● Originally compiled by Phat Mass Crew

Greeting:

Priest: In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:19)

People: Amen (1 Chr 16:36)

Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Cor 13:13)

People: And also with you.

Penitential Rite:

All: I confess to almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault. (Jas. 5:16) In my thoughts and in my words, (Rom. 12:16) In what I have done and what I have failed to do; (Jas 3:6) and I ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, all the angel and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. (1 Thess 5:25)

Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. (1 John 1:9)

People: Amen (1 Chr 16:36)

All: Lord have mercy. (Tb 8:4) Christ have mercy. (1 Tim 1:2) Lord have mercy.

Gloria:

All: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. (Luke 2:14)
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, (Rev 19:6)
we worship you, (Rev. 22:9) we give you thanks, (Eph. 5:20)
we praise you for your glory. (Rev 7:12)
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, (2 John 3)
Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us; (John 1:29)
You are seated at the right hand of the Father, receive our prayer. (Rom 8:34)
For you alone are the Holy One, (Luke 4:34)
You alone are Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ. (Luke 1:32)
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. (John 14:26)

[The Liturgy of the Word consists of four readings from Scripture: the first is typically from the Old Testament, the second a psalm, followed by a reading from one of the epistles. Finally, the Gospel is proclaimed during which the people stand out of respect for the Word. The chosen readings change daily.]

Click here to get today’s liturgical readings from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

[A Sermon on the readings follows.] (2 Tim 4:1-2)

Profession of Faith: [the Nicene (or Apostles) Creed]

All:

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, (Gen 14:19) of all that is seen and unseen. (Col 1:16)
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, (Luke 1:35) eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten not made, one in being with the Father. (Heb 1:3) Through him all things were made. (John 1:2-3) For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: (John 3:13) by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, (Matt 1:18) and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, (John 19:16) he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures. (1 Cor 15:3-4) He ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51) and is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Col 3:1) He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1) and his kingdom will have no end. (Luke 1:33)
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, (Acts 2:17) who proceeds from the Father and the Son. (John 14:16) With the Father and Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. (1 Peter 1:10-11)
We believe in one holy, Catholic and apostolic Church. (Rom 12:5) We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2:38) We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. (Rom 6:5) Amen

Liturgy of the Eucharist:

[The gifts are brought to the altar. These include the bread and wine and the offering collected from the people.] (Malachi 3:10)

Priest: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. (Eccl. 3:13) It will become for us the bread of life. (John 6:35)

People: Blessed be God forever. (Ps 68:36)

Priest: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink. (Luke 22:17-18)

People: Blessed be God forever. (Ps 68:36)

Priest: Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. (Heb. 12:28)

People: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our sake and the good of all his Church. (Ps 50:23)

Eucharistic Prayers:

Priest: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them up to the Lord. (Lam 3:41)

Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord Our God. (Col 3:17)

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise. (Col 1:3)

Preface acclamation:

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. (Is 6:3) Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. (Mark 11:9-10)

Eucharistic prayer:

[There are four of these, based on ancient prayers of the Church. Eucharistic Prayer Two follows as an example:]

Priest: Lord, you are holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness. (2 Macc. 14:36) Let your spirit come upon these gifts (water and wine) to make them holy, so that they may become the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before he was given up to death, (Phil 2:8) a death he freely accepted, (John 10:17-18) he took bread and gave you thanks. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you. When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this is memory of me. (Mark 14:22-25) Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.

All: Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life, Lord Jesus, come in glory. (Heb 2:14-15)

Priest: In memory of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Father, this life-giving bread, this saving cup. (John 6:51) We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor.10:17) Lord, remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in love together with our Pope and our bishop, and all the clergy. Remember our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again: bring them and all the departed into the light of your presence. (2 Macc 12:45-46) Have mercy on us all; make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with the apostles and with all the saints who have done your will throughout the ages. May we praise you in union with them, and give you glory though your Son, Jesus Christ. (2 Thes 1:4-5) Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.

All: Amen. (Rom 11:36)

Communion Rite:

The Lord’s Prayer:

All: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matt 6:9-13)

Priest: Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ. (John 17:15)

All: For the kingdom the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen

Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles; I leave you peace, my peace I give to you. (John 14:27) Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live forever and ever.

Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always! (John 20:19)

People: And also with you!

