Real Catholic Blog

Teresa Shipley at Discovery.com reports that archaeologists believe they have discovered the bones of Saint John The Baptist, who baptised our Lord Jesus Christ (see John Paul II commentary), and infamously beheaded by King Herod at the request of his wife’s daughter, Salome (Catholic-Forum.com). The discovery was made at a 5th century monastary near the Black Sea in Bulgaria.

According to the article:

Bulgarian archaeologists excavating under an ancient basilica last week unearthed a reliquary, or a container full of human relics.

Bone fragments of a human skull, hand and tooth were found inside. …

The archaeologists believe that a date inscribed on the alabaster jar, June 24, is a good sign that the reliquary houses John the Baptist’s remains.

June 24 is the day Christian’s celebrate the birth of Jesus’ contemporary.

Seems a bit too coincidental to me. Besides . . . Bulgaria? How and why would John The Baptists’ remains find there way there? Of course, anything is possible. The Vatican is taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach. Fabrizio Bisconti, superintendent of the Vatican Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, told CNN more information and research is needed before the Holy See will opine on the discovery (see CNN’s Belief Blog for more, including video).

It’s interesting to contemplate, but misidentifications, not to mention forgeries, in ancient and Biblical antiquities are common. We look forward to more information confirming or dismissing what would be a terrific find.

Saint John The Baptist’s remains may have been found. The authenticity of the find, however, impacts little on Catholic faith.

In a rush again today, but a very seasonally appropriate message from RealCatholicTV.com. Just as many turned Jesus over to death in favor of Caesar’s rule, many today forget that the Kingdom to Come is what counts, not today’s earthly world.

Parallels to today: Jesus betrayed and handed over to the state. Do we worship the state in this age?

Here is another wonderful homily from Air Maria: We are called to have faith in the words our Lord has spoken, words that do not return empty:

This is My Body. . . this is My Blood. . . . 

 

The Word has spoken and is always here, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, to strengthen us in our trials and tribulations.

RealCatholicTV.com founder Michael Voris continues his series on the corruption of the Faith by those who would use the Church in America as an extension of a political party or movement. Rather than focus on souls and Biblical Truths, too often we find Church leaders involved in social justice issues to “accommodate” the secular world.

That is the exact path taken by many protestant liturgical denominations, such as the Episcopal Church, which suffered a schism in North America last year (in one of the most important and under reported events of the decade). It happened primarily because it ceased to stand for the Truth and allowed “truth” to become relative among its dioceses, its parishes and even unto its parishioners. Truly, card or bowling clubs are more grounded in principle than some denominations.

But the Faith isn’t about accommodation. It’s about Truth and spreading it for the salvation of souls. “Social justice” is great, but there are several ways to achieve solutions to secular social issues — not the one-size-fits-all-big-government “fixes” unfortunately adopted by too many Church leaders. Not that they should even take sides. Besides, how is “global warming” a social justice issue?

If our Bishops only stayed quiet on these types of matters it would go a long way to furthering the Truth in that they could focus on the issues that have only one solution, such as protecting the unborn and traditional marriage. These are the Scriptural Truths we are called to defend.

Mr. Voris doesn’t mince words. He is on, and to, the point. He is worth listening to. What do you think?

Michael Voris doesn’t hold back. The leadership of the American Catholic Church runs the risk of emulating the disintegrating protestant liturgical denominations.

As Mardi Gras draws to a close and Ash Wednesday and Lent dawns, I looked for a fulfilling and inspirational commentary on the season. On the ZENIT site, I found this, from John Paul The Great. I think it will set the tone for a fulfilling spiritual journey this Lent, drawing you closer to Christ, and a better understanding of the season and your faith.

“We Acknowledge Ourselves As Sinners,” Says John Paul II

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 5, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of John Paul II’s address at today’s general audience, which he dedicated to the spirit of Ash Wednesday. Earlier he had proclaimed this a day of prayer and fasting for peace.

* * *

1. Today, Ash Wednesday, the liturgy addresses to all the faithful an intense invitation to conversion with the words of the apostle Paul: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Lent is the most propitious time, spiritually, to receive this exhortation, as it is a time of more intense prayer, of penance and of greater attention to the needs of brothers.

With today’s rite of the imposition of ashes, we acknowledge ourselves sinners, invoke the forgiveness of God, manifesting a sincere desire for conversion. Thus we begin an austere ascetic journey, which will lead us to the Easter triduum, heart of the liturgical year.

2. In keeping with the tradition of the Church, all the faithful are obliged today to abstain from meats and to fast, with the sole exception of those who are impeded for reasons of health or age. Fasting has great value in the life of Christians, it is a need of the spirit to relate better to God. In fact, the external aspects of fasting, though important, do not exhaust such a practice. Joined to it is a sincere desire for interior purification, willingness to obey the divine will, and thoughtful solidarity toward brothers, particularly the poorest.

There is, then, a close link between fasting and prayer. To pray is to listen to God and fasting favors this openness of heart.

