Holy Saturday-Why Jesus Descended To Hell

Holy Saturday —we anticipate the resurrection and Easter’s triumph over the darkness and evil, sin and death. It is, therefore, a day of quiet and prayerful reflection on the true gravity of the crucifixion and Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice. So why do we read in the Apostles Creed that Jesus descended into hell?

Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth. In Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

What The Bible Says

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-17, we read.

“But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if, in fact, the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.”

And In Marks Gospel Chapter 16 verse 6

“He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him.

Why Jesus Went To Hell

It is important to understand that he did not go to hell to deliver the damned or destroy hell but free the just who had gone before him. He did not go to suffer. He went to bring the good news of salvation. Hell (Hades in Greek or Sheol in Hebrew) is the place of the deceased, not solely the place of the condemned, but the place also where the prophets and saints of the Old Testament awaited their just reward. Under the hypostatic union, he descended as the God-Man, so his descent is vicarious and victorious. In experiencing death as the God-Man, he defeats it. Thus it is not a part of his humiliation, which culminated in the crucifixion. It is the beginning of his exaltation, which culminated in his ascension.

As the Catechism puts it, “The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment. This is the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ’s redemptive work to all men of all times and all places” (no. 634).

Why Rock Star Elton John Blasted The Catholic Church

On Monday, March 15th, 2021, legendary Rock Star Elton John called out the Vatican for hypocrisy and may have exposed more corruption at the Vatican. Elton’s tweet accused the Vatican of being hypocritical after it issued a decree that homosexual unions could not be blessed as they are sinful and sin can never be blessed.

The decree distinguished between the Church’s welcoming and blessing of gay people, which it upheld, but not their unions since any such sacramental recognition could be confused with marriage. It said

God “does not and cannot bless sin: He blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him,”

The decree was issued in response to questions that arose after it was revealed that Pope Francis endorsed giving gay couples legal protections in same-sex unions. Some seemed to think the Pope was giving a back-handed approval of Gay Marriage. His comment, however, is about the civil sphere, not within the Church. Civil protections are not Church blessings.

The decree said: Blessing a same-sex union could give the impression of a sort of sacramental equivalence to marriage.

Potential Corruption Exposed

Many Catholics may not have been aware that the Vatican is suspected of investing money into the file about Elton John’s rise to stardom and his homosexual lifestyle. The movie included graphic homosexual depictions and was banned from being shown in some parts of the world.

According to Catholic News Agency, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra reported that the Centurion Global Fund had raised around 70 million euro in cash, and that the Holy See’s Secretariat of State was the source of at least two-thirds of the fund’s assets. The Vatican’s investment was reported to include funds from the Peter’s Pence collection, intended to support charitable works and the ministry of the Vatican Curia.

British Journalist renounces Gay lifestyle and consecrates his life to Saint Joseph

Were Prayers For Milo Yiannopoulos Answered?

A few years ago, we posted an interview with flamboyant journalist Milo Yiannopoulos and Joe Rogan. The post received many views and lots of different comments. Many people were offering their prayers for Milo. On Friday, March 12, 2021, Life Site News posted an exclusive interview with Milo where he revealed that he has left the gay lifestyle and is consecrating his life to Saint Joseph.

“St. Joseph is the spiritual father figure of the Holy Family. In this time of gender madness, devoting myself to the male protector of the Infant Jesus is an act of faith in God’s Holy Patriarch, and a rejection of the Terror of transsexuals.”

Background

Milo is British, of Jewish descent, baptized Catholic, and flamboyantly gay bucked the “born this way” narrative, and always joyfully proclaimed his Catholic faith. After a speech at a Southern California University, he was asked how he could reconcile his gay lifestyle and be Roman Catholic.

“the question itself exposes a level of lack of understanding about Catholicism and about what it means to be gay. He quotes Evelyn Waugh who once said, “If you think I’m bad with God, imagine me without him”. He talked about how the Catholic Church has historically protected gays’ safety against being murdered by the State. People are Anglicans or Baptists or Methodists or whatever because they believe they’re good people, but Catholics are Catholics because they know they’re not. We have this thing called original sin. We go to Church because we know we’re not good.

Watch the Joe Rogan interview.

