The Role of Indulgences in the Catholic Church

The word indulgence (Latin indulgentia, from indulgeo, to be kind or tender) originally meant kindness or favor; In theological language also the word is sometimes employed in its primary sense to signify the kindness and mercy of God.But in the special sense in which it is here considered, an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven. The pope, as supreme head of the Church on earth, can grant all kinds of indulgences to any and all of the faithful; and he alone can grant plenary indulgences.

To facilitate explanation, it may be well to state what an indulgence is not. It is not a permission to commit sin, nor a pardon of future sin; neither could be granted by any power. It is not the forgiveness of the guilt of sin; it supposes that the sin has already been forgiven.t does not confer immunity from temptation or remove the possibility of subsequent lapses into sin. 

An indulgence is the extra-sacramental remission of the temporal punishment due, in God's justice, to sin that has been forgiven, which remission is granted by the Church in the exercise of the power of the keys, through the application of the superabundant merits of Christ and of the saints, and for some just and reasonable motive.

The mere fact that the Church proclaims an indulgence does not imply that it can be gained without effort on the part of the faithful. From the nature of the case, it is obvious that one must perform the good works — prayers, alms deeds, visits to a church, etc. — which are prescribed in the granting of an indulgence

What Is Man Fully Alive?

Many people search their whole life to find their "calling." Some people are called to be historians, others lawyers, others doctors, and others priests. However, we are all born with an inherent desire to know of and love a "higher being." Everyone has a certain level of curiosity, but some people take longer to realize what they are truly meant to do. This specific role that everyone is called to do is known as somebody being, "Man Fully Alive." When God created us, He intended each of us to have a specific way of living. God is omniscient, and He from the moment we were created God made us to live in union with him. 

Mr. Cole has been my Theology teacher the past two years, and I am happy to say that I am lucky to have him. He challenges us in a very unique manner, and I look forward to the discussions that we have in his class. However, there is one question that we all dread to hear, "What does it mean to be man fully alive?" In my two years with Mr. Cole my idea of truly being man fully alive has expanded. Originally, the idea that a squirrel is made to be a squirrel, and human is made to be a human was sufficient enough for me. Now I understand more fully that we have to search, sometimes even our whole lives, to find that true happiness. We can give glory to God by never being content. When we try to reach for the MAGIS, and do everything in his name AMDG, then we are truly living as we were intended to. 

Overall, the only way to live “man fully alive,” is to truly seek glory for God, and happiness. Happiness can be found in many temporal activities and possessions; however, true happiness can only be found in God. Consequently, we must constantly be looking for what makes us see the true glory of God on earth within our lives. This task may seem hard, and many people never truly find happiness in their lives, but I can see that it is what we were made to do. Therefore, my view of “man fully alive,” is one who has truly found their calling, thus true happiness. 
-Timmy Mashinski

The Seven Deadly Sins

The Seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct Christians concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin.

1. Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.
2. Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.
3. Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.
4. Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
5. Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.
6. Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.
7. Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

The Apostles and Apostolic Sucession

What are the Apostles?

The word "Apostle", from the Greek apostello "to send forth", "to dispatch", has etymologically a very general sense. Apostolos (Apostle) means one who is sent forth, dispatched--in other words, who is entrusted with a mission, rather, a foreign mission. 
The first followers of Jesus were called the apostles, there were twelve of them.

1. Simon, who is called Peter
2. Andrew, his brother
3. James, son of Zebedee
4. John, His brother
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Thomas
8. Matthew, the Tax Collector
9. James, son of Alphaeus
10. Thaddeus
11. Simon the Zealot
12. Judas Iscariot

Their mission was to go forth and spread the word of God through the Teachings of Jesus.Despite Jesus only briefly requesting that they join him, they are all described as immediately consenting, and abandoning their nets to do so. Traditionally the immediacy of their consent was viewed as an example of divine power, although this statement isn't made in the text itself.

Apostolic Succession

The role of apostolic succession in preserving true doctrine is illustrated in the Bible. To make sure that the apostles’ teachings would be passed down after the deaths of the apostles, Paul told Timothy, "[W]hat you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). In this passage he refers to the first three generations of apostolic succession—his own generation, Timothy’s generation, and the generation Timothy will teach. 

Thus all the bishops that currently Teach the word of God through the Church can trace their positions all the way back to the Twelve Apostles.

The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive

“The glory of God is man fully alive,” taken out of context can be deceiving.  It seems to imply that the way to glorify God is to just be yourself and follow your heart. the only way to truly be yourself, a created being, is through and for the One who created you.  The glory of God is man fully alive, but man fully alive is man glorifying God.

