Nicene Truth

Pope Leo XIII's 'CUSTODI DI QUELLA FEDE' On Freemasonry

Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII promulgated on December 8, 1892.

To the Italian People.

Guardians of that faith to which the Christian nations owe their morality and civil redemption, We must dutifully discharge each one of Our supreme tasks. Therefore We must raise Our voice in loud protestations against the impious war which tries to take such a precious treasure away from you, beloved children. Already taught by long and sorrowful experience, you know well the terrible trials of this war, you who deplore it in your hearts as Catholics and as Italians. Can one be Italian in name and sentiment and not resent these continual offenses against divine beliefs? These beliefs are the most beautiful of our glories, for they gave to Italy its primacy over the other nations and to Rome the spiritual scepter of the world. They likewise made the wonderful edifice of Christian civilization rise over the ruins of paganism and barbarism.

The Importance of the Nature/Grace Distinction, Pt. 3

Considering the Eastern Orthodox View

By: Jay Dyer

Distinction isn't tension and often times this distinction I've been writing about is characterized as an opposition.  Human nature, even fallen, isn't in opposition to grace, but it the effects of the Fall do bring about a tendency towards sin and opposition to God.  In the Catholic view, synergism, which is the human will following and conforming to the divine will is always is always upheld, even if one takes the Thomistic and Augustinian view that there is operative or efficacious grace.  The human will never can and never does lose its own natural energy.  But the natural energy of the human will isn't sufficient to cause divine grace or life, and this is where we differ with both the Calvinist and the Orthodox concerns the need and power of divine grace.  I know the Orthodox would not say that the human will causes divine grace, but in the final analysis, salvation, whether the beginning of faith or the persevering therein is ultimately in the hands of man.  This is the point where we differ.

The Importance of the Nature/Grace Distinction, Pt. 2

By: Jay Dyer

In part one, I was discussing the implications of classical, Reformation Protestantism's skewing of the nature/grace distinction into erroneous views that ultimately end up with a heretical Christology.  I intended on making that post much longer and filled out, but had to leave in the middle.  Let's move to the pre-lapsarian man to further show the implications of these different views.

Oddly enough, both Pelagianism and Calvinism have the same views of pre-lapsarian man.  Man in the garden, for both Pelagius and Calvin, is not in a situation to need grace.  For Catholic readers, I'm not avoiding using the term "sanctifying grace" because I deny it, but because most Calvinists don't know about the Catholic view to begin with, except that whatever the Catholic view is, they hate it.  Anyway, its undeniable that both Calvin and Pelagius viewed man in the garden in the same way-in no need of what Catholics call the donum superadditum, the super-added gift of grace, which is the divine life itself--the Holy Spirit.  Man in the garden was created naturally good and thus needed no grace.  Now where Calvin and Pelagius differ is the fall, and most of us know the rest of this story. 

The Importance of the Nature/Grace Distinction, Pt. 1

By Jay Dyer

We all intrepret phenomena in our experience according to certain criteria that make up our worldview.  This fact is inescabpable, but this is important because I have noticed a common-thread problem in various groups that I have been affiliated with and debated and dialogued with.  The problem I am speaking of is philosophical in nature, and deals with one's perception of others as well as their own psychological/existential situation in the given belief system in which they are involved.  This problem often revolves around errors regarding the all-important nature-grace distinction that is so foundational for Catholicism.  It seems, in my experience, that various anti-Catholic groups all share this same fundamental philosophical flaw (and I myself shared this same flaw for many years). 

Bishop Sheen Audio Library

Click here to listen to mp3 format lecutres.

Aquinas' Prologue to Dionysius' On the Divine Names

By: Jay Dyer

The question of St. Thomas Aquinas' use of Platonic ideas has arisen often in Thomistic circles. Often, incorrectly, its assumed that St. Thomas was a slavish follower of Aristotle, neglecting truths in the more prevalent neo-platonic tradition of the early middles ages that preceded the Aristotelianism of his day. This is important for East-West issues, including the via negativa, since many might find St. Thomas' discussion of Dionysius quite surprising. In fact, as McInery notes, its Dionysius who is quoted the most in the Summa!

