Catholic Belief, Catholic Facts and General Knowledge

To gain the happiness of heaven we must know, love, and serve God in this world. Man must know, love and serve God in a supernatural manner in order to gain happiness of heaven. Man is raised to the supernatural order only by grace, a free gift of God.

We learn to know, love, and serve God from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church.

In order to be saved, all persons who have attained the use of reason must believe explicitly that God exist and that he rewards the good and punishes the wicked; in practice they must also believe in the mysteries of the Blessed Trinity and the Incarnation.

By the Blessed Trinity we mean one and the same God in three divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

By the Incarnation is meant that the Son of God, retaining His divine nature, took to Himself a human nature, that is, a body and soul like ours.

The Church is the congregation of all baptized persons united in the same true faith, the same sacrifice, and the same sacraments, under the authority of the Sovereign Pontiff and the bishops in communion with him.

We find the chief truths taught by Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church in the Apostles' Creed.

The Commandments

Besides believing what God has revealed, we must keep His law.

The Two Great Commandments that contain the whole law of God are:

You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind, and with your whole strength; you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

To love God, our neighbor, and ourselves, we must keep the commandments of God and of the Church, and perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

The Chief Commandments or Laws, of the Church

To assist at Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation.

To fast and abstain on the days appointed.

To confess our sins at least once a year.

To receive Holy Communion during the Easter time.

To contribute to the support of the Church.

To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.

Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude in this time of giving thanks.

Thank you for all the graces and blessings. You have betowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage. Our food and shelter, our health, the loves we have for one another, our family and friends.

Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessing throughout the coming year.

Popular Prayers

O Christ, our Morning Star, Splendour of Light Eternal, shining with the glory of the rainbow, come and waken us from the greyness of our apathy, and renew in us your gift of hope. Amen.

The Last Things

Cornerstone of the Church's doctrinal edifice is eschatology, the doctrine of the end of things. Man came from God, and to God he will return. The doctrine of the last things is what gives the deepest supernatural meaning to the history of the world, which is ultimately the history of salvation to the glory of God.

At the last judgment Christ will finally reveal himself as the head of the Church, as the redeemer and the victor over death and hell, and will lay his kingdom at his Father's feet.

Naturally the position of Christ and His Church in eschatology has not always been proclaimed with the same emphasis at all times and in every individual decree. Almost always the Church's decrees are aimed at heresies which arise and these mostly concern the last things as they affect individuals. In this way the Church's magisterium lays no claim to systematize the inner structure.

In its dealing with heresy concerning the last things the Church has stressed three main fundamental truths: 

1. The nature of the direct vision of God in the next world which is essentially different from the indirect knowledge of God in this world. 

2. The dignity of the human body 

3.  And with it the whole of material creation as opposed to that form of dualism in which matter stems from the principle of evil and is thus incapable of redemption or supernatural life. 

Throughout the Early and Middle Ages the Church had to engage in this struggle for the dignity and value of the human body and at the same time to fight for the basic facts of a true anthropology.

The Church Teaches: Souls which depart this life without sin or punishment due to sin, go the eternal happiness. The happiness of heaven consist in the direct vision of God. For this vision, an end which is not owed to man, man needs the Light of Glory.

The soul which has temporal punishment still due goes to purgatory. The faithful can help the holy souls by prayer and good works. Souls which depart this life in grievous sin go to hell. Hell is eternal. For souls burdened with original sin alone it consists of the loss of the Beatific Vision, but for those in actual sin there are also the torments of hell.

At the end of time souls are re-united with their risen bodies following Christ's example. Christ will then pronounce the last judgment and hand over his kingdom to the Father.

More Prayers

How To Pray The Rosary

The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and to thank and praise God for them. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the Rosary, and these are divided into the five JOYFUL MYSTERIES, the five LUMINOUS MYSTERIES, the five SORROWFUL MYSTERIES, and the five GLORIOUS MYSTERIES. You may also wish to pray the rosary online, with others or by yourself.

Rosary prayers

Make the Sign of the Cross and say the "Apostles' Creed."

Say the "Our Father."

Say three "Hail Marys."

Say the "Glory be to the Father."

Announce the First Mystery; then say the "Our Father."

Say ten "Hail Marys," while meditating on the Mystery.

Say the "Glory be to the Father."

Announce the Second Mystery; then say the "Our Father." Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner.

