Man’s natural desire for happiness is a proof for the soul’s immortality.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. Father…It appears that the virgin Mary is prejudicial. The only appearances she is known to have made is to catholics. She has asked some she has “appeared” to to build large churches in her honor…wants catholics to pray to her…has wonderful powers of intercession, etc…wants her name known throughout the world. Why does she not appear to saintly protestants, jews, etc…to make her following even broader? If you say it’s because other faiths don’t afford her the respect and adoration that catholics do, then why doesn’t she manifest herself, physically to good people of other faiths, as she often has to catholics, so they will be able to know her better and then as a result, worship her, too, like catholics do? I don’t get it. Marion worship could be a huge part of many other (maybe all) other faiths…

    • It is incorrect to use the term “prejudicial” in reference to Mary’s generosity. For number one, because you yourself should not be jealous and bitter that she loves her children, and, number two, because Mary is in Heaven, therefore is actually in a state of perfect justice, and therefore couldn’t possibly be “prejudiced” because she is in complete obedience to God’s divine justice. Therefore, Mary is just, if Mary would condemn you, she would right to do so, and therefore not “prejudiced” because she would be carrying out justice justly, not unjustly.

      She is the spiritual mother of the Church; the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which other faiths fail to recognize as the one true faith. The point is that other faiths are not truth faiths; there is only one true faith which all men are called to. Should Mary call others to believe in ways that are not true? Or should she support the Church of her son?

      Other faiths do not join in the communion of saints. They cannot claim Mary as their Mother unless they are Catholics. Certainly, Mary is the mother of all of mankind, but some children have run away from home out into the night (where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth). Protestants went and built tree houses, but that will do them no good in the end.

      The puzzling thing is why you are puzzled. Why do you doubt? Do you not think that Mary has reasons for what she does, acting as she does in complete communion with God? You know, “full of grace” and “Immaculate, completely obedient to God’s will, handmaid of the Lord, without the stain of sin, etc.?”

      But, now you may say, “I do not accept these Catholic dogmas and doctrines about Mary” and that is exactly the point. How could you see Mary if you do not know her? You do not accept the truths that have been revealed about her; indeed, you turn away from her out of your own free will by refusing to believe.

      Additionally, you are assuming that her purpose is “to make her following even broader” which is not what her purpose is, at least not as you seem to understand it. She is trying to bring people everywhere into the Church her son founded.

      Towards the end of the parable of Lazarus, Jesus spoke thus:

      “But Abraham replied, ‘they have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh, no father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ The Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

      Likewise, you will not be persuaded of the truth of the Catholic Church, even should Mary should appear to you surrounded by the glory of God (i.e. risen from the dead with Christ), because the Church is already here for you to enter into and listen to. The Kingdom of God is at hand.

      On a final note, Catholics do not worship Mary, we venerate her. You used the word “adoration” explicitly in your post, as well as saying that Catholics practice “Marion worship,” which leads me to believe you are well aware of the differences between adoration and veneration and are attempting to portray Mary as something “outside” of the one true God (as if anything good could come from some other power than by God), by acting as if other faiths could “worship her.”

      If you did this knowingly, I would have you know that that is disgusting and evil and an attempt at leading others astray. Mary doesn’t like it when you lead her children astray and away from God the Father. It would be better for you to put a millstone around you neck and throw yourself into the sea. Well, it would be better that you don’t despair and repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. But, I wish to make it clear how wrong it is to purposely deceive others as to what the Catholic Church teaches. Especially the way you phrased it like a prayer, is just abominable.

      Maybe you’re a well-meaning protestant attempting to “call us out of Marion worship by having us question what we believe” but we don’t worship her, we venerate her. You have proposed a great many heresies and outright idolatries right here, so please forgive my disgust if that was not your intention. If it was, however, my disgust is justified.

      • Dear Francis Reilly,
        I apologise most sincerely for Scott Parker’s reply to your questions/observations/opinions.His disgusted reply was most unjustified…VOID OF THE LOVE OF GOD which is meant to be the core of our FAITH!!!!
        Jesus Christ gave Mary His Mother to the WHOLE WORLD before he expired on the cross through his beloved apostle John…NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT STATE THAT OUR LADY IS EXCLUSIVELY FOR CATHOLICS…in fact…Catholic is not even mentioned in the WORD…what is mentioned is Christian…and ANYBODY who calls on the saving name of Jesus and believes he is the Son of God is a Christian…the work we need to do after becoming a ‘Christian” is to struggle day in day out to become more and more Christ-like in ALL WE THINK,SAY,and DO…The last prayer of Jesus Christ before he underwent his passion was that “Father may they all be ONE…as I am one with you…”…NOW, if all of us who call ourselves Christians and especially US CATHOLICS….really appreciate what Jesus did for us by accepting to die for us on the cross….WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE THIS PRAYER OF OUR PRECIOUS LORD AND SAVIOUR COME TRUE????????????….
        After saying this,…. I want to make it clear that the Catholic Faith as practised in our day today has all the tools we need to make this prayer of Jesus realised…IF ONLY WE COULD PRACTISE WHAT WE PREACHED and if we could become truely Catholic…which means Universal….

        • Dear Rosemary:

          Your comments are very ironic, given your harsh dismissal of your brother Scott.

