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Catholics/Are Catholics the so called Israelites?

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Dear Griff,


                   Hello, I am  a Roman Catholic and I put God in everything I do. I was curious though what do you think about the women of the bible that wore viels as of respect of God. Why dont the women of all culture today wear a veil? Or in Catholic religion in that sence. Are or Is the early christians that were Jews namely Israelites are they catholic persay? And is this right from My point of view on my religion? How do we know that it is the Catholic Church that Jesus Christ founded?1.We know because of the Promises of Perpetuality made by Truth Himself (John 14:6), Jesus Christ.We know that He founded One Church only, as He stated in Matthew 16:18. We know because He promised His Church would be defended from within and from without."And the gates of hell will NOT prevail against it." Matthew 16:18 We know because He promised to be with His Church until the end of the world, in Matthew 28:20.

We know because He promised He would not leave us orphans, in John 14:18.We know because He promised the Spirit of Truth would dwell with it forever, in John 14:16.We know because Saint Paul promised the Church will be with us forever." Ephesians 3:21
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2.We know because of Holy Scripture. The Catholic Church* is the only Church on earth which fits the pattern of the Church which Jesus Christ founded, and as Blueprinted for us in the Bible. There is not another Christian Church in the world that matches this plan as does the Catholic Church. Compare your Church with what Holy Scripture has said it should be.

* The Catholic Church herein, includes all of the rites which have seven Sacraments and a valid Priesthood.
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3.
We know because the Kingdom of GOD promised in Holy Scripture is the Catholic Church*.
Note: Saint Matthew most often used the term Kingdom of Heaven instead, as he directed his Gospel to the Jews, and they were forbidden to even say the name of GOD.
*Lumen Gentium I,3-5

Why did Jesus Christ become Incarnate in the first place? Was it to leave us with a book, or to establish a Church? Well, He just happened to tell us why:
"But He said to them, "To the other towns also I must PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD, FOR THIS IS WHY I HAVE BEEN SENT"."
Luke 4:43

"But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of GOD."
Luke 9:27
Jesus Christ founded His Church shortly after making this statement, and some to whom He spoke will live to see it.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 19:10
And how are we, who are the lost ones, to be saved?
It is through the Church which Jesus Christ founded here on earth.

"The Kingdom of GOD may be found where the Body of Christ shall be."
St. Alphonsus Liguori

"Where the Bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrneans 8, 107 A.D..

Where Jesus Christ can be found in the Holy Eucharist, there is the Kingdom of GOD.
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4.
We know because it is the Catholic Church which is the "Pillar and the Foundation of the Truth", not the Bible, as shown in 1Timothy 3:15. Not one non-Catholic church can make that claim, as not one of them even existed until almost 1500 years after 1Timothy was written.
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5.
We know because the Catholic Church is firmly Implanted in Solid Rock.

"Everyone therefore who hears these My Words and acts upon them, SHALL BE LIKENED TO A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON ROCK. AND THE RAINS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, BUT IT DID NOT FALL, BECAUSE IT WAS FOUNDED ON ROCK."
Matthew 7:24-25
For almost 2000 years the rains and the winds of enemy and heresy have certainly beat against the Church which Jesus Christ founded. However, His Church is firmly anchored in Rock and has endured the worst of these Storms.

"And I say to you, you are Peter, and UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH."
Matthew 16:18

Non-Catholics charge that Peter is not the "rock" because the Greek word used for "rock" in this verse means a little pebble. Right away, it is obvious from the very beginning, that there is a translation problem here. Scholars have determined that Matthew was not written in Greek, but in Aramaic, and was soon translated into Greek, so we have to go to the original written language to find the true meaning of this verse.
Peter was called "Cephas" or "Kepha(s)" in Aramaic, by Christ in Matthew 16:18, and it means a large massive stone or rock. Christ said this at Caesarea Philippi, the site of a large rock mass. See Matthew 16:13. The Aramaic word for a small stone or pebble is "evna". "Kepha", when translated to the Greek language means "Petra" (a large rock) or "Petros" (a small stone). However, unlike Aramaic words which have no gender, some Greek words do have gender, and "Petra" is feminine. Translators from the Aramaic to the Greek, changed the word to the masculine gender or "Petros" because they were unwilling to assign a name with feminine gender to a man.
In Matthew 16:18, it is correct to say that Jesus would have said, "You are 'Kepha', and upon this 'Kepha', I will build My Church." In Greek, it would translate to, "You are 'Petros', and upon this 'Petra', I will build My Church." It was the translation of the Aramaic word, "Kepha" (Cephas), into the Greek language that caused the confusion among some who look upon Peter as not being called "rock", but only a "pebble", and in so doing attempt to deny his Primacy.
Matthew 16:13, 18, John 1:42, 1Corinthians 1:12, 3:22, 9:5, 15:5, Galatians 2:8-9.

Some charge that Matthew 16:18 is based on the "confession" of Peter and not Peter, the person. First of all, the Context clearly shows that the verse is based upon the person of Peter, and not his confession of faith. In the previous verse 17, Jesus blessed the person. In verse 19, He blessed Peter, the person, a second time by giving him and him only the keys. Clearly, all three verses signify a great and special blessing was bestowed upon the person of Peter.
Secondly, the Catholic Church is built upon confessors, and not confessions.

"Where Peter is, there is the Church. And where the Church, no death is there, but life eternal."
Saint Ambrose, On Twelve Psalms, 40,30, 397 A.D.

