Where do the names "Christian" and "Catholic"
come from?
Both words originated in the ancient city of Antioch. The Acts of the Apostles (11:26) says, "It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians". Saint Peter initially moved from Jerusalem to Antioch and then on to Rome. His immediate successor as the Bishop of Antioch was a man named Ignatius. Sometime between the years 107 and 110 AD, Saint Ignatius of Antioch wrote a letter to Catholics in the City of Smyrna, which we have a copy of, in which he said, "where the Bishop is, there let the people be, just as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church. This is the first time the word "Catholic" appears in history, to distinguish the great Church founded by Christ from the various, man-made sects, cults, churches, religions and denominations that broke off from her or which have sprung up in the course of history.
Reprinted from January 24, 1997
Recently visiting the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C. I saw the chapel of Our Lady of Hope, donated
by Mr. And Mrs. Bob Hope in honor of his mother. Is Bob Hope a Catholic?
No, but his wife is a Catholic.
Reprinted from January 24, 1997
What are the spiritual works of mercy?
There are seven spiritual works of mercy which all Catholics are to practice. They are: to admonish the sinner, to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to comfort the sorrowful, to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive all injuries, and to pray for the living and the dead.
Reprinted from January 24, 1997
Why do we celebrate
the Feast of the Circumcision?
We don't. For more than 30 years, the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus, which fell on Jan. 1, for several centuries, was replaced in the liturgical calendar by a more ancient celebration, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The account of the circumcision and naming of Jesus can be found in the Gospel according to Saint Luke (2:21).
Reprinted from December 13, 1996
How does a person obtain a plenary indulgence?
Plenary indulgence is the remission of all the temporal punishment due to sin. One obtains an indulgence by performing the work that the church prescribes while being in the state of grace, by praying for the intentions of the pope (usually an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be), by going to confession and receiving Holy Communion within eight days before or after performing the good work and by giving up all attachment to sin, even venial sin.
Reprinted from December 20, 1996
Why are there different dioceses and different Bishops in
the Catholic Church, with dioceses having laws that sometimes vary from one
place to another?
The unity or oneness of the Catholic Church is not the same as uniformity. While Catholics must be one in faith, in worship, and in governance, diversity is also part of the "catholic" or "universal" mark of our Church. The "college" or "group" of the Apostles, whom Jesus placed over the Church which He founded, have legitimate successors in the college or group of the Bishops of the Catholic Church. Pastoral situations as well as cultural pluralism sometimes make diversity of Church laws and customs useful and even necessary. These variances from one place to another do not involve substantial matters, but are concerned with accidental issues of secondary nature. Of course, some diversity is not the legitimate or even valid. The Bishop of Rome and the local Bishop are the best and authentic judges of when diversity crosses the line and involves fundamental church unity.
Reprinted from December 6, 1996
Were there any Protestants along with Columbus when he
discovered America?
Of course not! The Protestant Religion was first begun in the year 1517 by Martin Luther. The first expedition of Columbus took place in 1492. All the people who sailed with Columbus were Catholics. Some were devout and good, and some others were not.
Reprinted from November 1, 1996