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