Podcasts about Catechism

What are the essential elements of Catholic Discipleship? Mike "Gomer" Gormely has been answering this question for the last few weeks and today he puts it all together. Mike outlines the traps a disciple can fall into. He also shares how we can continue to grow in intimacy with Christ. Snippet from the Show At the end of the day, each day, you are only one act of honest repentance away from undoing the works of Satan, exposing his works to the light of Christ, and returning home. We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

Friends of the Rosary: Today, on the Seventh Sunday of Easter, one week before Pentecost, we observe the Solemnity of the Ascension in many U.S. dioceses and many countries around the world. This feast commemorates the triumphant Ascension of Lord Jesus into heaven, according to Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:2. By ascending into His glory, Christ finished the work of our redemption. The Ascension is the completion of the Easter mysteries of Jesus' life, passion, death, and resurrection, and it is the final step before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Jesus' final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God's right hand.” Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! + Mikel A. | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • May 21, 2023, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Questions Covered: 02:55 – During the recitation of the Gloria at Mass, we say (speaking to and about our Lord Jesus), “For You alone are the Holy One. You alone are the Lord. You alone are the Most High…” My question deals with the use of the word “ALONE” in these statements. I accept that they are all true, but I also know that they apply equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Understanding that the prayer intends no contradiction or diminution of the other Members of the Trinity, is this grammatical “glitch” just an artifact of translation or is there a deeper meaning present that eludes me? 07:18 – In the divine plan of things, why did Jesus come when he did? He could easily have showed up in 1930’s Louisiana and we would all be wearing electric chairs around our necks. My $0.02 take is that the year that we call “1” was the perfect time because (1) The Hebrew people have marinated long enough in the stew of Salvation History. They became mature enough to finally host the Messiah. (2) The Jews lived at the literal center of the world (the Americas and its peoples not coming into play in the divine plan for another 1500 years, of course). (3) What made the Roman Empire special was its vastness and its roads. The original information superhighway for which the early members of “The Way” can spread the messages given by The Savior. I would love to hear your take on this question. 14:45 – Does the Catechism of the Catholic Church have more authoritative power than previous conciliar documents? Isn't the CCC the primary authoritative text currently? 17:07 – It seems like a lot of people see loved ones after they die. Can loved ones come back for a moment to comfort those they left? 21:26 – I have some friends that are Traditionalist Catholics who seem to possess a “my world is coming to an end mentality” over the fact that Pope Francis issued his Traditiones Custodes document. Could you give me some advice on how to talk to Traditionalist Catholics about why the Pope issued that document? 28:28 – During a recent program, you gave the requirements for a sin to be classified as mortal. Namely: grave matter, full knowledge, and free consent.  You went on to illustrate “grave matter” with the example of stealing $1.00. If done against a millionaire it would probably not classify as “grave”, but if done against a poor person it very likely would. All of that makes perfect sense, BUT… I have a measure of OCD and the related scrupulosity. While they make me very good at my job, they also make me chafe at grey areas with high stakes, and what stakes are higher than salvation?  My question is this: How can we best define the line between “grave” and “not grave” without foolishly or mistakenly convincing ourselves that what may actually be grave really isn't? Clearly, the location of that line will vary depending upon the circumstances, but what guidance can you offer to help us draw it correctly, or at least safely, each time? To borrow a phrase from Douglas Adams, “We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!” 36:30 – Does God have perfect knowledge of the future? 41:45 – Someone was married to someone who got caught up into Satanic worship after watching the original Rosemary's Baby. Their house became infested with spirits who played tricks on the spouse, trying to get her to leave, mostly they hid keys or other things, so she was often late. An occult expert told her the spirits wanted her out and they would become dangerous, harm her, or even kill her. She told her husband and tearfully told him she had to leave. He had a big bonfire and burned the objects he had collected along with the books, he quit participating, and bit by bit the spirits stopped antagonizing the wife. The husband had a terminal illness, but he was never seriously ill as long as he participated but almost immediately…

Bible Study: (2:11) Acts 18:1-8 Father discusses the historical realities regarding Corinth  Letters (18:53) - More questions on the successors to the 12 Word of the Day: A Little While (34:58) Callers  (38:18) - a priest said I couldn't get saint benedict medals blessed because of Exorcists. What does that mean? (39:41) - Can you understand the bible just through using the catechism with it? (43:46) - If you miss Sunday Mass while on vacation do you need to go to confession before receiving Communion? (45:22) - What do I do with palms from years past as well as other sacramentals? (48:58) - What is the sacred heart of Jesus?

Do you know what it means to be restored by Christ? Christ is always offering us a newness of life. However, what does that look like? Mike “Gomer” Gormley continues his discussion on the essential elements of Catholic Discipleship moving from the Purgative Way to the Illuminative Way. Snippet from the Show “If the soul is to make progress, there must be a gradual reclothing of her with the graces in which Christ desires to see her.” We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

Many celebrate the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation during spring, and one listener named Titus asks Father Dave about the order of the Sacraments of Initiation.

Fulton J. Sheen gives two reflections. “Suffering” from Sheen's Television Series – Life is Worth Living. Also catechism lesson #14 titled “Suffering, Death and Resurrection”.

What happens when we become disillusioned with Christ? In today's show, Gomer walks through the different stages of friendship with Christ. He addresses why a disciple might become disillusioned with Christ and where one ought to go from there. Snippet from the Show “The object of religion is that the soul should serve God, not that God should serve the soul." We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

