One of the sacraments in the Catholic Church
POPULARITY
Catholic women in public sports? The whole congregation singing High Mass responses? Do Baptism and Extreme Unction remit all temporal punishment for sin? Faith without presumption. Church teaching on tattoos? Harrison Butker's commencement speech: leftists implode. Vatican's new rules for discerning "supernatural" events. Francis' "60 Minutes" interview: Modernist double-talk. This episode was recorded on 5/21/2024 Our Links: http://linkwcb.com/ Please consider making a monetary donation to What Catholics Believe. Father Jenkins remembers all of our benefactors in general during his daily Mass, and he also offers one Mass on the first Sunday of every month specially for all supporters of What Catholics Believe. May God bless you for your generosity! https://www.wcbohio.com/donate Subscribe to our other YouTube channels: @WCBHighlights @WCBHolyMassLivestream May God bless you all!
Fr. John Brancich, FSSP is the pastor of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Nashua, New Hampshire. He was ordained into the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in 2004. In Today's Show: Celebrating our 100th episode on the air! If a lapsed Catholic receives Communion in the hospital from a visiting priest without Confession, are they receiving unworthily? Can I pray on the behalf of someone who has dementia and has lost their ability to communicate with God? Will my prayers help to predispose that person to a favorable journey with God after death? Are there any particular prayers that I should be saying for this person? Who holds the twelfth seat, or chair, in heaven? Is it Saint Paul? Is a Catholic required to have a funeral mass after cremation? Is there a difference between Gregorian masses said in the Latin rite and the Novus Ordo? The particulars of Fridays - when to start/stop fasting, etc. How do I know when the Pope is speaking infallibly? How, as traditional Catholics, do we balance between the traditional and new calendars in our daily lives? What is the proper time frame to request Extreme Unction? Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!
Canon Michael Stein, ICKSP serves as Rector at Old St. Patrick Oratory, as well as Local Superior for the Apostolate of the Institute of Christ the King in Kansas City, Missouri. He was ordained in 2010. In Today's Show Why is it a custom for women to cover their heads at Mass? And why does St. Paul condemn long hair on men? Veils By Lily: "Why Veil?" Cards How to get along with siblings who are hostile to religion? What is the symbolism of the priest's hand movements at the Gloria, Credo, etc. in the TLM? Do graces come from Mary like from Jesus? How do we deal with Scripture verses about slaves? Is it okay to use public transportation on Sundays? Is it okay for churches to hold events or sell items on Sundays? If a dying person is unconscious and receives Extreme Unction, does this also serve as Confession, even though the person is unable to speak? What's the deal with beeswax candles? Are Catholics allowed to learn from Protestants, in subjects like philosophy? Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!
Canon Luke Zignego, ICKSP serves as Chaplain of Saint Joseph Oratory in the Diocese of Gary, Indiana. He was ordained in 2018. In Today's Show Where did Jordan get the FSSP flag that hangs on the wall behind him during the show? Is it more difficult for the priest to keep a Novus Ordo mass reverent when compared to the Traditional Latin Mass? Why isn't a "first kiss" allowed at a TLM wedding? Questions about fasting one hour prior to receiving the Eucharist What is your view on the statement that most people will be damned? When did we start saying that we can hold reasonable hope that even those who don't know about Jesus could be saved? What qualifies as drinking to excess? When a pregnant mother receives Our Lord in Communion, does her unborn baby also receive Him? Are we supposed to bow our head every time we say the name of Jesus? Could you explain the difference between Extreme Unction and Anointing of the Sick? Do priests these days offer spiritual direction? Is there any "spiritual homework" to do before asking a priest for spiritual direction? Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!
This Evangelization Challenge can be put into play when you know a friend or family member is going in for major surgery, or is very sick. When someone tells you someone is close to the end of their life make sure to share with them the importance to get the Sacrament of Anointing of the sick before they are unconscious. Otherwise the person may not be able to have confession and receive the apostolic pardon of all their sins before the die. We want to ensure all people close to the end of their life have all the support possible to help them get to Heaven. Scriptures Related to Anointing of the Sick Mark 6:13 ESV And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.James 5:14-15 ESV Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.1 John 2:27 ESVBut the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.Isaiah 61:1 ESV The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; Luke 7:46 ESV You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Luke 10:34 ESVHe went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. Acts 19:11-12 ESVAnd God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Acts 28:8 ESV / 33 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. Matthew 26:12 ESVIn pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.
In this episode we conclude the Catechism's treatment of the sacrament of Extreme Unction. We discuss the subject, the minister and the effects of this sacrament.
In this episode we commence our study of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. We discuss why extreme unction is a sacrament, its unity as well as its matter and form. Additionally we read selections from two articles in the Supplement to the Summa Theologica. (ST Supplement Q. 29. a.1 and a. 2)
Canon Benjamin Norman, ICKSP currently serves as Representative of the Institute of Christ the King at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Oakland, California. He was ordained in 2018. In Today's Show: How are priestly ordinations conducted in the extraordinary form? When and where should Extreme Unction be considered? Has modernism destroyed it? Why is Our Lord called the Sun of Justice? Where would you recommend ordering a cassock from? What was God doing before creating the Earth? Why did he decide at that specific moment and time to only create the Earth? Is it sinful to wear makeup? If a priest leaves the priesthood and his faculties were removed, is he still allowed to Anoint the Sick? I had never thought about praying to our church's guardian angel. What are your thoughts on this concept? Why are there so many rites? Why do we not just have one rite and one way of worshiping? What are your recommended books on liturgy? (See Show Resources) Is the book of Enoch somewhat credible? Is the TLM "superior" to or better than the Novus Ordo? Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!
God wants you to receive extreme unction. Not to die, but rather to get up and do something extreme for the glory of God. Find out more in today's intriguing message with Pastor Steven.
Bob and Lynn continue their Deep Dive into the Seven Sacraments focusing on Holy Orders and Extreme Unction. https://www.catholicspiritradio.com/copy-of-about-the-local-programs-1
Patrick answers listener questions about the purpose of anointing the sick, what is Extreme Unction, how to help your parents come back to the Church, and why is Pontius Pilate mentioned in the Apostles Creed? Rod - What would have happened if the serpent didn't crawl in his belly? Lynn - What is the purpose of anointing the sick? Denise – Offers her personal experience in regards to pre-Vatican and then post-Vatican II. Mike - What is the meaning in the Nicene Creed of “begotten” and “proceeds from the Father and the Son” when it talks about the Holy Trinity? Alonso - Extreme Unction was for last rites but when the title changed it wasn't as clear that it's not just for sick people Grey - How can I get my dad back into the faith Mary - Nicene and Apostles creed - why is Pontius Pilate mentioned?
Fr. Jacob Hsieh is a Nobertine priest of St. Michael's Abbey and a teacher of Latin, religion and chant. He resides in Wilmington, California at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. In this episode, Father speaks about the Sacrament of Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick) and the Apostolic Pardon. Beauty of Our Catholic Heritage airs live weekdays at 6:00am and 11am Pacific Time go to spiritfilledevents.com website or download our Spirit Filled Radio App for Android or Apple Devices.Archives of shows from Spirit Filled Radio are available on podcast at spiritfilledevents.com
Sermon #246 With our foundation built upon Scripture Alone, we continue our observance of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with our look at the doctrine of Sola Fide - we are justified by faith alone, not by works. This flies in the face of the Catholic doctrine of Luther's time (and affirmed at the Council of Vatican II in the 1960s) that we are justified at the time of baptism but need continual practice of the sacraments of Communion, Penance, Matrimony, Extreme Unction (last rites), and, for the chosen few, Ordination, in order to maintain our salvation. Luther showed by Biblical texts that we are justified by faith alone and not by works, so that no one may boast in themselves but in what Christ did on the cross. Romans 3:21-4:9 Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on October 8, 2017 (Originally published October 25, 2017) S.D.G.
