Why Must Catholic Clergy be Called by the Church?

Pietro Antonio Novelli, Priesthood (1779)

The Catholic Church requires all aspiring priests and deacons to request ordination, and then to be called by their bishop. Why does she do that? Because it’s the Biblical model. And this explains where the women’s ordination movement, and the Protestant Reformation, have gone wrong.

Reason #2 to Reject the Reformation: Scriptural Interpretation

Yesterday, I began a multi-part series looking at St. Edmund Campion’s Ten Reasons against the Reformation. The first reason, addressed yesterday, was the canon of Scripture: the Reformers took books out of the Bible (and not even the same books as one another), and end up leaving no coherent authority upon which to have a… Continue reading Reason #2 to Reject the Reformation: Scriptural Interpretation

Where Do Unbaptized Babies Go When They Die?

The question of where unbaptized infants go after death is one that has vexed the Church for centuries.  Some of Her greatest Saints have disagreed on this issue: St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, for example, came to different conclusions.  And every possible answer is fraught with problems.  If we say that the unborn and unbaptized… Continue reading Where Do Unbaptized Babies Go When They Die?

Understanding Christ’s Resurrected Body

Caravaggio, Supper at Emmaus (1601) This Sunday’s Gospel involves one of the Easter Sunday appearances of Jesus Christ to the Disciples. It starts out with the two disciples from the road to Emmaus returning to describe how “Jesus was made known to themin the breaking of bread,” an obvious Eucharistic reference. But in the midst of this… Continue reading Understanding Christ’s Resurrected Body

A Sacramental Look at Holy Thursday

Jaume Huguet, Last Supper (1470) Today is Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday.  One of the very first posts that I wrote was about the significance of Maundy Thursday.  It’s here, at the Last Supper, that we see: (1) the institution of the Eucharist, (2) the institution of the sacramental priesthood, and (3) references… Continue reading A Sacramental Look at Holy Thursday

Are Anglican Ordinations Valid?

This came up in the comments with Tess, an Anglo-Catholic with a love for the Catholic Church that I wish more Catholics shared.  She mentioned that we Catholics reject the validity of female Anglican clergy.  But the truth is: we Catholics reject the validity of all Anglican clergy.  Let me explain why. Pope Leo XIII Back… Continue reading Are Anglican Ordinations Valid?

Sheep Without a Shepherd

If Scripture is as clear as Protestants claim it is, and we Christians are left with sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) to determine the authentic content of the faith, why can no two groups of Protestants seem to agree what exactly our beliefs as Christians are supposed to be? In response to yesterday’s post, Drew (a… Continue reading Sheep Without a Shepherd

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What They Are and How to Use Them

If you ask Catholics and Pentecostals about the number of gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what those gifts are, you’ll likely get two different answers.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit, not to be confused with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23, CCC 1832) are understood differently by the two groups. I.… Continue reading The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What They Are and How to Use Them