Milo said he committed his life to helping others overcome their same-sex attraction and said he is disappointed that leaders in the Church continue to ignore problems with Priests and lack of leadership during these stressful times, which have left people searching more than ever for meaning. Watch the whole interview here.

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We continue to pray for Milo and all others suffering from sin. Scripture tells us that Jesus “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4) and that he is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12)

Why You Should Judge (Carefully)

Many believe that the Bible tells us not to judge each other and are confused when confronted with others’ immoral behavior. When they try and confront people engaged in or supporting immoral behavior, they are quickly told they are judgemental and that the Bible says “not to judge others.” For support, proponents point to Matthew 7:1, “stop judging, that you may not be judged. Reading one line from scripture is a problem with judgment and other theological issues. The Bible is not meant to be read line by line without understanding context and referring to other passages. In 2 Pet 3:15-16, we are warned that Sacred Scripture can be very difficult to interpret and understand.

It is not possible, however, to follow Jesus without being “judgmental” of another’s behavior. In the New Testament, Jesus told the Jews, “Do not judge by appearances but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). Jesus was not telling his disciples that they could not ever judge the behavior of others. Rather, he was cautioning them to live righteous lives themselves so that their judgment of others’ behavior would not be rash judgment, and their efforts would be effective in admonishing their neighbors. In just the next passage of Matthew, we read, “For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” Jesus also warns us against being hypocrites, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

Jesus’ teaching was not new. In the Old Testament, we learn that we can and should judge righteously. For example, Leviticus 19:15: “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. Proverbs 31:9: Open your mouth, judge justly, defend the needy and the poor.” The Christian is called to speak with charity and avoid calumny (Catechism of The Catholic Church). As the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a devout Catholic put it;

“some very good people have some very bad ideas.”

The “don’t judge me” argument is often invoked when it comes to abortion, a very bad idea. Many of my Catholic and non-Catholic Christian friends will say, “I am against abortion, but women should be allowed to have one, and it is up to God to judge them, not me.” Perhaps nothing illustrates the danger of taking a line from the Bible out of context and ignoring other passages better. No one would say, I am opposed to burglary but remain quiet while their neighbor’s house is being robbed. They would rightfully call the police. We know stealing from others is wrong, and the right-thinking person is not afraid to admonish the burglar.

For Catholics, the abortion issue is not a hard call. You can not support abortion and be Catholic, no matter what mental gymnastics you want to try and go through. If the “don’t judge” crowd means that we can not judge someone’s eternal salvation, then they are quite right. Only God knows the heart of another human being, and he knows it better than the person themself. However, if by “don’t judge,” they think they are to sit by silently while innocent children are robbed of the gift of life, then they are not following the words of Christ.

Abortion continues to be the biggest moral issue in our nation and the world. Do not be afraid to speak against it. It is your obligation.

“One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.” – Acts 18:9-10

“Abortion Is Never The Answer” – Pope Francis

Why Netflix Just Showed Everyone What Is Coming Next

When Marxist theory was proven wrong after WWI, and the working class did not revolt and launch a communist revolution, Marxist theorists decided that for a communist revolution to succeed, the structure of Western democracy and capitalism must be destroyed. Communist party activists set their sights on creating a culture war that would rip apart society from within.

In 1918, Georg Lukács became minister of culture in Bolshevik Hungary. During this time, Lukács realized that if the family unit and sexual morals were eroded, society could be broken down. Lukács implemented a policy he titled “cultural terrorism,” which focused on these two objectives. A major part of the policy was to target children’s minds through lectures that encouraged them to deride and reject Christian ethics.

In 1934 the Frankfurt school, as it became known, came to Columbia University in America and began publishing material that criticized the foundations of Western culture, including family, democracy, freedom of speech, and many others. The writings focused on challenging Americans’ views on gender and sexual ethics and called them prejudiced. Cultural Marxism was born.

In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association voted to remove homosexuality from its Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM). The World Health Organization (WHO) did not remove homosexuality from its ICD classification until 1992. Today, the standard of psychotherapy in the U.S. and Europe is gay affirmative psychotherapy, which encourages gay people to accept their sexual orientation.

In 1978 the North American Man/Boy Love Association was formed. According to their website:

NAMBLA’s goal is to end the extreme oppression of men and boys in mutually consensual relationships by:

building understanding and support for such relationships;
educating the general public on the benevolent nature of man/boy love;
cooperating with lesbian, gay, feminist, and other liberation movements;
supporting the liberation of persons of all ages from sexual prejudice and oppression.

