People are predisposed to this natural tendency as humans to be judgemental. Human behavior specialist Dr. John Demartini refers to this phenomenon as being “self-righteous” and “self-wrongeous”. People can be judgmental for various reasons, such as insecurity, fear, a need to control, jealousy, or a desire to feel superior. Judgmental behavior can also stem from a lack of understanding or empathy, a need to criticize, or a feeling of superiority. When we judge someone, we are often guilty of rashly assuming that we know all the facts. We may not have all the information we need to make an accurate judgment, and so our judgment may be wrong. What is the psychology behind judging? Judging is simply our attempt to create a hierarchy of better than or less than, superior to or inferior to and to define worth to everyone or everything that we deal with. We have the innate urge to be right, to be better, to be superior always. If you think about it, It is also because of the pride in us, being “self-righteous” that we tend to be judgemental of others. For example we quickly judge (or look down on) a person by the way he dresses; the rank he holds in an organization; if he holds a degree or not, etc. But consider that only a few weeks ago we had Ash Wednesday and what does it remind us of? Every year the Church reminds us to be humble. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3.19 What do we have to be so proud of as we are all made of dust and when we die we return to dust. No matter how rich one is, he can’t take it all with him when he dies. What is the meaning of rash Judgement? Rash Judgment means to, even implicitly, assume as true without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor. Rash judgments are usually made when people are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, and are trying to make to a lack of information or knowledge, or a feeling of having to make aa quick decision without considering all factors. In some cases, this can be due decision quickly. In other cases, it can be due to a desire to make a statement or stand out from the crowd. St. Francis de Sales was known as "The Gentleman Saint," his spirit of optimism, hope, freedom confidence in God's love prompts the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales to please God by doing everything - big or small enthusiastically and well. He is the patron saint of adult education, the deaf, and journalists. Saint Francis de Sales teaches that we should always be careful not to judge others rashly, because we may not have all the information we need to make an accurate judgment. We should always be willing to give others the benefit of the doubt, and we should always be willing to forgive others. Saint Francis de Sales taught that rash judgement is also a form of spiritual pride, and that it is wrong to pass judgement on another person without having a full understanding of their situation. He taught that instead of making hasty judgments, one should focus on understanding and compassion for the other person. He also taught that one should strive to understand why someone has done something, rather than jump to conclusions.
Of a truth, hasty judgments are most displeasing to God, and men’s judgments are hasty, because we are not judges one of another, and by judging we usurp our Lord’s own office, as He is the final judge. Man’s judgment is hasty, because the chief malice of sin lies in the intention and counsel of the heart, which is shrouded in darkness to us. We cannot read the minds of another nor the secrets of their hearts. Moreover, man’s judgments are hasty, because each one has enough to do in judging himself, without undertaking to judge his neighbour. If we would not be judged, it behoves us alike not to judge others, and to judge ourselves. Our Lord forbids the one, His Apostle enjoins the other, saying, “If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” But alas! for the most part we precisely reverse these precepts, judging our neighbour, which is forbidden on all sides, while rarely judging ourselves, as we are told to do. We must proceed to rectify rash judgments, according to their cause. Some hearts there are so bitter and harsh by nature, that everything turns bitter under their touch; men who, in the Prophet’s words, “turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth.” Such as these greatly need to be dealt with by some wise spiritual physician, for this bitterness being natural to them, it is hard to conquer; and although it be rather an imperfection than a sin, still it is very dangerous, because it gives rise to and fosters rash judgments and slander within the heart. Others there are who are guilty of rash judgments less out of a bitter spirit than from pride, supposing to exalt their own credit by disparaging that of others. These are self-sufficient, presumptuous people, who stand so high in their own conceit that they despise all else as mean and worthless. It was the foolish Pharisee who said, “I am not as other men are.” Others, again, have not quite such overt pride, but rather a lurking little satisfaction in beholding what is wrong in others, in order to appreciate more fully what they believe to be their own superiority. This satisfaction is so well concealed, so nearly imperceptible, that it requires a clear sight to discover it, and those who experience it need that it be pointed out to them. Some there are who seek to excuse and justify themselves to their own conscience, by assuming readily that others are guilty of the same faults, or as great ones, vainly imagining that the sin becomes less culpable when shared by many. Others, again, give way to rash judgments merely because they take pleasure in a philosophic analysis and dissection of their neighbours’ characters; and if by ill luck they chance now and then to be right, their presumption and love of criticism strengthens almost incurably. Then there are people whose judgment is solely formed by inclination; who always think well of those they like, and ill of those they dislike. To this, however, there is one rare exception, which nevertheless we do sometimes meet, when an excessive love provokes a false judgment concerning its object; the hideous result of a diseased, faulty, restless affection, which is in fact jealousy; an evil passion capable, as everybody knows, of condemning others of perfidy and adultery upon the most trivial and fanciful ground.
In like manner, fear, ambition, and other moral infirmities often tend largely to produce suspicion and rash judgments. What remedy can we apply? They who drink the juice of the Ethiopian herb Ophiusa imagine that they see serpents and horrors everywhere; and those who drink deep of pride, envy, ambition, hatred, will see harm and shame in every one they look upon. The first can only be cured by drinking palm wine, and so I say of these latter,—Drink freely of the sacred wine of love, and it will cure you of the evil tempers which lead you to these perverse judgments. So far from seeking out that which is evil, Love dreads meeting with it, and when such meeting is unavoidable, she shuts her eyes at the first symptom, and then in her holy simplicity she questions whether it were not merely a fantastic shadow which crossed her path rather than sin itself. Or if Love is forced to recognize the fact, she turns aside hastily, and strives to forget what she has seen. Of a truth, Love is the great healer of all ills, and of this above the rest. Everything looks yellow to a man that has the jaundice; and it is said that the only cure is through the soles of the feet. Most assuredly the sin of rash judgments is a spiritual jaundice, which makes everything look amiss to those who have it; and he who would be cured of this malady must not be content with applying remedies to his eyes or his intellect, he must attack it through the affections, which are as the soul’s feet. If your affections are warm and tender, your judgment will not be harsh; if they are loving, your judgment will be the same. Holy Scripture offers us three striking illustrations. Isaac, when in the Land of Gerar, gave out that Rebecca was his sister, but when Abimelech saw their familiarity, he at once concluded that she was his wife. A malicious mind would rather have supposed that there was some unlawful connection between them, but Abimelech took the most charitable view of the case that was possible. And so ought we always to judge our neighbour as charitably as may be; and if his actions are many-sided, we should accept the best. Again, when St. Joseph found that the Blessed Virgin was with child, knowing her to be pure and holy, he could not believe that there was any sin in her, and he left all judgment to God, although there was strong presumptive evidence on which to condemn her. And the Holy Spirit speaks of St. Joseph as “a just man.” When a just man cannot see any excuse for what is done by a person in whose general worth he believes, he still refrains from judging him, and leaves all to God’s Judgment. Those who keep careful watch over their conscience are not often liable to form rash judgments, for just as when the clouds lower the bees make for the shelter of their hive, so really good people shrink back into themselves, and refuse to be mixed up with the clouds and fogs of their neighbour’s questionable doings, and rather than meddle with others, they consecrate their energies on their own improvement and good resolutions.