Here is an excerpt from the Catholic Catechism

New Catholic Catechism

Article No. 293

"Scripture and Tradition never cease to teach and celebrate this fundamental truth: “The world was made for the glory of God.” St. Bonaventure explains that God created all things “not to increase His glory, but to show it forth and to communicate it,” for God has no other reason for creating than His love and goodness: St. Thomas expresses it thusly. “Creatures came into existence when the key of love opened His hand.” The First Vatican Council explains:

This one, true God, of his own goodness and “almighty power,” not for increasing his own beatitude, nor for attaining his perfection, but in order to manifest this perfection through the benefits which he bestows on creatures, with absolute freedom of counsel “and from the beginning of time, made out of nothing both orders of creatures, the spiritual and the corporeal…”

Article NO. 294

The glory of God consists in the realization of this manifestation and communication of His goodness, for which the world was created. God made us “to be His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace,”(Eph. 1:5-6) for as St Irenaeus states; “the glory of God is man fully alive; moreover man’s life is the vision of god: if God’s revelation through creation has already obtained life for all the beings that dwell on earth, how much more will the Word’s manifestation of the Father obtain life for those who see God.” The ultimate purpose of creation is that God “who is the creator of all things may at last be all in all, thus simultaneously assuring His own glory and our beatitude.”(1 Cor.15: 28)

I personally believe that the phrase "God's Greatest Glory is Man Fully Alive" Refers to the world the way that God created it and he wanted it to be, is a world full of people that live life in PERFECT accordance to the Church's teachings. Not only some people that follow the rules, but everyone living in harmony in a world in which everyone lives live completely pure and Holy.

Roman Persecution of Christians

For today's post my partner and I chose to have our topic be about the story of the Early Christian Church and how it rose in popularity and power.
The story of the rise of the Early Christian Church is very complicated. 

In the first few centuries AD Christians were prosecuted and punished, often with death, there were also periods when they were more secure. Christians were first, and horribly, targeted for persecution as a group by the emperor Nero in 64 AD. A colossal fire broke out at Rome, and destroyed much of the city. Rumors abounded that Nero himself was responsible.But the Emperor blamed the Christians in Rome for the fires as he built himself a palace in the empty places left by the fires. But even from the hate of Nero,  Christians were only sporadically persecuted. It was not until the mid-third century that emperors initiated intensive persecutions.


Why were Christians persecuted?
Much seems to have depended on local governors and how zealously or not they pursued and prosecuted Christians. The reasons why individual Christians were persecuted in this period were varied. In some cases they were perhaps scapegoats, their faith attacked where more personal or local hostilities were at issue.It was hardly surprising that a series of emperors ordered savage empire-wide persecutions of the Christians.

When did persecutions stop?
The turning point in the ending if Christian persecutions was when a Roman emperor byt he name of Constantine converted to Christianity after he claimed to have been visited by an angel telling him that victory in war would be his if he fought in the name of God. After that Christians increased in numbers and among Constantine’s successors only one, the emperor Julian in the 360s AD, mounted concerted action to re-instate paganism as the dominant religion in the empire.

Homeless Video Reaction

This video was truly eye-opening for me, as I have always been against welfare. I realize that not all homeless people are the same, as he clearly shows they are individual persons. Therefore, we should not pigeon-hold them as a society. This man clearly showed his embarrassment, and his desire to work. It broke my heart to know that he honestly just had bad luck in his life, and that he was just given lots of hardship in his life. However, it gives me comfort in my faith when I know that he will be rewarded for his strength in Heaven. In addition, this video brought me to tears, because of it sincereness. Also, it hurts me to see a man robbed of his dignity in such demeaning ways. Consequently, I am happy that some people take the time out of their day and give him money. Therefore, this video has made me decide to give homeless people more than I normally do. Generally, homeless people just make me feel awkward, and bad for not giving them things. However, I have found a way to solve that problem, and I cannot wait to help in whatever way I possibly can.
-Timmy Mashinski

