Catholic stuff - What does it all mean?
There are lots of things to think about as a young person whether you are a Catholic or not. Sometimes it's not easy to explain our Faith to others, especially when we are not sure of our Faith. In these pages there is a little help on some subjects, not so that you can defend your faith to others but also that these little bits of information will help you in your Faith-life and prayer-life and maybe even help others to see why being a Catholic is really great. Don't forget to keep an eye on the Links page too.
Reception of Holy Communion - when we should and when we shouldn’t.
Holy Communion at a Catholic celebration is shared with those who are orthodox Catholics in communion with our Holy Father The Pope which means united with the Pope in our belief in Catholic teaching about the Real Presence of our Lord’s Body & Blood in the Eucharist, which of course teaches us that as Catholics we truly believe He is really present under the form of Bread and Wine in what we explain as Transubstantiation. It is not just a wafer or wine contrary to what others might hold. Let those who demand to share in the Real Thing, take the step to be one with us in Faith and in communion with the Pope. In all the Sacraments of which, at least for Catholics, there are seven, we meet Christ our Lord personally. Catholics know that we need to prepare to be in a state of Grace when receiving the Sacraments. Confession is always available by mutual arrangement or after Holy Mass.
The restriction on giving the Blessed Sacrament to Catholics alone at Holy Mass is never meant to shut others out but is to express how our Faith as Catholics unites us in one belief, and so until the day we are united in Faith we must suffer the sorrow of disunity. ‘No pain, no gain’ as the saying goes. It wouldn’t be correct for us to share something so amazing with those who do not quite believe in what we hold as a truth of our Faith for what it truly is – the Real Presence of the Body & Blood of our Lord Jesus – and what it explains about our communion with the Lord, our Pope and one another. Similarly, the Sacrament of Confession & Reconciliation is restricted to Catholics alone since for this too one must be in communion with the Pope, who urges us to follow his example and share in this Sacrament of Forgiveness regularly too, although the desire to confess to a priest in the Catholic way does not seem to be experienced quite so strongly by non- Catholics and inactive Catholics as something for which they clamour quite so much nor of which they feel deprived. Could that be food for thought?
IT IS THE EUCHARIST THAT MAKES THE CHURCH. It is in the celebration of the Eucharist that we become Church by receiving the Lord’s presence and grace. The Church is a gift given to us, not something of our own construction.
It is said sensitivity arises for many when we take part in funerals or weddings or Baptisms involving Christians of other traditions who are not in communion with the Pope, which for Catholics is very important. We ourselves do not and should not receive at those occasions but respectfully fast until the day a united faith and understanding of the Church’s faithfulness to what Christ taught will permit us to share the Eucharist.
But other priests in Bath and elsewhere are said freely to do otherwise! That’s for them to explain and not for others to comment..
Rights and duties go hand in hand. Cardinal Basil Hume, God rest him alerted us to à la carte Catholicism or ‘a pick and mix’ approach. The priest is not to follow private opinion nor bow to the pressures from members of the community not well instructed in our Faith, but he must offer what the Church in its wisdom guides us to do. It is always nice to be popular by saying what is wanted by individuals but when St Thomas More was asked to compromise for “fellowship’s sake” his reply was that when he would have to account for his conscience before God and be found wanting, would others go with him then “for fellowship’s sake”. Sometimes the pastor, however hard for him to do, has to challenge the flock to what is faithful and better, even though he himself is not perfect, as many with a beam in their own eye here are sometimes very ready and will go to some lengths to point out.
The restriction on giving the Blessed Sacrament to Catholics alone at Holy Mass is never meant to shut others out but is to express how our Faith as Catholics unites us in one belief, and so until the day we are united in Faith we must suffer the sorrow of disunity. ‘No pain, no gain’ as the saying goes. It wouldn’t be correct for us to share something so amazing with those who do not quite believe in what we hold as a truth of our Faith for what it truly is – the Real Presence of the Body & Blood of our Lord Jesus – and what it explains about our communion with the Lord, our Pope and one another. Similarly, the Sacrament of Confession & Reconciliation is restricted to Catholics alone since for this too one must be in communion with the Pope, who urges us to follow his example and share in this Sacrament of Forgiveness regularly too, although the desire to confess to a priest in the Catholic way does not seem to be experienced quite so strongly by non- Catholics and inactive Catholics as something for which they clamour quite so much nor of which they feel deprived. Could that be food for thought?
IT IS THE EUCHARIST THAT MAKES THE CHURCH. It is in the celebration of the Eucharist that we become Church by receiving the Lord’s presence and grace. The Church is a gift given to us, not something of our own construction.