No surer sign of an unprofitable life than when people give way to censoriousness and inquisitiveness into the lives of other men. Of course exception must be made as to those who are responsible for others, whether in family or public life;—to all such it becomes a matter of conscience to watch over the conduct of their fellows. Let them fulfil their duty lovingly, and let them also give heed to restrain themselves within the bounds of that duty. (Excerpt taken from Chapter 14 of the book: Introduction to the Devout Life Abridged) "I have not yet spoken to you about the sun of all spiritual exercises, which is the most holy , sacred and most sovereign Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Mass, the center of the Christian Religion, the heart of devotion, the soul of piety, the ineffable Mystery, in which is found the abyss of divine charity and by which God really gives Himself to us and magnificently communicates to us His graces and favors. Prayer made in union with this divine Sacrifice has an incalculable power." St. Francis De Sales.
(Which Mass do you think he is referring to but the Traditional Latin Mass, the only Mass celebrated during his lifetime. He lived between 21 August 1567 to 28 December 1622.) Strive to attend Holy Mass every day in order to offer, with the priest, the Sacrifice of your Redeemer to God His Father, for yourself and for the entire Church. The Angels are present in great numbers at Mass. The choirs of the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant come to be joined to Our Lord in this divine action in order with Him, in Him and by Him to ravish the heart of God the Father and make His mercy completely ours. What happiness it is to contribute one’s affections to obtaining such a treasure! If for some reason you find your self unable to be physically present at this divine Sacrifice, you ought at least to send your heart there, so as to be spiritually present. Go to the Church in spirit, if you cannot go in person, unite yourself to the intentions of all Christians, and make the same acts of devotion you would make if you were there. In either case: (what one should do during Mass) From the beginning until the priest goes up to the altar, prepare yourself by placing yourself in God’s presence, acknowledging your faults and humbly asking His pardon. Then, from the time he goes up to the altar until the Gospel, make a general consideration of Our Lord’s birth and life. From the Gospel until after the Creed, consider His preaching. Affirm your faith and protest with with all of your will that you will live and die in the holy Catholic Church. From the Creed until the Our Father, apply your heart to the mysteries of the Passion and death of our Redeemer, which are actually and essentially represented in this holy Sacrifice. Along with the priest and the rest of the people, you must offer them to God the Father for His glory and for your salvation. From Our Father to the Communion to the end, thank God for His Incarnation, for His life, death, Passion, and for the love that He witnesses to in this holy Sacrifice, praying to Him for mercy for your parents and relatives, your friends and the entire Church. Then humbly receive the priest’s blessing. Do not leave the church immediately but remain in the pews to say the prayers after Mass. 1/16/2023 Why critical thinking matters to Christians in this increasingly technological world?Read Now The youth of today may not realize it but the internet has changed the way we think? For one thing, it’s made us all “dual-screeners” -- constant access to information makes us tend to multi-task more, and more multitasking makes us more distractible. Even though some of us have become so called “king of multitasking”, there’s often so much new information cramming up onto our screens, or notifications on your mobile phones, at any given time, that makes it harder to concentrate on what is at hand. This is because our attentions only have a limited capacity -- the internet is throwing broadband speed information at us, but we’re still absorbing the information at dial-up speed. We rely on the internet so much today that it’s like an extension of our minds. Like a Swiss army knife but with new brain features. A good example is with memory: because we now can easily access information whenever we want, we tend not to bother to remember the information itself; all we do is just remember where we need to go to find it. When we find it, we tend to skim through the pages on the screen in front of us as though we are speed readers. These days, when we face a gap in our knowledge, we’ve primed ourselves to turn to the internet first for answers. Like the phrase often used: “Just Google it!” The pervasiveness of technology in our everyday lives means we don't ever slow down to think about what's really happening. Instead of communicating with people in a face-to-face manner, we're constantly staring at tablets, typing away on touchscreen keyboards, and smartphones often at the side of our faces. Technology has affected the way individuals communicate, learn, and think. It has positive and negative effects on the world and it impacts our daily lives. Social comparison, feelings of missing out, and cyberbullying all stem from the content we see online. These negative impacts lead to more depression and anxiety. Our bodies experience the negative effects of technology, too. More screen time can disrupt sleep, especially if this screen time is before bed. Basically, our brain is learning to disregard information found online, and this connection becomes stronger every time we experience it. So the more we use a search engine like Google, the less likely we are to retain what we see. Our brains use information stored in the long-term memory to facilitate critical thinking. It is certainly changing what parts of the brain we use, has made us a little more distractible, and has become an “addictive” activity. Above image from the BBC T.V. series : The Undeclared War, Episode 4 (10.36 min) The following dialogue on fake news: Reporter: So all of it is made up, the whole thing?! Manager: Well, I prefer managed. Reporter: So, what’s the point of reporting something that’s so obviously fake news? Manager: Whether it’s fake isn’t the point. I mean everything reported is fake one way or another. We know that people won’t believe it, it probably contradicts what we said yesterday, doesn’t matter. The point is to get people used to the idea that everything is a lie, there is no truth. Once they accept that the biggest lie wins. Therefore, all these circumstances and the information we are exposed to have to a large degree influenced the way we live and think, which has also affected how we practice our faith and how our religious beliefs could be corrupted. Indeed, as people of faith, we should always be applying critical thinking to avoid being influenced wrongly against our faith; especially today we are surrounded by main stream media and all kinds of information streaming through on our mobile devices, and what we see in public TV screens. We must be weary of the flood of fake news, of peoples’ agenda or Globalist’s propaganda or information that will influence our thoughts and behaviours. Or are we going to do just what the media or authorities say? Should we be gullible? First of all, what is critical thinking? When we hear the term critical thinking we might think of criticism or cynicism, when in reality those aren’t the elements that define critical thinking. Critical thinking is not about thinking critically in the sense of criticizing others’ thoughts, or of our own. Critical thinking is more of a rational and disciplined way of thinking that follows a consistent logic, and/or recognizes when consistent logic is absent. The aspects of ordering and structuring is the realization that all the things that can ever go wrong with any thought that may be due to ambiguous terms, false premises, or logical fallacies. And this is a wonderful simplifying and clarifying of the process of criticizing any thoughts, written or spoken, by any person, yourself or another, about any topic, human or divine. Critical thinking skills are the ability to imagine, analyze, and evaluate information in order to determine its integrity and validity, such as what is factual and what isn't. These skills help people form opinions and ideas as well as help