Human First and Foremost

For this blog, our teacher told us to watch a video about a man named Ronald Davis. Ronald is a man that has been recently been unlucky enough to become homeless. The video shows us the Mr. Davis telling us his everyday life and how people treat him. He is upset at how life treated him not letting him have a home or be able to have a job because of how he looks. That got me thinking of how unfair life can actually be and how harsh and heartless Man can be.
When we come into the world we don't get the chance to choose how we want our lives to be. We grow up in different environments and it is by luck that we get good homes and stable families. I was blessed enough to have been born and raised into a good environment and most of my peers at Strake Jesuit were equally blessed, but there are people out there that probably deserve to have nicer thing but they simply don't get them. People that could have achieved so much if only they had been given something when they were younger, and there's people that don't achieve anything even thought they have it all.
It is unfair for us to make fun of people that don't have as much as we do. Ronald Davis talks about how there are people that just judge him by how he looks and make fun of him in the streets. He talks about the humiliation of being seen begging for money, and how hurt he is that people forget that he is human. People like him have been stripped of everything that they once owned, whether it was a lot or a little, and they do not deserve to be the butt of other people jokes, especially if said people get to go home at night and sleep in a warm bed.
I was glad after I did some more research on Ronald Davis and found out that he has been helped by a number of people since the video came out almost a year ago. I saw a lot of comments on the internet of people realizing how lucky they actually are by watching this video and other videos like this and reaching out to people that do not have as much as they do.

Christianity With Open Doors

The conversation is very intriguing, and also very confusing. I am a fervent Catholic, but this dialogue does make me question some aspects of the teachings a little bit, because I do not feel that I fully understand them enough to get into an argument about them. Also, I believe that everyone truly is welcomed by God unto salvation, as we all have an inherent need to be with a higher being: God. However, we are not entitled to anything, and we still have to choose to accept God to be able to actually partake in the redemption of our sins. Therefore, this affects our ability to go to Heaven, and we cannot share in divine life without accepting the divine life present in Jesus Christ.

Also, I thought that this conversation poses the question, as to whether or not we should have certain rights as mankind was given the task to be stewards of all creation. Also, this begs the question: Should we be allowed to have certain freedoms pertaining to our religion? However, I agree with the Church’s teachings one hundred and fifty percent. The only way to achieve salvation is through the Church, so we can choose any religion we want. Although, the consequences will most likely result in the loss of heavenly life. However, there are some small cases in which the person that dies is not responsible for their family’s decision of faith.
-Timmy Mashinski

The Permanence in Marriage

Matrimony is a sacrament that was established by Christ. However, it had been a union of a male and a female for centuries before Christ too. The perfect symbol of marriage, as well as family can be seen in the Holy Family shown to the left. They had the fortitude and strength to stay with each other even with the questionable birth of Jesus. They probably faced much scorn for the manner in which they gave birth to a son. Also, the ideal marriage has become a subject of great debate in today's society, but the Catholic teaching will never change. Therefore, one of the biggest parts of the Sacrament of Marriage is its eternalness. Marriage is a gift from God, in which we can give all of us to someone that we truly love. Consequently, we should keep in mind that society has made divorce seem normal in many senses of the word, but according to the Church it is unlawful. Jesus even said, " Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. Lastly, we should take the gift of children, and only allow it to be a part of our lives after marriage. This goes along with the chastity part of life, but many of us do not have the strength to resist the temptation of sex. However, we should not use this as an excuse, as the only reason that we should have sex is to bring another life into this world. He said, "In marriage, however, let the blessing or massage be loved: offspring. Offspring, not so much because it may be born, but because it can be reborn; for it is born to punishment unless it be record to life."
-Timmy Mashinski

The History and Sacrament of Anointing

The history of anointing can sound challenging, but it is not as difficult as you might think. Anointing has been used for centuries whenever a monarch or a person of royal line has assumed his duties. Therefore, anointing has always been a critical part of society in various civilizations. However, it is most prevalently seen throughout the histories of various religions, in particular Catholicism and Judaism. In the Old Testament the Israelites asked God to send them a king to rule over them. Consequently, God obliged by giving Samuel the authority to anoint the next king of Israel. Today, we can see this idea of anointing as an initiation within the Church. Whenever we were baptized, we had holy water poured on us, and oil to anoint us and signify the washing away of our sins. Also, there is an entire sacrament devoted to the anointing of people: the Anointing of the Sick. This is very interesting, because instead of marking the beginning of something, the Anointing of the Sick marks the end of someone’s life on earth. This sacrament is normally administered during a case of extreme danger, such as a serious surgery, or when there is a very high chance that someone may die, such as a cancer patient. Extreme Unction means the Anointing of the Sick, as this was the old term for the sacrament. In conclusion, anointing has been used for a variety of different reasons. The separation between state and religion has always been significant in the evolution of civilization. However, anointing is one of the few things that has managed to represent the mark of a beginning in both a religious perspective, as well in from a secular society.
-Timmy Mashinski

Baptist Church

Yesterday, I attended a Baptist service with my girlfriend and her family. It was the first time that I had ever been to a non-catholic service, but I found it very interesting. I realized that Catholics have a much different approach and attitude towards mass. When I went to Second Baptists I was surprised of the number of people that attended the service, not to mention it was only one of their many campuses. Also, I found it intriguing that they prayed a lot, but they do not make the sign of the cross as we do when we start and finish a prayer. Also, I was surprised with the lack of sacraments that they celebrated. I was shocked to find out that their service was really only composed of a homily, and singing. However, they managed to have a longer service then our masses last for. I also got to witness a Baptist Baptism, and they are significantly different. They do not have to attend any classes, they do not have anybody sponsoring them, they just show up and are baptized. Also, during a Baptist Baptism, water is not poured on the person, they are physically put into a pool and dipped completely under water.

