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Valuable Information for people interested in joining Christianity/Catholicism
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Interested In Becoming a Christian Catholic? Here Is Some Useful Information For You By:Constantine Adams 6/12/2019
The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of four main players. (1) The Pope, (2) the Bishops, (3) the Priests, and (4) the Catholic believers or congregation according to https://www.bible.ca/catholic-church-hierarchy-organization.htm The Pope is officially the main head of the Catholic denomination after Jesus Christ. The Bishops run 2,946 diocese districts and cathedrals, the Priests run 219, 583 parishes, and overall; the Catholic believers consist of 1 billion members worldwide. There are also a total of at least 30 branches of Roman Catholic denominations in the world today. The Pope is also known as “The Patriarch” amongst many other names. Patriarch translates to “the title of a most senior Orthodox or Catholic bishop.” The Pope is responsible of the upholding of 3 positions. The first, is to be the priest who preaches at the pulpit of St. John Lateran Basilica on a day to day basis just like any other parish priest. His second duty is to display his leadership as the Bishop of the Diocese of the city of Rome. And thirdly, to uphold his post as Pope, by being head of the Universal Church. St. John Lateran Basilica, “where the Pope serves as a parish priest, “ is a basic local Church where every day Catholic believers come to pray, worship, and hear the Gospel.(www.bible.ca) St. John Lateran Basilica serves as a mother Church that monitors the diocese factions. In simpler terms, the local parish of St, John Lateran is the main overseer of other local Catholic Churches that fall under the umbrella of it’s local geographical location. This is what a “diocese” is. The Pope who leads that particular parish is also coined with the title of “Ruler of the Bishops.” Now, the Cardinals on the other hand, possess no particular power in the Catholic Church. They can claim no authority over their fellow Bishops or Priests. The Pope chooses the Cardinals out of the 2,946 Bishops and officially appoints them to that post. The title of a Cardinal member can be described as a cabinet member in the Canadian or British Government. If the Pope serves as a “Prime Minister” of sorts, and withholds full authority, then the Cardinals serve as the hundreds of “Members of his Holy Parliament.” These “Members of Parliament,” deal with a Bishop and then control over a specified territory. From these Cardinals, the Pope then chooses about 15 out of the larger group to fill other personalized posts like “Defense Minister,” “Trade Minister,” and “Environment Minister.”(www.bible.ca) Just like in the British government, when the cabinet members have no power over the “back benchers” or non-cabinet members, the Cardinals hold no power over the Bishops. Therefore, Cardinals are just Bishops with additional specified powers to wield, but don’t rank over anyone outside their own diocese’s jurisdiction. Cardinals also serve as the Pope’s official advisory panel, and are given the responsibilities of electing new Pope when the old one passes away. Prayer To Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Behold O Mother of Perpetual Help, at thy feet a wretched sinner, who has recourse to thee and trusts in thee. O Mother of mercy, have pity on me; I hear all men call thee the refuge and my hope. Help me for the love of Jesus Christ: hold out thy hand to a fallen wretch, who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to be thy servant forever. I praise and thank God, who of His great mercy hath given me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation. Alas, it is only too true that in the past I have fallen miserably, because I did not come to thee. I know that with thy help I shall conquer; I know that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee; but I am fearful lest in the occasions of sin I shall forget to call upon thee and so I shall be lost. This grace, then, do I ask of thee; for this I implore thee, as much as I can and know to do; namely, that in the assaults of hell I may ever run to thy protection and may say to thee: Mary, help me; Mother of Perpetual Help, permit me not to lose my God. (Hail Mary) O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant me ever to be able to call upon thy powerful name, since thy name is the help of the living and the salvation of the dying. Ah, Mary most pure , Mary most sweet, grant that thy name from this day forth may be to me the very breath of life. Dear Lady, delay not to come to my assistance whenever I call upon thee; for in all the temptations that assail me, in all the necessities that befall me, I will never leave off calling upon thee, ever repeating; Mary, Mary, what comfort, what sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness fills my soul at the sound of thy name, at the very thought of thee! I give thanks to our Lord, who for my sake hath given thee a name so sweet, so lovable, so mighty. But I am not content merely to speak thy name; I would utter it for very love of thee; it is my desire that love should ever remind me to name thee, Mother of Perpetual Help. (Hail Mary) Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, thou art the dispenser of every grace that God grants us in our misery; it is for this cause that He hath made thee so powerful, so rich, so kind, that thou mightiest assist us in our miseries, Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners, if they but come unto thee; come once more to my assistance, for I comment myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation; to thee I entrust my soul. Enroll me among thy most faithful servants; take me under thy protection and it is enough for me: yes, for it thou protect me, I shall fear nothing; not my sins, for thou wilt