St. Michael the Archangel, whose name means, “one who is like God,” led the army of angels who cast Satan and the rebellious angels into Hell; at the end of time, he will wield the sword of justice to separate … Continued
St. Anthony was born in Lisbon in 1195 and was baptized “Ferdinand.” His parents were of nobility. Some writers of the fifteenth century posited that his father was Martin Bouillon, a descendant of the famous Godfrey de Bouillon, commander of … Continued
As Catholics, we remember that the first commandment states, “I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have any gods before me.” When asked what was the greatest commandment, our Lord Jesus Christ, repeating the precept found in Deuteronomy, … Continued
The stigmata is the spontaneous appearance of the wound marks of our crucified Lord on a person’s body. These marks include the nail wounds at the feet and the hands, the lance wound at the side, the head wounds from … Continued
The official process for declaring someone a saint is called canonization, meaning the person is worthy of inclusion in the canon of the Mass. Prior to the year 1234, the Church did not have a formal process as such. Usually … Continued
In a culture that emphasizes the preservation of youth and bodily life, the concept of martyrdom does seem foreign. Martyrdom according to the Catechism is “the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even … Continued
Relics include the physical remains of a saint (or of a person who is considered holy but not yet officially canonized) as well as other objects which have been “sanctified” by being touched to his body. These relics are divided … Continued
The Catechism clearly affirms, “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition” (#328). Given that we do believe … Continued
Yes, St. Christopher is still a saint. Tradition holds that he died at Lycia on the southern coast of Asia Minor about the year 251. Various legends surround his life. The most popular is that he was a rather ugly, … Continued
The New Testament has various references to the second coming of our Lord and the last judgment. Immediately one thinks of the Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse, which focuses on those “end times” but employs cryptic symbolism … Continued
Each time we recite the Creed, we profess, “We believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” Heaven then designates both the firmament of creation and God’s dwelling place. Scholars even debate whether the word heaven … Continued
As Catholics, we believe that when a person dies, the soul separates from the body. He then stands before God in judgment. Remember that the soul is really “who” we are: while the body lies in death, our soul– who … Continued
Before addressing the question at hand, we must first be clear on two points. First, the idea of limbo is a theological speculation, not a defined doctrine of the Catholic Church. Remember we must uphold what our Lord taught concerning … Continued
The Catechism clearly affirms the Church’s belief in Purgatory and the purification of the soul after death: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but, after death they … Continued
In theology, the word limbo, derived from the Latin limbus, meaning “hem” or “border,” is understood in two senses: First, limbo refers to the temporary place and state of rest of the souls of the just who had died and … Continued
In the gospels, Jesus had predicted three times that He would be arrested by the chief priests and scribes, suffer, be condemned to death, and be crucified; however, He also predicted that He would be “raised up” on the third … Continued
Sacred Scripture clearly attests to a place of eternal damnation called hell or sometimes referred to as Gehenna. Examples include the following: Jesus said that the angry man who holds his brother in contempt “risks the fires of Gehenna” (Matthew … Continued
Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church asserted, “This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable faith of our ancestors in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the glory of heaven or who are … Continued
While cremation is definitely becoming more and more popular, it is actually something new to Catholic Christian tradition. The early Church retained the Jewish practice of bodily burial and rejected the common pagan Roman practice of cremation. The basis for … Continued
To appreciate this question and its answer, one must first remember that almighty God never handed anyone a complete Bible and said, “Here it is.” Rather, over the centuries of salvation history, the Holy Spirit inspired the authors of Sacred … Continued