"You are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the Chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole structure is fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord."
Ephesians 2:20-21

"And everyone who hears these My Words and does not act upon them, shall be likened to A FOOLISH MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON SAND. AND THE RAIN FELL, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, AND IT FELL, AND WAS UTTERLY RUINED."
Matthew 7:26-27
Other Christian churches have been buffeted and splintered into over 36,400* pieces because they were not founded by Jesus Christ and thus were not built upon Rock.

"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it."
Psalms 127:1
*World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001 edition, a Protestant publication.
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6.
We know because only the Catholic Church has the Fullness of Truth.

"I am the way, and THE TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me."
John 14:6
Since Jesus Christ is the truth, then the Church which He founded and guides has all truth.

There can be only one truth. If all Christian Churches taught all truth, then there would be only one Christian Church. However, this is not the case, as there are literally thousands of Christian Churches today, with each teaching something different from the others. How can this be possible that each one of these plenitude of Churches has all truth? By reasoning, it is obvious that only one of these churches can have the fullness of truth. The trick is to find which one it is.
How do we find truth? We test for it.

"For whoever keeps the whole law, but offends in one point, has become guilty in all".
James 2:10
So we find the churches who do not keep the whole law, and by process of elimination, we can determine which Church has the fullness of truth.
I will pose just one test question which will eliminate 99% of the thousands of Christian Churches:
"So then, brethren, stand firm, and HOLD THE TRADITIONS THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED, WHETHER BY WORD OR BY LETTER OF OURS."
2Thessalonians 2:15

Obviously, BY WORD OF OURS, means to hold the Apostolic traditions. Every non-Catholic church which denies holding of these traditions, is thereby denying parts of Holy Scripture.

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7.
We know because it is the only Church which has the Authority, Given to it by Jesus Christ Himself.
Christ did not leave the world devoid of His voice.

"He who hears you, hears Me; and he who rejects you, rejects Me; and he who rejects Me, rejects him who sent Me."
Luke 10:16
If you reject the Church which Jesus Christ founded, you reject Him, and in turn, the Father.

"But if your brother sin against you, go and show him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take with you one or two more so that on the word of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed. AND IF HE REFUSES TO HEAR THEM, APPEAL TO THE CHURCH, BUT IF HE REFUSES TO HEAR EVEN THE CHURCH, LET HIM BE TO YOU AS THE HEATHEN AND THE PUBLICAN."
Matthew 18:15-17
So, to whom did Jesus Christ give the final authority? Did He give it to a book? No, He gave it to the Church which He founded.

"But for the authority of the Church, I would not believe the Gospel."
Saint Augustine, Against the Letter of Mani 5:6

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8.
We know because the Catholic Church is a Living Body.
As we read the Acts of the Apostles we realize that from the moment the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles (Acts 2:1-4), He has remained in the Catholic Church (John 14:15-18), which is the Body of Christ, to make it a "Living Body".
"For He is not a GOD of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him."
Luke 20:38

If we have a "Living Head" in Jesus Christ, we also have a "Living Body" in the Church, a unity which the Holy Spirit makes possible by dwelling in it and by distributing His gifts so it can bear fruit.

Every member of the Catholic Church receives the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, with the Sacraments. At Mass the Catholic Church lives the death and Resurrection of Christ, and it is in the Holy Eucharist that we find the "Fountain of Life and Holiness". Read 1Corinthians 11:23-30.

"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To him who thirsts I will give of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely."
Revelation 21:6

The Catholic Church works to bring Jesus to humanity. Scripture scholar Fr. Francis Martin wrote: "The Church is a Bride, and she shows to the world that her Spouse is alive by living by His power and receiving life from Him. If we yield to what the Lord has poured out upon us, His Spirit, the world will know that the Church is truly the spouse of a living GOD."

How does the Catholic Church make sure that it is a Living Body?

First through the Sacraments. We receive with each Sacrament, in our different capacities, the Paraclete, the Giver of Life, the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit there is no life.


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9.
We know because The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ.
As such it is the visible hands and feet of the invisible GOD.
"If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were hearing, where would be the smelling? But as it is, GOD has set the members, each of them in the body as He willed. Now if they were all one member, where would the body be? But as it is, there are indeed many members, yet one body. AND THE EYE CANNOT SAY TO THE HAND, "I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP"; NOR AGAIN THE HEAD TO THE FEET, "I HAVE NO NEED OF YOU"."
1Corinthians 12:17-21

"Because Christ the Head holds such an eminent position, one must not think that he does not require the help of the Body. What Paul said of the human organism is to be applied likewise to the mystical Body: "The head cannot say to the feet: I have no need of you". It is manifestly clear that the faithful need the help of the Divine Redeemer, for He has said: "Without me you can do nothing," and according to the teaching of the Apostle every advance of this Mystical Body towards its perfection derives from Christ the Head (Eph 4:16). Yet this, also, must be held, marvelous though it may seem: Christ has need of His members. First, because the person of Jesus Christ is represented by the Supreme Pontiff, who in turn must call on others to share much of his solicitude lest he be overwhelmed by the burden of his pastoral office, and must be helped daily by the prayers of the Church. Moreover as our Savior does not rule the Church directly in a visible manner, He wills to be helped by the members of His Body in carrying out the work of redemption. This is not because He is indigent and weak, but rather because He has so willed it for the greater glory of His spotless Spouse. Dying on the Cross He left to His Church the immense treasury of the Redemption, towards which she contributed nothing. But when those graces come to be distributed, not only does He share this work of sanctification with His Church, but He wills that in some way it be due to her action. This is a deep mystery, and an inexhaustible subject of meditation, that the salvation of many depends on the prayers and voluntary penances which the members of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ offer for this intention and on the cooperation of pastors of souls and of the faithful, especially of fathers and mothers of families, a cooperation which they must offer to our Divine Savior as though they were His associates."
Mystici Corporis Christi (On the Mystical Body of Christ, paragraph 44)
Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Promulgated on 29 June, 1943
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10.
We know by its Visibility. One cannot govern an invisible Church, only a visible one.