obtain for their pardon and remission; not the evil spirits, for thou are mightier than all the powers of hell; not even Jesus, my Judge, for he is appeased by a single prayer form thee. I fear only that through my own negligence I may forget to recommend myself to thee and so I shall be lost. My dear Lady, obtain for me the forgiveness of m sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance and the grace to have recourse to thee at all times, O Mother of Perpetual Help. (Hail Mary) The prayer is important to Catholics because it is used to encourage the strengthening of marriages, to combat sickness, and to help the poverty stricken gain better employment. (https://www.god-answers-prayers.com) Saint Anthony Claret Catholic Church is located on 1450 East La Palma, in Anaheim, California 92805-1551. It is lead by Pastor Rudolph J. Preciado. It’s Parochial Vicars are Reverent Hieu T. Nguyen and Reverent Benjamin D. Hoang. It’s Deacons are Mr. August Mones, Jose Luis Reynoso, and Salvador Sanchez. Saint Anthony Claret Catholic Church is a very small, but elaborate Church. It possesses a particular artistic sort of architecture and is very detailed. The doors at the entrance of the Church have big Jesus Crosses cut into them. The floor plan of the Church is also shaped like a gigantic Crucifix. It has beautiful wooden pews, and has a Crucifix engraved at the ends of each one. On each of the side walls of the Church, there are what are called “The Stations of the Cross Statues” each depicting the different moments of Christ’s crucifixion. Right above these pieces of art work are beautifully crafted stain glass windows with pictures of Saints lining the walls of the Church all the way down the alter on each side. At the head of the alter, right over the Pastor’s pulpit, is a huge statue of a Crucifix. In my first visit, Jesus Christ was on the Cross; but after I went back the day before Easter, Jesus Christ was covered with a red veil. This is very important, because it symbolizes that Christ is within His tomb for the moment and is hidden from the world, until he rises again on Easter Sunday. To the left of this display, is another statue of The Virgin Mary and Joseph looking over a baby Jesus. Baby Jesus is depicted as a little boy, no older than the age of 3, and is clinging to His earthly father’s feet. To the far right of the Pastor’s pulpit, there is another piece of artwork. This time it is a mural of fire swirling with the Holy Spirit. At the very back of the Church, behind all of the parishioners and the pews, is a balcony overseeing them. Here is where there music equipment is displayed, apart from the two guitar players and the other organ player on the stage behind the Pastor. In the left-center of the Church there is what they call a quite area where believers can go inside and pray in peace, or where parents can take their small children to calm them down. The rooms are laced with sound proof glass. Another interesting fact was that the Pastor would let people from the congregation go up and read scriptures from the Holy Bible. In a sit down interview with Reverent Benjamin D. Hoang, he explained to me the various occupations, programs, and duties of the people within Saint Anthony Claret Church. He told me that every Church is different, and each one has it’s own customs. Their Church in particular possesses a Parish Manager, Official Church Secretary, Financial Council, Pastoral Council, Catechists{or those of which who teach Catechism}, an RCIA Program that is geared to teach classes to new comers of the Faith, and to teach them what it really means to be Catholic, a house keeper, security, maintenance crew, youth ministry, Religious Education Program, which is also geared towards children, marriage preparation, and confirmation. 4/19/14 Mass Service Titled; “A Holy Saturday-The Morning Prayer Anointing” The day’s Mass was primarily emphasizing Jesus Christ’s Divine Death and Resurrection. It was an English and Spanish speaking service, but the main point was the same. “Be intent on God, through whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of our sins.” Pastor Rudolph J. Preciado was wearing a pure white gown with a purple prayer shawl draped over his shoulders. He opened up that Saturday Mass with a “Greeting” then he had the congregation break out in the singing of “Celebrant Lord, Open My Eyes.” All of the congregation then commenced with the prayer “And my mouth will proclaim your praise …response.” Then Pastor Preciado led the congregation in the hymn “Celebrate: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Soon after, Pastor Preciado exclaimed that “As it was in the beginning, it is now, and will be forever.” He explained Jesus Christ’s place on the thrown in Heaven. The Pastor then delved into Psalm 64 for the morning’s first reading. The morning’s second reading consisted of Psalm 150, “The Canticle of Isaiah.” He derived his third reading from the “Canticle of Zechariah.” The readings were quickly followed up by an intercession of music and hymns. The songs and prayers of this Mass were much different than the one’s that were used during the Wednesday Mass that I had attended a few weeks ago. At the first Mass I attended, the congregation preformed the “Act of Consecration,” “Prayer In Temperal Wants,” “Mother Dear, O’Pray For Me,” “The Thanksgiving Prayer,” and “Our Mother of Perpetual Help”(prayer). As the Saturday Mass commenced, all of the congregation would reply “Lord have mercy on us,” several times as the Pastor prayed. Pastor Preciado then went into a lecture: “Christ our Savior, your sorrowing Mother stood by you at your death and burial. Christ the Good Shepherd in death you lay hidden from the world.” He then led the congregation in the “Our Father Prayer,” to which the congregation replied loudly “Amen!” Pastor Preciado then dismissed his congregation by exclaiming “Thanks be to God!”
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