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A Primer on Indulgences

The punishment already inflicted by the majority on such a one is enough; you should now relent and support him so that he may not be crushed by too great a weight of sorrow. (2 Cor. 2:6-7) Indulgences rank among the most poorly understood blessings of the Catholic Church. An indulgence is not permission from the Church to indulge in sin. It is not being indulgent with sinners. It is not the pardon of sin nor the remission of guilt. Now according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. [CCC 1471] What an indulgence is and what it does. First an indulgence is not the forgiveness of sins but only ap

The Devil: A Commentary by Fr. Barron

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Another part of a video series from Wordonfire.org. Father Barron will be commenting on subjects from modern day culture. For more visit http://www.wordonfire.org/

Vatican Pushes Back on Gay Marriage Gains in U.S., Compares It To Polygamy

Following huge gains at the polls in the United States last week, the Vatican began a campaign blitz against same-sex marriage this weekend. It even went so far as comparing it to polygamy. According to Reuters, Father Federico Lombardi said in a Vatican Radio address, "It is clear that in Western countries there is a widespread tendency to modify the classic vision of marriage between a man and woman, or rather to try to give it up, erasing its specific and privileged legal recognition compared to other forms of union." Lombardi was obviously referring to voters in Maryland, Maine, and Washington on Tuesday approving their respective state's initiatives on same-sex marriage. "Monogamous marriage between a man and woman is an achievement of civilization," Lombardi said. "If not, why not contemplate also freely chosen polygamy and, of course, not to discriminate, polyandry?" He also said children should have the right to have a fathe

Papal Encyclical on Faith Announced

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Pope Benedict XVI’s fourth encyclical will be released in the first half of 2013, timed to coincide with the Year of Faith.

What Happens When Contraception Fails...

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Particularly pay attention to 3:50 and thereafter.

Words of Encouragement After the 2012 Elections

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Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, gives words of encouragement after the 2012 Elections:

A Catholic Priest Speaks to Voters about Faith, Partisanship, and Intrinsic Evil

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Fr. Weiss speaks forcefully to Catholic voters, warning them that they must put the Faith ahead of partisanship. This is an election with consequences of Biblical proportion. We cannot grant all issues of public policy the same weight. How to perform the corporal works of mercy, such as feeding the hungry or sheltering the homeless, is a matter for debate. But we cannot be complicit with intrinsic evil. That is not debatable. Among the intrinsic evils are abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, contraception, sterilization, and same sex marriage. Father warns that those who have already voted for intrinsic evil, with full knowledge, and without repenting, will lose their souls. Using words from the Declaration of Independence, he calls on us to alter our government, bringing it into conformance with "the laws of nature and of nature's God,"