Catholicity

 WHEN THE SPINE SNAPS:  The Quiet Collapse of Apostolicity in the Church > “When the link to the apostolic college is lost, or when these bones become weak, the Church suffers from more or less severe osteoporosis. It struggles to stand and to walk forward.” --- 🔰 I. UNDERSTANDING APOSTOLICITY:  The Church’s Unbreakable Spine Apostolicity is not a decorative relic of Christian antiquity—it is the living, breathing backbone of the Catholic Church. 💡 What Is Apostolicity? Apostolicity has three essential dimensions: 🔴 Historical Continuity > The Catholic Church is built on the foundation of the apostles (cf. Ephesians 2:20). This means that every bishop today stands in unbroken succession from the apostles—sacramentally and doctrinally. 🔵 Doctrinal Fidelity > The Church preserves the deposit of faith entrusted to the apostles (cf. 2 Timothy 1:13-14). This includes Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and authoritative teaching through the Magisterium. 🟢 Collegi...

 APOSTOLIC TRADITION — A SIGNIFICANT PART IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH by Rene Urmanita, edited Apostolic tradition refers to the body of Christian teachings, practices, and beliefs passed down from the Apostles to subsequent generations of believers.  As far as The Catholic Church is concerned, Apostolic Tradition is a vibrant, living, and dynamic force within The Church, placed alongside and equal to Sacred Scripture, both of which together guide our faith and practice.  On the other hand, Christian sects outside The Church, aka, the protestant churches, understand and apply the concept of Apostolic Tradition in various ways.  Some essentially mirror The Church's application of it. Meanwhile... 1. Others acknowledge it, reluctantly. 2. Some seem to ignore it as uncomfortable or inconvenient to their interpretations of Scripture. 3. A third group of protestant sects basically spit on Tradition in any form. This extreme disregard is common among the late arriving, Bible...

 THE EARLY CHURCH BAPTIZED ENTIRE FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS ON THE BASIS OF THE FAITH OF PARENTS OR HOUSEHOLD HEADS (Acts 16:15; Acts 16:29-34; 1 Corinthians 1:16) But what is a Household? Can they include children or infants?  Yes! Households can absolutely include infants and/or children. In fact, a significant portion of households in the United States are comprised of families with infants or children under the age of 18. Households are defined as all people occupying a housing unit, and can include families (related by birth, marriage, or adoption) as well as individuals not related to the householder.  Family Households: These are households where at least one person is related to the householder (the person in whose name the home is owned or rented) by birth, marriage, or adoption. A large percentage of family households include children under 18.  Households with Children: These can be family households or households that include other related individuals (like...

 THE HEBREW MASORETIC TEXT vs. THE GREEK SEPTUAGINT TEXT (LXX) (Biblical Evidence for the Catholic Faith) ✝️ The Catholic Bible is based on the SEPTUAGINT TEXT used by the Jews in Alexandria. This is also the translation of the OLD TESTAMENT used by Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the first Christians. ✝️ The Bible of the Protestants is derived from the MASORETIC TEXT of the Jews who persecuted the first Christians and killed Christ. According to history: ✝️ “…In the 3rd century B.C., the Old Testament began to be translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into GREEK, primarily for the benefit of the large JEWISH COMMUNITY in ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, whose language was GREEK. This Greek translation of the Old Testament is called the SEPTUAGINT...” (Encyclopedia International, Vol. 2, 1967, p. 569). ✝️ “Sources of the SEPTUAGINT….It was made directly from HEBREW ORIGINALS that frequently differed considerably from the present Masoretic text” (Encyclopedia Britannica Micropedia, Vol. 2, 1979, p. 8...

 I HATED THE CHURCH —UNTIL I MET HER MOTHER  There was a time I could barely stand the sight of a crucifix. The sound of bells from a nearby church stirred irritation instead of reverence. Though I had grown up hearing about Jesus and going through the motions of religion, something had grown bitter within me. Maybe it was some hypocrisy I witnessed. Maybe it was gossip and rumors. Maybe it was prayers I thought were unanswered. But looking back, I now know that I had simply drifted so far from the heart of the Church, that I no longer recognized her beauty. I didn’t leave physically, or even spiritually — I went to Mass on occasion. But my heart wasn't in it.  I began to be lured by protestant hatred for The Church. I judged the Church as rigid, outdated, and harsh. The free-wheeling, "feel good" ideas of these churches had an appeal. Being "saved" out of The Church began to seem possible. I exclaimed that The Church was just a collection of false teachings; I ...

 SOME SAY: “CATHOLIC KNIGHTS ARE CULTISTS...” READ THIS TO DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF Catholics Online Class  __________________ There’s a group of men in the Church, devout, organized, and deeply committed to their faith, but, when these men appear in wearing capes, gloves, swords, and badges, especially during big Masses or funerals, people begin to murmur. Some look at them with wonder. Others with suspicion. You hear whispers: 👉 “Is this a Catholic thing?” 👉 “Why are they using swords?” 👉 “Is this not cultism?” First understand that The Church is not afraid of the word, "cult," itself... the world is afraid of it. Men have weaponized the word to use against others.  But The Church uses it by its original meaning..... Cult: from the Latin, "cultus," meaning honor to a thing or person. It includes worship, veneration and devotion. It also loosely refers to organized liturgical activities, but in general, it is applied in the sense of unity So calling something one s...