We read the accounts of people of great intellectual gifts and learning, or of great moral courage, who freely entered the Catholic Church, often at considerable personal cost—persons such as John Henry Newman and G. K. Chesterton in the past, and, in our own day, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Marcus Grodi, and Richard John Neuhaus. Jesus followed his own advice by building his Church on the solid foundation of fidelity and truth (Matt. This can be seen in three different ways. Some years ago a recruit was undergoing basic training in the Army. Life is full of suffering and often burdensome and who else can you blame but God who made everything. 3:10–11; 2 Thess. Neither are the ten reasons listed above a denial of the importance of working closely with our Protestant brothers and sisters, or of the truth that we have many important lessons to learn from them, especially in the areas of preaching and a personal commitment to evangelization. The Catholic Church, in contrast, has maintained its teaching on this issue for almost two thousand years.) Moreover, only Catholic and non-Catholic Eastern priests—because of their ordinations—have the sacramental power to consecrate the Eucharist. To me, there was no human explanation even for the existence of the Catholic Church. In this, the Church imitates heaven, whose citizenship consists of “a great multitude, which no one could count, of every nation, race, people, and tongue” (Rev. The idea of different (and sometimes competing) Christian denominations would have been unthinkable to the early Christians, especially in light of Christ’s pronouncement on one shepherd and one flock (John 10:15) and his prayer that his disciples remain one (John 17:22). To deny the reality of the forgiveness of sins through confession, or the sacrament of reconciliation, is also a denial of the words of the resurrected Jesus to the apostles (John 20:22–23), in which he gave them the power to forgive sins in his name. UNIT 4 – The Intercession of Mary. First we have the incarnational sense, which means that God can be known and experienced in and through what he has created. I know Jesus, I know I’m saved, why be a Catholic? First of all, the Church has a hierarchical structure; so does heaven. Right? Catholic Gallery offers Daily Mass Readings, Prayers, Quotes, Bible Online, Yearly plan to read bible, Saint of the day and much more. The popular blogger and publisher of Envoy magazine offers 10 key reasons why he loves being Catholic (and you should too). Catholic Questions and Answers – One of the best ways to learn is to ask questions. The process of continually reinterpreting Scripture has reached the point where now, according to Oxford’s World Christian Encyclopedia, there are well over 20,000 Protestant denominations with their own—often contradictory—interpretations of the Gospel, each claiming to possess the true understanding of divine revelation. Other Christian religions have made significant changes in their moral and religious teachings—for example, ending their prohibition of artificial contraception. There are nine different choirs of angels, each with a different function and rank. All right The second sense of “sacramental” (used here as an adjective) refers to the Eucharist and the other six sacraments, which are visible signs and sources of God’s grace active in the world. The word “sacramental” is here used in three different senses. You can’t just go out and start your own Church. And that was a big problem to me, because if you can’t speak in the name of Jesus—that means speak infallibly— well then you’re not the Church that Jesus established. Tim Staples Religion Religious Educational DVD at the best online prices at … Each resident of heaven is completely absorbed in the contemplation of God, perfectly united with all the angels and saints in worshiping and praising the divine Majesty, while at the same time more fully alive and unique than ever before. . But how should you answer? The Catholic Church offers the saints as models worthy of imitation. We are imperfect human beings, never completely free of sin. Until finally what you end up doing is, if you ask the question: okay, what would you have been if you were around in, let’s say, oh, 1450? That answer is the same in both cases: “Because it is true.” Our families need to be built on a strong foundation of faith and we need to live in community with … And it was the Church that decided which of the many early Christian writings were canonical, or worthy of acceptance as scriptural. Catholicism has weathered false prophets and antipopes, wars, civil disturbances, plagues, natural disasters, barbarian invasions, and societal collapse. Christ told his followers to expect the world’s enmity, since they were not of the world (John 15:18–19), and he warned them that some people would even claim to serve God by persecuting them (John 16:2). I later became a minister in an Assembly of God community, loved Jesus, became a good old Pentecostal preacher. And basically the answer is: I became Catholic, first and foremost, to save my soul. Catholicism is only one of many different Christian religions. 