Protestants:If you don't pray to Saints, do you pray to Angels?

[Pax]

MariaG only means that Catholics deny it when they are confronted with the notion that they are worshipping a saint rather than worshipping God. There is the confusion of what the word means to some non-Catholics, and I think that is all that MariaG is getting at.

 

[MariaG]

I disagree. I don’t know what Protestants define by ‘prayer’, but Catholics have been praying for the dead since the early inception of the Church and before. Check out my quote from 2Mach.12:46. We have proof from the Catecombs of prayers for those who have gone before us, as is also evident from our great pray, the Mass.

We also say a Mass for the deceased before burial. We have masses said for the deceased all the time.

As for praying to the saints, I don’t know where these Catholics have been. We pray to the saints constantly. We have a Canon of saints, and every day, we say Mass in honor of a particular saint with prayers to them for their intercession for us.

We pray to saints who have shed their blood for the Faith (martyrs), and we pray to the canonized Confessors, Doctors, Patriarchs, Angels, Virgins, and particularly to the sinless Mother of God that she should intercede for us in heaven.

Maybe you have us confused with some Protestant sect, who only will pray directly to God. Not us.

peace

You misunderstand. And you apparently don’t realize I am Catholic?

There are Protestants who define Prayer as something that is only done to God, or as if someone were a god.

For those protestants, who refuse to admit that prayer means anything but their definition, we don’t pray to the Saints for we don’t pray to saints as if they were God or a god.

Respectfully,
Maria

 

[MariaG]

MariaG only means that Catholics deny it when they are confronted with the notion that they are worshipping a saint rather than worshipping God. There is the confusion of what the word means to some non-Catholics, and I think that is all that MariaG is getting at.

Bingo!

 

[mgrfin]

You misunderstand. And you apparently don’t realize I am Catholic?

There are Protestants who define Prayer as something that is only done to God, or as if someone were a god.

For those protestants, who refuse to admit that prayer means anything but their definition, we don’t pray to the Saints for we don’t pray to saints as if they were God or a god.

Respectfully,
Maria

I agree with you, Maria.

 

[MariaG]

I agree with you, Maria.

 

[byoby]

The celebration of the Eucharist for 1500 years was the celebration of the Body and Blood of our Saviour until he comes again.

Even Luther believed that the Eucharist was physically the body and blood of Christ.

If you read the Old Testament, the Passover meal, which Christ celebrated with the Apostles on Holy Thursday, was a sacrificial meal, and that the lamb slain, and whose blood was on the doorposts, was a prefigure of the true sacrifce of Christ on the Cross. He asked that the same unbloody sacrifice offered in the Eucharist be done in remembrance of him.

Christ understood it that way. The Apostles understood it that way, When Christ spoke to the multitudes in Chapter 6 of John he knew he was preaching a ‘hard’ saying… Many left Christ at that time. If he was speaking only of a spiritual thing, he would have called them back, and said, “No, you misunderstood me”. “No, I misspoke”.

Paul makes it clear in 1 Cor 11:27: Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord:".

I am amazed that Protestants find it so easy to believe Paul in 'justification by faith", a difficult doctrine to explain to anyone, do not understand these easy passages on the Eucharist, and understood by the Church in this sacramental way for over 2,000 years.

Of course, Protestants, by and large, in their zeal to free the Church, have removed the altars, and the priesthood, which they hated so much. So, now they can’t go back. They can’t have a sacrifice, they can’t have a Eucharist. What they have is an imitation.

peace

I agree that we are to celebrate the Passover with the Eucharist in remembrance of His sacrifice. I do not believe that we are to sacrifice Jesus over and over again. This is how I understand it to be spiritual, a memorial that points back to His atoning sacrifice once and for all! I am not a follower of Martin Luther and any similar beliefs that I may hold to him are coincidental. I also never called myself a “Protestant” and again any similar beliefs are coincidental. If by imitation you mean imitating the teachings of the Bible I will agree with that. If my or many others beliefs are truly incorrect on the matter, than I will pray that God shows us the true meaning. Valid or not, my understanding of these matters will be judged by God and I am the person who will have to give an account of my life, that is why I am earnestly testing and seeking the truth. Jesus asked “Who do YOU say I am?” not" Who does your Church say I am?"

