How do we know the assumption Mary is real? Since it's August 15th, I figured we could discuss a few pieces of historical proof that show how we know Mary went to heaven body and soul. Since the beginning of time, the assumption of Mary has been a Catholic tradition that has been carried down to today. For more than 2,000 years, the church has held this tradition to be true.

O Christ Jesus
When all is darkness
And we feel our weakness and helplessness,
Give us the sense of Your Presence,
Your Love and Your Strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
In Your protecting love
And strengthening power,
So that nothing may frighten or worry us,
For, living close to You,
We shall see Your Hand,
Your Purpose, Your Will through all things.

By St. Ignatius of Loyola

When was the last time you went to confession?

Here is a quick guide on how to make a good Confession that you may want to print.

http://www.catholicplanet.com/information/Good-Con...

If you want to learn about the history of confession here is a good article.

A Brief History of the Sacrament of Confession

If you want a good advent reflection on Confession then look at our Day 3 reflection.

Do you struggle with committing the same sins over and over? A practical way of avoiding sin is by eliminating the circumstances that usually lead up to sin. A young man one time admitted to me that he has a hard time stopping himself from committing sexual sins with his girlfriend. It turned out most of his sins with his girlfriend happened while the two were alone together in the car. My advice to him was to avoid being alone with her in the car.

Removing yourself from circumstances that will lead you to sin makes it less likely for you to commit sin. If you struggle with gluttony then don't keep a fridge stocked with unhealthy foods. In addition to avoiding situations that will cause you to sin, place yourself in environments that will allow you to grow in holiness. Simply put, to stop committing the same sins over and over you should try the following:

1. Identity the circumstances that cause you to commit the sin.

2. If possible, avoid placing yourself in such situations.

3. Place yourself in situations that will allow you to grow in holiness.

By Sadeer Farjo

December 10, is the feast day of Saints Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs according to the Syriac Catholic Rite's Calendar. Behnam and Sara were the children of King Sinharib. They become converts to Christianity when St. Matthew, a priest, cured Sara from leprosy. Behnam, Sara, and the forty slaves were all baptized by St. Matthew.

When King Sinharib found out that his children became Christians, he was furious and demanded that they denounce their Christianity. Refusing to denounce their faith Behnam, Sara, and the forty slaves took flight to Mount Alfaf. King Sinharib sent his soldiers after them and had his own children and the forty slaves killed.

What I find most amazing in these events is that the slaves were baptized and remained with their so called master, Behnam, even enduring death alongside him. This event reminds us that only Christ can set us free. The Forty Martyrs were not made free by some political action, but by God's Grace bestowed upon them in their Baptism. We read in John 8:36: "If therefore the son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Also as St. Paul writes:

"For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." GALATIANS 3:26-28 (New American Bible).

The forty so called 'slaves' could have saved their own lives by abandoning Behnam and Sara; however, they decided to risk and ultimately lose their own lives with them. By the virtue of their baptism, the Forty Martyrs were no longer slaves, they were brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jealousy and pride are at the root of many sins. Lucifer was proud and jealous of God and rebelled against God, which transformed Lucifer from a beautiful angel into a wicked demon. Adam and Eve were jealous of God and wanted to become gods themselves and thus believed the words of the father of lies (the serpent) and ate the forbidden fruit, which resulted in them being cast out of the Garden of Eden. Cain was jealous of Abel which ultimately resulted in the first murder. I can go on and on but you get the point.

Are you the jealous type? Imagine this scenario, you have just received your final exam grade. You got a D. You find out that your friends all got As, how do you feel? Are you jealous or happy for them? What if your friends all got Ds, like you, are you more comforted by your low score?