[The priest then directs the people to exchange a sign, such as a handshake or a kiss, or a word of God’s peace to one another.]

Breaking of the Bread:

All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace. (John 1:29)

Communion:

Priest: This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper. (Rev. 19:9)

People: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. (Matt 8:8)

[Communion is distributed to the faithful at the altar by the priest and lay ministers.]

Dismissal:

Priest: Blessed be the name of the Lord. Now and forever. (Dan 2:20) May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:51) Go in peace (Luke 7:50) to love and serve the Lord. (2 Chr 35:3)

[During the blessing the people make the Sign of the Cross, the traditional sign of the baptized and a public sign of their belief in the power of God.]

People: Thanks be to God. (2 Cor 9:15)

After speaking with my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are non-Catholics, I began to realize that what they equated to Baptism was in fact we called Confirmation. Let me walk through what we consider Confirmation for those who don’t know:

It has been variously designated: bebaiosis or confirmatio, a making fast or sure; teleiosis or consummatio, a perfecting or completing, as expressing its relation to baptism. With reference to its effect it is the “Sacrament of the Holy Ghost”, the “Sacrament of the Seal” (signaculum, sigillum, sphragis). From the external rite it is known as the “imposition of hands” (epithesis cheiron), or as “anointing with chrism” (unctio, chrismatio, chrisma, myron). The names at present in use are, for the Western Church, confirmatio, and for the Greek, to myron.

In more layman’s terms this is the affirmation of your acceptance of the Holy Spirit. It is the crowning of your Baptism. Where the roads split with Catholics and Non-Catholics is the Original Sin and Salvation aspects of this sacrament. Let us go into the specifics of this sacrament to first better understand the outward grace.

What is baptism? Baptism is derived from the Greek word, bapto, or baptizo, to wash or to immerse. Baptism in the Catholic Church is given as the washing away of original sin. Baptism isn’t to say that this person has accepted Christ into their lives. An infant cannot fully accept into their hearts this joy because obviously they know nothing about the purpose. That is where it falls onto the parents to be good stewards of their child’s faith. Why would we baptize a child? Why not just wait till they are older and more accepting?

In most non-Catholic denominations, baptism is almost referred to as a symbolic acceptance of your acceptance of Christ. Wow. If there was one teaching that fully was given from God it is that baptism isn’t simply the symbolic acceptance, it is that a spiritual effect. *Maybe that is where the split comes on infant baptism…hmmm…* Another area we differ is that you only need one baptism. The “Born Again” repetitive baptism is to deny your salvation. To say that you needed multiple baptisms would be to say that the saving grace the Lord offers you is able to leave. This is another topic for discussion. Let us first affirm that baptism isn’t symbolic with scripture as it pertains to the rest of this discussion:

Acts 2:38 – Peter (said) to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 22:16 – Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.’

Romans 6:1-4 – What then shall we say? Shall we persist in sin that grace may abound? Of course not! How can we who died to sin yet live in it? Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.

Col 2:11-12 – In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

We can very quickly gather that in fact baptism is the outward sign of God’s grace upon us. It is through baptism that we receive the grace of Christ in our lives. No where do we read that only someone accepting or in complete understanding can receive this grace. To argue that infants cannot understand is null and void. What can’t they understand that would require them to wait?

Now we have to discuss this on the basis that the Bible is sola scripture or full and true. You cannot let your emotions get in the way of your understanding of the teachings of Christ. The disciples were not commanded to baptize only those over 14 or only people 5’5″. The Apostles were only sent to baptize the nations. The nations include everyone. To negate the teachings would require you to assume that the Apostles were crazy heretics.

Let us also look into the history of the Church. I think some misunderstanding occurs when we look back to the origins of Christ’s Church. We have documentation stating that in fact infants were baptized as early as 113 A.D. and that the there was no arguments until the Protestant Reformation. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, for over 1500 years not a soul argued the fact that infants should be baptized. Also let us glance at what many non-Catholics reaffirm as division among the Catholic Church as all this deserves is a slight glance: During the early Church there an argument about which day was the infant to be baptized…ASAP…or the 8th day as Jewish law for circumcision had stated. In 1500+ years there goes your one inter-Church disagreement on the subject :)

Lastly I would like to support this stance with scripture of baptisms occurring as infants and other young children in the Bible:

Acts 2:38,39 – Peter (said) to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him

Acts 22:16 – Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

Matt. 19:14 – Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. Can infants be excluded from baptism if Jesus specifically said let the children come to me? Seems kinda ballsy!

