Fr. Campbell, "Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times"

Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times

We believe as Catholics. What do we believe? Do we believe that the Catholic Religion is just one more religion among the many religions of the world? If so, who needs it? But this is what makes the difference – the Catholic Religion was not created by a mere human being, as the other religions were. God Himself revealed the Catholic Religion. St. Paul tells us how it happened: 

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world; who, being the brightness of his glory and the image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, has effected man’s purgation from sin and taken his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb.1:1-3).

So that’s how it happened! Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He commanded His Apostles to hand on what He had taught, so that the generations to come might also hear the saving words of the Gospel, believe, and be saved:

“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world” (Mt.28:18-20).

This is why the Catholic Church exists! What Jesus taught has been handed down from those same Apostles by the true Catholic Church, which preached the living word of God throughout the centuries and collected the written words of the Apostles and their associates in the books of the Holy Bible. St. Paul in his instruction to Timothy refers to the Church as “the Church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth” (1Tim.3:15).

These same teachings have been confirmed and taught by the popes, Councils, and great doctors and theologians like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. They are the truth revealed to us by God Himself, Who IS Truth. They cannot be changed by any power on earth, not even by the popes or great General Councils of the Church.

How is it, then, that this late in the game, we are hearing new doctrines that contradict the ancient revealed truths of the Gospel of Christ? This cannot be! We must object in the strongest terms to this betrayal of the divinely instituted Catholic Church! There is a worldwide falling away from true religion, from God Himself, from Jesus Christ, His Divine Son, and His Holy Catholic Church. And true Religion is no longer taught.

The true Faith was still being handed until the Vatican II Revolution. But what chance did the latest two or three generations have to learn the ancient truths of the Gospel of Christ if they were no longer taught? The new Vatican II style catechisms which were short on doctrine, and full of sentimentality about love and ecumenical good will towards the heretical Christian sects, and the false world religions. The change was catastrophic for the Church. Most parents still trusted the schools and had no idea that the Catholic Faith was being lost, and as the true Church sank further into its eclipse, it didn’t seem to matter anymore what your religious beliefs were, as long as you were a good neighbor and didn’t rob a bank. St. Paul warns:

“Let no one deceive you in any way, for the day of the Lord will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God and gives himself out as if he were God” (2Thess.2:3,4).

Most parents are not concerned enough about their children and the worldly influences they have to cope with these days. Even videos and TV programs that appear to be harmless teach the children to have the mind of the world, and not the mind of Christ. It is not enough that there be no obviously objectionable scenes or language. The spiritual dimension is entirely missing. A worldly and un-Christian atmosphere is what we must try to escape.

Once the children have the mind of this world it is almost impossible to rescue them, unless God grants them the special graces needed for their conversion. Children’s use of the internet, iPhones and the TV must be carefully monitored and supervised. Four hundred years ago Our Blessed Mother, Mary, spoke in Ecuador about the children of these times to St. Mariana de Jesus Torres (1618-1645):

“Thus do I make known to you that from the end of the 19^th century and especially in the 20^th century… the passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of customs, for Satan will reign almost completely by means of the Masonic sects. They will focus particularly on the children in order to achieve this general corruption. Woe to the children of those times! It will be difficult to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, and also that of Confirmation…”  

We see how hard we must work, and how vigilant we must be to protect the children, who do not yet have the wisdom and experience to protect themselves. The true Catholic Church is in almost total eclipse, and Catholics are wandering like sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves. But all is not lost. The true Church will soon emerge from its eclipse. Our first Holy Father, St. Peter, has some helpful words for us:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation, cast all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. Be sober, be watchful! For your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same suffering befalls your brethren all over the world. But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, strengthen and establish us. To him is the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1Pet.5:6-11).