Reconquest Episode 348: The Sacrament of Extreme Unction Episode 348 debuts on November 2, at 8:00 PM Eastern. Rebroadcasts will take place according to the Crusade Channel programming schedule (note: all times listed are Central time). The topic is The Sacrament of Extreme Unction. Mark 6:13 — at drbo.org James 5: 14-15 — at drbo.org Extreme Unction — Catholic Encyclopedia article at newadvent.org/ Sacrament of Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick) — patristic passages at Joe Gallegos' informative “Cor Unum Apologetic Web Site.” Extreme Unction — by Rev. Michael Quinlan, SJ at saintbenedict.com "Extreme Unction" (c.1638 - 1640), by Nicolas Poussin. Public Domain. “Reconquest” is a militant, engaging, and informative Catholic radio program featuring interviews with interesting guests as well as commentary by your host. It is a radio-journalistic extension of the Crusade of Saint Benedict Center. Each weekly, one-hour episode of Reconquest will debut RIGHT HERE on Wednesday night at 8:00 PM Eastern (7:00 PM Central). It will then be rebroadcast according to the Crusade Channel programming schedule (note: all times listed are Central time). Our Readers And Listeners Keep Us In Print & On The Air! Click here to subscribe to The CRUSADE Channel's Founders Pass Member Service & Gain 24/7 Access to Our Premium, New Talk Radio Service. www.crusadechannel.com/go What Is The Crusade Channel? The CRUSADE Channel, The Last LIVE! Radio Station Standing begins our LIVE programming day with our all original CRUSADE Channel News hosted by award winning, 25 year news veteran Janet Huxley. Followed by LIVE! From London, “The Early Show with Fiorella Nash & Friends. With the morning drive time beginning we bring out the heavy artillery The Mike Church Show! The longest running, continual, long form radio talk show in the world at the tender age of 30 years young! Our broadcast day progresses into lunch, hang out with The Barrett Brief Show hosted by Rick Barrett “giving you the news of the day and the narrative that will follow”. Then Kennedy Hall and The Kennedy Profession drives your afternoon by “applying Natural Law to an unnatural world”! The CRUSADE Channel also features Reconquest with Brother André Marie, The Fiorella Files Book Review Show, The Frontlines With Joe & Joe and your favorite radio classics like Suspense! and CBS Radio Mystery Theater. We've interviewed hundreds of guests, seen Brother Andre Marie notch his 200th broadcast of Reconquest; The Mike Church Show over 1500 episodes; launched an original LIVE! News Service; written and produced 4 Feature Length original dramas including The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes and set sail on the coolest radio product ever, the 5 Minute Mysteries series! Combined with our best in the business LIVE! Coverage of every major political/cultural event of the last 6 years including Brexit, Trump's Election, Administration events, shampeachment, the CoronaDoom™, the 2020 Election and resulting Biden Regime's Coup d;'tat, January 6th Psy-op and now the attempt to make Russia and Vladimir Putin out as the new Hitler and his Germany. "When News Breaks Out, We Break In!" because we truly are: The Last, Live, Radio Station, Standing.
Video version
Sermon (English) The Power of Extreme Unction
Learn about the sacramental rite of anointing the sick with oil, its biblical roots, and how it came to be associated with 'last rites' at the time of death.Support us on Patreon:Apply for Saint Paul's House of FormationEmail usMusic by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications
While it can often seem that this sacrament is sad - and indeed, it is often given when a loved one is close to death - we'll look at what this sacrament can give a soul as it is about to enter eternity. And we'll see that instead of bringing sadness, it brings peace, and even joy to these final moments.
Why do some people become catholic priests? William Watson, known as Father Bill, joins Paul Cardall on the 41st episode of All Heart with Paul Cardall to discuss Fr. Bill's life altering decision and journey to become a Catholic Priest. They discuss a priest's vow of celibacy, the state of abstaining from marriage and sexual relations and how Fr. Bill parallels that discipline to the vow of a monogamous marriage. What is Fr. Bill's advice for couples struggling with fidelity and other issues? How do people heal from trauma? Fr. Bill explains the Trinity, or nature of the Godhead. Do Catholics worship Mary? What about mysticism in Catholicism? Fr. Bill shares how the Sacred Story institute is helping people of all ages become engaged disciples of Jesus Christ. Fr. Bill holds a Doctor of Ministry Degree in 2009 from the Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.). He also holds Masters Degrees in Divinity and Pastoral Studies, respectively (1986; Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge Massachusetts).ABOUT FATHER WILLIAM WATSONFr. William Watson, S.J., D.Min., entered the Jesuits in 1973. He has spent over 40 years developing Ignatian programs and retreats–all leading up to the founding of Sacred Story Institute (SSI) in the spring of 2011. Sacred Story Institute brings Ignatian Spirituality to Catholics and Christians of all ages and walks of life. Sacred Story Institute is promoting third-millennium evangelization by using the time-tested Examination of Conscience of St. Ignatius. He is an expert in Ignatian Spirituality and the Examination of Conscience. In 2020, SSI started a national beta-test for a new project to form intentional disciples called Sacred Story Community. Sacred Story Community will become one of the cornerstone projects of SSI and our contribution to the renewal of the Church in the Third Millenium. Fr. Watson has appeared on numerous programs with EWTN, Catholic Radio, and numerous articles about his programs have appeared In Catholic newspapers and magazines in recent years. Fr. Watson also serves as the Vice President for Advancement for Rome's Pontifical Oriental Institute. Archbishop Paul Etienne, DD, SLT, is the Ecclesiastical Advisor to the Sacred Story Institute. Fr. Watson has previously served as: Director of Retreat Programs at Georgetown University; Vice President for Mission at Gonzaga University; and Provincial Assistant for International Ministries for the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesuits. He received his Doctor of Ministry Degree in 2009 from the Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.). He also holds Masters Degrees in Divinity and Pastoral Studies, respectively (1986; Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge Massachusetts).Learn more: https://www.sacredstory.net/ All Heart with Paul Cardall is sponsored by The Broken Miracle. For more information on Paul Cardall, please visit https://paulcardall.com/ or find him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Website - www.paulcardall.com/podcastFacebook - @paulcardallmusicIG - @paulcardallIG - @allheartwithpaulcardallTwitter - @paulcardallYoutube - @cardall
How come so few people are cured when they receive this sacrament? Why does God allow us to experience sickness and suffering? Does this sacrament actually do anything, or is it just symbolic?In this episode, we discuss the Anointing of the Sick. This episode covers Part Two, Section Two, Chapter Two, Article Five of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (pts 1499-1532).Contact the podcast: crashcoursecatholicism@gmail.com.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/.....References and further reading/listening/viewing:The Gospel of Mark, Chapter 2The Gospel of John, Chapter 5The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 8The Letter of St James, Chapter 5C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.Leo J. Trese, The Faith Explained.Pope Paul VI, Sacrum Unctione Infirmorum: Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Catholic Encyclopedia, "Extreme Unction"Catholic Answers, "The Anointing of the Sick"Catholic Answers, "What is the Difference Between Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites?"Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium. The Chosen, "The Chosen scene: Jesus heals the paralytic" SBSK, "Living in a Body of Open Wounds with Less than Half His Skin"SBSK, "Sofi's Strength (Stage 4 Pediatric Brain Cancer)"SBSK, "Facing a Terminal Illness with Strength and Love (Charcot Marie Tooth)"
Welcome back to Militant Thomist. What is Extreme Unction in Catholicism? Here is another video on my series on the Sacraments, in this video I go over Extreme Unction. SPONSOR Use the code “Militant” for 20% off to learn Greek here: https://fluentgreeknt.com/ SUPPORT Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ5DQ8zCOmeAqOcKTbSb7fg Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/MilitantThomist Donate: https://linktr.ee/ApologiaAnglicana FOLLOW Discord: https://discord.gg/3pP6r6Mxdg Website: https://www.christianbwagner.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilitantThomist Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/543689120339579 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MilitantThomist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/militantthomist/ LISTEN Podcast: https://www.christianbwagner.com/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0exZN1vHDyLuRjnUI3sHXt?si=XHs8risyS1ebLCkWwKLblQ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/militant-thomist/id1603094572 Anchor: https://anchor.fm/militantthomist SHOP Book Store: https://www.christianbwagner.com/shop Mug: https://www.redbubble.com/i/mug/Militant-Thomist-Radical-Newmanite-by-MilitantThomist/102625027.9Q0AD?fbclid=IwAR0_1zGYYynNl2gGpMWX6-goToVQ-TAb2gktO5g8LbxczFTR0xRvcz3q-oQ
"The New Forms of Baptism, Marriage, Penance, and Extreme Unction" The Catholic, whether he be regularly practicing or one who goes to church for the great moments of life, finds himself asking such basic questions as, “What is baptism?”It is a new phenomenon, for not so long ago anyone could answer that, and anyway, nobody asked the question. The first effect of baptism is the redemption from original sin; that was known from father to son and mother to daughter.But now nobody any longer talks about it anywhere. The simplified ceremony which takes place in the church speaks of sin in a context which seems to refer to that which the person being baptized will commit during his or her life, and not the original fault that we are all born with. Baptism from then on simply appears as a sacrament which unites us to God, or rather makes us members of the community. This is the explanation of the “rite of welcome” that is imposed in some places as an initial step, in a first ceremony. It is not due to any private initiative since we discover plenty of variations upon baptism by stages in the leaflets of the National Center of Pastoral Liturgy. It is called “deferred baptism.” Read the full book: https://angeluspress.org/products/open-letter-to-confused-catholics
Catechism of Pope St. Pius X (CPX) p. 103-104 Q/A 1-6 PEXAP: Penance, Eucharist, eXtreme Unction, Apostolic Pardon Music bumpers thanks to Benedictine Monks at https://clearcreekmonks.org Video bumpers thanks to William Gil.