Luke 18:15–16 – Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God

Luke 18:15 in Greek – Prosepheron de auto kai ta brepha Definition of Greek word brepa; infants

Acts 16:15 – She was baptized, with her household. Unless you assume that household means her and just the people over 15…

Acts 16:33 - “…the same hour of the night . . . he was baptized, with all his family…” Once again does family just mean him and his wife?

1 Cor. 1:16 – I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. I guess Paul was just off his rocker with these 3 different verses :) He must have meant to say Adults only! SHEESH!

Brothers and Sisters I wanted to talk today about Sola Scriptura. The term is Latin for Scripture Alone. Many of my Protestant Brothers and Sisters site this as all we need for guidance in our faith. I always hear “The Bible is the only thing I read and need.” As a Theologian in training I can’t help but smile. One blogger put it this way:

“Scripture is the only infallible rule for faith and practice”

Now when these words are spoke I know this is an opportunity to discuss the Catholic faith. Let me speak a little on why this topic came up. I found a Christian Rapper online and was listening to his music. I was enjoying some of the songs when a track about Sola Scriptura came on and I began to cringe. Usually I let these things just pass by because it isn’t the time or place. What got me this time was at the end of the song he “calls out” Roman Catholics. I was very very hurt that a CHRISTIAN Brother would call us out like that. I began to wonder about the double standard in place. All the same I wanted to write down the argurments I have used in the past. Without further wait:

Sola Scriptura changes like a high school girls wardrobe

• The Catholic Church established the New Testament canon and books. The Catholic Church is based on tradition. The Protestant denominations sight the New Testament as proof of SS. Therefore the Protestants of today have already based their church in tradition.
• Given time, every Church forms a tradition. Why do you have a have a Sater Meal?
• Hard to argue against the Catholic Church that formed the Bible who you claim as the sole source

Sola Scriptura is like car with square wheels, just doesn’t work

• There are over 20,000 Protestant denominations despite what Ephisians 4:5 says – one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
• If Sola Scriptura assumes that only the Bible is correct, why are there 20,000 denominations? Are there 20,000 different Bibles?
• Peter and Paul had this battle 2000 or so years ago. Look at what St. Peter says to the early Church in 2 Peter 3:15-16 -And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.

Sola Scriptura is not out of any history book I know

• All the Orthodox Churches of today (IE Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) who can both trace their origin to the original apostoles deny Sola Scriptura.
• Somehow the early church for 400 years worked without the New Testament cannon. What were they using?
• The Creed which so many Protestants use known as the Nicene or the Apostles Creed States - “We believe in one holy catholic apostolic Church” not “We Believe in the Bible Alone”

Sola Scriptura is not Biblical

• 2 Timothy 1:13,14 – Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the holy Spirit that dwells within us.
• 2 Timothy 2:2 – And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.
• 1 Corinthians 11:2 – I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:15 – Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.
• Many many more but I need to get to my next point, all we needed was those few for this point

Sola Scriptura is 2 + 2 = 5

• The scripture doesn’t teach to just use the scripture. SO….how does that all work?
• If the New Testament canon wasn’t created when the scripture was in place, how can the scripture tell us to use something that is unknown?
• You can’t tell me as a Catholic that my Church is infallible if your Scripture to what you base that in was decided by that same very Church.
• Sola Scriptura is unable to deal with a simple fact of history, the printing press wasn’t created until 1450. Most people couldn’t read well into the 1900′s.

No matter what you call him, the Pope is one of the most visible religious figures in the world. sometimes we forget the age of the Church and how far back this whole Pope deal goes. Chesterton has an amazing quote that I feel goes along with this all, “Jesus did not leave a religion, He left a Church.” Here is that Church through the ages starting with Peter as the head of such.

