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Catholics and Orthodox: What Separates Us?
When my parents divorced, I had to choose between them—but it’s not what you think! Please afford me the chance to explain before you jump to conclusions. Many years ago, my father and mother were married and deeply loved each other. But over time, difficulties arose between them, which caused a slow deterioration in the health of their relationship and, eventually and regrettably, divorce. And worse, their separation had the unintended result of dividing my brother and me from each other, as ea
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Jan 22nd 2024
Finding Mary in the Old Testament
The most obvious references to the Virgin Mary are those that mention her explicitly. These may be few, but they are the most important. Literal references take priority in any doctrinal discussion and are the basis for all other ways of reading Scripture. The Protestant theologian Daniel Migliore reminds us to keep in mind:The Gospel writers were not interested in supplying us with material for a biography of Mary any more than they were in giving us material to write a life of Jesus. Yet Mary
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Jan 2nd 2024
What Books of the Bible Did Early Christians Use for Liturgy?
So how do we know which books the early Christians used in the liturgy?As Valeriy Alikin of St. Petersburg Christian University explains,“Christians began to read apostolic epistles in their gatherings at the latest from the middle of the first century onwards.” At the end of his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul instructs,“I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren”(5:27). And after the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15, the leaders of the Church send Paul and St
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Dec 27th 2023
Rising Like Incense to Heaven
In the weeks leading up to my reception into the Catholic Church, I prepared to not only to be baptized, but also to be confirmed. The sacrament of baptism uses water to communicate grace that takes away sin, while the sacrament of confirmation uses hands that spread oil across the forehead. This oil seals the person with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help him live out the Catholic faith. Hebrews 6:2 alludes to this sacrament when it says how, after baptism, we receive “the laying on of hands.
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Dec 12th 2023
Answering Questions About the Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception.For non-Catholics, this dogma of the Church may be one of the most misunderstood doctrines there is.Here are some common questions Catholics get, and how to respond to them:Question:Why does Mary have to be holy at the moment of her conception instead of being purified shortly before God chooses her to be his mother?Response:God chooses and elects those who are to cooperate in his plan of redemption from before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4), anticipating his pl
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Dec 9th 2023