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Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?St. Thomas Aquinas when answering the question of whether God exists brings forward two objections. The second objection says that everything we see in the natural world can be explained by nature or by human reason; therefore, we do not need to suppose God's existence. To this objection, St. Thomas says that we can trace back what is done in nature back to the first cause, which must be an immovable and self-necessary first principle, which we call God. He then references his Five Ways which are converging and convincing arguments to demonstrate God's existence. For the remainder of today, I would like to focus on the first objection that St. Thomas raises to God's existence. If you are unfamiliar with the disputed question format used by St. Thomas in the Summa and in many other scholastic works, it goes like this. There are objections posed, then a section where a brief response is given beginning with “on the contrary.” Then the main teaching is delivered in the “I answer that” section and is followed by the specific responses given for the objection posed at the beginning of the article.  For the first objection to God's existence, St. Thomas puts it this way:“It seems that God does not exist; because if one of two contraries be infinite, the other would be altogether destroyed. But the word ‘God' means that He is infinite goodness. If, therefore, God existed, there would be no evil discoverable; but there is evil in the world. Therefore God does not exist (ST I, q.2, a.3).”Of course, this is an argument, not a slam dunk. God does exist and He is goodness itself. But can you feel the weight of the argument? If God is infinitely good, then why is there evil? In other words, why do bad things happen to good people?Here on Earth, there is no sufficient answer to this argument. How can there be, really? We see evil happen and sometimes the human suffering which results is so extreme that no justice seems to ever come to fruition. Or perhaps it is not moral evil but physical evil. Why do children develop horrifically painful diseases? Why do mothers and fathers lose their children to miscarriage and stillbirth? In the goodness of creation, why are there devastating natural disasters that cause widespread death, destruction, and catastrophe? The Problem of EvilThis so-called “Problem of Evil” has plagued philosophers, theologians, and ethicists for millennia. The presence of evil and suffering in the world is the strongest argument against an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God. The logical formulation of the problem of evil is laid out in Aquinas' objection, and we will get to the response to this objection a bit later on. The evidential formulation, on the other hand, is the one that packs the biggest punch because we can see gratuitous evil, pain, suffering, and misery. No one needs proof that evil exists; we need look no further than our own sins or the sins of those around us to show its existence. The reason that the evidence of evil is so powerful is not based on its logical intricacies but because of emotion. The natural human response to suffering, pain, blatant evil, and injustice is repulsion. We have a visceral, subconscious reaction to the evil that we encounter. And we wonder: how could God allow this? I imagine that if you have never asked this question, “how could God allow this?” then you are fortunate enough to have not suffered a real trauma. I want to share a time of suffering in my own life to begin to show how we can handle inevitable sufferings when they come. My wife and I suffered a miscarriage a few years ago, and I did not know how to process it. I did not allow myself to recognize and feel my feelings. And after a few months, I realized that I was very angry with God and was depressed and despairing. How could He do this to me and to my wife? What did I do wrong? It was horrendous. I still have a profoundly vivid memory of lowering my son Gabriel's little casket into a hole in the ground. It was truly awful and unnatural. I know that my wife and I desired Baptism for him and I believe firmly that he is in Heaven interceding for us. But I wanted to hold him. I wanted to get to know him here on Earth and watch him grow like my other boys. Yet, it was not to be. Since then, we suffered another miscarriage but this time I felt my feelings a bit more intentionally. I talked about the experience with friends and my priest. I grieved. I wept. I prayed. But I did not despair this time. What was different? Most recently, I experienced the same emotions but I recognized and gave them over to Jesus, as best as I could muster. I aimed to unite my suffering with His Cross in a more profound way than a few years ago. The suffering was imminently present, but by grace I was able to abandon myself more to Providence, I suppose. My response of faith and abandonment to Divine Providence was not perfect but I am positive that I grew over these last years. So, when suffering, pain, and evil come, and they will, and we ask “how could God allow this?”, what is our response? Before we get more into the response to the problem of evil, I want to look at what evil actually is. That way, we can better recognize it and even avoid it, to some extent. What is Evil? The Catholic Encyclopedia teaches that there are three kinds of evil: physical, moral, and metaphysical. Physical evil arises from nature and includes sickness, accident, death, anxiety, disappointment, disabilities, and imperfections in regards to the full development of human powers. Moral evil is the “deviation of human volition from the prescriptions of the moral order and the action which results from that deviation (Catholic Encyclopedia).” These are intentional acts which transgress against the precepts of the Catholic religion or of the nature of the human person, generally. Metaphysical evil is the mutual limitation of various parts of the natural world. The climate and natural causes adversely affect plants and animals. Predators rely on the destruction of life to remain alive themselves. The constituent parts of nature also have a system of perpetual decay and renewal. This type of “evil” is really more a relative perfection rather than an imperfection because creation was designed, as it is, by God.In all cases, evil is negative, not positive. Evil consists in the loss or deprivation of something necessary for perfection. Pain has a disturbing effect on the sufferer and is, thus, a physical evil. Moral evil is evil because we are using reason improperly to choose a lesser good or neglect a higher good.Some argue that evil does not actually exist. Instead it is merely a “lesser good” in place of a higher good that ought to be. It is an imperfection where perfection ought to be. It is a hole where there ought to be a whole. But our human experience points to a more complicated reality. What we can be sure of, though, is that God did not create evil nor does he cause evil. Nothing is evil in itself, but is evil in relation to other things or persons. The same fire which burns and destroys gives life-giving light and heat. The same water which drowns gives life and nourishment. The same free will which chooses evil has the capacity to choose good. Perfect vs. Permissive Will of GodGod is perfect. He does not suffer any defect of weakness or change. He does not change His mind. If He could change, then He would simply not be God. In His wisdom, He created all things visible and invisible with the Divine foreknowledge that His creatures, namely humanity and some of the angels, would spurn Him. This is a mystery. He had no need to create anything, but He did so to manifest His goodness, wisdom, power, and love.One of the important distinctions to draw at this juncture is the difference between God's permissive will and His perfect will. Simply put: God has a perfect will. Another, admittedly imperfect, way to phrase this would be His “original plan.” The perfect will of God for humanity consisted of a desire for Adam and Eve to follow his indicative will. The indicative will of God is what He wants and how He wants it, perfectly. We see this indicative will for Adam and Eve in Genesis. He told them not to “eat the fruit of ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' (Gen. 2:17).” When Adam and Eve disobeyed sin, entered the world, along with the consequences of sin: suffering, pain, and death. Human suffering was not part of God's original plan. In giving humanity free will, God permitted, or allowed, evil to enter the world. His free creatures, made in His image and likeness, rebel against His indicative and perfect will and commit evils. These are not within the perfect will of God; they belong tacitly to the permissive will of God. And He alone has the long-view. Only He knows the end of the story. And He assures us that His justice will come to full fruition in the end.What is the Response to the Problem?We should recall the great diversity of metaphysical evil which comes together to embody the universe as a whole. Stars explode and go supernova. Matter is sometimes transformed in violent and destructive ways. Predators eat other animals. Herbivores eat, and therefore destroy, plants. These relative perfections are not imperfections. Then, we stop to think about physical evils which befall mankind: sickness, plague, death, anxiety, and the like. And we know that human suffering often comes from true moral evil. The world and its inhabitants seem far from what might approximate perfection.Frankly, this is where human reason hits an insurmountable roadblock. No ideology, school of thought, or religion can sufficiently speculate about the order of nature. Though we cannot know with human intelligence the full understanding of this mystery, we can be assured that God is completely justified. We can experience suffering and pain and wonder why it is happening while simultaneously acknowledging that God, in His perfect goodness, knowledge, and power, does know. Not only does He know, but He also fully cares. The response to the Problem of Evil is not logically satisfying because it is a mystery with no earthly solution. But as St. Thomas More said, “Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.” The Catholic Faith as a whole gives the only satisfactory response to the Problem of Evil, even if it is not emotionally satisfying when we are in the thick of it. And this response is not an “easy answer.” It is not a quick response which puts the problem to rest. Instead, the response to the problem of evil bears fruit in prolonged contemplation, the practice of trust, faith, hope, love, prayer, study, and only with God's grace. Let us return to St. Thomas Aquinas' exploration of the objection to the existence of God based on the problem of evil. He responds this way, quoting St. Augustine:“As Augustine says (Enchiridion xi): ‘Since God is the highest good, He would not allow any evil to exist in His works, unless His omnipotence and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil.' This is part of the infinite goodness of God, that He should allow evil to exist, and out of it produce good (ST I, q.2, a.3).”Like I said, it is not an emotionally satisfying answer. We long for justice and peace. And we want it now. In our fallen world, it can be easy to give in to despair. But we are called to trust in the infinite goodness of God. If He allows evil to exist, then He will produce a good out of it, though we may not see it in this lifetime. If He allows evil to exist, then His justice will be made perfect in the end. As St. Paul teaches us:“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).”Redemptive SufferingAnd as I have already mentioned: God not only knows of our suffering but He also fully cares. We can see this on full display in the apparent triumph of evil, pain, and suffering on Good Friday. On the Cross, the Son of God died for love of you and me. If we were there on Calvary's hill, we would be justified to some extent to question God's wisdom or His omnipotence. For the Apostles, this dark day seemed like the end. How could a good possibly come from all this suffering, misery, and death? Even the demons thought that they had won a great victory. But the story did not end on Friday. On Easter Sunday, Jesus Christ burst forth from the tomb, the one who died who dies no more. Our God knows the way through suffering and death to eternal life.As the Catechism puts it: “By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive passion (CCC 1505).” In moments of affliction, suffering, and pain, we can offer these experiences as prayers when we unite them to the perfect Cross of Christ. Our sufferings then are transformed into grace for ourselves and others. We can “offer up” our sufferings for others, and it can even bring us spiritual healing and peace. Taking the Long PerspectiveHuman suffering is real and persistent. We all suffer. In this valley of the shadow of death, we do not see the full picture. In our limited human perspective, we do not even always see the good that God works in spite of evil. Nonetheless, the merits of Christ on the Cross continue to flow as grace to us through the Sacraments. And so, we hold fast to the truth of the Catholic Faith. We trust in God, especially in the darkest times. Through consistent prayer and cooperation with grace, we intentionally unite our sufferings to the Cross and conform ourselves to the Savior. We rely on the intercession of the sorrowful and immaculate Heart of Mary who was pierced by accompanying her holy Son on the way of His Passion.May we contemplate and, by God's grace, eventually adopt the perspective of the great St. Teresa of Avila who said that:“In light of heaven, the worst suffering on earth will be seen to be no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel.” This does not downplay the real pain of human suffering. But it helps us enter into the eternal viewpoint of Almighty Good, who knows and cares. Will Wright Catholic Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Will Wright Catholic Podcast at www.willwrightcatholic.com/subscribe

