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Vocations have a 'seed-bed': wherever families believe and practice the Faith, love Christ and His Church, obey their pastors, and train their children, as they ought, to treasure their spiritual heritage.
Where families are faithful to the teachings of the Church, out of love for Christ and His pastors, they act as a seed-bed for vocations to the Priesthood and religious life. How can the Faith be handed on fervently by Catholics who don't believe or practice it?
Where families are faithful to the teachings of the Church, out of love for Christ and His pastors, they act as a seed-bed for vocations to the Priesthood and religious life. How can the Faith be handed on fervently by Catholics who don't believe or practice it?
Error is not a laughing matter. Where there is little supervision or guidance in a 'faith sharing' group, dissenters can hold forth with no fear of contradiction, and faith can be damaged rather than deepened.
No one achieves sanctity by looking timidly at the waters of holiness, or trying to remain on the surface. It is the Saints, who believe that the water can support them, and who want to accept Christ's invitation, who plunge in, experience transformation, and persevere. With a special diet, and with courage, training and good instruction they become champion swimmers.
The Father in Heaven looks down upon many children who have been badly instructed. It is amazing that at their First Holy Communion many know nothing about sin, about the Saviour Who died for us, about the Sacrifice of Calvary, and about that same sacrifice being re-presented here, in the Mass.
It is a tragedy, in Christ's sight, that many Catholics are told that the Mass is simply a meal - with no mention of the Sacrifice He offered on Calvary, which is made present in our sanctuary. At Mass, we can be with Christ as He prays for us to be forgiven, just as He prayed on Calvary. It is shameful for Catholics not to bother to attend Sunday Mass.
There is no need for irreverent liturgies to be offered to youngsters, in the hope of sparking an interest in religion. It is better, in Christ's sight, to prepare joyful social events for them, followed by thorough catechesis, and opportunities for Reconciliation. Then there can be a beautiful inspiring Mass, or Adoration and Benediction.
A child needs to learn that the body and soul make one unique person. The body is made alive by the soul. The soul can never die; but when it leaves the body, the body dies. Until that time, a person should feed his body with food and drink, and feed his soul with spiritual food and drink, which is Jesus Himself, 'Hidden' in the Sacred Host or chalice.
We can explain to a child that just as a car has parts, which makes it what it is, and has a purpose - to convey people along a road - and needs special fuel such as petrol, so a human being us composed of a body with a living soul or 'spirit' to make it alive. The spirit and body together are a person, whose purpose is to love God and become like Him, and whose 'fuel' is food for the body. and Holy Communion - Jesus Himself - for the soul.
Many of the Clergy are content to encourage their flocks in doing good; yet they neglect those people by failing to warn them of the grievous consequences of deliberate rejection of God, the Church or the Commandments. Falsely supposing that a man will be saved, no matter what sort of life he has led, they never mention Eternal suffering in Hell
Think about the uproar when careless school teachers allow the children to do as the please on school trips, only to find them lying dead near a river-bank. What will all of Heaven think when careless priests and Bishops, who have let people do as they please, see them falling down into the depths of Hell?
It is said that Catholics in a discussion group must not dispute what is said in the course of the meeting. This is only a man-made rule. It is God's Will that if we hear someone lead others astray by false or distorted versions of the Faith, or by outright denial of truth, we speak to defend the Faith, and to aid confused souls.
The Catholic Faith is something simple enough for a child to understand, even though it also fascinates and satisfies the most profound souls and the greatest intellects. A child can grasp the truth about a loving, Divine Saviour, Whose family, the Church, hands on the truth about how to do good and prepare for Heaven.
Some people accuse the Church of speaking far too often and too forcefully about sexual immorality. Yet Christ wants everyone to know what is sinful, and to abandon sinful behaviour. Christ is pleased with Clergy and parents who speak truthfully about morals.
Every priest in the world has been called to be another Christ in the place where he serves. Whoever dissents from Church doctrine, however, and argues publicly about such things, endangers his own soul and endangers others by perhaps leading them astray. Teachers and preachers have a stricter judgement.
The eternal truths expressed in the writings of generations of Popes are for all people. The Lord has enlightened the Popes ever since St. Peter. Two great works that the Lord wants people to examine are the Catechism of the Council of Trent, and 'Of Human Life' by Pope Paul VI - and then, in recent days, the 'Catechism of the Catholic Church'.
We cannot avoid difficult topics in discussing the faith; yet it is important to be aware, when speaking of subjects such as death, that we do not know the dreams, fears and past experiences of each listener. Some might have had dreadful experiences of the illnesses and deaths of friends or relations; and this colours their attitudes and even alters their belief. Sensitivity is essential.
Just as no driver is allowed to risk lives on the road, without having been prepared and instructed, so, no-one making vows in the Church, for marriage or Religious Life, which can affect other lives for a life-time and even for Eternity, should do so without first receiving preparation and instruction by the clergy or by loyal, practicing Catholics, authorised by the clergy.
The smoke of Satan has entered the Church, causing many Catholics to approve of various types of immorality, to practice forbidden acts, to protest about legitimate discipline and constant teachings on faith and morals, to demand Papal approval of heresy, to water down the truth when catechising others, and to show little reverence for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
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