"No man, when he has lit a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light."
Luke 11:33

Jesus Christ said, "A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden."
Matthew 5:14

"And in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many shall go, and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the GOD of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for the law shall come forth from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Isaiah 2:2-3

There are many verses in Holy Scripture which refer to "The Mountain of the Lord", and of going up the mountain to the House of GOD, Exodus 3:1, Numbers 14:40, Psalms 48:1-4, Isaiah 2:2-3,
Isaiah 11:9, 25:6-12, 30:29, 65:11,25, 66:20, Jeremiah 31:23, Ezekiel 11:23, 20:40, Daniel 9:16, 20,
Joel 2:1, 3:17, Micah 4:1-2, Haggai 1:8, Zechariah 8:3, Matthew 5:14

Jesus also had this to say, "And if he refuse to hear them, appeal to the Church, but if he refuses to hear even the Church, let him be to you as the heathen and the publican. Amen I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven."
Matthew 18:17-18

How then does such an appeal apply to an invisible Church, and likewise, how is binding and loosing on earth applied to an invisible Church?

"As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21
"He who hears you, hears Me." Luke 10:16
Clearly, GOD has established a visible Church in the service of the invisible GOD.

"From what We have thus far written and explained, Venerable Brethren, it is clear, we think, how grievously they err who arbitrarily claim that the Church is something hidden and invisible, as they also do who look upon her as a mere human institution possessing a certain disciplinary code and external ritual, but lacking power to communicate supernatural life. On the contrary, as Christ, Head and Exemplar of the Church is not complete, if only His visible human nature is considered…, or if only His divine, invisible nature…, but He is one through the union of both and one in both … so is it with His Mystical Body since the Word of God took unto Himself a human nature liable to sufferings, so that He might consecrate in His blood the visible Society founded by Him and lead man back to things invisible under a visible rule."
Mistici Corporus Christi (On the Mystical Body of Christ), paragraph 64.
Pope Pius XII
Encyclical promulgated June 29, 1943

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11.
We know because the Catholic Church is the only Christian Church which has always had a Visible Head on earth, a "Father Figure", just as GOD had patterned for His people from the very beginning, since the time of Adam and Eve. GOD always dealt with His people through one man.

"And Pharaoh (the King) said unto Joseph (a Father Figure), 'For as much as GOD has shown you all of this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are: You shall be over my house, and according to your word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than you'. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt'. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck..."
Genesis 41:39-42
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12.
We know because the Catholic Church is an Hierarchy* in its system of government, just as Jesus Christ had instituted. He is the Head, Ephesians 1:22, 5:23; we are the body, Colossians 1:24. The Head tells the body what to do. The body does not tell the head. Many other Christian churches are controlled by a vote of the body, as in a Democracy, which in turn informs the head of its decisions.
*Lumen Gentium III
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13.
We know because as a living body, The Catholic Church Cannot be Confused or Separated* from its Head Which is Jesus Christ.
*Dominus Iesus, Vatican letter released by Cardinal Ratzinger on September 5, 2000
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14.
We know because the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ Based. The Bible is Catholic Church Based.
The Bible is a Catholic book. The New Testament was written by Catholics. The Canons of both testaments were decided by Catholics, and the written Word of GOD was Faithfully Preserved down through the ages by Catholics.
All other Christian churches are Bible Based, with a Bible Taken from the Catholic Church.
Jesus Christ founded a Church (Matthew 16:18). He did not command anyone to write a Gospel.
The Word of GOD is a person, and not a book (John 1:1,14).
The Catholic Church is based on the Word of GOD alone and not on Scripture alone.
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15.
We know because it was the Catholic Church which, in the fourth century, exercised its authority by Deciding Which Books of the Bible ARE the Bible.

"The Church recognized its image in the inspired books of the Bible. That is how it determined the Canon of Scripture."
Fr. Ken Baker

This also shows that the Bible came from the Church, and that the Church did not come from the Bible. The Catholic Church is the Mother of the Bible, not the Daughter.
THE BIBLE IS A CATHOLIC BOOK.

For those who deny that the Bible is a Catholic Book, the founder of Protestantism,
Martin Luther, concurred that the Bible is indeed a Catholic Book.
He had this to say:
"We are compelled to concede to the Papists that they have the Word of GOD, that we received it from them, and that without them, we should have no knowledge of it at all."
Martin Luther, commentary on St. John.

Isn't it strange that other Christian Churches have to admit (since they use the same canon) that the Catholic Church made an infallible decision when it decided which books of the New Testament are inspired and which ones aren't, yet these same Churches reject the Canon of the Old Testament decided by the same Bishops in the same Councils?
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16.
We know because it was the Catholic Church alone, which faithfully Preserved Holy Scripture down through the centuries, due to the efforts of dedicated Monks in Monasteries, who gave years of their lives to transcribe hand written copies of it.






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17.
We know because the Catholic Church has always taught that The Word was Heard and Not Read by the masses for centuries before the invention of the printing press in 1450. There were so few written Bibles that they were kept in Churches and read to the people. Besides that, the great bulk of the masses were illiterate and could not even read the written word. Those who could read or afford a hand copied Bible were few. The cost was prohibitive, for each subsequent copy took up to twenty years of a monks life to duplicate.