1. St. Peter 32 67
2. St. Linus 67 76
3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) 76 88
4. St. Clement I 88 97
5. St. Evaristus 97 105
6. St. Alexander I 105 115
7. St. Sixtus I — also called Xystus I 115 125
8. St. Telesphorus 125 136
9. St. Hyginus 136 140
10. St. Pius I 140 155
11. St. Anicetus 155 166
12. St. Soter 166 175
13. St. Eleutherius 175 189
14. St. Victor I 189 199
15. St. Zephyrinus 199 217
16. St. Callistus I 217 222
17. St. Urban I 222 230
18. St. Pontain 230 235
19. St. Anterus 235 236
20. St. Fabian 236 250
21. St. Cornelius 251 253
22. St. Lucius I 253 254
23. St. Stephen I 254 257
24. St. Sixtus II 257 258
25. St. Dionysius 260 268
26. St. Felix I 269 274
27. St. Eutychian 275 283
28. St. Caius — also called Gaius 283 296
29. St. Marcellinus 296 304
30. St. Marcellus I 308 309
31. St. Eusebius 309 310
32. St. Miltiades 311 314
33. St. Sylvester I 314 335
34. St. Marcus 336 336
35. St. Julius I 337 352
36. Liberius 352 366
37. St. Damasus I 366 383
38. St. Siricius 384 399
39. St. Anastasius I 399 401
40. St. Innocent I 401 417
41. St. Zosimus 417 418
42. St. Boniface I 418 422
43. St. Celestine I 422 432
44. St. Sixtus III 432 440
45. St. Leo I (the Great) 440 461
46. St. Hilarius 461 468
47. St. Simplicius 468 483
48. St. Felix III (II) 483 492
49. St. Gelasius I 492 496
50. Anastasius II 496 498
51. St. Symmachus 498 514
52. St. Hormisdas 514 523
53. St. John I 523 526
54. St. Felix IV (III) 526 530
55. Boniface II 530 532
56. John II 533 535
57. St. Agapetus I– also called Agapitus I 535 536
58. St. Silverius 536 537
59. Vigilius 537 555
60. Pelagius I 556 561
61. John III 561 574
62. Benedict I 575 579
63. Pelagius II 579 590
64. St. Gregory I (the Great) 590 604
65. Sabinian 604 606
66. Boniface III 607 607
67. St. Boniface IV 608 615
68. St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) 615 618
69. Boniface V 619 625
70. Honorius I 625 638
71. Severinus 640 640
72. John IV 640 642
73. Theodore I 642 649
74. St. Martin I 649 655
75. St. Eugene I 655 657
76. St. Vitalian 657 672
77. Adeodatus (II) 672 676
78. Donus 676 678
79. St. Agatho 678 681
80. St. Leo II 682 683
81. St. Benedict II 684 685
82. John V 685 686
83. Conon 686 687
84. St. Sergius I 687 701
85. John VI 701 705
86. John VII 705 707
87. Sisinnius 708 708
88. Constantine 708 715
89. St. Gregory II 715 31
90. St. Gregory III 731 741
91. St. Zachary 741 752
92. Stephen II — Because he died before being consecrated, some lists
(including the Vatican’s official list) omit him. 752 752
93. Stephen III 752 757
94. St. Paul I 757 767
95. Stephen IV 767 772
96. Adrian I 772 795
97. St. Leo III 795 816
98. Stephen V 816 817
99. St. Paschal I 817 824
100. Eugene II 824 827
101. Valentine 827 827
102. Gregory IV 827 844
103. Sergius II 844 847
104. St. Leo IV 847 855
105. Benedict III 855 858
106. St. Nicholas I (the Great) 858 867
107. Adrian II 867 872
108. John VIII 872 882
109. Marinus I 882 884
110. St. Adrian III 884 885
111. Stephen VI 885 891
112. Formosus 891 896
113. Boniface VI 896 896
114. Stephen VII 896 897
115. Romanus 897 897
116. Theodore II 897 897
117. John IX 898 900
118. Benedict IV 900 903
119. Leo V 903 903
120. Sergius III 904 911
121. Anastasius III 911 913
122. Lando 913 914
123. John X 914 928
124. Leo VI 928 928
125. Stephen VIII 929 931
126. John XI 931 935
127. Leo VII 936 939
128. Stephen IX 939 942
129. Marinus II 942 46
130. Agapetus II 946 955
131. John XII 955 963
132. Leo VIII 963 964
133. Benedict V 964 964
134. John XIII 965 972
135. Benedict VI 973 974
