For the last seven years of her life, Catherine ate nothing besides the Eucharist–Yes, you read that correctly! Astoundingly, by a special miracle she was literally nourished by Christ alone and was able to carry out her many works of service and counsel with surprising energy. Many people had their doubts about whether this was true, but here is why the accounts are strongly convincing:
Category: Church History
A Witness to Oral Tradition in the Early Church: St. Irenaeus
St. Irenaeus, a bishop from the second century who had a close association with the apostles, writes explicitly about the need to rely on the Church’s oral tradition in order to interpret Sacred Scripture and combat heresy. Here, and in the circumstances of the time, we can see that the early Christians did not believe in relying on the Bible alone, but respected and needed the authority of the Catholic Church, just as we need it today.
Why Science Can’t Explain the Miracle of the Sun
What happened on October 13th, 1917, that awed 70,000 witnesses? What shows that this was a phenomenon beyond the explanation of science? Truly, the events surrounding this “Miracle of the Sun” attest that this was indeed a miraculous event brought about through the intercession of Our Lady.
The Real Presence of the Eucharist in the Early Church
The writings of the first three centuries of the Church confirm that we have believed in the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ since apostolic times.
A Witness to the Eucharist in the Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch
Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch, perhaps one of the most prominent Christian figures during the early Church. He was a disciple of the Apostle John, and was appointed Bishop of Antioch by the Apostle Peter himself.[1] This close association with the apostles, along with the fact that he was willing…
Thomas Aquinas on the Eucharist: Foreshadowed in the Old Testament, Established in the New
St. Thomas Aquinas is known for his “superhuman insight into the profoundest truths of our holy faith,” though “he himself tells us that he owed more to prayer, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and to loving contemplation of the Crucified Savior than to all his studies.”[1] He is renowned as perhaps the greatest theologian of…
Did the Early Christians Have a Church Hierarchy?
As I’ve started graduate Theology classes, it’s been amazing to see how Church History is relevant to today, how the Catholic Church has stayed fundamentally the same since the time of the Early Church. I understand that many issues I mention will be controversial for non-Catholics, and while I respect and often admire other Christians,…
Beloved Dreamer 