The Word that is Heard, is called "Tradition".
"So then, brethren, stand firm, and HOLD THE TRADITIONS THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED, WHETHER BY WORD OR BY LETTER OF OURS."
2Thessalonians 2:15

Contrast this with what Sola Scriptura advocates will tell you. They have said that there were thousands of manuscripts (for millions of people), and that the great majority of the masses were literate, and could afford to pay for the wages of 20 years work of one person. The secular history books of these time periods do not agree with this premise at all. There is no written record of the false doctrine of Sola Scriptura to be found before the reformation.
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18.
We know by its Antiquity. The Catholic Church is the only Christian Church which can trace its origins back for almost 2000 years. All other Christian denominations can only go back a few hundred years at most for their origins. Here are the founders and dates of some of the mainline Churches.
They are in time line order:

* 30 A.D., The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ.
 Matthew 16:18, John 19:34, Acts 2:1-4, 1Timothy 3:15
* 1521, Martin Luther started Protestantism by forming the Lutherans, when he broke away from the One True Church that had already existed for almost 15 centuries.
* 1521, Thomas Munser, a Catholic priest, started Anabaptists in the same year that Luther broke  away. Protestantism started splitting within itself immediately. By 1600 there were 100 splits. By  1900  there were 1000, and today there are over 36,400. Where is the One Fold (John 10:16)?
* 1525, Mennonites started by Grebel, Mantz, and Blaurock in Switzerland.
* 1534, Henry VIII started the Church of England (Anglican).
* 1536, John Calvin, teaching predestination, formed the Calvinists.
* 1560, John Knox, who studied under Luther, started Presbyterians.
* 1582, Congregationalists started by Rob Brown, as a branch from Puritanism.
* 1609, John Smyth formed the Baptists in Holland.
* 1639, Roger Williams started the Baptists in America. They have since splintered severely.
* 1647, George Fox started the Quakers in England.
* 1739, John and Charles Wesley started the Methodists.
* 1770, Universalists were started by John Murray in New Jersey.
* 1774, Theophilus Lindley started Unitarians.
* 1789, Samuel Seabury started Episcopalians.
* 1793 to 1809, the Churches of Christ had four separate founders.
* 1803, Evangelicals were founded by Jacob Albright in Pennsylvania.
* 1830, Joseph Smith founded the Mormons in Palmyra New York.
* 1860, William Miller, a farmer, started the Adventists.
* 1863, Ellen Gould White started the Seventh-Day Adventists.
* 1865, William Booth started The Salvation Army.
* 1879, Mary Baker Eddy started Christian Scientists.
* 1879, Charles Russell started the Jehovah's Witnesses.
* 1875, New Age was started by Helena Blavatsky. *COL 2:8
* 1895, French Abbe, Alfred Loisy and English Jesuit, George Tyrrell started Modernism.
Modernism was condemned by Pope Saint Pius X in 1907.
* 1901, Pentecostalism was started in the United States.
* 1914, Felix Manalo started Iglesia ni Cristo.
* 1914, Assembly of GOD was started by a General Assembly in Arkansas.
* 1919, Church of the Nazarene was started by a Union at a General Assembly.
* 1930, Independent Churches of America (IFCA), a consortium of churches .
* 1934, Evangelical Reformed was started by Union at a General Assembly.
* 1952, L. Ron Hubbard started the Church of Scientology.
* 1965, Chuck Smith began Calvary Chapel.
* 1968, Disciples of Christ, separated from the Churches of Christ.
* 1974, Ken Gullickson started the Vineyard Christian Fellowship.
* Pentecostal Gospel, and other splinter Pentecostal groups, are some of the hundreds of new sects founded by mere men in the 20th century.

"Has Christ been divided up?" 1Corinthians 1:13
"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it." Psalms 127:1

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19.
We know by the indelible Four Marks which only the Catholic Church has.
CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) 813-822

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20.
We know by its Durability. It is the oldest, and longest lasting established organization on earth by far. Many secular encyclopedias will tell you this.

"No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that resists you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with Me, said the Lord."
Isaiah 54:17
"So now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of GOD, you will not be able to overthrow it.
ELSE PERHAPS YOU MAY FIND YOURSELVES FIGHTING EVEN AGAINST GOD."
Acts 5:38-39
I must ask you. In the almost 2000 year history of the Catholic Church, how many have tried and failed to overthrow it? What message, if any, did you get from Acts 5:38-39?
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21.
We know from the Writings of the Old Testament Prophets.

