Catholic Herald: Swedish Sister who hid Jews from the Nazis is to be canonised

Source: Catholic Herald
by Mark Greaves
posted Friday, 18 Dec 2015

Blessed Mary Elizabeth is a Righteous Among the Nations

Blessed Mary Elizabeth saved the lives of more than 60 people

A Swedish Sister who hid Jews from the Nazis during the Second World is to be canonised next year.

Blessed Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad, who refounded the Bridgettines and worked to restore the order in Italy and Sweden, saved the lives of over 60 people by hiding them at the motherhouse in Rome.

Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to her intercession earlier this week, paving the way for her to be proclaimed a saint.

The Swede, a convert from Lutheranism, was mother superior at the motherhouse in Piazza Farnese during the Second World War.

The hiding of dozens of people at the motherhouse was recounted by an Italian Jew, Piero Piperno, as part of his testimony on behalf of another Bridgettine, Brighton-born Mother Mary Richard Beauchamp Hambrough, whose Cause was opened five years ago.

Mr Piperno told the Times newspaper: “We were three families, 13 in all. We stayed in three rooms, all the men in one, except an uncle who slept in a dark, small room with no windows, and another two for the women. In the beginning we all ate in one room by ourselves.”

For six months –until the Allies liberated Rome – the Piperno family hid in the convent, at every moment fearing potential arrest.

The nuns did not discriminate between the people they helped, he said, and took in Fascist refugees as well as Jews.

He said: “Something which bothered me back then, but which I now understand, was that the nuns that helped us also helped Fascist families. There was great solidarity because everybody was suffering and everybody finally realised we were all in the same boat. “

Blessed Mary Elizabeth, who Yad Vashem has named as a Righteous among the Nations, was beatified by St John Paul II in 2000.

She was born Sweden in 1870 and baptised into the Reform Church. In 1886 she migrated to the United States to earn money for her family back home.

After working as a nurse, she converted to Catholicism in 1902.

Moving to Rome, she dedicated her life and her religious order to prayer and work for the attainment of Christian unity.

She refounded the Order of the Most Holy Saviour of St Bridget, better known as the Bridgettines.

Mother Riccarda later succeeded her as mother superior at the order’s Rome motherhouse.

Catholic Herald: Mother Teresa to be canonised on September 4

Source: Catholic Herald
by Staff Reporter
posted Tuesday, 15 Mar 2016

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta pictured in 1993 (AP)

The canonisation Mass will conclude the Vatican Jubilee for 'workers and volunteers of mercy'

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta will be canonised on September 4, the Vatican has announced.

The canonisation Mass at which Mother Teresa will be declared a saint will conclude the Vatican Jubilee for “workers and volunteers of mercy”, according to Catholic News Service.

The canonisation, which was approved at a consistory at the Vatican today, comes the day before the 19th anniversary of Blessed Teresa’s death, September 5, 1997.

On December 17, Pope Francis approved a second miracle attributed to Blessed Teresa’s intercession. That miracle involved the healing of a now 42-year-old mechanical engineer in Santos, Brazil, who was in a coma after being diagnosed with a viral brain infection that resulted in multiple brain abscesses

The Vatican has also announced that Blessed Stanislaus Papczynski and Blessed Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad will be canonised on June 5.

Argentine priest Blessed Gabriel del Rosario Brochero and Mexico’s Blessed Sanchez del Rio to be canonised on October 16.

Mula sa Iglesia Ni Kristo (INK) naging Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC): Hudyat nga ba ito ng pagtalikod?

Isa sa mga mariing tinututulan ng mga kaanib ng Iglesia Ni Cristo® ay kung bakit daw pinalitan ang pangalan  ng Iglesiang tatag ni Cristo noong Unang Siglo bilang Iglesia Katolika (Pasugo Abril 1966, p. 46).  Palatandaan daw na tumalikod na raw na ganap ang tunay na Iglesia ni Cristo noong unang siglo sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalit raw nito ng pangalang "wala" naman raw sa Biblia (sa Griegong salin meron naman).

Hindi ba't ganon din ang ginawa nila?  Mula sa pangalang IGLESIA NI KRISTO (INK) ay PINALITAN sa pangalang IGLESIA NI CRISTO (INC)?

Mula sa kanyang orihinal na pagpapatala sa Republika ng Pilipinas noong 1914, Iglesia Ni Cristo (INK) na ang gamit, bakit INC na ngayon?

Nagkamali ba ang kanilang SUGO sa pagpaparehistro nito bilang INK?

O kaya'y sa kadahilanang KINOPYA ni Felix Manalo ang salitang [i]GLESIA NI KRISTO mula sa saling TAGALOG ng Biblia (Basahin Alin ang Iglesiang binabanggit sa Roma 16:16?) na pag-aari ng mga Katoliko at di kalaunan ay kinopya rin ng mga misyonerong Protestante na siya namang binasa at pinaghugutan ng reperensiya ng kanilang sugo?

Alin man sa dalawa ang maaaring dahilan ng kanilang pagpapapalit ng pangalan ay dapat din nilang bigyang linaw kung BAKIT naman nila ito ginawa.

Hudyat din ba ito ng pagtalikod ng INK / INC?

Sinubukan kong hanapin sa internet ang kasagutan na maaari kong pagbabasyahan, maging sa Wikipedia o sa opisyal na website ng Iglesia Ni Cristo®, wala pong masumpungang kasagutan dito. Lahat ay tumutukoy lamang sa pinalit na pangalan nito bilang INC.

Sa aking pagsasaliksik, lalong LUMANTAD ang katotohanang si Felix Manalo ay nagpalit din ng pangalan. Mula sa FELIX YSAGUN, pinalitan niya ng FELIX MANALO (apelyido ng kanyang inang debotong Katoliko).

Hindi lang po 'yan. Nagpalit-palit din ng relihiyon si Felix Manalo.

Una siyang SUMANIB sa mga KOLORUM na relihiyon sa Bundok sa San Cristobal sa Lucena Quezon.

Noong 1904 hindi siya nasiyahan dito at lumipat naman sa Methodist Episcopal Church (Protestante). Naging Pastor Presbyterian matapos siya ay nag-aral sa mga paaralan ng mga Presbyterians sa tulong nina Esteban Aquino at Rita Baqui. 

