No Apologies #69 - Miracles of Faverney and Augsburg

No Apologies #68 - Miracle of Lanciano

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No Apologies #67 - Eucharistic Miracles

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Is Jesus truly present in the Holy Eucharist?

Dangers of Pornography

Pornography: Epidemic Attacking Human Dignity

Daily there are challenges to this pure Christian love. For some months, representatives of our Catholic Diocese have been working with leaders of other faith traditions to address the serious dangers represented by the steady increase of pornography in our culture. Pornography is not new, but it has become a kind of plague in our society, reaching epidemic proportions. It is being propagated more widely than ever. Well beyond magazines, it is widespread on the internet, television, movies and videos, and now on cell phones and other handheld devices, many of which are marketed to children and youth. Pornography has become the secret entertainment of many people of all ages, walks of life, and economic backgrounds. Use of internet pornography is perhaps the fastest growing addiction in the world.

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On the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

Whether man is preserved by this sacrament from future sins?

Objection 1. It seems that man is not preserved by this sacrament from future sins. For there are many that receive this sacrament worthily, who afterwards fall into sin. Now this would not happen if this sacrament were to preserve them from future sins. Consequently, it is not an effect of this sacrament to preserve from future sins. Objection 2. Further, the Eucharist is the sacrament of charity, as stated above (a. 4). But charity does not seem to preserve from future sins, because it can be lost through sin after one has possessed it, as was stated in the IIa IIae, q. 24, a. 11. Therefore it seems that this sacrament does not preserve man from sin. Objection 3. Further, the origin of sin within us is “the law of sin, which is in our members,” as declared by the Apostle (Rom. 7:23). But the lessening of the fomes, which is the law of sin, is set down as an effect not of this sacrament, but rather of Baptism. Therefore preservation from sin is not an effect of this sacrament.

On the contrary, our Lord said ( Jn. 6:50): “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die”: which manifestly is not to be understood of the death of the body. Therefore it is to be understood that this sacrament preserves from spiritual death, which is through sin.

I answer that, Sin is the spiritual death of the soul. Hence man is preserved from future sin in the same way as the body is preserved from future death of the body: and this happens in two ways. First of all, in so far as man’s nature is strengthened inwardly against inner decay, and so by means of food and medicine he is preserved from death. Secondly, by being guarded against outward assaults; and thus he is protected by means of arms by which he defends his body. Now this sacrament preserves man from sin in both of these ways. For, first of all, by uniting man with Christ through grace, it strengthens his spiritual life, as spiritual food and spiritual medicine, according to Ps. 103:5: ”(That) bread strengthens [Vulg.: ‘may strengthen’] man’s heart.” Augustine likewise says (Tract. xxvi in Joan.): “Approach without fear; it is bread, not poison.” Secondly, inasmuch as it is a sign of Christ’s Passion, whereby the devils are conquered, it repels all the assaults of demons. Hence Chrysostom says (Hom. xlvi in Joan.): “Like lions breathing forth fire, thus do we depart from that table, being made terrible to the devil.”

Reply to Objection 1. The effect of this sacrament is received according to man’s condition: such is the case with every active cause in that its effect is received in matter according to the condition of the matter. But such is the condition of man on earth that his free-will can be bent to good or evil. Hence, although this sacrament of itself has the power of preserving from sin, yet it does not take away from man the possibility of sinning.

Reply to Objection 2. Even charity of itself keeps man from sin, according to Rom. 13:10: “The love of our neighbor worketh no evil”: but it is due to the mutability of freewill that a man sins after possessing charity, just as after receiving this sacrament.

Reply to Objection 3. Although this sacrament is not ordained directly to lessen the fomes, yet it does lessen it as a consequence, inasmuch as it increases charity, because, as Augustine says (q. 83), “the increase of charity is the lessening of concupiscence.” But it directly strengthens man’s heart in good; whereby he is also preserved from sin.

Taken from, The Summa Theologica, by St. Thomas Aquinas, IIIa q. 79 a. 6

What Are The Benefits Of Frequent Holy Communion?

"Truly it is necessary for me, who offend so often, who am so frail and full of infirmity, by frequent confession and prayer and Holy Communion to refresh and purify myself and to warm my affections; lest by neglect of the means i fall away from grace. For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; and unless succoured by divine medicine, man soon falls from bad to worse. Therefore Holy Communion restrains from evil, and confirms in good. For if now i find myself so negligent and lukewarm, what would become of me, if i were without the medicine, and neglected so great an aid? And although i be not always in a frame of mind which befits a communicant, yet i will srtive to be frequent in my participation of the holy mysteries, and so to become recipient of Thy grace. For this is one great consolation of the faithful soul, as long as it makes its pilgrimage apart from Thee in its mortal body, that it can receive with devout mind the memorials of Thy love."

Taken from the, Imitation of Christ, Book IV, Chapter III, ON THE BENEFIT OF FREQUENT COMMUNION