Church Teachings

Chief Precepts of the Church (Thiru Sabhayude Anju Kalpanakal)

October 23, 2016 by Jisha

These are the Chief precepts of the church ( Thiru Sabhayude Anju Kalpanakal).

Njaaraychagalilum kadapetta thirunaalugalilum muzhuvan kurbanayil pangukollanam; aa divasangalil vilakkapetta velagal cheyaruthu.
Aandilorickalengilum kumbasaarikukayum pesahakaalathu parishudha kurbaana ulkollugayum cheyanam.
Nischayikkapetta divasangalil upavasikukayum vilakkapetta bakshanasadhanangal varjikukayum cheyannam.
Villakkapetta kaalathu vivaham aaghoshikyugayo thirusabha vilakkirikkunna aalugalumayi vivaham nadathukayo cheyaruthu.
Daivalayathinum daivasusrushagarkum, vaideegaadyakshanmaarkum nischayichitulla pathavaaravum mattu ooharigalum kodukanam.

Ten Commandments (Pathu Kalpanakal) in Malayalam

September 23, 2016 by Jisha

The following is the English transliteration of the Ten Commandments (Pathu kalpanakal) from Malayalam.

1. Ninte kartavaaya daivam njaanakunnu. Njanallathe mattoru daivam ninnakundagaruthu.
2. Daivathinte thiru naamam vrutha prayogikkaruthu.
3. Karthaavinte divasam parishudhamaayi aacharikyanam.
4. Mathapithakale bahumaanikkanam.
5. Kollaruthu.
6. Vyapicharam cheyaruthu.
7. Moshtikkaruthu.
8. Kalla sakshi parayaruthu.
9. Anyante bhariye mohikkaruthu.
10. Anyante vasthukal mohikkaruthu.

Ee pathu kalpanakal randu kalpanagalil samgrahikkam.
1. Ellatinum upariyayi daivathe snehikkanam.
2. Thannepole mattulavareyum snehikkanam.

The Eucharistic Miracle of Cascia

October 8, 2013 by Jisha

In the year 1330, a priest in Siena who had lost all respect and belief in the Eucharist was asked to bring Holy Communion to a sick man in his town. He complied with this request reluctantly and placed the Consecrated Host unceremoniously between the pages of his breviary instead of following the correct procedure of placing it in a pix (pyx) and carrying it close to his heart. When he arrived at the sick man’s house and opened the breviary to give him Communion, he found that the Host was bleeding and there were round stains of blood on the two pages of the breviary between which it had been placed. The priest panicked and ran to the Augustinian monastery in Siena to confess this incident to Blessed Simon Fidati, known by all to be a holy man. Fr. Fidati granted pardon to the priest who was truly penitent. Blessed Fidati then took the two pages for safe-keeping and placed one in a tabernacle in Perugia, and the other he bought to the Augustinian Monastery of Cascia in Italy and placed it in a reliquary. The pages were preserved and numerous tests were performed confirming that it was indeed human blood.

To this day, the stains of the Precious Blood can be seen on the pages of the breviary which are preserved in the lower chapel of the Basilica of St. Rita in Cascia, Italy. Over the centuries, the relic of the Eucharistic Miracle has been venerated by faithful. Many people have observed in those blood stained pages, the image of a suffering human face. The miraculous event is particularly commemorated each year on the Feast of Corpus Christi, when the Relic is borne solemnly in procession.

“For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.” John 6: 55-56

The Eucharist is the real Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. During the celebration of the Holy Mass, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. The substance of the blood and wine is changed by the Holy Spirit into the substance of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ even though the appearance remains that of bread and wine. This great mystery is known as transubstantiation. The body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ is present in every fragment of the consecrated Host and in every single drop of the Precious Blood. By his Real Presence in the Eucharist Christ fulfills his promise to be with us “always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

The Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist is a sign of Jesus’ love that He left for us so that we may receive Him as often as possible.

To be able to do so one must:

Be baptized in the Catholic Church and be in communion with the teachings of the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church.
Be in a state of grace, and therefore, confess all mortal sins; one must also receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) at least once and year and when in danger of imminent death.
Abstain from food and drink (except water) one hour before receiving communion. This does not apply to the sick.
Attend Mass on Sundays and on all Holy Days of Obligation.