Noong 1907/1908 nagpalit na naman ng relihiyon si Felix Manalo. Mula sa mga Presbyterian, siya ay lumipat sa Christian Mission kung saan siya ay naparatangan ng PAGMAMALABIS sa mga KABABAIHAN nito.

Matapos sa Christian Mission, noong 1911/1912 lumipat naman siya sa mga Seventh-Day Adventists o mas kilala sa pangalang SABADISTA sapagkat nagsasamba sila tulad ng mga Hudyo sa araw ng Sabado.

Dalawang beses ikinasala si Felix Manalo. Una ay kay TOMASA SERENEO na namatay ilang taon matapos silang nagsama.

Habang nasa Presbyterian school si Felix Manalo, niligawan niya ang isang 19 años na dalaga na nagngangalang HONORATA DE GUZMAN at di nagtagal ay IKINASAL ng isang CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE PASTOR (Protestante) na si EMILIANO QUIJANO. Ang dalawa ay ikinasal sa Singalong, Maynila. (Source: Ang Lihim at Kabulaanan ng Iglesia Ni Kristo)

Ang pagkatalo sa isang debate ang nagtulak kay Felix Manalo upang LISANIN muli ang relihiyong kinaaaniban at UMANIB sa mga FREETHINKERS tulad ng mga AGNOSTICS, ATHEISTS hanggang MISMONG SI FELIX MANALO AY NAWALAN NG PANANAMPALATAYA SA DIYOS!

Matapos ang tatlong araw ng pagbabasa ng Biblia Katoliko /Protestante ng mga "ministro ni Satanas" (Pasugo Agosto 1961, p. 39), lumabas si Felix Manalo mula sa kanyang kuwarto at NAGTATAG ng kanyang sariling iglesiang "IGLESIA NI KRISTO" na PINAREHISTRO sa Office of the Division of Archives t Patented Properties of Literature and Executive Office of Industrial Trade Marks, REGISTRATION No. 54, FILE No. 43.

Samakatuwid, ang orihinal na pangalan ng samahan ni Felix Manalo ay INK at hindi INC.

Sa kanyang pagpapapalit ng PANGALAN, ASAWA, RELIHIYON at PANGALAN ng kaniyang IGLESIA, hindi kaya HUDYAT ito sa ating ng DIYOS sa atin na HINDI nga tunay na SUGO ng Diyos si FELIX MANALO kundi siya ay SUGO ng KALABAN ng DIYOS? At ang kanyang TATAG na Iglesia ay HUWAD at PEKE?

"Sapagka't maraming magdaraya na nangagsilitaw sa sanglibutan, sa makatuwid ay ang mga hindi nangagpapahayag na si Jesucristo ay napariritong nasa laman. Ito ang magdaraya at ang anticristo. 

Mangagingat kayo sa inyong sarili, upang huwag ninyong iwala ang mga bagay na aming pinagpagalan, kundi upang tanggapin ninyo ang isang lubos na kagantihan. Ang sinomang nagpapatuloy at hindi nananahan sa aral ni Cristo, ay hindi kinaroroonan ng Dios: ang nananahan sa aral, ay kinaroroonan ng Ama at gayon din ng Anak. Kung sa inyo'y dumating ang sinoman, at hindi dala ang aral na ito, ay huwag ninyong tanggapin sa inyong bahay, at huwag ninyo siyang batiin: Sapagka't ang bumabati sa kaniya ay nararamay sa kaniyang masasamang gawa." -2 JUAN 1:7-11

ALETEIA: A Habit of Visual Witness in a Noisy, Distracted World

Personally, I am in favor of religious men and women being seen in their religious habit. This article below explains it why a religious men or woman wearing his/her habit should wear it out of humility. Seeing one in the public reminds us of their presence anywhere. If someone gives them special treatment, it's not because they are wearing the "uniform" but because people recognize that "holy presence" in their habit. -CD2000

Source: Aleteia
By Elizabeth Scalia 

Photo by Jeffrey Bruno

Around 1970, when we students asked about her move from an updated habit to ordinary clothing, the teaching sister who ran our parish CCD program declared that the shedding of religious habits was a good thing because it emphasized that sisters were “nothing special, that we are all special in God’s eyes.”

This sister gave an example: “When we were in our habits, a fellow with an Italian ice barrow would always insist on giving us free ices, but why should he? Why shouldn’t we pay like anyone else? Why should we deprive him of his living because we were in a costume?”

Putting aside how unlikely it would be for an Italian ice seller to “go broke” because he gave away a few free scoops of sugar-water, it is striking, almost 40 years on, to comprehend how fully horizontal and earthbound was her thinking; it had some breadth, but neither height nor depth. As with the “horizontally focused” masses and hymns that overemphasized the humanity of the church while diminishing the transcendence of its liturgy and purpose, Sister was embracing the beam of the cross — humanity and church reaching toward each other — without considering that the stationary vertical, heaven-focused post is vital, if anyone is to be raised up.

Sister was operating under a willful delusion; she justified forsaking the habit with appeals to solidarity, compassion and humility, but her story illustrated egoism and presumption. She bemoaned a possibility of cheating a man out of his wages. In fact, she was cheating that man, but not in the way she imagined.

The ice-barrow man was never giving Sister a free ice because she wore a habit but because a man who revered (or at least respected) God saw an opportunity to demonstrate his regard in a little way that St. Therese might have applauded.

And she was cheating others too. Her habit was a reminder to the community of faith, and to everyone else as well, that we are all called to simplicity and sacrifice — that for all of our Martha-instincts to work ourselves to death and carve our identities from what we “do,” we must cultivate our inner Marys as well, and embrace the challenge to simply be. Sister might correctly say that she was “nobody special,” but her habit was a witness to “being,” and it confirmed Christ’s covenanted life among us with a reassuring immediacy.

Perfectae Caritatis, the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life, wisely counseled in favor of adapting religious habits in practical ways, but never decreed that habits should be discarded.

The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming. In addition it must meet the requirements of health and be suited to the circumstances of time and place and to the needs of the ministry involved. The habits of both men and women religious which do not conform to these norms must be changed.

The “outward mark of consecration” was meant to be a sign, but the habits were also a means of self-effacement. They were paradoxically meant to obliterate a sister’s uniqueness and make her one of many, one part of a collective hive. In truth, religious life is socialism the only way it can truly work: on a small and voluntary scale.

