Introducing 'Catholic Kernel of Truth' from TruthPop! Dive into short, digestible, and catechetical knowledge that will help you learn and grow in your Catholic faith. Learn about the 'Holy Orders' in this CKoT.

Did you know that by your baptism you have been made a priest, prophet and king and that you are able to make offerings to God? However, Jesus also established a ministerial priesthood by the sacrifice that He made once and for all.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that in the Old Testament God’s chosen people were a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, but He also established a priesthood from one of the twelve tribes of Levi that was set apart for liturgical practices. The Church sees this as a prefiguring of the ordained ministry of the New Testament. Jesus came to redefine what priesthood and sacrifice is and accomplish what the old priesthood could not do. (CCC 1539-1541)

“Everything that the priesthood of the Old Covenant prefigured finds its fulfillment in Christ Jesus, the one mediator between God and men.”(CCC 1544). 

Christ is the only true priest but by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, the ministerial priest acts in persona Christi and is truly made like to the high priest and possess authority to act in the power and place of the person of Christ himself. (CCC 1548)

Christ’s presence in the minister is not to be understood if he were preserved from all human weakness, error, and sin. (CCC 1550). Priests are not perfect but they have a vitally important role in Christ’s Church. 

In the sacrifice of the Mass the ministerial priest make present Christ offering of himself once and for all as a spotless victim to the Father. (CCC 1566)

 Christ established the priesthood of the New Covenant by ordaining his twelve apostles, and thus ordained ministry is exercised in 3 degrees, bishops, presbyters, and deacons. (CCC 1593)

As successors of the apostles, the bishop receives the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and makes him the visible head of the particular church entrusted to him. Bishops share in the responsibility and mission of the Church under the authority of the Pope, the successor of St. Peter (CCC 1594)

Ministerial priests are united with the bishops as they depend on them to exercise their pastoral functions and are called bishop’s coworkers and form the presbyterium under their bishop and receive the charge of a parish community (CCC 1595). 

Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the church and do not receive ministerial priesthood. They assist in important functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and service of charity. (CCC 1596)

Ordination of the sacrament of Holy Orders is granted by the laying on of hands followed by a prayer of consecration asking for the graces of the Holy Spirit required for the ministry. This imprints an indelible sacramental character, meaning this can never be taken away. (CCC 1597)

Only baptized men can validly receive this sacrament. The Lord Jesus chose men to form the college of the twelve apostles and they likewise did the same as they choose their successors. The Church is therefore bound by the choice made by the Lord Himself. (CCC 1577)

One can only be called by God to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders as an unmerited gift. The Church has the responsibility and right to discern with the candidate and decide if he is called by God to this vocation. (CCC 1578) 

All ordained ministers of the Roman Catholic Church with the exception of permanent deacons are chosen from among men who live a celibate life and intend to remain celibate. They are called to consecrate themselves with an undivided heart to the Lord and give themselves entirely to God and His Church. (CCC 1579). 

Priests make it possible for you to receive and adore Jesus in the Eucharist. The devil hates Catholic priests because they bring Jesus into the world in a unique way that only they are able to do. Priests are not preserved from weakness and sin. They are imperfect just like us so we must pray and encourage our priests. Throughout the day you can make sacrifices for your priest and consider inviting him to lunch or dinner after Sunday Mass. Your support and prayers are needed for them to carry out this vital mission. 

Advent is a great time for us to grow in hope, peace, joy, and love. Jake, Cathy, and Trevor explore specific ways that we can live out these models of Christian virtue in our modern culture.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Introducing 'Catholic Kernel of Truth' from TruthPop! Dive into short, digestible, and catechetical knowledge that will help you learn and grow in your Catholic faith. Learn about the 'Confession' in this CKoT.

Jesus Christ is the divine physician of our bodies as well as our souls. In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is the other sacrament under the category of healing. 

James 5:16 states: “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.”

