UNITY IN TRUTH
One of the sad things about the Church in England is its scant regard of what is true and what is false. It now has some kind of philosophy that we can all have our different opinions and beliefs but somehow we can all somehow be truly Christian by respecting the opinion of others as long as we are good, charitable, and in 'communion'. This proved a disaster when it was first introduced for it led to a persecution of those who wanted to follow the Truth, they could certainly not hold on to the Catholic Faith.
Recently I have been going through a book by Jimmy Akin called 'The Fathers Know Best". He explores the writings of the early Church and very early Church and we are led with the awesome thought that the early Church corresponded very well not with the Protestant position but the Catholic one of today. Early writers and contemporaries of the Apostles such as Ignatius of Antioch talk about Infant Baptism and speak out against an opinion that babies should wait 8 days before being baptised to correspond with the circumcision in the Jewish Faith. No, Ignatius answers they should be baptised as soon as possible for although they have no sin they should not be deprived of the graces that flow into their souls at baptism. The Early Church was filled with the teaching of Jesus on Grace, "We now live in the Grace of Christ" wrote St Paul to the Corinthians. It would appear the that infant baptism as early as possible was the norm. When I was a baby I was baptised two days after my birth and this was normal but if we date this back to the time of the apostles it has been normal for two thousand years. There was a kind of heresy however crept into the practice that it was to get them to heaven free from original sin, but this was never the teaching of the Church.
Then there was the insistence from Ignatius and many others that the Eucharist was indeed the 'flesh' of Christ as Christ had said it was. He defended against the Gnostics who appeared to hold the present Protestant position. He was backed up by Hippolytus, and so many other early Fathers.
And yes, people did confess their sins, first in public, and then through the work of Irish monks, confessed them privately to a priest.
On Baptism there was a debate about full immersion, but since this was not always possible a sprinkling of water was sufficient. Why were we then trying to introduce an unnecessary practice into our diocese not so long ago?
Since until very recently the teaching of the Catholic Faith was not allowed in many parishes
I will go into these topics in future blogs since the reading of books in our hurry and scurry age is not the usual practice. You will find that the Church in her teachings and practice do indeed go back to the early Church and she is indeed, the one, holy, catholic, and 'Apostolic Church".
Recently I have been going through a book by Jimmy Akin called 'The Fathers Know Best". He explores the writings of the early Church and very early Church and we are led with the awesome thought that the early Church corresponded very well not with the Protestant position but the Catholic one of today. Early writers and contemporaries of the Apostles such as Ignatius of Antioch talk about Infant Baptism and speak out against an opinion that babies should wait 8 days before being baptised to correspond with the circumcision in the Jewish Faith. No, Ignatius answers they should be baptised as soon as possible for although they have no sin they should not be deprived of the graces that flow into their souls at baptism. The Early Church was filled with the teaching of Jesus on Grace, "We now live in the Grace of Christ" wrote St Paul to the Corinthians. It would appear the that infant baptism as early as possible was the norm. When I was a baby I was baptised two days after my birth and this was normal but if we date this back to the time of the apostles it has been normal for two thousand years. There was a kind of heresy however crept into the practice that it was to get them to heaven free from original sin, but this was never the teaching of the Church.
Then there was the insistence from Ignatius and many others that the Eucharist was indeed the 'flesh' of Christ as Christ had said it was. He defended against the Gnostics who appeared to hold the present Protestant position. He was backed up by Hippolytus, and so many other early Fathers.
And yes, people did confess their sins, first in public, and then through the work of Irish monks, confessed them privately to a priest.
On Baptism there was a debate about full immersion, but since this was not always possible a sprinkling of water was sufficient. Why were we then trying to introduce an unnecessary practice into our diocese not so long ago?
Since until very recently the teaching of the Catholic Faith was not allowed in many parishes
I will go into these topics in future blogs since the reading of books in our hurry and scurry age is not the usual practice. You will find that the Church in her teachings and practice do indeed go back to the early Church and she is indeed, the one, holy, catholic, and 'Apostolic Church".
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