Those who pray the Rosary regularly would do well to be enrolled in the Confraternity to gain extra spiritual benefits for each Rosary they pray.

Dominican Manner of Praying the Rosary

After the Rosary:

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O GOD, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

After each decade say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."

As suggested by the Pope John Paul II the Joyful mysteries are said on Monday and Saturday, the Luminous on Thursday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, and the Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception: Sundays of Christmas season - The Joyful; Sundays of Lent - Sorrowful)

The Blessedness of Christ's Reign

(From a sermon on the beatitudes by Saint Leo the Great, Pope)

After preaching the blessings of poverty, the Lord went on to say: Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. But the mourning for which he promises eternal consolation, dearly beloved, has nothing to do with ordinary worldly distress; for the tears which have as their origin in the sorrow common to all mankind do not make anyone blessed. There is another cause for the sighs of the saints, another reason for their blessed tears. Religious grief mourns for sin, one’s own or another’s; it does not lament because of what is done by human malice. Indeed, he who does wrong is more to be lamented than he who suffers it, for his wickedness plunges the sinner into punishment, whereas endurance can raise the just man to glory.

Next the Lord says: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. To the meek and gentle, the lowly and the humble, and to all who are ready to endure any injury, he promises that they will possess the earth. Nor is this inheritance to be considered small or insignificant, as though it were distinct from our heavenly dwelling; for we know that it is the kingdom of heaven which is also the inheritance promised to the meek. The earth that is promised to the meek and which will be given to the gentle for their own possession is none other than the bodies of the saints. Through the merit of their humility their bodies will be transformed by a joyous resurrection and clothed in the glory of immortality. No longer opposed in any way to their spirits, their bodies will remain in perfect harmony and unity with the will of the soul. Then indeed, the outer man will be the peaceful and unblemished possession of the inner man.

Then, truly will the meek inherit the earth in perpetual peace, and nothing will be taken from their rights; for this perishable nature shall put on the imperishable and this mortal nature shall put on immortality. Their risk will turn into reward; what was a burden will have become an honor.

RESPONSORY Matthew 5:5-6, 4

Blessed are those who mourn; they shall be consoled.

– Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right; they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are those of gentle spirit; they shall inherit the land.

– Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right; they shall be satisfied.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name,
so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

– Amen.

If I Should Forget You Jerusalem

(From a discourse on the psalms by Saint Bruno, priest)

How beautiful are your tabernacles! My soul longs to reach the courts of the Lord, the fullness of the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the Lord. He then explains why he desires to enter the courts of the Lord. It is because they are blessed who dwell in your house, the heavenly Jerusalem, Lord, God of the heavenly powers, my King and my God. It is as if he were to say: Who does not long to enter your courts since you are God, the Creator and King and Lord of hosts, and all who dwell in your

house are blessed? 

For Him courts and house are the same. When He says blessed, He means that they enjoy as much happiness as can be conceived. Clearly they are blessed because out of their devoted love they will praise you for ever, that is, for all eternity. For they would not offer praise for all eternity unless they were blessed for all eternity. 

Now even though we may have faith, hope and love, none of us can attain this state of blessedness by ourselves. Rather, blessed is the man – he alone attains blessedness – whose help is from you in rising to the heights of happiness on which he has set his heart. 

In other words, he alone can be said to come to true blessedness who, having resolved in his heart to rise to this state of happiness by the many stages of the virtues and good works, receives the help of your grace. No one can rise up by himself as the Lord testifies: No one ascends into heaven, of his own power, except the Son of Man who is in heaven. 

Thus he contemplates this journey, living as he does in a vale of tears, for this life is lowly and full of tears and sorrow. The life of heaven, by contrast, is called a mountain of joy. But since the psalmist said: Blessed is the man whose help comes from you, someone might ask: Does God really help us in this? And the answer is that God does help the blessed. For our lawgiver Christ, who gave us the law, gives now and will continue to give his blessings, the abundant gifts of grace, by which he will bless his own, that is, raise them to beatitude. 

By these blessings, then, they will rise from strength to strength. One day in the heavenly Zion they will see Christ as the God of gods, as the one who, being God, will deify his own. Or, again, those who are to be the new Zion will see in spirit the God of gods – the Trinity. In other words, then their minds will see God, who cannot be seen in this life. For then God will be all in all.