136. Benedict VII 974 983
137. John XIV 983 984
138. John XV 985 996
139. Gregory V 996 999
140. Sylvester II 999 1003
141. John XVII 1003 1003
142. John XVIII 1003 1009
143. Sergius IV 1009 1012
144. Benedict VIII 1012 1024
145. John XIX 1024 1032
146. Benedict IX 1032 1045
147. Sylvester III (1045) — Considered by some to be an antipope 1045 1045
148. Benedict IX 1045 1045
149. Gregory VI 1045 1046
150. Clement II 1046 1047
151. Benedict IX 1047 1048
152. Damasus II 1048 1048
153. St. Leo IX 1049 1054
154. Victor II 1055 1057
155. Stephen X 1057 1058
156. Nicholas II 1058 1061
157. Alexander II 1061 1073
158. St. Gregory VII 1073 1085
159. Blessed Victor III 1086 1087
160. Blessed Urban II 1088 1099
161. Paschal II 1099 1118
162. Gelasius II 1118 1119
163. Callistus II 1119 1124
164. Honorius II 1124 1130
165. Innocent II 1130 1143
166. Celestine II 1143 1144
167. Lucius II 1144 1145
168. Blessed Eugene III 1145 1153
169. Anastasius IV 1153 1154
170. Adrian IV 1154 1159
171. Alexander III 1159 1181
172. Lucius III 1181 1185
173. Urban III 1185 1187
174. Gregory VIII 1187 1187
175. Clement III 1187 1191
176. Celestine III 1191 1198
177. Innocent III 1198 1216
178. Honorius III 1216 1227
179. Gregory IX 1227 1241
180. Celestine IV 1241 1241
181. Innocent IV 1243 1254
182. Alexander IV 1254 1261
183. Urban IV 1261 1264
184. Clement IV 1265 1268
185. Blessed Gregory X 1271 1276
186. Blessed Innocent V 1276 1276
187. Adrian V 1276 1276
188. John XXI 1276 1277
189. Nicholas III 1277 1280
190. Martin IV 1281 1285
191. Honorius IV 1285 1287
192. Nicholas IV 1288 1292
193. St. Celestine V 1294 1294
194. Boniface VIII 1294 1303
195. Blessed Benedict XI 1303 1304
196. Clement V 1305 1314
197. John XXII 1316 1334
198. Benedict XII 1334 1342
199. Clement VI 1342 1352
200. Innocent VI 1352 1362
201. Blessed Urban V 1362 1370
202. Gregory XI 1370 1378
203. Urban VI 1378 1389
204. Boniface IX 1389 1404
205. Innocent VII 1406 1406
206. Gregory XII 1406 1415
207. Martin V 1417 1431
208. Eugene IV 1431 1447
209. Nicholas V 1447 1455
210. Callistus III 1445 1458
211. Pius II 1458 1464
212. Paul II 1464 1471
213. Sixtus IV 1471 1484
214. Innocent VIII 1484 1492
215. Alexander VI 1492 1503
216. Pius III 1503 1503
217. Julius II 1503 1513
218. Leo X 1513 1521
219. Adrian VI 1522 1523
220. Clement VII 1523 1534
221. Paul III 1534 1549
222. Julius III 1550 1555
223. Marcellus II 1555 1555
224. Paul IV 1555 1559
225. Pius IV 1559 1565
226. St. Pius V 1566 1572
227. Gregory XIII 1572 1585
228. Sixtus V 1585 1590
229. Urban VII 1590 1590
230. Gregory XIV 1590 1591
231. Innocent IX 1591 1591
232. Clement VIII 1592 1605
233. Leo XI 1605 1605
234. Paul V 1605 1621
235. Gregory XV 1621 1623
236. Urban VIII 1623 1644
237. Innocent X 1644 1655
238. Alexander VII 1655 1667
239. Clement IX 1667 1669
240. Clement X 1670 1676
241. Blessed Innocent XI 1676 1689
242. Alexander VIII 1689 1691
243. Innocent XII 1691 1700
244. Clement XI 1700 1721
245. Innocent XIII 1721 1724
246. Benedict XIII 1724 1730
247. Clement XII 1730 1740
248. Benedict XIV 1740 1758
249. Clement XIII 1758 1769
250. Clement XIV 1769 1774
251. Pius VI 1775 1799
252. Pius VII 1800 1823
253. Leo XII 1823 1829
254. Pius VIII 1829 1830
255. Gregory XVI 1831 1846
256. Ven. Pius IX 1846 1878
257. Leo XIII – 1878 1903
258. St. Pius X – 1903 1914
259. Benedict XV – 1914 1922
260. Pius XI – 1922 1939
261. Pius XII – 1939 1958
262. John XXIII – 1958 1963
263. Paul VI – 1963 1978
264. John Paul I – 1978 1978
265. John Paul II- 1978 2005
266. Benedict XVI – 2005 Today