We need to train ourselves to be happy for others. We always want to cry out WHY ME? But we need to resist this temptation. The devil loves to use our jealousy.... don't let him. Here is a beautiful prayer that you should consider praying:

Written By: Thomas Mulcahy

Prefatory note on the importance of devotion to Mary’s Immaculate Conception. Mary entered human existence by a remarkable grace that preserved her from original sin, and which set her apart to become the Mother of God and the harbinger of God's own human existence in the person of Jesus. Mary's Immaculate Conception thus warrants a special devotion, and wearing the Miraculous Medal (first called the medal of the Immaculate Conception), and saying the prayer each morning, "Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you,' is one way to effectively practice this devotion. Saints who have been devoted to Mary's Immaculate Conception include Saint Catherine Laboure, Saint Bernadette, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and Blessed Mother Teresa (whose nuns have given out millions of Miraculous Medals).

Father Faber talks about the power of this devotion to Mary's Immaculate Conception; he indicates that her Immaculate Conception "is the first dawn of the world's redemption." He further indicates that devotion to Mary's Immaculate Conception is calculated to help us greatly in our "present needs...against the torrent of modern impurity" (and Faber was writing around 150 years ago!, so how much more do we need this devotion now!). Perhaps you know someone battling impurity: here is a devotion "eminently calculated" to sanctify our unruly passions. Faber recommends immense devotion to Mary and her Immaculate Conception, calling such devotion "a special power with God." Of the power of Mary's mediation Saint Pope John Paul II once said:

"In Mary's case we have a special and exceptional mediation...Jesus Christ prepared her ever more completely to become for all people their 'mother in the order of grace' "
(Saint Pope John Paul II, Mother of the Redeemer, 39).


This "preparation" began with the Immaculate Conception. If you are interested in the Miraculous Medal devotion, I recommend you read about the amazing conversion story of a Jewish man, Alphonse Ratisbonne. See

The Miraculous Conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne

Based on my notes from Fulton Sheen's Way to Inner Peace, chapter 35

"Humility is truth, or seeing ourselves as we really are[.]" Fulton Sheen

Here are 4 signs that might suggest you lack humility:

1) You play out a dream where you are the hero

2) You decrease the value of others effort

3) You are excessively sensitive to personal insults

4) You lack compassion for other people's feelings

A humble person does not underestimate himself. A humble person judges himself by his Maker and his Maker intended him to be. A humble person does not get bothered when insulted by others because if he has made a mistake, then he will try to fix it. If the insult he received is not true, it will not hurt him. A humble person is usually not comfortable receiving praise because a humble person knows that his talents are God's gifts.

Saint Nicholas has always been one of my favorite saints. One of the more famous stories of St. Nicholas involves three unmarried sisters whose father could not afford a dowry for them. Back then, the custom was for the father of the bride to give something of significant monetary value (called a dowry) to the groom to take care of his daughter. Since the father of the three women was not able to afford the dowry and had no financial means to support them, he decided to have them become prostitutes in order for them to afford to eat. The local Bishop, Nicholas, heard about the ladies situation and decided to help out. Each night for three nights he threw a golden ball (each value of the dowry) into the poor father's house. Back then, it was customary for people to hang their dirty wet sock by the fireplace to dry. On the third night a golden ball landed in one of the daughter's sock. He didn't tell anyone of his generosity but later people found out that it was Bishop Nicholas who preformed this generous act.

St. Nicholas pray for us.

Prior to Christmas or other big celebration we busy ourselves with cleaning the house, preparing various baked goods, and getting presents for everyone on our list. Similarly, but more so we must prepare ourselves by getting a spiritual cleansing in the sacrament of Confession. Confession brings us back into God's Grace. Mortal sin prevents us from getting so much needed graces. Confession opens the door for us to receive those graces that we have been missing out on by reconciling us to God.

Many Christians believe that confession is a sacrament 'created' by the Catholic Church. By taking a look at a brief history of the sacrament of confession we know that the Sacrament of Confession is based on both historical and biblical Christianity. Many, not all, of these Christians who deny confession usually do so because they fear it. They fear telling a priest their sins. They fear feeling vulnerable. Remember Jesus came into this world as a baby, he relied on his mother and foster father for the simplest of things. We must not let our fear of confession block us from receiving God's graces.