The next point analyzing the anti-Humanism of Roman Catholicism, concerns a very Catholic concept: Sacramental worship. Sacramentalism is a key facet of the Catholic spirituality. One that is built into the very institutional character of the Church: the construct, consisting of hierarchies, rules, and rituals. In the Catholic version of Christianity there are 7 sacraments: Baptism; Eucharist; Confirmation; Reconciliation; Marriage; Ordination and Extreme Unction. Sacramental worship is central to the Catholic faith, for at a critical level, it reinforces the necessity for its institutions and the persons (clergy) that man them. Whilst its spiritual utility, if one may use that expression, may vary from person to person; with the divine graces that are supposed to be brought forth via these sacraments being a function of the faith and sincerity of the recipients. Though this has not stopped the Catholic leadership on insisting on this particular mode of spirituality as the only, or at least the most superior way to God. This attitude and the systems that have arisen as a result this (self-defeating) mindset are the source of many problems to the Catholic Church; and by extension for the spiritual wellbeing of society. Subjects for another time. Here I will engage the main problems with Sacramentalism by analyzing three points: Sacramentalism is Exclusionary Sacramentalism is Restrictive Sacramentalism is Elitist
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Brian and Adam give a not so brief summary of the sacraments of Extreme Unction and Holy Orders. Also, the skinny on Wanda Vision.
After examining the biblical roots of Anointing of the Sick, today we look at its development in history and theology. We also discuss the richness of the sacrament in both its healing aspect as well as its preparation for eternal life. Finally, we look at some practical questions. When should you call the priest?
Today we segue into the Sacraments of Healing. We begin by looking at the biblical roots of Anointing of the Sick. How is this rooted in salvation history? How has God revealed Himself as a Healer, a Savior? We also discuss the significance of Jesus' ministry of healing.
St. James wrote, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:13-15) What with COVID, you'd expect we'd hear rather a lot about the sacrament of anointing the sick or as it has been called in the past Extreme Unction. We in our day, however, are most likely to call our physician for an appointment or possibly the telehealth line than we are to call our priest asking to be anointed with oil. At least until doctors, hospitals, and the great pharmacopeia fail us and death seems imminent. Is there still a place for anointing the sick? Having recently taught about the sacraments, Dr. Kent Lasnoski has been reflecting on the meaning of anointing the sick.
John: This is Doctor John Dacey with my weekly podcast New Solutions to the Anxiety Epidemic. Today, I have an old friend of mine, by the name of Mark. He’s going o talk to us about his own experiences with Anxiety. Good morning, Mark. How are you? Mark: Good, John. How are you? John: Fine. First of all, I’d like you to tell us a little about yourself. What work have you done and where are you at today? Mark: I was born and brought up in Massachusetts. I was in the family business, I became a truck driver for 35 years and most recently my company filed for bankruptcy. A note to my listeners: When I interviewed Mark, I had no idea which of the 8 types of anxiety he would say he had a problem with. He alleged that he had no problems with the first 7, only a serious problem with the last one. So I’m going to skip that part of our interview and go right to the last type of anxiety: Post-traumatic stress disorder. John: Having been through an extremely stressful situation and sometimes getting flashbacks from it. Mark: Maybe. John: Can you tell us a little more about that? Mark: The death of a parent. John: Oh, of course. And which parent was that? Mark: Mother. 1973. John: Ok. You say this was ] traumatic for you. Why was this such a hard thing for you to deal with, if you’d be willing to share with us? Mark: Growing up without a mother I was just a young boy. John: How old were you? Mark: I was 13 years old. John: Oh that’s really terrible. Can you tell us how she died? Mark: She died in bed. She was a sick woman, but she died at the age of 49. John: Oh, that’s really sad. It was more than just very sad for you. You think it might have been traumatic. Mark: Yeah I think it was traumatic for me. John: Is it still traumatic? Like, do you miss her terribly every day? Or have you gotten more used to it? Mark: I’ve gotten used to it. John: How do you think you got to the place where you felt pretty used to it? Mark: Can I give you credit. John: Sure. Mark: When I met you, you were just a man at an AA meeting, and then when I was 10 years sober, then we talked. John: You don’t mind saying that you were my client for a while. Mark: Not if you don’t mind. John: No I don’t. I’d love to take the credit. So we talked about your mother, didn’t we? Mark: We did. John: Can you tell us a little bit about — was that successful? Do you feel like you were able to do better after that? Mark: I dealt with my pain with alcohol and booze and I was at a crossroads in my sobriety and you helped me through that without drinking. John: That’s terrific. I’m really proud of you and I think 34 years is an incredible achievement. Do you have any children? Mark: None. John: Ok. Who is the person you are the closest to, would you say? Mark: My oldest brother. John: So he went through the same trauma. How old was he when your mother died? Mark: He was probably 15. John: Do you think he had a really hard time with it also? Mark: No- Yes. I think he had a hard time but he picked a different avenue to deal with his pain. John: Okay. I’m not going to pry into that. What about your father? Was your father around at this time? Mark: My father passed away 3 years ago at the age of 97. John: Oh my God. 97 that’s . . . So how old was he roughly when your mother died? Mark: He was a few years older I believe. John: So around 50 years old. Mark: Yes. John: Was he helpful to you in dealing with such a young kid to lose his mother? Was he helpful to you? Mark: He would’ve been, but I didn’t know how to express myself. John: So he would’ve been there for you but you just weren’t able to tell him about it? Mark: Correct. John: This was pretty much something you kept to yourself. Mark: Correct. John: Did the therapy help the most because you were able to talk about her? Mark: Among other things, yes. I can handle death better. I don’t need to drink or drug. I can walk through the pain. John: And you give a lot of credit to Alcoholics Anonymous for that? Mark: Among other things. John: It’s often occurred to me that I feel sort of sorry for people that aren’t alcoholics because it’s such a wonderful club. It’s such a great deal of help. The 12 steps says that if somebody is hurting and they’re a fellow alcoholic, you have to help them. All over the world, I’ve traveled quite a lot and if I ever got into any trouble, I call up AA and they got an English-speaking person on the phone for me. Several times I’ve met with them, several times I just talk to them on the phone but it’s a wonderful club to be a member of. Don’t you agree? Mark: I agree. John: Well, Mark, thank you so much for talking with me today. I appreciate it and I wish you the very best. From my own life, briefly, about post-traumatic stress disorder. Not my own. If you listen to podcast 3 you know the story of the fire that happened to my family that killed my mother and two brothers and two sisters. The next day, the local newspaper, The Binghampton Press, had published on the front page on the center at the top of the paper a photograph that was the most poignant I think I’ve ever seen. It is a picture of our driveway next to our burned down house with five body bags lined up on it and a very good friend of our family’s father, the Rev. Leo Crawley, standing with his hat in his hand. Next to him, kneeling on the ground, is my uncle, who is also a Catholic priest. He was delivering the last rights to the bodies and in the picture, one of the body bags has been opened somewhat and he’s reaching in, as all priests giving the last rights have to do, and he put a blessing on the chard bodies of one of my family. I don’t know of course which one. This is with his right hand and with his left hand, he’s got his hand up to his mouth, and he just looks the epitome of the grieving person. Six months later he was dead, and I would hear stories about him going into the hospital and coming back out again. I asked one of the nuns who took care of him at the local Catholic hospital. I asjed a nurse what was the matter with him and she said, “Oh he has some kind of stomach disorder.” I have never heard anybody say exactly what his problem was but I can only assume that it was alcoholism and that he had to go in the hospital from time to time to get straightened out. The nuns of course were very good to him. He was the head of Catholic Charities for upstate New York. It was a huge job. I remember that when I went into the seminary to become a priest myself after high school, I had to go and visit the bishop in Syracuse upstate New York. He never asked me any questions about myself, but only about my uncle and how he was doing. The bishop said, “He’s a wonderful director of Catholic Charities. He does a great job, but I’m very worried about him because he’s sick so much.” This is only by way of saying that not only is PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, the most serious of all the types of anxiety, but it actually can be a killer. It can be as much of a killer as the Corona Virus. And it got my poor uncle. I remember when I was going into the seminary, I went to see him and he said to me, “John, don’t do it. It’s a very hard life. Don’t do it.” I was amazed. I thought he was a very happy priest, but it was very clear to me that he was not. I think that this having to give Extreme Unction as it’s called, the final rights to my family, just pushed him over the edge. I’m sorry to tell you such a sad story but often times anxiety can be a very serious problem. I’ll talk to you next week.