RESPONSORY

We are already God’s children; what we shall be has not yet been revealed to us.

– We know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

All who hope in him must purify themselves as Christ is pure.

– We know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 

– Amen.

Dual Canonization

AUCHI CATHOLIC DIOCESAN ALTAR SERVERS ASSOCIATION...(ACDASA)

Popes John Paul II and John XXIII was declared saints on April 27, 2014.

Pope Francis announced the date Monday during a meeting with cardinals inside the Apostolic Palace.

Francis had announced in July he would canonize two of the 20th century's most

influential popes together, approving a miracle attributed to John Paul's intercession and bending Vatican rules by deciding that John XXIII didn't need one.

Analysts have said the decision to canonize them together was aimed at unifying the church since each has his own admirers and critics. Francis is clearly a fan of both. 

On the anniversary of John Paul's death this year, Francis prayed at the tombs of both men - an indication that he sees a great personal and spiritual continuity in them.

Human Blessedness

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord:

in His commandments he shall take great delight.

Mighty on earth shall be his seed:

the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

Glory and wealth shall be in his house:

and his righteousness endureth for ever and ever.

He is risen in darkness, a light to the upright:

He is merciful, and compassionate, and just.

Acceptable is the man that showeth mercy and lendeth;

he shall order his words with judgment:

and he shall never give way.

The righteous man shall be in eternal remembrance:

he shall not fear an evil report.

His heart is ready to hope in the Lord:

his heart is strengthened:

he shall not yield till he despise his enemies.

He hath distributed and given to the poor;

his righteousness remaineth for ever:

his power shall be exalted in glory.

The sinner shall see it, and be enraged;

he shall gnash his teeth and pine away:

the desire of sinners shall perish.

Intercession of the Saints

INQUIRY!! Why are they saints? Why do they have incorrupt bodies? Do they intercede?? This is the answer to the third question. 

YES!! They intercede Rev. 8:3-5 Rev. 5:8. Do you have problems body and soul?! They are among the great intercessors before the Holy Trinity. 

Saints are BEATIFIED first ( one miraculous healing through his/her intercession. Then he/she is CANONIZED ( two miraculous healing) through their intercession. God moved in mysterious ways. 

The saints who loved Jesus suffered like Him.. ( speared beheaded burned suffered stigma stoned to death wrote spiritual books for the faith coupled with sacrifice) and these saints are not Found in the more than 35,000 denominations. 

We pray for them for they are children of God like us. ( St. Stephen was stoned to death St. Peter crucified upside down for he said that he did not deserve to be crucified like Jesus).

WE CANNOT FATHOM THE POWER OF GOD. HE SHOWS HIS POWER THAT CAN DEFY NATURE. God moves in mysterious ways. St. Michael shouts " who is like unto God. 

The Pope beatifies and canonized saints. He is the vicar of the church Matthew 16:16-19. The Saints suffered show miracles and answer Petitions. 

Read your Bible. Mediation is different from intercession. Blessed Virgin Mary interceded at the wedding in Cana and Jesus changed water to wine. He mediated and miracle happened John 2:1-10, 

FURTHER INQUIRY!! Does the Bible say about intercession? The Holy Mother St. Joseph Angels and Saints intercede. If we defend them we can say.. Are they in the Bible for decoration?? AS OF NOW THEY INTERCEDE HARDER. ASK THEIR INTERCESSION. They will bring our Petitions to Jesus. Oh blood and water from the side of Jesus Save us from damnation, Jesus King of Divine Mercy have mercy on us. Jesus I trust in you Amen. 

How does someone become a Saint in the Catholic Church?

The process of documenting the life and virtues of a holy man or woman cannot begin until 5 years after death. This waiting period insures that the person has an enduring reputation for sanctity among the faithful. It can be waived by the Supreme Pontiff, and has been done on two occasions. Pope John Paul II waived 3 years of the waiting period in the case of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Pope Benedict XVI waived all five years in the case of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

After the five years have concluded, or earlier if all or some of the period is waived, the Bishop of the diocese in which the individual died can petition the Holy See to allow the initialization of a Cause for Beatification and Canonization. If there is no objection by the Roman Dicasteries, in particular the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the permission, or nihil obstat (nothing stands in the way), is communicated to the initiating Bishop.