Today many colleges and Universities teach that gender is a social construct and not inherently biological or God-given. Children experiencing gender dysphoria are being given hormones and other chemical therapies to help them transition by pausing puberty.

University of Texas at Austin professor Thomas Hubbard writes that that “contemporary American legislation premised on children’s incapacity to ‘consent’ to sexual relations stems from outmoded gender constructions and ideological preoccupations of the late Victorian and Progressive Era.” Hubbard argues that it should be legal for grown men to have sex with children. He is not alone, a 2014 editorial in the New York Times suggested that pedophilia is not a crime but rather a disorder.

The sexualization of children has been a steady and incremental over these past decades since the advent of Cultural Marxism. Recently Netflix premiered a new series called “Cuties” which blatantly sexualizes young girls.

While many have predicted the decline, they are primarily told that they are neurotic and overly puritanical. When same-sex marriage became legal, advocates claimed it is all about love and that no one was trying to take anyone’s rights away. That turned out to not be true

It has become painfully obvious where we are headed as a society, and this NetFlix premiere showed us the next level of conquest the cultural Marists have in mind. Christians have always understood that sex is a sacred gift and about much more than love. Christian doctrine, based on the creator’s natural law teaches that every genital act must be within the framework of marriage. Those who violate His laws not only offend the divine Majesty but degrade themselves and humanity.

Fifty years ago Pope Paul VI wrote an encyclical entitled Humanae Vitae. The Pope’s writing warned against the consequences of artificial contraception. Predicting that it would lead to the objectification of women unfaithfulness in marriage and overall disrespect for human life.

As recently as 1930, every mainline Protestant church vigorously condemned those sexual behaviors that they considered to be damaging to society and a danger to the souls of individuals. These acts included divorce, artificial contraception, abortion, euthanasia, fornication, adultery, the use of pornography, and homosexual behavior. The Roman Catholic Church is the only remaining major religious entity that holds fast to its prohibitions on these behaviors.

WALSH: Child-Sexualizing ‘Cuties’ Movie On Netflix Is Even Worse Than We Thought | WALSH: Child-Sexualizing ‘Cuties’ Movie On Netflix Is Even Worse Than We First Thought | By Ben ShapiroFacebook

WALSH: Child-Sexualizing ‘Cuties’ Movie On Netflix Is Even Worse Than We First Thought

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Communism Theory Vs. Real Life

Communism theory has captivated many young people but the real life of those who live it tells a different story than the theory. After her conversion to Catholicism, journalist Dorothy Day (1897-1980) became involved in social justice campaigns and founded the Catholic Worker movement.

Just before launching the movement, Day wrote an article that painted a sympathetic and yet critical view of communists she had met personally.

Her personal encounters with communists helped her to see that good can be found in people both inside and outside the Church. Though the intentions of some espousing communist doctrine may be well-intended, Day was left to conclude as the Catholic Church has taught that Christianity and communism were not only incompatible but mutual threats.

In the face of such a threat, the Catholic Church could not and does not remain silent. This Apostolic See, above all, has not refrained from raising its voice, for it knows that its proper and social mission is to defend truth, justice and all those eternal values which Communism ignores or attacks. Ever since the days when groups of “intellectuals” were formed in an arrogant attempt to free civilization from the bonds of morality and religion, Our Predecessors overtly and explicitly drew the attention of the world to the consequences of the dechristianization of human society. With reference to Communism, Our Venerable Predecessor, Pius IX, of holy memory, as early as 1846 pronounced a solemn condemnation, which he confirmed in the words of the Syllabus directed against “that infamous doctrine of so-called Communism which is absolutely contrary to the natural law itself, and if once adopted would utterly destroy the rights, property and possessions of all men, and even society itself.” — Divini Redemptoris

Despite such an unequivocal admonishment, and the millions of lives lost in the pursuit of utopia, many Christian and non-Christian intellectuals alike continue to believe that Communism is the answer to what plagues human society. Here is a recent dialogue I came upon between a Christian friend of mine who grew up in communist Romania and an American intellectual. It is worth reading

D. I tell her all the time about life in former communist Romania, the country I was born and raised in. How much do you know about socialism, communism, fascism, and nazism? Are you European? More importantly, are you Eastern European? For us, the memories of communism are still fresh on our minds. Have you experienced and lived through any of the 1989 and early 1990 revolutions? I was born in Timisoara, Romania. I have experienced both communism and the free world, I also used to live for 5 years in Germany before moving to the U.S. so I can easily navigate this topic.