Statues abound in Catholic churches. Yet the second commandment says not to make graven images. Is this wrong? What about the use of candles, ashes, and incense? Do these have a biblical basis. Does the sacrament of Extreme Unction really prepare someone for the afterlife? www.thetruelight.net
This week we discuss a movie that both of us really wanted to see. Join us as we discuss the movie '1917' and the poems and songs in the movie which all convey powerful themes of light and darkness, suffering and hope, as well as countless themes and tips for spiritual warfare. In a movie where we see the characters literally crawling over death in the hopes of finding and saving life, we see the Easter story played out in a completely unexpected way. #WelcomeToTheAdventure Media References: Dungeons and Dragons (Tabletop RPG Game) Ozarks (Netlfix Series) WARNING: Adult Content Game of Thrones (HBO Series) WARNING: Adult Content Zoom (Video Chat Software) Scattegories (Board Game) Codenames (Board Game) "A Realm of Shadows" by Morgan Rice (Book) "Inkdeath" by Cornelia Funke (Book) "Eldest" by Christopher Paolini (Book) Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (Series) PokemonGO (App Game) Pokemon: Sword (Video Game) Yugioh: Eternal Duelist Soul (Video Game) Sky: Children of the Light Virtual Catholic Conference Project YM Live (Weekly Virtual Catholic Youth Ministry Event) 1917 (Movie) "The Winners" by Rudyard Kipling (Poem) "The Jumblies" by Edward Lear (Poem) "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" by J.R.R. Tolkien (Book/Movie) 'Poor Wayfaring Stranger' by Unknown Writer/Performed by Jos Slovick (American Folk Song) Challenges: Watch the movie! Read 1 or more of the poems/song and pray with the words/lyrics to help guide you in your spiritual life (All are linked below) Take your struggles to God in honest prayer Check Us Out Website Twitter Facebook Youtube
Dr Taylor Mashall does a live show with Q&A on being Catholic under Quarantine without Mass and Sacraments. Join for live talk about how to keep Sundays and feast days without Mass. Plus questions about spiritual communion, confession, Extreme Unction, and other sacramental needs. Taylor will discuss Council of Trent’s teaching on these matters. Watch this new podcast episode by clicking here: Or listen to the audio mp3 here: If you’d like to order a copy of Taylor’s new book Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within, you can order it in Hardback, Kindle, or Audiobook. Check out Patreon Patron Benefits for Donating to Dr Taylor Marshall’s Show! All these video discussions are free. Do you want to recommend a show, get signed books, and show support? Here's how: click on Patreon Patron link: Become a Patron of this Podcast: I am hoping to produce more free weekly podcast Videos. Please help me launch these videos by working with me on Patreon to produce more free content. In gratitude, I'll send you some signed books or even stream a theology event for you and your friends. Please become one of my patrons and check out the various tier benefits at: https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall If the audio player does not show up in your email or browser, please click here to listen. If you find this podcast episode helpful, please share this podcast on Facebook. Get more from the Taylor Marshall Show: * Read Taylor Marshall’s historical fiction Sword and Serpent Trilogy. * Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com * Take classed with Dr Marshall at the New Saint Thomas Institute. Please visit newsaintthomas.com for more details. Please Share Your Feedback for Taylor Marshall Show: * I'd love to read your feedback: While you listen to today's podcast, would you please take 30 seconds to write a review? Please click here to Rate this Podcast! * iTunes: 3,549,958 downloads * Youtube: 10,311,915 downloads * SHOUT OUTS: A huge “shout out” to all 1,692 of you who wrote amazing 5-star reviews at iTunes. Please rate this podcast by clicking here. From there you can leave a review. I appreciate you for this! Thank you! How to Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or Youtube: Apple/Mac Users: Please subscribe via iTunes by clicking here and then clicking on “View in iTunes.” Android Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Android devices (free) using: * Android Stitcher app.
Dr Taylor Mashall does a live show with Q&A on being Catholic under Quarantine without Mass and Sacraments. Join for live talk about how to keep Sundays and feast days without Mass. Plus questions about spiritual communion, confession, Extreme Unction, and other sacramental needs. Taylor will discuss Council of Trent’s teaching on these matters. Watch […] The post 382: Guide for Catholics under Quarantine without Mass and Sacraments [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.
I chat with Fr. Gregory Pine about the 7 Sacraments! Thanks to our sponsors!!! Covenant Eyes: https://www.covenanteyes.com/ (promo code: mattfradd) Hallow: https://hallow.app/mattfradd As stated above, the sacraments of the Church were instituted for a twofold purpose: namely, in order to perfect man in things pertaining to the worship of God according to the religion of Christian life, and to be a remedy against the defects caused by sin. And in either way it is becoming that there should be seven sacraments. For spiritual life has a certain conformity with the life of the body: just as other corporeal things have a certain likeness to things spiritual. Now a man attains perfection in the corporeal life in two ways: first, in regard to his own person; secondly, in regard to the whole community of the society in which he lives, for man is by nature a social animal. With regard to himself man is perfected in the life of the body, in two ways; first, directly [per se, i.e. by acquiring some vital perfection; secondly, indirectly [per accidens, i.e. by the removal of hindrances to life, such as ailments, or the like. Now the life of the body is perfected "directly," in three ways. First, by generation whereby a man begins to be and to live: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Baptism, which is a spiritual regeneration, according to Titus 3:5: "By the laver of regeneration," etc. Secondly, by growth whereby a man is brought to perfect size and strength: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Confirmation, in which the Holy Ghost is given to strengthen us. Wherefore the disciples who were already baptized were bidden thus: "Stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). Thirdly, by nourishment, whereby life and strength are preserved to man; and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is the Eucharist. Wherefore it is said (John 6:54): "Except you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you." And this would be enough for man if he had an impassible life, both corporally and spiritually; but since man is liable at times to both corporal and spiritual infirmity, i.e. sin, hence man needs a cure from his infirmity; which cure is twofold. one is the healing, that restores health: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Penance, according to Psalm 40:5: "Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee." The other is the restoration of former vigor by means of suitable diet and exercise: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Extreme Unction, which removes the remainder of sin, and prepares man for final glory. Wherefore it is written (James 5:15): "And if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him." In regard to the whole community, man is perfected in two ways. First, by receiving power to rule the community and to exercise public acts: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is the sacrament of order, according to the saying of Hebrews 7:27, that priests offer sacrifices not for themselves only, but also for the people. Secondly in regard to natural propagation. This is accomplished by Matrimony both in the corporal and in the spiritual life: since it is not only a sacrament but also a function of nature. We may likewise gather the number of the sacraments from their being instituted as a remedy against the defect caused by sin. For Baptism is intended as a remedy against the absence of spiritual life; Confirmation, against the infirmity of soul found in those of recent birth; the Eucharist, against the soul's proneness to sin; Penance, against actual sin committed after baptism; Extreme Unction, against the remainders of sins—of those sins, namely, which are not sufficiently removed by Penance, whether through negligence or through ignorance; order, against divisions in the community; Matrimony, as a remedy against concupiscence in the individual, and against the decrease in numbers that results from death. Some, again, gather the number of sacraments from a certain adaptation to the virtues and to the defects and penal effects resulting from sin. They say that Baptism corresponds to Faith, and is ordained as a remedy against original sin; Extreme Unction, to Hope, being ordained against venial sin; the Eucharist, to Charity, being ordained against the penal effect which is malice. order, to Prudence, being ordained against ignorance; Penance to Justice, being ordained against mortal sin; Matrimony, to Temperance, being ordained against concupiscence; Confirmation, to Fortitude, being ordained against infirmity.
De volta para os bares barulhentos, encontrámo-nos com Gonçalo Martins, metálico de longa data e trabalha na secção de música na FNAC para nos falar um pouco sobre esse trabalho e contar algumas histórias curiosas. Falou-se também dos Extreme Unction. Porquê? É ouvir.
Wherein Fr. Francis & Fr. Thomas [try to] answer the question: "What's going on (invisible realities) in the Anointing of the Sick?"
Everyone's gotta get to work as the ambulances are coming in full. After a brief interlude to discuss sleep deprivation, Fr. Mowry, Megan, and Tierney are ready to talk shop about the nurses and surgeons of the 4077th. When Ugly John loses a patient, it's time to dig in deep on how exactly "Last Rites" are performed.
