Free Republic

COMMENTARY The most conspicuous is the change of the name from the “Rite of Marriage” to the “Order of Celebrating Matrimony.” This new name is more in accord with the Latin original, but it also adds something to the title that is not found in the simple word “marriage.” Not only does “matrimony” convey greater solemnity than “marriage,” but the Latin matrimonium also means “the state of being a mother.” This new title, therefore, provides us with a significant opportunity for a much-needed catechesis on the very nature of holy matrimony. In the face of a secular culture that values...

http://www.aleteia.org/en/video/on-trial-for-being-catholic-5836428944605184 Watch the video. It says it all.

“A Reformation in Catechesis” (John 8:31-36)“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” This is the word of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he spoke in John 8:31-32. His word is truth, and this truth sets us free. Free from all our sins, and from our slavery to sin. Free from the burden of the law, which would crush us with its demands we can never meet. Free from our bondage to death and the grave, free to live forever. Yes, “if the Son...

Thoughts on the Holy Father's recent address about "one of the most beautiful educational adventures" Pope Francis reads a speech during a meeting with catechists in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Sept. 27. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters) “If a needy person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to God as your prayer. Do not become upset or feel guilty because you interrupted your prayer to serve the poor. God is not neglected if you leave him for such service. One of God’s works...

NEW YORK, NY, November 25, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In the aftermath of the legalization of gay “marriage” in New York state, some commentators had wondered why, despite their leadership role in the fight against the law, the state’s Catholic bishops’ efforts had ultimately seemed so strangely half-hearted, given the high stakes. One of these was gay activist Terence Weldon. Writing after the vote at the blog “Queering the Church,” he said: “the really interesting thing about the Catholic bishops and NY gay marriage is not how vigorously they fought against it (as the headlines would have it), but how lukewarm...

Missal 3.0 – Part 4 November 17th, 2011 by Justin SoutarEditor’s Note: On Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent, the new English translation of the Roman Missal will be implemented in all Catholic parishes in the United States. Here we present part 4 of a five-part series about the new translation–and the reasons behind it. You can read part 3 here. Part 5 will appear next Thursday. Catechesis, Catechesis, CatechesisWidespread failure to correctly understand and implement the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council has produced a decades-long liturgical crisis in the Catholic Church, leaving the true aims of...

Archbishop Dolan greets World Youth Day pilgrims from New York in Madrid. (CNS/Paul Haring) By Gretchen R. CroweCatholic News Service MADRID (CNS) -- World Youth Day pilgrims got down to business in Madrid Aug. 17 as the first catechesis classes taught by archbishops and bishops were held in locations throughout the city. Sessions were divided by languages, and pilgrims were encouraged to go to the session closest to their accommodations. At San Ricardo Church, northwest of the city center, cheers and cries of welcome greeted New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan as a group of approximately 350 young people...

A new survey of Americans’ knowledge of religion found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants and Roman Catholics in answering questions about major religions, while many respondents could not correctly give the most basic tenets of their own faiths. Forty-five percent of Roman Catholics who participated in the study didn’t know that, according to church teaching, the bread and wine used in Holy Communion is not just a symbol, but becomes the body and blood of Christ. More than half of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the person who inspired the Protestant Reformation. And about four...

“These Words” (The Sacrament of the Altar)Tonight we conclude our series on “The Six Chief Parts of Lenten Catechesis.” So far we’ve been following the Catechism in looking at the basics of the Christian faith and life: The Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, and Confession. That brings us tonight to the Sacrament of the Altar. Everything we want to say about the Sacrament tonight we can find in the words with which Christ institutes this holy meal. Which words? These words: “Take eat; this is my body, which is given for you. This...

“Frequently Asked Questions about an Infrequently Used Practice” (Confession)Often when you go to a website or read a pamphlet about an organization, a company, a product, or a service, you will find a page called, “FAQs.” “FAQs” are “Frequently Asked Questions,” questions people usually have when they start to consider whatever it is that’s being talked about. The FAQ format is a helpful way to introduce a new or unfamiliar organization, product, etc. Tonight I’m going to use the FAQ format for this message, because tonight I’m going to introduce you to a church practice that may be new or...

“It Works” (The Sacrament of Holy Baptism)The Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer. Tonight, in our series on the Catechism, the basics of the Christian faith, we come to the sacraments. We begin, fittingly enough, with the sacrament with which we begin the Christian life, namely, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. I think all that I want to say about Holy Baptism tonight I can include under a heading of just two words: “It Works.” It works! It is effective. It actually does something--quite a lot, really. Holy Baptism works, and it works in your life. Tonight, then, we...