I had heard of the pastor Ed Young before, and his questionable comments in his homilies. However, I did not know what they would actually be like in person. Honestly, I could tell that he truly loves God, and believes that he is doing the best thing he can to make others love God as much. Although, he does indeed make a lot of questionable statements, and many times goes against the teachings of the Catholic Church. Also, everything that he says in his speeches come directly from the Bible, so they have inspired backing. However, just as with any other book, everyone can have their own interpretation of the story. In addition, he presses his view points upon the rest of the congregation, and in my opinion, they are just plain wrong. Overall, it was an eye-opening experience, and I have no problem with the Baptist religion, as I thought their service was actually more fun, and as sacred. However, I really was not comfortable with the pastor, or the lack of the Eucharist. 

-Timmy Mashinski

Eucharist Miracle of Lanciano

What is the Miracle of Lanciano?
This particular Miracle happened at the city of Lanciano. 
It is an absolute proof of the existence in God and how He will show Himself to those that don't fully believe.

What Happened?
What happened was that there was a priest in the city of Lanciano who had doubts on his mind about God while he was getting ready to give out the Eucharist. God chose to show himself to the priest by changing the Eucharist in front of the priest's eyes. The bread (flesh of Christ) turned into human flesh, and the wine (blood of Christ)

This miracle shows us that:

• The Flesh is real Flesh. The Blood is real Blood.
• The Flesh and the Blood belong to the human species.
• The Flesh consists of the muscular tissue of the heart.
• In the Flesh we see present in section: the myocardium, the endocardium, the vagus nerve and also the left ventricle of the heart for the large thickness of the myocardium.
• The Flesh is a "HEART" complete in its essential structure.
• The Flesh and the Blood have the same blood-type: AB (Blood-type identical to that which Prof. Baima Bollone uncovered in the Holy Shroud of Turin).
• In the Blood there were found proteins in the same normal proportions (percentage-wise) as are found in the sero-proteic make-up of the fresh normal blood.
• In the Blood there were also found these minerals: chlorides, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium.
• The preservation of the Flesh and of the Blood, which were left in their natural state for twelve centuries and exposed to the action of atmospheric and biological agents, remains an extraordinary phenomenon.

Catholicism & 21st Century Teenage Life

21st Century Society has changed the way that we look at religion, and specifically Catholic teachings. Today, teenagers face many conflicts on a daily basis, all of which threaten the core of their faith. Even at a prestigious schools like Strake, we still face problems such as alcohol, drugs, and sex. All of which can be extremely tempting, but we have to have the fortitude to simply say no. Also, we deal with simple small things like finding the time to pray and attend mass weekly if not more. Our society has us convinced that we do not need anything more than money to have happiness. In reality, we all know that true happiness can only be found in loving people, and loving your life as a whole. Since God is true and complete love, the only way to have true and complete happiness, is through God. Consequently, the fight that we all face daily can lead to a total impact on one's life that can change it drastically. Therefore, we should always live our lives as Jesus did, and not be dependent upon society's standards. Society may give us happiness on earth, but the only way to have happiness throughout eternity is through God.
-Timmy Mashinski

Catholic Teaching On Gay Marriage

It is no secret that the Catholic  Church teaches that the ability for homosexuals to marry is wrong. Technically this is correct, because marriage is indeed a Catholic Sacrament. I am a fervent Catholic and I feel the same way, I also generally think that homosexuality is wrong to begin with. However, I believe that gay people should be allowed to join in domestic partnerships as they already can. Most recently, after I have been doing research for this post, I have discovered my newly found belief. Also, I believe that if gay people want to get married they can, but not through the Catholic Church. If gay people want to be married through the Hindu religion, then that is up to their teachings. Consequently, I agree with the Catholic teaching 100%. Catholicism has a right to declare that gay people should be allowed to marry, as marriage was instituted by Christ. Subsequently, this is when the argument of the separation of Church and State exists. Also, many individual members of the Church are starting to give in to the idea of same-sex marriage. However, the Catholic Church still has not changed its opinion on the illegitimacy behind same-sex marriage.
-Timmy Mashinski

Different Orders Of Priests

One of the 7 Sacraments is Holy Orders, and may be one of the most special ones at that. Everyone is called to share in most of the Sacraments, but only a few chosen people get to experience the love and gifts that are associated with the Sacrament of Holy Orders. There are many different types of Holy Orders, such as monks, nuns, and priests. However, the priesthood has been and always will be absolutely essential for our faith. They are the select few that have the privilege of being mediators between God and Man. Without priests in the world, we would not be able to partake in the Mystical Body of Christ the way that we were intended to. Today in our society this has become a growing problem, as the number of priests had diminished around the world, especially in the United States.