“The Priest is a gift from the Heart of Christ” said Pope Benedict XVI, quoting St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars (France). In this episode we look at what is the Priesthood about, how the Sacrament of Holy Orders is administered, and some other elements of the Ordination of Priests. - Find more about the topics discussed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1548-1589. - You can read Pope St. John Paul II decree on not receiving women for the Priestly Ordination: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1994/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19940522_ordinatio-sacerdotalis.html - Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order. - Visit the Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org  - This Podcast's Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org  - To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat) preached by the Priests of Miles Christi, visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/  - Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan. - Planning, recording, editing, and publishing by Fr. Patrick Wainwright, MC. - Gear: Shure MV7 USB dynamic microphone - Intro music from pond5.com

Are we in the end times and the great apostasy of the church? Is the Antichrist going to reveal himself any day now? Michael Lofton goes over Catholic ecclesiology, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Scripture in order to answer these questions. He also addresses an end times frenzy that some people currently display […]

Pastor Jason and his son, Ezra, discuss water baptism. 

In this episode, Charbel Raish talks to Mosongo Osong, creator of Adventure Catechism. Mosongo talks about his powerful Catholic reversion story and his current Catholic projects. Access the 'Adventure Catechism' videos online via 'Parousia On Demand' (For Australia and New Zealand Only) - CLICK HERE Catholic Brain: https://www.catholicbrain.com/ Adventure Catechism: https://store.adventurecatechism.com/ Catholic Marketing: https://catholicmarketing.com/ Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing... Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

Fulton J. Sheen gives two reflections. “How to be Unpopular” from Sheen's Television Series – Life is Worth Living. Also catechism lesson #13 titled “Christ in The Creed”.

Are we seeing signs that the end of the world is coming? On this episode, Bishop talks about what the Catechism says and the call to live in hope and in union with the Lord.

Today, we read CCC, 1655 - 1690 and discuss marriage, sacramentals, and funerals. This brings us to the end of Part II of the Catechism and more than halfway through it. Way to persevere, and here we go... on to Part III: The Moral Life!

“I'm convinced most of our problems in catechesis is we spend more time talking about what God wants of us than who God is.” Deacon Bob Rice, professor of Catechetics at Franciscian University of Steubenville, joins us to dive into the heart of catechesis, what our youth are most hungry for, how we can share the Gospel with those far from God, and how to make the bridge between dogma and everyday life. “They all need Jesus. They just don't know they need Jesus.” Show Notes: (00:12) Edmund kicks off the episode by introducing the guest: Deacon Bob Rice. He's a Catholic deacon, professor, podcaster, speaker, musician, and author at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Edmund starts the conversation by asking Deacon Bob, “How did you first discover the Catechism?” Deacon Bob shares his mystical experience while reading the Catechism for the first time, and emphasizes that it's an expression of the deposit of faith and not the deposit of faith itself.(06:50) The importance of the preparation step: “Catechesis is oftentimes almost presented like an answer to a question no one was asking.” Deacon Bob and Edmund discuss the Ecclesial method and the importance of preparation in catechesis. They stress the need to understand the audience and their struggles instead of focusing solely on programs. Deacon Bob emphasizes that we need to see the goodness in people and treat catechesis as a way to build relationships and understand their needs.(14:55) “How do you know when it's time to talk about Jesus?” Deacon Bob emphasizes that building relationships and understanding people is key to evangelizing effectively. He reminds us that everyone is made in the image and likeness of God and shares the importance of seeing the good in others. “Culture is made up of men and women who are made in the image and likeness of God.“ =(20:33) Formally handing on the faith: advice to parents, teachers, and catechists. Dcn. Rice gives us his insights into how to bring “dogma into everyday life.” He shares, “love how the Catechism is structured. Morality is called Life in Christ. So it's about being like Jesus.” He gives us three things to keep in mind: First, “Always make it about Jesus.”  Second, use the beauty of your own witness and that of the saints. Third, connect everything to the Gospel message.(26:57) “What do you see as the hunger in our youth?” Our guest shares that he sees human contact as the greatest hunger right now with young people. Additionally, he adds “truth and being able to trust the source” are dynamics young people struggle with right now.   An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

What's the difference between meditation and contemplation? What should I include in a Plan of Life? What are some common obstacles to prayer, and how can I overcome them?In this episode, we wrap up our introduction to prayer. This episode covers Part Four, Section One, Chapter Two, Article Three, and Chapter Three, Articles One and Two of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (pts 2683-2745).Support us on Patreon!Contact the podcast: crashcoursecatholicism@gmail.com.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/....References and further reading/listening/viewing:Joseph M. Muntadas, "A Plan of  Life"Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, "Morning Offering Prayers"De Libris, "Books on Spirituality"Joseph, Pronechen, "Why Does Our Lady of Fatima Call Us to the Daily Rosary?"Opus Dei, "How Do I Pray the Rosary?" Pope Paul VI, Mysterium FideiC. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain. St. Teresa of Jesus, Autobiography of Teresa of AvilaEugene Boylan, Difficulties in Mental Prayer. Podcasts for meditation:Ten Minutes with JesusMeditations in ManhattanWord on Fire, "Sermons"Ascenscion, Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