As a Catholic it is unbearably hard to think about the Eucharist. I don’t mean that in the sense of it’s a burden to my soul, but rather that is a burden to try and convey its beauty. If there was ever a topic that very much pulled people away from the Catholic Church it would be that we truly believe that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. Pause for a moment…That’s right. We believe that we are consuming God’s flesh. What I find so ironic about this is that this very teaching is what becomes a focal point for people to leave the Church. Some Catholics just can’t believe in this doctrine. How odd is that this is the very thing Jesus dealt with two thousand years ago? Imagine if you will that you are sitting on the fields as Jesus performs the Loaves and Fishes miracle in front of your eyes. He has taken the measly gift from the boy and feed thousands. The people surprised and amazed ask what they needed to do to follow Christ. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” At hearing this most LEFT! This man has been wandering around Galilee performing all these miracles but they couldn’t accept this fact. I feel that when we choose not to accept this teaching we are being the Jews that left Him on the hillside.

At this point I want to go into Q/A format for things people have asked in the past:

Q: Why do you celebrate communion at every service. Doesn’t that make it more scripted and repetitive?
A: The Last Supper was celebrated between Jesus and His disciples right? So if anyone was to know how this all was suppose to work it would be the 12. In the Bible (Acts2:46) we see that every time they met they performed communion just as Jesus had instructed them too. Also you will note from your further reading that even though the 12 traveled the entire known world, no matter what day they could meet there was communion. As Catholics we simply are following the perfect example Jesus and the disciples gave to us. The Church also teaches that if you are in Mass and you feel that the act of communion is repetitive that week or that it is scripted, STOP! You shouldn’t receive communion if you are not in full awe of the beauty in front of you. I can remember growing up and being an Altar Server. I memorized the entire prayer for communion and would utter the words with the Priest as he spoke. I think that I kind of lost the awe and amazement of the Eucharist. It wasn’t till I was older and was on my knees one Sunday preparing for communion did I slow down and think about the words I was speaking with the Priest. They were beautiful and very deep. As I stood up to hold my Brothers and Sisters hands for the Our Father I realized the fellowship of this “Meal.” Then as I gave peace and received peace from them that I was purifying myself for the meal. I was in tears. My good friend Kris also gave a talk on the topic and lead me to a deeper appreciation for the Eucharist. Even now at Mass I find myself tearing as I approach the altar. I can tell you that it is NOT scripted for me. Nor do I find the act repetitive but rather a blessing. I yearn for the Eucharist. It is the REAL tangible spiritual food that sustains me.

Q: Why can only Catholics receive the Eucharist at mass?
A: Let me take you through the process real quick. Nick walks up the aisle and the Priest says to me “The Body of Christ Nick.” In response I say Amen. The same occurs for the Blood of Christ. You are probably wondering why I tell you that in response to the question. What does amen mean? Amen is a Greek word, which literally means “truly” or “it is as you say.” So why WOULD someone not believing this doctrine take communion? My response of Amen to the Priest is saying that yes Father, this is in fact as you say, the Body of Christ. It is so weird as the Catechism refers to the Eucharist as the uniting sacrament. Yet because of history it now only unites so few of us. If only we could follow the words Jesus said on the cross: “May they be one, as we are one.” (John 17:22)

Q: Jesus often spoke in metaphors and symbolism, how do you know “I AM the Bread of Life” isn’t the same?
A: Lets look at two examples that get brought up all the time!