It is said sensitivity arises for many when we take part in funerals or weddings or Baptisms involving Christians of other traditions who are not in communion with the Pope, which for Catholics is very important. We ourselves do not and should not receive at those occasions but respectfully fast until the day a united faith and understanding of the Church’s faithfulness to what Christ taught will permit us to share the Eucharist.
But other priests in Bath and elsewhere are said freely to do otherwise! That’s for them to explain and not for others to comment..
Rights and duties go hand in hand. Cardinal Basil Hume, God rest him alerted us to à la carte Catholicism or ‘a pick and mix’ approach. The priest is not to follow private opinion nor bow to the pressures from members of the community not well instructed in our Faith, but he must offer what the Church in its wisdom guides us to do. It is always nice to be popular by saying what is wanted by individuals but when St Thomas More was asked to compromise for “fellowship’s sake” his reply was that when he would have to account for his conscience before God and be found wanting, would others go with him then “for fellowship’s sake”. Sometimes the pastor, however hard for him to do, has to challenge the flock to what is faithful and better, even though he himself is not perfect, as many with a beam in their own eye here are sometimes very ready and will go to some lengths to point out.
Who or What are the Patricians?
THE PATRICIANS
The Society of the Patricians was established in 1955. Its purpose is to build up the religious knowledge of the people, to teach them how to explain themselves and to encourage them to apostleship. Its method was intended to be experimental but it has remained unchanged. Though minds were busy at first in proposing alterations, it is realised that all of these were but reversions to other established methods, such as the catechism class, the lecture system, the question and answer session. These have their own essential place, but they do not cope with what is probably the root problem of the Church: adult religious ignorance and the paralysed tongues of the laity. The Patricians has been showing itself effective in that field and therefore must be jealously safeguarded. Its system is a delicately balanced one. A small interference with it can change it into something radically different, just as a slight alteration of tuning brings in a different radio station.
Those other systems provide for one or a few well-versed persons doing the work of instructing a number of others: whereas the method of the Patricians is that of the Legion itself - a united approach to the task in hand. All work together in an active quest for knowledge.
If the family spirit is established in which the "smallest people" feel at home, then the Patrician foundation has been laid. Each contribution will tend to 'spark off' another one, as each link of a chain draws another along. Gaps in knowledge are filled in, detached items are formed into the mosaic of Catholic doctrine. As knowledge and interest grow, the individuals merge more into the oneness of the Mystical Body of Christ and are penetrated by its life.
It is the sorrowful fact that Catholics do not speak about religion to those outside the Church, and seldom to those inside it. A term has been devised for this Christian disorientation: Mutism. Cardinal Suenens sums up the position thus: "It is said that those outside the Church will not listen. But the real truth is that the Catholics will not speak." It seems to be the case that the average Catholic will not help another in the domain of religion. Sincere enquirers are not given the information which they seek, and the incorrect impression is created that Catholics are indifferent about conversions.
Look out for the next meeting of the Patricians in the Catholic Chaplaincy Centre [CCC]
The Society of the Patricians was established in 1955. Its purpose is to build up the religious knowledge of the people, to teach them how to explain themselves and to encourage them to apostleship. Its method was intended to be experimental but it has remained unchanged. Though minds were busy at first in proposing alterations, it is realised that all of these were but reversions to other established methods, such as the catechism class, the lecture system, the question and answer session. These have their own essential place, but they do not cope with what is probably the root problem of the Church: adult religious ignorance and the paralysed tongues of the laity. The Patricians has been showing itself effective in that field and therefore must be jealously safeguarded. Its system is a delicately balanced one. A small interference with it can change it into something radically different, just as a slight alteration of tuning brings in a different radio station.
Those other systems provide for one or a few well-versed persons doing the work of instructing a number of others: whereas the method of the Patricians is that of the Legion itself - a united approach to the task in hand. All work together in an active quest for knowledge.
If the family spirit is established in which the "smallest people" feel at home, then the Patrician foundation has been laid. Each contribution will tend to 'spark off' another one, as each link of a chain draws another along. Gaps in knowledge are filled in, detached items are formed into the mosaic of Catholic doctrine. As knowledge and interest grow, the individuals merge more into the oneness of the Mystical Body of Christ and are penetrated by its life.
It is the sorrowful fact that Catholics do not speak about religion to those outside the Church, and seldom to those inside it. A term has been devised for this Christian disorientation: Mutism. Cardinal Suenens sums up the position thus: "It is said that those outside the Church will not listen. But the real truth is that the Catholics will not speak." It seems to be the case that the average Catholic will not help another in the domain of religion. Sincere enquirers are not given the information which they seek, and the incorrect impression is created that Catholics are indifferent about conversions.
Look out for the next meeting of the Patricians in the Catholic Chaplaincy Centre [CCC]