The Body and Blood of Christ present under the appearances of bread and wine are treated with the greatest reverence both during and after the celebration of the Eucharist. The Body of Christ under the appearance of bread that is kept or “reserved” in the Tabernacle after the Mass is commonly referred to as the “Blessed Sacrament“. That is why we need to genuflect when we are in front of the Tabernacle. It is our Lord Himself who is present in the Blessed Sacrament and we need to bow down and show him utmost reverence and adoration.

A Prolife Video from Kerala

September 16, 2013 by Jisha

Here is a beautiful prolife video called “Jeevanum Samruthiyum” by Sunny Kattukaran. This short documentary introduces the lives of a few Malayalee families who are ‘open to life’ and follow the Church’s teaching on contraception and abortion. Holy Mother Church has always taught that contraception, sterilization and abortion are intrinsically evil. Let us pray that all Catholics come to know the truth about contraception and abortion. I encourage all of you to read Pope Paul VI’s encyclical letter Humanae Vitae which came out in 1968 and clearly states the Church’s teaching on abortion, sterilization and contraception.

“We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. (14) Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary. (15)
Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.” – Excerpt from Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae

If for grave and morally acceptable reasons, a couple chooses to postpone pregnancy, they can use Natural Family Planning or even abstinence.

Part 1

Part 2

“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32

The Cure of Ars (Saint John Vianney)

September 7, 2013 by Jisha

Saint John Vianney was a French Parish Priest who lived from 1786-1859. He became notable for his priestly and pastoral work in his parish in Ars, a small town in France. He is the Patron Saint of Parish Priests. During the last ten years of his life, he spent 16 to 18 hours a day listening to confessions. He is often referred to as ‘The Cure of Ars’.

I have been reading “The Little Catechism of The Cure of Ars“ written by St. John Vianney. It is such a simple yet profound book. St. John Vianney exhorts us to renounce our sins and to lead a pure and holy life. I thought I would share some words of wisdom written by this great saint. I highly recommend this book for spiritual reading. Here are some excerpts from The Little Catechism of The Cure of Ars.

Part 1 – Instructions on the Catechism

Chapter 1 – Catechism on Salvation

We should say on awaking, “I desire to do everything today for Thee, O my God! I will submit to all that Thou shalt send me, as coming from Thee. I offer myself as a sacrifice to Thee. But, O God, I can do nothing without Thee. Do Thou help me!”

Worldly people say, it is too difficult to save one’s soul. Yet nothing is easier. To observe the Commandments of God and the Church, and to avoid the seven capital sins; or if you like to put it so, to do good and avoid evil; that is all.

The Saints did not all begin well; but they all ended well. We have begun badly; let us end well, and we shall go one day and meet them in Heaven.

Chapter 2 – Catechism on The Love of God

Man, being created by love, cannot live without love: either he loves God, or he loves himself and he loves the world.

By faith, we believe what God has promised us: we believe that we shall one day see Him, that we shall possess Him, that we shall be eternally happy with Him in Heaven. By hope, we expect the fulfillment of these promises: we hope that we shall be rewarded for all our good actions, for all our good thoughts, for all our good desires; for God takes into account even our good desires.

Chapter 3 – Catechism on the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is light and strength. He teaches us to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and between good and evil.

Worldly people have not the Holy Spirit, or if they have, it is only for a moment.

A Christian who is led by the Holy Spirit has no difficulty in leaving the goods of this world, to run after those of Heaven; he knows the differences between them.

A soul in which the Holy Spirit dwells is never weary in the presence of God; his heart gives forth a breath of love.

Without the Holy Spirit all is cold; therefore, when we feel we are losing our fervor, we must instantly make a novena to the Holy Spirit to ask for faith and love…

A fish never complains of having too much water, neither does a good Christian ever complain of being too long with the good God. There are some people who find religion wearisome, and it is because they have no the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 4 – Catechism on The Blessed Virgin

The heart of this good Mother is all love and mercy; she desires only to see us happy. We have only to turn to her to be heard. The Son has His justice, the Mother has nothing but her love.

All the Saints have a great devotion to Our Lady; no grace comes from Heaven without passing through her hands.

The Blessed Virgin alone has fulfilled the first Commandment – to adore God only, and love Him perfectly. She fulfilled it completely.