them know who is being a good friend and who isn't. In fact, critical thinking is an essential part of problem-solving, decision-making, and goal-setting. It also is the basis of education, especially when combined with reading comprehension. These two skills together allow kids to master information. According to research by Patricia Greenfield, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles, thanks to technology’s great influence in our lives, our skills in critical thinking and analysis have declined, while our visual skills have improved. The way people learn have changed as a result of their exposure to technology, says Greenfield, who analyzed more than 50 studies on learning and technology, including research on multi-tasking and the use of computers, the Internet and video games. Her research was published in the journal Science. Reading for pleasure, which has declined among young people in recent decades, enhances thinking and engages the imagination in a way that visual media such as video games and television do not, Greenfield said. "Studies show that reading develops imagination, induction, reflection and critical thinking, as well as vocabulary," Greenfield said. "Reading for pleasure is the key to developing these skills. Students today have more visual literacy and less print literacy. Many students do not read for pleasure and have not for decades." Parents should encourage their children to read and should read to their young children, she said. Why is critical thinking important to Catholics? "Critical thinking" is simply the currently fashionable term for what used to be called "human reason." It means judging thoughts, negatively or positively, by these three standards. Another word for “critical thinking” is “logical thinking.” This is a holy and Christian thing, because the ultimate foundation of logic is the Logos - the eternal Mind or Reason or Inner Word of God, which St. John’s Gospel identifies as the pre-incarnate Christ. The human art and science of logic is the instrument that teaches us to rightly order and structure our thoughts, as a means to the end of thought, which is truth. So for a Christian, critical thinking means not only thinking that has been purged of illogic but also of sin; not only thinking that has been subjected to the honest judgment of the theoretical reason, but also to the honest judgment of the practical reason, or reason about practice, i.e. moral reason. Catholics need to realize that critical thinking enables us to establish that doctrines central to the Christian faith are based solidly on scripture, reason, and available evidences. We find that these doctrines stand up to a careful examination. Consider it as a divinely designed tool for ordering our thoughts, our actions, our world, and our task of being working organs in Christ’s Body, His hands and feet for building His Kingdom, His empire – in other words for our holy spiritual war. Children and young people need to be able to evaluate online content and contact, and recognize how the content they are exposed to and the people they interact with can affect their own behaviour, emotions and beliefs. Critical thinking can help you better understand yourself, and in turn, help you avoid any kind of negative or limiting beliefs, and focus more on your strengths. Being able to share your thoughts can increase your quality of life. What are the benefits of critical thinking in daily life? It encourages curiosity. It enhances creativity. It reinforces problem-solving ability. It's a multi-faceted practice. It fosters independence. It's a skill for life, not just learning. What causes lack of critical thinking? At a personal level, barriers to critical thinking can arise through: an over-reliance on feelings or emotions. self-centred or societal/cultural-centred thinking (conformism, dogma and peer-pressure) unconscious bias, or selective perception. What are the common pitfalls or barriers to thinking critically and analytically? Misunderstanding. This can arise due to language or cultural differences, a lack of awareness of the ‘processes’ involved, or a misunderstanding that critical thinking means making ‘negative’ comments Reluctance to critique the ‘norm’ or experts in a field and consider alternative views (feeling out of your ‘comfort zone’ or fearful of being wrong). Lack of detailed knowledge. Superficial knowledge (not having read deeply enough around the subject). Wanting to know the answers without having to ask questions. A consequence of not thinking critically is a loss of personal freedom. If you passively accept beliefs that have been handed to you by your family and your culture, then those beliefs are not really yours. Or accepting whatever the main stream media publishes as true. How do you know if you lack critical thinking skills? Jumping to conclusions. Making assumptions. Negative thinking. Losing track of our purpose. Accepting false or inaccurate information. Thinking one-sidedly. Ignoring our own ignorance. Critical thinking can feel very hard in the beginning, especially if you have not already gotten accustomed to it. It will be like starting to use a muscle that has long been left ignored, and you may feel pain and discomfort when you start to work it. Your current view on big and small matters can be challenged, and this can leave you feeling a bit shaky and not on stable ground. However, the more you use that muscle the stronger it gets, and you will soon start to feel the results of living a life that is conscious and chosen and not automatic or chosen for you. You will also feel stronger and more capable of handling any situation because your brain muscles will be strong and agile and ready to tackle any challenge. And one of the best parts of all is you will become less vulnerable to external manipulation because you will see right through it and to the truth of the matter. In short: it ain’t easy, but it is sure worth it.
For a Christian, critical thinking means not only thinking that has been purged of illogicality but also of sin; not only thinking that has been subjected to the honest judgment of the theoretical reason, but also to the honest judgment of the practical reason, or reason about practice, i.e. moral reason. The judgment of the theoretical reason consists in these three logical questions: (1) what does it mean? (2) is it true? and (3) what is the evidence or proof? In other words, are there any ambiguous terms, are there any false premises, and are there any logical fallacies? If not, the conclusion is true. The judgment of the practical, moral reason consists in a single question: is this good or evil? A crucial difference between the judgment of the theoretical reason and the judgment of the practical reason is that the judgment of the practical reason is almost always clear, and immediate, and certain. We know what is good and what is evil far more clearly than we know what is true and false. Our conscience is louder than our logic. Most problems of discerning God's will are moral, not intellectual. Jesus Himself said, when asked by the Pharisees how they could understand His teaching, "If your will were to do the will of my Father, you would understand my teaching." That is the most important principle of critical thinking about morality. Reasoning, or critical thinking, comes from God. It is God's gift. But how can that be true if it is something we do and something we are responsible for? God does not do our critical thinking for us. It is God's gift for two reasons. First, because it is the exercise of an essential part of the image of God in us. God does not think our thoughts for us, yet our minds are dependent on God's mind just as totally as the existence of the physical universe is dependent on God’s will to “let it be” and on God’s power to do all that He wills. Our minds are mirrors, and God is the sun, and all the light we generate is reflected light from Him; yet it is our choice to turn our mirrors to the sun or not, and to keep them clean or not, and to keep them unbroken or to break them into fragments. Every time we think wrongly, we misuse a divine gift, just as whenever we misuse our free will we misuse a divine gift. Both wrong thinking and wrong choosing are sacrileges, because they desecrate a holy thing. What we pervert in wrong thinking is the mirrored powers of God's own mind that He gave us in giving us His