Soul and Sacrament

I wrote this article on 12/21/2007. It was an essay that I submitted as a guest blogger to a now defunct blog. I just found it today in an old email. -  By Rose Contreras, 5/28/2018           Nothing publicly labels a Catholic as blatantly as does the practice of making the sign of the cross.  This simple action is the most powerful, public confession of faith that a Catholic can make.  When a Catholic makes the sign of the cross, other Catholics know "this person believes as I do."  No words are spoken, and yet a kinship is instantly acknowledged where there was none before.  It is not just a parenthesis to prayer, not a mere Catholic version of a secret handshake.  It is an entire belief system expressed in one sweeping gesture. First, the hand goes to the center of the forehead. In the name of...

I'm going a completely different way for this post. It is sad to me that the history of the Christian Church, in its entirety, is so often ignored. It seems most Christians believe that the Church ended with John's Revelation, and took up again either at the Reformation, or even in the 20th Century. If one takes this perspective, so much precious and important history is lost. This is Church History that is significant for all Chrisitans, Protestant and Catholic alike. Stuff did indeed happen after John's Revelation ended. A whole new world opened up, that of the First Century Church. It was an exciting time in the life of Christ's Church. It is one of my pet subjects, and I get excited when I read about the early church. I decided to share some of what I have learned, so here it is. The apostle John had disciples, and the most notable were Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna. Ignatius was installed as bishop by Peter and Paul. Peter and Paul had as a disciple Cl...