In 2Samuel, GOD prefigured the Church which the "Seed of David", Jesus Christ will found.
"And when your days shall be fulfilled and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish His kingdom. HE SHALL BUILD A HOUSE TO MY NAME, AND I WILL ESTABLISH THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM FOREVER."
2Samuel 7:12-13
This is a clear guarantee of the Holiness and perpetuality of the Church which Jesus Christ founded, the Catholic Church. All other Christian Churches came some 1500 years after His crucifixion.
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Isaiah, who so accurately predicted many things about Jesus Christ, including the details of His passion in Isaiah 53, also foretold, equally as accurate, details of the Church which Jesus Christ would set up.
"This is My covenant with them, said the Lord: My Spirit that is in you, and the words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed, said the Lord, FROM HENCEFORTH AND FOREVER."
Isaiah 59:21
This is a clearly stated guarantee of the perpetuality and orthodoxy of the Catholic Church.
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"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guard the city, the guard watches in vain."
Psalms 127:1
What does this verse mean to you if you cannot trace the origin of your Church all the way back to Jesus Christ?
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Jeremiah had this to say, one short example out of many.
"And I will gather together the remnant of My flock, out of all the lands into which I have cast them out; and I will make them return to their own fields, and they shall increase and be multiplied. AND I WILL SET UP PASTORS OVER THEM, AND THEY SHALL FEED THEM: THEY SHALL FEAR NO MORE, AND THEY SHALL NOT BE DISMAYED, AND NONE SHALL BE WANTING OF THEIR NUMBER, SAID THE LORD."
Jeremiah 3:15, 23:3-4
The Catholic Church feeds its flock the truth of GOD.
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Daniel had some things to say also.
"But in the days of those kingdoms the GOD of heaven will set up a kingdom THAT SHALL NEVER BE DESTROYED, and His kingdom SHALL NOT BE DELIVERED UP TO ANOTHER PEOPLE; AND IT SHALL BREAK IN PIECES, AND SHALL CONSUME ALL THESE KINGDOMS, AND ITSELF SHALL STAND FOREVER."
Daniel 2:44

"And He gave him power, and glory, AND A KINGDOM, and all peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve Him. His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, AND HIS KINGDOM SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED."
Daniel 7:14

These verses are a clearly stated guarantee of the impregnability and perpetuality of the Catholic Church. They are a clear warning against those who would attack her.
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Micah added to the prophecies.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountains, and high above the hills, and people shall flow to it. And many nations shall come in haste, and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the GOD of Jacob, AND HE WILL TEACH US HIS WAYS, AND WE WILL WALK IN HIS PATHS, FOR THE LAW SHALL GO FORTH OUT OF ZION, AND THE WORD OF THE LORD OUT OF JERUSALEM."
Micah 4:1-2
This is clearly stated by Micah, that the Church which GOD will establish, the Catholic Church, would be a world wide teaching Church, and it would be set upon a Mountain for All to See, and that it would have the Authority to teach the Word of GOD.
It was upon a mountain, Mount Sinai, in which Moses received GOD's teaching, written on stone tablets (Exodus 31:18). This is a clear Type of the Catholic Church and its teaching authority.
Jerusalem as seen here is the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ (Jer 7:34, Rev 19:7-8, 21:2), the Church.
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Haggai wrote this:
"And I will move all nations, and THE DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL HIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAID THE LORD OF HOSTS. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, said the Lord of Hosts. GREAT SHALL BE THE GLORY OF THIS LAST HOUSE MORE THAN OF THE FIRST, SAID THE LORD OF HOSTS; AND IN THIS PLACE I WILL GIVE PEACE, SAID THE LORD OF HOSTS"
Haggai 2:8-10
The "Desired of all Nations" could only mean Jesus Christ, and the Church He will build is the "Last House", the indefectible Catholic Church, greater in glory than what it replaced, the Church which will last until the end of the world (Matt 28:20).
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Zechariah wrote this:
"Thus said the Lord of Hosts: I am returned to Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and JERUSALEM SHALL BE CALLED THE CITY OF TRUTH, AND THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE SANCTIFIED MOUNTAIN."
Zechariah 8:3
Jerusalem here is of course the New Jerusalem as described earlier. It is the Catholic Church which is the "City of Truth", and the "Mountain of the Lord of Hosts".
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Malachi wrote this:
Malachi 1:11
He wrote a clear description of the Sacrifice performed in every Catholic Mass.
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22.
We know because the Thread of the Catholic Church is Woven throughout Holy Scripture from the first book of Genesis to the last book of Revelation. However, the thread does not end with Revelation, for it continues unbroken where GOD's Public Revelation ended, and on down through the ages for almost 2000 years of richly recorded history until this very day.
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23.
We know from Holy Scripture, as it is one continuous story from beginning to end. It is the story of GOD's Salvation History through a series of Covenants which He made with mankind. Each successive covenant encompassed a larger group of people until the last covenant, which included the whole world, the Universal Church, the Catholic Church.
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you shall be witnesses for Me in Jerusalem (local) and in Samaria (spreading out) and even to the very ends of the earth (worldwide)."
Acts 1:8
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24.
We know because it is only the Catholic Church Which has All of the Pieces to the Puzzle.
You might ask, "What Puzzle"?
All of Scripture and the story of GOD's Salvation History is likened to a giant jigsaw puzzle, an overall picture of GOD's plan for us. Non-Catholic churches have very large gaps in their puzzle with many pieces missing. Because of this they will never see the full picture.

Here are some examples of what I mean:

They are missing all of Church history, almost 1500 years, from the end of the Book of Revelation until the start of the reformation. The recorded history is certainly there, but they simply refuse to read it.

They are missing seven books and parts of at least two more, from Holy Scripture, simply because one man decided they should be removed.

They are missing many pieces of rich Apostolic Tradition, simply because when they separated themselves from the One True Church, they could not lay claim to it.

They are missing five of the seven Sacraments which were instituted in the New Testament and which were in use by the Catholic Church for almost 1500 years before the reformation.

They are missing all of the Saints and their wonderful works.

The Catholic Church has all of the pieces listed.
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25.
We know by its Indefectibility, as shown in Ephesians 5:25-27.
(25)"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for her, (26) that He might sanctify her, cleansing her in the bath of water by means of The Word; (27) IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT TO HIMSELF THE CHURCH IN ALL HER GLORY, NOT HAVING SPOT OR WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING, BUT THAT SHE MIGHT BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH."