"As the man whom the priest baptizes is enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, so does he who in penance confesses his sins, receive through the priest forgiveness in virtue of the grace of Christ" (Frag. contra Novat. in P.G., XXVI, 1315). St. Athanasius (d. 373)

During Advent we await the Savior's birth. But with so many things to do leading up to Christmas, how do we find time to concentrate on the faith? One simple way is by fasting. Fasting is when we deny ourselves for the sake of holiness. When we fast we usually do something contrary to what our body desires, whether it be fasting from food or from an activity like playing a video game. It causes so called 'hunger-pains.' These 'hunger pains' can be offered to God for the sake of sinners. Fasting also keeps our focus on God. When we are hungry, we remember that we are doing all this for Someone greater than ourselves. It teaches us self-control and reminds us that we are not slaves to our bodies. Fasting doesn't require extra time from your day, but it does create an opportunity for you to focus on God throughout the day.

Want more? Here is another article about fasting: Fasting Teaches, Self-Control, Patience, & Discipline

Advent is a four week season, as symbolized by the 4 candles on the Advent Wreath, where the faithful awaits the Savior's birth. This instant world makes us forget to be patient at times. Our current lifestyle allows us for the instant access to food (microwave), people (cell phone), and information (Google). This instant lifestyle makes having patience, hard.

In the Old Testament, Samuel the priest told King Saul to wait until he got there before going to battle so that Samuel can offer a sacrifice. King Saul grew tired of waiting for Samuel to come and instead offered a sacrifice himself, an act that he was forbidden to do because Saul was not a priest. This displeased God and ultimately resulted in God choosing David as the new king.

What are some ways that we can grow more patient? Here are a few suggestions:

1. After you say grace over your meals, wait 1 minute before consuming the food.

2. Read a short sentence from the Gospel, usually one that Jesus has spoken and then pray "speak LORD for your servant is listening"1 Samuel 3:9 and "speak Lord for your adopted son is listening." Then just stop and listen. You can read more about this simple prayer here.

3. Do not look at your phone as soon as you wake up in the morning.

Obviously this is just meant to be a short list of things that you can do to grow more patient. Here is a good article about Catholic Solution For Gaining Patience.

For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. - Philippians 1:29

For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. - Philippians 1:29

These days, there is rarely a person that has not seen the circus-act situation all over the news concerning the Democratic Party’s all-out war against President Donald Trump’s nomination for Supreme Court Justice – Judge Kavanaugh. Most on both sides of the political spectrum see it as just a mere attack against the President’s proposed plans, executive orders, and/or general activity of the administration. But those with eyes to see and ears to hear know what this is truly about. Even before Jude Kavanaugh was nominated, the political left made it clear that if President Trump placed a ‘conservative right-leaning’ judge in the Supreme Court – the United States could face the reality of repealing Roe v. Wade and therefore dealing a death blow to legalized abortions nation-wide.

From their very own mouths, the Democratic Party has made it crystal-clear that they will do all that they can to prevent a mindset that would endanger the ‘right’ to abort the unborn in this country. However, the country is presented with trumped up charges against Kavanaugh and calling into question his integrity and competency as a legitimate choice to act as a Supreme Court Justice. As the weeks dragged on with these horrific lies against his character (to which no proof has been offered), Judge Kavanaugh and his family have been subjected to the worst forms of humiliation we have seen in quite some time. Make no mistake about it, those pulling the diabolical strings

These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world. - John 16:33

In these sad and shocking days of the Roman Catholic Church we see a great deal of turmoil and confusion among not only the clergy but especially the laity and one can only imagine the thoughts and reactions of non-Catholics. In fact, because of the scandals especially due to a crisis in leadership the Church is witnessing, this has given cause to suggest the Roman Catholic Church couldn't possibly be the True Church that Christ founded. Yes, we have seen a crisis of leadership especially during one of the most critical moments of the Church when Pope Francis was asked for guidance on Cardinal Vigano's explosive revelations; instead of direction on the matter, the Holy Father flatly told the world, “I will not say a single word” on Vigano's allegations. My answer to this resides

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.

