Jorge Bergoglio and his cockamamie, Post-Christian Pachamama Papacy

The Pachamama demon figure: Icon of the “new” Post-Christian papacy
of Jorge Bergoglio and Associates

Definition of the word, cockamamie, courtesy of Dictionary.com:
Adjective Slang.
ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical:
full of wild schemes and cockamamie ideas.

WORDS RELATED TO COCKAMAMIE
insane, crazy, stupid, incoherent, unreasonable, preposterous, unsound, wrong, ridiculous, absurd, unwise, foolish, aberrant, unimaginable, incredible, astonishing, improbable, outlandish, implausible, impossible

Pic: Jorge Bergoglio’s (a.k.a. Pope Francis)
favorite Pachamama demon figure,
photoshopped into already demonic looking,
real life Vatican Hall, for dramatic effect.)

Did Jesus Plan a Monarchical Papacy? Is the Pope Catholic?

Jesus certainly did not plan for the inflated and corrupt popes of the popular imagination. He intended to found a church, but the church was not democratic in structure. It was established with clear individual leadership. In Matthew 16.18-19 Jesus says to Simon Peter, “You are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.” So, Jesus established his church not on a congregational model, but on the model of personal leadership.

Was this a monarchical papacy? In a way it was. In Matthew 16 Jesus goes on to say to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” This is a direct reference back to Isaiah 22.22, where the prophet recognizes Eliakim as the steward of the royal House of David. The steward was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom. The keys of the kingdom were the sign of his personal authority delegated by the king himself.

Jesus never intended a monarchical papacy in the corrupt sense of the Pope being an absolute worldly monarch, but the church leadership Jesus intended was ‘monarchical’ in the sense that it was based on his authority as King of Kings. The reference to Isaiah 22 shows that the structure of Jesus’  kingdom was modeled on King David’s dynastic court.

In Luke 1.32-33 Jesus’ birth is announced in royal terms. He will inherit the throne of his father David. He will rule over the house of Jacob and his kingdom shall never end. Like Eliakim, to whom Jesus refers, Peter is to be the appointed authority in this court, and as such his role is that of steward and ruler in the absence of the High King, the scion of the House of David.

That Peter assumes this pre-eminent role of leadership in the early church is attested to throughout the New Testament from his first place in the list of the apostles, to his dynamic preaching on the day of Pentecost, his decision making at the Council of Jerusalem and the deference shown to him by St Paul and the other apostles.

Read more

Editor’s note: After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church proceeded to rebuild Western civilization, in the image of Heaven.This was no accident, since the Holy Spirit remains the constant, official advocate of the Catholic Church, and Jesus Christ remains at the head.

That said, the prophetic, thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on earth, mentioned in the Book of Revelation, matches up closely with the thousand years that elapsed between the fall of Rome and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him, that he should no more seduce the nations till the thousand years be finished. And after that, he must be loosed a little time. (Revelation 20:1-3)

God’s grace is an awesome, wonderful, powerful and transcendental thing … if only we choose to accept it … and cooperate … rather than reject it … and protest.

Jorge Bergoglio and his cockamamie Post-Christian Pachamama Papacy

The Pachamama demon figure: Icon of the “new” Post-Christian papacy
of Jorge Bergoglio and Associates

Definition of the word, cockamamie, courtesy of Dictionary.com:
Adjective Slang.
ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical:
full of wild schemes and cockamamie ideas.

WORDS RELATED TO COCKAMAMIE
insane, crazy, stupid, incoherent, unreasonable, preposterous, unsound, wrong, ridiculous, absurd, unwise, foolish, aberrant, unimaginable, incredible, astonishing, improbable, outlandish, implausible, impossible

Pic: Jorge Bergoglio’s (a.k.a. Pope Francis)
favorite Pachamama demon figure,
photoshopped into already demonic looking,
real life Vatican Hall, for dramatic effect.)

Why is Michael Voris happy to criticize every Bishop – except the Bishop of Rome?