SERVANT OF GOD

Once a Cause has begun, the individual is called a Servant of God, e.g. the Servant of God Karol Wojtyła or the Servant of God Pope John Paul II.

Diocesan Tribunal: Informative Process

During this first phase the Postulation established by the diocese, or religious institute, to promote the Cause must gather testimony about the life and virtues of the Servant of God. Also, the public and private writings must be collected and examined. This documentary phase of the process can take many years and concludes with the judgment of a diocesan tribunal, and the ultimate decision of the bishop, that the heroic virtues of the Servant of God have or have not been demonstrated. The results, along with the bound volumes of documentation, or Acta (Acts), are communicated to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.

Congregation for the Causes of the Saints: Positio

The Acta resulting from the documentary or informative phase of the process are committed by the Congregation to a Relator appointed from among the Congregation’s College of Relators, whose task is to superintend the Cause through the rest of the process. Working with a theological commission established by the Congregation, the Relator ensures that the Positio summarizing the life and virtues of the Servant of God is properly prepared. When the Positio is finished, the theological commission votes affirmatively or negatively on the Cause. This recommendation is then passed to the cardinal, archbishop and bishop members of the Congregation who in turn vote. Their vote determines whether the Cause lives or dies. If the vote is affirmative, the recommendation of a Decree of Heroic Virtues is sent to the Holy Father, whose judgment is final.

VENERABLE

Supreme Pontiff: Decree of the Heroic Virtues of the Servant of God

Once the person’s Heroic Virtues have been recognized by the Pope, they are called Venerable, e.g. Venerable Servant of God John Paul II, or Venerable John Paul II.

Diocese: First Miracle Proposed in Support of the Cause

The remaining step before beatification is the approval of a miracle, evidence of the intercessory power of the Venerable Servant of God and thus of his or her union after death with God. Those who propose a miracle do so in the diocese where it is alledged to have occurred, not in the diocese of the Cause, unless the same. The diocese of the candidate miracle then conducts its own tribunals, scientific and theological.

The scientific commission must determine by accepted scientific criteria that there is no natural explanation for the alleged miracle. While miracles could be of any type, those almost exclusively proposed for Causes are medical. These must be well-documented, both as regards the disease and the treatment, and as regard the healing and its persistence.

While the scientific commission rules that the cure is without natural explanation, the theological commission must rule whether the cure was a miracle in the strict sense, that is, by its nature can only be attributed to God. To avoid any question of remission due to unknown natural causation, or even unrecognized therapeutic causation, theologians prefer cures of diseases judged beyond hope by medicine, and which occur more or less instantaneously. The disappearance of a malignancy from one moment to another, or the instantaneous regeneration of diseased, even destroyed, tissue excludes natural processes, all of which take time. Such cases also exclude the operation of the angelic nature. While the enemy could provoke a disease by his oppression and simulate a cure by withdrawing his action, the cure could not be instantaneous, even one day to the next. Much less can he regenerate tissue from nothing. These are, therefore, the preferred kinds of cases since they unequivocally point to a divine cause.

The Catholic Religion

It is the biggest church that falls under the Christian religion. 

More than half of Christians are Catholic worldwide. The Anglican Church and Orthodox Church are examples of churches who've formed from the Catholic Church. 

The Catholic Church is unique in comparison to most Christian churches since the Catholics: go to confession, honour and recognise Mother Mary by saying the 'Hail Mary' and the Rosary, honour saints by choosing one as your patron saint for Confirmation, make the sign of the cross while saying 'In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit', Catholic priests aren't allowed to marry since they're already married to God, most Catholic church buildings have unique aesthetics to its architecture - both inside and out of the church. 

Inside the church Catholics have many symbols and statues to remind them that Jesus is present. 

They have a leader known as a Pope (who is currently Pope Francis). The first Pope to reign was Saint Peter, who was one of Jesus' disciples. 

Catholics also strictly live by The Ten Commandments. 

To be a member of the Catholic Church, you have to be baptised, as Catholics believe it is the 'passport' to heaven. 

The sacraments include: Baptism, Confession, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony or Holy Orders (for those who want to be priests/nuns) and annointing of the sick in that specific order. However, remember that Catholic (with a capital 'c') refers to the religion, while catholic (with a small 'c') is a synonym for universal.

- African Catholic English Community of St. Elizabeht Esslinge -