 

[water]

I guess I am wondering now, Why some Catholics say they are not “praying” to saints? If the correct term is prayer why say you are not praying?

Not a problem. And I hope you understand that some Catholics deny that they are praying to the Saints is because many Protestants use the newer and narrow definition of what the word to pray, means.

Most Catholics would not deny that they pray to the saints as long as by “praying” one is not breaking any commandmants by doing so. If ones definition of Prayer means praying to saints is against the commandments, Catholic Christians NEVER pray to the saints.

Here in these forums, when one says they ONLY pray to God, ie only ask God for anything, then that puts out the idea that a person has the narrow definition of what prayer means, instead of the more historical and older defintion which is simply, to ask.

God Bless,
Maria

MariaG is right.
also…When talking with a non-Catholics, we tend not to use the term “praying to saint” because non-Catholics can only understand that “praying to” is the only way you pray to God. The way Catholics understand its meaning is asking them for their intercession. So, the meaning by this term “praying to” can sometimes be confused when discussing with non-Catholics.

 

[byoby]

Perhaps, the problem in your response is the “I” and “my thinking.”

Your personal interpretation and my interpretation cannot rightly be outside the lines of historical Christian teaching. The Catholic position is the historical Christian teaching. If you do not listen to the Church where are you?

My defense of the usage of “I” and “my thinking” are in the above post.

I might say that The historical Catholic teachings are for the most part the only documented ones because any other doctrinal disputes or disputers have been thrown out by the Catholic Church. I do not believe that those you call Protestants are a new sect. or denomination, they have just been silenced through the centuries because they did not follow the official teachings of Rome. Should I blindly put my faith in Catholocism because its teachings are historic? or should I investigate what Catholics believe to the best of my ability before I might take the leap. I do believe in the Holy Spirit which I pray helps me understand His Word. He has gotten me this far, and only he knows if it will lead to or away from the Catholic Church, that is why I am here.

 

[MariaG]

I agree that we are to celebrate the Passover with the Eucharist in remembrance of His sacrifice. I do not believe that we are to sacrifice Jesus over and over again. This is how I understand it to be spiritual, a memorial that points back to His atoning sacrifice once and for all!

We do not believe we are sacrificing Jesus over and over again either.

Once for all. Once for all does not negate the miracle of His sacrifice made present.

I am not a follower of Martin Luther and any similar beliefs that I may hold to him are coincidental. I also never called myself a “Protestant” and again any similar beliefs are coincidental.

Really? So are you whom the bible warns will come along teaching falsely? If not, why not if your beliefs are not part of the traditions except coincidently, whether oral or by letter we are told to hold fast to?

If by imitation you mean imitating the teachings of the Bible I will agree with that. If my or many others beliefs are truly incorrect on the matter, than I will pray that God shows us the true meaning. Valid or not, my understanding of these matters will be judged by God and I am the person who will have to give an account of my life, that is why I am earnestly testing and seeking the truth. Jesus asked “Who do YOU say I am?” not" Who does your Church say I am?"

True, you will be judged by God. It is a good and righteous thing to ask God to show you the true meaning of scripture.

A good place to see if our understanding was the same understanding as those of the apostles, is to look to the writings of those whom the apostles taught. Surely John’s disciple understood what John meant about John 6, yes? Or do you subscribe to the belief that the Church fell into error directly after the apostles?

However, the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ are really not the subject of this thread but rather discussing what the communion of Saints really entails.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[MariaG]

My defense of the usage of “I” and “my thinking” are in the above post.

I might say that The historical Catholic teachings are for the most part the only documented ones because any other doctrinal disputes or disputers have been thrown out by the Catholic Church. I do not believe that those you call Protestants are a new sect. or denomination, they have just been silenced through the centuries because they did not follow the official teachings of Rome. Should I blindly put my faith in Catholocism because its teachings are historic? or should I investigate what Catholics believe to the best of my ability before I might take the leap. I do believe in the Holy Spirit which I pray helps me understand His Word. He has gotten me this far, and only he knows if it will lead to or away from the Catholic Church, that is why I am here.

So those who were Protestant hid their light?

You should never put your faith blindly in anyone but God. And if you truly ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you to all truth, He will reveal it to you.