own image. We pervert this image whenever we move our minds into the dark and away from the light, just as we pervert the mirrored powers of God's will which He gave us in giving us free will as part of His image in us, whenever we move our wills to evil and away from good. God continues to uphold in existence His spiritual gifts, the two powers of His image in us, even when we pervert them, just as He continues to uphold the physical universe even when we misuse it. At the moment when He said "Be" in creating the universe, he said "continue to be" to Cain's rock even as it split Abel's head, and to the nails we used to pierce His own Son's flesh on the Cross. The second reason critical thinking is God's gift is because grace perfects nature, and this is an essential part of human nature, the ability and the desire to think logically as a means to thinking truly. The fact that grace perfects nature means that the very same things that are truly ours, and come from our own human nature and activity, can be truly God's, and from the actions of His grace. Another good question is:” How should critical thinking order our thoughts? And my answer is: Unconscious time but by conscious decision sometimes, especially those times when it is hardest and we are most tempted to laziness.” Dr. Peter Kreeft There are many other good ways of thinking than thinking logically –thinking intuitively or mystically or imaginatively or romantically or even sometimes randomly – and there are many occasions when we should think non-logically, but there are never times when we should think illogically, except when we are deliberately making a joke, laughing at laughable follies. But our lives should not be laughable follies. Thus the answer to the question of how critical thinking should order our thoughts, is also the answer to the question, how it should order our actions. For "Sow a thought, reap an act." It takes the will, not the mind, to carry out the thought into the act, and between the thought and the act lies many a shadow. But that is a topic for another day, when we talk about moral vices and virtues. Another question is how critical thinking should order our secular world, which is simply an extension of the another question, how it should order our individual lives, for the life of the world is simply the coming together of all our individual lives. Do you want to see what critical thinking looks like? Read St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas. The Church and Her Enemies By Father Michael Mueller C.SS.R. (My personal message to all my relatives especially to the seniors in our Lim clan.) The Church’s greatest spiritual teachers point out that the fullest and most holy lives are those lived with a regular acknowledgement that our time on earth is limited and each moment we have is precious. St. Philip Neri, pointed out (in a phrasing that has been borrowed many times by inspirational publishers): “The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were your last.” And Thomas á Kempis, 15th-century author of “The Imitation of Christ,” one of the best-known Catholic books of spirituality, noted: “Happy is the man who keeps the hour of death always in mind, and daily prepares for it.” Let us consider using what little time we may have to ensure a better chance to save our soul. Since the majority of us are Catholics, it is our duty to save our souls and that’s why we should all consider the seriousness of this matter of saving our souls. After all, as Catholics, we are required to live a Christian life, pray daily, participate in the sacraments, obey the ten commandments, and accept the teachings of Christ and his Church. We are all aging, and time is short, we never know when we will be called by God to be judged. Don’t dwell in regrets or grudges, what has passed has passed, forgive and look forward to better utilizing our time in prayer and sanctifying our souls. There is little time left since we do not know when will be that day. We cannot afford to do this at the last minute as it will be too late. Why did we become Catholics if not to be able to save our souls, to enter heaven after death; and we also hope to “see” our loved ones and those who had gone before us and be with them again in heaven. Was it not providential that grandfather Lim Cheng Teik was converted and became Thomas Lim, and eventually many of his children and grandchildren became Catholics too? His demise on December 8 on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, is a sign that he died in the care of Our Lady (it is what we can hope for). It could be due to the prayers of grandma, Maria Tan Eu See, who was providentially baptised before she passed away. Only God knows. If we recognize these as special graces, then we should be thankful for this great grace of our conversion to Catholicism and show our gratitude to God by diligently obeying His Commandments and the teachings of the Church, and duly do all we can to save our souls. “But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.”- Revelation 3:16 The final judgement is still made by God and one’s salvation is subjected to the merits earned during our lifetime. It is our Catholic duty to do all we can and not take God’s merciful graces for granted. What is being proposed to you, which is earnestly urged of you, is to spend more time doing the following to better ensure one’s salvation. You may be doing it already, which is good, nevertheless the following below helps to better keep our souls sanctified and earn the merits required to go to heaven:
Know that Almighty God is infinite, a pure spirit, is perfect and divine. His kingdom is pure and divine. Thus nothing impure can enter it. We being His creatures, are finite, have a body and a soul. No matter how we try to make up for our sinfulness, (as in offering sacrifices like pagan practices of old) we can never make up for them because we are finite and God is infinite. This is why God out of His love and mercy, sent Jesus Christ His only Son, who is also God and infinite, to be the worthy sacrifice, to die on the Cross to make up for all the sins of man in order that we may have salvation. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is seen as the ultimate act of love and self-sacrifice. In Christianity, it is seen as the cornerstone of the faith, as Jesus willingly gave up his life to pay the price for the sins of mankind and to reconcile them to God. Jesus' death is also seen as an act of atonement, as his death is believed to have paid the price for the sins of mankind and to open the door to salvation and eternal life. Although just one drop of His precious blood is enough to save all of mankind but He chose to shed all of it to show His great love for us. When Adam and Eve committed Original Sin, they were chased out of paradise, the gates of heaven were shut; and only after the sacrifice of Jesus, the gates of heaven opened again. Jesus established the Church, the Mass and the Seven Sacraments so that with these, His baptized children will have all the help to save their souls.
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” John 20:21-23. We confess our sins to a priest because that is the method of forgiveness that God established. The Almighty alone has the power to forgive sins, and the Son of God granted that authority to His Apostles, His priests. The priest is God’s representative and witness. He is a mediator of God’s mercy and forgiveness.
“Let us thank God for having called us to His Holy faith, It is a great gift, and the number of those who tank God for it is small.” - St. Alphonsus Liguori. We humbly pray that almighty God continue to provide us with the necessary graces to be holy, doing His holy will for His glory.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph Pray for us.
The Traditional Latin Mass isn’t just extraordinary in its form, it is simply more beautiful as there are beautiful vestments, Gregorian chants, solemn hymns, deep reverence and the ambience that uplifts our spirits as we worship God. Beauty is an attribute of God. If beauty decreases, it becomes more difficult to see God. This Old Mass provides a deeper sense of a truer Catholic identity linking us to all her Saints. The Latin Mass, the only Mass that all the Saints of old attended.
The Beauty of Traditional Catholicism
"All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man."
