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1Corinthinas 2:9~16: "But, as it is written; that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the hearts of man, what things God has prepared for them that love Him. But to us God has revealed them, by His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God no man knows, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God. Which things also we speak, not in the learned words of human wisdom; but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the sensual man perceives not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined. But the spiritual man judges all things; and he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

2Corinthians 12:1~7: "If I must glory (It is not expedient indeed): but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ about fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not; God knows), such a one caught up to the the third Heaven. And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the bod, I know not: God knows): That he was caught up into Paradise and heard secret words, which is not granted to man to utter. For such an one I will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, but in my infirmities. For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees in me, or any thing he hears from me."

We also know that Jesus' Apostles and Disciples spent almost three and a half years with Jesus, being taught daily, and yet St. John tells us in St. John 21:25:..."But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written."

We know that some of this oral Tradition from Jesus to His Apostles was passed on to St. Paul, and others, also as oral Tradition. St. Paul obviously did not write down all that he learned from the Holy Spirit, or all that he learned from Jesus. As an example, the term, "Powers and Principalities" as in Ephesians 6:12 was only used by St. Paul. These are, from careful study, the two choirs of angels most of whom ended up as devils in Hell. We have to infir this because St. Paul refers to them as demonic forces. And in Ephesians 3:10, St. Paul places them in heavenly places. So apparently not all of them went to Hell, and were no doubt the choirs of Lucifer and Beelzebub (Apparently there were originally nine choirs and were reduced to seven. The book of Apocalypse mentions the other seven over and over again, once as the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven last plagues. These are Archangels who are to the most powerful and trusted of the angels. So it's a match.) See also: These are the seven spirits which are before His throne, as in Apocalypse 1:4. These are the seven spirits of God as mentioned in Apocalypse 3:1 and 4:5.

If we add Traditions carried into the Church from the Jewish faith, St. Paul being a Pharisee of Pharisees, we can recognize from above four different sources of Tradition. None of which are captured in writing. First of all we have in 1Corinthians 2, Traditions received of the Holy Spirit both by St. Paul and the Apostles. In 2Corinthians 12, we have traditions given by Jesus directly to St. Paul, again orally and never committed to writing. We also have from St. John 21, that there were many things that Jesus spoke to the Apostles and Disciples that were never put in writing. Over the course of 2000 years of the Church, these Traditions, inspired, infused, or unwritten, have been woven into the fabric of the seamless garment that is the Deposit of Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. There is no way possible to identify these individual threads after this amount of time. (There were no protestants until 1500 years later. Therefore they do not have any of these Traditions. Therefore, when St. Paul says in 2Thessalonians 2:14: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle." Their answer had to be sola scriptura.

Of course, the above is from a Pre-Vatican II standpoint, as I am a pre-Vatican II Traditional Catholic, full habit and all. I wish to thank you for inviting me as it was a good refresher course. As you may or may not imagine, I deal with many people who are on the other side of this argument who are Novus Ordo Catholics who for the last fifty plus years have been trying to jettison these very Traditions. Especially as it regards the Holy Mass, Tridentine versus Novus Ordo. They have become oblivious to being almost giddy over sheading them to where the Mass and its embedded teachings are almost unrecognizable. Hope this helps.
Your sister in Christ.

Thank you. I have used “All” in the “To” field so as not to single out one individual. Since you are being so helpful, please tell me the ‘Ping’ process, or where is it written. I did not see it in the Posting instructions.

I was introduced to Free Republic recently when googling information on Pope John Paul II kissing the Koran. Lo and behold, there was a comment by someone named 'dangus' that brought into question what the mass of calumniators were saying about our Pope. I read with interest, and he made some valid points that truly put into question of whether or not His Holiness' enemies were up to their usual tricks to attempt to shine a damaging light on him. When I began to follow Free Republic's Religion Forum, I thought that just maybe there were after all Truth seekers here.

Admittedly, I haven't felt welcome and see here that I am not alone. Being the last elderly nun from a Reigious Order, I am not accustomed to the aggression I have found. I did read this thread with interest though.