Taking off the habit may have (in the parlance of the day) helped sisters “celebrate their individuality” — and that is not a terrible thing in and of itself; we are each fearfully, wonderfully made — but the embrace of ordinary dress over the religious habit also made the ordinary world more ordinary. Suddenly, there were no daily outward indications that anyone was praying at all, no reminders that we could and should pray, too. Suddenly, there was nothing to make a workingman remember Christ, and share some frozen sugar-water in gratitude.

When she eschewed the habit, the ice man lost a marker that brought his awareness to God at random moments of his workday. Sister thus helped the man become substantially poorer.

Desiring fellow-kinship, humility and “unspecialness,” Sister Nobody Special ironically wound up thinking about herself quite a lot. The Italian ice was for God, after all, not for her.

Habits are not necessary to the life of a religious; sometimes, in fact, they can be a hindrence to a community’s overall mission. But perhaps when sister referred to the garb as “a costume,” it was a clue that she had lost touch with the deeper meaning of such a powerful social identifier. In doing so, she cheated herself of the privilege of reminding the world, by her mere presence, that all creation is extraordinary and beloved. She cheated the rest of us too, because we loved being reminded of that; it meant we each really were special, after all.

Habits may be worth reconsidering, now, even by the most “progressive” of communities. The scratchy and starched architectural gear of past eras is impractical to the twenty-first century, but at a time when Christian witness is either received cynically — as caricature or hysteria — or with the malice that brings persecution and genocide, the adopting of the simplest of habits would give silent testimony of lives unified in purpose, being lived in simplicity and dignity, for something greater than material or political concerns.

Such witness may well be necessary for the life of the world.

The Great Cathedral of Cordoba (Spain), Who Owns it?

Photo Source: Wikipedia

In the headline of The Guardian, it reported that the government of Cordoba (Spain) rejected a Catholic claim over an ownership of a Cathedral turned mosques by the invading Muslims between 711 AD to 788 AD which was returned to Catholics in 1236 AD and was converted to a Catholic Church cathedral.

Due to its antiquity and it's cultural and historical importance, the UNESCO declared in 1984 as one of the prized World Heritage site with "exceptional universal value", thus rejecting any group or entity of its ownership.

But who really owns the Cathedral?

Here is what I've got from Wikipedia:

"The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba [2] (Spanish: Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba), also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita de Córdoba),[3] whose ecclesiastical name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción),[4] is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia.[5] The structure is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

The site was originally built by the Visigoths as the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins.[6][7][8] When Muslims conquered Spain in 711, the church was first divided into Muslim and Christian halves. This sharing arrangement of the site lasted until 784, when the Christian half was purchased by the Emir 'Abd al-Rahman I, who then proceeded to demolish the entire structure and build the grand mosque of Cordoba on its ground.[7][9] Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Roman Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century.[7][8]

Since the early 2000s, Spanish Muslims have lobbied the Roman Catholic Church to allow them to pray in the cathedral.[10][11] This Muslim campaign has been rejected on multiple occasions, both by the church authorities in Spain and by the Vatican.[10][12]

It must be also noted that the same fate of the famous Hagia Sophia Christian Cathedral in Istanbul (Turkey) fell at the hands of the invading Ottoman  Turks (Muslims) in 1453 AD.  As practiced by Muslim conquerors, non-Muslim holy sites were turned into mosques, either to humiliate the conquered state or to showcase the "glorious" victory of Islam over the unbelievers.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Similarly, the fate of the fallen Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem in 70 AD was replaced by the Dome of the Rock Mosque when Jerusalem fell under the invading Muslims in 637 AD.

The Dome of the Rock sitting on top of the Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Here is a list of Converted non-Muslim Place of Worship into Mosques!

Vatican Radio: Pope Francis announces Global Teacher Prize

Pope Francis names the winner of the Global Teacher Prize - Palestinian primary school teacher Hanan al-Hroub, who received her trophy in a ceremony in Dubai. - AP

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday evening announced through a video-message the winner of the Global Teacher Prize, a $1 million award presented by the Varkey Foundation.

The Pope’s announcement had been previously recorded in the Vatican, and was played at the awards ceremony in Dubai.

[Listen to the Report here]

"I would like to congratulate the teacher Hanan Al Hroub for winning this prestigious prize due to the importance she gives to the role of play in a child’s education,” Pope Francis said.

The winner of the prize is a primary school teacher in the West Bank city of al-Bireh just outside Ramallah. She grew up in a refugee camp, and now teaches refugees.

“A child has the right to play,” – Pope Francis said – “Part of education is to teach children how to play, because you learn how to be social though games, and you learn the joy of life.”

Al-Hroub later told the Associated Press it was “amazing” to hear the Pope say her name, and said she would use the million-dollar prize money to create scholarships for students who excel in order to encourage them to choose careers in teaching.

During her acceptance speech, Al-Hroub reiterated her commitment to non-violence and dialogue, a theme also touched on in Pope Francis’ video-message.

“A population that is not well educated because of wars, or by other reasons that exist in order not to get any education, is a population that decays,” said Pope Francis. “That is why I would like to highlight the noble profession of a teacher.”

CNS: Auschwitz sets up tour dates just for World Youth Day pilgrims

Posted on March 11, 2016
By Nancy Wiechec
Catholic News Service

Visitors look over displays of photographs of concentration camp prisoners outside the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and State Museum in Oswiecim, Poland. (CNS/Nancy Wiechec)

OSWIECIM, Poland (CNS) — The Auschwitz memorial and museum is setting aside days exclusively for World Youth Day pilgrims who want to tour the former Nazi death camp.

The museum has set aside July 20-28 and Aug. 1-3 for participants in World Youth Day, which runs July 26-31 in Krakow, about one-and-a-half hours away.

World Youth Day officials set aside 300,000 spots and asked participants to register for the dates. In early March, they said about 57,000 spots remained. Participants who wish to visit the museum on the designated days must register at http://mlodzi.duszpasterstwa.bielsko.pl/auschwitz.

A record 1.72 million people visited the Auschwitz memorial and museum in 2015. It was the largest group ever to tour the former Nazi death camp in any given year.