In a recent Pew Research data shows that only around a quarter of Catholics between the ages of 18 and 29 attend church once a week or more, compared to 98% of Latin Mass goers in the same demographic, according to research published by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
The same research also shows that young people’s move toward tradition is largely self-motivated rather than the outcome of outside influence: “We can see that personal preferences (reverence, curiosity, solemnity, and music) account for 58% of the total, while peer influences (friends, spouses) account for 18% of the total. Thus, to the tune of 76%, the impetus to attend the Latin Mass among 18- to 39-year-olds seems to be largely coming internally from within their own generation, rather than being inherited from previous generations.” With Pope Francis’s recent motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, many people have pointed out that the restrictions he introduced for the TLM would hamper the spirituality of a growing number of young adults who have been drawn to it. The reforms of Vatican II did not age well as it is reflected in the continued decline of Mass attendance over the past 60 years. Though the numbers were dropping before 1962, the modernization emphasized requirement of Vatican II didn’t stop the bleed. If the Church is ageless and eternal, then the trends of the 1970s were doomed to become outdated. The Latin Mass can never be dated because it has remained the same through so many centuries. It can’t belong to just one time. For many who have experienced the Latin Mass, love it for its reverence, ceremony, tradition and beauty. So the first reason the Latin Mass draws so many Gen-Zers and young Millennials is that it is beautiful in a way I’d say 80% of Novus Ordo Masses are not. Humans are naturally drawn toward beauty because it is a physical reflection of God’s perfection. In the midst of a Latin Mass, it’s easy to conceive that it is something that has been going on for thousands of years. “Youth want to know that you, the bishops, believe and embrace the things you teach—that you are authentic. Embracing authentic Catholicism means not trying harder to sell the Faith through new liturgical gimmicks or pastoral compromises. It means presenting the Faith in full and ordering our public lives as faithful, loving, sacrificing Catholics around those internal beliefs. Don’t tell the youth about the Faith, show them. And there is no more beautiful, uplifting, and authentically true way to do so than by a devout presentation of the ancient Latin Mass.” Jake Neu - patent attorney, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
The second reason has more to do with the perennial pendulum swing of the generations: participating in something so old and traditional is a repudiation of societal norms. Every generation has its rebellion against the status quo, and for the youthful Latin Mass goers the reaction is both inter- and intra-generational.
The third reason the TLM is so popular among young adults is that it’s a shortcut to a faith community. You can either spend weeks hunting for a suitably reverent Novus Ordo, or you can head over to the closest Latin Mass where you’re guaranteed a pious service and a like-minded community. It should be noted that “like-minded” doesn’t mean homogeneous. The age ranges, ethnic backgrounds and economic statuses of the attendees tend to cover a wide range. But most importantly is the sense of being treated like a member of the family, which I personally experienced having been lucky to travel to different traditional Latin Mass centres in Europe. "In the Mass the blood of Christ flows anew for sinners."
Here are some youth testimonies on why they attend the TLM:
Emma White is part of a growing number of young people in the Church who are embracing traditional practices. Despite the popular idea that young people have no attention span, there seems to be a deep desire to encounter God in tradition and silence. More millennials are returning to older prayers and devotions. White was inspired by some of her classmates who chose to wear a veil in the presence of the Eucharist and she decided that it would increase her devotion to Christ. “I am a daughter of the King, and I should adorn myself with a veil to live that out more fully,” she said. White’s veil is a Spanish mantilla, a delicate work of lace that covers most of the hair. Unmarried women traditionally wear a white one, so her veil is ivory. It’s a less bright shade that is beautiful without being too eye-catching. Sr. April Cabaccang, 29, is a Salesian Sister whose order offers her a choice of whether to wear a habit. Although some sisters don’t wear the habit, Sr. April said she chooses to wear hers because it helps her to be a witness for her faith. When people stop her on the bus or in a store to ask about it, she has the perfect opportunity to talk to them about Christ. “It is important for young people to embrace tradition,” she said. “They need to know that there is one Truth, One Good worth sticking to.” Sr. April believes tradition can be a way for people to anchor themselves. Like White, she says the habit reminds her who she is as well as whose she is. It puts her in a space of reverence. Young women are not the only ones wearing something traditional to increase their faith. Shavi Perera, 19, wears a rosary around his wrist as a conscious sign of his faith and a reminder for him to pray. Perera knows the value of traditional prayers. He is currently doing a 90-day novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. “We don’t often take advantage of these old fashioned things that show the richness of the Church,” he said. “When people take advantage of those things, it’s so inspiring.” The Latin Mass is often considered old fashioned. But Eric Wong, 24, loves it. His home parish, Holy Family Parish in Toronto, celebrates a weekly Solemn High Mass sung in Latin. He said it is drawing more young people because it raises intrigue. Since first-time attendees don’t necessarily understand this form of Mass, he says, they become curious, leading them to learn about their faith. “I think most young adults, as we grow older, don’t go to church because our parents tell us to; we go because we realize it’s important. We can realize that through tradition,” he said. “It just blows your mind how much more deeply we can love God.”
Latin Mass is very different from the New Mass and not just because of the language. Gregorian chants are sung, there is more genuflection and people must kneel to receive the Eucharist. The choir is always at the back of the church in order to keep the focus on God. The whole Mass is so reverent.
Like the rule about veils, Vatican II changed the Latin Mass. In 1964, it was remade into the way most Catholics celebrate Mass now — in their own language and with more music and reading aloud. In contrast, the Latin Mass is filled with a great deal of silence which Wong said helps him to focus on God’s presence.