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26.
We know because the Catholic Church is The Bride of Christ.
Did you notice in the previous category, that the Church (singular), is mentioned twice in these three verses, and that Saint Paul referred to the Church as her four times, and as she once?
It is therefore befitting that the Church carries the title of, "The Bride of Christ".

"He who loves his own wife, loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh; on the contrary he nourishes and cherishes it, AS CHRIST ALSO DOES THE CHURCH because we are members of His body, made from His flesh and from His bones. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. THIS IS A GREAT MYSTERY - I MEAN IN REFERENCE TO CHRIST AND TO THE CHURCH."
Ephesians 5:29-32

"And the Lord Himself says in the Gospel: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh". They are, in fact, two different persons, yet they are one in conjugal union,... as Head, He calls Himself the Bridegroom, as Body, He calls Himself 'bride'."
St Augustine of Hippo, C.C.C. 796.

"Even as He chose us before the foundation of the world, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH IN HIS SIGHT IN LOVE."
Ephesians 1:4. Compare this verse with Ephesians 5:27 as listed in the previous category.

"And the Bridegroom shall rejoice over the bride, and your GOD shall rejoice over you."
Isaiah 62:5

"Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will fast."
Matthew 9:15. See also Mark 2:19-20

"He who has the bride is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom, who stands and hears Him, rejoices exceedingly at the voice of the Bridegroom. This my joy, therefore is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease."
John 3:29-30

"For I betrothed you to one spouse, that I might present you a chaste virgin to Christ."
2Cor 11:2

Read the parable of the ten virgins and the Bridegroom in Matthew 25:1-13

Since the Catholic Church is the bride of Christ, can he be the spouse of other churches?
No, for just like us, He can have only one bride, for more than one would be the sin of polygamy.
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27.
We know because the Catholic Church holds periodic Church Councils to settle disputes and problems which arise from time to time.

"Where there is no governor, the people shall fall; but there is safety where there is much council."
Proverbs 11:14

The first Church Council was the Council of Jerusalem in 49 A.D., as described in Acts 15:1-29.
A doctrinal dispute had to be decided and there was a debate, and the Primacy of the first Pope, Peter, was voiced (Vs 7). After that the whole meeting quieted down (Vs 12). The Apostles had composed a letter (Vs 23) in which they had written their agreed upon decisions in conjunction with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Vs 28).
"The Apostles had spoken. The issue was settled."

Over the centuries, there have been many Church Councils from time to time. They are normally called in order to settle disputes, and the issues of the day, just as was the first one.
Now it is "Rome has spoken, the matter is settled."
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28.
We know by its Church Council Teachings to the whole world in which all Christians adhere to in many respects.
It was Catholic Church Councils which have defined many doctrines used today by both Catholics and Protestants alike.

"Where there is no governor, the people shall fall; but there is safety where there is much Council."
Proverbs 11:14
"Designs are strengthened by Councils, and wars are to be managed by governments."
Proverbs 20:18

The very first Church Council held, was the Council of Jerusalem 48-50 A.D. (Acts 15:1-35), in which Peter said,
"Brethren, you know that in early days GOD MADE CHOICE THAT THROUGH MY MOUTH THE GENTILES SHOULD HEAR THE WORD OF THE GOSPEL AND BELIEVE."
Acts 15:7

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Church Councils are presided over by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, in conjunction with the other Bishops and...
"For THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WE HAVE DECIDED TO LAY NO FURTHER BURDENS ON YOU..." Acts 15:28
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Here are just a few examples of doctrines which have emerged from Church Councils:
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You will not find the word "Trinity" in Holy Scripture. The doctrine of the "Holy Trinity" was defined in the Catholic Council of Nicea in 325.
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The "Nicene Creed", which is said in many Protestant churches as well as Catholic,
came from the Council of Nicea in 325, and was revised as to the wording it is today, in the Council of Constantinople I in 381.
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The Canons of both the Old and New Testaments were decided by the Catholic Councils of Rome in 382, Hippo in 393, and Carthage III in 397.
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The Catholic Councils of Ephesus in 431, and of Chalcedon in 451, defined the doctrine that Jesus Christ is one person with two natures, the Hypostatic Union.
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The Catholic Council of Lyons I in 1245 defined the doctrine that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.
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29.
We know because of Apostolic Succession.

"May his days be few. and may another take up his duties."
Psalms 109:8
"...And his ministry let another take."
Acts 1:20
"I laid the foundation and another builds thereon."
1Corinthians 3:10
"...you are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the chief corner stone. In Him the whole structure is closely fitted together and grows into a temple holy in the Lord..."
Ephesians 2:20-21

The succession of the Bishops of Rome, the Popes,
can be traced all the way back in an Unbroken Line to St. Peter.
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30.
We know because of the Truth in Teaching Succession all the way from Jesus Christ to the Bishops and Priests of the Catholic Church to this day.
Here is just one path I will show as an example.

From Jesus Christ to the Apostles.
"As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
John 20:21
"He who receives anyone I send, receives Me; and he who receives Me, receives Him who sent Me."
John 13:20
"He who hears you, hears Me; and he who rejects you, rejects Me; and he who rejects Me, rejects Him who sent Me."
Luke 10:16
"But when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will teach you all the truth."
John 16:13
"For the Holy Spirit and we have decided to lay no further burden upon you but this indispensable one..."
Acts 15:28

From the Apostles to St. Paul.
"Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking also Titus along with me. And I went up in consequence of a revelation, and I conferred with them on the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but separately with the men of authority; lest perhaps I should be running, or had run in vain."
Galatians 2:1-2
Here, Paul went to the Apostles to have them confirm that his teaching was in tune with theirs.