The largest number of visitors came from Poland, 425,000; the United Kingdom, 220,000; and the United States, 141,000. Young people made up the majority of visitors, according to the museum’s annual report.

Between 1940 and 1945, more than 1 million Jews and tens of thousands of Poles, Roma, Soviet POWs and others were murdered by the SS at Auschwitz. The SS, which originated as the elite guard of the Nazi Party, later became units of fanatical soldiers and concentration camp guards.

Auschwitz was the largest camp complex established by the Nazis. The main camp, known as Auschwitz I, was expanded to include Auschwitz II (Auschwitz-Birkenau) in 1941 and Auschwitz III (Auschwitz-Monowitz) in 1942.

Among those killed were St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, and St. Edith Stein, a Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism and became a Carmelite nun.

The starvation cell, where St. Maximilian and others spent the last days of their lives, can be viewed in the basement of Block 11. It is known as “the death block” because it was used by the SS to inflict torture.

Auschwitz has stood as testament to the Holocaust for 70 years. Education, preservation and research is a large part of the museum’s ongoing mission.

Among the exhibits are heaps of eyeglasses, shoes, suitcases, Jewish prayer shawls, clothing, kitchenware, baskets and other personal items belonging to victims. A mound of worn hair and shaving brushes is on display in one room. Along a wall in another, clumps of human hair, shaven from those imprisoned and killed in the camp, are piled behind glass.

Polish Catholic leaders have expressed hope that Pope Francis might visit Auschwitz in July when he comes to Poland for World Youth Day. St. John Paul II visited in 1979 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

CATHOLICSAY: Ten Facts Most Catholics Don’t Know

Source: CatholicSay
By Gary Zimak
September 18, 2015

Every time I hear someone claim to be an “ex-Catholic", a sense of sadness comes over me. In just about every case, people leave the Catholic Faith due to a lack of understanding. After all, if Catholics truly believed that they were members of the one, true Church founded by Christ (and necessary for their salvation), nobody would ever leave! In an effort to help clarify what the Catholic Church teaches, I have compiled a list of 10 important facts that every Catholic should know. More than simply Catholic trivia, these are important concepts that can help us to better understand and defend our beliefs. In no particular order, these items have been compiled based upon my work at Following The Truth and my own study of the Catholic Faith.

1. Women Will Never Be Priests – Often incorrectly lumped in with the subject of married priests, this is a doctrine that has been infallibly decided and will not change. In 1994, Pope John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in which he declared once and for all that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful." Unlike the issue of married priests (which could possibly change), women’s ordination is an impossibility that will not happen. It is not a “glass ceiling" or the Church’s attempt to hold back women. Instead, it is an infallible recognition that men and women have different roles and that Christ instituted a male priesthood.

2. Fridays Are Still Days Of Penance – Ask almost anyone and they will tell you that Catholics are no longer required to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year. However, the current Code of Canon Law (CIC) states that, with the exception of solemnities, “All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the entire Church." (CIC 1250) Furthermore, “Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities." (CIC 1251) In the United States, the bishops have declared that it is permissible to substitute some other form of penance, but we are still urged to fast from “something" in remembrance of the Lord’s death on the cross.

3. The Bible Is A Catholic Book – Did you ever wonder how the Bible came into being? A little known, but easily documented fact is that the books of the Bible were compiled by the Catholic Church. For many years after Christ ascended into Heaven, there was debate about which scriptural writings were inspired by God. The canon of Scripture (the books of the Bible) was first formally decided at the Synod of Rome in 382. This decision was upheld at the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397). At these Catholic Church councils, the same 46 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books that appear in today’s Catholic Bibles were declared to be inspired by God. As a side note, approximately 1200 years after this decision was made, Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers removed 7 books from the Old Testament. As a result, most Protestant Bibles are still missing these 7 books.

4. The Mass Is The Same Sacrifice As Calvary – The biggest mistake that many Catholics make is treating the Holy Mass as “just another church service", similar to those held by other religions. In the Mass, Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross is made present, its memory is celebrated and its saving power is applied. The Council of Trent teaches that Christ left a visible sacrifice to His Church “in which that bloody sacrifice which was once offered on the Cross should be made present, its memory preserved to the end of the world, and its salvation-bringing power applied to the forgiveness of the sins which are daily committed by us." When we attend Mass, we are mystically transported to Calvary, where we can unite ourselves with the Lord’s Sacrifice to the Father!

5. Annulments Are Not Catholic Divorces – Unlike the legal process known as “divorce" (in which a marriage is terminated), a declaration of nullity (annulment) states that a valid marriage never existed. This decision is based upon the finding that on the day that marriage vows were exchanged, some essential elements were lacking. This process is completely in conformity with the Catholic teaching regarding the indissolubility of marriage. Incidentally, the granting of an annulment does not render children illegitimate.

6. In Vitro Fertilization Is Morally Unacceptable – Many Catholics suffering from infertility utilize this process in the hopes of conceiving children, while remaining unaware that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) declares it “morally unacceptable"(CCC 2377). In the Vatican Instruction, Donum Vitae, the Church states “…in conformity with the traditional doctrine relating to the goods of marriage and the dignity of the person, the Church remains opposed from the moral point of view to homologous ‘in vitro’ fertilization. Such fertilization is in itself illicit and in opposition to the dignity of procreation and of the conjugal union, even when everything is done to avoid the death of the human embryo."

7. There Is No Salvation Outside Of The Catholic Church – Originally stated by St. Cyprian, the Latin axiom “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus" reminds us that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church. This dogma was declared at the Fourth Lateran Council and is a source of confusion for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. According to the Catechism, all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is His Body. It does not mean that non-Catholics cannot achieve salvation. Individuals who are unaware that the Catholic Church is the one, true Church may still achieve salvation through the merits of the Church, despite their lack of knowledge.

8. In An Emergency, Anyone Can Baptize – Although the ordinary ministers of Baptism are bishops, priests and deacons, anyone can baptize in an emergency, even a non-baptized person. This extraordinary decision can be attributed to the necessity of Baptism for salvation and the Church’s desire to make it readily available to all.

9. Hell And Purgatory Still Exist – Contrary to the belief of many Catholics, the Church still teaches that “the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin, descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, eternal fire" (CCC 1035) Furthermore, “all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." (CCC 1030) This purification process, formally declared by the Church at the Councils of Florence and Trent, is known as Purgatory.

