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CT•Ranger
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 14 2002
Status: offline
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 Posted - October 31 2004 : 10:30:10 AM
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Happy Reformation Day!
On October 31, 1517, the eve of the All Saints' Day mass (or All Hallow's Eve), Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door was a public bulletin board where important public notices were posted. It was an invitation to academic discussion, as the Theses were written in Latin and could not be read by the uneducated.
Luther never intended to reform the Church. However, events soon overtook him. Within two weeks, the Theses were translated into German, reproduced using the new printing press, and circulated throughout Germany. It wasn't long before they were spread throughout all of Europe. The publication of the Ninety-five Theses brought Luther to public attention and into direct conflict with the Roman Catholic hierarchy and the Holy Roman Emperor. A little over three years later, he was excommunicated by the Pope and declared a heretic and outlaw. This was the beginning of the Reformation!
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YMHS,
Connecticut•Ranger
Thomas Thacher
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richfed
Sachem
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
May 13 2002
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Posted - November 02 2004 : 07:05:01 AM
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In the absence of Lainey: 
About this work and its Author
Father Arnold Damen was born in the province of North Brabant, Holland, on March 20, 1815. He was admitted to the Society of Jesus, November 21, 1837, and was one of the band of young novices brought over to this country by Father De Smet, renowned Jesuit missionary to the American Indians.
In his illustrious career, which spanned some fifty years of apostolic work before his death on January 1, 1890, Father Damen and his companions conducted missions in nearly every principal city of the United States. He is said to have been more widely known in this country, and at one time to have exercised personally a greater influence than any bishop or priest in the Catholic Church. Little wonder, for by his majestic presence and force of eloquence, Father Damen as a missionary rose to a success that surpassed anything ever before-----or since-----known in America.
The fiery apostolic zeal of this beloved and pious priest can only scarcely be measured by the twelve thousand conversions to Catholicism for which he was responsible, often receiving as many as sixty or seventy souls into the Church in one day. For it must be noted, too, that in the midst of all this remarkable labor, he also managed to found and to organize the great Jesuit institutions of Chicago that stand today as monuments to his holy memory.
What explains the inspiring achievements of Father Damen? As one writer expressed it, "He cared nothing for applause or criticism. He was working to save souls." In other words, his noble accomplishments were the fruits of immense charity. That is, charity in the truest sense: He loved God and his fellow man so much that he would spare no energy or effort that was necessary to wrest a soul from the spiritual error and darkness which would bring about its eternal loss. And to this saintly Jesuit, such was the certain fate always and everywhere present outside the one true Church.
Father Damen preached in an age quite recent to our own, when Catholics not only still universally believed but lived by the infallibly declared, immutably constant dogma of the Faith: Outside the Church there is no salvation. This was, in fact, his whole creed and teaching, by which he effectively converted so many.
We are pleased to reprint Father Damen's compelling sermon, "The One True Church," unedited, exactly as it was first published shortly after his death in 1890. In so doing, we have two purposes: One is to recall to our fellow Catholics of whatever rank or dignity within the Church that the unequivocal belief in the doctrine on salvation is not only essential to the recovery of the Faith from the grave errors which now corrupt it, but it is the inseparable mark of the true Church Militant. The second and all important purpose, of course, is to encourage Catholics to place this imperative message in the hands of non-Catholics. By so doing, all of you who help in such apostolic labors will be continuing the blessed work of the venerable priest, Arnold Damen.
The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary May 20, 1976
Feast of St. Bernardine of Siena
The One True Church
"He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned."-----Mark xvi. 16
I.
MY DEARLY BELOVED CHRISTIANS: ----- From these words of our Divine Savior, it has already been proved to you, that faith is necessary for salvation, and without faith there is no salvation; without faith there is eternal damnation. Read your own Protestant Bible, 16th verse of St. Mark, and you will find it stronger there than in the Catholic Bible.
Now, then, what kind of faith must a man have to be saved? Will any faith do? Why, if any faith will do, the devil himself will be saved, for the Bible says the devils be |
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CT•Ranger
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 14 2002
Status: offline
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 Posted - November 02 2004 : 9:11:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by richfed
VI.
I will prove what I have said. If the Catholic Church has been once the true Church of God, as is admitted by all, then she is the true Church yet, and shall be the true Church of God until the end of time, for Christ has promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church. He says that He has built it upon a rock, and that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it.
Now, my dear people, if the Catholic Church has fallen into error, then the gates of Hell have prevailed against her; and if the gates of Hell have prevailed against her, then Christ has not kept His promise, then He has deceived us, and if He has deceived us, then He is an impostor! If He be an impostor, then He is not God, and if He be not God, then all Christianity is a cheat and an imposition.
I believe this is the central issue on which the above argument stands or falls. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood and misused passages of Scripture.
"....for Christ has promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church."
What does it mean, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church?" Gates are a defensive structure, not offensive. Here, the gates of hell are defending against the attack of the church. This means hell cannot stand against the Church, if the Church is attacking. This passage does not mean the Church is defending against the attack of hell.
"....if the Catholic church has fallen into error, then the gates of Hell have prevailed against her...."
Nope, that's not what that means. If the Catholic church has fallen into error, then the gates of the Catholic church have not prevailed against hell. Christ never promised that the gates of the Church would prevail against hell (or Satan). Christ promised that He has prevailed and defeated hell (Satan). In the meantime, the Church which is made up of fallible humans, can and often does error.
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YMHS,
Connecticut•Ranger
Thomas Thacher
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Fitz Williams
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
May 19 2002
Status: offline
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Posted - November 03 2004 : 12:17:51 AM
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In response to Father De Smet:
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Not by Pope and not by papery, not by indulgences, and not by Jesuits.
Salvation is the gift of the Lord to man, freely given, and needs no intercession.
Dr. Luther addressed this far better than I.
"Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."
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richfed
Sachem
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
May 13 2002
Status: offline
Administrator |
Posted - November 03 2004 : 07:17:53 AM
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Well, I didn't mean to engage in all-out debate here, as I am clearly not the ideal person to defend Catholicism ... the post was made simply as a counterpoint to celebrating "Reformation Day."
However, for 1500 years the Church stood as Christ intended ... then came Luther ...
Now, how many Protestant denominations are there since? Obviously, they don't just PROTEST the Catholic Church ... they PROTEST against one another. Why, I wonder?
Sounds like an argument against organized religion as a whole ... who needs a Preacher or Priest? Just read the Bible?
Me, I'll stick by the Rock.
Moving thread to another forum ... |
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Happy Reformation Day
