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This is a refutation regarding some anti-Catholic statements that were made in a history class that I attend. The history class is based on ancient civilizations to the 16th century. The professor originally stated that the reason that the Catholic Mass used to be completely in Latin was because the Church did not want the people to understand what was going on, since the Church wanted to oppress the people. I refute this argument in my first response. In this response I describe the use of Latin in the Catholic Mass and why it continues to be used.The professor then...

However, there are at least half a dozen non-Christian (that is to say Roman or Jewish) sources that refer to Christian origins. These are sufficient to provide some confirmation of the historical picture that is painted by the Bible. Some of the most important of these sources are: Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, The Babylonian Talmud, Josephus, and the letter of Mara Bar-Serapion.

<p>ALEXANDRIA, Pa. (AP) - The Rev. George M. Docherty, credited with helping to push Congress to insert the phrase "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance, has died at 97.</p> <p>Docherty died on Thanksgiving at his home in central Pennsylvania, according to his wife, Sue Docherty.</p>

While Christians in the secular West languish in spiritual mediocrity, Christianity remains a deadly serious matter almost everywhere else...

But Reagan and the Pope spent only a few minutes reviewing events in the Middle East. Instead they remained focused on a subject much closer to their heart: Poland and the Soviet dominance of Eastern Europe. In that meeting, Reagan and the Pope agreed to undertake a clandestine campaign to hasten the dissolution of the communist empire...

The history you are about to read is a miraculous event authenticated and recorded at the Vatican over 400 years ago. Sacred archives recall the miracle with the title, 'The Battle of Lepanto." Firstly, its historical background must be told. The Ottoman Empire was a Turkish state in the Middle East from the 14th to 20th centuries. As their 'Jihads' or aggressions increased, it became one of the world's most powerful entities during the 16th century. The Empire then became commonly known as the 'Khalifah,' or 'Islamic State.'On May 29, 1453, the Islamic State conquered the holy Christian lands of...

Home Holy Hombresby Father J. Patrick Serna “I have come to light a fire on the earth. How I wish the blaze were ignited!” Luke 12:49     “Hombre’ – noun. A man. A fellow. A man among men.”  There lived, and there live today, Holy Hombres.  Since Holy Hombres will be the focus of this light reflection, we must first look at the greatest lady who stood behind the most important man of all time, and even non-time.  “Behind every great man, there is a woman,” says the adage, and we can certainly apply this adage to the God...

THOMAS MORE AS STATESMAN: A BRIEF SKETCH Born in 1477 in the heart of London, More learned service to his country as part of a longestablished family tradition. On both his mother’s and father’s side, civic service was a way of life. His grandfather Thomas Granger, for example, was a lawyer actively involved in London, serving as an alderman and eventually as sheriff. More's father was a well-known and respected lawyer, then a judge. There in London, More learned the importance of citizens’ vigilant involvement in government, a lesson he would appreciate even more deeply after studying the Greek and...

How the Catholic Church Built Western CivilizationTHOMAS E. WOODS, JR.From the role of the monks to art and architecture, from the university to Western law, from science to charitable work, from international law to economics, How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization delves into just how indebted we are as a civilization to the Catholic Church, whether we realize it or not. By far the book’s longest chapter is "The Church and Science." We have all heard a great deal about the Church’s alleged hostility toward science. What most people fail to realize is that historians of science have...

Charles Carroll: A Catholic Patriot for American Liberty When the American colonies decided to throw off the yoke of England, and rid themselves of the oppressions on the mother country, it was deemed necessary that a declaration, informing the world of the reasons why they took such a step, should be make, and Thomas Jefferson was appointed to prepare the manuscript. In conformity with his instructions, he presented to Congress that immortal document for their consideration. The reader of history does not need to be reminded of the importance of the act, which each of the members of this Congress...

Lose the Past, Lose the Present by Dr. John C. Rao Alessandro Algardi, 'St Philip Neri' (1636-38), Santa Maria Vallicella, Rome Alessandro Algardi, 'St Philip Neri' (1636-38) Santa Maria Vallicella, Rome print article It is doubtful that many tradition-minded Catholics would question the argument that he who controls the depiction of the past also has a powerful means for controlling the present. After all, it seems quite clear that once the picture of historical events has been painted by those who have the will and the power to place their canvas before the whole population's eyes, it will be virtually...

Perhaps the legion had grown overconfident. Their Augustus, the swift moving Constantine, had led them over the Alps and, as he had done against the Picts, the Franks, and other enemies of the empire, now led them to victory after victory in a civil war--civil war being practically a tradition these days--rolling up armies loyal to Maxentius, the young, decadent usurper in Rome. Maxentius had risen to power by promising to keep Rome free of taxes and had kept power by seeing off the mightiest armies--whether led my Caesar Severus or by the emperors Galerius and Domitius Alexander. He had...