We have a panel that consists of people with and without tattoos. Since the Catechism does not talk about tattoos, only on bodily mutilation, it's up to us to decide if we are yea or nay on them. We look into the arguments both for and against. Our bodies are a temple and we are made in the image and likeness of God. But, self-expression can be a beautiful thing, and remembering our past sufferings as we continue forward on our journey in life is important too. Check out our parent network: thequestatlanta   Listen On Spotify   Listen on the quest app: Android Apple   Follow us on Instagram: @honest2god_ya   Watch us on Youtube: @Honest2God   Guests Socials: Producer Ben: Website

This week, Julia and Fr. Sean discuss paragraphs 2168–2188 in the Catechism, which is all about the Third Commandment. Enjoy this episode and visit https://petersburgparishes.org/podcast/ to tune in to previous episodes across various podcast platforms!

Fr. Stephen explains how in part one of the Catechism the Church is describing what we believe about God stems from our relationship with Him.Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

In this episode, hosts discuss the role of the Spirit in the lives of believers in the FWB Catechism.

Questions Covered: 04:24 – My Catholic son married a non-denominational Christian who's trying to get him to raise their kids. What can we do?  15:08 – I went to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky recently, and they showed dinosaurs on the ark. How does that, and the extremely literal interpretation of Genesis they took, fit in with the Catholic view?  28:29 – What was the first Catechism officially accepted by the Church?  30:47 – Was it a sin for me to be the best man at a non-Catholic wedding?  34:18 – Did the war between the faithful angels and the fallen angels take place in heaven or on earth?  43:40 – What kind of fruit was on the tree of knowledge of good and evil?  47:58 – I've heard from some non-Catholic sources that the Council of Rome didn't set the Canon of Scripture. Is that true?  51:32 – Could the Catholic Church end up revising its declaration that Anglican orders are null and void?  …

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) How do we define sin? The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: http://scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c1a8.htm When we sin, our intellect is dulled as Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us. But, if our intellect is dulled how are we supposed to fulfill the mission God made all of us for? As the Baltimore Catechism tells us: Q: Why did God make you? A: God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven. If our intellect is dull, how are we supposed to know God? And most importantly, if our intellect is dull and and we are thwarted in knowing God, who do we know?  What do we know? In my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do, are my thoughts compatible with Heaven or with Hell?

Fulton J. Sheen gives two reflections. “My Four Writers” from Sheen's Television Series – Life is Worth Living. Also a catechism lesson #12 titled “The Mother of Jesus”

What does it mean to repent and convert? As disciples, it is our desire to live in conformity with Christ. Mike “Gomer” Gormley shares how in order to be in conformity with Christ, we must repent and we must convert. It is repentance and conversion that lie at the heart of ongoing growth in Christ. Snippet from the Show It takes courage to admit when you are lost and are in need of God's grace and mercy. We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis has said he would like to visit his home country of Argentina in 2024. Since his election to the papacy in 2013, Francis has never returned to his home country of Argentina. In a March interview with La Nacion, he explained that a trip to Argentina had been planned in 2017 but had to be canceled because of elections. The pope does not travel to a country in an election year. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254162/pope-francis-says-he-wants-to-visit-argentina-in-2024-ganswein-to-leave-vatican-apartment Pope Francis will receive the prime minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, at the Vatican on Thursday morning. The two last met at the Vatican in March 2021 amid clashes between Ukraine and Russia in the Donbas region. Shmyhal has been Ukraine's prime minister since March 2020. Francis has been outspoken in his support for Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion of the country on February 24, 2022. He frequently speaks of the “martyred” Ukrainian people and implores for peace between the two nations. In March 2022, he consecrated Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254163/pope-francis-to-receive-ukraine-s-prime-minister-on-thursday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill April 20 allowing prisoners in the state to be sentenced to death without a unanimous jury verdict. Under the new law, a prisoner can be sentenced to death after eight of the 12 jurors recommend a death sentence, as long as the jury is unanimous that at least one aggravating factor — such as the crime being especially cruel or heinous — exists beyond a reasonable doubt. In that case, a judge has the option of sentencing the defendant to death or life in prison. If fewer than eight jurors agree on the death sentence, the jury's recommendation must be for life in prison without the possibility of parole, and the judge must impose that sentence. The state's Catholic bishops, represented by Michael Sheedy, executive director for the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB), decried the change as a “setback.” Florida's bishops have long advocated for an end to Florida's death penalty and have called for sentences of life in prison rather than capital punishment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, reflecting an update promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018, describes the death penalty as “inadmissible” and an “attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254167/bishops-condemn-florida-s-dropping-of-unanimous-jury-requirement-for-death-penalty-cases Today, the Church celebrates Saint Mark the Evangelist, the author of the second Gospel and the patron saint of notaries. Mark is often depicted as a winged lion in religious art. catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-mark-the-evangelist-444

