The Catholic Defender: I want to be a God Pleaser, do you want to please God? This includes faithfulness to His Catholic Faith!

Jesus Established His Catholic Church giving it His Authority and Mission to bring the Gospel to the whole world. Luke 10:16 Jesus says, "Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

To be a true Godpleaser we must obey His Catholic Church. Galatian 1: 6-9 St. Paul says;

I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you* by [the] grace [of Christ] for a different gospel

(not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach [to you] a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!

As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed!

Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

The Catholic Church, the will of God brought forth And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 28: 19-20 Jesus Says to His Church, 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,

20i teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.* And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

St. Peter, the first Pope warns, "There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who ransomed them, bringing swift destruction on themselves."

Today many heresies abound and True Catholics must keep a steady eye. Jesus told His Apostles, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."  Acts 1:8

One of my favorite early Church leaders was Pope Sylvester I. He was raised through the terrible persecutions of the Christians.

Saint Sylvester was born in Rome around the year 250.

Sylvester was the first Pope of Rome to reign entirely under the liberty of the Church, guaranteed by the Edict of Milan in 313.

Sylvester became Pope in 314, after Pope Mechiades died, and reigned until 335. He is remembered in particular for the Council of Nicea, the Baptism of Constantine, and the triumph of the Church.

Sylvester was put under the care of a priest to be formed in the practice of religion and sacred literature. He enjoyed providing shelter to Christians passing through the city, and would take them with him, wash their feet, serve them at table and give them all the care the needed in the name of Christ.

One of the Christians that Sylvester hosted was Timothy of Antioch, an illustrious confessor of the faith. When he arrived in Rome, no one dared to receive him, but Sylvester considered it an honor.

For a year, Timothy preached the gospel Jesus Christ with great zeal, while Sylvester selflessly shared his own home. After Timothy died as a martyr, Sylvester buried his remains, but was quickly accused of having hidden the martyr’s treasures, and the governor had him imprisoned.

In reply to the accusation, Sylvester said, “Timothy left to me only the heritage of his faith and courage.”

A memorable story from Sylvester’s pontificate involved Constantine, who was attacked by leprosy. He was still a pagan at the time, and unconcerned for the Christians, whose doctrine was entirely unknown to him.

One night Saint Peter and Saint Paul appeared to him and commanded him to call for Pope Sylvester, who would cure him by giving him Baptism. He obeyed, and the Pope baptized him, with which came Constantine’s conversion.

Sylvester also performed numerous miracles, including reviving some men killed by a dragon and resuscitating a bull that had been killed by scribes.

He understood what hardship was, he had friends and associates who died at the hands of the Romans. He himself was a Roman. All that would get you was a quick beheading like St. Paul.

December 31 is the Feast day of St Sylvester I who served as Pope between January 31, 314 A.D. to December 31, 335.

He became a bridge between the terrible persecutions by the Romans and the conversion of the Roman Empire.

For many Religious, it was a death sentence to accept positions in the Church. St. Sylvester was the Bishop of Rome at a very important time in history, especially Church history.

Constantine’s conversion, was it real, what was the chief influence? This writer believes it was real because of the evidence of history.

Constantine’s Mother, St. Helena was a Christian and this did have an effect on Constantine, who had been in the court of Diocletian.

Constantine burned bishops to the stake, but as he did so, he began to develop a respect for their faith. With his Mother becoming a Christian, he became more open to the Faith.

St. Helena discovered the true cross in Jerusalem. Through a pre-planned event, she had torches lighted beginning from the hill tops from Jerusalem going all the way to Rome to report word of their finding to Constantine.

Some confuse Constantine's true position claiming he was the founder of Catholicism and the first Pope, but that is utter nonsense coming from those who are agenda bound and not truth seeking. In fact. Constantine would be seen as an early Catholic Head of State.  If President Donald Trump were to convert to the Catholic faith, this would neither make him a pope or a founder to bring this accusation and false claim contemporary.

St. Peter, the first Pope, states, "Repent, and be baptized everyone one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."  Acts 2:38

Some have argued that this baptism of Jesus should be in his name only, which is a mistranslation of of the text. The baptism of Jesus was to be a clear separation of the baptism of St. John the Baptist.

Jesus is clear to how the Baptism of Jesus is to be conducted, "All authority 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 lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

St. Eusebius baptized Constantine as an older man, but it is what he did when he became Emperor that established his Christian beliefs.

It is believed that a sign from Christ appeared as a cross in the sky with the words, “by this sign you shall conquer”, Constantine placed the cross on the shields of his Soldiers.