R. I have a MA in political theory. Communism is a name the Soviet Union used. It never reflected any real tenets of Marxism. It was, and Russia is today an authoritarian government, something Marx was against. Anyone, any entity, any government can call itself whatever it wants…it doesn’t mean it is that thing it calls itself. Do you think “Communist” China is anything other than a dictatorship…do you think it actually represents communist ideology in any way?

D. I asked you if you are Eastern European, lived in communism, or partook in any of the late 80’s or early 90′ revolution! You need to meet me at the same level of life experiences and not what you study in your books! You need to meet me at the same level of suffering that should be your heart for the people that died for freedom. Nonetheless, congratulations on your degree but that means nothing to a person like me that comes from a communist background and stands against it. Because in Romania the head of any institution that spoke in the radio, television, books published by scientists and teachers started with the preface: “As comrade Nicolae Ceausescu has taught us” Another secular slogan was “Let us think, let us work, let us live as the Party teaches us, as its General Secretary, comrade Nicolae Ceausescu teaches us!”

You are coming back at me with your degree when my Romanian people and Christian leaders fought for my rights in the court and in the streets? When Christian leaders were summoned at the Town Hall to an inquisition by the Secretary of the County Council, the Chief Police, the Inspector of Religious Denominations, the Inspector of Teaching and Education, Deputy Mayor and the Secretary of the Town Council!?

It was reminded to these people by the clergy that on the basis of Article 30 of the Romanian Constitution, guarantees religious liberty and liberty of conscience, and on the basis of Helsinki Final Act, which guarantees the right of parents to give children an education which conforms their own convictions.

You are coming back at me with your degree when MY ROMANIAN PEOPLE suffered surveillance, threats, torture, and death because they refuse to say what the Communist Party wanted them to say!? My people were humiliated in courts, threatened to remove their license, and thrown out of the city!!!

The indoctrination started gradually and it started within the education system. We didn’t just woke-up one day and our freedoms were taken away.

So with all my respect, I say to you: Your degree means nothing to me and is not a good place to start a conversation in our differences in views when we are a world apart. You never lived in my world, I do in yours!

Were you by my side when I had to wake up early in the morning for food rations!?
Were you by my side when we rush to the train station to escape the big city during the revolution?
Did you hide with me when my mom sheltered me from the bullets that penetrate our building?
Were you lacking access to basics necessities?

Do you understand what communism is from life experience and not educational experience?

Yes, on the surface, the communist party allowed us freedom of religion because the United States was pressuring them, but behind closed doors, only God and those who lived through it know how life went.

I am not Chinese, I am Romanian & American, but I do have Chinese friends, and let me tell you this: they wouldn’t be living here in the U.S. if the Chinese Communist Party wasn’t actually representing the communist ideology. And what a nightmare for my friends and me, thinking we escape communism only to be faced with it once again here in America.

Many of my interview questions throughout the years while applying for green cards, and finally citizenship were about communism and my position regarding this ideology. How many years have passed since the Cold War!? Yet it appears that even nowadays, this ideology is still a concern when applying for green card/ citizenship when you come from a communist country.

You have a 99% chance to be asked when interviewed about what Abraham Lincoln is known for, but there are no further questions regarding your attitude towards slavery if you are against it or not…

Communism is not a thing of the past is alive and well, and God willing, America will always fight against it. I know I will!

My loyalty is to Jesus; the only name I represent is Christian! I don’t fall prey to any “isms”…including Capitalism…everything in this world has its flaws. Eternal living is what matters to me and is my hope and prayer that you will give thought to Him who shed His blood for you.

Why You Should Not Take Gods Mercy For Granted

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Minor or venial sins can be confessed directly to God, but for grave or mortal sins, which crush the spiritual life out of the soul, God has instituted a different means for obtaining forgiveness—the sacrament known popularly as confession, penance, or reconciliation.