Intro…Welcome to the Cornerstone Baptist church podcast. My name is Justin Wheeler, I am the preaching pastor for Cornerstone and today we are in week 25 of our journey through the Heidelberg Catechism and I will be talking to you today about questions 65-68.Transition…This week, we are talking about the Holy Sacraments or Ordinances and for the next several weeks we will be studying these to try and get a better understanding of what they are and the role they play in our lives as believers. Today, we will not be looking at the sacraments specifically but the general function and purpose of them in our lives.Lord’s Day Focus...But before we get to the questions, let’s take a minute to walk through a little bit of church history so that we can appreciate the role these things have played within the church. The word sacrament historically has been used to designate something that is sacred. It comes from an old Latin term sacramentum that roughly translates the New Testament word for mystery. If you put these together, a sacrament is something that is mysterious and sacred. In some ways, sacrament is a term that is used to describe all types of religious rites and ceremonies.Why are religious rites and ceremonies thought to by mysterious and sacred? The ceremonies themselves served as outward visible symbols or signs that conveyed something of the mysterious nature of the inward spiritual reality. Over time the term sacrament became more narrowed and focused to refer only to a specific set of Christian practices that were ordained by Christ and are said to offer some spiritual (mysterious) benefit to the participant.The Roman Catholic Church determined that there were seven sacraments and they include: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Penance, Matrimony, Holy Orders and Extreme Unction. Protestants have historically argued that there are only two: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Many Protestants, including Baptists, have even changed the title of these things from Sacraments to Ordinances, in the hopes of removing some of the mystery from them and to focus on the fact that these things are important because Jesus ordained/commanded them to be performed.So, whether you call them Sacraments or Ordinances, it is important to understand that we disagree with the Roman Catholic church. As Protestants we believe that there are only 2 ordinances that were (1) directly instituted by Jesus, (2) they are significant religious acts, (3) they are designed to be done until Christ returns, and (4) they are symbols meant to instruct and encourage believers.Now that we have a little background on these Holy Sacraments, let’s move on a look at questions 65-68.Question 65: It is by faith alone that we share in Christ and all His blessings: where then does that faith come from?Answer: The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it through our use of the holy sacraments.It is fitting that we think of the sacraments in their connection to the gospel because the whole point of the sacraments is to serve as visible signs of the invisible grace that we have received by faith in Jesus. The Protestant reformers wrote about the doctrine of justification by faith alone more than any other point of doctrine. But coming in at a close second were the sacraments.They didn’t all agree on the role and purpose of the sacraments, but they agreed about their connection to justification and their significance for the Christian life. Here in question 65, w Heidelberg wants us to see that the sacraments serve to confirm our faith but they are not the cause of our faith.The Holy Spirit produces (faith) in our hearts through the preaching of the holy gospel, and (the Holy Spirit) confirms (our faith) through the use of the holy sacraments.In other words, we owe our salvation to the work of God and the Gospel. But the Holy Spirit uses the sacraments to remind us of that fact. He uses them to confirm or corroborate that our faith is well-placed. These sacraments don’t save us, but they are vital to help us grow in our faith and even in our understand of how our faith needs to grow and be nourished by the gospel of grace.Question 66: What are Sacraments?Answer: Sacraments are holy signs and seals for us to see. They were instituted by God so that by our use of them He might make us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel and might put His seal on that promise. And this is God’s gospel promise: to forgive our sins and give us eternal life by grace alone because of Christ’ one sacrifice finished on the cross.Let’s start with question 66 by looking at what it means that the sacraments are signs and seals. They are signs in that they are outward visible symbols that help us understand our inward invisible status with God. They are a vital part of our worship because they make tangible the invisible reality of our faith.The Sacraments are covenant symbols which remind us of the spiritual truth that binds our souls to God and seal His promises in our hearts. And what is God’s promise? That our sins are forgiven, and we have eternal life by grace alone. These sacraments nourish our faith in the gospel and they do so in an amazing way.It is an amazing gift to the church that Jesus has given us two ordinances, which provide a feast for our physical senses. As Christians we are people who live by faith, and faith is trust in a savior that we cannot see with our eyes, feel with our hands, or hear with our ears.Like Abraham we are called to live by faith and this has proven difficult for us many times over. Like Moses we often cry out to God to, “show us your glory!” because we want to see God with our own eyes. Like David we often cry out for God to speak to us because we want to hear His voice with our own ears. Prior to faith many of us were like Thomas who said, “Unless I see in his hands the marks of the nails, and place my fingers into the marks of the nails, and place my hands into his side, I will never believe (John 20:24-29).”We are called to walk by faith and not by sight, but faith is hard. In fact, the Bible tells us that unless God opens the eyes of our hearts faith is impossible (2 Cor 4:1-6). But even as born-again believers we often, like the apostles, ask the Lord to strengthen our faith because believing while not seeing is hard.This is all the more reason why it is an amazing gift from God that we have two ordinances intended to strengthen and renew our faith; and these ordinances are gloriously physical.“We live in a world of sense, not yet in a world of spirits; and because we therefore find it hard to look above the things that are seen, we are directed in a sacrament to look through them, to those things not seen, which the sacraments represent.” –Matthew Henry[1]The next question deals with what the sacraments represent?Question 67: Are both the Word and the Sacraments then intended to focus our faith on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as the only ground of our salvation?Answer: Right! In the gospel the Holy Spirit teaches us and through the holy sacraments He assures us that our entire salvation rests on Christ’s one sacrifice for us on the cross.Think about the fact that the Lord’s Supper is something simple; a small piece of unleavened bread and a small bit of wine. Both elements point to the fact of Jesus body and blood, they do not point to anything that we contribute to the table other than our sin. These elements are given to us as a gift to be received and in receiving them we are reminded,1 Corinthians 11:23 That the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.When we eat the bread and drink the cup we remember Jesus. We remember His sacrifice for us, that saves us from our sin. The Lord’s Supper is a meal taken throughout our life of faith and each time we eat it we are to remember our Lord. We are to remember his body and his blood, broken and shed for the forgiveness of our sin. But Jesus doesn’t simply want our remembrance to be an exercise of the mind, He has given us bread to eat and wine to drink.He has given us bread, which we can see, touch, smell and taste. He has given us wine also and these elements do more than just engage our memory they make the sacrifice of Christ come alive. Jesus has given us a meal that we are to sink our teeth into and as we do this we remember his body that was broken and his blood that was poured out for our salvation. Like Mr. Henry said, we look through these touchable things in order that we may see Christ more clearly.Final question…Question 68: How many sacraments did Christ institute in the New Testament?Answer: two: baptism and the Lord’s SupperOver the next couple of weeks, we will be looking more closely at these two things and we will find that there is much for us to consider. But for now, it is important for us to remember that Our Lord has given us, not in order to confuse us, but to help us. These sacraments serve to strengthen and confirm our faith because they aid us in preaching the gospel to ourselves when we participate in them.Thanks for joining me today as I discuss the Heidelberg Catechism. I hope you’ll join me again next week as we look at Lord’s Day 26 and questions 69-71.Conclusion…If you want to learn more about Cornerstone Baptist church, you can find us online at Cornerstonewylie.org. You can follow us on Twitter or Instagram @cbcwylie. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/cornerstonewylie. You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or google play to stay up to date on all the new content.Thanks for listening.[1] Matthew Henry A Puritan Theology pg. 748.
Daniel and Joe discuss Season 3 Episode 3 of Homicide: Life on the Street.
In a conversation with Fr. Paul Robinson, we discuss the importance of seeking out a priest for Confession when one is in danger of death, what one can do if...
On this month's episode of Pastoralia, we tackle a subject that is somewhat confusing to the laity and accompanies with it some degree of fear: Extreme Unction and Last Rites. We will begin by having a deep discussion of what exactly this Sacrament is, what it is not, and understanding the difference between Extreme Unction and the Last Rites. After we examine the nature of the Sacrament, then we will shift into what the necessity of it is, when a Catholic may ask for it, and what the requirements for requesting it encompass. Father will guide us through sick calls, proper etiquette and disposition during a "routine" sick call versus an emergency call where death is imminent. Father will also discuss how to discern when it is appropriate to call a priest, dispel many myths that people usually have regarding this Sacrament and how frustrating it is for a Priest to have an individual or a family "hold back" and wait too long before calling and potentially risking the soul of the sick person who is in genuine need of the Sacraments. For those of you who have uttered the words I don't want to bother Father with this, this is an episode you really need to hear. How should your home be ordered upon arrival of the Priest making the sick call? What requisite components should be near the bed of the sick individual needing the Sacraments? What is the process and what actually occurs during the anointing? What items should one have on hand for a sick call? What items should one not have in the room during a sick call? Who is permitted to be in the room with the Priest? What should the atmosphere of the room be during a sick call between the sick, the Priest, and those present? How often can one receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction or Last Rites? What type of oil is permitted for use in the Sacrament and how is it obtained? If you are asking any of these questions, then this episode is for you. This show dissects the subject of this Sacrament and Father provides us with a clear and focused understanding of the Sacrament, when to ask for it, and why we should do so confidently rather than feeling guilty for making the request. Join us as Fr. Stephen McKenna, assistant pastor of St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church in West Chester, Ohio (and pastor of many mission chapels), and host Joshua Gunsher as they conduct this month's episode of Pastoralia. Original Air Date: October 3, 2014 Show Run Time: 1 hour 26 minutes Show Guest(s): Father Stephen McKenna Show Host(s): Joshua Gunsher Season 3 Sponsor: Novus Ordo Watch http://novusordowatch.org/ Episode: https://www.truerestoration.org/season-3-pastoralia-episode-7-extreme-unction-and-last-rites/ Pastoralia: https://www.truerestoration.org/category/radio/pastoralia/ Subscribe: https://www.truerestoration.org/member-signup/ Pastoralia℗ is a production of the Restoration Radio Network. Copyright 2014. All Rights are Reserved.
With an inaugural year, Saints Gone Before is proud to present Martin Luther’s “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” part 18. The translation comes by Henry Wace and C. A. Buchheim, First Principles of the Reformation, London: John Murray, 1883. “Babylonian Captivity” is a text in which Luther re-examines the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church in light of his readings of Scripture. Today’s reading features Luther’s thoughts on “Extreme Unction,” and is the final reading in this text, which happens to coincide with the one year anniversary of our launching this podcast. For the name of next week’s reading, please stay tuned through the end of the episode. Requests for readings: churchhistorypodcast (at) gmail (dot) com, or @OralHistoryPod on Twitter, or "An Oral History of the Church" on Facebook. Reader: Adam Christman Saints Gone Before created by Jonathan McCormick and Adam Christman Produced and edited by Adam Christman
500 years ago, there was only one Christian denomination throughout most of the world. 500 years ago, the church and the government killed those who resisted tradition. 500 years ago, no one could read the bible in their own language. How did we get from there to here? Discover the wild and exciting story of Read more about 116 Introduction (Five Hundred 1)[…]
500 years ago, there was only one Christian denomination throughout most of the world. 500 years ago, the church and the government killed those who resisted tradition. 500 years ago, no one could read the bible in their own language. How did we get from there to here? Discover the wild and exciting story of Read more about 116 Introduction (Five Hundred 1)[…]
Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org A frail and ill elderly woman asks her caretaker daughter to invite their parish priest to their home to administer the blessed sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. She desperately wishes for the comfort and peace of mind that the sacrament bestows. Her fearful daughter struggles with denial and her belief that accepting the Anointing of the Sick means “giving up all hope.” It is a poignant story, as relevant today as when it was originally broadcast many decades ago.
