Catholic Beliefs

IS CATHOLIC PENANCE NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? CAN ONLY PRIESTS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH FORGIVE SINS? The Sacrament of Conversion, Penance, Confession, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation (CCC 1423-24) The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. ( www.catholic.blog ) “Is Catholic Penance Necessary for Salvation?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider: “The sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation for this who have fallen after Baptism” (CCC 980) “the Church possesses the power to forgive the sins of the baptized and exercises it through bishops and priests normally in the sacrament of Penance” (CCC 986) “In the forgiveness of sins, both priests and sacraments are instruments through which our Lord Jesus Christ, the only author and liberal giver of salvation, wills to use in order to efface our sins and give us the grace of jus...

   HELPFUL AND IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES (Part 4) The Catholic Blog  - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible.  ( www.catholic.blog ) What are the “Five Solas” The “five solas” describe a summary of some of the major concerns and focuses of those who sought reform in the church in the 1500s.  “Sola” means alone.  They saw many things being added to the pure teachings of the Bible.  Their corrective focus was not to add to 1) Scripture 2) Christ 3) Faith 4) Grace & 5) God’s Glory when understanding God’s plans for salvation in the Gospel.  Here are some helpful verses to consider: GRACE ALONE Galatians 3:10–11 “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’ [11] Now it is evident that no one is justifi...

  DOES OUR EUCHARIST  HELP THE DEAD? DO WE CONNECT TO THE DEAD THROUGH THE EUCHARIST? The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. ( www.catholic.blog ) “Does our Eucharist Help the Dead?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider: “In the intercessions , the Church indicates that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth, the living and the dead. ” (CCC 1354) “To the offering of Christ are united not only the members still here on earth, but also those already in the glory of heaven .  In communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice.” (CCC 1370) “The Eucharistic sacrifice is also offered for the faithfully departed who ‘have died in Christ but are not yet wholly purified,’ so that they may b...

   HELPFUL AND IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES (Part 3) The Catholic Blog  - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible.  ( www.catholic.blog ) What are the “Five Solas” The “five solas” describe a summary of some of the major concerns and focuses of those who sought reform in the church in the 1500s.  “Sola” means alone.  They saw many things being added to the pure teachings of the Bible.  Their corrective focus was not to add to 1) Scripture 2) Christ 3) Faith 4) Grace & 5) God’s Glory when understanding God’s plans for salvation in the Gospel.  Here are verses explaining each of these areas: FAITH ALONE Galatians 1:9 “As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (ESV) Galatians 2:16 “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of t...

  IS CATHOLIC EUCHARIST  NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? DOES THE WINE AND BREAD LITERALLY TRANSFORM TO THE BLOOD AND FLESH OF JESUS? The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. ( www.catholic.blog ) “Is Catholic Eucharist Necessary for Salvation?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider: “Our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood.  This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again” (CCC 1323) “The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’” (CCC 1324) “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it.” (CCC 1324) “in the Blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself...

  HELPFUL AND IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES (Part 2) The Catholic Blog  - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible.  ( www.catholic.blog ) What are the “Five Solas” The “five solas” describe a summary of some of the major concerns and focuses of those who sought reform in the church in the 1500s during the “Protestant Reformation.”  “Sola” means alone and was used to define the essential elements of the Christian faith.  The “reformers” of the day saw many things being added to the pure teachings of the Bible.  Their corrective focus was found in their theological convictions about  1) Scripture 2) Faith  3) Grace  4) Christ  5) God’s Glory  when understanding God’s plans for salvation in the Gospel. CHRIST ALONE The Who (Cause) of Our Salvation God reveals Himself sufficiently to us through His Son Jesus. ...

  IS CATHOLIC CONFIRMATION NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?  DOES CATHOLIC CONFIRMATION CONFER THE HOLY SPIRIT? The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. ( www.catholic.blog ) “Is Catholic Confirmation Necessary for Salvation?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider: “the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace” (CCC 1285) “the apostles, in fulfillment of Christ’s will, imparted to the newly baptized by the laying on of hands the gift of the Spirit that completes the grace of Baptism” (CCC 1288) “The imposition of hands is rightly recognized by the Catholic tradition as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation, which in a certain way perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church.” (CCC 1288) “The term confirmation suggests that this sacrament both confirms baptism and strengthe...