The four main orders of Catholic Priests are: Monastic orders, Mendicant orders, Canons Regulars, and Clerks Regulars. However, within each of these more general categories, there are many more subcategories of priests. One that we are most familiar with at Strake is the Jesuit order. However, I would like to focus on one of the less common types. The Cistercians are an order of Roman Catholic monks and nuns. Their emphasis on life and charisms revolve around the idea that life is built upon manual labor and self-sufficiency. They were formed in Cîteaux, France. They were originally formed so that they could follow the rules of Saint Benedict more closely. 

-Timmy Mashinski

Why Should I Attend Church

Why should I attend church?Because the New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the importance of local assemblies. In fact, it was the pattern of Paul's ministry to establish local congregations in the cities where he preached the gospel. Hebrews 10:24-25 commands every believer to be a part of such a local body and reveals why this is necessary. 

"And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own    assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near"           (Hebrews 10:24-25). 

The Bible also says that for a man to be truly in the path of life as God wants us live, he must be sure that he is doing the right thing, and only by learning regularly can he truly be sure to be on the right path. Like when paul says "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching" (1 Timothy 4:13). It is only through hearing the word of jesus by someone who is prepared and sent by him, can we truly know what we should do in this life.

We might be able to learn and follow God correctly individually. but we are called by God to be in his body. the church is the Body of Christ. so we can induce that God calls us to be in His Church.Active local church membership is imperative to living a life without compromise. It is only through the ministry of the local church that a believer can receive the kind of teaching, accountability, and encouragement that is necessary for him to stand firm in his convictions. God has ordained that the church provide the kind of environment where an uncompromising life can thrive.

Personal Take on Same-Sex Marriage

I don't want to write a lot on this post. Its basically just my opinion on this and I would rather not get judged by what I write here.

Should same-sex marriage be allowed?

My answer, simply put, is no. 

But hear me out.

Marriage as it stands is a union between two people in the eyes of the Church. The basic idea of marriage is for a man to accept infront of God that he will care and take care of the woman that he loves. That is Man taking care of Woman, not Man working with Man. I believe that Marriage should not be allowed between the same sexes.

On the other hand, there are civil unions, which are basically the same thing as marriages, without the religions point added to it. It is also important to point out that there are some states that dont accept civil unions.

So my point is: I personally think that if two homosexual people, man or woman, really love each other as to the point that they would want to spend  their whole lives with each other. Then by all means, go ahead and be part of a civil union or domestic partnership. But marriage has and will always be a religious ceremony in front of God.

Apostolicity Of The Church

Apostolicity is the way that the Church compares itself to the accuracy of its teachings as proclaimed within its early years of establishment by Jesus. This is very important to the Catholic Church, because on of the most important things to the Church is the authenticity of its teachings, and its heritage as seen through succession. All four marks of the Catholic Church are based upon the accuracy of the Church. Consequently, one of the most important things to the Church is maintaing the authenticity of the Magisterium as much as possible.

The Church was given the Holy Spirit to assist in the protection of the Magisterium, as well as the complete guidance of the Church. After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles the strength to go out and preach the Good News. The term "Apostolic" is very important, as it is the clearest way to describe the relationship between Christ and his Apostels. This represents the sanctity of the authority of the Church, as it all begun with the establishment of God. 

Apostle means, "one who is sent," by the authority of Jesus to continue His Mission upon earth. Therefore the Church is called Apostolic, because it was founded by Jesus. Apostolicity of doctrine and mission is necessary. Apostolicity of requires that the deposit of faith is given to someone with the right committed to the Apostles shall remain unchanged. The Church will withstand the test of time due to the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
-Timmy Mashinski

Rites Of The Catholic Church

There are many different "rites" within the Catholic Church. A rite is not a different Church separated from the Catholic Church, such as the Baptist Church. Rather, it is a unique type of celebrating mass within the Catholic Church. Rites are important, because they are not protestant domination, so they are indeed in unity with the Church.