20:12). I can tell you from my own perspective—because as you know, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal lord and savior when I was 10 years old at Boulevard Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia, changed my life. The Catholic Church is virtually unique in obeying and fulfilling this scriptural prophecy. 1:23), so his Church is a lightning rod for hatred, calumny, misunderstanding, suspicion, and opposition. Why I Am Catholic serves as a compelling reproposal of the Church for former Catholics, a persuasive argument for truth and beauty to those who have become jaded and disenchanted with religion, and at the same time offers practicing Catholics a much-needed dose of confidence and clarity to affirm their faith against an increasingly skeptical culture. Saints are not worshiped, but they are esteemed and honored, for they are part of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb. Didn’t Paul say that there is neither Jew nor Greek, servant nor free, male nor female, since we are all … Can’t you just accept Jesus, be born again, and be saved? 3:16). Kindly note that this site is maintained by a small group of enthusiastic Catholics and this is not from any Church or any Religious Organization. (1) Only the Catholic Church can trace its roots back to Christ Himself.. In this video, Fr. Why be baptized if desire is enough? If God wants us to honor our parents, how much more must he desire us to honor his Mother. Therefore, why be a Catholic if the sacraments are non-essential? Catholicism, with its sacramental emphasis, has carried this truth through to its logical conclusion. 1 Peter 3:21 says “baptism does now save us.” Acts 22:16, Ananias says to Paul “Why tarriest thou? We believe that’s what Jesus is talking about there, and it’s very clear when you look at the context that he’s talking about being born of water and spirit, that it’s referring to baptism, which is the instrument whereby we are brought into Christ. (With all due Respect) 3.Vestments look Protestant this may seem small to every one here but this just like the Mass shows … But sociologists have come to realize that ritual is an inherent part of human culture and an important part of human life and social interaction. 2.The last Pope Kissing the Quran as a former Muslim this makes me sick and is a slap in the face of Jesus Christ in my view. Catholicism—unlike many Protestant denominations—has never ceased doing so. This whole cacophony now of protestants, everybody’s saying “Oh, I know the truth!”. In this age of talk of “reform” within the Church, how we answer these questions will get to the heart of why reform is or isn’t necessary. And we, as a historical fact, can trace all of the ordinations of all of our bishops from all around the world back to the apostles. UNIT 5 – The Intercession of The Saints. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church (Matt. Members of the Church are sinful and holy, earthly and heavenly, and imperfect and incomplete—yet undergoing the process of sanctification. There was no Orthodox. At the same time, all are equal in the sense of fully sharing in the Beatific Vision (the joyous, all-encompassing contemplation of God) and in being perfectly happy. As the great bishop and martyr Ignatius of Antioch noted, “Christianity shows its greatness when it is hated by the world.” Anti-Catholicism has arguably had a stronger role in human history than any other prejudice save anti-Semitism, even in the United States. Sacramentals of this sort include holy water, scapulars, crucifixes, medals, rosaries, ashes on Ash Wednesday, the Sign of the Cross, and so on. As Jesus noted, much is expected of those to whom much is given (Luke 12:48). 16:18–19). Catholicism is biblical. Using an entertaining speaking style, backed up by logic and science, Tim leaves his audience with answers to our most fundamental questions. This is an important sign of its authenticity, for objective truth is often unpopular or considered irrelevant or outdated—and yet the genuine Church of Christ must proclaim it nonetheless. Many people, even Catholics, want to … Protestant churches are unquestionably accomplishing much good in the world, and countless individual Protestants are surely pleasing to the Lord and can look forward to a place in his Kingdom. Most Christians agree on the essential requirement of water for baptism, but Protestants are not consistent in treating as sacraments the other sacred actions Jesus gave to the Church. Human beings are social by nature, and much personal growth and development results from imitating, consciously or otherwise, certain influential persons. Prior to the reformation there was no need to distinguish between various Christian belief systems. Acts 11: 26), and by the end of the first century, the word “catholic”—meaning “universal” —was applied to the Church. The blatant hypocrisy and double standard of the Catholic church is one of the main reasons why many American Catholics are headed out the door. Just as Jesus was a sign of contradiction and a stumbling block (1 Cor. That’s so contrary to everything in the New Testament. I’ll tell you, Adam, I was asked the question: why was I Assembly of God? And so I really had to scrutinize: “Okay, why am I?” And then I had to say “Well, why am I, why am I, why am I?”