But you have to use some common sense too. Scripture tells us that we will not hide our light. To believe that the “true Christians” were hidden, contradicts scripture. Again, do you believe that the apostles were the last visable Christians who wrote anything for over a thousand years, hiding their light away from the world?

God Bless,
Maria

 

[mgrfin]

I agree that we are to celebrate the Passover with the Eucharist in remembrance of His sacrifice. I do not believe that we are to sacrifice Jesus over and over again. This is how I understand it to be spiritual, a memorial that points back to His atoning sacrifice once and for all! I am not a follower of Martin Luther and any similar beliefs that I may hold to him are coincidental. I also never called myself a “Protestant” and again any similar beliefs are coincidental. If by imitation you mean imitating the teachings of the Bible I will agree with that. If my or many others beliefs are truly incorrect on the matter, than I will pray that God shows us the true meaning. Valid or not, my understanding of these matters will be judged by God and I am the person who will have to give an account of my life, that is why I am earnestly testing and seeking the truth. Jesus asked “Who do YOU say I am?” not" Who does your Church say I am?"

I don’t know what you make of the literal meaning of John 6 and St. Paul in 1 Cor, and how you can come to any other understanding of the Eucharist? It is a memorial service, not a redoing of Calvary. Christ can only die once. And as a Catholic I can assure you its (Calvary) meaning is not lost on us to are witness to this rite (as was intended), otherwise, Calvary in the NT are just words.

As for saying that the Holy Spirit is going to inspire you as to the meaning of the words. Private inspiration is not something we can count on - it has gotten us into so much trouble in the past.

peace

 

[Pax]

My defense of the usage of “I” and “my thinking” are in the above post.

I might say that The historical Catholic teachings are for the most part the only documented ones because any other doctrinal disputes or disputers have been thrown out by the Catholic Church. I do not believe that those you call Protestants are a new sect. or denomination, they have just been silenced through the centuries because they did not follow the official teachings of Rome. Should I blindly put my faith in Catholocism because its teachings are historic? or should I investigate what Catholics believe to the best of my ability before I might take the leap. I do believe in the Holy Spirit which I pray helps me understand His Word. He has gotten me this far, and only he knows if it will lead to or away from the Catholic Church, that is why I am here.

You are quite wrong about this. The Catholic Church has done a remarkable job of recording the attacks and heresies that have run amok in Christian history. Check out the writings of the Early Church Fathers and the Catholic Encyclopedia. You will find thorough discussions of the heresies and the rebuttals to them.

No one believes in anything blindly, or at least they shouldn’t. I agree that you should investigate things. If you are open minded, prayerful, and interested in the truth you will find it in the Catholic Church. I personally spent a great deal of time testing non-Catholic beliefs and non-Catholic disagreements with Catholic teaching. The Church gave me the most thorough and satisfying answers that are the most compatible and consistent with scripture. I have found that Jesus Christ’s promises concerning His Church are true, and this is why I submit myself to Jesus and His Church. They are inseparable because the Church is the mystical body of Christ.

The historical teachings of the Church are true because the guarantor is the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus, and the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church.

 

[MariaG]

As for saying that the Holy Spirit is going to inspire you as to the meaning of the words. Private inspiration is not something we can count on - it has gotten us into so much trouble in the past.

peace

But for a non-Catholic Christian, whose only truth they know is scripture, it is all they have.

And as a person who came from a bible believing, scripture alone kind of church, I can sincerely tell you that if you pray for the Holy spirit to lead you to all truth, one can in fact find it.

I frequently, and not without irony, note that I came to the Catholic church through scripture alone and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The biggest obstacle, was learning what the Catholic Church teaches instead of what I errouneously thought it taught, like the “rescarificing” of Christ. Not a teaching or practice of the Catholic Church.

But it takes perseverance to truly open your mind the leading of the Holy Spirit and to the real teachings of the Catholic Church and reject all that “everyone” knows or said about the Catholic Church, especially those who “used” to be Catholic.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[mgrfin]

But for a non-Catholic Christian, whose only truth they know is scripture, it is all they have.

And as a person who came from a bible believing, scripture alone kind of church, I can sincerely tell you that if you pray for the Holy spirit to lead you to all truth, one can in fact find it.