As soon as Jesus rose from the dead and earned salvation for us, he brought his apostles a new gift. After speaking peace to them, he said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (John 20:21). Just as Jesus was sent by the Father to reconcile the world to God, Jesus sent the apostles to continue his mission.

Jesus then breathed on the apostles. This is a verse that is often passed over, but it has extraordinary significance because it is only the second time in all of Scripture where God breathes on anyone. The other instance was at the moment of creation when God breathed his own life into the nostrils of Adam. This should tell us that something of great importance is taking place. Upon doing this, Jesus 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” (John 20:22–23).

But we must be careful not to take God’s mercy for granted. Confession needs to include sincere repentance, changing the course of our life. Msgr. Jim Lisante, Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Massapequa Park, NY. explains this often missed component

If you are able to make a donation to support Msgr. Jim and his parish, please click this PayPal link:

Why Some People Are So Fearful

Fear is the emotion we need to experience when we are confronted with a future evil that can be avoided only with some difficulty. Fear and the consuming nature of anxiety, have the ability to steal everything from us in a way that no other mental tribulation is quite capable. Through a process called potentiation, your fear response is amplified if you are already in a state of fear. When you are primed for fear, you can imagine things as much worse than they really are. Fear can be as much an ally, as it can be an enemy.

Photo by Fernando on Unsplash

For people who are trying to live a life pleasing to God, the good spirit strengthens, encourages, consoles, removes obstacles, and gives peace. The evil spirit tries to derail them by stirring up anxiety, false sadness, needless confusion, frustration, fear, and other obstacles.

For many, fear causes retreat. It is what prevents many people from reaching their goals and living a happy life. It can literally freeze them. Without God, we turn inward to ourselves.

One of the great gifts of being a believing Catholic is a sense of trust in God’s providence. It is truly a case of lex orandi, lex credendi – what we pray is what we believe. Near the end of the Lord’s Prayer at every Mass, we pause as the priest prays the Embolism prayer.

Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant us peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus spent a lot of time telling us not to be so worried or anxious. Worrying is natural, and some amount is good, it helps us think about responses to potential dangers, but excessive worry may show a lack of trust and faith in God. Many things are simply out of our control.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:25-27

As did St. Peter: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

And St. Paul: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:7:

The works of God are all of them good;he supplies for every need in its own time. There is no cause then to say: “This is not as good as that”; for each shows its worth at the proper time. So now with full heart and voice proclaim .” Sirach 39: 33-35

Why You Should Admire Vanessa Bryant

By now it is well known that famed basketball player Kobe Bryant was killed in a tragic helicopter crash. When a high profile and wildly successful person like Kobe dies there is a tremendous outcry. Many view people like Kobe as being invincible. When they are killed it suddenly becomes a reminder— that nobody is invincible. Life is fragile and death can come so unexpectedly. This tragic event is a good reminder to the rest of us to be prepared.

It has also been widely reported that Kobe was a practicing Catholic and he attended Mass earlier that morning with his daughter who also died in the crash. Few if any, however, comment about Kobe’s other half, his wife Vanessa, and her remarkable courage and strength.

Kobe Bryant was raised in a Catholic household. In 2001, much to the disappointment of his parents (they felt he was too young), Kobe married Vanessa Laine at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Kobe and his family attended Mass regularly and Kobe was also known to attend weekday Mass. He was drafted into the NBA at the tender age of 17 and in a 2015 interview with GQ magazine, discussing how fame and success affected him Kobe said:

“Well, most successful people are a little arrogant…. I was very stubborn. I was like a wild horse that had the potential to become Secretariat, but who was just too fucking wild”

His arrogance may have been why In 2003, Kobe was accused of raping a woman. Although he admitted to having sex with the woman he felt it was consensual. She refused to go on with the criminal case and instead filed a civil suit that was settled. Kobe eventually stated he didn’t realize his accuser saw their encounter as assault. In the midst of it all, he issued a public apology and took responsibility for what he had done.

First, I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure. I also want to apologize to her parents and family members, and to my family and friends and supporters, and to the citizens of Eagle, Colorado. I also want to make it clear that I do not question the motives of this young woman. No money has been paid to this woman. She has agreed that this statement will not be used against me in the civil case. Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter. I issue this statement today fully aware that while one part of this case ends today, another remains. I understand that the civil case against me will go forward. That part of this case will be decided by and between the parties directly involved in the incident and will no longer be a financial or emotional drain on the citizens of the state of Colorado.