Now did Jesus go into the specifics of this door/vine analogy? With the Bread of Life He further explained in John 6:55 – For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Apparently this is something we need to understand in great detail. Let’s also look at what happens after Jesus tells us He is the Bread of Life and that we need to eat His flesh. People walk away. Not just the people watching Him perform miracles. No, actually discpiles too. Okay so if the people following you around start dropping out like flies you would think Jesus would have corrected the statement. “Whoops guys! Just a joke, I meant that differently than you think.” Nope. Jesus actually goes on to FURTHER explain the statement. I can just see Jesus yelling with a loud voice as they walk away the further teaching. Since Jesus was ministering, when there were misunderstandings He often would go on to clear up the misconceptions. Just look at Matthew 16:5-12. Jesus actually stops and goes back to help them understand what He really meant. This isn’t the case with the Eucharist and communion teachings.

Since Nick is such a Bible driven dude, lets back this up with some awesome words of God!

Matthew 26:26-32 – While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed’; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.”

Mark 14:22-28 – While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.’ But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.”

Luke 22:14-20 – When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it (again) until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.

1 Corinthians 10:16 – The cup of blessing we bless, is it not a communion with the blood of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not a communion with the body of Christ? The bread is one, and so we, though many, form one body, sharing the one bread.

1 Corinthians 11:23-30 – For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.

Luke 28:30-31, 35 – On the Road to Emmaus: “When they were at table, Jesus took the bread, said a blessing, broke it and gave each a piece. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; but he vanished out of their sight… Then the two told what had happened on the road and how Jesus made himself known when he broke the bread”

Acts of the Apostles 2:46 – Each day they met together in the Temple area; they broke the bread in their homes; their shared their food with great joy and simplicity of heart.

Acts of the Apostles 20:7 – On the first day of the week, on Sunday, we were together for the breaking of the bread, and Paul, who intended to leave the following day, spoke at length.

Many Protestants (Non-Catholics from this point forward) believe that Genesis is the literal description of 7 days cut into 24 hour chunks of time when the universe was created. This troubles me because we know that God knows no time. To put God into the constraints of our reality is very odd. We know we exist in His world, not Him in our false sense of understanding.

Also many Non-Catholics discount the big bang or the evolution of animals. I think this comes from an utter-distaste for science. Instead of believing that science and religion are separate let us instead let them compliment each other. God created the universe, this we know, but how? Here comes the big bang theory! May this not be the actions with which God used to create the limitless of our reality? Then we come into the belief that Man all of a sudden POOF! came to be here as he is now. I listen to radio preachers that suggest that the World is only 6,000 years old. Even discounting the errors in carbon dating, we still are very much beyond the point of thousands of years in age.

My question is always what is wrong with the belief? To me sitting and watching humans walk by in of itself is a miracle. Think for just a moment. The probability that a single sperm finds an egg is very, very low. The probability that we have 2 eye balls and 10 fingers is also pretty far fetched. The fact that there are dogs and cats is amazing. I think that theistic evolution is simply an awe of God. The fact that my Lord took a single cell and shaped it into the person I am today is infinitely joyous. To believe that God is incapable of that is just as hard for me to swallow. In all of this the Church doesn’t have an exact stance. The Church doesn’t discount either view since we are just simply humans. The only thing the Church lays down specifically is that if the Big Bang was God’s way of creating the universe; then we must give credit to the Lord. The only being capable of creating something from nothing is God.

For scripture support of this view look here:

Genesis 2:4 – This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.

The key here is the word “day.” When the translation was performed day was chosen to describe the Hebrew word of “yom.” The Hebrew word yom often is a description of time not tied to 24 hours. In English day means 24. In Hebrew it is simply a description of an indefinite amount of time and not to literal days. In this case, God’s time. If God exists out of time, what does yom mean to Him? :)

Genesis 1:11 – “…let the earth bring forth…”

POOF! Things didn’t just start. It was brought forth from the earth (this is said 3 times in the first chapter of Genesis)

2 Peter 3:8 – ” But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day…”

I think this pretty much reinforces my view of Genesis being a parable. We can’t fit God into the constraints of our time.

Psalm 90:4 – “A thousand years are to You like a yesterday which has passed…”

What I find to be the most saddening belief differing from Catholic Doctrine in Christianity is purgatory. I won’t attempt to describe this issue any better than the Catechism:

…purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031).