I frequently, and not without irony, note that I came to the Catholic church through scripture alone and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The biggest obstacle, was learning what the Catholic Church teaches instead of what I errouneously thought it taught, like the “rescarificing” of Christ. Not a teaching or practice of the Catholic Church.

But it takes perseverance to truly open your mind the leading of the Holy Spirit and to the real teachings of the Catholic Church and reject all that “everyone” knows or said about the Catholic Church, especially those who “used” to be Catholic.

God Bless,
Maria

Thank you for that, it was significant.

If you see or hear us teaching something here you don’t believe the Church teaches, please speak up.

Scripture will lead the way, if the person allow the Spirit to show the way to the Truth.
’
peace

 

[byoby]

O offense, but I have read every post on this thread and none of them have mentioned some of the scriptures I provided. Moreover, you have not addressed the new ones I included. Likewise, those that I did repeat were not refuted. Either we interact with angels and saints or we do not. If we interact with them it makes no difference which side initiates it.

I noticed that even after the Catholics on this thread made it quite clear that prayer to the angels and saints is not worship you still insisted that it is. Likewise, when Catholics on this thread pointed out that intercession requests of the saints in heaven is really no different than requests for intercession on the part of the saints on earth, you did not refute that point but merely continued with the strawman argument that prayer equals worship.

Please address the scriptures that I posted. Those scriptures are as follows:

The book of Revelation tells us that the heavenly elders and the Angel carry our prayers to the altar and offer them to God. You have to ask yourself why these prayers did not go directly to God, but were instead brought to him by the saints and angel. This is intercession by the saints in heaven.

More intercession by the saints is found in 2 Maccabees 15:11-16

Jesus himself spoke with Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration and it is clear that he received some kind of consolation from this. If Jesus would do something like this when he he could have simply prayed to the Father, than surely it must be acceptable for us. It seems clear to me that there is plenty of biblical evidence for the Catholic practice of praying to the saints for intercession.

Now note the following:

Hebrews 11 speaks about all of the great figures in scripture that went before us in faith. Finally, in verses 39-40 it says, " And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. The very next verse says, “THEREFORE, SINCE we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,” Finally, in Hebrews 12:22-23 it says,"…you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

.

If you read Rev. Chapter 7 starting at verse 9, you will see that the Saints are in Heaven not on earth. I do not disagree that Angels and People can talk with one and other if God wills it. I would still stand behind my observation that these exchanges always occur in the bible with the Angel, Saint, or Patriarch manifesting himself in a visible way to the person praying. I also wonder if maybe the Angel might be Christ Himself because the censer is always accociated with a High Priest in the Bible. The High Priest of the new covenant is Christ, just a thought and I would not bet my life on it. I can see that if you connect your dots and I believe that you would have to agree that there are a lot of dots to connect, you can justify your thinking. I am not God so I will not say that this practice is wrong unless you are worshiping the one you are praying to. You and others have denied worship so I will take you at your word. I am sorry for setting up strawman arguments, honestly I did not realize I was until it was pointed out to me. I have to plead ignorance on the book of Maccabees. All I know is that this as well as other books inspiration are disputed by Judaism and whomever printed my Bible. I will look into the other passages you pointed out that I did not address and post later. I admit I read these passages with somewhat of a pre-concieved notion and will try to read them from your point of view, all I ask is that you do the same. From the outside looking in to Catholocism, I must confess that my 1rst reaction about many doctrines seem to flirt with idolatry and other historically pagan practices even though Catholics seem to have answers for them. My question is why, when throughout the Bible, God shows his utter contempt for these things, would He even want us to present Him in a matter that even resembles it. Why is this the impression of so many who are not Catholic but do read the Bible? For me, these are at the root of my questions and may be a topic for a different thread.

 

[byoby]

We do not believe we are sacrificing Jesus over and over again either.

Once for all. Once for all does not negate the miracle of His sacrifice made present.

Really? So are you whom the bible warns will come along teaching falsely? If not, why not if your beliefs are not part of the traditions except coincidently, whether oral or by letter we are told to hold fast to?

True, you will be judged by God. It is a good and righteous thing to ask God to show you the true meaning of scripture.