3. While we enter in the time of Lent, we cannot but be conscious of the present international context, in which threatening tensions of war are agitated. It is necessary that everyone consciously assume responsibility and engage in a common effort to spare humanity another dramatic conflict. For this reason, I wanted today, Ash Wednesday, to be a day of prayer and fasting to implore for peace in the world. Above all, we must ask God for conversion of heart, in which every form of evil and every thrust toward sin is rooted; we must pray and fast for peaceful coexistence among peoples and nations.

At the beginning of our meeting we heard the encouraging words of the Prophet: “One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Isaiah 2:4). And again: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Ibid.). Above the upheavals of history is the sovereign presence of God, who judges the choices of men. To him [who] “judge[s] between the nations” and “impose[s] terms on many peoples” (Ibid.) we turn our hearts to implore for a future of justice and peace for all. This thought should stimulate each one of us to continue in an incessant prayer and in energetic commitment to construct a world in which egoism gives way to solidarity and love.

4. I also wished to propose again the urgent invitation to conversion, penance and solidarity in the Message for Lent, made known a few days ago, whose theme is the beautiful phrase of the Acts of the Apostles: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (see 20:35).

In fact, only by converting to this logic can a social order be constructed characterized not by a precarious balance of conflicting interests, but by a just and common search for the common good. Christians, as leaven, are called to live and spread a style of generosity in every realm of life, thus promoting the authentic moral and civil development of society. In this connection, I have written: “To deprive oneself not only of the superfluous, but even of something more to distribute it to those in need, contributes to that denial of self without which there is no authentic practice of Christian life” (No. 4: [daily] L’Osservatore Romano, Feb. 7, 2003, p. 5).

5. May this day of prayer and fasting for peace, with which we begin Lent, be translated in concrete gestures of reconciliation. From the family to the international realm, may each one feel and make himself co-responsible for the construction of peace. And the God of peace, who knows the intentions of the heart and calls his children peacemakers (see Matthew 5:9), will not be lacking in his recompense (see Matthew 6:4,6,18).

We entrust our wishes to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Rosary and Mother of Peace. May she take us by the hand and accompany us during the next 40 days toward Easter, to contemplate the Risen Lord.

I wish everyone a good and fruitful Lent!

In today’s Gospel, our Lord, Jesus Christ, explains to the Apostles his passion, death and resurrection. But the Gospel also tells us that they did not understand. How were they eventually enlightened? The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit brought the Word to them. Still today, the Holy Spirit brings clarity to our understanding of God’s Word if we open our hearts and seek to receive it. Father Ignatius Manfredonia of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Friary explains in his homily from Mass earlier today.

Jesus explained his death and resurrection in advance to the Apostles, but it was the Holy Spirit who enlightened them to understand. He enlightens us as well when we open ourselves to receive Him.

We’ve followed two events this week: The March For Life and the Week of Christian Unity. Here is a report on Pope Benedict’s celebration of Vespers of the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul Apostle, on January 25th in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. According to the Vatican’s news service:

Recalling in his homily the theme for this year’s week of prayer — You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:48) — the Holy Father said that the communion and unity of Christ’s disciples are elements of singular importance for a credible and effective proclamation of the Gospel. 

Pope Benedict: “May we all be one so that the world may believe.”

Today, at his Angelus prayer, Pope Benedict XVI commented on today’s Epistle reading at Mass, in First Corinthians, where Saint Paul illustrates the Church as one body with many parts, and Christ as its head. It is through “the sacraments, the Word of God, charisms and ministries that the Church continues the presence of the Risen Lord in history.” Monday marks the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Pope Benedict reiterates the imporance of the sacraments, The Word of God and ministries in continuing the presence of the Lord in the current age.

Catholics Come Home posted the video below on its YouTube Channel. It’s entitled, “The Bible proves Catholic beliefs that most protestants deny.” Although it is short, it is powerful, and debunks a few of the primary objections some protestants have toward Catholicism.

Of course, the fact that Catholic teaching comes from the Bible (and not from “some old men in Rome”) should not come as a surprise to anyone. Still, some people (Catholic and protestant) have been conditioned to believe otherwise. But, the fact is, every teaching of the Catholic Church is grounded in Scripture. Otherwise, we could not be one, true, apostolic, universal church. As CCH explains, the video proves Catholic teachings, using Biblical passages, that most protestants deny, including: 

Peter was the first Pope, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession, The Bible alone is not sufficient, and justification by faith and works.

It should be noted that Catholics do consider protestants our separated brothers and sisters. And anyone who is Baptized “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” and believes in Jesus Christ is considered a Christian. But it is within the Catholic faith that the fullness of God’s revealed truth is found.

This video is a great primer on apologetics. Always remember, everything we believe is the Truth and it is the Truth because it is directly from Scripture. 

Father Tito of the Franciscan Friars of Air Maria gives a homily on the Luminous Mysteries, starting with the baptism of Jesus. He explains that we see Jesus’ espousal with His bride, the Church in the Luminous Mysteries. His breaking open of these mysteries gives good reason as to why John Paul The Great added these mysteries to the Rosary. Father Tito’s homily is packed with thoughtfulness. Every sentence gives you much to think about. Take the time to listen. It’s worth it.

The Catholic Church teaches the Truth, which is not easy. But who will teach those Truths if not us? Certainly “not the New York Times.”