Being Catholic should mean that we all believe the same doctrines and Dogmas, or else we cannot call ourselves Catholic. After all it is the Universal Faith. Jesus told Pilate that he came to bring Truth. Amazingly, I have been reading here on this forum many little Pilate's in their own way sayin: "What is Truth?" As Catholics, shouldn't each one of us be Truth Seekers?

I don't know how many of you, like myself, remember what it was like before Vatican II. The lines weren't blurred as they are now. The old saying is true: "Rebellion begets rebellion." Who are we rebelling against. Heaven forbid that we admit we are rebelling against God and His Laws. So we say we are rebelling against "the Church", or " The Pope", etc. Why not say: "We like the world and all the goodies it offers. We don't like being different and having to follow stricter rules than everyone else. We don't want to be open for a child with each sex act..." The list goes on .

One thing is most definitely evident, no one wins with division, amongst ourselves and especially with God. I have to agree with this Trad Bishop, in that we need to go back to the time when for the most part, The Church was unified. The underlying factor was the "primitive rule" whose foundation was straight from the The Holy Bible.

We can only change ourselves. If we are truly seeking Truth and we are honestly wanting to please our most Sovereign Lord, then we must go back to best of our abilities to the way it should be before all of these major divisions came about with: the Mass being changed;the abuses of the Eacharist; the watering down of the faith; the contempt between genders, etc. Most importantly each of us need to work diligently in avoiding all sin. That's heroic virtue. Mind you I am pointing the finger at myself as well.

I put the question out there because I honestly want to know. How can we make a difference? How do we unify in love, both of God and our neighbor? How do we go back as the ones people know we are Christians by our love? I personally want to go forward by going back to the way it should be. Any suggestions?

I mentioned Martin Luther in one of my replies this past week and was soundly ridiculed of once again pulling out the old canard of the 'Luther card' and was asked when we Catholics were going to get over that. You can't by ridicule get me to walk away from the Mother of my Christ especially not after what the Angel Gabriel said of Her in St. Luke 1:31~35: "Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father; and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the Angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the Angel answering, said to Her: the Holy Ghost shall come upon Thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee. And therefore also the holy which shall be born of Thee shall be called the Son of God."

Are you sure that you want to continue to be like the young blacks that I went to high school with who when they were stumped by Truth could think of nothing better to say than "yo mama". The Mary card is just as infintile and ignorant, ney, more ignorant than what they said as they were not speaking of the one that God made special enough that Jesus could take His sinless flesh from that would hang on the Cross and gain us our Redemption. Please read the above again and realize that with your Mary bashing you're taking on the entire Trinity and insulting Them. Do you really want to do that??!!!

I would not want to be in your shoes or any other basher's shoes when you stand before Jesus in judgement and questions you concerning HIS MAMA. I can imagine that that is one subject on which He, like most of us, has no sense of humor. Hope you like being a post toastie.

In St. John 2:1~12 we see recounted the interaction between Jesus and His Mother, Mary, concerning the fact that the wedding feast was out of wine. (Think of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.) The Blessed Virgin Mary in spite of Jesus' objection was able to convince Jesus that it WAS His time and so the miracle was performed by Jesus at Her request and Hers alone. If I ever wanted something from my father or even one of my brothers or sisters, I also wanted Mom on my side. Since you speak of Her as you do, what are the odds that Jesus is going to listen to you? Judgement time is not the time to need a miracle and need Her support. And remember God knows the end from the beginning so that as He was hanging on the Cross, He already knew how you were going to defame and denegrate the Woman that God the Father chose special from all eternity to be His Mother, and since you are an adopted child of God, (St. Paul says we are ALL children of adoption.) She is your Mother too. I will pray to Her for your forgiveness. Not only for you but all those like you. I will also pray to God that you will begin to use the good sense that He gave you and never again besmirch the good name of any one whom He has called "Blessed" including any of His saints. See St. Luke 1:48.