Love ya Mike, but to produce a video claiming criticizing Church leaders is divisive to unity and a scandal is as mad as a hatter given your own vocation!

Look around us. “Criticism” about the antics of kooky priests and bishops have done catastrophic damage to unity. Yet raising concerns about the undisciplined kooky statements, actions and inactions is your role for Christ’s Church.

It’s precisely what you’ve been doing.

You can’t have it both ways.

Read more at The Tenth Crusade

Donahue on latest Frontline/PBS show: Catholic bashers love to focus on “persecuted” gays, without, of course, holding them responsible for anything.

Bill Donohue comments on tonight’s PBS “Frontline” 90 minute presentation, “Secrets of the Vatican”:

“Secrets of the Vatican” marks the 48th time PBS has addressed sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Though this problem is practically non-existent in the Catholic community these days, and is rampant in the public schools, as well as in the Orthodox Jewish community, PBS has devoted a combined total of ZERO episodes on both.

More

Editor’s note: Frontline is the place to go to see everything negative – but not actually truthful – about the Catholic Church – historical, theological, political and otherwise.

Like a blind squirrel, they come across an occasional acorn of truth, but even those are  subject to their prevailing and constant bias against virtually all things Catholic.

Frontline ought to stick with subjects they actually understand, that are within their particular area of expertise. Their latest piece about Internet Social Media (Generation Like) for example, was very well done.

The mysteries of the Catholic faith however, remain way above their pay grade.

Don’t waste your time with this one – or pretty much ANY of their offerings – past or future – dealing with Catholicism. It will likely be a colossal waste of your time. 

A pertinent reader comment (by Steve) from the PBS site:

Lot’s of inaccuracies in this article. B16 did not orchestrate the Catechism definition of homosexual acts being deemed “disordered”; the CCC was written 12 years before his pontificate AND it merely explains Scriptural teaching that sex outside of marriage (regardless of what kind of behavior) is not what Christ taught.

Also, the sexual scandals referenced are decades old, and this article, like many others, merely rehash events that happened 20-50 years ago.

Ironically, the media and the “rehashing” then tries to promote homosexual acts, artificial birth control (FYI – cancer causing), etc. The hypocrisy is the media’s, not the Church’s.

If certain behavior violates Church teaching, even those who are ministers of the Church are subject to the same moral standard. Period.

Wouldn’t it be easier for the Church to simply say – “it’s alright go for it!”.

The illogical conclusions of these articles and poor journalism show nothing more than Catholic bigotry. Pope Francis, B16, JP2 or whomever, cannot change Christ’s teachings. And men, regardless of who they are, are sinners too.

That’s the “big news”.

Related story

A prominent Protestant minister gets things almost totally wrong about St. Peter, the papacy and the Catholic Church

It should be abundantly clear to all
that Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said,
“Thou art Peter (Rock) and upon this Rock
I will build my Church.”

On Sept. 25, 2013, protestant Rev. Bresciani wrote “Has the pope taken his first steps into Last Days apostasy?” for Renewamerica.com an online publication. 

Link

In the article, as you might well expect, Bresciani made lots of wrong statements about the Catholic Church in his attempt to shed speculation on the current pope and the end of the world. I don’t care about his personal opinions about the end of the world so I am not going to comment on those.

What I am going to do is tell the TRUTH where Bresciani told anti-Catholic lies. And I will do it using a PROTESTANT BIBLE, so the protestants can’t complain about the interpretation of a Catholic version of the Bible.

So let’s go…

On Papalotry

Belief and Obedience

My great teacher, Dietrich von Hildebrande wrote four outstanding books on the present crisis in the Church. Recently, his latest book, The Charitable Anathema was published. I wish we could mail a copy to Rome. A chapter in this book contains one of the most important lectures he ever gave to the Roman Forum. It concerns the difference between belief and obedience. He called it the critical difference. It was masterful.
The point is this: if there is a problem on a question of truth, and there’s a big dispute, and finally Rome speaks (invoking its infallible authority) and says, “This statement must be believed de fide”. Then this is the end of the dispute. Roma locuta causa finita. Rome has spoken, the case is finished. That is the end of it. Therefore, we owe assent of belief to statements of truth.

