DEFENDING THE CATHOLIC FAITH

54 Responses

Paulette Leigh, on April 25, 2022 at 12:19 pm said:

Hello Father and how are you?

Saturday I went to my mailbox and inside was a CD and a note from my group leader for my ladies bibles study (denominational Church). We are due to view a video called AMERICAN CHRIST ALONE GOSPEL. Have you seen it or ever heard of it?

She just viewed it to prep for our study and realize there was a lot of Catholic references and did not want me to be blindsided or taken off guard when we viewed it so she brought it over so I can see it first…

So finally the reason I am writing, I feel as though when it came to the Catholics in my opinion the video was using old information, stereotypes… Documentation from the first Trent conference….

Catholics believe
(Faith + Works =salvation)

They broke it down again and called it the
Roman Catholics path to salvation….
They claim saved by:

Faith plus works
Grace plus merit
Christ plus other mediators (priest bishops etc)
Scripture Plus tradition
To the glory of God Mary and the other saints…

I have attended this Bible study for years and have been the Catholic source.

I believe that the only way we have salvation is through Jesus Christ and believing that he lived and died for us… Please correct me if I’m wrong.

In the Catholic catechism
under salvation the definition is the forgiveness is sins and restoration of friendship with God which can be done by God alone page 169

I appreciate any input you can give me so that I can represent our religion correctly.

God’s peace and blessings Happy Easter sincerely Paulette Leigh

FATHER JOE:

“American Gospel: Christ Alone” is a Protestant film that begins by rightfully arguing for a Gospel that is more focused upon Jesus than upon ourselves and any moral imperative. However, in contrast to the film, I would contend for the value of works as an extension of Christ’s saving acts. We are not in competition with our Lord. It is true that simply being a good person will not save you. Indeed, apart from the Lord we would not know how to be good. But grace can transform us into the likeness of Christ. It is true that we are convicted by the law; however, Christ can save us, not only from the devil, but also from ourselves. The film teaches a heresy that our nature is sin. It merges something of Calvinism and old fashioned Lutheranism. We are wounded, but God cannot make anything that is intrinsically and immediately evil. The film teaches Martin Luther’s notion of juridical imputation— we remained guilty and unchanged sinners but our justification has us disguised behind Christ who is righteous.

No, the view of Christianity from the beginning is maintained by Catholicism. Catholics believe in transformation by grace. You can be made holy and righteous. You can become a saint, not as a label but in truth. The film denies this. The film looks to Jesus as a historical figure but not as a Savior made immediately present in the sacraments. It would emphasize a personal relationship but omit the communal. Our Lord calls a people to himself, the New Israel, the Catholic Church. Indeed, the Church’s sacraments and the praying for the dead are directly dismissed in the film. It is true that there is one Mediator in Christ but his place as priest and victim in the life of the Church and her mysteries would be non-sensical to the makers of the film. True justification by faith is always valued in terms of the two-fold commandment of charity. Look at the scene of Peter on the beach with the risen Lord. Peter has denied Jesus three times. Three times Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” When this love is affirmed, Peter knows mercy and is restored. Jesus tells him to feed his sheep— the saving work of Jesus is made his own. The invisible head of the Church uses the visible head to accomplish his ends. Our Lord extends his ministry of forgiving sins and giving food for the journey to his apostles.

There are no non-denominational prayer or bible study groups. There are Catholic groups, ecumenical groups and Protestant groups. You have joined a Protestant group. Indeed, by showing this film, it is apparent that this group of yours is moving in the direction of a bigoted and ignorant anti-Catholicism. The film takes a few easy shots at fringe Protestantism but the real target is Catholicism. It is guilty of direct attacks and miscommunication on Catholicism. I would suggest that if you are Catholic, find a Catholic group instead. Most Catholics struggle to be apologists against the subtleties of such challenges. It attacks prayer for the dead, the value of works as an element of faith; indeed, it even attacks baptism and the sacraments instituted by Christ. The film merely dresses up in modern attire the old reformation heresies.
Christine, on May 18, 2017 at 12:28 am said:

Father, I have to say that I am on the side of priests. I tell you, I’ve had to defend priests to a very horrible man. He has been bashing the good name of priests. He claims that after being Catholic for 29 years, he’s seen evil things. He claims that priests and pagans have things in common. He has sent me the most offensive links against them. He said priests are lying and are not as nice as they seem. I really think that this religion or group just doesn’t get it. I love priests and the Church couldn’t run smoothly without them.
Stephanie, on July 30, 2013 at 8:44 am said:

I thank you so much for your help in defending our faith. I have had many difficulties with attacks on the Catholic Religion, that I needed help finding the the right words, and i came across your site. It relieves me that i found an intelligent web page. BLESS YOU.
Steve Thompson, on April 2, 2013 at 2:33 am said:

Catholic Jesuits endorsed the Inquisitions, and their banana republic nations in South America reflect what this religion is really all about.

FATHER JOE: Your truncation and misinterpretation is not only deceptive but it is obvious that your tone in incendiary. You want to upset and anger Catholics. Good Catholics also faced the various national inquisitions or courts. Many saintly priests and other Catholics have suffered to preserve the Christian faith and have even faced torture and martyrdom for the sake of justice and the defense of human dignity and rights. You have probably done nothing more for your fellow man than run your mouth. You should be ashamed of yourself.