Objection 1. It would seem that the female sex is no impediment to receiving Orders. For the office of prophet is greater than the office of priest, since a prophet stands midway between God and priests, just as the priest does between God and people. Now the office of prophet was sometimes granted to women, as may be gathered from 2 Kings 22:14. Therefore the office of priest also may be competent to them. I answer that, Certain things are required in the recipient of a sacrament as being requisite for the validity of the sacrament, and if such things be lacking, one can receive neither the sacrament nor the reality of the sacrament. Other things, however, are required, not for the validity of the sacrament, but for its lawfulness, as being congruous to the sacrament; and without these one receives the sacrament, but not the reality of the sacrament. Accordingly we must say that the male sex is required for receiving Orders not only in the second, but also in the first way. Wherefore even though a woman were made the object of all that is done in conferring Orders, she would not receive Orders, for since a sacrament is a sign, not only the thing, but the signification of the thing, is required in all sacramental actions; thus it was stated above (Question 32, Article 2) that in Extreme Unction it is necessary to have a sick man, in order to signify the need of healing. Accordingly, since it is not possible in the female sex to signify eminence of degree, for a woman is in the state of subjection, it follows that she cannot receive the sacrament of Order. Some, however, have asserted that the male sex is necessary for the lawfulness and not for the validity of the sacrament, because even in the Decretals(cap. Mulieres dist. 32; cap. Diaconissam, 27, qu. i) mention is made of deaconesses and priestesses. But deaconess there denotes a woman who shares in some act of a deacon, namely who reads the homilies in the Church; and priestess [presbytera] means a widow, for the word "presbyter" means elder. Reply to Objection 1. Prophecy is not a sacrament but a gift of God. Wherefore there it is not the signification, but only the thing which is necessary. And since in matters pertaining to the soul woman does not differ from man as to the thing (for sometimes a woman is found to be better than many men as regards the soul), it follows that she can receive the gift of prophecy and the like, but not the sacrament of Orders. --- Thanks to bensound.com for the intro music. --- pintswithaquinas.com --- Get the book here! https://www.amazon.com/Pints-Aquinas-Thoughts-Angelic-Doctor/dp/0692752404 --- See Dr. Peter Kreeft's talk here - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/women-and-the-priesthood/id625226454 --- Here are the winners! 1. cbarba; 2. Andrew “I answer that”; 3. Meadi8r73; 4.Tas7blue; 5. Philosoraptor602; 6. Egzeigler; 7. Mister Mavrick;8. RockyRacoon3; 9. not blind; 10. Timmeh808. If you won, email me at matt@pintswithaquinas.com
For spiritual life has a certain conformity with the life of the body: just as other corporeal things have a certain likeness to things spiritual. Now a man attains perfection in the corporeal life in two ways: first, in regard to his own person; secondly, in regard to the whole community of the society in which he lives, for man is by nature a social animal. With regard to himself man is perfected in the life of the body, in two ways; first, directly [per se], i.e. by acquiring some vital perfection; secondly, indirectly [per accidens], i.e. by the removal of hindrances to life, such as ailments, or the like. Now the life of the body is perfected "directly," in three ways. First, by generation whereby a man begins to be and to live: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Baptism, which is a spiritual regeneration, according to Titus 3:5: "By the laver of regeneration," etc. Secondly, by growth whereby a man is brought to perfect size and strength: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Confirmation, in which the Holy Ghost is given to strengthen us. Wherefore the disciples who were already baptized were bidden thus: "Stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high" (Lk. 24:49). Thirdly, by nourishment, whereby life and strength are preserved to man; and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is the Eucharist. Wherefore it is said (Jn. 6:54): "Except you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you." And this would be enough for man if he had an impassible life, both corporally and spiritually; but since man is liable at times to both corporal and spiritual infirmity, i.e. sin, hence man needs a cure from his infirmity; which cure is twofold. one is the healing, that restores health: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Penance, according to Ps. 40:5: "Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee." The other is the restoration of former vigor by means of suitable diet and exercise: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Extreme Unction, which removes the remainder of sin, and prepares man for final glory. Wherefore it is written (James 5:15): "And if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him." In regard to the whole community, man is perfected in two ways. First, by receiving power to rule the community and to exercise public acts: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is the sacrament of order, according to the saying of Heb. 7:27, that priests offer sacrifices not for themselves only, but also for the people. Secondly in regard to natural propagation. This is accomplished by Matrimony both in the corporal and in the spiritual life: since it is not only a sacrament but also a function of nature. We may likewise gather the number of the sacraments from their being instituted as a remedy against the defect caused by sin. For Baptism is intended as a remedy against the absence of spiritual life; Confirmation, against the infirmity of soul found in those of recent birth; the Eucharist, against the soul's proneness to sin; Penance, against actual sin committed after baptism; Extreme Unction, against the remainders of sins---of those sins, namely, which are not sufficiently removed by Penance, whether through negligence or through ignorance; order, against divisions in the community; Matrimony, as a remedy against concupiscence in the individual, and against the decrease in numbers that results from death. Some, again, gather the number of sacraments from a certain adaptation to the virtues and to the defects and penal effects resulting from sin. They say that Baptism corresponds to Faith, and is ordained as a remedy against original sin; Extreme Unction, to Hope, being ordained against venial sin; the Eucharist, to Charity, being ordained against the penal effect which is malice. order, to Prudence, being ordained against ignorance; Penance to Justice, being ordained against mortal sin; Matrimony, to Temperance, being ordained against concupiscence; Confirmation, to Fortitude, being ordained against infirmity. ST 3. Q 16. A 1.
Peter Lombard arranged topics in new ways and invented the seven sacraments which include Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Penance, Extreme Unction, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. Consider that matrimony and Holy Orders were mutually exclusive. The seven sacraments were used for memory and teaching. St. Dominic believed one should also preach on street corners. Francis of Assisi gave away his wealth and became a beggar. Consider that friars were freelance monks. Thomas Aquinas saw himself as a commentator of Peter Lombard. Calvin called Peter Lombard the master of sentences.
What is extreme unction? What are Last Rites? Do we need to be blessed by a priest before we die?