I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

We are accustomed to anxiety and stress all too well. There is rarely a moment in our days where we are not faced with some level of anxiety or pain. The stress of duties imposed upon you whether it be of work, family, friends, etc. be overwhelming. However, inevitably there shall come a time when great distress finds us and renders us pinned down in absolute chaos. These are of the anxieties that are deep reaching and often most difficult to withstand such as a death of a loved one or financial/emotional/spiritual ruin. What then shall the Catholic under seemingly diabolical attacks on our peace and well-being?

In a word, we are to pray. Now this is not a 'cop-out' for lack of better rather the ultimate strategy against despair. We simply cannot afford to forgo prayer and expect to be able to deal with life's various twists and turns. This of course means we pray whatever the 'season' may be in our lives; whether the joys of springtime or the pains of winter we are to give place to God as master of our lives. It is grace that we must seek in order to be given the faith we need to carry our crosses. Keep in mind, there has never been a time our Lord ever said to us that to follow Him was to be a walk in the park. Instead, Jesus made it clear that to follow Him meant to, “Deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me daily.”

So, prayer is the first, let's recall the easier days of your life when stress was at an all time low if any at all. Do you remember how easy it was to pray? Exceedingly easy! It is not terribly that you pray and pray often in times of relaxation, peace, and comfort; though all pray merits for holiness, but saints are not made in the days where justice and peace is common place otherwise following logic would make us perfect. No, it is when life is the hardest we discover the narrow path spread with thorns to the rewards of Christ. It is when every prayer is like a mouth full of sand that you gain the greatest merit for your penances. It is in the very midst of temptation to forgo prayer that we find our path to the crown of life. Struggle therefore with that temptation to refuse to speak to God or petition the saints for intercession as it is surely a demonic attempt to assail you from spiritual victory.

Now that we know that endurance and persistence in prayer is necessary, what shall we petition God in our distress? Shall we ask God to take away our pain or misfortune that we are obligated to give attention to? If so, then tell me, would it have been good to shield our Lord Jesus from the scourging at the pillar or to protect Him from the crown of thorns or to remove the cross from His shoulders and keep Him from being crucified? Surely these things would have given Jesus comfort and removed from His path great pains and distress. Do you see what I am getting at? I deliberately meant to frustrate your less than stellar petitions to God to remove from you the one thing that might make you holy. Why should you ask God to take away what was destined for you to suffer for His sake for the very purpose of sanctification? How does gold get refined? By the fire! How is the steel of a sword tempered and strengthened? By the fire! How are you going to shed all those things that keep you from Christ? By the fire! Pray therefore for the graces to happily receive whatever is necessary for your salvation even to the point of martyrdom. Is that going far? To what lengths do you go for security, peace, happiness, and love for you and your loved ones? Then how much more shall we do for the eternal God who loves us and wishes to live eternally with Him in heaven? Pray then that will be abandoned so that God's heavenly will may be done in, through, and you so that you are neither puffed up by life's easy moments nor cast down by the hardest. Rather, pray to be fully satisfied in ALL things for the love of our Lord. As Sacred Scripture says, “And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.” - Romans 8:28

One of my favorite verses in Holy Scripture can be read in 1 John 4:18, which says,

“Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth, is not perfected in charity.”

Now this is not to say that fear has no place in a man but in what light does man take in fear that actually assists him? Going back to 1 John 4:18, the Disciple that Jesus loved is confirming the necessity of charity or love that drives out fear. One would naturally think the opposite of fear is courage but the word courage itself is more of a word than a strategy in conquering fear, rather love is the strategy that deadens the sting of fear. So as we continue to regard fear that is to naturally weave in and out of our finite minds, keep charity in mind as the decisive plan for victory over fear.