There are two main rites the Western Rites and the Eastern Rites. The Western Rites consist of more common rites with the Church, such as Roman Catholic. However, one example of a popular Eastern rite is the Maronite Rite. Lebanon is one of the few Catholic countries in the middle east, and whenever immigrants come to the United States they traditionally remain Maronite. Also, the Greek Church is very popular, as the Greek Orthodox Church is (which is not a Catholic Rite).

The Catholic Church has endured many wounds in its unity. However, Catholic Rites are a blessing from God, as they prevent further damage and schism. Instead, the authority of the Church has decided that different geological regions should have the right and power to control how mass is served. The only thing that the Church highly regards is the upkeep of the teachings and sacraments shared within the different rites. All of these rights can exist in harmony within the Church, as long as they convey the same doctrines as regarded by the Magisterium.
-Timmy Mashinski

Martin Luther and his 95 theses.

Hello there, for today's posts I decided to write about something that I have heard about a lot, probably like a lot of you, but dont really understand. Im talking about Martin Luther (not MLK) and his 95 theses.

To start us off.

Who was Martin Luther?
Martin Luther was tod and became a monk. He was later condemned a heretic for questioning the Church.
he son of a prominent business man in a territory of what is now Germany.  While studying at the University of Erfurt in 1505, his life changed during a huge storm. Young Martin Luther suffered a near-death experience in which he was almost struck by a lightning bolt. Because of that he considered his life a Gift from G

Background info on the Church at that time.
In the early 16th century, a lot of the writings of the church (mainly the Bible) were beginning to be more widely spread because of the advances in the reading capabilities and understanding of common people. Because of this a lot of people started to question the teachings of the church, calling them out-dated and inappropriate for the times. There were people like Augustine (340–430) who emphasized the primacy of the Bible rather than Church officials as the ultimate religious authority. At this point in time the church was also selling Indulgences and in some places that practice became extremely corrupt with the indulgences being sold without the proper requirements to make them valid. But people just wanted to make money.

What did Marting Luther do?  
Luther vigorously objected to the corrupt practice of selling indulgences. Acting on this belief, he wrote the "Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences," also known as "The 95 Theses," a list of questions and propositions for debate with the Church. He was later summoned to a hearing in which he debated against Cardinal Thomas Cajetan for three days.Pope Leo X issued a papal bull (public decree) that concluded that Luther's propositions were heretical and gave Luther 120 days to recant in Rome.  Refusing to recant, Luther concluded his testimony with the defiant statement: “Here I stand. God help me. I can do no other.” 

With his bold statements and actions, Martin Luther single handedly started the Protestant Reformation which led to there now being over 30,000 different denominations for Christians all around the world. He is considered a heretic by the church having been excommunicated by Pope Leo X, but in the eyes of regular people he can be considered a great thinker and true spokesman having stood up alone agains the Church because of something he saw that went against what he believed in.

Why do Catholics pray to the Saints?

Catholics, like all Christians believe in life after death, of going to heaven to be with God. They believe that those who have lived in the faith of God, will go to heaven to share in His Resurrection.
While we live in this earth we live in Communion with God and with the other members of the Body of Christ . that communion doesn't end in death, so we are still in communion with those that are deemed worthy to be accepted into heaven. Catholics believe that the Saints that are in heaven remain in direct Communion with man on earth. So that is why we approach Saints like we would a friend asking for a favor. The Saints are closer to God and because they are  men, they represent something we can look up to.

Some Non-Catholic Christians believe it is wrong to pray to the Saints. They argue that prayers should be directed to God alone, and not to men. It might be that they are confusing prayer with worship. While we ask Saints to pray for us, we pray to God. While we do pray to Saints, it is asking them to pray for us infront of God, seeing that God is the main object of our Worship. If a Catholic prays, it is asking for help, like strength or his favor to fulfill a task that He might deem good.

We should Never worship another man, because man is not good enough to be worshiped. Worship may take the form of prayer, but prayer is not always worship. Catholics pray to the Saints to help them or to thanks them for something that has been given to them.

The Blessed Trinity

One of the most difficult mysteries to fully comprehend in the Catholic faith is the Blessed Trinity. It is the idea that there is Three Persons in One God. This can be confusing, because if one looks at it literally, then Jesus Christ would not technically be the Son of God, he would in fact be God. Consequently, this is one of the mysteries of the faith that we cannot ever fully come to know as human beings. Our intellect has not fully developed to the point where we can understand such complex ideas as the Holy Trinity.