We cover the second part of Lesson 13

AcknowledgementThank you to my colleague, Mr. Sean Maddigan, M.Ed., for his assistance in the research and formulation of many of the finer points of the atonement of Christ in this episode. Thanks, Sean!Perception of Serious Problems - Selling Indulgences?If you say the word “indulgences” to most people today, they would bring up Martin Luther. However, indulgences have been explicitly preached in Catholic theology since the 11th Century, and there have been reductions of penalties since at least the 9th Century. So, where and when does Martin Luther enter the scene?On October 31, 1517, Fr. Martin Luther an Augustinian monk and lecturer at the University in Wittenberg, Germany, issued his propositions for debate concerning the question of indulgences. The proposed debate was intended to be with Fr. Johann Tetzel, a German Dominican friar and preacher. Fr. Tetzel was an appointed papel commissioner for indulgences and was sent to his native Germany to make money to help build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.From 1503 to 1510, Tetzel preached on indulgences and was effective in doing so. There are countless modern sources which say that Pope Julius II authorized the sale of indulgences, and that, likewise, Pope Leo X sold indulgences too and used the money to build the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. However, the claim that indulgences, as such, were sold seems to be a myth. At one time, one of the spiritual acts that you could receive an indulgence for is contributing to a charitable cause, such as the building of a church. Charitable organizations offer incentives today to increase donations. In the 16th Century, the building fund of St. Peter's Basilica did increase as the result of Tetzel preaching indulgences. There were absolutely abuses in the practice of indulgences, to be sure! But it is important to understand what they actually are. One of the main contributing factors to knowledge of the controversy was Martin Luther's “95 Theses.” In Luther's time, and especially now, there is no end to the horribly wrong interpretations of the Catholic teaching on indulgences. I have also had a few friends ask if I'd be willing to do an episode on indulgences. So, here you go, gents!Catholic Understanding of AtonementAfter the Fall of Adam and Eve, it was fitting that the atonement or reconciliation of mankind be made by a man. However, what mere man could stand in place of all of humanity? When Jesus Christ died on the Cross, He did so as fully God and fully man. Thus, His death and resurrection were offered in our place, in His humanity, and offered perfectly, in His divinity. In the sixth Session of the Council of Trent, chapter ii, we hear:“Whence it came to pass, that the Heavenly Father, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1, 3), when that blessed fullness of the time was come (Galatians 4:4) sent unto men Jesus Christ, His own Son who had been, both before the Law and during the time of the Law, to many of the holy fathers announced and promised, that He might both redeem the Jews, who were under the Law and that the Gentiles who followed not after justice might attain to justice and that all men might receive the adoption of sons. Him God had proposed as a propitiator, through faith in His blood (Romans 3:25), for our sins, and not for our sins only, but also for those of the whole world (I John ii, 2).”There are a lot of things to unpack here. God the Father sent His Son, who was foretold, to redeem the Jews and the Gentiles. This redemption brought with it adoption of each of us by God the Father, in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The reconciliation or atonement (literally meaning to become “at one” with), comes through the propitiation of sins merited by Jesus' death on the Cross. The just wrath of God earned by our sin was turned away by the self-offering (the sacrifice and oblation) of our Lord Jesus on the Cross. By His wounds, we are healed, quoting the Prophet Isaiah. The Nicene Creed we profess each Sunday at Mass reminds us of this reality:“who for us men and for our salvation, came down, took flesh, was made man; and suffered…”Jesus did not come for Himself, He came to give His life as a ransom for many. We say “many” because not everyone will accept this gift, sad to say. However, this does not diminish that the gift of Christ's atonement was won for all mankind, without exception. But what is this ransom? Who was holding the souls of the fallen men? It is the Enemy, Satan.In his commentary on Psalm 95, St. Augustine puts it this way:“Men were held captive under the devil and served the demons, but they were redeemed from captivity. For they could sell themselves. The Redeemer came, and gave the price; He poured forth his blood and bought the whole world. Do you ask what He bought? See what He gave, and find what He bought. The blood of Christ is the price. How much is it worth? What but the whole world? What but all nations? (Enarration on Psalm 95, no. 5).”He goes on to explain, in a figure of speech that the Cross was like a trap for the Enemy:"The Redeemer came and the deceiver was overcome. What did our Redeemer do to our Captor? In payment for us He set the trap, His Cross, with His blood for bait. He [Satan] could indeed shed that blood; but he deserved not to drink it. By shedding the blood of One who was not his debtor, he was forced to release his debtors (Serm. cxxx, part 2).”The debt owed to Divine Justice was paid in full by Jesus Christ. Divine Justice was satisfied. But not everyone agreed with St. Augustine's reasoning. St. Anselm and Peter Abelard, for example, rejected the notion that Satan had some sort of right over man. St. Anselm held that an equal satisfaction for sin was necessary to pay the debt to Divine Justice. Abelard, though, did not hold to this strict notion of satisfaction and he argued that God could have pardoned us without requiring satisfaction. So, the Incarnation and the death of Chirst was the pure love of God. And Abelard was condemned by St. Bernard for this view because he argued the effect of the atonement was only moral influence and not any objective payment of a debt.St. Thomas Aquinas, later, agreed with Abelard in rejecting the notion that full satisfaction was necessary. He agrees with Abelard in so far as the atonement was the greatest demonstration of love, but still holds that under God's economy of salvation, the sacrifice of Christ objectively paid the debt of justice (which Abelard denied). Restoring mankind to grace was a work of God's mercy and goodness. It was fitting that Christ should die on the Cross to show the depths of God's love for us, but not absolutely necessary. Along the ages, Blessed Duns Scotus and St. Bernard of Clairvaux had differing opinions than Abelard and Aquinas.Though there is disagreement among theologians throughout the ages, what is shared among them is this. The Atonement is essentially a sacrifice and an act of love. The outward Sacrifice is the sacrament of the invisible sacrifice which comes from the heart of God. As the Catholic Encyclopedia puts it so well:“It was by this inward sacrifice of obedience unto death, by this perfect love with which He laid down his life for His friends, that Christ paid the debt to justice, and taught us by His example, and drew all things to Himself; it was by this that He wrought our Atonement and Reconciliation with God, ‘making peace through the blood of His Cross.'”Imperfect in the Old, Perfect in the NewIn the Old Covenants, the Jewish people would offer “sin-offerings” in which a cereal offering or animal was immolated, offered to God in worship, and then consumed by the priest. Likewise, we get the word scapegoat from the ancient practice of placing, so to speak, all of the sins of the town onto a goat and then releasing the goat to wander into the wilderness, presumably to die. This ancient notion of atonement was no clearer than on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement is centered upon repentance, fasting, asceticism, and the confession of sins. However, the annual nature of this event shows that it is an incomplete and imperfect atonement. Atonement is made perfect in Jesus Christ, who died once for the sins of man and then rose from the dead, to die no more. In the Holy Mass, Christ does not die again. Instead, the Cross of Christ, a propitiatory Sacrifice is renewed daily in a bloodless manner on the altar. What Is An Indulgence?What does any of this have to do with indulgences? Well, everything, really. An indulgence is classically the remission of a debt. In Roman law, it meant to be release from imprisonment or punishment. The Catholic Encyclopedia defines an indulgence as “a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven.”So, an indulgence is not permission to sin, it is not stockpiling forgiveness for a future action, nor does it forgive sin or the guilt of sin. An indulgence presumes that God has already forgiven the person receiving it! What is being remitted is the temporal punishment due to sin.Our sins affect us, our relationship with God, and our relationship with others. Particularly egregious sins, like rape and murder, have lasting effects which cannot be put right this side of Heaven. And putting things right is in the nature of justice. God will always set things right, one way or another, though we might not see it until the end of things. Nonetheless, once someone experiences contrition, there is a deep desire, rooted in justice, to make restitution. Imagine that you are a kid playing baseball in the street. Of course, this is a bad idea. Mistakes will happen. You know this, and, yet, you wrongly believe that you are special. So, nothing bad will happen. You will hit the ball perfectly and everything will be just fine. Then… you hit the ball and it goes sailing through Mrs. Johnson's bay window. Immediately, you feel terrible about it. You did not mean for anything to be broken. You experience contrition for the wrong you have done. You knew, of course, that you should not be playing baseball in the street. What did you expect to happen?! Now, you have a choice: run away and hide or go and fess up to what you have done. You decide to go and ask for forgiveness. You ring the doorbell and Mrs. Johnson answers. You immediately apologize for breaking the window and tell her that you are truly sorry. And she forgives you! … That's it, right? That's the end of the story?... No way! You still have to make restitution. You have to pay for the window. In this example, we can see analogously, how we can be forgiven for something, but justice still demands restitution, satisfaction, and even punishment. This distinction between forgiveness and the temporal punishment due to sin seems to have gone by the wayside in Protestant theology over the last five hundred years. Really, if we look at it with fresh eyes, hopefully we can see that it is basic common sense that a wrong done demands restitution. So, why can Protestants not go there? The answer really has to do with Martin Luther. In Luther's view, we can do nothing to merit our salvation and Catholics agree we cannot merit the gift of initial justification; it is completely a gratuitous gift from God whereby we are covered by Jesus Christ. Nothing in the Lutheran view demands cooperation with grace or even the internal change brought about by Baptism, which Catholicism has always held. How, Theologically, Does an Indulgence Work?But with Baptism there is a true change, right down to the core of our being. And grace is given, but our free cooperation is necessary. God's love does not force itself upon us. This means that our good actions, united with Christ, are meritorious. Our sinful actions require restitution. The Atonement won by Jesus Christ on the Cross is superabundantly meritorious, to use the language of the Church. When we unite our actions with the Cross, they do not add to the merits of Jesus Christ, but they come into communion with them. Likewise, the forgiveness of sins is a communion with the Cross of Jesus Christ! But, in justice, our bad actions still require temporal punishment and restitution. As the 14th Session of the Council of Trent puts it:“Add to these things, that, whilst we thus, by making satisfaction, suffer for our sins, we are made conformable to Jesus Christ, who satisfied for our sins, from whom all our sufficiency is; having also thereby a most sure pledge, that if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him. But neither is this satisfaction, which