However, practical decisions of Churchmen, even the highest authorities; the Pope, bishops, priests are something quite different. We do not say, for example, that a command of a Pope or decision of a Pope to call a council is true or not. We can say that it is wise or not … it is opportune or not. Such a decision in no way asks us to assent to its truth. It asks us to obey the command or commands that pertain to us. This is what von Hildebrande meant by difference between belief and obedience. And we Catholics are never obliged to believe that a given command, or given decision of anyone, including the Pope, is necessarily that of the Holy Ghost.

Read more

Submitted by Mark H.

Pope Francis’ Coat of Arms

The Vatican has released the new Papal Coat of Arms for Pope Francis. It is similar to the one he used as cardinal, with the addition of the papal symbols of a bishops’ miter and gold and silver-crossed keys.

A gold star representing the Virgin Mary, and the nardo, a grape-like plant with which St. Joseph is often represented, are painted on a bright blue background. Above them is the emblem of Francis’ Jesuit order. Together the three represent Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

The Latin motto beneath the crest is “miserando atque eligendo” – which refers to a Bible passage showing Jesus Christ’s “mercy” in choosing Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of his disciples.

Source: Diocese of Joliet

New Pope Francis is known as a humble pastor and hard worker. Reportedly placed 2nd to Cardinal Ratzinger/Benedict XVI at last conclave.

(Vatican Radio) Citing the Latin formula, Habemus Papam, the Proto Deacon, French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran appeared on the central balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica Wednesday evening to announce the election of the 265th Successor of Saint Peter:

Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., the first Jesuit pope in history, was elected to the papacy, taking the name of Pope Francis.

Cardinal Tauran appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s basilica at 8:12 p.m. to the cheers of tens of thousands of people gathered under umbrellas in the square. Billowing white smoke appeared from the chimney over the Sistine chapel at 7:06 p.m signalling that the new Pope had been elected in the fifth ballot of the two day conclave.

Link

Past Conclaves and reluctant Popes: “Look what they have done to me!”

The 1939 Conclave was the shortest in the twentieth century, lasting only two days and having three ballots.  Eugenio Pacelli was elected on the third ballot. Perhaps betraying a certain reluctance to assume the papal office, Pacelli insisted upon a final ballot to make certain that he was elected Pope.

His reluctance was further indicated when his housekeepers saw him arrayed as Pope and he told them with tears in his eyes, “Look what they have done to me!” 

With Europe being engulfed by Fascism and Communism and the world on the brink of another Great War after only a two decade respite, it is easy to understand  Pacelli’s reluctance to step into the shoes of the Fisherman at such a time.  However, reigning as Pius XII, he proved equal to all the many daunting challenges he confronted.

Read more

E. J. Dionne is obviously drunk on heterodox feminist “kool aid”.

In giving up the papacy, Pope Benedict XVI was brave and bold. He did the unexpected for the good of the Catholic Church. And when it selects a new pope next month, the College of Cardinals should be equally brave and bold. It is time to elect a nun as the next pontiff.

Now, I know this hope of mine is the longest of long shots. I have great faith in the Holy Spirit to move papal conclaves, but I would concede that I may be running ahead of the Spirit on this one. Women, after all, are not yet able to become priests, and it is unlikely that traditionalists in the church will suddenly upend the all-male, celibate priesthood, let alone name a woman as the bishop of Rome.

Nonetheless, handing leadership to a woman — and in particular, to a nun — would vastly strengthen Catholicism, help the church solve some of its immediate problems and inspire many who have left the church to look at it with new eyes.

Link

Editor’s note: E. J. Dionne couldn’t be more wrong on this one. Women’s religious orders make up some of the most heterodox groups of Catholics in the world today. Making someone like that pope wouldn’t improve matters, in the least. For abundant proof, all we need to do is look at the shenanigans going on with women and homosexuals in the Anglican/Episcopal Communions. But perhaps Mr. Dionne personally approves of such scandalous goings on? After all, he boasts of “running ahead of the Holy Spirit on this one”. Progressive? Hardly! More like old fashioned, blasphemy!