10. Catholics Don’t Worship Mary And The Saints – Many Catholics are confused about the role of the Blessed Mother and the Saints. Should we pray to Mary and the Saints or should we go “right to the top" and pray to God? In a nutshell, the Catholic Faith teaches that we must worship God alone. Mary and the Saints are to be honored, not worshipped. However, their intercession can be extremely powerful and emulating their virtues can put us on the road to Heaven.

While the above list only scratches the surface of the robust Catholic Faith, it provides a glimpse into the depth of Catholic teaching. Further explanation on these and other topics can be found by examining the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, both of which can be found online at the Vatican website (www.vatican.va). Not only will studying the teachings of the Catholic Church enable us to better defend her when challenged, it will help us to become closer to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who founded our Church 2,000 years ago.

PREACHING BY DECEIT IS NEVER A SIGN OF BEING THE TRUE CHURCH

PEKENG PARI NAUTO NG MGA MANALO! from The Splendor on Vimeo.

This was aired in the Television Channel (Net25) of Iglesia ni Cristo, a religious corporation originated in the Philippines on 1914. This is about the what they so called a "PRIEST" from "IGLESIA KATOLIKA" (CATHOLIC CHURCH) who has been their convert for some reason. But for the benefit of the faithful Catholic out there.. Christopher Yu is NOT A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST which is actually what the VIDEO is INSINUATING. He is from a particular CULT in the Philippines that named their ORGANIZATION as APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC CHURCH.

I just hope that the INC became more sensitive regarding this issue so they wont get misinterpreted by their viewers (if they really cared for the TRUTH) and some Catholic out there who are ignorant of their Faith.

This video is own by Net25. No copy rights intended.

Lowell Menorca II at ang Kaniyang Pahayag Ukol sa Kaniyang Pag-alis sa Bansa

Ang ginigipit na pamilya ni Lowell Menorca II (Photo Source: Manila Bulletin)

Hindi layunin ng post na ito na siraan ang pamunuan ng Iglesia Ni Cristo (1914) bagkus nais lamang nating matulungan si G. Lowell Menorca II na maiparating sa mga tao ang kanyang saloobin ukol sa pangambang hinaharap ng kanyang pamilya matapos na siya ay mapagbintangang kasama raw siya ng may ari ng isang blog na si Antonio Ebangelista.  Dalangin natin na sa lahat ng mga NAAAPI at nawawalan ng pag-asa ay masumpungan nawa nila ang tanging pagkalinga at paggabay ng ating Diyos at Panginoong Jesus na siya lamang ang maaaring takbuhan ng mga walang kumakalinga. -CD2000

READ: Former INC member Lowell Menorca's statement
ABS-CBN News
Posted at 03/10/16 9:38 PM

Lowell Menorca II, a former Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member, issued a statement Thursday, days after he and his family left for Vietnam last Sunday.

Menorca was earlier reported missing. Menorca; his wife, Jinky; and daughter, Yurie Keiko were supposed to attend the hearing before the appellate court's 7th Division where INC lawyers were supposed to continue their cross-examination of Menorca on the latter's writ of amparo petition against INC leaders led by Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo.

The Menorcas fled the Philippines allegedly due to death threats, including one against their daughter, according to his lawyer, Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

"It scared him so much that he proceeded to the airport so that he could secure his family," Angeles said.

The INC camp said it is exploring legal options following Menorca's travel to Vietnam, including asking the court to strike out his testimony from record.

INC collaborating counsel Moises Tolentino Jr. said they were surprised by Menorca's departure, adding that he was supposed to cross-examine him Monday morning.

The case stems from the alleged abduction of Menorca and his family and their househelp Abegail Yanson by the INC because of alleged suspicions he is behind the "Antonio Ebanghelista" blog that has been posting on social media against supposed corruption within the religious sect.

This is Menorca's full statement Thursday:

"Ako po ay sumusulat sa inyo ngayon hindi bilang isang dating Manggagawa sa Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) na handang harapin ang anumang banta at panganib dahil sa paninindigan na isiwalat ang ginawa ng Pamamahala ng INC sa amin simula sa pagpapadukot sa Sorsogon, pagpapakulong sa Dasmarinas, Cavite para sa isang kinathang kaso, pagpapa-detain sa amin sa INC Central compound at patuloy na pangha-harass sa amin, na dahil dito nakahanda akong ibuwis ang aking kalayaan at buhay para lamang maninidigan at ipaglaban ang katotohanan. Ngayon po ay sumusulat ako sa inyo bilang isang pangulo ng sambahayan na labis na nangangamba para sa kaligtasan ng kaniyang pamilya.

Bakit nga ba ako natulak sa pagpapasya na lumikas ng bansa sa kabila ng nakaambang panganib na maharang sa airport at maipakulong na muli?

Sariwang-sariwa pa sa aming alaala ang karimarimarim na tagpo nang kami ay pasukin sa mismong compound ng Kapilya ng Iglesia Ni Cristo sa Lokal ng Butag, Sorsogon noong July 16, 2015, kung saan mga armadong pulis ng Quezon City Police District (QCPD) pa ang pumasok katulong ang mga kinasangkapan nilang mga Ministro sa pamumuno ni Ka Benefrido Santiago, dating Sanggunian, upang kami ay dukutin. Iyon ang unang pagkakataon na inilagay nila sa panganib ang aking pamilya sapagkat maging ang aking maybahay na si Jingky, ang anak naming si Yurie at ang aming kasambahay na si Abby ay pinilit nilang sumama sa kanila kahit pa labag sa kanilang kagustuhan. Sinamsam din nilang lahat ng aming mga personal na mga kagamitan. Sa kabila ng kanilang paggamit sa kapulisan upang gumawa ng isang aktibidad na labag sa batas, nagawa pa nilang pasamain ang aking pangalan sa mga tao sa Lokal doon sa pamamagitan ng pagkakalat ng mga kasinungalingan laban sa amin. Pinatunayan lamang nilang muli na kaya nilang gawin ang kahit anong gusto nila at walang makapipigil sa kanila.