          You and your correspondents might consider that “the saving name of Jesus” is the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Scott is trying to talk about the very act of calling on it which makes one a Christian in the full rather than the decorative sense.

          There is also some caution that should be observed regarding the word “worship.” It has a strong and a weak meaning – though perhaps not a strong enough meaning in American English. In a British television program last night I heard that a Groom speaking to his Bride in a wedding was directed to say “with my body I thee worship.” (All Creatures Great and Small, series 1, episode 9, at the very end of the episode; now available on Netflix.) Clearly this phrase, presented as part of a Protestant service, represents a use of the word “worship” which does not match the American Protestant usage. Because of this diversity in usage, it is inapt to say “we do not worship the Blessed Virgin Mary.” In Catholic English usage, we do not “adore her.” In St. Augustine’s usage we offer her “dulia” but not “latria.” These distinctions are difficult to make in current language and they may touch on a primary poverty in American usage due to one of the deep differences between Protestant and Catholic understandings of the justice due to God.

          But that would require a more careful discussion than this sort of commentary usually affords.

          May the peace of Christ be with us all.
          John Hiner

  2. This really seems like a weak argument to proving the immortality of the soul. You’re getting a little distorted making a distinction between people’s wants and a deep-seated desire God has implanted. I submit that’s pretty hard to tell the difference.

  3. I’m 60 years old. I was raised a Southern Baptist all my life. I am thinkful for the wonderful teaching I received but so much was left out and I was so lied to about the Catholic Church.

    I came home to the Catholic Church this past Easter Vigil and through the RCIA program and Bible study and God revealing the truth through the church teachings I finally came to know my Heavenly Mother Mary. It was hard at first but when you put what you think you know about Mary and the Church aside (I didn’t say abandon what you think you know) and study, say, for curiosity sake, Marys role, how she was so trusting for her God, she could has said no, but she always put God first and always put her trust that God would take care of her in all He had ask her to do. I think you will come to understand how she is the perfect example for us to follow, If God didn’t think highly of her they he would have picked another woman to be the mother of his Son. Give Mary a chance, as I did, and the Holy Spirit will guide you to all understanding. Jesus started ONE church, The Catholic Church has alwasys been since Christ established it and asscended back to the Father. The protestants are wrong, they are just what their name proclaims and means. They are protesters of the one true Church. They are not wrong in all things but being raised in a fire and brimstone preaching Baptist Church, I know the lies that I was told and taught and I searched for myself into what the Catholics were and I found that the teachings are absolute Biblical truth, no deceit, no lies and it’s all. laid out for you to see. Jesus said, “Seek and ye shall find”, I sought and I found. I’m home in the Catholic Church where I should have been all along. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. You can attend a RCIA class at your nearest Catholic Church and you don’t have to beco me Catholic you can just go to learn about what Catholics believe and decide for yourself and then you can talk and and question and then if you want to debate at least you will be able to do so intelligentlly. In fact I think everyone needs to attend all denominations and then go to the RCIA. OH what you will learn! I did just that and after all that searching I’m finally home like the prodigal Son I was. God Is patience and loving and wants all to know Him and His ways. I think you will find that is just what the Catholic Church is doing, His Ways, not it’s own way.

  4. I’m a recent convert myself, having been baptized and confirmed this past Easter Vigil at age 54.

    I grew up mocking Catholicism, because I grew up on a diet of the idiotic tripe dished out incessantly by most protestant fundamentalists.

    I was never all that “religious”, growing up, mainly because the type of Christians I was exposed to..the ones who I now realize were just passing along what they learned from their peers and predecessors, and never actually found any answers on their own. I always thought they were stuffy, judgmental, rigidly monolithic in thought, and in general, less intelligent and unwilling to question anything they were told by Pastor Brimstone… who may have received his religious training by way of a correspondence course…if any.

    Like Deedra, I started to investigate Catholicism. I wasn’t “evangelized” by any Catholic in the same manner as protestants believe evangelization works…keep reciting scripture until the target succumbs. What they don’t understand is that most people run the other way from that approach…like I did. Catholics evangelize by being truly Catholic, and manifesting our faith in the real world through charity, and yes…hold on to your seats fundamentalists…works! Oh no…not works!

    I’ve always believed in the risen Christ, but could never decide how to explain why there are or pick from the nearly 30,000 protestant religions, none of which had a leader, but were run by elected board members based on popularity or what have you. If you don’t like what Pastor Fistpounder was teaching, you could just find an empty storefront in a strip mall and start your own. I never thought that that’s what Christ had in mind when he asked Peter to build and lead the church.

    I’m rambling. But suffice it to say that I have found my home in the Holy Roman Catholic Church, warts and all (humans have blemishes…even Catholics!). I have also found it interesting that protestants seem to spend more time trying to point out flaws in Catholic dogma than vice versa, searching for that “gotcha” item that no one else has ever addressed in the past 2000 years of Catholic church history, while making shameless idiots of themselves in the process.

    Catholics explain scripture, while protestants interpret it.

    Vivat Jesus.

  5. Steven you are so right. I have found so many answers in the Catholic Church that could never be explained in the proestant Church. And so many really good books with direct answers are available for anyone interested!

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