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The Catholic Letter Home Page
Get Our New Novel About Saint Francis of Assisi
The Side of Saint Francis You’ve Never Seen Before
The Soldier – The Prisoner – The Beggar – The Saint
Saint Francis of Assisi led one of the most interesting lives of all the saints throughout Catholic history. In our recent poll, Catholics chose him as their favorite saint. And yet, his life is as much a mystery to us today as it was hundreds of years ago.
Not any more!
Did The Pope Say It's Okay To Use Condoms?
Media Reports That Pope Okays Condom Use
Could Someone Have Made A Mistake?
Every now and then, some wise-cracker pulls a few sentences out of a statement from a Church official (such as the Pope) and publishes them WAY out of context. Such, I'm glad to say, is the case here.On Teaching The Faith To Children
I've often heard complaints about the pre-Vatican II approach to catechizing children. Special emphasis is put on the idea that the children are (or were) memorizing things they have no understanding of. What's more, the children don't see the practical use for the knowledge, and it would be better to allow them to learn the stuff as they grow older and have more experience.
Of course, no real argument is needed to rebuke this. Just look what has happened ever since we wandered away from the Baltimore Catechism (something I wish I had been forced to study as a child). People got caught up in the notion of allowing children to ‘think things out instead of memorizing facts' and we now have two generations of people who don't have the slightest understanding of their faith. I would say we (we being the generations who weren't properly catechized in school) got shafted!Pornography Addiction FAQ
Pornography Addiction FAQ
- Am I addicted to pornography or to masturbation?
- I never look at pornography-how do I stop masturbation?
- How do I know if I'm addicted to pornography?
- If I'm addicted to pornography, will I ever be able to stop looking at it?
- Can I still go to communion if I'm addicted to pornography or masturbation?
- Do I have to tell my wife about it if I'm addicted to pornography?
- What if my wife tells other people about my pornography addiction?
- Where do I get help with pornography addiction?
Catechism Paragraph 161
On Faith and Ignorance
Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. "Since "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" and to attain to the fellowship of his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life `But he who endures to the end.'"
This article of our faith might beg the question: "What about those who are ignorant of God... are they condemned to hell from the very start?"