My Non-Catholic Brothers and Sisters often tell me that unless a person fully accepts into their heart Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savoir they are going to hell. Ouch. Let me offer to you this scenario and you tell me what you think:

A little boy is born to the world in a small tribe deep within the rain forest. His people are a good people that farm the limited land and hunt animals. His parents are considered very wise in the village and are well respected by all. The little boy learns a great deal from his parents about the way for which he should live his life. Not only their teachings guide him though, when he does wrong, he feels that it is such. The little boy grows up working his family’s farm and becoming a man. When he hits the age at which his people marry, he finds a wife to share the rest of his life with. Much in his fathers footsteps the little boy becomes very wise and is known around the various tribes as a very good man. With his wife and children he carves out a section of the forest to which he farms and produces excess from. He very often gives the excess to the less fortunate in the village and when he does sell the excess it is a very fair price. Much in the way all people do, the little boy became an old man and died. The villages came from all around to weep this very good man’s death. It is a shame he is going to Hell huh?

Can we not all agree that this man lived a stand up life? Had he been a Christian he would have been a good one at that. So why then will this man be going to Hell. What if I was in America, accepted Jesus into my heart, but cheated on my spouse. Would I still go to Heaven over this man just because in my native tongue I heard the word “Jesus” uttered? Now follow me because I know you are thinking right now:

God is good. Not only is God good. God is perfect. Everything and anything God does is perfect. We can also deduct then that the image we were created in was that of God. We could all agree then that at our very core that God gave us we are good. The soul for which our body constrains is naturally drawn to good. C.S. Lewis says it in this way, “When we run for awhile and then stop, we thirst for water. How did we know to do such things?” How do we know in our hearts what is right and wrong. From where did we deduct such things? We know these things and yearn for them because God created us. At our very core we desire to be in perfect communion with our creator.

So now that we can all agree on the above lets take it one step further. God didn’t just create those people reading this website. God created all the people of this earth. So that same drive for perfection and good is engrained into souls of all humans. Well is purgatory just for those souls?

No! We will all most likely be purified by the fire. If God is perfect and heaven is the place at which we join Him, then heaven must be perfect. How can Nick as a lowly sinner enter those gates? To say that I die and go straight to heaven is pretty ballsy! That would be to insinuate that I have lived a perfect life and confessed all my sins. My Non-Catholic friends tell me that as long as I confess my sins that I will go to heaven. To that I say this, how do you know your sins? Have you ever thought about the repercussions of your actions and the effects on other people? Maybe an action you committed that you didn’t even think about was a sin. Maybe something you did had repercussions far outreaching from your own person. How can I confess to a sin I am not knowing of? That means then when I die that I must be purified (root word of purgatory is the Latin word purga; which means to cleanse or purify) before entering the heavenly perfection.

Often times movies and popular culture portray purgatory as a floating area where souls fly around :) The way I look at it is that we don’t know what it looks like or what it feels like. There is no way we could. Purgatory is the cleansing before entering the gates of heaven and we haven’t the foggiest clue what any of that looks like. Personally I think there isn’t anything to look at. We are attempting to mix our human side into the spiritual. The human is simply the vessel that carries our soul. I don’t think as humans we can fully grasp what this spirit filled dimension looks like or if it even has a sight-based view to it. Catholics’ call this a mystery. Purgatory is a mystery that our human minds cannot fully grasp. Out of Faith we accept this and move along, we are just humans!

In all good things let me give you some scripture to look at:

Hebrew 9:27 – “…it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment…”

Matthew 5:26 – Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you had paid the last penny.

Jesus, speaking of the unforgiving debtor, told us this man would be tortured until his debt was paid. Jesus said the Father would do the same to us.

Matthew 18:34,35 – Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.

Where can I pay this last debt if I know not the sin I committed against my brother?

Corinthians 3:10-15 – According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.

If there was ever a single scripture to speak of purgatory this is it. Taking into account that at the time of this scripture gold was the most sought after substance read on. St. Paul tells us that even if we build our lives of GOLD we will all have to go through a fire to test the quality of our work. The last part “the person will be saved, but only as through fire.” rings home that we all must go through a purification of fire. A Priest I knew once explained this in a metallurgist perspective, “Silver and Gold only become more pure by burning them. In much the same way if we live Christ-like lives, in purgatory our souls can only become more pure when tested against the fire.” Awesome.

Isaiah 6:5-7 – Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

Even Isaiah was cleansed of his sin from the burning of coal.