By the way, congratulations from Satan on the role that you have chosen in fulfilling Biblical prophesy namely Apocalypse 12:15: "And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the Woman, water as it were a river; that he might cause Her to be carried away by the river." As for me and my household consider this reply as our loving and dutiful attempt to do what it says in Apocalypse 12:16: "And the Earth helped the Woman, and the Earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the river, which the dragon cast out of his mouth." We honestly do not mind being the ones mentioned in verse 17: "And the dragon was angry against the Woman: (God never called Israel, the Woman, only the harlot.) And went to make war with the rest of Her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." ( Can you honestly keep His commandments and have His testimony and speak of His Mother as you do? I don't know about you but I consider it a wholesome and Holy thing to fear the Lord as the Bible tells me to.)

We have read the Book, we know how it ends. We know we're on the right side with the Woman. How about you?

I do not find St. Polycarp in the Cannon of my Bible and my Bible contains the six books that the protestants in direct defiance of Apocalypse 22:18&19 and enjoins upon its believers: "For I testify to every one that hears the words of the prophesy of this book: If any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesy, God shall take away His part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from these things that are written in this book."

Neither is the book of St. Polycarp mentioned in what the Protestants call the apocrypha. I do find that St. Polycarp apparently received as the other Church Fathers did, letters written by and shared by St. Paul, St. Peter, and other communications amongst the Church leaders at that time. I therefore can and do consider him an ancillary source to what's in my Bible. I do also regard it my duty to my God to consider the full Bible in my endeavor to understand and pass on my faith. I find it totally unproductive to cling to a single verse or verses without considering the whole Word of God.

I believe it absolutely necessary to remind myself and others that St. Paul had spent long periods of time in teaching the churches that he had established. And so I rely more heavily of what Jesus said, with all ties going to Jesus rather than to put Jesus' teachings aside in favor of St. Paul's. After all St. Paul in his letters could do no more than hit the highlights.

First of all, ealgeone, I have addresses the matter of wearing sacramentals to Elsie in Can a Christian lose his Salvation? I won't repeat it all here except to reiterate no Catholic, that I know of believes that salvation is obtained by wearing something around the neck, just as so many non Catholics wear a cross around theirs. Remember, idols are things that one adores and that is not the case. If you wore a locket around your neck that contained a lock of your mother's hair, it reminds you of her and helps you to feel in your heart that she is always with you , for example.

I have heard an expression that has stayed with me: "Its not how many times you go through the Scriptures, but how many times the Scriptures go though you." No matter how new I am to this website is of no importance, what is important is that it is apparent to me that so many people on this website have not really dug with a sincere heart for the Truth, no matter what. No one wins this way except the devil himself . I have no doubt he is loving this whole-heartedly. How can any one come closer to God with all the mud slinging.

Here's a bit of history: "The Douay-Rheims Bible is a scrupulously faithful translation into English of the Latin Vulgate Bible which St. Jerome (342-420) translated into Latin from the original languages. The Vulgate quickly became the Bible universally used in the Latin Rite (by far the largest rite of the Catholic Church).

St. Jerome, who was one of the four great Western Fathers of the Church, was a man raised up by God to translate the Holy Bible into the common Latin tongue of his day. He knew Latin and Greek perfectly; he also knew Hebrew and Aramaic nearly as well. He was 1500 years closer to the original languages than any other scholar today, which would make him a much better judge of the exact meaning of any Greek or Hebrew word in the Scriptures. Besides being a towering linguistic genius, he was also a great saint, and he had access to ancient Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the 2nd and 3rd centuries which have since perished and are no longer available to scholars today. St. Jerome's translation, moreover, was a careful, word-for-word rendering of the original texts into Latin."
Preface for The Holy Bible

I have seen several people bring up what they call the "Luther card." If one would look up the history of Christianity and the numerous branches and sects and their inceptions and the authors of those sects, they all, at some point in time came from Luther, especially the new doctrine of 'faith alone'. So all those roads lead to Luther. There is only One Truth. There can't be as many truths as there are interpretations.