“Probably about a month after we started attending the Latin mass, I asked my kids, who were at the time 10 years old and younger, if they’d like to go back to our old parish where the ordinary form is offered or keep going to the Latin mass…… To my surprise, they unanimously and enthusiastically voted to keep going to the Latin mass. If I recall, they cheered as they exclaimed their preference with triumphant fists in air.” Brian Holdsworth, Catholic blogger
So what accounts for the attraction of youth to the Extraordinary Form? “I would say its beauty, its solemnity, the sense of transcendence, of mystery. . . . The liturgy in the old rite really conveys the essential nature and meaning of the Mass, which is the re-enactment of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross at Calvary.” Abp. Alexander K. Sample Based on history, what is the most important event that has ever happened in the world, which has had the greatest impact on other events and has influenced the lives of the greatest number of people? God’s Existence and Perfection. St. Thomas Aquinas, building on Aristotle’s writings, demonstrated God’s existence by using reason. The Catechism states, “Man’s [intellectual] faculties make him capable of coming to a knowledge of the existence of a personal God”. St. Paul echoes this in Romans 1:19-20. Aquinas’ Five Proofs and other arguments provide solid explanations for God’s existence. Additionally, God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and He is eternal by way of His essential perfection – perfect knowledge, perfect power, and perfection of all His other attributes (inherent qualities). The Summa Theologiae, Questions 1-21, provides a more detailed explanation of God’s attributes. "God is a supreme Spirit, who alone exists of Himself, and is infinite in all perfections.” It means God is the highest and greatest spirit. He alone was never created; He has always existed and it is His very nature to exist. God was made known to the people of Israel through Moses that God was a self-existent being, that He owed His existence to no one or nothing else. All else in the universe is contingent (dependent) being - at one time it did not exist; therefore it did not have to exist. Everything else in the universe is therefore totally dependent on God for its existence. God is existence itself; His name is I AM. His perfections are absolutely without limit of any sort; He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-holy, all-merciful, all-just and so on. God is called Almighty because He can do all things. “With God all things are possible” (Matt. Xix.26) But God cannot do what is against reason e.g. make a square circle. Nor can he commit sin; to sin would be against His very nature since He is by nature all-holy. He is divine, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, He is Omnipotent - God is all-powerful - everything consistent with God's nature is possible; is Omniscience - God is all-knowing, of past, present and future; is Omnibenevolence (unlimited goodness) - God is all-good/all-loving; and Omnipresence - God is present everywhere. When God made man, Adam and Eve, they were made perfect and pure without sin, not only their bodies but their souls too. Due to Original Sin (the sin of Adam and Eve), it left in all our souls a stain; with this stain our souls cannot enter heaven. It is because God is pure spirit therefore heaven where He dwells is also pure and nothing impure can enter it. Jesus commanded, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Mt 5:48). Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradise after they have sinned and Paradise was closed to man - the gates of heaven were closed to man. The soul is the animating principle that makes us what we are. We are finite beings who will live forever because of our souls. The soul is the form that guarantees the continuity between this life and the next. Otherwise, when we “lose” our lives, we just lose them. Nothing more is to be said. The whole drama of what our being really is no longer has any grounding. God made man out of love for us. It is out of this love, knowing that after Original Sin, man will not be able to enter heaven therefore in His mercy, he sent Jesus His only Son to be sacrificed on the cross in order that His precious blood is shed to atone for the sins of man. God is infinite and Jesus being also God is infinite therefore His sacrifice was made sufficient to redeem man (finite creature of God) from their sins. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross provided the perfect atoning sacrifice for the sin of all humanity. We were ransomed by the price of His precious blood; thus making the cross one of the defining symbols of Christianity. Jesus’ sacrificial death is the ultimate expression of God’s love. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his only son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Humans Are Designed for Truth. Why was there blood sacrifices to God in ancient times? The sacrifices involving blood in the Old Testament, the blood symbolically represented life. It is the life (blood) of the victim that is the source of the atonement, which, of course, brings the hope of the sinner's union with holy God. Humanity aware of its sinfulness needed to appease God and begged for mercy. Since the time of Cain and Abel were sacrifices made. The Israelites needed a system that could turn them away from sin, pay their sin “debt,” cleanse and purify the community and the temple from sin, and allow them to stay in God's presence. That brings us to the practice of animal sacrifice introduced in Leviticus. The whole of the Old Testament, every book, points toward the Great Sacrifice that was to come—that of Jesus’ sacrificial giving of His own life on our behalf. Leviticus 17:11 is the Old Testament’s central statement about the significance of blood in the sacrificial system. God, speaking to Moses, declares: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” A “sacrifice” is defined as the offering up of something precious for a cause or a reason. Making atonement is satisfying someone or something for an offense committed. The Leviticus verse can be read more clearly now: God said, “I have given it to you (the creature’s life, which is in its blood) to make atonement for yourselves (covering the offense you have committed against Me).” In other words, those who are covered by the blood sacrifice are set free from the consequences of sin. All these blood sacrifices were a precursor of Jesus Bloody sacrifice on the Cross for us. Hebrews 9:11-18 confirms the symbolism of blood as life and applies Leviticus 17:11 to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 12 states clearly that the Old Testament blood sacrifices were temporary and only atoned for sin partially and for a short time, hence the need to repeat the sacrifices yearly. But when Christ entered the Most Holy Place, He did so to offer His own blood once for all time, making future sacrifices unnecessary. This is what Jesus meant by His dying words on the cross: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Never again would the blood of bulls and goats cleanse men from their sin. Only by accepting Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross for the remission of sins, can we stand before God covered in the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Purpose of Religion - Oxford Scholarship Online. How very much God loves us: Scripture tells us in 1 John 3:1: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are! Romans 8 says that nothing, not death, life, nor circumstances, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. 1 John 4:16 God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. What is love? 1 Corinthians 13:4–8a (ESV) Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. God has great love for man. This love which is so real, made God send his son to redeem man after the fall of man into sin. Why does God love us so much? God loves you, not because of who you are or what you've done. God loves you because of who he is. God's very being is love. When we doubt God's love for us, it's inevitably because we're taking our eyes off him and focusing on ourselves — our insecurities, shortcomings, sins and insignificance. When filled with God's love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us. 1 Peter 4:8: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Ephesians 5:21: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 1 John 4:8: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Corinthians 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. What God teaches us about love? Jesus himself said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. ' ” (Matthew 22:37-39, ESV) To “love the Lord thy God with all thy mind” is done when our thoughts dwell on Him; and His holiness, and goodness, and love, and mercy, and beauty… Then we reply to His perfection with prayer, praise, perhaps a song, and worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). No matter what you do and no matter what happens to you, God loves you. He proved it by sending his son to pay for our sins. If we accept God's gift of Jesus Christ, nothing is too much for us to overcome. A good priest once told me that God loves us so much that even if you were the only one on earth, He would still send His only son, Jesus, to die the horrible and ignominious death on the cross for you. John 15:13: “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Ecclesiam nulla salus. The Latin phrase extra Ecclesiam nulla salus (meaning "outside the Church [there is] no salvation" or "no salvation outside the Church") is a phrase referring to a Christian doctrine about who is to receive salvation. The original phrase, "Salus extra ecclesiam non est" ("there is no salvation out of the Church"), comes from Letter LXXII of St. Cyprian