Happy Birthday Catholic Church!

Happy Birthday to the Catholic Church!

How Old Is Your Church?

Year -- Church --- Started by ----- Where?
33 -- Catholic -- Jesus Christ -- Jerusalem

1054 - Orthodox - Catholic Bishops - Constantinople

1517 - Lutheran - Martin Luther - Germany

1521 - Anabaptist - Storch & Munzer - Germany

1534 - Anglican - Henry VIII - England

1536 - Mennonites - Menno Simons - Switzerland

1555 - Calvinist - John Calvin - Switzerland

1560 - Presbyterian - John Knox - Scotland

1582 - Congregational - Robert Brown - Holland

1609 - Baptist - John Smyth - Amsterdam

1628 - Dutch Reformed - Michaelis Jones - New York

1648 - Congregationalist -Pilgrims/Puritans - Massachusetts

1649 - Quakers - George Fox - England

1693 - Amish - Jacob Amman - France

1717 - Freemasons - Mason from 4 lodges - London

1739 - Methodist - John & Charles Wesley - England

1774 - Unitarian - Theophilus Lindey - London

1784 - Methodist Episcopal - 60 Preachers - Baltimore, Maryland

1789 - Episcopalian Samuel Seabury - American Colonies

1800 - United Brethren - Otterbein & Boelin - Maryland

1827 - Disciples of Christ - Thomas & Alexander Campbell - Kentucky

1830 - Mormon/LDS - Joseph Smith - New York

1836 - Church of Christ - Alexander Campbell & Warren Stone - Kentucky

1844 - Seventh Day Adventists - Ellen White - Washington, NH

1844 - Christadelphian (Brethren of Christ) - John Thomas - Richmond, VA

1865 - Salvation Army - William Booth - London

1867 - Holiness (Methodist) - United States

1874 - Jehovah's Witnesses - Charles Taze Russell - Pennsylvania

1879 - Christian Science - Mary Baker Eddy - Boston

1895 - Church of God in Christ - Various Church of God groups - Arkansas

1850-1900 - Church of Nazarene - Various - Pilot Point, TX

1901 - Pentecostal - Charles F. Parham - Topeka, KS

1906 - Pentecostal - Azusa Street Revival (Seymour) - Los Angeles, CA

1902 - Aglipayan - Gregorio Aglipay - Philippines

1914 - Assembly of God - Pentecostalism - Hot Springs, AZ

1914 - Iglesia ni Christo - Felix Manalo - Philippines

1917 - Four Square Gospel - Aimee Semple McPherson - Los Angeles, CA

1961 - United Church of Christ - Reformed and Congregationalist - Philadelphia, PA

1965 - Calvary Chapel - Chuck Smith - Costa Mesa, CA

1968 - United Methodist - Methodist/United Brethren - Dallas, TX

1972 - Harvest Christian Greg Laurie - Riverside, CA

Last Day of Eastertide

Happy Easter!

Though Eastertide ends with Pentecost, you have one more week to fulfill your Easter Duty*, this week is your last chance this year!

Pentecost, 

the birthday of the Catholic Church!
(see Sunday's blog entry).

There is some confusion on "the end of Eastertide" and when is the last time we can fulfill our "Easter Duty" (to receive Eucharist at least once during Eastertide). The Easter Season officially ends with the Vigil of Pentecost on the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday. However, in the United States, and perhaps elsewhere, there is an indult (special permission) which extends the time period to receive Eucharist through Trinity Sunday (the First Sunday after Pentecost).   (See Fr. Gantley's answer on EWTN site.)

Precepts of the Catholic Church

Keep in mind, these are the MINIMUM requirements...

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor. 
   
   We must “sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord” (Sunday), as well as the principal feast days, known as Catholic holy days of obligation. This requires attending Mass, “and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.”
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. 
   
   We must prepare for the Eucharist by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This sacrament “continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness.”
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season. 
   
   This “guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.”
4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church. 
   
   “The fourth precept ensures the times of ascesis (rigorous self discipline) and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.” See below for more about fasting & abstinence.
5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church. 
   
   “The fifth precept means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.”

Fasting is reducing the amount of food you eat below normal levels. Specifically, on fast days you may eat one full meal and two smaller meals, but those two smaller together should not exceed the amount of the normal meal. Snacking is also prohibited on fast days.

All Catholics age 18 to 59 are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. You are excused from fasting if you have a legitimate need to eat a normal amount of food on fast days. This includes:

• The sick or infirm, including handicapped or mentally ill people who need the nourishment or cannot make a free choice to fast
• Pregnant or nursing women
• Some manual laborers

Abstinence means not eating meat (fish is not considered meat in this case). All Catholics 14 and older are required to observe abstinence on these days:

• Ash Wednesday, Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), and all Fridays in Lent.
• Outside the U.S., this is required on all Fridays of the year, in honor of the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday.
• In the U.S., it is still strongly recommended to observe Friday abstinence outside of Lent, but Catholics may choose to substitute another penitential practice or act of charity for these days. 
• The point to remember is this is not optional to either abstain or choose another penitential practice or act of charity. 
• Be consistent! It doesn't mean much if you change the practice every week.

Do I need to make confession as part of my Easter Duty?