Nagawa nilang ipakulong ako sa Dasmariñas City Jail gamit ang isa pang kaanib sa Iglesia Ni Cristo na kasalukuyang City Prosecutor ng Dasmariñas. Pagkilapas ng siyam (9) na araw ay pinakawalan din ako dahil sa dumarami na ang media na pumupunta doon na gusto akong ma-interview at malaman ang totoong nangyari sa akin. Akala ko ay makakapiling ko na ang aking pamilya at malaya na kaming makapamumuhay ng payapa. Subalit sa halip na kami ay palayain, pinalabas nilang ako ang may kahilingan na kami ay kupkupin ng Pamamahala sa loob ng Central, kaya sa loob ng ilang buwan ay nagawa nilang i-detain kami sa loob mismo ng Central ng labag sa aming kagustuhan at karapatan. Pinabantayan kami sa mga gwardya saan man kami naroroon at ilang beses silang gumawa ng mga eksena para palabasin na normal lang ang aming buhay at hindi kami illegally detained. Dahil sa kawalan namin ng kapangyarihan sa aming kalayaan at kalagayan, sumunod kami sa lahat ng kanilang kagustuhan at sinabi ang anumang gusto nilang ipasabi sa amin. Sa madaling salita ay nagpanggap kami na kumakampi na sa kanila para lamang tigilan na nila ang interrogations nila sa akin patungkol sa mga taong nasa likod ng blog writer na si Antonio Ebangelista. Nagmistulang parang bangungot ang aming buhay dahil sa kabila ng katotohanang binibigyan nila kami ng pagkain at iba pang pangangailangan namin subalit nananatili kami sa isang presong may gintong rehas sa loob ng banal na lugar ng Central. Mahirap itong maunawaan ng ibang tao lalo na ng mga taong wala direktang kabatiran ukol dito kaya kung anu-anong kasinungalingan ang ipinakakalat nila sa mga kapatid para lamang pasinungalingan ang katotohanan. Kaya marami ang mabilis na tumalon sa konklusyon na naninira lamang daw ako at nanggugulo samantalang kahit saang anggulo nating titingnan, kami ang biktima at hindi sila. Ang nakakapagtaka pa ay lahat ng mga taong may pinakamaraming opinyon at nasasabi ukol sa mga bagay na iyon ay ang mga taong wala naman sa mga pagkakataong iyon at lalong walang personal na kaalaman ukol doon.

Mother Teresa’s canonization date expected on March 15 ‎

Source: Vatican Radio 2016-March-07

Pope Francis will hold an ordinary public consistory of cardinals in the Vatican March 15, during which he will sign the decree for the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata and four others. The dates and venue of their sainthood ceremony are expected to be declared at the consistory. Pope Francis had officially cleared Blessed Mother Teresa for sainthood on Dec. 17, 2015, recognizing the miraculous healing through her intercession of a Brazilian man with multiple brain abscesses. Mother Teresa was conferred the title Blessed in Rome, Italy, on October 19, 2003, after Pope St. John Paul II recognized the miraculous healing of an Indian woman with a tumour in her abdomen.

Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu‎ of Albanian parents on ‎August 26, 1910, in Skopje, in what ‎is ‎Macedonia today, Mother Teresa died in Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, on September 5, ‎‎1997. ‎Affectionately known as the "saint of the gutter" for her unconditional ‎love ‎for the poor, abandoned and the marginalized, she earned several international honours, including ‎the ‎Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. ‎

SAINT MOTHER TERESA OF KOLKATA, PRAY FOR US!

Courageous Women of God, Martyred in Yemen!

Photo Source: Roaming Romans

The courageous faces of God's beloved Nuns martyred in Yemen on March 5! ✝❤✝

Clockwise: Sr. Anselm, Sr. Reginette, Sr. Marguerite, Sr. Judith!

Catholic Sculptor Willy Layug Received Papal Highest Award called Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice

Sculptor Willy Layug receives Catholic Church’s highest honor
Published March 10, 201
By RUSTON BANAL for GMANews

Willy Layug (front row, fourth from right) received the papal award from Catholic Church prelates, including Archbishop Socrates Villegas (middle row, third from left) on Wednesday. Photos: Ruston Banal

"Thirty years ago, nobody knew the name Willy Layug. Today, Willy Layug has [become] a household name for ecclesiastical art which even the Pope knows," Lingayen-Dagupan Pangasinan Archbishop Soc Villegas told the hundreds of people who attended the conferment of a papal award on the renowned sculptor at the San Fernando Cathedral in Pampanga on Wednesday.

The Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice is bestowed on lay people for services to the Church, and is the highest honor the Church can award to the laity.

Layug, a premier ecclesiastical sculptor from the barrio of Sta. Ursula in Betis, Pampanga, was honored for creating beautiful retablos and santos over the decades, including a 7-foot tall wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary that was placed near the altar at the open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in Tacloban in January last year.

Betis has been known as a center of woodcarving and woodworking since at least the Spanish colonial period. From creating folk art to making furniture, the woodcarving industry has been a source of livelihood for the townsfolk, especially during the post-war period.

The industry declined after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption caused a lot of furniture and carpentry businesses in the area to close. Layug, 57, is one of the few woodcarvers who stayed in Betis. " I think it was all God's providence that after Pinatubo, clients started to resurface and commissioned santos and retablos became regular," said Layug, adding that he actually became more prolific in the years after the disaster.

The medal bestowed on Layug.

In the late 90's, hungry for new knowledge and technique, Layug went to Europe to study the works of great masters like Bernini and Michelangelo. He apprenticed under contemporary Spanish masters, from whom he learned new techniques such as "estofado," or applying gold leaf on sculptures—something that had not been done before in Philippine ecclesiastical art.

In 2009, Layug was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit Award and was one of the contenders for the National Artist designation under the Arroyo presidency.

Layug, who was unable to complete his college degree due to financial problems, is also now set to graduate with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the University of Sto. Tomas with the help of UST CFAD Regent Fr. Edgar Alaurin. "He only has some few remaining units left and I convinced him to enroll them so he can finally graduate," said Alaurin.

"I am so happy that my son—who also took a Fine Arts Degree in UST—and I will graduate at the same time," Layug happily said.

In the last two decades, Layug has created monumental works, altarpieces 20 or 30 feet high that now adorn parish churches and cathedrals all over the country. Some of these are the St. Joseph Cathedral in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija; the St. Joseph Cathedral in Butuan City; the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral in Virac, Catanduanes; the St. John Cathedral in Dagupan. He also created a retable for the Pontifico Collegio Filippino in Rome.