. “Repent, and be baptized each one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins,” right? I’m a (probably future ex-) Protestant pastor, and if you want to know what our denomination has to offer has a way to survive a crisis without access to … As Romans 6:3-4 says, we’re buried together with him him through baptism. I can kind of understand the reasoning behind the answer “because he made is” but… We never chose to exist or come into this world. And when I looked around at all the protestant communities, what I saw is a bunch of men giving you their opinion of what they think the Bible says. Human beings, especially young people, require role models, and in opposition to self-centered movie stars, overpaid athletes, or promoters of cultural degeneration and violence the Church presents as examples those men, women, and children who can truly show us the way to eternal life and happiness. This is reason for us to rejoice and to renew our commitment to living and sharing the Gospel. Within a few short years of the Resurrection, the followers of Jesus began calling themselves “Christians” (cf. (Anglican or Episcopalian priests sometimes claim to possess this power, but Pope Leo XIII, after carefully examining this issue some one hundred years ago, concluded that the link of apostolic succession had not been preserved by the Church of England.). Not only does this divinely given teaching authority assure the Church’s pronouncements on faith and morals will be free of error, it also serves as a source and measure of unity. Why We’re Catholic assembles the clearest, friendliest, most helpful answers that Trent learned to give to all these people and more. “Whatever you [the Church] binds on earth is bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven.” That is divine authority that Jesus gives to the apostles and the apostles’ successors, the Church! The book of Jude contains some of the most mysterious and intriguing passages in the New Testament.One occurs when Jude warns against a group of Christians who have given themselves over to immorality. 18:15–18; John 14:16, 14:25–26, 21:25; 1 Cor. The Church has withstood numerous heresies and schisms, along with fierce persecutions stretching from the days of Nero and Diocletian down to our own bloody twentieth century. And I had to realize that. About the Director Catholic Answers is one of the nation s largest lay-run apostolates of Catholic … 2:15; 2 Tim. Second, Catholics are guided by faith, and our faith clearly teaches that abortion is a serious evil that must be stopped. I would have been Cath—well, maybe I’d have been Orthodox. Many Protestants are very good at quoting the Bible, but, in terms of its entire message, it is the Catholic Church that lives by it. At the Last Supper he gave the apostles and their successors, the bishops (and through them, validly ordained priests), the power and authority to continue his sacrifice when he said, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19). It is not enough to ask, as many Evangelical Protestants do, “Have you been saved?” This suggests that if we’ve been “born again,” and have “accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior,” salvation is guaranteed, and little if anything further is required of us. This process is one that must include each individual Catholic and one in which all other people must be invited to share. I would humbly and unofficially suggest a “fifth” mark: the true Church is also opposed. Moreover, the Church—because of its international presence and prestige—is a powerful political force in its own right, as demonstrated by Pope John Paul II’s role in the collapse of the Soviet empire and the liberation of Eastern Europe. Tim Staples, a former Protestant pastor, explains why the question of authority ultimately brought him into the Church established by Jesus. Now that I found to be fascinating. Nowhere does the Bible say that Scripture alone is the only source of divine revelation, but there are numerous references to Tradition and the teaching authority of the Church (Matt. It is only right that we honor her (not worship her), for one of the Commandments says, “Honor your father and mother” (Ex. Gen. 1:31). It is our duty not only to belong to and believe in the Church but to defend and promote it. Well, they disagree with each other on matters so essential like we were talking about earlier: predestination, salvation, can