A good place to see if our understanding was the same understanding as those of the apostles, is to look to the writings of those whom the apostles taught. Surely John’s disciple understood what John meant about John 6, yes? Or do you subscribe to the belief that the Church fell into error directly after the apostles?

However, the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ are really not the subject of this thread but rather discussing what the communion of Saints really entails.

God Bless,
Maria

I hold onto, for dear life I might add, the letters that also contain the oral traditions of the early church. I have been accused of not being a Christian, an imitator, a partaker of invalid practices, and now a false teacher in this thread alone and do not find the spirit of these accusations to be fruitfull. If I am coming off in this way it is not my intent, I just have questions about your Faith. If you read Pauls’ Letters to the Churches and look at the 7 Churches in Revelation you will find that errors and heretical teachings were present during the very time the Apostles were teaching!!!
Do you believe the Church has ever been without error?

 

[mgrfin]

byoby:
When Protestants start talking to me about Revelations, I start hearing about the Rapture and Millenium, and the ***** of Babylon, and that kind of stuff.

I really like to something I understand, and is not filled with allegory, and other figures of speech. I prefer Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the Epistles.

Maccabees is a great book, and Protestants reject it because we use it to quote the good of prayers for the dead. Prayers for the dead is a good work, which Luther detested. Protestants don’t like praying for the dead, and there is a theological reason for this: remember OSAS, so if you were saved, no matter what you did on earth, so long as you believe, you are in, no pain, no punishment. The true Church believed in Maccabees before it ever heard of Protestants.

Protestant ministers make Revelations say anything they want to say, including the return of the Jews, to this period of peace on earth, etc., etc. thuribles, and candelabra, and thrones, and churches, and Angels, and hidden meanings, and threes, and sevens, etc., etc. It’s all too symbolic for me. There are other parts of the bible, (all the other books), which hold meaning for me.

No, Byoby, our worship is NOT idolatry. It doesn’t look like that from inside, or from outside, or from far, far away. Our prayer is worship; we don’t worship idols. And our worship is not idolatry. If you think that, when then you should leave, cause we don’t want you breaking the Mosaic law.

We worship God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and God only. We pray to the Father as we have been taught, in Jesus’ name.
We call upon the Angels, Archangels, Thrones and Dominions, as Jesus did, and how they protected and ministered Him when he called on them. We honor the glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God and of Jesus Christ, and remember, during the Canon of the Mass, St. Joseph, all the Apostles and Martyrs, and all the saints

We ask God to remember those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom we pray, N and N. may these, and all who sleep in Christ, find in His presence light, happiness and peace.
(Through Christ our Lord. Amen).

I think you get the idea. If you want to accuse us of idolatry, read our prayers, like quoted above for you to clear your mind, so that you don’t stay outside looking in, but enter with us.

peace

 

[mgrfin]

I hold onto, for dear life I might add, the letters that also contain the oral traditions of the early church. I have been accused of not being a Christian, an imitator, a partaker of invalid practices, and now a false teacher in this thread alone and do not find the spirit of these accusations to be fruitfull. If I am coming off in this way it is not my intent, I just have questions about your Faith. If you read Pauls’ Letters to the Churches and look at the 7 Churches in Revelation you will find that errors and heretical teachings were present during the very time the Apostles were teaching!!!
Do you believe the Church has ever been without error?

The Church has never been in error. Jesus promised, when he was leaving, that he would send the Paraclete (Pentecost), a Comforter, who would be with the Church until the end of time, and the gates of hell would not prevail against Her.

peace

 

[mgrfin]

I believe in the Eucharist as it is presented in the Bible. Jesus said “Do this in memory of me.” I do not believe the bread and wine are literally the Body & Blood of Christ and this is affirmed by the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. when he calls bread, bread. Christ is all we need spiritually and someday physically as well at the ressurection. Do you beleive that at the Passover Meal Jesus was giving the Apostles his literall flesh & blood to eat & drink? or is He speaking in a spiritual sense. If we take this literally than Catholics, once they partake in the Eucharist should never have to eat and drink again if you read John chapter 6 in its entirety. I believe that Christ is present at the Eucharist because He is in all of us who believe. I do not need an ordained Catholic Priest to put Christ in me. I believe that is a job for God.

I do not see how Mathew 18:15-18 applies in the way you have presented it. If I have sinned against you by expressing my beliefs than I am sorry and I will leave this site.

