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The Catholic Debate Forum

The Catholic Debate Forum, CDF, is coming back! After a long hiatus when Yahoo shut down all yahoogroups (and Scott was too busy with school!) it is coming back! We're trying Free Forums, so come on over - give it a shot!

https://catholicdebateforum.freeforums.net/ 

Help bring back our old membership and invite new friends and challengers!

AMDG,

Scott<<<

aka: CathApol

Pentecost Sunday - The Birth of the Catholic Church

 

It was on this Sunday, in 33 A.D., the Catholic Church is born! The Apostles gathered together to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Weeks (50 days after Passover - which is where we get the name "Pentecost" as in pente = 50) and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary, witnessed as tongues of fire upon their heads.

So Why Red Vestments for Pentecost?

It is widely known that red is the color of martyrdom, and is the color of the vestments for the feast day of a martyr, but why red on Pentecost? Well, there are at least two reasons red is the appropriate color for Pentecost, first and foremost - red is also the color for fire, and the fire of the Holy Ghost is represented in the red vestments. Secondly, it is truly an apostolic holy day (holiday) and since most of the 12 Apostles (all but St. John) died as martyrs, the red color of martyrdom is also appropriate.

Happy Birthday to the Catholic Church! 

Nearly 2000 years strong!

He Is Risen!

He is risen!  

He is risen indeed!

In the Ukrainian (my wife and I were married in the Ukrainian Catholic Church) this is stated:

Khrystos voskres!

And the response is:

Voistynu voskres!

It is now Eastertide! 

 

The stone is rolled away!

We begin this season with the First Mass of Easter (about half-way through the Easter Vigil) and it lasts through Pentecost Sunday, which begins the next (and longest) season in the liturgical year.

A reminder to Catholics: One of the precepts of the Catholic Faith is every Catholic must receive Holy Eucharist at least once during Eastertide. We commonly call this precept our "Easter Duty." This will typically be preceded by participating in the Sacrament of Penance (aka: Reconciliation or Confession). This is not to be confused with another precept, that of the so-called "Sunday obligation," wherein every Catholic is obliged to participate in the Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. While attending Mass is required, every Sunday, reception of the Eucharist is not mandatory every Sunday.

Patron Saint of Ireland - Patrick

BUT!  Then you hear or read of those who proclaim that St. Patrick was never officially declared a Saint by the Catholic Church - and most of us then say, um, WHAT?! While it is true that St. Patrick was not declared a Saint, in the same manner, most other Saints have been so declared - one must look at the REASON his canonization was different. The fact is, in the first millennium the formal canonization process had not been fully developed. However, to proclaim he was never officially canonized is simply NOT TRUE! The fact of the matter is, in ancient times, starting about 787 A.D., a new church had to have a relic from a Saint before it could be consecrated.

In 1177, a knight named John de Courcy built a new monastery and he, with Bishop Malachy, applied to Pope Urban III for permission to have the remains of Sts. Patrick, Brigid, and Columcille moved to the new monastery. An investigation was conducted and a Solemn Translation (elevato corporis) was approved. Pope Urban sent Cardinal Vivian with his official commission for the verification of the sanctity of the persons (Patrick, Brigid, and Columcille), followed by an all-night vigil prior to moving the remains. For the day, this WAS an official declaration of sainthood by and through the Catholic Church (McCormick, 2011). 

The process of declaring one a saint has changed many, many times throughout the ages, most recently in 1983 and 1997 (McCormick, 2011). So, while St. Patrick's official canonization was not according to the modern means - he was most definitely recognized as a Saint of the Catholic Church and BY the Catholic Church in 1177 A.D.

References

McCormick, M. (2011). St. Patrick IS a Saint! Ancient Order of Hibernians.                https://aoh.com/2011/03/01/st-patrick-is-a-saint/ 

Choirs of Angels

Did you know there are nine (9) Choirs of Angels in Heaven?

So, what are the names of these choirs, and is there a scriptural reference?

The Seraphim: Isaiah 6:2; Hebrews 12:22.

The Cherubim: Genesis 3:24; Hebrews 12:22

The Thrones: Colossians 1:16

The Dominations or Dominions: Colossians 1:16

The Virtues: Ephesians 1:21

The Powers: Ephesians 1:21 and Colossians 1:16

The Principalities: Colossians 1:16-17

The Archangels: Tobit 12:15; John 5:4; Revelation 12:7-9

The Angels: (Including Guardian or Personal Angels): Daniel 3:28, Daniel 6:22; Matthew 18:10

Additional Reading (and credit for sources):

The Nine Choirs of Angels: https://whoislikegodblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/23/the-nine-choirs-of-angels/ 

The Nine Choir Hierarchy of the Angels in Scripture and Tradition: https://taylormarshall.com/2014/10/nine-choir-hierarchy-angels-scripture-tradition.html 

What are the categories of Angels (archangels, thrones, dominions, seraphim)? https://catholicstraightanswers.com/categories-angels-archangels-thrones-dominions-seraphim/ 

Explanation and Hierarchy of the 9 Choirs of Angels: https://soulpainter.com/2015/09/explanation-and-hierarchy-of-the-9-choirs-of-angels-infographic/ (source of the image below):

Candlemas - February 2nd

Candlemas - February 2

Christmas IS Over!

Candlemas Eve

Down with the rosemary and bays,

Down with the misletoe;

Instead of holly, now up-raise

The greener box, for show.   
 

The holly hitherto did sway;

Let box now domineer,

Until the dancing Easter-day,

Or Easter’s eve appear.   
 

Then youthful box, which now hath grace

Your houses to renew,

Grown old, surrender must his place

Unto the crispèd yew.

When yew is out, then birch comes in,

And many flowers beside,

Both of a fresh and fragrant kin,

To honour Whitsuntide.   

Green rushes then, and sweetest bents,

With cooler oaken boughs,

Come in for comely ornaments,

To re-adorn the house.

Thus times do shift; 

Each thing his turn does hold;

New things succeed,

As former things grow old.

(Source: https://www.bartleby.com/337/368.html)

The poem takes us from Christmastide, taking down our Christmas decorations, to Easter and then Pentecost (Whitsunday) and into summertime - and back to when "cooler oaken boughs..." and it is time again to re-adorn the house for the next Christ Mass celebration.

 

Today's readings are from the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple - and is the last lectionary reference to the infancy of Jesus for the liturgical year.