From St. Paul to Timothy and then to the Bishops.
"...and the things that you have learned from me through many witnesses, commend to trustworthy men who shall be competent in turn to teach others."
2Timothy 2:2
St. Paul, in effect said: I have taught you. Now you teach others who will in turn teach yet others the truth which I received from the Apostles, who in turn received it from Truth Himself, The Word, Jesus Christ. This succession of truth is shown by the unchanging truth in the teachings of the Catholic Church.
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31.
We know from the hundreds of years of Writings by Church Fathers and Ecclesiastical Writers, where they professed the Same Beliefs then, as the Catholic Church practices today. Here is a small sampling of the thousands of writings which are available to anyone.

*Saint Irenaeus (140-202), wrote a monumental work called "Against Heresies", which is used by scholars even today.

*Eusebius of Caesarea (263-339) wrote 10 volumes of the History of the Catholic Church.
He covered Church History from before the birth of Christ until about 330 A.D..

*Saint Augustine (354-430) was a very prolific writer. He wrote hundreds of letters, essays, and books. I recently read his "Confessions", and it was almost like he had written it this year as far as the Church goes. In his vast collection, he had mentioned the Catholic Church by name over 300 times.

All of the writings listed here are available in the Internet, free for the downloading by anyone.

"To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant"
John Cardinal Newman

He who does not know history is condemned to repeat it.
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32.
We know from the Writings of the Church Fathers and early Church writers, in which they said the Catholic Church is the True Church which Jesus Christ founded.

"You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God's commandment. Let no one do anything touching the Church, apart from the bishop. Let that celebration of the Eucharist be considered valid which is held under the bishop or anyone to whom he has committed it. Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, JUST AS WHERE JESUS CHRIST IS, THERE IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. It is not permitted without authorization from the bishop either to baptize or to hold an agape; but whatever he approves is also pleasing to God. Thus everything you do will be proof against danger and valid."
St Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrneans, 107 A.D.

"We say, therefore, that in substance, in concept, in origin and in eminence, the ancient and Catholic Church is alone,..."
St. Clement of Alexander, Miscellanies, 7:17:107:3, 202 A.D.

"He cannot have GOD for his Father who does not have the Church for his Mother."
St. Cyprian of Carthage, The Unity of the Catholic Church, 6, 251 A.D.

"It is, therefore, the Catholic Church alone which retains true worship. This is the fountain of truth; this is the domicile of faith; this is the temple of GOD."
Lactantius, The Divine Institutions, 4:30:1, 304 A.D.

"But what is also to the point, let us note that the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, was preached by the Apostles, and was preserved by the Fathers. On this was the Church founded; and if anyone departs from this, he neither is nor any longer ought to be called a Christian."
St. Athanasius, Four Letters to Serapion of Thmuis, 1:28, 359 A.D.

"Christian is my name, and Catholic my surname. The one designates me, while the other makes me specific. Thus am I attested and set apart. When we are called Catholics it is by this appellation that our people are kept apart from any heretical name."
St. Pacian of Barcelona, Letter to Sympronian, 1:4, 375 A.D.

"We must hold to the Christian religion and to communication in her Church which is Catholic, and which is called Catholic not only by her members but even by all her enemies."
St. Augustine of Hippo, The True Religion, 7:12, 390 A.D.

"Yet it is a fact that the Church is called Catholic because it truly embraces the whole of that truth, some particles of which may be found even in various heresies."
St. Augustine of Hippo, Letter of Augustine to Vincent the Rogatist, 93:7:23, 408 A.D.

There are hundreds more by scores of writers.
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33.
We know from the hundreds of years of authentic early Church Writings in which the Catholic Church is mentioned by Name, Hundreds of times.

I find it necessary to repeat what I have already said:
"He who does not know history is condemned to repeat it."
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34.
We know because Jesus Christ did not command anyone to write a Gospel.
However, He did command that His Church would be a Teaching Church.

"And GOD indeed has placed some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly TEACHERS..." 1Cor 12:28

"And He said to them, "Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.""
Mark 16:15

"And the things that thou hast heard from me through many witnesses, commend to trustworthy men who shall be competent in turn to teach others." 2Tim 2:2

Next to the public school system in size, is the Catholic Parochial school system. These Catholic schools can be found in most communities. These schools are unmatched by anyone in providing quality education at a much lower cost per student than public schools, and many Protestants and Jews prefer to send their children to them.

There are more than 30 Catholic Colleges and more than 40 Catholic Universities in the United States alone. There are many more scattered throughout the world. These figures do not include Catholic Seminaries which are numerous.

There is not another Christian church which even comes close to matching the teaching ability of the Catholic Church.
Many other Christian churches put their emphasis upon a book.
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35.
We know because of the Consistency of Teaching of the Catholic Church for almost 2000 years.
The teaching of the Catholic Church has not changed, simply because truth does not change. The Church has frequently been accused of changing its teaching on several subjects. However, these accusations are unfounded when the facts come to light.
One of the main false charges that detractors like to reiterate is that the Catholic Church changed its teaching regarding, "Outside the Catholic Church there is no Salvation." (Lumen Gentium II,16)
Contrast this Catholic consistency to the inconsistency of what other Christian churches have taught.
Here is but one example out of a great many:
In the early 1930's, the Lambeth Conference of Anglicans condoned Contraception on a limited basis. Soon after, most non-Catholic sects followed suit, with each going farther and farther from the teaching of Holy Scripture. Many now wholeheartedly endorse contraception.
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36.
We know because it is the Catholic Church which Develops Existing Doctrine . This is in stark contrast to the charges of detractors that it is constantly proclaiming "new" doctrine. The Church has always taught that Divine Public Revelation was sealed when the last Apostle died. This is a truth. However, understanding of that revealed public revelation is a continuing process until the end of time, as the finite mind of man struggles to discern the infinite mind of GOD. It is simply a matter of a fuller and better unfolding of what GOD has revealed to mankind.
The Church calls it the Deposit of Faith.
"The faith once delivered to the Saints".
Jude 3.
However, the total understanding of the infinite GOD by finite beings is not possible.