In 2013, Layug was the subject of "Dukit," a film by acclaimed screenwriter Armando Lao which won Best Picture (Full Feature) at the Metro Manila Film Festival in the New Wave Category. Layug won for Best Actor.


This year, a book on Layug's life and work will be launched alongside his receiving his bachelor's degree from UST. — BM, GMA News

In an Unintended Experiment Catholic Priests are Still Seen as Respectable Holy Men of God

It was an unintended experiment by an individual who wants to investigate the power of the "UNIFORM". Surprisingly people's reaction seeing a "priest" with his cassock visiting his favorite bartender IN A BAR is unexpected. Read the story below and be amazed. Yes, after all those sensationalized "Priest Scandals" in the news, still our Catholic priests are revered, respected and loved in places where they are least expected to be seen "in a cassock". LET'S KEEP ON PRAYING for our remaining courageous holy men and women serving the Lord in the Religious and Priestly life. They need our prayers more than anything. -CD2000

What Happened When I Dressed Like a Priest
An investigation into the power of the uniform.

BY TOM CHIARELLA
AUG 24, 2015
Source: Esquire

I was a priest, standing at the bar of the Billy Goat Tavern beneath the great concrete decks that brace up downtown Chicago. Strike that. I was not a priest. I shouldn't say that. I was me, me wearing the uniform of a priest. It was 10:30 on a Friday morning, the bar a well-lit temple of Formica. I was visiting my favorite bartender, as is my wont when I am in Chicago. Priest or no: My uniform was an old-school liturgical cassock. Twenty buttons rising to a traditional clerical collar. Part tunic, part Nehru jacket, with a big open flare at my feet. That thing really kicked up in the wind when I walked the city. The thing really had some sweep.

When I walked in, my friend immediately set me up with a no-disrespect-intended pour of bourbon, with a draft beer back. My shoulders were turned to the half-full restaurant; a small circle of recent acquaintances screened me. I'd like to say I was mindful of being the most visible man in the room—me, the priest—but who was I kidding? People had been staring at me for twenty-three blocks. One hour in the uniform and I knew this much: On a bright summer's day, in a sprawling city, a priest in a cassock is a thing to behold. People draw out their eye contact with a priest. They give nods or bow just a smidge. Or they stare. Openly. Respectfully. Distantly. When walking in pairs, men wind up their cheeriest selves to blurt out suddenly, "Good morning, Father." A habit learned in high school, revisited gladly. Twenty-three blocks and the world could not take its eyes off me. A priest, striding north.

And so, in a what-the-hell moment, I lifted the glass, nodded to Jeff the barkeep, and took that long good swallow. Only as I put the glass back in its ringlet of condensation did I notice a woman who'd maneuvered herself to some pass-through window, filming the whole thing on her phone. "You're going to be on the Internet before you eat lunch," said the barfly to my left without looking up, adding, "Father."

I picked up the beer, took a sip, and told him, "I'm not a priest." He turned, narrowed his eyes, gave me a lazy up-and-down. "What is this, then?" he said. He meant the frock.

"It's a uniform," I said. That was true. This was always my plan. Be honest. And that seemed to be enough, because he went back to his box scores. A couple minutes later, he said, "One thing's for certain, some priest, somewhere, is going to get in trouble for that."

[The same TOM wore different uniforms, and HERE is the rest of his STORY.]

HUMBLY WE ARE NOW 1.3 BILLION CATHOLICS WORLDWIDE - TO THE GLORY OF THE TRIUNE GOD!

Photo Source: DailyMail

Remember when that one fake local church's followers founded by fallible man in 1914 claimed that the number of Catholics worldwide was shrinking, proof of that was the "many" church's properties being sold in the United States alone? Remember that arrogant pronouncement of Eduardo V. Manalo during INC's Centennial inauguration suggesting that the INC has been winning over more Roman Catholic Church members?

But of course THEY LIED.  The Catholic Church is growing-- very fast. On the contrary, they themselves cannot even prove their number is steadily growing, instead mounted  vast earthly wealth but sadly and painfully with LESSER "worshipers".

Yes! The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ is growing FAST. -CD2000

Source: Catholic World News 

World’s Catholic population approaches 1.3 billion as African, Asian numbers soar

March 07, 2016

Between 2005 and 2014, the world’s Catholic population rose from 1.115 billion (17.3% of the world’s population) to 1.272 billion (17.8%), according to statistics made public by the Holy See Press Office on March 5.

During that time period, the Catholic population soared by 41% in Africa and 20% in Asia, approximately double the rate of population growth on each continent (23.8% in Africa, 9.6% in Asia). During the same time period, the Catholic population increased by 11.7% in North and South America, 2% in Europe, and 15.9% in Oceania.

In 2014, nearly half (48%) of the world’s Catholics lived in North and South America. 22.6% lived in Europe, 17% in Africa, 10.9% in Asia, and 0.8% in Oceania.

Between 2005 and 2014, the number of priests increased from 406,411 to 415,792, while the number of permanent deacons rose from 33,000 to 44,566. The number of priests rose significantly in Africa (by 32.6%) and Asia (by 27.1%), which declining in Europe (by 8%). 97.5% of permanent deacons live in North America, South America, or Europe.

Despite substantial gains in Africa and Asia, the number of religious brothers worldwide decreased from 54,708 in 2005 to 54,559 in 2014, while the number of religious sisters fell by 10.8% to 682,729.

The worldwide surge in the number of seminarians that began in the papacy of St. John Paul II has crested, as numbers rose from 63,882 (1978) to 114,439 (2005) to 120,616 (2011), and then fell to 116,939 (2014). Between 2005 and 2014, the number of seminarians soared in Africa (by 30.9%) and in Asia (by 29.4%) but plummeted in Europe (by 21.7%) and declined in North and South America (by 1.9%).

The statistics come from the 2016 edition of the Annuario Pontificio and the 2014 edition of the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae, both of which will soon be released.

References:

• L’Annuario Pontificio 2016 e l’«Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae» 2014, 05.03.2016 (Holy See Press Office)

• Pontifical Yearbook 2016 and the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2014: dynamics of a Church in transformation, 05.03.2016 (Holy See Press Office)

Brave Enough! That's How Catholic Missionaries Witness to Christ's Love for All.