Constantine routes the battle at the Milvian Bridge even though he was out manned and his forces were not as well equipped.

The enemy dies trying to flee back over the Tiber river. This would become very important during the Papal reign of St. Sylvester.

Constantine was determined to grant Christianity freedom, the Church received property and funds that had been confiscated.

The Edict of Milan gave the Church freedom to come out of the catacombs, the caves, and the homes.

St. Peters was built by Constantine in honor of the Martyrdom of St. Peter at Vatican Hill in 67 A.D.

A mountain was moved literally to build this monument in honor of where the remains of St. Peter were laid to rest.

St. John Lateran was made the Popes Cathedral. This is very important because St. Sylvester was receiving great favor from the Roman Emperor.

The Pope sent delegates to represent him at the Council of Arles in 314 A.D. wanting to end the Donatist Schism.

Trouble began to brew again with another heresy began storming the land as a Deacon named Arius was causing a mighty stir.

The Council of Nicaea was called to end the division, St. Sylvester sent two embassies who represented his authority and concerns.

He was an older man by this time and was not able to make such a trip. There were about 300 bishops from the known world who gathered for the great Council.

The finished product was the defined teaching of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed. There were a number of disciplines that were debated among them was granting forgiveness to apostates who caved in to the Roman Persecutions.

Many of the bishops suffered greatly and this was a major issue. Ultimately, the Church granted repentance to those who would returned. St. Sylvester was the 32nd successor to St. Peter.

Despite being an older man, broken due to the sufferings he received, he served the Church as the Lord’s Chief Steward for about 21 years.

He maintained the unity of the Church showing himself a man of peace, forgiveness, and humility. His love for the Liturgy and the Mass, he continued to improve devotion. He built schools and cemeteries, placed monuments over the sites of the martyrs.

The Saints of the early Church speaks loudly against those who want to rewrite history and tell the lies of men. The Catholic Faith is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, the saints bear witness to the truth.

 his feast day is celebrated on December 31 in memory of his death in 335.

Jesus prayed on the night He was betrayed, "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou has sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am to behold my glory which thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of the world."  John 17:20-24

Ten Reasons the Catholic Church is the One True Church of Jesus while other Christian groups derive their elements of truth from her fullness.

1. The Bible is a Catholic book.

It was Pope Damasus’ Council of Rome in 382 AD which drew up the official list of the books of the Bible. Thus, Luther felt “compelled to concede” that his Protestant Bible was “received” from the Catholic Church. All Christians today trust the authority of the Catholic Church that what they read is the true Word of God and not a false text.

2. The Bible refutes the “Bible alone” principle.

The Bible says that the “Word of the Lord” is “spoken” (Jer 25:3), not just written. St. Paul urged us to “hold to traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thes 2:15). The Bible also tells of a Council’s authority, where Peter settled a doctrinal dispute and declared what “we believe” (Acts 15).

The Bible teaches that not the Bible or the Protestant interpreters of the 16th century and of the present, but “the Church is the pillar and the bulwark of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). It also warns against “twisted” interpretations of Scriptures (2 Pt 3:16). While the Church has one teaching, there are now 43,000 evangelical groups with 2.3 added daily. Their views on the Trinity, on gays, etc. contradict each other. Since truth (e.g. Jesus is God) cannot be falsehood at the same time, real falsehoods are sadly being taught among these groups.

3. Jesus built his Church on a man he named Rock.

Jesus said “On this rock, I will build my Church and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Mt 16:18-19). Jesus changed the name of Simon to Petros, Greek for Rock. He gave Petros or Peter, “the keys of the kingdom”, which the Jews knew to be the power of a prime minister of the King and chief teacher (Is 22:22). Jesus told him alone to “feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15-17). The Bible shows him leading the Church.

The early Christians referred to Peter’s Roman Church as “presiding” (Ignatius, 1st -2nd), “of superior origin” and standard of “true Faith” (Irenaeus, 2nd c.), “Chair of Peter”, “the principal” (Cyprian, 2nd-3rd c.), and “the primacy” (Augustine, 4th-5th c.). While the Catholic Church can give evidence of its unbroken link to Jesus and Peter, other Christian groups began their existence with their founders like Luther (1517), J. Smith (1830), and F. Manalo (1914).

4. Jesus and the Church are one.

It is not true the Catholic Church left the true Faith, since the Church is the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27), and he is inseparable from his body. He promised that “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20), evil “shall not prevail” against his Church (Mt 16:18), and his Spirit “will guide you into all the truth” (Jn 16:13). He told his Church: “He who hears you hears me” (Lk 10:16).