Benedict Contemplating Latin in Novus Ordo Consecration

[Lord, please let it be! -Jay]

Rome, Jul. 4, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) is considering changes in the Mass, according to an Italian publication.

The weekly Panorama reports that the Holy Father has asked the Congregation for Divine Worship to study the possibility of changes that would include using Latin in the Eucharistic Prayer and moving the Sign of Peace to the Offertory.

Note: CWN has not been able to confirm the accuracy of the Panorama report. The New Liturgical Movement web site, which brought the Italian report to the attention of English-speaking readers, cautioned that the Panorama report should be treated "with great caution." The Panorama story itself suggests only that the Pope has asked for a study of the proposals-- not that he is prepared to implement the changes.

According to the Italian weekly, the Pope is weighing the use of Latin for the formula of Consecration at Mass. He may also be leaning toward the use of Latin in other sacraments.

Pope Benedict has often expressed a desire to enrich the post-conciliar liturgy by incorporating some aspects of older liturgical practices. The proposed changes could be seen as part of that process.

St. Augustine the Roman Catholic

1. On the authority of councils and apostolic traditions:

"But in regard to those observances which we carefully attend and which the whole world keeps, and which derive not from Scripture but from Tradition, we are given to understand that they are recommended and ordained to be kept, either by the apostles themselves or by plenary [ecumenical] councils, the authority of which is quite vital in the Church" (Letter to Januarius [A.D. 400]).

2. On the canon of Scripture and prayers for the dead:

"The whole canon of the scriptures, however, in which we say that consideration is to be applied, is contained in these books: the five of Moses . . . and one book of Joshua [Son of] Nave, one of Judges; one little book which is called Ruth . . . then the four of Kingdoms, and the two of Paralipomenon . . . . [T]here are also others too, of a different order . . . such as Job and Tobit and Esther and Judith and the two books of Maccabees, and the two of Esdras . . . . Then there are the prophets, in which there is one book of the Psalms of David, and three of Solomon. . . . But as to those two books, one of which is entitled Wisdom and the other of which is entitled Ecclesiasticus and which are called ‘of Solomon’ because of a certain similarity to his books, it is held most certainly that they were written by Jesus Sirach. They must, however, be accounted among the prophetic books, because of the authority which is deservedly accredited to them" (Christian Instruction 2:8:13 [A.D. 397]).

Dr. Scott Hahn on the Mass, the Church, and the Kingdom

An introductory level interview.  Particularly good is the discussion about Occam, nominalism, and the reformation at about 32 minutes in.

Dave Hodges Defends Veneration of the Theotokos

By: Dave Hodges

I originally hesitated to write this post because the subject of the post is so sensitive and the one to whom I am responding in this post is a man I love and cherish very much, my father-in-law, Rev. Steve Schlissel from New York. If he does decide to read this, he should know that this post is written by somebody who not only loves him dearly, but admires him and looks up to him for many of his character traits. So whilst nothing is intended to be given or taken personally, it is inevitable that some may see it this way. Nevertheless, I write this with a spirit of charity and not hostility. I do disagree with him vehemently, but that should say nothing of my opinion of him personally.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventri tui, Jesus

In a recent post on his blog, Rev. Schlissel writes at length about the Roman Catholic “idolatry” of Mary. He asserts that if Mary were to be included in the Godhead – a “Quadrinity” he calls it – that nothing in all of Roman Catholic faith or practise would change. Either he is grossly ignorant of the actual practise of the Church, or this is simply inflated rhetoric. I cannot imagine him to be so ignorant of Catholic worship on this matter, so I will assume that it is just rhetoric. And as a rhetorical device, it conveys that he thinks that we honour Mary too much, and that is understandable from his perspective, but for those who actually are ignorant of Catholic practise, there are some things they ought to know.