But again, in what light does man take in fear that actually assists him and what unfortunately of fear that destroys him? What are we “allowed” to fear and continue to avoid worshiping in vain? I ask these questions to call to mind the fears that bind you at this very moment so that you may in secret find the solution, who is Jesus Christ. Shall we legitimately fear things and still claim faith in Him who is always faithful regardless of our inconsistencies? Fear of losing a job or not being able to provide for those we have charge over? Or fear of not meeting others expectations? Indeed fear has its place in our lives as it is a healthy reminder of our boundaries and limits to what may bring ruin if we were to exhaust them. Such as the fear of suicide as this goes against the moral law and traditionally speaking is a grave matter. The fear of hell, while considered imperfect contrition for sin is quite useful indeed to stave oneself away from malignant choices in life. But do we rather fear losing grace or sullying our innocence? Do we fear for the souls of others who, if we do as Christ asks us to, see others on a road to destruction? This isn't pride that we who are so holy and they who are so evil so as to fear for them and not ourselves. Certainly Not! Do also fear for your own soul as you, oh fickle one, are ready to lie, steal if an opportunity presents itself, lust when no one is looking, procrastinate in ones duty in life or not at all, you who are so ready to judge and think nothing of it. What shall you fear? Fear him who can destroy the body and soul. Fear also the perfection of Him who reigns supreme as master, king, and lord of all creation. For as we look at ourselves as though dimly in a mirror we see the inglorious nature of man, deaf, dumb, and blind to most spiritual realities that would have without a doubt solidify our faith if we only had one small glimpse at the face of God while we walked the earth.

What I gather about the plague of fear is not actually concerning spiritual matters but far more carnal reasons. Earthly troubles that are made into mountains while only in truth the size of a mole hill. And so many believe by praying for a desired result will usher in a definitive resolution to your haunting fears. Remember, those of you who fear without consolation, you do not receive because you ask amiss [1]. If it is 'these things' that we are afraid we will not receive, we need only refer to Our Lord Jesus in fully understanding what we must do so that we receive freely,

Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they? And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature by one cubit? And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. And if the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith?

Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. - Matthew 6:26-34

So what do you have to fear? Some would quote FDR and say fear itself is to be feared and in some ways that is true. But in reality, it is the lack of charity you ask to be perfected in by God you must concern yourself with. Thanks to St. Paul, we know of the three Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, however it is charity that is greatest of them all [2]. But why? How is it that charity towers over faith and hope? Some may argue without faith you cannot be saved, this is true. Others would side with hope as without it you lack zeal in the truth and endurance in all things, and this is true. But charity, my brave ones, is the pillar virtue that outlines, infiltrates, edifies, and purifies your faith and your hope as God IS charity so, therefore, employing true love while satisfying His justice in Dogmatic/Doctrinal truth removes all hindrances from receiving His grace. So that you may receive and not be afraid, pray for the graces to live a life of virtue, to take care in fulfilling even the smallest duties granted to you, offering them up as penance for your sins and others. Turn you fear into something holy and presentable to Him who wipes away all fear because of His great love. Do this, and you will indeed be perfected by charity and fear will flee you!

The message from Our Lady of Fátima comes from a visitation from the Virgin Mary to three young shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos (9), Francisco Marto (8), and Jacinta Marto (6), in Fátima, Portugal in 1916. The Virgin Mary appeared to them six times from May to October and gave them a message of warning and promise. She said to the children that God’s punishment to the sinning on earth was war, hunger, and persecution of the Catholic church, and that his punishment would become more severe as sinning and unfaithful misconduct become more prevalent. Although her messaged seemed grave, she promised the children that if they prayed everyday, said rosaries, and followed the path of God, they would attain peace. Further, that the same message of peace held true for the population of the world. Specifically, if Catholics had faith and prayed and devoted themselves regularly, following the correct way of God, that they should find peace and be allowed into Heaven.