I would encourage you to read 1 Peter 2:4-12 to see what Peter and I believe about Mathew 16:18. I to believe in the one “True Church” I think that you and I might define Church differently. I believe that all Believers of the Gospel both hearers and doers of the Word are members of the True Church, One Body. Those who are members of this Body should exhibit an attempt to become more like Christ because we are His visible presence to unbelievers in the world. This again is not a literall body because I do not see the hands or the feet or any other body part at any church in the literall sense of the word. I can see how Catholics if they replace the word “Church” with the words “Catholic Church” in the Bible can arrive at an entirely different meaning for the word church. I point to the book of Revelations in which there are 7 Churches with Christ as the head. If they were Catholic with Peter as the head than why did Christ communicate his praise and rebuke through John? These Churches all had differing doctrines, some that Christ praised and others He rebuked. There have been divisions and doctrinal heresy’s since the beginning of the Church Age. Christ does not save churches, but people and in Revelations Salvation is promised to those who repent of practices Christ does not approve of in there respective local Churches.

Some of the scriptures you have pointed me to seem to imply that you believe that I am not a Christian.

Firstly, there are all kinds of Christians out there. Secondly, you don’t believe in the Eucharist. Thirdly, God uses “helpers” to spread the Gospel, and through the sacramental system, He instills sanctifying grace in us. To do this, he needs a priesthood, especially for the sacrifice of the Mass.

Fourthly, Peter’s choice was Jesus choice, which is clear from the gospels. Read St. John. Peter noticed how close Jesus was to John, but chose Peter, for specific reasons. Fifthly, how are we to maintain our liberty and catholicity at the same time. You want God to force people to accept the Gospel, and the true Church. Jesus never promised us there wouldn’t be heresies. But these have fallen by the wayside.

As for your Christianity. Oh, I believe you are a Christian, but I also believe you are anti-Catholic. But you have to be careful, God’ is working his grace in you, for outside his Church there is no salvation, and you do want to be saved, don’t you?

peace

 

[Pax]

I hold onto, for dear life I might add, the letters that also contain the oral traditions of the early church. I have been accused of not being a Christian, an imitator, a partaker of invalid practices, and now a false teacher in this thread alone and do not find the spirit of these accusations to be fruitfull. If I am coming off in this way it is not my intent, I just have questions about your Faith. If you read Pauls’ Letters to the Churches and look at the 7 Churches in Revelation you will find that errors and heretical teachings were present during the very time the Apostles were teaching!!!
Do you believe the Church has ever been without error?

I believe you to be a Christian…praise God that you are. I appreciate sincere questions and believe that the correct and true answers are available through the careful study of scripture, tradition, and history.

I am a bit troubled by your underlining the “es” in Churches. It leaves me with the impression that you might think that Jesus didn’t establish just “one” church and that diversity of thought and doctrine are somehow okay. Trust me, this notion is easily and soundly refuted by scripture. If we need to go into it, I’ll be glad to discuss the issue.

You are right about heresies. They have been rearing their ugly head ever since and even during the apostolic age. This very fact demonstrates the necessity of an authoritative Church and why scripture tells us that the Church is “the pillar and bulwark of the truth”[1 Tim 3:15]. It is proper to say that there were heretics within the Church, and there still are. It is improper to say that the Church taught or currently teaches heresy. There is a big difference between the existence of heretics and the Church promulgating heresy in its doctrines and dogmas. Heretics interpret the bible and draw conclusions that are not consistent with those of the Church and the Traditions handed down from the time of the apostles.

The Church’s teaching on artificial contraception is a great example. Until around 1930 every Christian denomination condemned artificial contraception. Now, only the Catholic Church remains faithful to the doctrine. Can doctrines change like that? Was everybody wrong until 1930. Is artificial contraception suddenly okay, and now only the Catholic Church is wrong? Or was everybody right until the values of the world eroded the doctrine and destroyed it within non-Catholic circles?

I believe in the promises of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the Church’s official teachings that bind all Catholics on matters of faith and morals are true, and I believe that the Church is in this sense without error. Whenever I thought otherwise further research proved how feeble my own intellect and wisdom are when set along side that of the Church of Jesus Christ.