The CCC states that although Christians were washed, sanctified, and justified through Baptism, humans have an inclination to sin tradition calls concupiscence and therefore we are in need of continuing conversion and purification. 

Jesus instituted the sacrament when he showed himself to his apostles on Easter when  He breathed on them and said “receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any they are retained.

Since Christ entrusted his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, bishops who are their successors, and priests, bishops’ collaborators, continue to exercise this ministry. By virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests and bishops have the power to forgive all sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. CCC 1461

Prior to receiving this sacrament, the penitent must make examination of conscience in the light of the word of God. The passages best suited to this can be found in the Ten Commandments, moral catechesis of the Gospels, and apostolic Letters such as the Sermon on the Mount. CCC 1454

The structure of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are first a greeting and blessing from the priest, the confession of sins to the priest, the acceptance of a penance, the absolution given by the priest, and a prayer of thanksgiving and dismissal. CCC 1480

All mortal sins of which the penitent is conscious of must be recounted. Confession of every day faults, also called venial sins, are strongly recommended to be confessed. This helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ, and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving the sacrament more frequently we are spurred to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful. CCC 1458

Each one of the faithful is bound by an obligation to confess sins in the sacrament at least once a year. Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion without having first received sacramental absolution unless he has a grave reason and there is no possibility of going to confession. CCC 1457

"Priests who hear the confessions are bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed. This is called the sacramental seal because it must remain sealed by the sacrament." CCC 1467

“The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are reconciliation with God, reconciliation with the Church, remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins, remission at least in part of temporal punishments resulting from sin, peace and serenity of conscience, spiritual consolation, and an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle. “ CCC 1496

Confession not only reconciles us to God it reconciles us to the Church. If you or a loved one is away from the faith, the sacrament of reconciliation is an opportunity to come back into the family of God, the Church. You are never too far gone and Jesus’ mercy will always be greater and more powerful than your sins. Some people may say, why can’t I just confess my sins directly to God?” In the sacrament of reconciliation the priest is Persona Christi and you are confessing your sins directly to Jesus. Many people have found that saying their sins out loud and hearing the absolution from the priest helps relieve the burden of shame and guilt and find true freedom. Go to confession and go often because heaven would not be the same without you. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Often times at Mass, it's easy to get distracted and to forget that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Deacon Dave Scheuer of Green Bay, author of the book A Glimpse of Heaven on Earth, shares his miraculous encounters that most people will never see. He encourages you to step out in faith and take Jesus' invitation to draw closer to Him in the Eucharist.

You can watch the extended video conversation here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2cFcS-8azU&t=1070s

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Introducing 'Catholic Kernel of Truth' from TruthPop! Dive into short, digestible, and catechetical knowledge that will help you learn and grow in your Catholic faith. Learn about the 'Anointing of the Sick' in this CKoT.

God doesn’t always remove our illness and suffering but He does transform and redeem it. 

Hey it's Cathy, and here's another Catholic Kernel of Truth.

The Catholic Church offers hope and grace through the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. 

CCC states “by the sacred Anointing of the Sick the Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. Freely uniting them to the Passion and death of Christ.”

By Jesus‘s passion and death on the cross, He has given a new meaning to suffering: it can configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive passion.

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are ill by anointing them on the forehead and hands with blessed oil saying “through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up”

This is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. If a sick person who received the anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive the sacrament again: if during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. 

The effects of the sacrament are that one is given strength, peace, and courage to endure the sufferings of the illness, the forgiveness of sins if the person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance, the restoration of health if it is conductive to the salvation of his soul, and the preparation for passing over to eternal life. 

In addition to Anointing of the Sick the Church offers those who are about to leave this life the Eucharist which is called Viaticum. These sacraments prepare for our heavenly homeland that complete the earthly pilgrimage. 

