I haven’t heard Matthew 21:28-32 used to defend Purgatory before, but it seems to me that it does so pretty plainly. Jesus is speaking here to “the chief priests and elders of the people”: 28″But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work… Continue reading Does Matthew 21 Prove Purgatory?
Author: Joe Heschmeyer
Psalm 87 on Israel and the Church
Psalm 87 is a short hymn about Israel: 1 He has set his foundation on the holy mountain;2 the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God: Selah4 “I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me— Philistia… Continue reading Psalm 87 on Israel and the Church
What Is the Church?
I quoted St. Francis De Sales’ Catholic Controversies last week for his argument from history. Basically: We know Christ established one core set of beliefs in his Church, and entrusted the Holy Spirit to guard that Truth; Since two Persons of the Holy Trinity are actively protecting these beliefs, we should find them continually proclaimed;… Continue reading What Is the Church?
Is This Land-Dwelling Mammal a Fish?
The Church tries not to be overly strict with Lenten fasting rules. It’s about the spirit of the thing, not the rule, and so She keeps it pretty light on rules. Sometimes, this leads to hilarious results. On Fridays, we’re not allowed to eat “flesh meat,” but we are allowed to eat “fish.” This immediately… Continue reading Is This Land-Dwelling Mammal a Fish?
Doing the Work of God
On Sunday, as I mentioned, I was sick. I went to 5:00 Mass, but right after Mass began, went to the restroom to blow my nose and get more tissue. By the time I came back, my spot was taken, so I had to go up to the balcony to find a place to sit.… Continue reading Doing the Work of God
A Welcome Wake-Up, and the Wonderful John Newton
This past weekend I was sick and didn’t feel up to doing much of anything. Saturday night was particularly restless, and I had a fever keeping me from sleeping much more than an hour at a time, so I was on and off my laptop a lot to try and pass the time. A little… Continue reading A Welcome Wake-Up, and the Wonderful John Newton
What the Bible Says on Divorce and Annulments
I had lunch with a couple of Catholic friends when my friend Neal talked about how his Protestant in-laws had been pressing him for the Biblical basis for annulments. Since I’ve addressed that, and similar, issues here, I figured I’d e-mail him a summary of the Biblical evidence. Here’s the e-mail: Neal and Kevin,Here are… Continue reading What the Bible Says on Divorce and Annulments
Infant Baptisms in Mixed Marriages
Ryan asked of my Friday post about the Reyes case, How was he able have the child baptized if his wife/ex-wife/estranged wife would not agree to the baptism. I thought the Church would not baptize the children of mixed marriages without the permission of the non-Catholic party. No. Canon law is actually incredibly clear on… Continue reading Infant Baptisms in Mixed Marriages
Invalid v. Illicit Ordinations
The Catholic Church refers to some things as “valid but illicit” (such as the SSPX’s decision to ordain priests without prior permission from the pope), and other things as “invalid” (such as women’s ordination). For this post, I chose ordination, specifically, but what I’m saying here applies to everything considered “valid but illicit” v. “invalid.”… Continue reading Invalid v. Illicit Ordinations
Edgardo Mortara, Revisited
In the Papal States in 1852, a teenaged Catholic housekeeper named Anna Morisi baptized a seriously ill Jewish baby who she feared would soon die. In fact, that child, Edgardo Mortara, quickly recovered, but was now a baptized Catholic. Unfortuantely, Mortara’s parents were Jewish, and under civil law in the Papal States, were forbidden to… Continue reading Edgardo Mortara, Revisited