Even though the Blessed Trinity is so hard to follow and understand in Scripture, it is the main basis that the Catholic Church is founded on, and is the most essential part of Catholicism. Catholics believe that our sins were saved by the freely willing death of the Son of God, therefore, without believing that Jesus Christ was indeed True God and True Man, everything else in Catholicism cannot be true. Also, during the Creation Story God the Father is seen as creating the entire world, but the other two Persons of God can be found as well. The Son is mentioned during the creation of Adam and Eve, and the Holy Spirit is discussed as the entity that watches over creation in a more close up way. Even without being able to fully understand the truth of the Blessed Trinity, I am not going to be a Thomas. I believed in things such as Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny when I was little, things that physically could not be possible. While Thomas could not even find it in himself to believe in the risen savior. Consequently, I believe in the Blessed Trinity 150%, and that is without being able to actually see it, or even come to know it. Do you?

-Timmy Mashinski

What It Takes To Be Catholic

Catholics literally mean "universal." Therefore, the Catholic Church is present around the entire world. Why is the Catholic Church so popular? Centuries upon centuries, the Catholic Church has led nations, governments, and entire continents. Granted, there have been some slip ups, and some poor judgement throughout the history of the Church. However, there has never been an issue with the doctrines of the Church nor has anyone ever been able to shake its sturdy foundations rooted in 1st century Palestine.

Many religions have ways of questioning whether or not Catholicism is the true answer of holiness. Many heresies have been brought up to disregard and to tempt others to fall from the path of the righteous. Overal, the faith was started by a carpenter, who dared to call himself the Son of God. However, if one believes in the fact that the Bible holds truths written inspired by the Holy Spirit, then it is clear that the truths and validity of Catholicism cannot be doubted. Consequently, as a fervent Catholic myself, I believe that there is no other "correct" option besides Catholicism.

To be a true Catholic, one most openly reject Satan as the temptress of darkness, and accept Jesus Christ as our savior and redeemer. Also, one must be prepared to spread the Good News to all the ends of the Earth, just as Jesus asked the Apostles to do 2,000 years ago. Also, one must choose to follow the guidelines of fasting, chastity, and alms giving. All 7 of the Sacraments are to be looked upon as efficacious signs of grace by which we can partake in the Mystical Body of Christ. Lastly, we must be willing to have a true relationship with God, which we work on without doubt and question. The feelings that are generated by Catholicism cannot be paralleled, and I suggest that anyone who the option to join in the faith take full advantage of the opportunity.
-Timmy Mashinski

Prayer in Catholicism

Prayer is a very significant part of Catholicism. There are many different forms of prayer, and many different prayers to pray. There are two main forms: a more direct following of a set prayer and a lenient style of prayer where the individual chooses what to pray about. Personally, I find both of these forms of prayer to be valuable, but when I am alone I like being able to talk to God. Consequently, when I pray at home, I almost always pray by simply communicating to God and asking for his help.

One major benefit of prayer is the gift of fortitude and guidance. I like being able to pray to God to ask for help for both myself, and others as well. During times of struggle prayer can be one of the only and most lasting formulas for happiness. Whenever a loved one dies, everyone is affected by it in their own way. I tried getting over my grief in many different ways, but none of them produced the lasting resulted that I desired. Finally, I decided to turn to God to help with my problems. God not only provided a true method of consolation, but I was also filled with the strength to continue on.

Lastly, the Church teaches that without prayer, we cannot fully have a relationship with God. Everyone desires to know the existence of a higher being in life. However, that desire takes many people into Catholicism, and once one has found true happiness, it is hard to lose that feeling. Therefore, if one wants to continue to feel the warmth that God can provide for us, we will do almost anything to sustain that magical feeling. The biggest way to partake in that feeling, just as it is with any other relationship, is communication. That strong form of communication is simply prayer.
-Timmy Mashinski

Is Love Subjective?

What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me

No more
(Sorry, I had to do it.)

But back to the question at hand.
To ask if love is subjective, it is implied that there is a comparison to it being objective.
When something is subjective it is completely coming from the persons point of view. It can be based on a fact but it is one's interpretation for that fact.
On the other hand, when another thing is said to be Objective, it is supposed to be completely unbiased, more a fact than an opinion, while it still reviews and takes consideration different points of view.

So taking that into consideration; is love subjective? Perhaps. When you loves something else it comes from inside of you and the image and emotions that you relate with the object of your affection. Nothing can make you love something else, because it would not be from your own choosing.

Then, is love Objective? In the verse John 4:8, the Bible says "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." So according to the bible love should be objective. "God is love" is a statement.Therefore all the definitions one might carry for God hold true for love. God is constant, unchanging, everywhere, everything, infinite, and perfect. It would then be logical to induce that love cannot be fully appreciated by a rational or at least finite mind. We may only get glimpses of parts of it but we may never understand it as a whole.