Thank you. You have made my point exactly! Also, yes I wear both a Scapular and a Miraculous Medal and yes I pray to Mary. Also I wear a full habit. No, I don’t claim Francis as my Pope, but I do believe in the efficacy of the papacy as the Throne of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost here on Earth. See St. Matthew 16:18ff. And therefore I am not ruled by a man unless he is ruled completely by the Divine Trinity through their written Word (the Holy Bible) and the Traditions handed down to the Apostles by Jesus Himself, which are found in the Deposit of Faith: the only Begotten of the Father through the Holy Spirit, through the ever Virgin Mary.

In the 1500s the great revolt began to take place as spoken of in 2Thessalonians 2:3 ff: "Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God."
Galatians 1:6~9: " I wonder that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel. Which is not another, only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. (Martin Luther did not only attempt by his 95 theses and his other books/works to rewrite the Bible, but also took out six books from the Bible. Even those with references in the New Testament but also he tried to rewrite interpretations with his various commentaries. He also broke his perpetual vow of celibacy and caused a nun with a similar vow to do likewise in their illicit/vow busting marriage(?).) But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema. As we said before, so now I say again: If anyone preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema."

These Scriptures can easily be applied to the so called reformers all of whom revolted from the Catholic Church. For 1500 plus years the Gospel handed down from Jesus Christ to His Apostles to every Catholic everywhere the same now comes the "reformers" who do not reform but rather pervert the Gospel of Christ. One absolutely cannot reform God and His Truth. Therefore, it was perverted, leaven was put in. Leaven, as described by St. Paul, corrupts the whole lump. In 1 John 4:1,2,3, St. John tells us how to recognize the Antichrist, and he says that "Every spirit that dissolves Jesus, is not of God: And this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he comes, and he is now already in the world. St. John in verse 4 goes on to assure the only Christians on the face of the Earth at that time by saying: " You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. (The antichrist) Because greater is He that is in you, (through the reception of His Body and Blood in the Euchaarist) than he that is in the world." He goes on in verse 5 to say: "They (who are of the antichrist) are of the world, therefore of the world they speak, and the world hears them." In saying, twice, concerning those with another gospel let them be anathema (accursed) he too is speaking of those who are of the antichrist.

As Catholics, and Catholic meaning Universal, we have One Gospel, not 15, one for each reformer different from one another. And we have one group of people who are responsible for interpreting that Gospel which is the teaching magisterium of the Church. And we who hold that faith unchanged pre-Vatican II, keep and hold that same Gospel and that same interpretation. These teachings and interpretations were given by Christ to the Apostles and then to the Fathers of the Church and are in essence in writing that are held as the Deposit of the Faith, and even the protestants quote them as does the Bible.

Why would I or any other Trinity loving and adoring Catholic want to trade in a two thousand year old Truth from Jesus to the Apostles, etc., for an only five hundred year old new gospel which is different in each sect of protestantism and seems to be changing almost daily by each expositor. After all, every one can interprets the Bible in his/her own way so says Martin Luther and so say ye all. It is now at a point where the focus of debate is no longer on what Christ said but each individual interpretation. Smooth move! Now there's very little chance of bringing you back to the truth, because it's impossible to have a legitament set of apologetics for each 'new gospel' established on each NEW interpretation. If you can't believe it because you've never heard it before, how did you move away from a two thousand year old truth to all these new gospels based on new interpretations and new versions?!

I am an unconfused Traditional Catholic and intend to remain in Jesus Christ's immutable and rock solid teachings and the interpretations that He and His Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and the teaching magesterium of the Church have provided. I will remain in the eye of the hurricane. With your free will, its your prerogative to choose to stay in the maelstrom, which without Catholicism has no center, begun by Luther and company, and now made more frantic by the Francis I Catholics.

