READINGS IN CATHOLIC DOCTRINE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 25, 22 October 1897, Page 29

READINGS IN CATHOLIC DOCTRINE.

WHO FOUNDED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH .'

When Jesus Christ walked upon earth among men the question was asked, " Who is He ?" Some answered. '• He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils He casteth out devils" (Mark, iii 22). Others took Him to be a holy and inspired, man : some saying, "He is John tho Baptist, others Elias, and others Jeremia*, or one of the prophets " (Matt. xvi. 14). On the other hand, His true disciple 4, wuh the Apostle Petar, confessed His divinity, declaring Him to be '-Christ, the Son lof the living God " (Matt. xvi. 16). In the Bame way Vie question is asked in our day, " What is the Catholic Church 7" Some men answer, She is the work of Satan the seat of error, and tas synagogue of anti-Christ. This is what some persons actually believe. On no other ground could they have justified breaking off from the Catholic Church and setting up another form of relL r io.i in opposition to her. Hence they took every means in their power to destroy the Church. The great body of the older Protest mt commentators on the Holy Scriptures interpret them, whe n they speak of " the man of sin," to mean the Catholic Church. In their synod? and in their sermons they kept up the same language and prophesied the speedy downfall of the Catholic Church. Is it Bot strange that the Catholic Church, which has faithfully preserved the Holy Bible, and from whose hands all Christians have received it, and which has been instrumental in converting so many nau'ons to the Caristian faith, should be spoken against and vilified in this manner 1 Do such works look like the works of " the man of sin?" Is it not strange that the Catholic Church, which counts among her children millions of martyrs, who laid down their lives for the testimony of Christ, should be the Church of anti-Christ.' Is it not stiftage that mission-tries like St. Augustine, St. Boniface, St. Patrick, and St. Francis Xavier, and men like St. Bernard, St Charles Eorromeo, St. Francis de Sales and St. Vincent de Paul, should be the ministers and apostles of anti-Christ? Is it not s^ -ange that men who are acknowledged by all as eminent for their iat lligence and virtue, such as the Schlegels, the Newmans, the Wilberf orcjs. and the Mannings, should, in' the light of our day. become meinbsrs of the Catholic Church and she be tho synagogue of Sltan? Aie«u;h fruits as these the fruits of Satan / Is .Satan divided against himself .' " How can Satan, ' was the reply of our Lord t j his calumniators, " cast out Satan ?" Are not these accusations against the C.itholic Church proofs of her being Christ's Church according to His own words : " The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple th.it he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the good man o h ' the hou^e Beelzebub, how much more them of his household 1 Therefore fear them no, ' (Matt. x. 25). Men of another class, such as Macaulay, Chnnning. ami Bancroft, seek to account for the foundation of the Catholic Church on another theory. They recognise the greatne-s. the permanence, and the Chtistian character of the Catholic Church, but attribute thi- to " humra skill and sagacity in religion," and rciraid her as "a monument of Luinan genius." These men are l:ke the Jews who looked upon Chn.Nt as Eiias, or Jeremiad, or one of the prophets. What truth is there in this theory ? Lot us serf : Here is a Church that pu»es-es unity of f.iith fin.l a i unchangeable code ot morals, which c junta two hutnlrol ami fifty millions of men as her children, which has lasted tor ID c-nturie-, and bids fair to last until the end ot all tim-. Now, to tell us th-it this is all due to the sagacity and genius of Catholics, is. uiudi too flittering to bo true, and we honestly cannot so a< cept it. Without any "claim to an unusual degree ot humility, we m iv, on the part of Catholics, venture to express the opinion that they are not endowed with any more skill, sagacity or genius than other felk. We disclaim all natural superiority, as Catholic.*, over our fellow men. The defenders or this theory h.irdly believe it themselves, but they put it forth in order to avoid the necessity of acknowledging the true character of the Catholic Church. For there is no other way of giving a ra'ional account of the Catholic Church, except by recognising that bhe was founded by Christ, and is guided and upheld by the Holy Spirit of God. The Catholic Church was fcuidci by Jesus Christ. This i* what the third cla-s acknowledge. That Christ intended to found a Church, theiv can be no question. Here are His words : " And I say to thee. that thou arc Peter ; and upon this rock I will build My Church" (Matt. xvi. 18). No Christian will venture to doubt that Christ fulfilled this Ili.s promise. He promised that Ilis Church should never fail ; for, after having made the above promise 1 , ne added, ''And the gates of hell shall not prevail auriuii-t it" (Matt, xvi IS). Hence the truth of the saying, '• Once the Church, always the Church." Christ gave to His Church the commission and command to preach His Gospel to the whole world, "All power is given to Me in heaven and upon earth. Going, therefore, teach ye all nations " (Matt, xxviii. is). A command which the Catholic Church alone has fulfilled. He promised to remain with His Church always. " And behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."' Hence the Church is always holy, for Christ always dwells in her. Be not deceived ; it is not Satan, it lis not human sagacity or genius that h is founded the holy Catholic Cl urch, but the word of Jesus Christ the God-Man, who has said, '-Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pa^s away " (Matt. xxiv. 35). Be no longer misled ; it is not ignorance or superstition which so strongly attaches Catholics to the Church ; it is nothing- of this

sorb ; but it is their firm faith, grounded upon the express words aad promises of Jesus Christ . V JL)o you believe firmly in the divinity of Christ? If so. be a consistent follower of Him, and believe, also, firmly in His word and acknowledge the Catholic Church, " which is the Church o! tho living Uod, the pillar and ground of the truth " (1 Tiua. hi. 1.1) Catholic Press.