FAITH OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Our Lady  By Edward Matulanya  Early Roots and Development The Rosary did not appear fully formed from the start; it developed gradually. Elements such as praying the Psalms, using physical counters (stones, knots, cords, beads), reciting short Marian prayers (especially “Hail Mary”) and the Lord’s Prayer, and meditating on Christ’s life predate what is today called the Rosary.  One early form was the “Psalter of Mary” (also called the Marian Psalter), which modeled itself on the 150 Psalms but substituted Hail Marys. This allowed the faithful, especially those unable to read the Psalms, to unite themselves to these prayers.  St. Dominic, Tradition, and the Dominicans Catholic tradition holds that St. Dominic (died 1221) received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave him the Rosary (or instructed in its use) and asked him to preach it, especially in context of combating heresy (e.g. the Albigensians). This story is longstanding in the devotional tradition....

  Saint Therese By Edward Matulanya  Life and Vocation Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), born Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin in Alençon, France, entered the Discalced Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15. She lived a cloistered life devoted to prayer, humility, and service, emphasizing a simple and childlike trust in God (Franciscan Media, 2023). Despite her short life—she died of tuberculosis at age 24—her spiritual writings had profound influence on Catholic devotion (USCCB, n.d.). Spirituality: The “Little Way” Thérèse is renowned for her “Little Way”, a spirituality centered on performing ordinary actions with extraordinary love and trust in God’s mercy. She emphasized that holiness could be achieved through small, humble acts rather than grandiose deeds (Thérèse of Lisieux, 1996). Her approach democratized sanctity, showing that all believers, regardless of status or vocation, could achieve holiness through love and devotion in daily life. Major Works Her mos...

By Edward Matulanya  According to Catholic teaching, the creation of the angels is drawn from both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and is explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and writings of the Church Fathers. Here’s a clear summary of what the Roman Catholic Church teaches: 1. God Alone Is Creator Angels are pure spirits: They are created beings, not eternal or divine. The Church professes: “I believe in one God, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” “Invisible” includes the angelic world (CCC 328–330). 2. When They Were Created Before humanity and the material universe was complete, God created the angels. Scripture is not explicit about the exact “moment,” but tradition holds that their creation occurred at the beginning of time—before the creation of the visible world (cf. Lateran Council IV, 1215). St. Augustine writes that angels were created “in the beginning” when God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), interpretin...

  Saint Jerome By Edward Matulanya  Here are Life, vocation, contribution to the church, Spiritual Character, Patronage and Iconography, and  Liturgical Celebration of Saint Jerome. Life and Vocation Saint Jerome (c. 347 – 420 A.D.) was born in Stridon, a town at the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia (in modern Croatia/Slovenia). After classical studies in Rome, he was baptized around 366 and later lived as a monk and hermit in the Syrian desert before becoming a priest in Antioch (Butler, 1956/1998). Jerome eventually settled in Bethlehem, where he founded a monastery and dedicated his life to Scripture study and pastoral work (Franciscan Media, 2023). Contribution to the Church Jerome’s greatest achievement is his translation of the Bible into Latin, known as the Vulgate. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382, the Vulgate became the standard biblical text of the Western Church for over a millennium (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1997, §125). He also prod...

By Edward Matulanya   Creation According to the Roman Catholic Church The Roman Catholic Church teaches that creation is an act of God’s free will and love, in which He brings everything into existence out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo). This belief is drawn from Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium (the Pope and bishops in communion with him). God is the One Creator God alone is the source of all that exists, both visible and invisible . The Nicene Creed professes: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1997/2019, §325). Creation is not the work of chance or multiple gods but the free, intelligent, and loving action of the one true God. Creation Ex Nihilo Before creation there was nothing except God. He did not shape pre-existing matter but brought the universe into being by His Word (CCC, 1997/2019, §296). This reveals God’s omnipotence and that all cre...

  Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael the Archangels By Edward Matulanya The Catholic Church teaches that angels are purely spiritual beings who serve as God’s messengers and helpers (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1997, §§328-336). Among them, the Church venerates by name only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, whose missions are recorded in Scripture and whose feast is kept on 29 September. Saint Michael the Archangel Michael’s name means “Who is like God?” (Vatican City State, 2020). Scripture depicts him as the defender of God’s people (Dn 10:13; 12:1), the leader of the heavenly army against Satan (Rv 12:7-9), and protector of the Church (CCC, 1997, §335). Saint Gabriel the Archangel Gabriel’s name means “God is my strength” (Vatican City State, 2020). He is God’s principal messenger, announcing the birth of John the Baptist (Lk 1:11-20) and, most notably, the Incarnation to Mary at the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38) (CCC, 1997, §332). Saint Raphael the Archangel Raphael’s name me...

By Edward Matulanya  In Roman Catholic theology, dogma is a divinely revealed truth in matters of faith or morals that the Church’s Magisterium formally defines as binding for all the faithful. Such teachings are drawn from Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition and are proclaimed with the charism of infallibility by the Pope or an ecumenical council (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1997/2019, §§88–91). Catholics must give these truths the assent of divine and Catholic faith—an unconditional belief—because they rest on God’s own authority as revealed and safeguarded by the Church (Second Vatican Council, 1964/2012, Lumen gentium, §25). Dogmas do not change in substance, though their understanding can deepen over time as the Church reflects more fully on revelation (CCC, 1997/2019, §94). Classic examples include the Trinity , the Incarnation, the Immaculate Conception, and the Assumption of Mary. Major Dogmas of the Catholic Church 1. The Trinity Trinity The one God exists ...