Summary of today's show: Earlier in June, Msgr. Robert Deeley and Msgr. William Fay traveled from Boston to Ugandan in Africa for the feast of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, martyrs for the faith who are highly revered in that country. Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell talk with Msgr. Deeley about the trip, how it came about, the story of the martyrs, and the remarkable faith of the Ugandans today, where one parish has 100,000 people and a Mass will typically last three hours. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell Today's guest(s): Msgr. Robert Deeley, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Boston Links from today's show: Today's topics: The Ugandan Martyrs and Catholicism in Uganda Today 1st segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Mark to the show and noted that the end of June marks the end of the fiscal year for the Archdiocese, which means goodbyes to people leaving and hellos to new people. Fr. Mark said they said goodbye to Sr. Peggy who was working as a judge in the Metropolitan Tribunal. Also, Mary Ryan, who worked in the finance department, is retiring after 20 years in service. Scot recalls that Mary was at the 8:15am Mass at the Pastoral Center every day. He said she worked in the Revolving Loan Fund, which functions like the Archdiocesan bank for parishes. Fr. Tom Foley's farewell Mass was yesterday. He leaves the post of Secretary for Parish Life and Leadership and is going to become an Air Force chaplain. Also, Bishop Arthur Kennedy is leaving as rector of St. John Seminary to take up a new office as vicar for the New Evangelization. Also today, Scot asked listeners to pray for Cardinal Seán on his 68th birthday. He celebrated the noon Mass at the Pastoral Center and was joined representatives of the Orthodox Church to celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Today, Msgr. Robert Deeley is joining us to talk about a recent trip he took to Uganda to talk about the Ugandan martyrs. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Mark welcomed Msgr. Deeley to the show. Scot said June 29 makes him think of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and how it's a big holiday in Rome. Msgr. Deeley spent many years in Rome and said it marks the two great apostles upon whom the Church was founded. It's also traditional for the Pope to give the pallium, the symbol of the metropolitan archbishop's office, to new archbishops from around the world. It reminds us of the unity of the Church and its expanse around the world. There were four Americans this year, three from the Roman rite: Archbishop Charles Chaput of Piladelphia; Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver; and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore. They note that the Archbishop wears it only in his own diocese and the diocese's of his province. Moving to another topic, Msgr. Robert Deeley recently traveled to Uganda along with Msgr. William Fay at the beginning of June for the feast of the Ugandan martyrs. Msgr. Deeley went to Uganda because so many priests from Uganda come to Boston, especially to study at Boston College and other local colleges. While here, they live in our rectories and help out in our parishes. One Ugandan priest lived with Msgr. Fay for two years before returning to Uganda. Fr. Paul is rector of the cathedral in Lugazi, Uganda, and he invited Msgr. Fay and Msgr. Deeley to come and be there for the great feast of the Ugandan martyrs. Msgr. Deeley said they didn't go on safari so they saw no animals. It's a beautiful country. They visited Lake Victoria and saw the source of the Nile, which travels 4,000 miles through Africa. Scot said he was surprised that as little as 200 years ago there were practically no Christians in Uganda, but it was the martyrdom of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions in the 1880s led to the great growth of Catholicism. Msgr. Deeley said he wanted to go back a few steps. The king around 1850 wrote and asked Queen Victoria to send missionaries to impart values and morals they had. The first were Anglican and then Catholics followed. The king who succeeded the first about 6 or 7 years after the Catholic missionaries arrived was a selfish and immoral man. He murdered a group of young men who wouldn't acquiesce to his immoral demands. The youngest of them was 13 or 14 years of age. Charles Lwanga was their leader. They were burned to death. There 13 Catholics and 11 Anglicans and shrines maintained by both Catholics and Anglicans are maintained at the site of the martyrdom. The missionaries were expelled from Uganda, but the Catholic laity continue to teach and preach and catechize one another. Scot said the king gave all the martyrs the chance to renounce their Christian faith, including a few who were only baptized at the last minute, but all chose to keep their faith even though they knew they would die in a horrible way. At the time of the martyrdom, there were only about 200 Christians in the country and now there are millions, which shows how the blood of the martyrs become the seed and fertilizer for faith. Msgr. Deeley said one of the eyewitnesses recalled how the martyrs pointed to the sky as they went to their death to signal that they were going to Paradise for their faith. The celebration of this feast is a spectacular representation of the culture and faith and music and more. He said there were 1 million people at the celebration. Meanwhile, one of the bishops was here in Waltham to celebrate with a Ugandan community here as well as another in Germany doing likewise. Otherwise, every bishop in the country was there at the celebration. The Mass is celebrated on an artificial island in the middle of the lake and the people surround. People were singing in Swahili, Buganda, and Gregorian chant. The full representation of the whole Church, all ages, all vocations, was a spectacular view. Fr. Mark asked for Msgr. Deeley's experience. Msgr. Deeley said the Mass was five hours long, three hours for the Mass itself and two hours for the speeches at the end. This is the longest Mass he'd ever attended, including Easter vigil at St. Peter's. The next day he went to the funeral of a local priest and that was three hours. People love to celebrate their faith and they do it with great joy and solemnity. He said they were blessed because Maureen Heil of the Propagation of the Faith in Boston had contacted the head of the episcopal conference in Uganda who got excellent seats at the Mass on the island and they were announced as honored guests. Msgr. Deeley said the country is very poor and it's still very young at only 50 years of independence. But their hospitality is tremendous. Scot asked about the Church's role in society in Uganda. Msgr. Deeley said in the cathedral parish they have 26 outstations or parishes in villages. They visited one parish where they met the pastor and his two associates. They had a parish school and a high school, built by people from Canada and the United States. He also had 30 more outstations with 12 schools and 100,000 people all in one parish. They had tea with Bishop Matthias Ssekamaanya of Lugazi one night, and he told him that they believe that every parish needs a school and that as the outstations grow they will also become parishes with schools. The government funds some of the education. He said the vicar general of the diocese is also in charge of schools. The government's funds are limited, and they also control what you can do. The government doesn't allow the Church to take any fees whatsoever, including having children pay for lunches during the day in order to make it appear the education is completely free. There are also private schools, which aren't run by the government or the Church. Scot asked what Msgr. Deeley's sense is of the freedom of the people to live their faith as Catholics, in light of the Fortnight for Freedom. He said the Church plays an important role as the voice of the poor, the needy and families. The country is 87% Christian, 13% Muslim; 40% Catholic, 30% Anglican. The Church is a very important force for the betterment of people and building of systems that are just and honest. Fr. Mark asked how modern the area is. Msgr. Deeley said many buildings are indeed modern. They are building a new center for the episcopal conference, which the Archdiocese of Boston contributed to. He noted that they don't use metal frameworks, but wood, and then add concrete and brick and the like. He said it's a tropical climate so most places don't have windows. He said bananas are an important part of their diet, several different varieties they eat in many different ways. Back to schools, he noted the dedication of teachers in the schools. They visited a school where one classroom had 75 students. They are trying their hardest to make education and opportunity available to the children of their communities. Many of the teachers are catechists. In each of the outstations, there is a catechist who is often a teacher or other professional. When they can't have Mass with a priest, they gather for prayer and study. They try to get a priest to the outstations at least once per month. Scot said there are several thousand Ugandans living just in Waltham. He asked how his experience helps Msgr. Deeley appreciate and welcome Catholics who come to our Archdiocese from all over the world. He said he saw how the faith is central to their lives. It's not just something they do on Sunday, but their whole lives. Scot said most people living in this area wouldn't be able to say they personally someone who died for their faith, except perhaps people who've come here from other places around the world. He said he's been moved by the stories from Vietnamese priests who tell of how the martyrdom of someone they knew inspired them. Msgr. Deeley said he met a priest from Kenya who'd only been ordained a few days who was walking with his parish and they'd been walking 21 days to go to the shrine of the Martyrs. He told a story of being beaten and left by the side of a road because he'd been preaching about morality and faith. He only survived because another priest found him in time. The pilgrimage to the shrine was his way to thank God a year later. He was filled with joy and faith and was excited to go on this pilgrimage with the people of his parish. Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on earth, for justice is undying. For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to his company experience it. Gospel for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 1, 2012 (Mark 5:21–43) When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?'” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. Scot said he was struck by the long interruption in the story of Jairus and his daughter with the afflicted woman. The message was that our faith can heal us. Msgr. Deeley said it's a good opportunity to remind us to avail ourselves of the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick before we go to the hospital. It is a healing sacrament. It can be difficult because of privacy laws to find out who is in the hospital and to visit them. He said it's not Extreme Unction anymore and it's not just the Last Rites. Fr. Mark noted Jesus' kindness, noticing the one woman in the crowd. He reached out to her with kindness and love. He also made sure the crowd knew the girl was not dead, but he told them she was just sleeping so people wouldn't treat her like a zombie. St. Mark also puts in the Aramaic words that show Jesus' gentleness in awakening the girl from death. Scot said Jesus wants us all to arise in our faith and that was the name of our program of renewal. Jesus then asked the people to give her something to eat to prove that she is alive and not a ghost. Msgr. Deeley said it's so important for us to have the freedom to work with the sick and feed the hungry because we are following the example of Christ.
On this programme we continued our monthly series on the seven sacraments with this month focusing on the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick which ties into the fact that February 11th, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is World Day of the Sick. Traditionally referred incorrectly to as Extreme Unction or Last Rites, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was previously most commonly only administered to the dying, for the remission of sins and the provision of spiritual strength and health. In modern times, however, the use of the sacrament has been re-examined and expanded to all who are gravely ill or are about to undergo a serious operation, and the Church stresses a secondary effect of the sacrament: to help a person recover his health. Like Confession and Holy Communion, to which it is closely linked, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick can be repeated as often as is necessary. Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the 2012 World Day of the Sick on February 11th reminds us that anointing of the sick is one of the Church’s two “sacraments of healing”, together with the “medicine of confession”, penance. The SS102fm team reflect on this wonderful sacrament and explore its meaning and the graces which can flow from it.
The way to heal ourselves and humanity through the balm of knowledge. Read the lecture transcription.
An explanation of the seven sacred acts (sacraments) of the Gnostic Church: Baptism, Penance, Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Priesthood, and Extreme Unction. These rituals are visible in every religion in the world, and do not belong to one group or another, since they all emerge from the same source. Lecture quote: "In this course, we are going to explain the sacraments instituted since ancient times in the church of Christ, which has its latest roots in Egypt. Internally, the Holy Gnostic Church is situated in the superior dimensions. Yet, in this day and age, the Holy Gnostic Church has in the physical world a physical exponent in every Lumisial of our visible and invisible Gnostic organisations that form the gigantic Gnostic Movement. The Gnostic Church was instituted by the Master Jesus two thousand years ago in the Middle East, but is a church that has a history much longer than that. It is related with the mysteries of ancient Egypt that has its roots in Atlantis, which come from a Neptunian-Amentian epoch directly related with the World of Yesod, the fourth dimension and beyond. As you know, Gnosis is a Greek word for knowledge, and this doctrine of knowledge is related with the famous tree of knowledge of the book of Genesis. Many times in our lectures we point out the tree of life, which is a hieroglyphic within which we find the tree of knowledge, the mysterious Sephirah Daath. So it is good for you to have a graphic representation of the tree of life in order for you to understand what the Gnostic Church is. The Gnostic Church is related with the Sephirah Daath, which is in the middle pillar of the tree of life, and is interrelated with Tiphereth and Yesod. In order to understand what a sacrament is we have to understand the word itself. As you observe, the word ‘sacrament' comes from ‘sacred' and ‘amen': "Sacred Amen" - Sacraments. Read the lecture transcription.
