Et Unam Sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam
...And in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church..
Where have we been so far? We discussed the Holy Spirit and how He was to keep the Church faithful to Christ in all His teachings and His commandments. We looked at the Christian scene, how nobody seemed to agree, yet everyone claiming to be guided by the Holy Spirit, then along came the scholars and presented a sort of jig-saw. We all had parts of it but nobody had it all. We just have to go around and find what was the Truth in the different denominations, and come to a conclusion. Guided by the Holy Spirit of course. Of course this all came from the teachings of Vatican II. Again I spent many hours of writing pointing out that it did not. The Decree on Ecumenism stated that in so far as the teachings of the Protestant Churches are in alignment with Catholic teachings then they are in an INCOMPLETE UNION, with the Catholic Church. What this was saying is that they were closer or further from the Catholic Church according to whatever they taught. The Union was incomplete because the Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches were different. The Catholic Church had the whole truth but the Protestant Churches did not. I will let my reader draw their own conclusions, if they do not want to know, fine, but if they love God they will read Vatican II. On my own writings may I give you my sources, for I have no thoughts of my own on the matter, I just follow the Truths of my Catholic Faith. There is a book called 'The Fathers Know Best' by Jimmy Akin, which goes into the early Church and quotes the writings of the early Fathers on the Mass, the Catholic Church, the Apostolic Sucession and why they condemned heresies. All of the letters quoted you can then find on the PC network as an independent source. So much is available now that it is almost the easiest thing in the world to find the Truth that Christ preached, and the commandments that Christ taught, and the Church that Christ built. I remember one time listening to a priest telling his parishioners that it was easy to put the Bible together since the books the church rejected were apocryphal, and he explained that these books were so absurd they were obviously cast aside. My heart ached for the listeners.
When in the Early Church dissent arose, a follower of Christ could come into town and ask for the Christian place of worship and be directed to as heretical sect. To avoid this he asked for the Catholic Church, and this meant he was directed to a Church united to the mainstream Church, which was guided by bishops faithful to the Bishop of Rome. Eventually this was accepted as the name of the Church, the Catholic Church. As far as Apostolicity is concerned, we cam go the wirings of St Paul. "What you have heard from me, before many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2Tim.2.2} Notice he w referring to an oral tradition.
Although today the Church may at first glance be hardly called Holy, there are thousands still true witnesses of Christ, In China the Catholics are persecuted and imprisoned, and in America as a result of recent troubles, Catholic Church are subject to abuse and destruction. But there are always martyrs who will give their lives for Christ, and others who will accept ridicule for being faithful. May the Church survive the present crisis and give us back the Faith. Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Where have we been so far? We discussed the Holy Spirit and how He was to keep the Church faithful to Christ in all His teachings and His commandments. We looked at the Christian scene, how nobody seemed to agree, yet everyone claiming to be guided by the Holy Spirit, then along came the scholars and presented a sort of jig-saw. We all had parts of it but nobody had it all. We just have to go around and find what was the Truth in the different denominations, and come to a conclusion. Guided by the Holy Spirit of course. Of course this all came from the teachings of Vatican II. Again I spent many hours of writing pointing out that it did not. The Decree on Ecumenism stated that in so far as the teachings of the Protestant Churches are in alignment with Catholic teachings then they are in an INCOMPLETE UNION, with the Catholic Church. What this was saying is that they were closer or further from the Catholic Church according to whatever they taught. The Union was incomplete because the Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches were different. The Catholic Church had the whole truth but the Protestant Churches did not. I will let my reader draw their own conclusions, if they do not want to know, fine, but if they love God they will read Vatican II. On my own writings may I give you my sources, for I have no thoughts of my own on the matter, I just follow the Truths of my Catholic Faith. There is a book called 'The Fathers Know Best' by Jimmy Akin, which goes into the early Church and quotes the writings of the early Fathers on the Mass, the Catholic Church, the Apostolic Sucession and why they condemned heresies. All of the letters quoted you can then find on the PC network as an independent source. So much is available now that it is almost the easiest thing in the world to find the Truth that Christ preached, and the commandments that Christ taught, and the Church that Christ built. I remember one time listening to a priest telling his parishioners that it was easy to put the Bible together since the books the church rejected were apocryphal, and he explained that these books were so absurd they were obviously cast aside. My heart ached for the listeners.
When in the Early Church dissent arose, a follower of Christ could come into town and ask for the Christian place of worship and be directed to as heretical sect. To avoid this he asked for the Catholic Church, and this meant he was directed to a Church united to the mainstream Church, which was guided by bishops faithful to the Bishop of Rome. Eventually this was accepted as the name of the Church, the Catholic Church. As far as Apostolicity is concerned, we cam go the wirings of St Paul. "What you have heard from me, before many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2Tim.2.2} Notice he w referring to an oral tradition.
Although today the Church may at first glance be hardly called Holy, there are thousands still true witnesses of Christ, In China the Catholics are persecuted and imprisoned, and in America as a result of recent troubles, Catholic Church are subject to abuse and destruction. But there are always martyrs who will give their lives for Christ, and others who will accept ridicule for being faithful. May the Church survive the present crisis and give us back the Faith. Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
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