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[Catholic Caucus] Penance! Penance! Penance! — She came to Bernadette | Reject the "Cult of the Body"In many ways the nineteenth century was to become, after the turmoil of the Revolution, a century of Marian favors. To mention but a single instance, everyone is familiar today with the "miraculous medal." This medal, with its image of "Mary conceived without sin," was revealed to a humble daughter of Saint Vincent de Paul... . A few years later, from February 11 to July 16, 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary was pleased, as a new favor, to manifest herself in the territory...

I found this in an old file full of unfinished things I put away some years ago. Well, I stumbled upon it one day. I decided to pull it out, dust it off, and edit it some. I'm not the original author, Sio I take no credit other than the editing I did. I know I had picked at it like a scab through the years, So I am clueless as to what it originally looked like. However, I finally desired to put some serious time in it, and this is the final project. We are clueless of what...

During the first 1,500 years of Christianity, Mary was regarded as the peer of Enoch, Elijah and, according to a Jewish targum (a biblical commentary), Moses, by God taking her bodily up into heaven. (Orthodox and Catholics allow that she may have just newly died during the Assumption, calling her death “falling asleep”.) In two-thirds of the Christian tradition, across the Orthodox and Catholic world, Mary is regarded as having been specially privileged, called Theotokos, God-bearer. In order that the birth of Jesus would be in a fitting vessel, Catholics believe Mary was also the peer of Eve prior to...

Mary’s Song of Praise“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, 52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those...

Most of my early Church memories center around Sunday School (I think that we did not “stay for preaching” very often). The small Baptist church that we attended was about a mile from our house and was conveniently connected by a railroad track, generally inactive on Sundays. My older brother and I often walked along the track on Sunday mornings when the weather was pleasant. The earliest Bible verses I can recall were learned in those classrooms. One of those was Psalm 122:1: “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the House of the Lord.’”...

We Protestants certainly have a problem when it comes to Mary–so allergic are we to any sign of Marian devotion that we flip out and run the other way at any sign of it, including thoroughly orthodox phrases like “Mother of God” and “Hail Mary, full of grace.” The first phrase is of course part of the touchstone of orthodoxy the Definition of Chalcedon, and is the proper translation of Theotokos–the preferred Protestant version (for those who even bother to recite it) is “God-bearer,” ... To call Mary the “Mother of God” was a truth that many Christians actually gave...

The scientific word is “microchimerism”. It is the transfer of cells from the baby’s body into the mother’s body and the transfer of cells of the mother’s body in the baby’s body. These cells of the baby remain in the mothers’ body after birth. Very interesting indeed when considering the relationship between Jesus and his mother Mary. The microchimerism website says, “Microchimerism is the harboring of small numbers of cells that originated in a genetically different individual. During pregnancy some cells traffic from the mother to the fetus and from the fetus to the mother. Surprisingly, a small number of...

For the last 74 years, one of the most recognizable royal crowns in the world is the one worn by Our Lady of Fatima at her shrine in Portugal. Pilgrims in Fatima can see this crown on the original image of Our Lady of Fatima during the anniversaries of the apparitions and other great celebrations. Her canonical coronation took place in Fatima on May 13, 1946, when Venerable Pope Pius XII sent Cardinal Benedetto Masella, his pontifical legate, to personally preside over this coronation of Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of Peace and of the World, as Pius XII named...

The Son of Man who suffered and died for the sins of all mankind is not at all constrained by our petty differences and fights over skin tone. The iconoclasts of 2020 are wasting their time toppling Thomas Jefferson and defacing George Washington when they could be shattering the stained glass windows of churches and disfiguring sculptures of Jesus Christ — the true root of America’s rot, according to Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King. “Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy. Always...

