Faith of Our Fathers

James Gibbons

Description

James Gibbons was a popular, inclusive figure in the American Catholic Church, rising through the ranks as a bishop, archbishop, and cardinal over the course of his service. In the abidingly popular volume The Faith of Our Fathers, Gibbons sets forth the chief tenets, beliefs, doctrines, and practices of Catholicism in a clear and straightforward manner.

Sujets

• Histoire
• History

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776583195
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS
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JAMES GIBBONS
 
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The Faith of Our Fathers From a 1917 edition Epub ISBN 978-1-77658-319-5 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77658-320-1 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Preface to the Eleventh Edition Preface to the Forty-Seventh Edition Preface Preface to Eighty-Third Revised Edition Introduction Chapter I - The Blessed Trinity, the Incarnation, Etc. Chapter II - The Unity of the Church Chapter III - The Holiness of the Church Chapter IV - Catholicity Chapter V - Apostolicity Chapter VI - Perpetuity of the Church Chapter VII - Infallible Authority of the Church Chapter VIII - The Church and the Bible Chapter IX - The Primacy of Peter Chapter X - The Supremacy of the Popes Chapter XI - Infallibility of the Popes Chapter XII - Temporal Power of the Popes Chapter XIII - The Invocation of Saints Chapter XIV - Is it Lawful to Honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as a Saint, to Invoke Her asan Intercessor, and to Imitate Her as a Model Chapter XV - Sacred Images Chapter XVI - Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead Chapter XVII - Civil and Religious Liberty Chapter XVIII - Charges of Religious Persecution Chapter XIX - Grace—The Sacraments—Original Sin—Baptism—Its Necessity—Its Effects—Mannerof Baptizing Chapter XX - The Sacrament of Confirmation Chapter XXI - The Holy Eucharist Chapter XXII - Communion Under One Kind Chapter XXIII - The Sacrifice of the Mass Chapter XXIV - The Use of Religious Ceremonies Dictated by Right Reason Chapter XXV - Ceremonials of the Mass Chapter XXVI - The Sacrament of Penance Chapter XXVII - Indulgences Chapter XXVIII - Extreme Unction Chapter XXIX - The Priesthood Chapter XXX - Celibacy of the Clergy Chapter XXXI - Matrimony Endnotes
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Affectionately Dedicated To The Clergy and Laity Of The Archdiocese And Province Of Baltimore.
Preface to the Eleventh Edition
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The first edition of "The Faith of Our Fathers" was issued in December,1876. From that time to the present fifty thousand copies of the work havebeen disposed of in the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland,and in the British Colonies of Oceanica.
This gratifying result has surpassed the author's most sanguineexpectations, and is a consoling evidence that the investigation ofreligious truths is not wholly neglected even in this iron age, soengrossed by material considerations.
Besides carefully revising the book, the author has profited by the kindsuggestion of some friends, and inserted a chapter on the prerogatives andsanctity of the Blessed Virgin, which, it is hoped, will be not lessacceptable to his readers than the other portions of the work.
He is also happy to announce that German editions have been published bothin this country and in Germany.
He takes this occasion to return his hearty thanks to the editors of theCatholic periodicals, as well as of the secular press, for their favorablenotices, which have no doubt contributed much to the large circulation ofthe book.
BALTIMORE, Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas , 1879.
Preface to the Forty-Seventh Edition
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It is very gratifying to the author to note the large increase in the saleof "The Faith of Our Fathers." Apart from personal considerations, it ispleasing to know that the popular interest in the Catholic Church andwhatever pertains to her doctrines and discipline, is growing morewidespread and earnest.
Since 1879, when the eleventh revised edition was given to the public,there have been thirty-five editions, and the number of copies soldreaches nearly a quarter of a million.
This desire to understand the teachings of the Church of our Fathers isnot confined to our own country. It is manifest in other lands, as shownby the translations that have been made of this exposition of Catholicbelief into French, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian and Swedish.
In the hope that they will add to the usefulness of the book, severalpassages upon doctrinal subjects have been inserted.
With these few remarks, the forty-seventh edition of "The Faith of OurFathers" is presented to the sincere and earnest seeker after religioustruth by
THE AUTHOR Feast of St. Anselm , 1895.
Preface
