When Jesus told crowds following Him to eat His flesh and drink His blood, He lost a significant portion of His followers. In this blog, Bishop Robert Barron uncovers the meaning behind the Bread of Life discourse in John 6, analysing His words and their significance for Jews at the time. Ultimately, Bishop Barron reveals how Jesus' words offer unequivocal evidence that He wished to be taken literally, for His followers to literally consume His flesh and His blood. This passage is crucial for the Catholic Church's understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
When you read scandalous or controversial headlines about the Catholic Church, it can be discouraging. However, there is no need to abandon the news. In this extract from "Reading the News Without Losing Your Faith", veteran journalist Christopher R. Altieri explains how to separate the "fake news" from the truth.
In the Gospel of St Matthew, Jesus said to St Peter: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). Catholics believe that the Catholic bishops today are the successors of the Apostles, and that the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the successor of St Peter and that there is an unbroken continuity through history with the community that Jesus gathered around him two thousand years ago.
In the 17th-century, Jesus appeared to a French nun and conveyed the love of His Sacred Heart for humanity. He wished for His Sacred Heart to be venerated and made nine promises to all who did. Here are those promises.
Carlo strove to participate in Mass every day. With smiling confidence, he declared, “You go straight to heaven if you participate in the Mass every day.” The reason was simple. The foundation for holiness is a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. “The more we receive the Eucharist, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.”