Steve Gregg is a nationally known Protestant radio broadcaster. He’s hosted The Narrow Path, which airs daily on dozens of radio stations around the country. He’s also the author of multiple books, he’s founded a Bible school, and he’s taught verse-by-verse through the books of Scripture many times. Best of all, he is a real gentleman who not only knows his stuff but who is also interested in getting to the heart of issues and exploring them in a way that avoids the pitfalls of so many debates. You can get your front row seat right now - Order your...

EXCLUSIVE: Cardinal warns Church about slipping into idolatry of ‘mother earth…Gaia’ worship The light of Revelation opposes decidedly all worship that is not directed at God,’ said Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes. February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, the former President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and defender of the dubia cardinals, has written a review of biblical and other related sources with regard to the relationship between the Creator – God – and His creation, the earth, the cosmos, the animals. His analysis, written for LifeSiteNews (published in full below), is aimed to assess the...

After experiencing A Kanye West Opera: Mary at Lincoln Center during this advent season, it is safe to say that what he is doing is biblically based and theologically sound ministry. This is REAL DEAL teaching and preaching of scripture in a way that should make your momma and them church should take notes. They have combined the drama of his Hip-Hop stage show, one that has drawn crowds from the secular world, with the intentional sermonizing of the consecrated gospel of his Lord, Jesus. They have used very few words (outside of the Latin in the solos) to tell...

Lincoln Center was feeling it.

This Christmas, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg sought to draw his followers to a sacred story that helps shape the presidential candidate’s worldview and politics. But the pushback he received — mostly from conservative Christians — illuminates how one of the burgeoning culture wars during the 2020 election is the meaning of Christianity. Buttigieg, an Episcopalian who often discusses his faith on the campaign trail, sought to tie the Nativity story to some of the issues dominating political discourse. He tweeted: “Today I join millions around the world in celebrating the arrival of divinity on earth, who came into...

According to the Washington Post, the Christmas song “Mary, Did You Know” should be tabled because talking about Mary’s virginity is part of purity culture, which is destructive for rape victims. But there are far bigger and more accurate reasons to axe this song from Christmas playlists. “Mary Did You Know” is one of these newer Christmas classics that deserves to be called neither a classic nor a Christmas song. That’s because it’s biblically illiterate, and Christmas descends directly from the Bible and the Word made flesh who gave it to us.“Mary Did You Know” (let’s call it MDYK...

[Catholic Caucus] Fatima and the Immaculate Conception May God grant you a joyful and blessed Feast of the Immaculate Conception! Although the Church’s faith in the Immaculate Conception is of apostolic origin, the dogma was explicitly defined with infallible petrine authority (ex cathedra) on December 8, 1854. In his apostolic constitution, Ineffabilis Deus, Pius IX teaches: “We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of Her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of...

Kanye West has seemingly found a new passion, and it’s creating Biblical operas. Fresh off the heels of the release of his first opera release, Nebuchadnezzar, Yeezy announced that he is ready to release a second aptly titled Mary. Although major details are scarce at the moment, what is known is that Kanye will be utilizing the talent of his Sunday Service choir and direction by the rapper’s creative partner Vanessa Beecroft. Kanye announced the new project via Twitter, giving fans a glimpse of the artwork while including the bible verse that inspired the performance piece. Scheduled to take place...

And Hannah prayed and said: My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who were full have hired themselves...

.... 1. “You shall have no other gods before Me,” says the Lord God, as the first of the commandments (Ex 20:3). Delivered originally to Moses and the Hebrew people, this command remains valid for all people and all times, as God tells us: “You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them” (Ex 20:4-5). .... The following words of the Second Council of Nicaea are fully applicable to all churchmen,...

Today the Church remembers with thanksgiving the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Historically, this day was understood to mark her dormition, or "falling asleep," which was most anciently regarded as her natural death and burial. From early on, however, the Church considered that she who conceived and gave birth to the very God of very God, by His Word and Holy Spirit, was also resurrected and ascended into heaven, in both body and soul, soon after her death. There is no word of Holy Scripture to teach these traditions as doctrine, but we should not be too...