You are confusing 'predestination' with 'omnipotence'.When we are created by God, and our soul and spirit are united to our body, God asks us: "Will you Serve?" (Thus, Lucifer's: "Non Servium", I will not serve.) If we say, "yes", He asks: "At what level", the highest level obviously being martyrdom. It is also true that if we say, "no", then He will again ask, "At what level?" At Lucifer's 'Non Servium' level, he obviously said, "Not only will I not serve, but I will bring all of my followers, human and demonic, against You with our shared 'Non Servium'."

God places us where we have, by our own free wills in this encounter, told Him He needs to put us. Either where we will serve Him or where He can protect Himself and those who will serve Him against the ones who won't. Since He gives us a free will, to be true to Himself, He must allow us to use it no matter how much it may hurt Him or us. This is the Meekness and Humility of our God! His Power as He told St. Paul is made perfect in our infirmity.

Titus 3:8~11: "It is a faithful saying: And these things I will have thee affirm constantly: That they, who believe in God, may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain. A man/woman that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, AVOID: Knowing that he/she that is such an one, is subverted, and sins, being condemned by his/her own judgement."

I refuse to join you in sin. To deny God to put the Blessed Virgin Mary, or anyone else for that matter, dead or alive, ANYWHERE HE WANTS THEM, is to DENY that He is God and to DENY so many of His works as they are proclaimed in the Bible that it makes a person a heretic! Repent, confess, and amend your life before God does.

Sir, your vocabulary would indicate a familiarity with biblical things, but the content of your verbiage would seem to indicate quite the opposite. Permit me, please, to make some connections for you using St. Matthew's Gospel.

Chapter 4 verses 18~22 states: "And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers). And He said to them: come ye after Me, and I will make you to be fishers of men. And they immediately leaving their nets, followed Him. And going on from thence, He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, and a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and He called them. And they forthwith left their nets, and followed Him.
Note: Jesus called them to the Apostleship Himself. He did likewise with most of His other Apostles.

In chapter 10, verses 1-6: " And having called His twelve Disciples together, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities. And the names of the twelve Apostles are these: The first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, Simon the Cannean, and Judas the Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. These twelve Jesus sent: commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house Israel.
Note: This connects Jesus and the Apostles and tells us that Jesus is the One who is sending them. And to use St. Paul's terminology, they are 'sent'.

In chapter 28, verses 16~20: "And the eleven disciples went into Galillee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And seeing Him they adored: But some doubted and Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to Me in Heaven and in Earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."
Note: Jesus did not stutter. This is a perpetual comission as His Church. It encompasses all nations therefore He means for it to be Universal and the word 'Catholic' means 'Universal'. The Popes, the Vicars of Christ, good or evil, warts and all, still follow in the succession of Peter who was commissioned by both the Eternal Father and Jesus in chapter 16 verses 17~19: " And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona: Because flesh and blood has not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter: And upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon Earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth it shall be lost also in Heaven."
Note: No where in all of Scripture is there any promise from God of a perfect man after Jesus. They all, Popes Apostles, and even you, sir, are fallen sinful men, and subject to sin. We all have free wills with bodies that have inordinate appetites, including our minds. None of us notes of any remoteness of perfection the Will of God. And so, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostalic Church founded by Christ on His Apostles continues as Jesus commisioned, good, bad, or indifferent stepping all over itself with its free will. And that sir includes you and I and everyone else on the face of the Earth.

Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not." See Hebrews chapter 11 in total for what part faith plays in our relationship to God and to the things of God.

Because you have no faith in the Blessed Mother and the Brown Scapular,
it would do you no good to wear it!

The Brown Scapular, like the Crucifix and Rosary, is a Sacramental. Unlike a Sacrament which is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give Grace, it is a blessed article, a visual reminder, and therefore prompter, to avoid sin (iniquity). 1 John 5:16&17: "He that knows his brother to sin a sin which is not to death (venial sin), let him ask: and life shall be given to him who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death. For this I say not that any man ask. All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death (mortal sin)." We are in a daily battle with the Evil One.