you lose it, right? But ultimately, I think the first thing that really got me moving—I mean, there were moral issues, there were lots of things, but the thing that was really kind of the earthquake under my feet was the issue of authority. We believe the same ideals that the Apostles passed on. This assertion will surprise those who assume that Catholics are ignorant of Scripture and that the Protestant belief in sola scriptura (accepting “the Bible only” as a source of religious teaching) makes them the only true “Bible Christians.” However, history and logic are again on the side of the Catholic Church. And after I became born-again, I became very active in the pro-life movement which is mainly Catholic-led, so I know a lot of Catholics. These, then, are ten important reasons not to settle merely for being Christian, but to seek the fullness of God’s revelation through the Catholic Church, the only true Church of Christ. While seemingly a simple question, I’d actually argue it is quite profound. They radically simplified worship and church architecture. Mark 8:27–29), Jesus never conducted a vote or an opinion poll, or said to his followers, “This is what I personally think, but you decide for yourselves what to believe.” Rather, he came to proclaim God’s truth (John 18:37), and he entrusted this same teaching authority, or magisterium, to his Church (Luke 10:16). Church officials are often able to work behind the scenes in mediating conflicts and defending the rights of the oppressed while remaining true to the Church’s otherworldly mission. You can look it up, their website is usccb.org. 16:18–19). Ritual refers to human customs and behaviors designed to facilitate social interactions and celebrations. Catholicism’s missionary outreach has covered the entire earth. . The Virgin Mary, of course, is the most perfect illustration of this. Disbelief in the teaching authority of the Church is also disbelief in our Lord’s command to teach and baptize all nations, and in his promise to remain with the Church always (Matt. Why? Because what I find in the New Testament is: the Church established by Jesus Christ has infallible authority. Because see, I believe, Adam, that you can be as born-again as you want to be born-again, and we believe you’re born again in John 3:5 through baptism—of course, faith and baptism. “Why should I be Catholic?” is a question we hear all the time at Catholic Answers. He had no actual religious background, but when told to list a particular denomination, he identified himself as Catholic. The Orthodox church drew apart from Rome off and on over several hundred years, finally separating in the fifteenth century, and the various Protestant denominations date back no earlier than the sixteenth century. Furthermore, Catholicism has one central form of worship (the Mass and the sacraments) yet provides many different religious devotions, spiritualities, religious orders, and other opportunities to serve for those who are called to such a vocation. Thirdly, the noun “sacramental” refers to a blessed item or gesture that, for those who have faith, can be an experience or source of God’s grace. The angel Gabriel declared Mary to be “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), making her worthy of our highest respect. It's comfortable and flattering for both men and women. It’s no surprise that some of humanity’s greatest art, architecture, and music has been commissioned and preserved by the Church. These things are all valuable and praiseworthy—but for a Catholic to give them a higher priority than the Eucharist is akin to Esau selling his birthright for a mess of pottage (cf. Satan, possessing a cunning and intelligence far beyond human reason, sees his true enemy very clearly. In this context, “one size” most definitely does not fit all, and Catholicism recognizes this truth even as it provides a sense of unity and purpose linking this world and the next. UNIT 1 – Why Do We Need a Church? Catholics have suffered discrimination as immigrants along the Eastern seaboard; Catholics have been isolated and unwelcome in the Bible Belt and have been victims of the “No Nothing” movement and other organized opposition to the Church, including the Ku Klux Klan; and today certain political and social movements—such as the proponents of abortion—often appeal to anti-Catholic sentiments. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Catholic Answers Why Be Catholic? Like the soldier in the story at the beginning of this article, it seems that many Catholics have gotten used to “sleeping in” and not taking their faith seriously. And I had to: “Oh, okay, well why am I Assembly of God? 12:1) whose lives testify to the truth of the Gospel and inspire those Christians still on earth to persevere in taking up their cross each day. 9:27; Phil.2:12–13, 3:10–12), but also human nature. 7:24–25) and on the rock of Peter’s faith (Matt. 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