Catholicity

Few figures in Scripture, indeed, in all of Christendom, spark as much curiosity and fear as the Antichrist. Movies, novels, and speculation often exaggerate or distort the concept, but the Catholic Church has clear teaching about who the Antichrist is and what he represents. Far from being a superstition, the idea of the Antichrist is deeply rooted in Scripture and Tradition. 1. The Antichrist in Scripture The term Antichrist appears in the letters of St. John: “Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18). John warns of both a singular Antichrist at the end of time and the presence of “many antichrists” already active through false teachings and opposition to Christ. St. Paul also describes a “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4) who exalts himself against God, while the Book of Revelation portrays beasts and figures of deception that align with this idea. 2. The Church’s Understanding The Chur...

 WHY GOSSIP IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN YOU THINK Rosary Family facebook group  Most people don’t see gossip as a serious sin. It often feels harmless—just sharing news about others, filling silence in a conversation, or passing along something “interesting.” Yet in the eyes of the Catholic Church, gossip is far from harmless. In fact, it is a spiritual poison that can wound hearts, destroy reputations, and weaken communities. 1. Gossip Hurts Charity The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that every word we speak should respect the dignity of others. Gossip violates the commandment to love our neighbor. Even when what is said is technically true, spreading it unnecessarily can harm another person’s reputation. This is called detraction—revealing someone’s faults without a valid reason. 2. Gossip Easily Becomes a Sin of Calumny Gossip doesn’t just stop at truth—it often drifts into exaggeration, assumptions, or outright lies. This is calumny: when false information is spread t...

 RESTLESS HEARTS, ETERNAL TRUTH:  A Catholic Journey through Augustine’s Confessions --- I. INTRODUCTION:  What the Confessions Is — and What It Is Not St. Augustine’s Confessions (written c. 397–400) is one of the most influential works in Christian history, a text that continues to shape Catholic spirituality, Protestant theology, and Orthodox reflection.  It is not a simple autobiography nor a mere historical account of his life. Instead, it is a prayerful dialogue with God that blends personal memory, theological depth, and biblical meditation. It is a testimony of grace, a meditation on sin and redemption, and a model of how faith and reason can embrace one another.  The Confessions is therefore both a personal journey and a universal roadmap for all Christians seeking God. As the Catechism reminds us, “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God” (CCC 27).  Augustine gives voice to this reality in his fa...

 SAY THIS SIMPLE PRAYER IN YOUR HEART WHILE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION Proudly Catholic  For Catholics, there is no moment more sacred, more intimate, and more transformative than the moment of Holy Communion. At Mass, when the priest raises the consecrated Host and declares, “Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world,” we are invited to approach the altar and receive Jesus Christ Himself — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — into our very being. This mystery is so great that words fail. We are mere creatures receiving the Creator. We are sinners invited to a banquet of grace. Heaven touches earth, and Christ, who died and rose for us, enters into our bodies and souls. At such a moment, what should we say? How can we respond worthily? The Church offers us prayers before and after Communion, but many saints and spiritual masters encourage us to whisper a simple prayer in our hearts while receiving Holy Communion. This prayer need not be long or complic...

 THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT BINDING AND LOOSING IN THE BIBLE Catholics Online Class  _________________ Someone once asked me: “Father, when Jesus said ‘whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven’ (Mt 16:19; 18:18), does it mean anyone, even lay people, can bind and loose? Or is it only for priests and bishops?” Let’s unlock the meaning together. ✝️ 1. WHAT DOES “BIND” AND “LOOSE” MEAN? In Jewish culture, “binding” and “loosing” were technical terms used by rabbis. To bind meant to forbid something, to declare it unlawful. To loose meant to permit something, to declare it lawful. It was not magic language. It was about teaching with authority, interpreting God’s law and guiding the community of faith. So when Jesus used these words, His Jewish audience understood: He was giving authority to lead, teach, and discipline in His Church. ✝️2. WHO FIRST RECEIVED THIS POWER? In Matthew 16:19, Jesus speaks directly to Pe...

 THE CATHOLIC VIEW ON “PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS” Rosary Family facebook group  Many Christians outside the Catholic Church emphasize the need for a “personal relationship with Jesus.” Catholics sometimes hear this and wonder—do we believe the same thing? The truth is, the Catholic Church not only affirms the importance of a personal relationship with Christ but also shows us the fullest way to live it—through Scripture, prayer, and especially the sacraments. 1. What “Personal Relationship with Jesus” Really Means A personal relationship with Jesus is not about feelings or private spirituality alone—it is about knowing, loving, and following Christ in daily life. Catholics agree that faith must be more than ritual; it must be an encounter with a living Person who calls us into friendship. Jesus Himself said: “I no longer call you servants, but friends” (John 15:15). 2. The Catholic Distinctive: Relationship Through the Church While many Christians see a personal relatio...

A Pathway to Communal Holiness in a Restless World --- I. INTRODUCTION:  What the Rule Is—and What It Is Not The Rule of St. Augustine is among the oldest monastic guidelines in Western Christianity.  Written in the late 4th or early 5th century by Augustine of Hippo, it is not a detailed manual of ascetic practices like the Rule of St. Benedict, nor is it a rigid legal code.  Instead, it is a spiritual charter—a concise and deeply pastoral roadmap centered on the primacy of love (caritas) as the foundation of community life. The rule,  in 8 parts, or chapters, is divided into eight chapters: Chapter I:  Purpose and Basis of Common Life Chapter II:  Prayer Chapter III:  Moderation and Self Denial Chapter IV:  Safeguarding Chastity,and Fraternal Correction Chapter V:  The Care of Community Goods and Treatment of the Sick Chapter VI:  Asking Pardon and Forgiving Offenses Chapter VII:  Governance and Obedience Chapter VIII:  Obser...

THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD (and troubling) TEACHING OF JESUS.... Luke 13:22-30 Jesus passed through towns and villages,  teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate..., for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter  but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from. And you will say, 'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.' Then he will say to you, 'I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!' And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob  and all the prophets in the kingdom of God -  and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and t...

Otherwise known by the acronym, "OSAS," this is an erroneous belief among protestants, in particular among the, "bible-only" Evangelical and fundamentalist groups. Unfortunately for them, it appears nowhere explicitly written in the Bible, and it was never taught before the Bible existed. It came about after the protestant reformation got started, from the mind of one man, as we'll see here in a moment.  To me, the odd part is this: Here we have people who reject anything that doesnt explicitly appear in the Bible, letter for letter. But this concept of OSAS isn’t there that way; it had to be built-up from cherry-picked bits of scripture to suit the argument. Yet, its a cornerstone of these sects. So let's do a little forensics on this. ✅ 1. Did Jesus teach OSAS? No, I'm afraid not. In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly emphasized that we must remain in faith and obedience until the end. Examples: Matthew 24:13 – “But the one who endures to the end will be sa...

 DESCENDING INTO THE DEPTHS:  Dante’s Circles of Hell and the Catholic Vision of Sin, Justice, and Mercy --- INTRODUCTION:  Why Dante Still Speaks to Us Dante Alighieri’s, "Divine Comedy" —and especially, "The Inferno" —is not just a literary masterpiece, but also a profound theological meditation on sin, justice, and the eternal consequences of human choices.  Written in the early 14th century, Dante’s depiction of the nine circles of Hell captured the medieval Catholic worldview, weaving together Sacred Scripture, scholastic theology, and classical philosophy. But to read Dante properly, one must remember:  His poem is not official Catholic dogma.  Instead, it is one man's poetic vision.  It does reflect Catholic teaching, while also engaging the imagination and reflecting the culture of its time.  For Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants alike, Dante’s Hell provides a mirror to examine the gravity of sin, the justice of God, and the urgent call...

 Someone asked me why Catholics, when saying the Our Lord’s Prayer in their private prayers, stop at “deliver us from evil”, while Protestants, on the other hand, end with “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” To answer this, let’s look at what Jesus actually taught and how the prayer was passed down. The Our Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4, which was spoken by Jesus, originally ended with: “…deliver us from evil.” — and not with “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.” The “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen,” which is called the doxology or praise, as seen in the King James Bible, is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts of Matthew and Luke. So where did “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” come from? The line “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory…” was added later by some early Christians, who were Jewish, because in Jewish prayers th...

 THE HIDDEN BATTLE WITHIN:  Understanding the “Unconscious” in the Light of Christ --- I. INTRODUCTION — The Question at Stake The concept of the “unconscious” has a long and winding history: Schelling first introduced the term in the early 19th century. Coleridge carried the idea into the English-speaking world. Freud put it in the center of his psychological system, claiming the unconscious mind is the “true” driver of human behavior. Jung expanded it into the “collective unconscious,” a storehouse of the whole spiritual heritage of humanity. Modern cognitive science often criticizes these views as unscientific but admits there are processes outside conscious awareness. The pressing question is: Should Christians view the unconscious as a real, central element of human nature — or as a misleading myth that distorts the Gospel’s vision of the human person? --- II. A Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant-Friendly Approach Christianity has always recognized that human beings have ...

WHY CATHOLICS USE TERMS NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE 1️⃣ Ever heard someone say: “That word, or phrase, or concept - etc. -  isn’t in the Bible!” They then use that as some kind of "proof" to reject a Catholic teaching. This is the basic modus operandi of all protestants, and it's a literal dogma of its own among fundamentalist, and evangelical, "Bible only," sects. Yet this is more the pride and anger of men who hate The Church, more than any valid ecclesiastical action.  And most are so intent on pursuing this error, that they dont even know it IS an error.   After 500+ years, they have grown so accustomed to cherry-picking Scripture verses to invalidate The Church (and so validate themselves), that they are clueless to thier mistake. So, let’s break this down and explain it. First, off, not every word must be in Scripture - the Bible never tells us that. In a few places, we are told how the Bible could be used to help us, but it never says you may use nothing ELSE...

 WHERE IS THE POPE IN THE BIBLE ? The question “Where is the Pope in the Bible?” is one many people—Catholics and non-Catholics alike—often ask. Its an especially favorite question among the Catholic dismissive, "Bible-only" protestant sects. And while the word “Pope” doesn’t appear in Scripture, the office it represents has a clear foundation in the Bible. Catholics believe that the papacy is rooted in Jesus Christ’s delegation of authority to St. Peter, the first Bishop of Rome. 1. Matthew 16:18–19 — “You are Peter…” This passage is the cornerstone of the Catholic belief in the papacy. Jesus says to Simon: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” Here, Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter (from the Greek “Petros,” meaning rock), indicating a new mission. Giving someone keys in biblical language symbolizes authority (see Isaiah 22:22). Catholics assert that ...

This is taken from the Oxi Espiritual daily reading and reflection. It is in Spanish, so here it is translated and edited for the English speaking audience. Link at the end. +++ In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Reading 1 From  Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune. For what profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity." Reading 2 Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 "Brothers and sisters: If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have ...