statues

The Catholic listing of the 10 commandments is taken from the Hebrew texts and includes as one commandment worshiping graven images and idolatry. Many protestants list this first commandment into two distinct commandments regarding strange gods and graven images. This falls into the error of taking texts out of context and creating a pretext which distorts the original intention. Five chapters after the ten commandments, God instructs Moses to carve angels that would sit on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Clearly the prohibition was against the idolatry of worshiping images and not in carving them. To make up for this expansion of the first commandment into two, protestants contract the coveting of another's spouse (lust) and coveting another's goods into one commandment. This would reduce spouses to mere property. There are clearly two very different sins with vastly different gravity.

3 pillars

Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium Many critics of the Catholic Church reject tradition and magisterium. These critics fail to see their own tradition and magisterium. The result is that everyone claims his own tradition and claims to be his own magisterium. This disorder and disunity flies in the face of Scripture: "He who listens to you, listens to me, and he who rejects you, rejects me" (Lk 10:16) "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" Mt 16:18) "I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Mt 28:20) The Holy Spirit "Will abide with you forever" (Jn 14:16) "I will not leave you orphans" Jn 14:18) "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15) “That all may be one” Jn 17,21 The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ and as such can and does include sinners of all stripes, but the head of this Church is Christ and it is His Church. It is Christ who cleanses and renews its members constantly through the Sacraments which He gave us and guarantees that the "power of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18)

2. Bible

2. If the Bible is the inspired Word of God then the list of books included in the Bible must be inspired by God Also. That list is called the Canon and was accepted by all Christians as inspired When Christians Were united in the one church which Christ founded. It is reasonable and necessary that the only correct exegesis of Scripture must be in accord With the Church which Christ established with His authority. Tradition comes from God and trumps claims of new inspiration. Anyone who quotes the Bible is proclaiming Catholic Tradition.

1. Tradition

1. The foundation of the Jewish faith is Tradition. The foundation of the Catholic faith is the Jewish faith. Catholic faith and doctrine remained intact for over 2000 years because the Church defends itself against heresy with tradition. Heresy is built on sand and shifts With the tides and has no foundation. Critics of the Catholic Church reject tradition as a foundation of faith and rely on "scripture alone" which is a distortion of "all scripture." Papal primacy was taken for granted in the early church. Bishops from East and West and the early Fathers of the church attest to this. It is founded on Christ calling Peter the Rock and entrusting him With the "keys of the kingdom." Apostolic tradition has protected the church against heresies: such as Arianism Which was based on erroneous interpretation of scripture and did not coincide With the Teachings of the apostles.

Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium

Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium

Many critics of the Catholic Church reject tradition and magisterium. These critics fail to see their own tradition and magisterium. The result is that everyone claims his own tradition and claims to be his own magisterium. This disorder and disunity flies in the face of Scripture: "He who listens to you, listens to me, and he who rejects you, rejects me" (Lk 10:16) "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" Mt 16:18) "I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Mt 28:20) The Holy Spirit "Will abide with you forever" (Jn 14:16) "I will not leave you orphans" Jn 14:18) "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15) “That all may be one” Jn 17,21
The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ and as such can and does include sinners of all stripes, but the head of this Church is Christ and it is His Church. It is Christ who cleanses and renews its members constantly through the Sacraments which He gave us and guarantees that the "power of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18)

carved images

The Catholic listing of the 10 commandments is taken from the Hebrew texts and includes as one commandment worshiping graven images and idolatry. Many protestants list this first commandment into two distinct commandments regarding strange gods and graven images. This falls into the error of taking texts out of context and creating a pretext which distorts the original intention. Five chapters after the ten commandments, God instructs Moses to carve angels that would sit on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Clearly the prohibition was against the idolatry of worshiping images and not in carving them. To make up for this expansion of the first commandment into two, protestants contract the coveting of another's spouse (lust) and coveting another's goods into one commandment. This would reduce spouses to mere property. There are clearly two very different sins with vastly different gravity.

abortion

"You shall not procure abortion, nor destroy a newborn child" Didache (did-ah-kay) 70-80 AD

contraception

"A society which abandons children and the  elderly severs its roots and darkens its future." Pope Francis
The constant tradition of the Church has been the first commandment to Adam and Eve: Be fruitful and multiply.