Pope St. John Paul II said that the Jews are our elder brothers and sisters in the faith. The Catholic Faith is the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures. See St. Luke 23:27: "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets He expounded to them in all Scriptures the things that were concerning Him."

God commanded: "Speak to the children of Israel and thou shalt tell them to make to themselves fringes in the corner of their garments, putting in them ribands of 'BLUE'. That when they shall see them they may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes, going astray after divers things (Iniquity?) But rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do them, and BE HOLY TO THEIR GOD," Numbers 15:38~40.

This is the Tzitzit, knotted ritual fringes or tassels, attached to the four corners of the tallit (prayer shawl) and tallit katan (every day undergarment). Wearing it is commanded in Deuteronomy 22:12: "Thou shall make strings in the hem at the four corners of thy cloak, wherewith thou shalt be covered." The purpose of wearing Tzitzit is to remind the Jews of their religious obligations. It serves also as a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt (the hell they being put through in Egypt).

Our Lady being a Jewess, borrowed from God on what He had commanded the Jews. The Brown Scapular is the Catholic version of the Tzitzit of our elder brothers and sisters of the Scriptures. In fact, the Jews also had/have Phylacteries: either of two small, black leather cubes containing a piece of parchment inscribed with verses from Deuteronomy 6:4~9, 11:13~21, and Exodus 13:1~16. One is attached with straps to the left arm and the other to the forehead by all Jewish men. It got carried over into the early Christian Church as a receptacle to carry a holy relic.

The historical precedent is there for the Scapular, and it was from Jesus Himself since He is the Word that expresses the Thoughts of the Father, but it is not in and of itself capable of keeping us out of sin or keeping us out of Hell; because God will not take our free wills away from us. The efficacy of wearing the Brown Scapular comes about through our corresponding to the Graces that Our Lady, as the Father's Envoy, promised which are verified in the formal blessing of the priest, (alter Christus) on the Scapular.

God knows His creatures. He knows our propensity to sin and He continuously provides means for us to stay focused on our reason for being here just as He did our elder brothers and sisters, the Jews: to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in the world so we can be with Him in the next. And this is the primary efficacy of EVERY Sacrament, Sacramental and every act of good will. What Jesus gave us was the meat and potatoes of our faith. Our Lady came with the desert like a Good Mama. Again, God knows His creatures...out of sight out of mind. The Brown Scapular reminds us to do all the things we should do if we want, not only to get in the Door of Heaven (Salvation), but to get a high place in Heaven!

The Blessed Virgin Mary comes to defend the rights of Her Father, Her Son, and Her Spouse the Holy Spirit. After all, He was the One Who conceived Jesus in Her womb. She could NOT come to the Earth unless She was sent by Them. It is the Holy Triune God that wants us to appreciate the Blessed Virgin Mary for Her instrumentality in Salvation History that made it possible for us to be Redeemed and Saved. No other human before Her or since possessed the Sanctity She HAD to possess for Jesus to be able to take His Flesh from Her.

Our Holy Mother Mary encourages us on the way to Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. She asks us to look to Her for example, for guidance, for correction, because She has walked the path we are on and She fought the good fight. We should emulate Her. She is the Premo human being!

Galatians 1:6~9: "I wonder that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the Grace of Christ, unto another Gospel. Which is not another, only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ but though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach a Gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema. As we said before, so now I say again: if anyone preach to you a Gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema."

The original Gospel came directly from Christ through His Apostles. All of the Apostles had been raised in a Jewish tradition with the Jewish Scriptures as was St. Paul. Jesus then made the connections for them showing how He Himself fulfilled those Scriptures. The One, Holy, Catholic Apostolic Church is the one that Christ instituted in with and through His Apostles and Disciples.

By accepting this new Gospel, born some 1500 years later, the Gospel that you readily admit is totally different from the one you were raised on, brings you under that anathema.

May God have mercy on your soul and the souls of those who have corrupted you. As St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:6, "Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven (another Gospel) corrupts the whole lump?"