“A Prayer That Sums It All Up” (The Lord’s Prayer)Suppose you were commanded by God and invited by God to pray for all the needs you have and all the gifts he has to give you. Think of that! All of your needs, all of his gifts. And you have to put it all into a prayer. How long would it take you to pray for all those things? How many hours, how many thousands of words? Well, the answer is, about 30 seconds and 70 words. 30 seconds? 70 words? How can you possibly cover all of God’s gifts...

“Aware of an Idol” (The Ten Commandments)As we noted, today we begin the season of Lent. In church history, and particularly in our Lutheran tradition, there are several major themes associated with Lent, which often form the basis for services within this season. For example, penitence, repentance, is certainly a Lenten theme, and especially is that so on this first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Another Lenten focus is the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, drawn from all four gospels or from just one gospel. Tracking the Passion narrative often is done over a series of midweek Lenten services--we...

“To Know and Believe in God” (The Creed)The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, in a big national survey last year--the Pew Survey found that 92% of Americans say they “believe in God or a universal spirit.” 92%! Well, whoop-te-do. Big deal. That doesn’t really say much. Who is this God you believe in? Allah, the false god of the Muslims? Sorry, I bear witness that there is no god called Allah, and Mohammed is his false prophet. Is this “god” you believe in some depersonalized “universal spirit” or “higher power”? That won’t do you any good, either. Is...

Monday March 2, 2009 Denver Archbishop: "Very Bad Period of Catechesis" in Church "Bearing Bad Fruit in Our Time" EXCLUSIVE: LifeSiteNews interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput By Steve Jalsevac TORONTO, Canada, March 2, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - During a LifeSiteNews interview last week, Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput stressed that "not nearly enough" US Catholic bishops have been speaking out strongly on the current state of the culture. He also noted that the poor instruction of Catholics over the past 40 years has to a large degree been responsible for many of today's serious problems within US Catholicism, especially the lack...

Monday March 2, 2009 LSN EXCLUSIVE: A Conversation with Denver Archbishop Chaput Complete transcript TORONTO, Canada, March 2, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - During the visit of Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput to Toronto last week LifeSiteNews interviewed the archbishop at the offices of Salt & Light television following his breakfast presentation to local Catholic businessmen. The interview offers important insights into Archbishop Chaput's views on the obligations of Catholics in the public realm and the failure of the Church to properly instruct its members since the 1960s. Following is the transcript of the conversation between the archbishop and LifeSiteNews Managing Director...

BIRMINGHAM, England, JUNE 6, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The Church has expectations not only concerning the content of what we teach, but also how we teach it. So says Petroc Willey, who co-authored “The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of Catechesis” (Ignatius) with Pierre de Cointet and Barbara Morgan. He is also the deputy director of the Maryvale Institute, editor of the catechetical journal The Sower, and host of the EWTN series “Handing on the Faith.” Willey talks to ZENIT in this interview on why the Church has certain teaching requirements, and how catechesis should reflect the pedagogy of...

There's a very interesting story over at the Cybercast News Service, if you can stomach it. (CNSNews.com) - Science must ultimately destroy organized religion, according to some of the leading atheist writers and intellectuals who spoke at a recent atheist conference in Northern Virginia. God is a myth, and children must not be schooled in any faith, they said, at the "Crystal Clear Atheism" event, sponsored by the Atheist Alliance International. I'm not going to rehash the article for you -- you can click on the link and read it for your self. It's pretty alarming when you actually read...

The Our Father in the Catechesis of Teens by Tom Richard, DFF Introduction Teens and other “beginners” need to grow in prayer     A previous article1 discussed the special needs of adolescents for authentic prayer. In their human development, God is drawing them into a natural maturity which needs and deserves a corresponding spiritual maturity. As children, they learned the beautiful formula prayers of our Faith. Entering adulthood, they increasingly need a spirituality — and hence a life of prayer — which keeps pace with their naturally expanding human horizons. The growing intellect of adolescence needs the meaningful encounter with...

Feb. 8, 2007 (CWNews.com) - In a pastoral letter to the faithful of Washington, DC-- the first such message since he became head of the Washington archdiocese last June-- Archbishop Donald Wuerl has made a powerful push to restore the use of sacramental Confession. Archbishop Wuerl has come in for some criticism on this site lately because of his laissez-faire attitude toward pro-abortion Catholic politicians. Without rescinding the legitimate questions that have been raised on that subject, let’s give credit where credit is due. In this pastoral letter, the archbishop had provided a fine teaching document-- but more importantly, he...