For as long as I can remember, the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church have been constantly attacked, criticized, and even watered down (or attempted to do so) by those that should know better. Although, it doesn't surprise me to see these things, it is still a source of anguish to see Christ attacked in such ways. One common objection to an Apostolic teaching of the Church would be that of the Sacrament of Penance or better known as Confession; the most common objection to Confession is that it was 'created' by the Catholic Church and has no basis in the roots of historical/biblical Christianity. Ironically, this objection is primarily held by those who are often ignorant (usually willfully ignorant) of both historical and biblical Christianity! Let's help set the record straight by taking a look into the Catholic Encyclopedia:

According to the Council of Trent, the consensus of all the Fathers always understood that by the words of Christ just cited, the power of forgiving and retaining sins was communicated to the Apostles and their lawful successors (Sess. XIV, c. i). It is therefore Catholic doctrine that the Church from the earliest times believed in the power to forgive sins as granted by Christ to the Apostles. Such a belief in fact was clearly inculcated by the words with which Christ granted the power, and it would have been inexplicable to the early Christians if any one who professed faith in Christ had questioned the existence of that power in the Church. But if, contrariwise, we suppose that no such belief existed from the beginning, we encounter a still greater difficulty: the first mention of that power would have been regarded as an innovation both needless and intolerable; it would have shown little practical wisdom on the part of those who were endeavoring to draw men to Christ; and it would have raised a protest or led to a schism which would certainly have gone on record as plainly at least as did early divisions on matters of less importance. But no such record is found; even those who sought to limit the power itself presupposed its existence, and their very attempt at limitation put them in opposition to the prevalent Catholic belief. Turning now to evidence of a positive sort, we have to note that the statements of any Father or orthodox ecclesiastical writer regarding penance present not merely his own personal view, but the commonly accepted belief; and furthermore that the belief which they record was no novelty at the time, but was the traditional doctrine handed down by the regular teaching of the Church and embodied in her practice. In other words, each witness speaks for a past that reaches back to the beginning, even when he does not expressly appeal to tradition.

St. Augustine (d. 430) warns the faithful: "Let us not listen to those who deny that the Church of God has power to forgive all sins" (De agon. Christ., iii).

• St. Ambrose (d. 397) rebukes the Novatianists who "professed to show reverence for the Lord by reserving to Him alone the power of forgiving sins. Greater wrong could not be done than what they do in seeking to rescind His commands and fling back the office He bestowed. . . . The Church obeys Him in both respects, by binding sin and by loosing it; for the Lord willed that for both the power should be equal" (On Penance I.2.6).
• Again he teaches that this power was to be a function of the priesthood. "It seemed impossible that sins should be forgiven through penance; Christ granted this (power) to the Apostles and from the Apostles it has been transmitted to the office of priests" (On Penance II.2.12).
• The power to forgive extends to all sins: "God makes no distinction; He promised mercy to all and to His priests He granted the authority to pardon without any exception" (On Penance I.3.10).
• Against the same heretics St. Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona (d. 390), wrote to Sympronianus, one of their leaders: "This (forgiving sins), you say, only God can do. Quite true: but what He does through His priests is the doing of His own power" (Ep. I ad Sympron., 6 in P.L., XIII, 1057).
• In the East during the same period we have the testimony of St. Cyril of Alexandria (d. 447): "Men filled with the spirit of God (i.e. priests) forgive sins in two ways, either by admitting to baptism those who are worthy or by pardoning the penitent children of the Church" (In Joan., 1, 12 in P.G., LXXIV, 722).
• St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) after declaring that neither angels nor archangels have received such power, and after showing that earthly rulers can bind only the bodies of men, declares that the priest's power of forgiving sins "penetrates to the soul and reaches up to heaven". Wherefore, he concludes, "it were manifest folly to condemn so great a power without which we can neither obtain heaven nor come to the fulfillment of the promises. . . . Not only when they (the priests) regenerate us (baptism), but also after our new birth, they can forgive us our sins" (On the Priesthood III.5 sq.).
• St. Athanasius (d. 373): "As the man whom the priest baptizes is enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, so does he who in penance confesses his sins, receive through the priest forgiveness in virtue of the grace of Christ" (Frag. contra Novat. in P.G., XXVI, 1315).