we discharge for our sins, so our own, as not to be through Jesus Christ. For we who can do nothing of ourselves, as of ourselves, can do all things, He cooperating, who strengthens us. Thus, man has not wherein to glory, but all our glorying is in Christ: in whom we live; in whom we merit; in whom we satisfy; bringing forth fruits worthy of penance, which from him have their efficacy; by him are offered to the Father; and through him are accepted by the Father (The Council of Trent: On the necessity and on the fruit of Satisfaction).”Some Protestants hold to the erroneous view of “penal substitution” which is a theory of the atonement that holds that God punished Jesus on the Cross. But there is one glaringly huge problem: an innocent person cannot be justly punished. Jesus took upon Himself the sufferings and death that were due to our sins, but He did not take on the just punishment for our sins.Understanding How Christ Took on Our Punishment (And What That Means)Jesus Christ took our punishment upon Himself. As St. Thomas teaches:“Now by Christ's Passion we have been delivered not only from the common sin of the whole human race, both as to its guilt and as to the debt of punishment, for which He paid the penalty on our behalf (ST III, q. 49, a. 5, co.).”When discussing the fittingness of the death of Christ, St. Thomas also mentions:“... in this way Christ by His death brought us back to life, when by His death He destroyed our death; just as he who bears another's punishment takes such punishment away (ST III, q. 50, a. 1, ad. 3).”Satisfaction means taking up a penalty voluntarily in order to restore justice. St. Thomas Aquinas speaks of taking up this voluntary penalty as someone experiencing something against the will out of charity. In the case of sin and justice, in charity this action makes up for sin because sin is voluntarily doing one's own will at the expense of charity. In other words, satisfaction derives its power from the strength of the charity of the one offering it. There is no need for Jesus to suffer the pains of Hell to save us because even one drop of His Precious Blood could have satisfied the wrath of God. The payment of Jesus, who is sinless and perfect in charity, merits not only release from punishment. By the Cross, He merits for us eternal life!When a debt is to be paid, the punishment is measured. In merit, the root of charity is measured. When one merits for another, he merits more for himself. Yet, when one satisfies for another, he does not also satisfy for himself, because the measure of punishment still covers both him and the one on whose behalf he is satisfying. In the case of Jesus, who is without sin, He has no debt to pay. He is satisfying for sinful men out of perfect charity. The punishment He bore made satisfaction for the sins of all mankind and merited more than any man is capable of: eternal life!Back to IndulgencesTemporal punishment acknowledges that the eternal punishment for sin has been taken away on the Cross, but the temporal consequences of sin still remain. These temporal effects of sin require restitution, to the ability that we are able. We ought to make amends for wrongs done. Expiation, satisfaction, amends, and reparation all mean the same thing when referring to the temporal consequences and punishment due to sin.Going back to this notion of the superabundant merits of Christ on the Cross, we can also add all of the meritorious actions of the Baptized faithful through the ages, most notably the saints. The Treasury of Merit, as it is called, is the collection of the perfect, infinite, and superabundant merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, the expansive merits of our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and the merits of all the just. Our Lord gave to St. Peter, and to the Apostles and their successors, the authority to apply the fruits of these merits at their discretion when He said: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Mt. 16:18-19).”Likewise, in St. John's Gospel, Jesus says to the Apostles, and their successors by extension:“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld (Jn. 20:22-24).”When a confessor gives absolution to a penitent in the Sacrament of Penance, he is applying this forgiveness of sins which comes from God alone, through the instrument of the priest and the Church. Our guilt for sin and eternal punishment for sin are absolved, but the temporal punishment for sin remains. An indulgence is outside of the sacraments and it does not forgive sins. Instead, it applies the satisfaction of the Treasury of Merit to an individual thereby remitting their temporal punishment due to sin. In other words, by the merits of Christ and the saints, the debt of temporal restitution has been paid in full. The superabundant merits belong to God's mercy and justice, not to the Church absolutely. So, these concessions or diminishments of punishment are administered by the Church but they come from God as a free gift. There is value in what Christ has done for us. But there is also value in what Christ does through us. Either way, the primary action is God. But with our cooperation, we unite ourselves with the Sacred Action of Jesus. As St. Paul said:"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church (Col. 1:24).”What could possibly be lacking in the sufferings of Christ, except for our cooperation with His grace and our own meritorious actions? Not only do our good actions possess the value or merit, they also certainly possess the value of satisfaction.Luther Had a Couple Good Points, But a Lot of ErrorsIt must be said that Martin Luther had some great points in his 95 Theses. In fact, only 41 propositions of Luther's from the 95 Theses and his other writings up to that point, were rejected as heretical, scandalous, erroneous, seductive of simple minds, in opposition to Catholic truth, or offensive to pious ears by Pope Leo X in 1520. Let us look at the first three of the 95 Theses:* “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent'' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.* This word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.* Yet it does not mean solely inner repentance; such inner repentance is worthless unless it produces various outward mortification of the flesh.”All three of these are true. Interior repentance is a reorienting of one's entire life, not just a momentary “I'll try a bit harder.” This call of our Lord to repentance does not refer to the Sacrament of Penance because it is a call which is first addressed to those who do not yet know Christ and the Gospel. And finally, interior conversion should find expression in visible signs, gestures, and penitential actions. It does seem, though, that Luther is presupposing that indulgences were being sold, with official authorization. This myth is prevalent today and it appears it was in Luther's day as well. Indulgences are drawn from the Treasury of Merit and applied freely when those seeking them fulfill the requirements with proper disposition. Luther's 95 Theses presents many theological errors in this regard. These errors are still being repeated today. For example, this 2009 article from “The New York Times” which gets it wrong from the title (the content of the article only goes from wrong to worse, by the way): “For Catholics, a Door to Absolution is Reopened.”By the way, to show just how seriously the Church took these abuses, Pope St. Pius V, in 1567, issued a decree which canceled all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions.Seeking an IndulgenceMany Catholics think that indulgences, per se, were an abuse. They are not. And though it was a focal point in the Protestant Reformation, indulgences did not go anywhere. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church stated in the 1990s:"An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishment due for their sins… to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity" (CCC 1478).Everything that I have presented about indulgences belongs to the infallible teachings of the Church. We are not at liberty to dismiss them, diminish them, or disbelieve in them. The Council of Trent's anathema makes this clear:The Council of Trent "condemns with anathema those who say that indulgences are useless or that the Church does not have the power to grant them."The Church does not remit temporal punishment due to sin with magic or the wave of a pen. The person who suffers those temporal punishments must be disposed to repentance and faith. As Pope St. Paul VI said:"Indulgences cannot be gained without a sincere conversion of outlook and unity with God (Indulgentarium Doctrina, 11).”Before the Second Vatican Council, indulgences were said to remove a certain number of “days” from punishment. Instead, this was to show that indulgences have two types: plenary and partial. Plenary, meaning full, means that all temporal punishment due to sin that a person owed is being remitted. Whereas, a partial indulgence remits part of the temporal punishment due to sin. In order to make this clearer, Pope St. Paul VI revised the handbook of indulgences (called the Enchiridion).As we have covered, satisfaction and temporal punishment for sin are ordered towards justice on the one hand and purification on the other hand. So, the actions for which one might receive an indulgence should likewise be ordered to justice, charity, and purification. Because the justice of God has been satisfied through the merits of Christ and the saints, applied to our lives, then the “time,” so to speak, needed for purification in charity after death has been lessened. Just as a checkpoint or reminder: indulgences remit the temporal punishment due to sin, not eternal punishment. Eternal punishment is remitted fully by the Cross of Jesus Christ, the merits of which we receive in the Sacrament of Baptism. Knowing rightly what an indulgence is, how can we receive this great gift? Please forgive the following lengthy quotation, but Jimmy Akin put it concisely and excellently in his Primer on Indulgences for EWTN:“To gain any indulgence you must be a Catholic in a state of grace. You must be a Catholic in order to be under the Church's jurisdiction, and you must be in a state of grace because apart from God's grace none of your actions are fundamentally pleasing to God (meritorious). You also must have at least the habitual intention of gaining an indulgence by the act performed.To gain a partial indulgence, you must perform with a contrite heart the act to which the indulgence is attached.To gain a plenary indulgence you must perform the act with a contrite heart plus you must go to confession (one confession may suffice for several plenary indulgences), receive Holy Communion, and pray for the pope's intentions. (An Our Father and a Hail Mary said for the pope's intentions are sufficient, although you are free to substitute other prayers of your own choosing.) The final condition is that you must be free from all attachment to sin, including venial sin.Because of the extreme difficulty in meeting the final condition, plenary indulgences are rarely obtained. If you attempt to receive a plenary indulgence, but are unable to meet the last condition, a partial indulgence is received instead.”The Church offers us special indulgences, both plenary and partial, for all sorts of things. But there are a couple of partial indulgences worth mentioning here. Partial indulgences are given by the Church for: * Devoutly spending time in mental prayer, * Reading Sacred Scripture with veneration as a form of spiritual reading (this one is plenary if done for at least 30 minutes), * Devoutly signing oneself with the Sign of the Cross and saying the customary formula: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”ConclusionIndulgences are not magic. They are a part of the infallible teaching of the Church. And they are for our spiritual well-being. We should not be wary of officially promulgated indulgences. We should be grateful to God for His superabundant mercy and His justice. Recognizing that we are sinners in need of His grace, we approach the Sacrament of Penance. Then, we do penance to seek temporal satisfaction and restitution for the consequences of our sins. All the while, we ought to seek out indulgences, because they are nothing more than being union and communion with Almighty God and striving to be more in love with Him who loved us first.Will Wright Catholic Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Will Wright Catholic Podcast at www.willwrightcatholic.com/subscribe