Did Jesus Plan a Monarchical Papacy? Is the Pope Catholic?

Jesus certainly did not plan for the inflated and corrupt popes of the popular imagination. He intended to found a church, but the church was not democratic in structure. It was established with clear individual leadership. In Matthew 16.18-19 Jesus says to Simon Peter, “You are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.” So, Jesus established his church not on a congregational model, but on the model of personal leadership.

Was this a monarchical papacy? In a way it was. In Matthew 16 Jesus goes on to say to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” This is a direct reference back to Isaiah 22.22, where the prophet recognizes Eliakim as the steward of the royal House of David. The steward was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom. The keys of the kingdom were the sign of his personal authority delegated by the king himself.

Jesus never intended a monarchical papacy in the corrupt sense of the Pope being an absolute worldly monarch, but the church leadership Jesus intended was ‘monarchical’ in the sense that it was based on his authority as King of Kings. The reference to Isaiah 22 shows that the structure of Jesus’  kingdom was modeled on King David’s dynastic court.

In Luke 1.32-33 Jesus’ birth is announced in royal terms. He will inherit the throne of his father David. He will rule over the house of Jacob and his kingdom shall never end. Like Eliakim, to whom Jesus refers, Peter is to be the appointed authority in this court, and as such his role is that of steward and ruler in the absence of the High King, the scion of the House of David.

That Peter assumes this pre-eminent role of leadership in the early church is attested to throughout the New Testament from his first place in the list of the apostles, to his dynamic preaching on the day of Pentecost, his decision making at the Council of Jerusalem and the deference shown to him by St Paul and the other apostles.

Read more

Editor’s note: After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church proceeded to rebuild Western civilization, in the image of Heaven.This was no accident, since the Holy Spirit remains the constant, official advocate of the Catholic Church, and Jesus Christ remains at the head.

That said, the prophetic, thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on earth, mentioned in the Book of Revelation, matches up closely with the thousand years that elapsed between the fall of Rome and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him, that he should no more seduce the nations till the thousand years be finished. And after that, he must be loosed a little time. (Revelation 20:1-3)

God’s grace is an awesome, wonderful, powerful and transcendental thing … if only we choose to accept it … and cooperate … rather than reject it … and protest.

Lenten catechesis on the Catholic Church from AndyP/Doria2

During Lent, I decided to begin a catechesis, or short lessons on the Catholic faith. This is for you and/or people you know who have questions about our faith. I suggest you start a folder on these teachings and save them for when you are asked about what we believe. And one day, you will be asked. Especially from those who seek to get you to leave this “false Church.”

Also especially important is the truth you pass on to your children, grandchildren, and other family members most of whom are woefully, inadequately educated in the most important facet of their lives. Their eternity.

Only one Church goes back to Jesus The Christ and the Apostles. Sure there were many heresies throughout history but the one that has done and continues to do the most damage are the 25 – 30,000 Protestant groups out there who constantly attack our faith.

There is only one Church. See here why:

First from the Bible:

THE CHURCH

Mt 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, * and on this rock * I will build my church, and the powers of death * shall not prevail against it. 19* I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus Christ came to die for us all and yes, to build a Church. The only Church that goes back to the 30’s AD. The Catholic Church.

Mt 18:15* “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18* Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

You see. If all else fails, “tell it to the Church”

Mt 28:18* And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19* Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20* teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

And He promised to be with us forever. Anyone who believes that His Church failed is calling our lord a liar.

Lk 10:16* “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Our Lord is speaking to the early Church leaders here. Anyone who rejects His Church rejects Him.

Jn 16:13 – Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14* He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Declare to whom? Who is our Lord speaking to? The Apostles. The early church.

1Tim 3:14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, 15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

The Church. The pillar and bulwark or foundation of truth. When did this Church disappear? Who too it’s place? Why did Jesus say He would be with us forever? Did He lie?