But could love not be both? 
Aha! Now we get into really confusing topics. But yeah I personally believe that love CAN and IS both subjective and objective. It is objective because love is a THING. Love exists and it means something.
But what does Love mean? Exactly! I think that because everyone interprets love differently it is also subjective. No two people are ever going to feel the exact same way, so love's subjectivity comes from that every single of the billions of people on the planet are going to love at one point. They might love their parents as children then another human being as their couple later on, and people are always going to love their deity's. I, as a catholic, love God and everything He is, just as any one of my peers love Him. But I might love God in a different way than he does.

So yeah, to answer the question, I believe love is subjective, as well as objective.

What it Takes to be a Saint

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Saints are not just made by the Church like Hollywood makes stars. The Church recognizes people that lived perfectly in obedience of God's will and are in Heaven as Saints.

The process to be recognized as a Saint (called canonization) is very long, where evidence is presented as to point out the holiness of a person and their sacrifices for God and the Church.  Specific stages are met on the path to being declared a saint:

• Servant of God: As soon as the person is accepted for consideration, he/she is called a Servant of God.

• Venerable: After the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints determines that the servant of God lived a life of heroic virtue, she is granted the title of venerable. Heroic virtue doesn't mean a person was perfect or sinless, but that she worked aggressively to improve herself spiritually and never gave up trying to be better and grow in holiness.

• Blessed: After the Church establishes one miracle, the venerable person’s cause is presented to the pope to see whether he deems her worthy of being called blessed. This step is called beatification and is the next-to-last step.

• *Saint: Another miracle and the blessed person’s cause is presented to the pope again for his judgment. If he determines that the evidence is clear and that contrary reports aren't credible, he may initiate the canonization procedure. If all goes well, the candidate is publicly recognized as a saint.

The process is called canonization because after a person is anointed a Saint they are added to the Canon which is a list of all the Catholic Saints.

Saint are people we should all look up to because they exemplify the forms in that Man can be the truest to God, and we should all take example and try to live our lives more like Saints.

The Significance Of The Tabernacle

The tabernacle has had many different meanings throughout the centuries of history. At first the tabernacle was the place of worship for the Israelites in the Old Testament. It contained the Ark of the Covenant, and it was where the Chosen People came to pray to God. Today, the tabernacle is the object that holds the Eucharist when there are leftovers after mass. However, both usages of the word refer to the housing place for God on Earth.

Tabernacle means “tent,” or "sanctuary." During the forty years that the Israelites were wandering the desert, it served as the place that God choose to talk with his Chosen People. It was a mobile tent that consisted of portable furniture. Wherever the Israelites set up camp, the tabernacle would always be at the center. The tabernacle was necessary to help keep the Israelites faithful, God knew that the Israelites would go back to their pagan ways just as when Moses went up Mount Sinai.

Today we use the tabernacle in a much simpler sense. It is still the dwelling place of God, but it is not the same huge structure that it used to be. Catholics use the term "tabernacle," when referring to the holding object of the Eucharist during such processes as adoration. Also, the tabernacle helps to preserve the sacredness of the Eucharist until it is consumed between masses. It is always a very ornate object, and it generally is the most precious thing in the entire Church, because of its significance and purpose.

-Timmy Mashinski

History of Fasting in Catholicism

Every religion has their own dietary restrictions, some harsher than others. Today, Catholics do not have many rules to follow in regards to fasting. However, Catholics used to be one of the strictest religions when it came to fasting. At one point, Catholics were instructed not to eat meat on all Fridays, as well as to eat one meal on everyday during Lent. However, now Catholics merely have to fast on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday, as well as not being permitted to eat meat only on Fridays during Lent.

Fasting itself is the avoidance of eating something that is unhealthy, or the abstinence of eating more than three meals. Its primary purpose is to better someone spiritually in their journey on Earth. However, fasting is a very difficult task and is not for everyone. Consequently, only people between the ages of 18 and 60 are encouraged to fast within the Catholic Church. Also, fasting is generally accompanied with prayer, due its hard nature it becomes easier when asking for assistance from God. Also, this process generally leads to some people realizing how lucky they are to be able to eat whenever they desire. Therefore, fasting has a tendency to lead to "almsgiving." Overall, it is clear that fasting benefits all Catholics, some in more than one way.

Lastly, Lent is the primary source of fasting for Catholics. It is a 40 day season that represents the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by the devil. Consequently, as believers we commemorate this great feat by attempting to handle the small everyday challenges that we face with the same fortitude that Jesus had. Jesus faced three temptations, one of flesh, one of power, and one of will. Similarly, we face everyday issues that we could handle better, but merely do not have the courage to do so at times. Therefore, Lent serves as a time for prayer, fast, and fortitude all of which enable us to become closer to God.

-Timmy Mashinski