Pastor Jason and his son, Judah, discuss baptism. 

Once again, the Lutheran Ladies welcome a man (GASP!) into the Lounge for a Kitchen Table Talk conversation, inspired by Martin Luther's famous Reformation “table talk” conversations with his students.  In this episode, LCMS International Center chaplain Pastor Sean Daenzer returns to offer guidance on yet another timely and important theological hot topic: Luther's Large Catechism.  What is the Large Catechism? How is it related to Luther's (much more familiar) Small Catechism? Why don't more Lutherans read this “extended edition” of the catechism — and why should they? What are Rev. Daenzer's favorite, “don't-miss” excerpts from the Large Catechism? And what (if any) controversies may lie hidden within the text?   The Rev. Sean Daenzer serves as director of worship for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and as chaplain of the LCMS International Center in Saint Louis. A veteran guest of KFUO Radio programs including Concord Matters and Sharper Iron, Rev. Daenzer can now be heard regularly through his Daily Chapel sermons.  Click to browse available editions of Luther's Large Catechism from Concordia Publishing House. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erinaltered), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

In this episode John asks Fr. Stephen to help him step back and look at the first pillar of the Catechism from a big picture point of view. After over 100 days of Fr. Mike's most excellent Catechism in a Year, John's been getting lost in all the details and is struggling.Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

This week, tune in as Fr. Sean and Julia discuss the First Commandment in paragraphs 2095–2109 in the Catechism. Before diving into their topic, they welcomed a special guest! Enjoy this episode and visit https://petersburgparishes.org/podcast/ to tune in to previous episodes across various podcast platforms!

This is the last episode in our series on Biblical Prophecy in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. If you're studying along, grab your bible to be able to reference Revelation 9 and 20.

What is the cost of being a disciple? Jesus makes it very clear that carrying our crosses is a condition of being a disciple. Mike “Gomer” Gormley examines the importance of suffering and explains why the cross is essential to discipleship. Snippet from the Show You cannot follow Christ without denying yourself and embracing suffering. We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

Fulton J. Sheen gives two reflections. Exhortation to a Bride and Groom from the Catholic Hour in 1946. Also Lesson #11 from the catechism series speaking about The Blessed Trinity.