While his critics still debate the motivation behind his apology, it is almost unheard of that an accused rapist would admit the possibility they may have been wrong. Shortly after the case was dismissed, Kobe was found buying a Rosary for his wife Vanessa in a Culver City Pauline bookstore. As Catholics, we know -we do not merely believe, we know, that the rosary is the most powerful recitation we can make when we desire a miracle or some other grace from God. By reflecting on Our Most Holy Mother’s experiences and the life of Jesus, we become more like the woman who bore all things for the sake of obedience to God’s will.

With that said, I don’t think nearly enough attention has been given to Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, and the strength she displayed. She had tremendous courage to stay with him during such a difficult time. Many people were surprised and shocked that she didn’t leave him. Most women, religious or otherwise, would have walked away. In what can only be described as an act of extraordinary forgiveness, Vanessa chose to honor the vow “for better or worse, in sickness and health.” It takes greater strength of character to rebuild a marriage after an affair than to just give up and quit.

While many protestant denominations allow divorce by misinterpreting this passage from St Matthew’s Gospel, — “whoever divorces his wife, except in the case of adultery, and marries another, commits adultery”— to justify divorce and remarriage. The Catholic Church has never allowed divorce and remarriage for any reason.

The Church, of course, does recognize that adultery gravely damages the emotional, spiritual, mental, and even physical well being of the innocent party. In such circumstances, cohabitation can be nearly impossible for the devastated party. However, the marriage bond still remains despite the physical separation. Civil divorce is a civil remedy to safeguard civil rights and safety, it does not (and cannot) dissolve the marriage bond.

It undoubtedly was not easy but after some rough years, Kobe and Vanessa reconciled and they remain married to this day. In early January 2020, Kobe revealed the key to his marriage’s success during an appearance on Showtime Basketball’s All the Smoke. He noted on the YouTube series that “commitment” and the “competitiveness of ‘We’re going to succeed’” kept the couple going throughout the years. Kobe argued that the highs and lows are an essential element to a lasting marriage. “That’s all the beauty of it: having the persistence and determination to work through things — very, very tough things — and we’ve been able to do that,” he admitted.

Together they founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF). The foundation helped fund youth homeless shelters and other projects aimed at serving the poor.

We hope you will join us in keeping Vanessa Bryant in your prayers and for the repose of the souls of Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and the seven other people who died in the helicopter crash near Calabasas, California.

Megachurch Preacher Shocks Protestants

Francis Chan is an author and speaker on Christian topics. He is the founder and teaching pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, CA. He also founded Eternity Bible College and performs significant philanthropic work donating much of his income to charities.

He shocked the protestant community when he made this admission concerning the Real Presence of Jesus in Holy Communion and rejecting the exclusively symbolic interpretation of the Eucharist. During a sermon to his congregation on the feast of the Epiphany Chan said:

I didn’t know that for the first 1,500 years everyone saw Communion as the literal body and blood of Christ.

In Acts 2:42 we see how the early church devoted themselves to the Lord’s Supper and to prayer, teaching, and fellowship. Chan correctly notes that for over 1,500 years the Christian Church believed they were participating in the last supper and that Jesus’ literal body and blood became present. This was the partaking of the bread. This is why, as Chan notes, that St. Paul warns the Corinthians that many of them are sick or have died because they partook of Communion in an unworthy manner.

Chan also lamented the substitution of a sermon for the sacrament by Protestant reformers:

“For the first time, someone put a pulpit in the front … before that, it was always the body and blood of Christ that was central.”

The Sunday gatherings were always a Mass, and missing it was, and still is, a mortal sin in the Christian church. Here is why missing Mass is a mortal sin.

Our Lord meant literally to change the bread and wine into His body and blood instead of leaving us a mere symbol or memorial of His passion. We know this from the words of His promise to do this in St. John’s gospel, Chapter 6. The important words of this chapter are John 6:52, “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:54, “. . . unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man, ye shall not have life in you.” John 6:56, “For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed.” Learn more…

“To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant.” John Henry Cardinal Newman