ONE CHURCH!!!

Now from the very earliest giants of Catholic thought. Notice the dates after the quotes:

Ignatius of Antioch

“Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop or by one whom he ordains [i.e., a presbyter]. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2 [A.D. 110]).

Irenaeus

“But since it would be too long to enumerate in such a volume as this the successions of all the churches, we shall confound all those who, in whatever manner, whether through self-satisfaction or vainglory, or through blindness and wicked opinion, assemble other than where it is proper, by pointing out here the successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul—that church which has the tradition and the faith with which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the apostles. For with this Church, because of its superior origin, all churches must agree, that is, all the faithful in the whole world. And it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the apostolic tradition”. (Against Heresies 3:3:1 [A.D. 189]).

Augustine

“We must hold to the Christian religion and to communication in her Church, which is catholic and which is called catholic not only by her own members but even by all her enemies. For when heretics or the adherents of schisms talk about her, not among themselves but with strangers, willy-nilly they call her nothing else but Catholic. For they will not be understood unless they distinguish her by this name which the whole world employs in her regard” (The True Religion 7:12 [A.D. 390]).

“We believe in the holy Church, that is, the Catholic Church; for heretics and schismatics call their own congregations churches. But heretics violate the faith itself by a false opinion about God; schismatics, however, withdraw from fraternal love by hostile separations, although they believe the same things we do. Consequently, neither heretics nor schismatics belong to the Catholic Church; not heretics, because the Church loves God, and not schismatics, because the Church loves neighbor” (Faith and Creed 10:21 [A.D. 393]).

“If you should find someone who does not yet believe in the gospel, what would you [Mani] answer him when he says, ‘I do not believe’? Indeed, I would not believe in the gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so” (ibid., 5:6).

“There are many other things which most properly can keep me in [the Catholic Church’s] bosom. The unanimity of peoples and nations keeps me here. Her authority, inaugurated in miracles, nourished by hope, augmented by love, and confirmed by her age, keeps me here. The succession of priests, from the very see of the apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after his resurrection, gave the charge of feeding his sheep [John 21:15–17], up to the present episcopate, keeps me here. And last, the very name Catholic, which, not without reason, belongs to this Church alone, in the face of so many heretics, so much so that, although all heretics want to be called ‘Catholic,’ when a stranger inquires where the Catholic Church meets, none of the heretics would dare to point out his own basilica or house” (Against the Letter of Mani Called “The Foundation” 4:5 [A.D. 397]).

Hope you find this useful.

Your brother in Christ,

AndyP/Doria2

A short illustrated study guide

Reasons to believe: The Catholic Church remains the only truly “non-denominational” Christian church.

by Doug Lawrence

In today’s increasingly confused, scandalized and secular culture, more and more people seem to be describing their religious inclinations as “non-denominational”.

Most seem to believe that “non-denominational” means to be associated with no particular Christian group, or to ascribe to no particular Christian creed.

As in most things however, the Catholic Church long ago correctly defined the meaning of the word “non-denominational”. It happened on Pentecost Sunday, the day the one, holy, apostolic, universal Christian church officially came into being.

Known then as simply “the Church” … Catholicism is most definitely not a mere denomination. It is the one and only true church, founded personally by Jesus Christ, while he still walked the earth, in the divine hope that all should be one, in him.

Thanks to the promised, continuing advocacy of the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church continues to enjoy the fullness of all God’s truth, and the complete range of all God’s spiritual gifts, to this day.

One has to wonder, what could there possibly be to gain from membership in a “non-denominational” denomination? Wouldn’t that be a lot like intentionally patronizing a restaurant that regularly serves food of questionable purity and/or quality? The prospect boggles the mind!

Members of other Christian denominations also have to deal with certain fundamental  irrationalities. Various Protestant groups prefer to be called Evangelical, Pentecostal, Apostolic, Charismatic, Baptist, Full Gospel, Bible Church, and many other things, but in the end (or rather, the beginning) the Catholic Church was already all of that, and much, much more … which further points to the fullness of Catholic truth, as clearly manifest in the Bible, Sacred and Apostolic Tradition, the Sacraments, the Priesthood, the Papacy, the Magisterium, and so many other things.

