Next to abortion, women’s ordination is the most polarizing and passionate issue in the Church today. One third of the Catholic congregation is passionately committed to the cause for “priestesses”, while one third are against this idea. A sorting out and summarizing of reasons against priestesses and for the Church’s teaching may help sway the third that is not committed to either side. In addition, it would be helpful for those committed to the Church’s position to take an inventory of their intellectual weapons. No new arguments will be presented. [Read more…]
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Christianity & Islam: Are We At War? By Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J.
There are a couple of things that we have to understand at the very outset. The world for Muslims is divided into two parts. First, the land of the people of Islam. Islam means being submitted. So, the land where people are submitted to God. Second, the people or the land or war. If a country has not submitted to Sharia, the law of God as revealed in the Quran and Muhammad’s oral tradition, then that land is not in submission and is a land of war. [Read more…]
What is Judaism and What Do Jews believe?
What is Judaism, and who or what is a Jew? Is Judaism simply a religion? Is it a cultural identity or just an ethnic group? Are Jews a clan of people or are they a nation? What do Jews believe, and do they all believe the same things?
[Read more…]
Catholicism and Buddhism | By: Anthony E. Clark and Carl E. Olson
Near the end of his life the Trappist monk and author Thomas Merton said that he wanted “to become as good a Buddhist as I can.” A contemporary priest, Robert E. Kennedy, S.J., Roshi (Zen master), holds Zen retreats at Morning Star Zendo in Jersey City. He states on his web site: “I ask students to trust themselves and to develop their own self-reliance through the practice of Zen.” Meanwhile, the St. Francis Chapel at Santa Clara University hosts the weekly practice of “Mindfulness and Zen Meditation.” Similarly, there are a growing number of Buddhist retreats and workshops being held in Catholic monasteries and parishes.
How is Catholicism Different From Hinduism? | Thomas Ryan, CSP Answers
First of all, Hinduism is not a religion as we tend to think of a religion. It is a name given to a range of practices, attitudes, beliefs, schools of thought, and the social and political systems connected to these. There is in Hinduism the idea of an enduring divine reality that never changes: Brahman. And “God” is the personalized form or manifestation of that ultimate divinity and takes many forms.
What Catholic’s Should Know About What Mormon’s Believe?
It is always good to have some back ground of the other faiths in the world. Understanding other faiths, in relation to your own, will give you better knowledge to your own beliefs and conviction when speaking to others of other faiths.
Some basic information Catholics should know about what Mormon’s believe: [Read more…]
What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe? | By Fr. Williams Sanders
Recently a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses came to my door. Could you please explain to me their background and what they believe?—A reader in Springfield
Saint Peter and The Three Stages Of The Spiritual Life
The following notes are supplied by Dr. Brant Pitre. For more Bible studies on CD, DVD, and MP3 visit www.BrantPitre.com.
The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life
1. Purgative Way: Spiritual Childhood Dark Night of the Senses
2. Illuminative Way: Spiritual Adolescence Dark Night of the Spirit
3. Unitive Way: Spiritual Adulthood
The Spiritual Life of St. Peter
1. From Peter’s First Conversion to Passion Passion and Death of Jesus
2. Peter’s Second Conversion to Ascension The Ascension of Jesus
3. Pentecost to the Peter’s Martyrdom
Purgatory
The pope that led the Catholic Church into the 13th century was Pope Innocent III. He reigned from 1198 AD to 1216 AD. During his pontificate he proclaimed the fourth crusade, he approved a band of begging brothers founded by Saint Francis, and he convened the Lateran Council in 1215 to deliberate on the improvement of morals, the extinction of heresy, and the strengthening of the faith. In 1216 at the age of 56 he died. Three days later Pope Honorius III was named his successor. In the Netherlands on the day that Pope Innocent III died, St. Lutgarda was praying in her convent when suddenly appeared a man completely engulfed in flames. When she inquired who this was the person responded that he was Pope Innocent III. When she questioned how he could be in such a state he informed her that he was expiating three faults which might have caused his eternal damnation. He explained that thanks to the Blessed Mother he had obtained pardon for them though that he needed to make atonement. He further stated that this expiation was terrible and would go on for centuries unless she came to his assistance. A highly regarded pope was judged worthy of purgatory for centuries for three faults. He begged for assistance in the name of Mary and then disappeared. St. Lutgarda announced that this appearance had occurred to her sisters and they began to pray and perform works of penance to deliver him from purgatory. Some weeks later the announcement that the pope had died arrived at the convent through normal channels.