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The object of this little volume is to present in a plain and practicalform an exposition and vindication of the principal tenets of the CatholicChurch. It was thought sufficient to devote but a brief space to suchCatholic doctrines and practices as are happily admitted by Protestants,while those that are controverted by them are more elaborately elucidated.
The work was compiled by the author during the uncertain hours which hecould spare from the more active duties of the ministry. It substantiallyembodies the instructions and discourses delivered by him before mixedcongregations in Virginia and North Carolina.
He has often felt that the salutary influence of such instructions,especially on the occasion of a mission in the rural districts, would bemuch augmented if they were supplemented by books or tracts circulatedamong the people, and which could be read and pondered at leisure.
As his chief aim has been to bring home the truths of the Catholic faithto our separated brethren, who generally accept the Scripture as the onlysource of authority in religious matters, he has endeavored to fortify hisstatements by abundant reference to the sacred text. He has thoughtproper, however, to add frequent quotations from the early Fathers, whosetestimony, at least as witnesses of the faith of their times, must beaccepted even by those who call in question their personal authority.
Though the writer has sought to be exact in all his assertions, anoccasional inaccuracy may have inadvertently crept in. Any emendationswhich the venerated Prelates or Clergy may deign to propose will begratefully attended to in a subsequent edition.
RICHMOND, November 21st, 1876.
Preface to Eighty-Third Revised Edition
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The new edition of "The Faith of Our Fathers" has been carefully revised,and enriched with several pages of important matter.
It is gratifying to note that since the first edition appeared, in 1876,up to the present time, fourteen hundred thousand copies have beenpublished, and the circulation of the book is constantly increasing.
The work has also been translated into nearly all the languages of Europe.
BALTIMORE, May 1st, 1917.
Introduction
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MY DEAR READER:—Perhaps this is the first time in your life that you havehandled a book in which the doctrines of the Catholic Church are expoundedby one of her own sons. You have, no doubt, heard and read many thingsregarding our Church; but has not your information come from teachersjustly liable to suspicion? You asked for bread, and they gave you astone. You asked for fish, and they reached you a serpent. Instead of thebread of truth, they extended to you the serpent of falsehood. Hence,without intending to be unjust, is not your mind biased against us becauseyou listened to false witnesses? This, at least, is the case withthousands of my countrymen whom I have met in the brief course of mymissionary career. The Catholic Church is persistently misrepresented bythe most powerful vehicles of information.
She is assailed in romances of the stamp of Maria Monk, and in pictorialpapers. It is true that the falsehood of those illustrated periodicals hasbeen fully exposed. But the antidote often comes too late to counteractthe poison. I have seen a picture representing Columbus trying todemonstrate the practicability of his design to discover a new Continentbefore certain monks who are shaking their fists and gnashing their teethat him. It matters not to the artist that Columbus could probably neverhave undertaken his voyage and discovery, as the explorer himself avows,were it not for the benevolent zeal of the monks, Antonio de Marchena andJuan Perez, and other ecclesiastics, as well as for the munificence ofQueen Isabella and the Spanish Court.
The Church is misrepresented in so-called Histories like Foxe's Book ofMartyrs. It is true that he has been successfully refuted by Lingard andGairdner. But, how many have read the fictitious narratives of Foxe, whohave never perused a page of Lingard or Gairdner? In a large portion ofthe press, and in pamphlets, and especially in the pulpit, which should beconsecrated to truth and charity, she is the victim of the foulestslanders. Upon her fair and heavenly brow her enemies put a hideous mask,and in that guise they exhibit her to the insults and mockery of thepublic; just as Jesus, her Spouse, was treated when, clothed with ascarlet cloak and crowned with thorns, He was mocked by a thoughtlessrabble.
They are afraid to tell the truth of her, for
"Truth has such a face and such a mien, As to be loved needs only to be seen." [1]
It is not uncommon for a dialogue like the following to take place betweena Protestant Minister and a convert to the Catholic Church:
MINISTER.—You cannot deny that the Roman Catholic Church teaches grosserrors—the worship of images, for instance.
CONVERT.—I admit no such charge, for I have been taught no such doctrines.
MINISTER.—But the Priest who instructed you did not teach you all. He heldback some points which he knew would be objectionable to you.
CONVERT.—He withheld nothing; for I am in possession of books treatingfully of all Catholic doctrines.
MINISTER.—Deluded soul! Don't you know that in Europe they are taughtdifferently?
CONVERT.—That cannot be, for the Church t