Chapter 5 – Catechism on The Word of God

My children, I often think that most of the Christians who are lost, are lost for want of instruction – they do not know their religion well.

I do not know whether it is worse to have distractions during Mass than during the instructions; I see no difference. During Mass we lost the merits of the death and passion of Our Lord, and during the instructions we lose His Word, which is himself.

Chapter 6 – Catechism on the Prerogatives of the Pure Soul

Purity comes from Heaven; we must ask for it from God. If we ask for it, we shall obtain it. We must take great care not to lost it.

My children, when a soul is pure, all Heaven looks upon it with love!

The more pure we have been on earth, the nearer we shall be to Him in Heaven.

Three things are wanted to preserve purity – the presence of God, prayer, and the Sacraments. Another means is the reading of holy books, which nourishes the soul.

God contemplates a pure soul with love; He grants it all its desires.

Chapter 7 – Catechism on the Sanctification of Sunday

Oh, how mistaken in his calculations is he who labors hard on Sunday, thinking that he will earn more money or do more work! Can two or three shillings ever make up for the harm he does himself by violating the law of the good God?

Sunday is the property of our good God; it is His own day, the Lord’s day. He made all the days of the week: He might have kept them all; He has given you six, and has reserved only the seventh for Himself. What right have you to meddle with what does not belong to you?

Chapter 8 – Catechism on Prayer

We have not deserved to pray; but God, in His goodness, has permitted us to speak to Him. Our prayer is an incense which He receives with extreme pleasure.

Prayer is a foretaste of Heaven, an overflow of paradise. It never leaves us without sweetness.

Prayer makes time pass away very quickly, and so pleasantly that one does not perceive how it passes.

I often think that when we come to adore Our Lord, we should obtain all we wish, if we would ask it with very lively faith, and a very pure heart. But alas, we have no faith, no hope, no desire, no love!

Chapter 10 – Catechism on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

All Good Works together are not of equal value with the Sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men, and the holy Mass is the work of God.

Well, my children, when we want to obtain anything from the good God, let us do the same; after Holy Communion, let us offer Him his well-beloved Son, with all the merits of His death and His Passion. He will not be able to refuse anything.

Chapter 11 – Catechism on the Real Presence

How pleasing to Him is the short quarter of an hour that we steal from our occupations, from something of no use, to come and pray to Him, to visit Him, for all the outrages He receives!

Ah, if we had the eyes of angels with which to see Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is here present on this altar, and who is looking at us, how we should love Him! We should never more wish to part from Him. We should wish to remain always at His feet; it would be a foretaste of Heaven; all else would become insipid to us.

When we are before the Blessed Sacrament, instead of looking about, let us shut our eyes and our mouth; let us open our heart; our good God will open His; we shall go to Him, He will come to us, the one to ask, the other to receive; it will be like a breath from one to the other.

Chapter 12 – Catechism on Communion

To sustain the soul in the pilgrimage of life, God looked over creation, and found nothing that was worthy of it. He then turned to Himself, and resolved to give Himself. O my soul, how great thou art, since nothing less can satisfy thee! The food of the soul is the Body and Blood of God!

At the Day of Judgement we shall see the Flesh of Our Lord shine through the glorified body of those who have received Him worthily on earth…

Chapter 13 – Catechism on Frequent Communion

The soul can feed on nothing but God. Only God can suffice for it; only God can fill it; only God can satiate its hunger; it absolutely requires its God!

There is nothing so great, my children, as the Eucharist! Put all the good works in the world against one good Communion; they will be like a grain of dust beside a mountain.

Make a prayer when you have the good God in your heart; the good God will not be able to refuse you anything, if You offer Him His Son, and the merits of His holy death and Passion.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

July 22, 2013 by Jisha

Charity is a virtue which disposes us to love God above all creatures for Himself, and to love ourselves and our neighbors for the sake of God. The Spiritual Works of Mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual necessities.

To admonish the sinner.
To instruct the ignorant.
To counsel the doubtful.
To comfort the sorrowful.
To bear wrongs patiently.
To forgive all injuries.
To pray for the living and the dead.

– CCC 2447

In addition to the Spiritual Works of Mercy, learn about the Corporal Works of Mercy.