From this we can determine beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Catholic Church is not merely the first and only truly “non-denominational” Christian church, it also remains the only authentic and original Bible Believing, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Evangelical, Apostolic, Full Gospel, Water Baptizing, Universal Church of Jesus Christ.

And that, my friends, despite the Catholic Church’s many and continuing difficulties and scandals, should provide more than sufficient reason to believe!

Orthodox to Catholic convert explains why he did it

His conclusion was that he could not, in good conscience before God, remain Orthodox. He told me that he felt “compelled” to return to what Orthodoxy was in the first few centuries when it was in full communion with the barque of Peter. He also said that he expressed these things to his Orthodox priest as well as to the laity, but that they told him “he did not really understand Orthodoxy”. Over time, he realized that he could not escape the fact that what they were telling him appeared to be only a modern and fabricated Orthodoxy that is expounded by the clergy in spite of the historical facts. He struggled not to behave in a rebellious way about things, so it took him many years before he respectfully and humbly asked to be allowed to go home to the Catholic Church.

Here were his particular reasons for his reconciliation with the Catholic Church:

1. No central authority in Orthodoxy means no clear authority at all–He said that the expressed unity of Orthodoxy ignores the essential (and detrimental) divisions that exist within her ecclesiastical authorities. Not having a central papal authority has caused the Eastern Orthodox to develop into a confused and jumbled group of jurisdictions that speak loudly about their unified nature, while it has little to no real substance. Admittedly, there are “Bishops” and “Archbishops” (yes, I know they use different terms), but since only a Pope can call a proper council, there is no means for Orthodoxy to solve its problems until they humble themselves and submit to the successor of Peter. His assessment is that the reason Orthodoxy rejects the recent doctrinal affirmations of the Catholic Church is more because they reject the Pope than because they reject the doctrines themselves. He believes that this is actually one of the things that attracts people to Orthodoxy over Catholicism: rejection of the papacy and its authority.

Read more

“Busting” Protestant Myths and Self-Serving Fabrications About the True Origin of the Catholic Church

In sum, the Roman Catholic Church was alive and kicking 250 years (since the fall of Jerusalem) before Constantine.

The bishop in Rome had authority, and the early Church recognized both apostolic succession and in particular the unique succession of the Petrine office.

What Constantine did was provide religious asylum in Rome to Christians who had previously been persecuted.

In addition, the early Christians worshiped on Sunday well before Constantine because Christianity is ordered to the new creation not the first creation.

Therefore, it is obvious and beyond argument that Constantine did not found the Roman Catholic Church through either the Edict of Milan or in his influence on the Council of Sardica.

The claim is a myth and should be rejected as propaganda meant to further schismatic religions.

See all the historical documentation

Debunking Other Popular Myths

The Papacy and the Priesthood

One of the hallmarks of the Catholic faith is our belief that
the Pope is God’s designated and true representative on earth.

Firmly rooted in Scripture and confirmed
from the earliest times by Apostolic Tradition,
the primacy of Simon Peter,“the Rock”
whose office and authority lives on today
in Benedict, our current Pope,
remains the solid earthly foundation
on which the Roman Catholic Church is built.

When God made Aaron, the brother of Moses,
the first high priest, he set up the office of priest in perpetuity
(a man so ordained would remain a priest forever
and the office of the priesthood would continue forever):

Exodus 29:9-11
To wit, Aaron and his children,
and thou shalt put mitres upon them;
and they shall be priests to me by a perpetual ordinance.

The high priest was endowed with awesome
responsibilities, special powers and extraordinary authority.
A high priest normally served for life
(until later times, when that was changed).

He was in charge of all the other priests,
as well as the administration of the Tabernacle or Temple.
When he died, his office was to be handed down to his successor:

Exodus 29:29-30
And the holy vesture, which Aaron shall use,
his sons shall have after him, that they may be anointed,
and their hands consecrated in it.
He of his sons that shall be appointed high priest
in his stead, and that shall enter into
the tabernacle of the testimony to minister in the sanctuary,
shall wear it seven days.

