BE
CATHOLIC BECAUSE IT IS THE FAITH ESTABLISHED BY GOD HIMSELF
[a] While philosophical systems,
sociological/psychological theories and religions such as Buddhism, Sikhism,
Judaism and Islam might claim to have been inspired by God, none actually claim
to be established by God. Carl Rogers
might claim Person-centred psychology followed from the fact that all God
created was good, but it still originated with Rogers and not with God, just as
Buddhism originated with Buddha Shakyamuni; Sikhism with Guru Nanak Dev; Islam
with Mohamed. Uniquely, Catholicism originated with God Himself while on earth
as Jesus Christ. Catholics are not only the the one Faith that can claim to
have been established by God in person, but the only Christian established by
God in person, since Catholics alone can trace their line of Pastors (Bishops
and Priests) back in unbroken succession to Jesus Christ, who claimed to be God
and proved it by rising from the dead. This makes Catholicism unique.
[b] Protestants are Christians who
left the Catholic Church in the 1500’s under Martin Luther, John Calvin, Urich
Zwingli and Henry VIII. They are still Christians and our brethren in Christ,
but are akin to children who left home after a disagreement. They have taken a
few family treasures with them (the scriptures, baptism and marriage), treasures
which belong to Catholicism and it is by these that Protestants might be saved,
since “it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone that salvation can be
gained”. These Protestant ecclesial communities
are indeed “used by God as means of salvation, their power deriving from the
fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church”. Basing
itself on Scripture and Tradition, Vatican Council II teaches that “the Church is
necessary for salvation... Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the
Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse
either to enter it or to remain in it.” (Catechism, #819; 846)
[c] Protestantism and non-Christian
religions, since they were not established by God Himself, do not carry the
authority and guarantee God gave to the Catholic Church that “He who hears you,
hears Me” (Luke 10v16). And yes, Protestants may be saved by the Catholic
‘property’ (the family treasures) they took with them at the Reformation
(Scripture, Baptism and Marriage); while non-Christians may be saved (John
10v16; Acts 17v26-28) by their sincere search for Truth (which is Christ:
John.14v6). However, Protestantism and non-Christian religions, since they are
not established by God and not promised His protection or given His authority, are constantly liable to teach errors -yet God is Truth (John.14v6). Thus, Protestantism
and non-Christian religions can lead souls away from God –so the only safe path
to Heaven is a well-lived Catholicism.
N.B. Child abuse by Catholic clergy
is appalling because it is abuse of the most innocent by those established by
Christ as good shepherds in his stead (1.Pet.5v2), but just as we cannot judge
the NHS by a Dr Shipman or Nurse Allit, so we cannot judge the Catholic Church
by traitorous priests.
Father,
ReplyDeleteWe should be Catholic because Christ assumed the form of man, was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried for our sins so that we would have the choice of opting to follow Him to Heaven or not.
In essence it is that simple. Almost as an experiment I have raised in comment recently the Resurrection since if we cannot uphold it, Catholicism and any other version of Christianity is but a myth.
What has surprised me is the curious reluctance of Catholics and Christians to back me up or even positively comment, in the secular press when I have touched on it, but more seriously in the Catholic press, where both laity and worryingly, clergy, theologians or otherwise have been silent.
No wonder The Church is going down the plug hole!
I agree, we should all be Catholic because of the Incarnation, death and resurrection, and that we should be preaching that for the salvation of sinners. But all Protestant communities would lay claim to that as their core message and mission; they cannot lay claim to being established by the God-made-man the proclaim.
DeleteGod Bless.
I think Luther taught that Matrimony was not a sacrament and therefore divorce was permissible. This suited Henry VIII and many protestants after.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.
DeleteLuther and Henry VIII may have taught divorce was permissible, but the Catholic Church recognises as sacramentally valid the marriage of two baptised non-Catholics who have not previously been married, as a sacramental marriage. Such a marriage is therefore capable of conveying sacramental grace. It would not be a valid marriage if one if either the man or the woman had been Baptised a Catholic.
God Bless.