It is beautiful that the Church allows the Anointing of the Sick even when you are not on your deathbed. I have had the opportunity to receive the Anointing of the Sick in my own life and it brought much peace and hope. If you or  someone you know is sick right now, consider encouraging them to receive this sacrament. Even if they have been away from the faith this could be their stepping stone back into the Church. This sacrament reveals that Jesus is the Divine Physician who not only wants to heal our bodies but also heal our souls so we may be with Him in heaven forever. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Jake and Cathy share fun facts about their personal lives so that you can get to know them more! Hear about their favorite movies, how they like to pray, and why their dog Chloe the TruthPup isn't a fan of bulldogs.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Please enjoy this special highlight with Michelle Duppong's parents, and grab tickets to see the film - Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story in theaters for one night only on Tuesday Nov. 12th.

Michelle's cause was opened on November 1st, 2022. She is now on the path towards sainthood.

At SEEK24, Jake and Cathy had the special opportunity to speak with Ken and Mary Ann Duppong, the parents of Servant of God Michelle Duppong. Hear about her saintly life as she battled with cancer and passed away on Dec. 25th, 2015. She offered up every part of her suffering to Jesus on the cross, and she gives us a reminder to have extraordinary faith in our ordinary lives. You can learn more about the cause for her canonization here!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Introducing 'Catholic Kernel of Truth' from TruthPop! Dive into short, digestible, and catechetical knowledge that will help you learn and grow in your Catholic faith. Learn about 'Confirmation' in this CKoT.

When you feel scared to share your faith with someone, you don’t need to do it alone. The gift of the Holy Spirit has been supercharged in your soul at your Confirmation. 

The CCC states Confirmation imprints a spiritual mark of the Holy Spirit in you. The effects of confirmation are that it roots you more deeply in the divine filiation with God the Father, it unites you more firmly to Christ, it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in you, it renders your bond with the Church more perfect, and it gives you the strength to defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly and never to be ashamed of the cross. The essential rights of confirmation are anointing the forehead with sacred chrism and laying on of the minister‘s hands with the words in Latin “be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit”

At Pentecost the apostles were in the upper room and the Holy Spirit descended upon them and they were strengthened to go out to make disciples of all nations. You too have that same zeal in you through your confirmation. Trust that the words  you speak about Christ are from the Holy Spirit and that He is always guiding you as you call upon Him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Jake and Cathy share fun facts about their personal lives so that you can get to know them more! Find out their favorite saints, how they knew what they were meant to do, and the most influential moment of their lives.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Introducing 'Catholic Kernel of Truth' from TruthPop! Dive into short, digestible, and catechetical knowledge that will help you learn and grow in your Catholic faith. Learn about the 'Eucharist' in this CKoT.

You might wonder how the Eucharist tastes like bread and wine but it is truly Jesus present. 

Jesus said “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and abides in me and I in him.” (Jn 6:51)

CCC 1324 states the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The Eucharist is oriented towards all other sacraments. This means that the Eucharist must be the center of our faith because it is Jesus Himself. 

The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word “Eucharistesas” which means 'given thanks'. 

Jesus instituted the Eucharist when He took bread and had given thanks He broke it and gave it them saying “this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”And likewise the cup after supper saying “this cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.”

We celebrate the Eucharist in the Mass in which ordained priests concentrate the bread and wine. The elements remain the same but they are substantially changed into Christ body and blood, soul and divinity. This is called transubstantiation. Jesus is fully present under the appearance of bread and wine. 

Receiving the Eucharist is called Holy Communion because you are in communion with Christ and with the Church. 

Because Jesus is truly present in this Sacrament, the Church honors Him with the practice of adoration where the Eucharist is exposed in a monstrance and you can go and pray before Him. 

If you struggle to believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, take these concerns to Him as you sit in front of Him in the Eucharist. Ask him to deepen your belief and trust in Him. He has come to give you life, and through the Eucharist you will find this abundant life. 

The disciples even said “this teaching is hard who could accept it?” (Jn 6:60). But let us be like St. Peter and say, “To whom should we go Lord, you have the words of eternal life.” (Jn 6:68)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"music by audionautix.com"

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu

Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE

Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8