Sign of the Cross

Is one of the earliest traditions of the Church. It reminds us of the sign with the blood of the lamb on the doorposts the night of the Passover and also reminds us of the sign of our Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit which frees us from sin. We renew our Baptism and our commitment to Christ with the sign of the cross.

Elevated Consecration

The Tradition of elevating the host during consecration began in Pars in 1210. The faithful positioned behind the priest could not see the host being consecrated. Elevating the host at this point allowed everyone to participate in the moment of consecration. Signaling the moment of consecration with ringing bells also became common.

Sabbath

The first Christians changed the Sabbath to Sunday to recognize the centrality of the Resurrection. They also dispensed with circumcision and believed Jesus gave them the authority to do so. "What you bind on earth shall also be bound in Heaven. What you loose on earth shall also be loosed in Heaven." Jesus also made clear that the Sabbath is made for man and not they other way around.

Mass

"Ite Misa est" is the origin of the word Mass. This is a constant reminder of what we do after Mass. We follow the commission given by Jesus to the Church before his Ascension from the Mount of Olives: "Go , therefore, and make disciples of all nations..."

Latin

Jesus and the Apostles spoke Hebrew and Aramaic. The most common language of that time was Greek. Eventually Latin became the most common language, especially in Italy. This is how Latin became the official language of the Church and has remained so. The changing of the liturgy to local language was consistent with the goal of teaching the Gospel to the greatest number of people.

Christmas

Celebrating the Lord's birth was an early Christian tradition but did not have a universally fixed day until the fourth century and then it happened to coincide with a day some pagan sects celebrated the Sun God. The early Christians did not usually celebrate birth days because they believed true birth to true eternal life was the last day of earthly existence. The pagans were accustomed to celebrating birthdays. For Christians the central feast day was still Passover. For the Jews this celebrated freedom from slavery in Egypt and for the Christian freedom from slavery to sin.  For the Christian, Passover concluded with the Resurrection and proceeded toward Pentecost.

novena

The first New Testament novena is recounted in Act 2:1. The Apostles, together with the Blessed Mother and other holy women, spent 9 days in prayer and contemplation after the Lord's Ascension awaiting Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Novenas are not vain repetitions.

Incense

Catholic Church rituals are steeped in the Jewish roots of our Traditions.

Sacramentals

There are only 7 Sacraments instituted by Christ which make us  sharers in His Divinity. Sacramentals are instituted by the Church to remind us of our life in Christ but do not have intrinsic grace or value in themselves. A wedding ring is an example of a sacramental. It is not intrinsic to the sacrament of marriage but helps remind us of our commitment and responsibility in marriage. Relics and holy pictures are merely signs that can encourage us and help direct us to greater piety and openness to the Sacraments.

Holy Water

When we bless ourselves with Holy Water we remind ourselves and renew the washing of our souls at Baptism and recommit ourselves to carry the cross with Christ.

Father

St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr referred to the Jewish leaders as "my fathers."  St. Paul calls himself father to those to whom he preached the Gospel. This was the tradition of the first Christians. The successors of Peter were called "Papa," (Pope) the affectionate term for father. The first Christians understood Jesus's teaching that God was their only true supernatural "Father," but that did not inhibit them from using the tern in its normal, usual, natural meaning.

Catholic

Catholic was the word used to describe the true church of Christ by the first Christians and to defend her against heretical sects. St. Ignatius succeeded Peter as the bishop of Antioch and on his way to martyrdom exhorts everyone to remain faithful to the one and only Catholic Church established by Christ and entrusted to Peter and his successors. Anglicans attempted to usurp the name Catholic by adding the the name Roman to the Church they excommunicated themselves from. The Nicene Creed, used by all Christians,  does not include an Anglican Catholic Church or a Methodist Catholic Church or a Lutheran Catholic Church or an Orthodox Catholic Church, but rather only One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Even the enemies of the Church disparage her as the "Catholic Church"