Catholic Missionaries are always willing to offer their precious lives to Christ even to die as martyrs.  That is WITNESSING.God bless our Religious Missionaries around the world especially those who are in places where Christians are roundly persecuted by Muslim terrorists!

Source: Breitbart
By Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.4 Mar 2016

Franciscan Friars: ‘We Will Not Leave Lands Occupied by Jihadists’

After serious deliberation, the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, a group of monks living in territory occupied by the Islamic State in Syria, have made the decision to stay on despite the dangers, insisting that a good shepherd never abandons his sheep.

In recent days, the Prior of the community, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, took a survey among his confreres asking whether whether in the face of new risks of violence and persecution it was better to stay on with the few remaining Christians or to move to safer territory.

The number of local Christians in the parishes of the Syrian villages under the control of Islamist forces continues to dwindle as many leave on their own or are driven out. Moreover, outright persecution against the Christians has also increased. Not long ago, one of the Franciscans, Father Dhiya Azziz, was abducted by Islamist militants, and only released after 12 days of detention.

After receiving a good number of responses, Father Pizzaballa said that “almost all have clearly expressed the view that it is only right to remain in the villages, without consideration for the number of parishioners or the danger involved.”

Pizzaballa also reflected that the Franciscans of the Custody “have never left the places and people that the Church has entrusted to it, even at risk of danger,” adding that “not a few of our martyrs, even in recent times, died in circumstances not too dissimilar from the current situation.”

“A shepherd does not abandon his flock,” he said, “and does not ask whether his sheep are worth much or little, or if they are numerous or young. For a shepherd all the sheep are important and he loves them all the same way.”

There are several hundred Christians in the regions of Syria where the Islamist militants rule, and the jihadists do everything in their power to make life as unpleasant as possible for the so-called infidels.

The villages of Knayeh, Yacoubieh and Jdeideh in the Orontes valley, for instance, are home to some four hundred baptized Christians. They continue to live, pray and attend mass there, even though the jihadists have stripped the three Catholic parishes in the area of bells, crosses and statues of saints.

Under the jihadist domination, Christians are allowed no public expressions of the Church’s life: no bells, no processions, no crosses on the churches, and no statues.

In autumn 2014, one of the Franciscans, Father Hanna Jallouf, the pastor of Knayeh, went in person to the Islamic Court in the area to denounce the increasing abuses perpetrated by Islamist brigades against the monastery.

Father Jallouf intended to see whether the “new order” imposed by the jihadists would guarantee the limited rights of a Christian subject, even those prescribed under Sharia law.

As a result, the jihadists arrested Father Jallouf on trumped up charged of cooperation with the regime of Bashar al-Assad, along with a group of young people of the parish, and they were held in detention.

Eventually Jallouf’s sentence was commuted to house arrest.

Nonetheless, the Franciscans are staying, insisting that until they are killed off, there will still be Christians in the Holy Land.

When All You Thought Non-Catholics Church Services are the Real Ancient "Christians" Worship, Think Again!

Those noisy drums and Rock bands! Those goose-bumps emotional worship services! Those great preaching without any liturgy! Are they rooted to the First Century Christian way of Church Service? For comparison, please come back and read THIS LINK after reading the whole article below. -CD2000

Chapel of Saint Ananias, Damascus, Syria, an early example of a Christian house of worship; built in the 1st century AD

Source: Gospel Coalition

What Was a Church Service Like in the Second Century

I’m really enjoying N.R. Needham’s 2,000 Years of Christ’s Power, Vol. 1: Age of the Early Church Fathers, part of a very accessible but well-informed multi-volume survey of church history. On pp. 66-75 he outlines a fairly typical church service in the second century (A.D. 101-200), based on descriptions and instructions found in the early Church fathers. I thought it might be helpful to outline it below.

The service of worship on Sunday lasted about 3 hours in total, with the typical posture being standing throughout. There were no musical instruments, and the Lord’s Supper was observed every week.

The first part, “The Service of the Word,” was open to three groups: (1) baptized believers; (2) those receiving instruction in the Christian faith; and (3) (probably) those who were merely curious about Christianity.

The second part of the service, “Prayers and the Eucharist,” was only open to believers who had been baptized. The rest had to leave. Needham writes that the early church understood congregational prayer as “participating by the Holy Spirit in the glorified Christ’s own heavenly ministry of prayer”—something unbelievers could not share in since they did not have the Spirit.

Part 1: Service of the Word

1. Opening greeting by bishop and response by the congregation. Often, the bishop would say “The Lord be with you” and the congregation would respond, “And with your spirit.”

2. Old Testament Scripture reading. Usually read or chanted by a deacon.

3. Psalm or hymn (I). Chanted or sung.

4. New Testament Scripture reading (I). This first NT reading was from any NT book outside the gospels.

5. Psalm or hymn (II).

6. New Testament Scripture reading (II). From one of the four gospels.

7. Sermon. Delivered by the bishop, while seated.

8. Dismissal of all but baptized believers.

Part 2: The Eucharist

1. Congregational prayers. The prayer leader—the bishop in the West; senior deacon in the East—would announce the first topic. The congregation prayed silently for a while. Then the leader summed up the petitions with his own spoken prayer. Then he would do the same pattern again with a new topic. This was a lengthy part of the service. Early Christian art suggests that a typical posture from praying was standing, looking heavenward, with arms outstretched and palms up.

2. The Lord’s Supper. Here’s the order: (1) the bishop offered a greeting; (2) the congregation responded; (3) there was a “kiss of peace” (men to men, women to women); (4) church members brought their own small loaf of bread and flask of wine from home; the deacons took these and spread them out on the Lord’s table, emptying the flasks of wine into one large silver cup. (5) The bishop and the congregation engaged in a liturgical “dialogue” with the congregation; (6) the bishop led the congregation in prayer; (7) the bishop and the deacons broke the bread and distributed the cup to the congregation. (8) Something would be said to each member as he or she received the elements (e.g., “The bread of heaven in Christ Jesus,” with the response of “Amen.”) Unconsumed bread and wine would be taken home by church members to use for celebrating communion at home during the weekdays.

3. Benediction. E.g., “Depart in peace,” spoken by the deacon.