St. Paul goes on to say in verses 7&8: "Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. (Catholic) For Christ our pasch is sacrificed. Therefore let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

As you may or may not remember when you were accepting you were a Catholic, you were taught that the Sacrament of Baptism puts an indelible mark on your soul that you will have to give an accounting for when you stand before Jesus in judgement. When you were Baptised, you were adopted by Jesus in His name as representing Himself, the Father and the Holy Spirit. See St. Matthew 28:19.

After all God adopted you for ever. He loves you with an infinite Love, and by your Baptism He pledged that He would watch over you all of your life, and to protect you and the covenant that God made with you in your Baptism so that you could spend eternity with Him. Even though His commitment to you and the indelible mark that you have on your soul may be and are eternal, His experience with humans since Adam and Eve says we cannot be trusted. Without His omnipotence and His continuous guard over us we will most likely be unfaithful without His faithfulness to reinforce us.

The good news and the most excellent news is that you are still a Catholic through your Baptism and your belief system, and even though you do not continue to claim Him and your Catholicity He still holds Himself to the covenant that He made with you through your Baptism. He will do so forever. Don't be startled or surprised when you turn around and find that He is still there in the form of His children here on Earth who have pledged themselves to love you and others like you for Him. We who you can see since you can't see Him see 1 John 4:20 & 21.

As far as your Scriptural interpretation and the distance you have put between you and the God of your youth, as the Church of Ephesus in Apocalypse 2:4&5, you have left your first charity. This inevitably happens to the ones who file for the divorce. God will be faithful even if you are not.
Note: All quotes are from the Douay-Rheims​ Bible.

As you may or may not remember when you were accepting you were a Catholic, you were taught that the Sacrament of Baptism puts an indelible mark on your soul that you will have to give an accounting for when you stand before Jesus in judgement. When you were Baptised, you were adopted by Jesus in His name as representing Himself, the Father and the Holy Spirit. See St. Matthew 28:19.

After all God adopted you for ever. He loves you with an infinite Love, and by your Baptism He pledged that He would watch over you all of your life, and to protect you and the covenant that God made with you in your Baptism so that you could spend eternity with Him. Even though His commitment to you and the indelible mark that you have on your soul may be and are eternal, His experience with humans since Adam and Eve says we cannot be trusted. Without His omnipotence and His continuous guard over us we will most likely be unfaithful without His faithfulness to reinforce us.

The good news and the most excellent news is that you are still a Catholic through your Baptism and your belief system, and even though you do not continue to claim Him and your Catholicity He still holds Himself to the covenant that He made with you through your Baptism. He will do so forever. Don't be startled or surprised when you turn around and find that He is still there in the form of His children here on Earth who have pledged themselves to love you and others like you for Him. We who you can see since you can't see Him see 1 John 4:20 & 21.

As far as your Scriptural interpretation and the distance you have put between you and the God of your youth, as the Church of Ephesus in Apocalypse 2:4&5, you have left your first charity. This inevitably happens to the ones who file for the divorce. God will be faithful even if you are not.
Note: All quotes are from the Douay-Rheims​ Bible.

As you may or may not remember when you were accepting you were a Catholic, you were taught that the Sacrament of Baptism puts an indelible mark on your soul that you will have to give an accounting for when you stand before Jesus in judgement. When you were Baptised, you were adopted by Jesus in His name as representing Himself, the Father and the Holy Spirit. See St. Matthew 28:19.

After all God adopted you for ever. He loves you with an infinite Love, and by your Baptism He pledged that He would watch over you all of your life, and to protect you and the covenant that God made with you in your Baptism so that you could spend eternity with Him. Even though His commitment to you and the indelible mark that you have on your soul may be and are eternal, His experience with humans since Adam and Eve says we cannot be trusted. Without His omnipotence and His continuous guard over us we will most likely be unfaithful without His faithfulness to reinforce us.