These extracts show that the Fathers recognized in penance a power and a utility quite distinct from that of baptism. Repeatedly they compare in figurative language the two means of obtaining pardon; or regarding baptism as spiritual birth, they describe penance as the remedy for the ills of the soul contracted after that birth. But a more important fact is that both in the West and in the East, the Fathers constantly appeal to the words of Christ and given them the same interpretation that was given eleven centuries later by the Council of Trent. In this respect they simply echoed the teachings of the earlier Fathers who had defended Catholic doctrine against the heretics of the third and second centuries. Thus St. Cyprian in his "De lapsis" (A.D. 251) rebukes those who had fallen away in time of persecution, but he also exhorts them to penance: "Let each confess his sin while he is still in this world, while his confession can be received, while satisfaction and the forgiveness granted by the priests is acceptable to God" (c. xxix).

On August 5th of this year, Disney aired an episode of Doc McStuffins, entitled “The Emergency Plan” which depicted a doll “family” with two lesbian mothers with two children. The entire premise of the show is focused around a young girl, referred to as Doc McStuffins, and pretends to act as a doctor and fix toys as a doctor would treat patients. In this episode, Doc and friends encounter a lesbian doll family where chaotic events cause the toys to react without much of an emergency plan to counter whatever may befall them. So, Doc and friends come to the rescue and show this unnatural family how to better prepare for emergencies as if seeing two mothers together with children is perfectly normal.

This is unfortunately nothing new for Disney, the organization has steadily pushed boundaries of depicting sexual immorality as common-place such as the newly released 'Beauty and the Beast' where Gaston's chummy buddy, Lefou, flamboyantly swaggers and flirts throughout much of the film. Even Disney's affiliate companies such as Pixar have hidden little gay 'easter-eggs' for the ever watchful and studious.

By Sadeer Farjo, JD

Over the past few months, you may have heard some chatter about whether Trump is conservative or not. When it comes to nominating federal judges he is placing some solid judges that will defend human dignity and protect our religious rights. Take for example his recent nomination for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals where Trump nominated an unapologetic Catholic, Amy Coney Barrett.

It's no secret that in our days there are many within the Catholic Church who should know better have taken in to novelties and outright heresy. We also know that even from the highest ranks in the Church there is a great deal of confusion seemingly flowing from top to bottom. With the release of Pope Francis' Amoris Laetitia, the Church has largely been left in a sort of division. We see Cardinal against Cardinal, Bishop against Bishop, Priest against Priest, and even strife between the laity. In particular, Amoris Laetitia Chapter 8 on 'Accompanying, discerning and Integrating Weakness' has given many in the Church to question if official Church teaching on certain matters have changed. Sadly, many have taken the opportunity to criticize the Pope and clergy primarily because many of us do not understand what it means to recognize authority in the Church. Many forget that it was Christ Himself who instituted the hierarchy of the Church and for that matter, many have forgotten that the Holy Spirit is Always with the Church but Christ NEVER promised those in the Church would cooperate with the Holy Spirit. So moving forward, let's tread fearfully into this discussion and ask God for the graces to maintain a steady devotion to the Church as we work to expose wickedness running rampant in the Church.

Few months ago, I was going through a hard time. I was worried about many things. I feared that I might fail in my career. I feared that I wasn't a good lawyer.Therefore, I need to trust God and I need to remind myself he will watch over me. I had to realize that even if I fall, I can count on God picking me up. Like Peter who was walking on water until the wind grew louder causing his faith to be shaken and ultimately causing him to sink, I too need to respond like Peter did and ask Jesus to grab my hand pull me out of the water.

There comes a time in every Catholic's life where Sunday rolls around and we find that there is something to do. Now we are reminded by Holy Mother Church of God's commandment to “Keep Holy the Sabbath” and this also means to abstain from servile work on that day. But before you pull your hair out trying to figure out what you're not supposed to do, let's review a little catechism!