"But when He, the Spirit of Truth has come, HE WILL TEACH YOU ALL THE TRUTH..."
John 16:13

"GOD, who at sundry times and in diverse 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..."
Hebrews 1:1-2.

There will be no more Public Revelation. Christ was the fulfillment of the law of the Old Testament.
Matthew 5:17.

There is only one teacher, Jesus the Christ.
Matthew 23:10.

The Apostles saw in Christ, "The coming of the fullness of time".
Galatians 4:4.

"What you have learned from me, commend to trustworthy men who shall be competent in turn to teach others".
2Timothy 2:2.

"You are to continue in the things you have learned and that have been entrusted to you,...".
2Timothy 3:14.

"In giving us His Son, His only Word (for He possesses no other), He spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word, and He has no more to say... because what He spoke before to the prophets in parts, He has now spoken all at once by giving us the 'All Who is His Son'. Any person questioning GOD or desiring some vision or revelation would be guilty not only of foolish behavior but also of offending Him, by not fixing his eyes entirely upon Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty."
St. John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel, 2,22,3-5.

See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 65-67

It takes many centuries to unpack the treasures and mysteries of Divine Revelation.
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37.
We know from the Rock solid, Unwavering, Fidelity in the Teaching of the Catholic Church.
Earlier in the 20th century, just about all Christian Churches agreed on several points. They were united in being against Divorce, Contraception, Abortion, the Homosexual Act, Holy Unions, and more. One by one, many Protestant Churches are accepting some of these sinful practices despite the fact that these practices are all strictly against the will of GOD.
The Catholic Church has not, and will not, accept these things, as it, like GOD, is unchanging in its doctrine and will adhere to the will of GOD regardless what the secular world thinks.
The Catholic Church obeys the directives from the Head, whereas some other Christian churches bend to the will of the body.

"But JUST AS THE CHURCH IS SUBJECT TO CHRIST, so also let wives be to their husbands in all things."
Ephesians 5:24
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As previously stated, GOD has guaranteed Perpetual Orthodoxy for His Church.
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38.
We know from the Infallibility of the Catholic Church when it comes to discernment, and in defining of the meaning of Holy Scripture. The Catholic Church has One single, authoritative source for the interpretation of Holy Scripture. That source is the Pope, in conjunction with All the Bishops of the world (over 3500), with All of them having impeccable credentials, and All speaking with One single unified voice, and with All under the guidance of the Spirit of Truth.
"Rome Has Spoken, the Issue is Settled".
Saint Augustine

Have you heard that there is a Spirit of Truth and a Spirit of Error?
"WE ARE OF GOD. HE WHO KNOWS GOD LISTENS TO US. BY THIS WE KNOW THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND THE SPIRIT OF ERROR."
1John 4:6

Contrast that with the other Christian churches (over 36,400 denominations), all interpreting Scripture as they see fit. There are thousands of sects, all teaching a different interpretation of the same Bible. Millions of Protestants see themselves as their own "little pope". This is precisely the reason why there is no unity in Protestantism, and why they have split the Body of Christ into so many pieces. A Protestant church in my area recently split in two because of a dispute over Scriptural interpretation. The Baptists have split yet again recently (they have scores of splinters as it is) over a dispute about the ordination of women. Methodists have split again over another doctrinal dispute regarding what they call "Holy (unholy) Unions".  

Answer
As to your question about veils, yes, women should have their heads covered in Church (and it's not a bad idea elsewhere) as St. Paul wrote in the Bible.  And when you can enter a church and not see any veils (or only one or two out of a congregation of hundreds, roughly commensurate with the number of hats the men may also happened to be wearing in church), and more importantly, where this is not commented on or criticized but merely taken as a norm and as business as usual (attitude there:  "What's the big deal?"), that is not a Catholic church, no matter what it says on the door.
And as to Israelites, the Church is that "Jerusalem which is from above," spiritual Israel, the true fulfilment of all prophecies.  This is not to say that we are Jews, bound to the Mosaic Law and Covenant, but Christians redeemed in the Law unto a new Law and a new Covenant.
As for all the rest, obviously you did not write that yourself (or if you did then I should be asking you the questions instead of the other way around) but got that from somewhere.  It did make interesting reading, though nearly all of it I already knew.
I do earnestly hope and pray that you take the time to read my book, "The Resurrection of the Roman Catholic Church," in which I document and prove just exactly who the true and lawful custodians of that grand legacy are today, who alone possesses the "Fullness of Truth," and who taken together comprise that one Church "alone which retains true worship."

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Griff Ruby

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I focus on the "why" and "how" questions of the Faith and one`s need for the Church to overcome sin, live the life God wishes us, and to become what God wants us to be. I seek to provide insight and information such that you are then able to see for yourself the answer to your questions.

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Years of extensive research, thought, and prayerful meditation on many of the issues that trouble Catholics today, taught catechetical classes to teenagers and adults, answered many questions already.

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