The good news and the most excellent news is that you are still a Catholic through your Baptism and your belief system, and even though you do not continue to claim Him and your Catholicity He still holds Himself to the covenant that He made with you through your Baptism. He will do so forever. Don't be startled or surprised when you turn around and find that He is still there in the form of His children here on Earth who have pledged themselves to love you and others like you for Him. We who you can see since you can't see Him see 1 John 4:20 & 21.

As far as your Scriptural interpretation and the distance you have put between you and the God of your youth, as the Church of Ephesus in Apocalypse 2:4&5, you have left your first charity. This inevitably happens to the ones who file for the divorce. God will be faithful even if you are not.
Note: All quotes are from the Douay-Rheims​ Bible.

See the Scriptural references in "It's the Sin,Dummy!" You can't lose something you never had. See Hebrews 9:27 & 28:" And it is appointed unto men, once to die and after this the judgement: so also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time He shall appear without sin to them that expect Him unto salvation."

This indicates as does Apocalypse 20:5 & 6 that if your particular judgement puts you in Heaven, you are not liable to a second judgement. Also, when you are absent from the body, you are present with the Lord, for Judgement. Note: If you are in a state of justice, meaning your soul is without iniquity, then your judgement will put you in Heaven. If not, you go to Hell. This decision is finalized at the time of your last breath, as until then you have the opportunity to repent and confess and beg God's forgiveness and amend your life, or, commit more iniquity. See 1 John 5:16 & 17. Again, you can't lose what you never had.

Yes, thank you, in fact I did that. Is it possible after something is posted to go back and out some breaks, spaces, it paragraphs to help.

I apologise to you. I know what you mean. I have cataracts and keep a magnifying glass at my chair. Sorry for the inconvenience. I was only trying to keep up with the Holy Spirit.

Your definition of a true Catholic is as legalistic as the unending geneologies in the Old Testament. In St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 8 & 9, St. Paul corrects those who believe that there physical geneology as a Jew is what makes them acceptable to God. St. Paul says that the true believers are not physical sons of Abraham but spiritual children of Abraham. Please see Romans 9:7 & 8. We as Catholics are spiritual children of Abraham, in other words, children of the Promise, and the Promise is Christ. Any Catholic with a Baptismal Certificate can register in any parish on the Earth. It would then be assumed that they are subjects of the Roman Pontiff. They may be atheists, Freemasons, whoremongers, active homosexuals, communists, or sede vacantis (Which I am not). None of your criteria will guarantee a good Catholic. In Romans 9:27, St. Paul, quoting Isaiah, in verses 27~29, says as much. A remnant is a small piece of the original.

The much maligned Pope St. John Paul II imitated and understood Abraham in how he sought after the hearts of non Catholics and Catholics alike trying as Jesus did to adopt them as His Spiritual Children. (The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church teaches us that our Baptism is in reality Jesus adopting us as part of His family.) My heart, as I believe Pope St. John Paul II's heart was, is with the teachings of The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church pre-Fatima, and I, like Abraham, in Hebrews 11, am not looking for and earthly city (Rome) but rather..."a city that has foundations; whose Builder and Maker is God." (Verse 10) As In Hebrews 11:16, Like Abraham..."I desire a better, that is to say, a Heavenly Country." Therefore, having God not be ashamed to be called my God for He has prepared for me a city. Jesus never taught legalism but rather what is in each person's heart in saying that what's in a man's heart will soon come out of his mouth. My heart is with Christ and I am joined, through the Scriptures, and my Baptism, as part of His True Spiritual Church. I could never consider Pope St. John Paul II as I do if my heart were otherwise as I believe him to be the father Abraham of our times. I also believe that he will return to us along with St. John, the Apostle (see Apocalypse 10:8~11) as one of the two Witnesses in Apocalypse 11. I believe he's in the same place as is St. John the Apostle, having been translated and being still in touch with their bodies. I believe that it is through him that the channel of Grace still flows between God and His Church. Therefore, he is the Pope of the Remnant Church and therefore my Pope. I may not pass your muster/qualifications, but then my concern is truly to pass God's muster/qualifications as I have been taught them as a traditional Catholic.