It was also normal for the high priest to prophesy.
His prophetic words were considered to come straight from God.
This was true even for corrupt high priests:

John 11:49-53
But one of them, named Caiphas,
being the high priest that year, said to them:
You know nothing. Neither do you consider
that it is expedient for you that one man
should die for the people
and that the whole nation perish not.
And this he spoke not of himself:
but being the high priest of that year,
he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.
And not only for the nation,
but to gather together in one the children of God
that were dispersed. From that day therefore
they devised to put him to death.

Read more

A former Protestant shares insights into the Bible that led him to become Catholic

by Marcus Grodi
One of the more commonly shared experiences of Protestant converts to the Catholic Church is the discovery of verses “we never saw.” Even after years of studying, preaching, and teaching the Bible, sometimes from cover to cover, all of a sudden a verse “we never saw” appears as if by magic and becomes an “Aha!” mind-opening, life-altering messenger of spiritual “doom”! Sometimes it’s just recognizing an alternate, clearer meaning of a familiar verse, but often, as with some of the verses mentioned below, it literally seems as if some Catholic had snuck in during the night and somehow put that verse there in the text!

Read the article

Why do Catholics hold the pope in such high esteem?

Q: Why do Catholics hold the pope in such high esteem?

A: Popes ought to be rightly esteemed, with some noteable exceptions.

The present day Pope Benedict XVI is an excellent pope, a good priest, a great catechist, scholar, and defender of the faith.

All popes occupy the holy office that was personally established by Jesus Christ, while he still walked the earth, and all popes have the power of the keys, as well as the awesome power of binding and loosing, on earth and in heaven.

Popes are also priests … which counts for a lot … especially with God.

In short, the papacy is a unique, holy office. Not because any man says it is, but because Jesus Christ, who is God, says it is.

And that is more than good enough for me.

I don’t understand how the Pope suddenly becomes God’s representitive, once elected

Q: I don’t understand how the Pope suddenly becomes God’s representitive, once elected.

A: Jesus personally established the holy office that today is known as the papacy, and he did it authoratatively and decisively, while he still walked the earth.

Since the Church will necessarily endure until the end of time, the Church proceeded to develop the mechanism to elect replacements and assistants for Peter and the apostles.

The bishops are the ordained rulers of the Church. The Pope, once elected from those ranks, becomes the primary ruler and chief pastor.

The power of binding and loosing was given to the Pope and to the bishops together, as the rulers of the Church, by Jesus Christ.

The “Keys to the Kingdom” … also personally given by Jesus, remain in the hands of the Pope alone.

Faithtful to his word, what the authentic Church binds on earth, God duly binds in Heaven.

Hence, when a new Pope is elected by the bishops of the Church the power and the authority of the office go with that appointment.

The Pope wields awesome and virtually unrestricted power. He remains the only absolute monarch on the planet, ruling both Church and the Vatican State. And he does it according to the express wishes and the foreknowledge of none other than Jesus Christ, who remains the head of the Catholic Church.

Some seem to think that corruption or other faults should disqualify one for the papacy, yet the Judeo-Christian tradition demonstrates just the opposite, since God has always been in the habit of using murders, thieves, adulterers, and worse, to do his will.

King David was an adulterer and a murderer, yet Jesus himself is descended from that royal line.

Such is the power of God and his grace.

In short, if the papacy is acceptable to Jesus, who personally established and constituted the office, and who remains the head of the Church, which will endure until the end of time, who are we to say anything to the contrary?

And should one attempt to reinterpret scripture according to their own ends, denying the facts of the papacy, and  attempting to make void the express acts of Christ himself … the authentic history of the world clearly affirms the existence of an authentic, supreme leader of the universal Church on earth, existing constantly from the day of Pentecost, right up through today, some 265 in number.

http://www.askmeaboutgod.org/passionfina…