In this, the 70th Episode of CS , we take a look at Sacramentalism; a mindset that dominated the religious landscape of late Medieval Christianity.The question that consumed Europeans of the Middle Ages was, “How can I be saved? What must I believe and do that will preserve my soul from the torments of hell?”Rome answered that with what's called Sacramentalism.Now, let me be clear; the basic answer was, “Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.” But the Church went on to define what that trust looked like with a set of rules and required practices. Yes, people are saved by grace through faith, but that grace is received by special acts only authorized clergy may conduct. These acts were called “sacraments” from the word “sacred” meaning holy. But there was a specific flavor to the word sacrament that carried the idea of mystery. Precisely HOW the sacraments communicated grace was unknown, while that they did was a certainty. So while salvation was by grace, one had to go to the Church to get that grace. The sacraments were channels of grace and necessary food of the soul. They accompanied human life from the cradle to the grave. An infant was ushered into the world by the sacrament of Baptism while the dying were sent on their way out by the sacrament of Extreme Unction.While all the sacraments were important, the most essential were Baptism and the Eucharist.Baptism was thought to open the door to the Kingdom of Heaven by removing the stain of original sin. But that door to glory was only opened. The baptized needed to follow up their baptism as an infant with later sacraments like Confirmation, Marriage and others. So important was baptism, in an emergency, when an infant appeared to be in distress and a bishop wasn't close enough to perform the rite, the Church allowed the nearest available pious person to baptize.The Lord's Table, Communion, or as it's referred to by some churches, the Eucharist, was the sacrament of grace by which people nourished and nurtured their spirits and progressed in sanctification.Besides these, other rites were called sacraments, but until the time of the Scholastics, there was little agreement as to the proper number. Before the Scholastics, the number of sacraments varied from four to twelve.Bernard of Clairvaux listed ten and including foot-washing and the ordaining or as it was called, “investiture” of bishops and abbots. Abelard named only five. A mystic theologian named Hugo of St. Victor also gave five but went on to suggested thirty possible means by which the Church dispensed special grace. Hugo divided the sacraments into three classes,—First were the sacraments necessary for salvation; Baptism and the Eucharist.Second were those which sanctified the worshipper and made spiritual progress possible. This includes holy water and the use of ashes on Ash Wednesday.A third class prepared the way for the other sacraments.Though Thomas Aquinas listed seven sacraments, he recognized some of the lesser rites as quasi-sacramental in character.The uncertainty concerning the number of the sacraments was a heritage from the Church Fathers. Augustine defined any sacred rite as a sacrament. In 1179, the Third Lateran Council used the term in a wide sense to include the investiture of bishops and burial. The Catholic Church today makes a distinction between certain sacred rites, called sacramentalia, and the seven sacraments. Aquinas gave as the reason for the proper number to be seven—saying that three is the number of Deity, four of creation, and seven represents union of God and man. A rather interesting “reason” for the supreme Scholastic to make since it sounds far more like the work of one of the Mystics.Following the inquisitive nature of the Scholastics however, ingenious and elaborate attempts were made to correlate the seven sacraments to all the areas of mankind's spiritual need. They were understood as undoing the Fall and its effects.Seven corresponds to the seven classic virtues. Bonaventura allegorized the sacraments to a military career. He said the sacraments furnish grace for the spiritual struggle and strengthened the warrior on the various stages of his/her conflict. Baptism equips him on entering the conflict, confirmation encourages him in its progress, extreme unction helps him at the finish, the Eucharist and penance renew his strength, ordination introduces new recruits into the ranks, and marriage prepares men to be recruits. Augustine compared the sacraments to the badges and rank conferred upon a soldier, a comparison Thomas Aquinas adopted from him.By the authority of the well-regarded Peter the Lombard and Thomas Aquinas, seven was chosen as the sacred number. The seven sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, Penance which includes confession and absolution, Eucharist, Marriage, Ordination, and Extreme Unction; sometimes called Last Rites.Confirmation was closely connected with baptism as a kind of supplement. It was a way for someone who'd been baptized as an infant to personally appropriate the faith of his/her parents by endorsing baptism as their own choice. They “confirmed” their faith in God and His Church. In the Greek Church, Confirmation can be performed by any priest, but in the Latin church, only by a bishop.Penance was deemed necessary for sins committed after Baptism and Confirmation. The penitent confessed his/her sins to a priest, who then prescribed certain acts that were understood to mark genuine repentance, such as praying the rosary or performing some compensatory act that rectified the error. Either upon completion of the penance, or in anticipation of its completion, the priest would announce the confessor absolved of the confessed sins. Being thus morally and spiritual clean the penitent was qualified to partake of the Eucharist.Ordination is the sacrament by which priests are authorized to their office.Marriage lies at the basis of the family and society in Church and State, and the rite of marriage was jealously guarded by the Church against any and all forces that would weaken it. The Church sanctioned marriage and it was to the Church one had to appeal to have a marriage annulled.In the Middle Ages, ordination and marriage were mutually exclusive. Since priests were to be celibate, they were ordained, and since lay people weren't ordained, they were provided the sacrament of marriage. The idea back of both was the sense of divine call and fitting to the role each was to play in the plan of God.Extreme unction was first mentioned as a sacrament in the Synod of Pavia in 850. Originally it was a special prayer for someone gravely ill. It was meant to replace the use of amulets and incantations and could be applied by both laymen and priests. Later, priests alone were permitted to offer it and it was only given to those about to die.The Scholastics taught that the effectiveness of the sacraments were ex opere operato, meaning that their virtue as channels of special grace were inherent in them and independent of the moral character of the priest or recipient. The only requirement was that they be performed in the proper manner with right intent.If this sounds familiar, you may remember the Donatist controversy that so incensed Augustine. The Donatists of North Africa insisted that Baptism and Communion, the only sacraments or ordinances they recognized, were invalid if performed by a derelict priest or unqualified bishop. Augustine upheld the idea that the sacraments carried inherent virtue. His ideas shaped the theological base of Sacramentalism.Thomas Aquinas said the sacrament imparts its virtue without the operation of faith on the part of the recipient. Protestant scholars have often claimed the Scholastics ascribed a magical virtue to the sacraments that was unaffected by the attitude of the recipient. But that's not really their view. Aquinas said it was the activity of God that made the sacrament efficacious, not the rite as divorced from Him. The Scholastics maintained Christ gave the Sacraments to the Church, to give to the people as a way to convey saving and sanctifying grace. Only the duly ordained church hierarchy of Pope, Cardinals, bishops and priests, possess the power to administer the sacraments. Under Sacramentalism, salvation is by Christ alone, but through the mediation of the Church.This is why and how the Medieval Church was able to exert such tight control over the lives of the people of Europe. They were the spiritual gatekeepers of heaven, declaring who was in and who was out.To the mediaeval mind, the sacraments were essential food of the religious life, and, in building up the sacramental system, the mediaeval theologian thought he was strengthening the Church. In the authority to administer them lay the power of the priesthood to open and shut the kingdom of heaven.Duns Scotus, whose opinions were set aside by the Church for those of Thomas Aquinas, insisted that God can confer grace apart from the sacraments, and their efficacy is dependent on the will of the recipient. Scotus said the sacraments acted indirectly. They weren't supernatural vehicles of saving or sanctifying grace. They were symbols used to affect a change of heart and mind in someone so an opening could be made for God's grace.The relation the priest sustains to the sacraments is a vital one, and except in extraordinary cases his administration of the rites is essential. As already said, their effectiveness doesn't depend upon the priest's personal character; it's only important that he perform them according to proper procedure. An immoral priest can confer sacramental grace. To use the mediaeval illustration, pure water may be conveyed through a lead pipe as well as thru a silver. The priest acts in the name of the Church, and in uttering the sacramental formula gives voice to the Christ-ordained authority of the Church. That's enough for bestowing a perfect sacrament.Bonaventura said that in the event of an emergency, when a sacrament was necessary but a priest wasn't available, the ritual could be performed by laymen outside the Church, IF the recipient then re-enacted the rite within the Church as soon as possible.Three of the sacraments; baptism, confirmation, and ordination, were thought to confer an indelible mark on the soul. Once baptized, always baptized. Once confirmed, forever confirmed. Once ordained, permanently ordained. However, in extreme cases, the state these marks ushered one into could be forfeited by becoming an apostate and being excommunicated.While Sacramentalism dominated the theology and practice of the Medieval Church, the Reformers set about to dismantle it. They claimed it was based on a faulty interpretation of Scripture. Martin Luther called Sacramentalism the Church's Babylonish captivity, in which the rights and liberty of believers were fettered by the traditions of men.In our next episode we'll take a look at another theological strain that operated at this time – The Medieval Mystics.As we end, I want to once more thank those who've donated to CS to help defray the cost of maintaining the site and server. Every bit helps.