5. The Bible says we are saved “not by faith alone”.

The Bible used Luther’s phrase “by faith alone” only once: “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (Jas 2:24). The Bible also says that “what counts is faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). While Catholics and Protestants agree that Jesus alone saves us, Luther in the 16th century inserted without basis the word “alone” in his German translation of Rom 3:28 (“a man is justified by faith”) in order to support his personal interpretation that a Christian is incapable of cooperating with God in his salvation.

6. The Bible and the early Christians believe in purgatory.

As shown in their tombstones, the early Christians followed the Bible: “Pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sins” (2 Mc 12:46), for “nothing unclean can enter heaven” (Rev 21:27). It does not make sense to pray for the dead if they only go, as evangelicals say, either to heaven (with faith in Christ) or to hell (without faith). Jesus spoke about forgiveness in the age to come (Mt 12:32) and St. Paul stated that those judged by God are “saved but as through fire” (1 Cor 3:13-15).

7. The Bible and the early Christians believe in the Catholic sacraments.

Jesus gave the Apostles the power to “forgive sins” (Jn 20:23). Peter taught that “Baptism now saves you” (1 Pt 3:21) and thus is not a mere inciter of faith. The Bible speaks about “anointing the sick with oil” (Jas 5:14-15), two kinds of laying of hands (Acts 8:17; 2 Tim 1:6), and marriage in the Lord (1 Cor 7:39). Jesus repeatedly said that “he who eats my flesh has eternal life”. This is no figure of speech, for he did not give in when “many of his disciples” left due to this “hard saying” (Jn 6:48-68), and St. Paul taught that he who eats the bread unworthily is “guilty of profaning the Lord’s body” (1 Cor 11:28). Ignatius of Antioch said “the Eucharist is the flesh of the Redeemer,” Irenaeus “we receive the bread as Jesus”, and Cyprian “Christ is our bread”.

8. The Catholic Church is salt and light.

Modern secular historians of science, economics, university education, human rights, international law, hospitals and Western art are showing that Catholic priests, scientists and thinkers were behind the foundation and great achievements in these areas, acting as salt and light as Christ foretold (Mt 5:13-14; Woods 2005). In his Church, he still works his miracles: Eucharistic bread turning into blood; appearances of Mary; heroic saints; cures and sacred images that are scientifically unexplained; saints with stigmata, powers of healing, bilocation and prophecy, and incorruptible dead bodies.

9. The Catholic Church is catholic.

Jesus “desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4), thus his real Church is universal, evangelizing in all parts of the world with more than 1.2 billion members today. Compare this with the 2nd biggest Christian group, the Easter Orthodox Churches with only 230M (1/5 of its size) mainly found in Eastern Europe; the Anglicans 85M (1/16); Southern Baptists 16.3M (1/73), Mormons 14.7M (1/81) and Iglesia ni Cristo 6M (1/200).

10. Jesus and the Bible glorify his mother.

Catholics do not worship Mary, but follow Jesus’ ways. He obeyed the fourth commandment: Honor your father and mother. Honor in Hebrew is kaboda, which means to glorify. The Bible calls Mary “Mother of my Lord” (Lord = God) and says all generations will call her blessed (Lk 1:43.48). It shows that she is the New Ark of the Covenant, the woman clothed with the sun, crowned in heaven with twelve stars (Rev 11:19-12:1). To honor his mother, Jesus’ last message to us on the cross is: Behold, your mother (Jn 19:27).

Can Fallen Catholics be a God Pleaser, no unless they return to the Faith of the Apostles.

1 John 2: 19-20. Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour.

They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.

But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, and you all have knowledge.

2 Timothy 3: 1-9, St. Paul warns, But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days.

2People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious,

3callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good,

4traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. Reject them.

Revelation 21: 5-8 Jesus warns:

The one who sat on the throne* said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.

6He said to me, “They are accomplished.* I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.

7The victor* will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.

8But as for cowards,* the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

To deny Jesus Sacraments is to deny Jesus Himself. Consider that St. John refers to Fallen Catholics as "Ant-Christs". St. Paul refers to Fallen Catholics as "Traitors". And Jesus refers to Fallen Catholics as "Unfaithful".

St. Paul wites to St. Titus 3: 9-11 warning, "I want you to insist on these points, that those who have believed in God be careful to devote themselves to good works; these are excellent and beneficial to others.

9* Avoid foolish arguments, genealogies, rivalries, and quarrels about the law,h for they are useless and futile.

10After a first and second warning, break off contact with a heretic,

11realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and stands self-condemned."