 In this episode of Father and Joe, they discuss the difference between the adult brain and child's brain, and how this affects our perception of the Easter story. They suggest that since we are learning about faith as adults, we should appreciate the magnitude of the Easter story and try to experience the joy of discovery. They also discuss the Catechism of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based approach to catechesis that encourages children to learn about Jesus through the mysteries of scripture and liturgy, and how it can help adults appreciate the Easter story.   Episode TimeLine:00:00 Letting the Gospels Be Alive in Our Mind02:12 How to Appreciate the Gospels With an Adult Mind that Get's “Wowed”06:02 Rediscovering the Joy of Discovery09:10 Preparing Ourselves to Openness of Infinite Depth13:57 How Get Past Our Experiences to Get to Feelings From the Bible18:20 Living the Bible that is Not Complete   The podcast Father and Joe brings us, as individuals, closer to the Holy Spirit and His Church.Seek Peace. Be Open to God and Love. Learn from Your Sufferings. Thank you for listening.FatherAndJoe@gmail.comhttps://imf.saintvincentseminary.edu/welcome/Also you can find is on twitter @FatherAndJoe Register of the Retreat Father Describedhttps://institute-for-ministry-formation.mn.co/sign_up?from=https%3A%2F%2Finstitute-for-ministry-formation.mn.co%2Fspaces%2F10774427%3Fautojoin%3D1&space_id=10774427   Catholic, Church, God, Life, Jesus, Benedictine Monk, Father Boniface Hicks, Joe Rockey, Relationships, Family, Love, Friendship, Openness, Vulnerability, Emotions, Trauma,     #Catholic #Church #God #Life #Jesus #BenedictineMonk #FatherBonifaceHicks #JoeRockey #Relationships #Family #Love #Friendship #Openness #Vulnerability #meaningoflife #intentionallove                  

Having been raised Southern Baptist, Jackson was frustrated with the Baptist ignoring certain passages of Scripture as well as denying the very words of Jesus and His Teachings. He eventually started attending the Mass and reading the Catechism where he found the parts his previous church left out. (Oh, you single ladies out there, he's single and not too bad looking) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anchorfm22/support

A quick update on where we are with the production of Catechism Class Season 2. Sign up for School of Mary at SchoolOfMary.com  Support the work of Rosary Army by clicking here.  

What's the difference between adoration and thanksgiving? Why does it matter? Should I pray at specific times or should prayer be spontaneous?In this episode, we continue our discussion of prayer by discussing the forms of prayer.This episode covers Part Four, Section One, Chapter One, Article Three, and Chapter Two, Articles One and Two of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (pts 2623-2682).Support us on Patreon!Contact the podcast: crashcoursecatholicism@gmail.com.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/....References and further reading/listening/viewing:1 Thessalonians 5:18Catholic Answers, "Why Pray to Mary?" "Why We Should Pray For Things""Why Does Prayer Sometimes Not Work?", YouTube. "Goes God Change His Mind?", YouTube."The Power of Jesus' Name." Joseph M. Muntadas, "A Plan of  Life"Roger J. Landry, Plan of LifeAscension Presents, "The Jesus Prayer Might Radically Change Your Prayer Life", YouTube.Fr Mike Schmitz, "The Power of Prayer", YouTube."3 Steps to Unceasing Prayer", YouTube."Why is Prayer so Hard?", YouTube."Battling Dryness in Prayer", YouTube."If God is Good, Why do we Need to Pray?", YouTube"What Really Happens in Eucharistic Adoration", YouTube.Archbishop Fulton Sheen, "Prayer is a Dialogue", YouTube.Fr. Jacques Philippe, Time for GodThe Catholic Encyclopedia, "Adoration""Hope""Blessing"Guigo the Carthusian, Scala Paradisi: PL 40, 998. (This is the guy whose name I couldn't pronounce. Gweego? Goojeeo? Someone who speaks Italian tell me.)Ashley Crane, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

Questions Covered: 23:08 – Does the CCC talk about when you can resume consuming what you fasted from during advent and lent? 30:44 – Is the bible timeline still available? 42:00 – How does one square Jesus being the only way to heaven vs no salvation outside the Church? 45:42 – I'm Protestant. What should a person who is baptized do to turn to God after they have turned away? Should they be re-baptized? 49:42 – How can Jesus not know things temporally, like who touched him when healing power went out from him, but knows everything because he is outside of time? …

Do you need miracles in order to have faith? Using the story of the Woman at the Well, Mike “Gomer” Gormley helps deepen our understanding of what should be the foundation of our faith and how essential it is that we allow Christ into our hearts. Snippet from the Show Miracles do not guarantee faith. Belief and acceptance of Christ's word does. We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:45–48Jesus once again appears to a group of His disciples, and He once again gets straight to the point. He “opened their minds” so that they would understand all that the Scriptures revealed about Him. He helped them to see that His death and Resurrection were fulfillments of the teachings of Moses and the prophets. And then Jesus says something new: “You are witnesses of these things.”As we saw in yesterday's Gospel, it's clear that the disciples did not yet understand why Jesus had to die and then rise again. They were still in shock and traumatized by these events. Therefore, Jesus had to carefully explain to His disciples the meaning of what had just taken place. They needed to understand this on a level that they couldn't comprehend by themselves. They needed Jesus' clear and detailed explanation as well as a special grace by which their minds would be opened to an understanding of these profound mysteries of faith.We are no different than these disciples. It's easy to believe in Jesus for insufficient reasons which only result in superficial faith. Some believe simply because that's what they were taught when they were young. Some believe because it makes them feel better to believe. Some believe because they don't know of anything better to believe. But then there are those who believe for the right reason. Like the disciples in this resurrection appearance, they have listened to Jesus speak clearly and in detail to them, such as through their study of Scripture, the Catechism, or other holy sources, and then they were given a special grace from God that “opened their minds” to an understanding that goes far beyond human rational abilities alone. Are you one of those people?If you are, then you have another duty. Not only must you continue to internalize these truths, allowing them to deepen and change your own life completely and totally, but you must also become a “witness” to these things. When you grow in an authentic knowledge of the faith revealed by our Lord, you must also share it with others. Real faith must be shared! Reflect, today, upon this powerful resurrection appearance. As you do, ponder whether or not you have allowed our Lord to speak to you in the same way that He did to these disciples, and whether or not you have truly internalized all that He has spoken to you and explained to you. If you are among this grouping of people, reflect also upon your duty to be a witness of these truths to others. Jesus wants to appear in His resurrected form to many others, but He especially does this, today, through the mediation of His faithful followers who are now sent forth to be witnesses to Christ and His glorious Resurrection.My risen Jesus, You gave Your disciples a glorious gift when You opened their minds to Your holy Truth and taught them many things. Please open my mind also, dear Lord, so that I will comprehend the deep and profound mysteries of faith. Help me to understand Who You are, why You had to die, and how to share in the new life of Your Resurrection. Please also use me as Your witness so that many will come to know You and share in the new life won by Your Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Special Guest Host Ken Hensley Bill – There are Catechism sections that are often quoted by Protestants to tag Catholics as believing in works based on salvation. Is there a consistent use of this term that I'm missing? Neil - Are there any scripture citations about free will? Ken and Cyrus reminisce about the pros and cons of cassette tapes Emmanuel - What do protestants think happened to Judas? AND 1 John 3: 9 - What do Catholics believe about suicide?

Why does Jesus seem to aggressively confront the Pharisees throughout the Gospels? In this episode, Mike Gormley explains why Jesus appears to goad the Pharisees by what he says and does. Mike shares what this reveals about Christ's mission and how Christians are meant to live today. Snippet from the Show Conversion might mean leaving behind old sins, but it is principally the getting of a new heart. We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your questions/comments Don't forget to text “EKSB” to 33-777 to get the shownotes right to your inbox! You can also find the full shownotes at www.ascensionpress.com/EveryKneeShallBow