communal Chalice, etc. ... as the contents of that Chalice are the Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ. It seems like a simple act of FAITH to me. Great questions, though, Marmema.

[NYer]

How do you accept the long time period between baptismal regeneration and the seal of the Holy Spirit? Does that mean the infant is without the Holy Spirit until they have confirmation?

Elena is right ... these are good questions.

A priest once told me that the proper order of the sacraments should be - Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation. And, indeed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists them in precisely that order.

The CCC on the Sacrament of Baptism

IN BRIEF

1275 Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Christ's Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ.

1276 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28:19-20).

1277 Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism.

1278 The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

1279 The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.

1280 Baptism imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual sign, the character, which consecrates the baptized person for Christian worship. Because of the character Baptism cannot be repeated (cf. DS 1609 and DS 1624).

1281 Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized (cf. LG 16).

1282 Since the earliest times, Baptism has been administered to children, for it is a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit; children are baptized in the faith of the Church. Entry into Christian life gives access to true freedom.

1283 With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God's mercy and to pray for their salvation.

1284 In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pours water on the candidate's head while saying: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Now, the following, also from the Catechism, may better explain the difference betwen Eastern and Western Rites.

Two traditions: East and West

1290 In the first centuries Confirmation generally comprised one single celebration with Baptism, forming with it a "double sacrament," according to the expression of St. Cyprian. Among other reasons, the multiplication of infant baptisms all through the year, the increase of rural parishes, and the growth of dioceses often prevented the bishop from being present at all baptismal celebrations. In the West the desire to reserve the completion of Baptism to the bishop caused the temporal separation of the two sacraments. The East has kept them united, so that Confirmation is conferred by the priest who baptizes. But he can do so only with the "myron" consecrated by a bishop.[100]

1291 A custom of the Roman Church facilitated the development of the Western practice: a double anointing with sacred chrism after Baptism. The first anointing of the neophyte on coming out of the baptismal bath was performed by the priest; it was completed by a second anointing on the forehead of the newly baptized by the bishop.[101] The first anointing with sacred chrism, by the priest, has remained attached to the baptismal rite; it signifies the participation of the one baptized in the prophetic, priestly, and kingly offices of Christ. If Baptism is conferred on an adult, there is only one post-baptismal anointing, that of Confirmation.

1292 The practice of the Eastern Churches gives greater emphasis to the unity of Christian initiation. That of the Latin Church more clearly expresses the communion of the new Christian with the bishop as guarantor and servant of the unity, catholicity and apostolicity of his Church, and hence the connection with the apostolic origins of Christ's Church.

III. THE EFFECTS OF CONFIRMATION

1302 It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

1303 From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:
- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";[115]
- it unites us more firmly to Christ;
- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;[116]
- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:[117]
Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.[118]

1304 Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the "character," which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness.[119]

1305 This "character" perfects the common priesthood of the faithful, received in Baptism, and "the confirmed person receives the power to profess faith in Christ publicly and as it were officially (quasi ex officio)."[120]

* * * * *

My biggest complaint with regard to administering the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Latin Church, would be that the age is left up to the discretion of each bishop. Here in Albany, the bishop has determined it should be 11th grade - age 16/17.

My daughter was supposed to make her Confirmation last year (technically in April of this year). She dropped out of the program after completing only 2 classes. I had been asked by the pastor to teach one of the classes (not my daughter's) but she was apparently embarassed not by me but that her peers would talk about me behind my back. I was between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, I had made a commitment to teach this class, yet my heart cried out to have my daughter complete her religious instruction.

In September, she joined the next Confirmation class. The pastor changed the format of the program so that they would complete their studies and preparation by November. She made her Confirmation and I have been saying Rosaries in Thanksgiving ever since.

[MarMema]

Thanks for your reply. I have long wondered about this.