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What Is Confirmation in the Catholic Church?

Growth is vital to human life; the body and mind must grow to stay alive. Catholics believe that the soul also needs to grow to maturity in the life of grace, just as the human body must grow through childhood [more…]

Focusing on Some Catholic Symbols and Gestures

Kneeling and praying with beads, crosses depicting a crucified Jesus, and sprinkling holy water on this and that are telltale Catholic practices. The meaning behind them relates to the body and soul — [more…]

Examining Opus Dei: Secret Societies and The Da Vinci Code

The controversial Catholic sect called Opus Dei is the only secret society mentioned in The Da Vinci Code that may well have some of the smear coming. This is not to say that Silas, the mad and murderous [more…]

Sensing God in Catholicism

The five senses — sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste — are all used in Catholic worship. Catholics believe that the internal action of divine grace entering the human soul can't be seen, felt, smelled [more…]

Looking at the Priesthood as No-Woman's Land

With an apparent priest shortage and so many Protestant denominations embracing women ministers, some people wonder why the Catholic Church doesn't allow female priests. First of all, it's [more…]

The Canonization Process for Sainthood

The process for being canonized as a saint is quite a lengthy one. Almost a grass roots movement, the path to canonization involves local interest and support. The faithful decide to invoke the intercession [more…]

Little-Known Facts about Saints

Everyone has a story, and saints are no exception. There’s a reason people call on different saints to help them through various circumstances. Their lives — or deaths — mean something. Here are a few [more…]

Patron Saints for the Modern World

Television and airplanes didn’t exist when most saints were alive, but saints are invoked for them nonetheless. Why? Saints often experienced things while they were alive that relate to events or items [more…]

What Are the Requirements for Sainthood?

To become canonized as a saint, a perfect track record isn’t required (or possible). Hence, being sinless isn’t on the list. So, what is required for sainthood? [more…]

Saints For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Saints were basically normal people. They just lived extraordinary lives or endured extraordinary circumstances. The Catholic Church honors them because of the miraculous impact their lives had on others [more…]

Who Is St. Patrick and Why Do We Celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Every March 17th, thousands of people don their greenest garb, march in Irish pride parades, eat green clover-shaped cookies, and quaff frosty mugs of green beer in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. But [more…]

What Is Ash Wednesday?

The Christian season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days. Catholics and members of some Protestant denominations are asked to do modest mortifications and acts of penance during Lent [more…]

The Role of Deacons in the Catholic Church

In the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, you have the Pope at the top (well, after God), cardinals, bishops, priests, and then deacons. Catholics recognize two types of deacons: [more…]

Basic Beliefs of Catholicism

Catholics are, first and foremost, Christians who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Catholicism shares some beliefs with other Christian practices, but essential Catholic beliefs include the [more…]

Basic Requirements for Catholics

As a Catholic, basically you’re required to live a Christian life, pray daily, participate in the sacraments, obey the moral law, and accept the teachings of Christ and his Church. Following are the minimum [more…]

A Look at Catholic Holy Days

A really cool thing about Catholicism is that many days of the calendar year are a cause for celebration. Nearly every day marks the feast day of a saint — a day when that saint’s holy life and deeds are [more…]

The Seven Sacraments of Catholicism

A sacrament in the Catholic Church is a rite Catholics believe was established by Jesus Christ. The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are its most sacred and ancient rites of worship. Receiving a [more…]

The Catholic Sacrament of Confirmation

Just as bodies and minds grow, Catholics believe that the soul also needs to grow in the life of grace. The sacrament of Confirmation builds on the sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and Holy Communion, completing [more…]

The Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony

The Catholic Church distinguishes between a legal marriage and the Sacrament of Matrimony. The Sacrament of Matrimony involves two baptized people, one or both of whom are Catholic, becoming husband and [more…]

The Catholic Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

The Catholic Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick used to be called Extreme Unction (last anointing), not because it was the last sacrament a Catholic received before checking out of this life but because [more…]

The Role of Cardinals in the Catholic Church

Immediately below the Pope in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church are the cardinals. The primary responsibility of a cardinal is to elect a new pope when a pope dies or abdicates the papacy. However, [more…]

The Catholic Church and Abortion

The Catholic Church opposes and condemns any and all direct abortions. Even pregnancies that result from rape, incest, and present a danger to the life of the mother aren’t reasons for abortion. The Church [more…]

The Catholic Church and Euthanasia

Catholicism regards life as sacred, and taking any innocent life is immoral and sinful. The Catholic Church uses same principles to condemn euthanasia as it does to condemn abortion. [more…]

The Catholic Church and the Death Penalty

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way [more…]

The Catholic Church and Its Stance on War

Catholicism’s stance on war is built on the Just War Theory, which says that all things being equal, the state has a right to wage war — just like it has a right to use capital punishment. However, just [more…]

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