Well, not if you are already in the state of grace. Canon 988 does not state a timeframe for going to confession - only that it must be done if one is in mortal sin. Canon 989 while providing the timeframe of "at least once a year" does not explicitly state during Eastertide. Receiving the Eucharist, however, is mandated by Canon 920.2 at least once per year and during Eastertide (paschal time). Again, if one is already in the state of grace (no unconfessed mortal sins) then reception of the Eucharist during Eastertide (Easter Duty) does not require confession. If one is in mortal sin then they must go to confession before receiving the Eucharist - SO - if one has not kept up with all the other precepts of the Church (which is a mortal sin) or is outside the state of grace, then in order to fulfill the Easter Duty of receiving the Eucharist they would have to go to confession first.

Happy Easter!

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Ukranian Easter Eggs!

And by request from my long-time friend, Verga:

Klingon
Krist peplu'ta'
taHbej peplu'ta'

Pronunciation:
H = German ch as in Bach,
apostrophe is a glottal stop

For a longer listing of several languages I refer you here:

https://quilocutus.blogspot.com/2012/04/he-is-risen.html

Remember, Eastertide lasts until Pentecost Sunday!

It is still Easter season!

This means there is still time for your "Easter duty."

Remembering Fr. Walker

Today, May 19, 2019 is the 7th anniversary of Fr. Walker's ordination. Fr. Walker was gunned down by a robber in their home at the church, Mater Misericordiae (FSSP) in Phoenix, Arizona on June 11, 2014.

Please remember him, his family and the parishners of Mater Misericordiae.

Eternal rest grant unto him, oh Lord and let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

We miss you, Fr. Walker.

Local news story:  on AZ Central.

About a month prior, he was part of my Confirmation during Easter Vigil, April 19, 2014:

Left to right - Fr. Walker, Fr. Terra and Scott Windsor

Jacob Prasch - Questions for Catholics

Questions for Catholics Series:
Prompted by his priest, Scott Windsor responds to James Jacob Prasch (Jacob Prasch) who asks "Five Questions For Catholics" or is it "Thirty-Three Questions For Catholics?"  Prasch, the chief behind Moriel Ministries, is lashing out against Catholicism and is answered in this seven part series:
Part 1 - Should I Believe Mary or the Vatican?
Part 2 - Questions of "Co-"
Part 3 - Purgatory
Part 4 - The Rock 
Part 5 - The Eucharist and John 6
Part 6 - Doctrines of Demons?
Part 7 - Call No Man Father and the Mass


I would also point out, Mr. Prasch's challenge was answered over three years ago, at the time of this posting, and we still have no response from him. He was taken quite ill about the time of the initial responses, which Prasch himself challenged Catholics to engage him as he would like to engage further.  We have heard nothing from him yet, and we trust and pray that he has recovered from the infection which hospitalized him and look forward to his responses.

Low Sunday

"As the Father has sent Me, I also send you..."

Jesus, speaking to His Apostles, tells them that as the Father sent Him, He also sends them. And the very next line is, "Receive the Holy Ghost... whose sins YOU forgive, they ARE forgiven them..." THIS is why His Apostles, our first bishops, have the authority to forgive sins AND since Jesus sent them to forgive sins - they too must pass on this authority to their successors - our bishops are those successors!  THIS is why our priests, IF they have THIS authority from a valid bishop in succession from the Apostles, can forgive sins at the Sacrament of Reconciliation (aka, the Sacrament of Penance). Those sins THEY do not forgive (are retained) are NOT forgiven ("they are retained"). One who is not of this valid succession has NO AUTHORITY to forgive sins.

THIS is His Divine Mercy, which is what this Sunday is also referred to in the modern lectionary.

The Sunday After Easter is traditionally Low Sunday (Extraordinary Rite).

Some highlights from the Extraordinary Rite:

Introit: 1 Peter 2:2 - "As newborn babies, alleluia, desire the rational mile without guile, alleluia!"

Epistle: 1 John 5:4-10 - "For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which testifieth, that Christ is the truth.  And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are one. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God, which is greater, because he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the testimony of God in himself. He that believeth not the Son, maketh him a liar: because he believeth not in the testimony which God hath testified of his Son."

The Greater Alleluia: Alleluia, alleluia. On the day of My resurrection, saith the Lord, I will go before you into Galilee. Alleluia. (John 20:26) After eight days, the doors being shut, Jesus stood in the midst of His disciples, and said: Peace be with you. Alleluia.

Gospel: (which is the same for the Ordinary Rite too on this day) John 20:19-31 - "Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.

He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God.

Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in his name."

Offertory: Matthew 28:2, 5-6 - "An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid."

Friday in the Octave of Easter

For the Octave of Easter (8 days following Easter) each day is considered a solemnity... therefore, today is a....

Your normal Friday penance is lifted because on a solemnity there is no fasting or abstinence!

GENERAL NORMS FOR THE LITURGICAL YEAR

Chapter 1, Title 1, Section III
12. The celebration of the two greatest Solemnities, Easter and the Nativity, is extended over eight days. Each Octave is governed by its own rules.

1983 Code of Canon Law (currently in force)

Can 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent. 
Can 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 
Can 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.