of Carthage (died 258). Saint Cyprian says: "He who has not the Church for his mother cannot have God for his Father." And with him the Fathers of the Church in general say that, "as all those who were not in the ark of Noah perished in the waters of the deluge, so shall perish all who are out of the true Church." The expression comes from the writings of Saint Cyprian of Carthage, a Christian bishop of the 3rd century. The phrase is an axiom often used as shorthand for the doctrine that the Church is necessary for salvation. It is a dogma in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, in reference to their own communions. For others, the theological basis for this doctrine is founded on the beliefs that Jesus Christ personally established the one Church, and that the Church serves as the means by which the graces won by Christ are communicated to believers. The 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church explained this as "all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is His Body." The Catholic Church also teaches that the doctrine does not mean that everyone who is not visibly within the Church is necessarily damned in case of inculpable ignorance. Only God is the final judge on who is saved and in His mercy, if there are souls who are saved, it is because of the Catholic Church. One of the most misconstrued teachings of the Church, and the cause for many discussions, is this phrase “outside the Church there is no salvation.” In other words, all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body. While true, it is important to note that this is “not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church.” Indeed, if these people seek God with a sincere heart, and try, in their actions to do his will as they know it, they may also attain heaven. Only God is the final judge on who is saved and in His mercy, if there are souls who are saved, it is because of the Catholic Church. The doctrine is based largely on Mark 16:15-16: He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned." Justin Martyr: “Those who act pleasing to God, while not "being" Christian are yet in some sense "in" Christ the Logos. ...Each one, ... shall be saved by his own righteousness, ... those who regulated their lives by the law of Moses would in like manner be saved. ...Since those who did that which is universally, naturally, and eternally good are pleasing to God, they shall be saved through this Christ in the resurrection equally with those righteous men who were before them, namely Noah, and Enoch, and Jacob, and whoever else there be, along with those who have known this Christ.” St. Jerome wrote: "This is the ark of Noah, and he who is not found in it shall perish when the flood prevails." Bede continues this theme: "And according to this sense the ark is manifestly the Church, Noah the Lord who builds the Church." All those who wish to be saved, must die united to the Catholic Church. For out of her there is no salvation, because only she teaches what Jesus Christ requires of everyone to be saved, and because only to her did Christ leave the means to obtain all the graces necessary for salvation. Hence Jesus said to His Apostles and to all their lawful successors: "Go and teach all nations: teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. He that believeth not all these things shall be condemned." Our Divine Savior says: "No one can come to the Father, except through Me."If we then wish to enter heaven, we must be united to Christ - to His [Mystical] Body, which is the Church, as Saint Paul says. Therefore outside the Church there is no salvation. Again, Jesus Christ says: "Who-ever will not hear the Church, look upon him as a heathen and a publican," a great sinner. Therefore outside the Church there is no salvation. Holy Scripture says: "The Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47.) Therefore the Apostles believed and the Holy Scriptures teach that there is no salvation out of the Church. What did Saint Augustine and the other Bishops of Africa, at the Council of Zirta, in 412, say about the salvation of those who die outside the Roman Catholic Church? "Whosoever," they said, is separated from the Catholic Church, however commendable in his own opinion his life may be, he shall for the very reason that he is separated from the union of Christ not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36.).. Many people these days think that after they die they are buried and that’s it. To them it’s about making the best of their lives when they are still alive. As it has been shown that we were made with souls in our bodies, and a soul is a spirit; we can't say that when we die, our body gets buried and that's it. Then where does the soul go to? It cannot be that the soul just roams aimlessly after death, it doesn't make sense as God creates things for a purpose. Why did God create us in the first place? Out of love, God created us for himself, for nothing less than to know, love, serve and enjoy Him — now and forever in heaven. Through sin, however, we’ve rebelled against God and rejected His friendship. As a result, His likeness in us (our souls) has been marred (stain of sin), and we’ve separated ourselves from Him. Since He’s the Source of all that’s good, such separation can lead only to misery in both this life and the next. Because God loved us so much, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from such a terrible fate. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus offer us, through the forgiveness of our sins, escape from eternal punishment. But that’s not all. He also reconciles us to God, opening the door to a full restoration of our friendship with Him in heaven. Baptism – Is it a Necessity for Salvation? Baptism of Water. All who who have heard the Gospel, and who have had the possibility of asking for baptism, need to be baptized in order to attain salvation. Jesus affirms the necessity of this sacrament saying, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5). However, our God is a merciful and loving God. While he has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, God is not bound by his sacraments. Baptism of Blood. The Church has always taught that those who die for the sake of the faith, before they have received the sacrament of Baptism, are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament. Thus, salvation may be attained. Baptism of Desire. Similarly to a Baptism of blood, the desire for baptism, while not a sacrament, also brings about the fruits of Baptism. An individual who were to die before being baptized, but had expressed a clear desire to receive this sacrament, and repented for his/her sins, would be assured salvation. God’s Mercy and Our Mission We must always remember the great mercy of God. Jesus died for every single person, salvation is meant for everyone. The Holy Spirit offers every person, in a way known only to God, the possibility of being made partakers of the Paschal mystery (Lumen Gentium, 16). “Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved”. Many people these days think that after they die they are buried and that’s it. To them it’s about making the best of their lives when they are still alive. As it has been shown that we were made with souls in our bodies, and a soul is a spirit; we can't say that when we die, our body gets buried and that's it. Then where does the soul go to? It cannot be that the soul just roams aimlessly after death, it doesn't make sense as God creates things for a purpose; and the purpose of giving you a soul is to be able to be with Him in heaven. Jesus’ death on the cross is to make it possible for souls to merit heaven; through His Church and Sacraments. May you be docile and accept this special grace from God who wants you to be His child and believe. May we live a life filled with the hope of heaven! May God bless you and keep you. Glossary: * What is Trinitarian life?
The three Persons of the Trinity are relational to one another in two internal divine processions: The Father eternally generates the Son, and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. (CCC 254) The one Godhead is an inter-relational Being of three Persons. In short, God is a family. What are Papal encyclicals? A papal encyclical is a pastoral letter from the pope usually addressed to the whole Catholic Church, her clergy and the laity, and for all the benefit of humanity. Encyclical letters generally address matters of faith or morals, encourage a particular commemoration or pious devotion, or deal with matters of Church discipline which are to be universally observed. Encyclicals started as letters of the Pope to be “circulated” within a specific group within the church to address issues of concern, point out dangers that might affect the Church or the world, exhort for action or constancy, and prescribe remedies. The encyclicals are considered a significant teaching of the authority of the Church through the Pope. Encyclicals therefore are intended to command the attention and respect of the faithful, and to help everyone better understand how to apply the teachings of Sacred Scripture and Catholic Tradition. For example, Pope Leo XIII, towards the end of his pontificate, wrote many short Encyclical letters (some of them less than one page long) addressed to specific bishops regarding current issues of concern in their region, such as the introduction of civil marriage in Ecuador, the weakening of the faith in Bohemia and Moravia, and the establishment of seminaries in Greece, to name a few. They resemble the loving pen of a concerned father for his children, urging them to persevere in the values that rule the Christian family. This is align with Catholic tradition following the example of St. Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, Romans and Ephesians. Encyclicals carry a lot of teaching weight. It is the highest form of papal document that can be released by the pope alone. Although the pope can issue an infallible statement, encyclicals are not infallible but certainly deserve the highest assent that can be given. And while the teachings contained therein may sometimes prove burdensome and difficult for some to accept and to follow, Catholics of good will everywhere are obliged to acknowledge their apostolic authority and strive to humbly assent to their teaching. How blessed the Church has been to receive the teaching of the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that is contained in the encyclical letters of the popes down through the ages! “But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires, together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of will to the Church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God Himself.” Pope Leo XIII For any Catholic wishing to know their faith more deeply and to evade those who warp their beliefs, these encyclicals are invaluable and articulate resources for deepening one’s understanding and love for the Church. By reading older documents, like these, is a concrete way to gain an appreciation for the continuity of the Faith. They are meant to be read by all of the faithful and to be aware of the concerns of the popes throughout Church history, especially encyclicals against modern errors. Why read these particular encyclicals against modern errors? It’s because since the French Revolution in 1789 which saw a host of religious, political and social errors launched which spread throughout the world. Errors based on the ideologies of Liberalism and Naturalism. From the beginning of these errors, the Popes, for more than 160 years have spoken out, as with one voice, wrote and legislated against these errors. The Syllabus of Errors is one such document issued on 8 December 1864, as an appendix to the Quanta Cura encyclical, by the Holy See under Pope Pius IX. It condemns a total of 80 errors or heresies, articulating Catholic Church teaching on a number of philosophical and political questions. Sadly, most of these errors have spread and today have filtered down to the common man… with the result that the majority of people now take for granted many fundamental assumptions that are positively false! How can Encyclicals be read and understood in an easy way? Keeping an open mind is key to understanding Encyclicals, because they challenge the popular perception of the problem in many ways. The following encyclicals are especially recommended for reading : Quanta Cura (Latin for "Condemning Current Errors") was a papal encyclical issued by Pope Pius IX on 8 December 1864. In it, he decried what he considered significant errors afflicting the modern age. These he listed in an attachment called the Syllabus of Errors, which condemned secularism and religious indifferentism. Quanta cura condemns propositions, such as, notably:
These propositions were aimed at anticlerical governments in various European countries, which were secularizing education (sometimes by taking over Catholic schools rather than starting their own competing public schools) and suppressing religious orders, and confiscating their property. Humanum Genus (On Freemasonry) by Leo XIII: Catholics no longer talk about Freemasonry, even though it is the topic upon which more encyclicals were written than about any other. Leo XIII wrote many of these, this one is the best. Leo states: ‘It may seem to some that Freemasons demand nothing that is openly contrary to religion and morality; but, as the whole principle and object of the sect lies in what is vicious and criminal, to join with these men or in any way to help them cannot be lawful’. Rerum Novarum by Leo XIII : If you only read one text we recommend this one, which deals with the twin evils of Capitalism and Socialism in reducing man to an economic unit. ‘The great mistake made in regard to the matter now under consideration is to take up with the notion that class is naturally hostile to class, and that the wealthy and the working men are intended by nature to live in mutual conflict. So irrational and so false is this view that the direct contrary is the truth. Just as the symmetry of the human frame is the result of the suitable arrangement of the different parts of the body, so in a State is it ordained by nature that these two classes should dwell in harmony and agreement, so as to maintain the balance of the body politic. Each needs the other: capital cannot do without labor, nor labor without capital. Mutual agreement results in the beauty of good order, while perpetual conflict necessarily produces confusion and savage barbarity. Now, in preventing such strife as this, and in uprooting it, the efficacy of Christian institutions is marvellous and manifold. First of all, there is no intermediary more powerful than religion (whereof the Church is the interpreter and guardian) in drawing the rich and the working class together, by reminding each of its duties to the other, and especially of the obligations of justice’ Pascendi Dominici Gregis by Pope Pius X : This document was subtitled ‘On the Doctrine of the Modernists’. It detailed the many ways with which Modernists were hoping to infiltrate the church with false teachings and to water down the Catholic faith. If only people had listened. We allude, Venerable Brethren, to many who belong to the Catholic laity, and, what is much more sad, to the ranks of the priesthood itself, who, animated by a false zeal for the Church, lacking the solid safeguards of philosophy and theology, nay more, thoroughly imbued with the poisonous doctrines taught by the enemies of the Church, and lost to all sense of modesty, put themselves forward as reformers of the Church; and, forming more boldly into line of attack, assail all that is most sacred in the work of Christ, not sparing even the Person of the Divine Redeemer, whom, with sacrilegious audacity, they degrade to the condition of a simple and ordinary man. ‘Although they express their astonishment that We should number them amongst the enemies of the Church, no one will be reasonably surprised that We should do so, if, leaving out of account the internal disposition of the soul, of which God alone is the Judge, he considers their tenets, their manner of speech, and their action. Nor indeed would he be wrong in regarding them as the most pernicious of all the adversaries of the Church. For, as We have said, they put into operation their designs for her undoing, not from without but from within. Hence, the danger is present almost in the very veins and heart of the Church, whose injury is the more certain from the very fact that their knowledge of her is more intimate’. Quas Primas by Pope Pius XI: As Europe showed no lessons from the madness of World War I, Benedict tried to bring them back to their senses by reminding them that Christ was the true King. ‘When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony. Our Lord’s regal office invests the human authority of princes and rulers with a religious significance; it ennobles the citizen’s duty of obedience. It is for this reason that St. Paul, while bidding wives revere Christ in their husbands, and slaves respect Christ in their masters, warns them to give obedience to them not as men, but as the vicegerents of Christ; for it is not meet that men redeemed by Christ should serve their fellow-men. “You are bought with a price; be not made the bond-slaves of men.”[32] If princes and magistrates duly elected are filled with the persuasion that they rule, not by their own right, but by the mandate and in the place of the Divine King, they will exercise their authority piously and wisely, and they will make laws and administer them, having in view the common good and also the human dignity of their subjects. The result will be a stable peace and tranquility, for there will be no longer any cause of discontent. Men will see in their king or in their rulers men like themselves, perhaps unworthy or open to criticism, but they will not on that account refuse obedience if they see reflected in them the authority of Christ God and Man. Peace and harmony, too, will result; for with the spread and the universal extent of the kingdom of Christ men will become more and more conscious of the link that binds them together, and thus many conflicts will be either prevented entirely or at least their bitterness will be diminished’. PAPAL ENCYCLICALS OF GREAT POPES Through their encyclicals, the popes were acting as defenders of the faith and of civil order. For this reason the Roman Pontiffs are to be regarded as having greatly served the public good, for they have ever endeavoured to break the turbulent and restless spirit of innovators (in their destructive plans for the Church and society), and have often warned men of the danger they are to civil society. But the faithful, having knowledge of these Papal encyclicals, in support of the the Pontiffs, have to employ every industry and effort which God have graced us, to avert the dangers and evils to human society.
Strive with all possible care to make men understand and show forth in their lives what the Catholic Church teaches on government and the duty of obedience. Let us fly from forbidden sects, to abhor all conspiracy, to have nothing to do with sedition and render obedience to God and His Commandments. It is to Him that we must pray, beseeching Him to incline all minds to uprightness and truth, to calm angry passions, to restore the long awaited tranquility of peace to the world. Let us pray with greater hope, to our intercessors and protectors of our welfare Our Lady the Great Mother of God, St. Joseph, the Great Patron of the Church, and the great Saints Peter and Paul, the guardians and protectors of the Church. |
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January 2024
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