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Pastor's Page: January 2, 2012
The Catholic Perspective on Sacred Scriptures and the Church
1 ‐ Jesus Christ is the unique mediator between God and human beings. We cannot earn salvation. We cannot gain eternal life simply by good works. In fact, it is God's grace that causes us to do good works.
2 ‐ We believe that as Catholics we must pray for one another, and this includes not only believers on
earth, but those who have gone before us as saints in the presence of God in heaven. This prayer that we
offer for one another is not necessary for salvation, since only Christ is the mediator and the necessary
One.
3 ‐ All Catholics are called to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. This personal decision
for Christ is a Christian requirement. Baptism and personal commitment must accompany each other.
4 ‐ Jesus Christ is the one high priest of the new covenant. The offering of the Catholic Mass does not
replace the sacrifice of the cross or add to it. Rather celebrating the liturgy of the Last Supper, the Mass,
allows us to participate regularly in the Body and Blood of Christ, remembering him, and proclaiming his
death until He comes again.
5 ‐ We believe that Jesus Christ saves Christians in and through his body, the church, the people of God.
Christ gave himself for the church. The church is not a perfect society. The church does not save people. It
is Christ working in the acraments who gives us the grace to touch lives and bring healing, forgiveness,
justice, love and peace.
6 ‐ Jesus Christ is the head of the church and no human being can take his place. The visible
representative of Christ for the Catholic Church throughout the world, the Pope has no authority apart
from Christ. He is simply an overseer and a Shepherd; and Christ offers guidance through him to the global
church, keeping the church in the truth of the gospel message.
7 ‐ The interpretation of Scripture for Catholics does not deal primarily with what the biblical text
meant at the time it was written, but what it means for us as believing Christians in the community of
believers today.
8 ‐ The Holy Spirit that has been given to the church, and inspired the Scriptures when they were
written, does not allow the community of believers to be misled about faith and moral behavior. When
individuals read the Bible they may come to very different conclusions, and this has happened throughout
Christian history. Misinterpretation has lead to denial of the divinity of Christ, the resurrection, creation
and the 10 Commandments. Schism, or division within Christianity has occurred periodically through the
centuries because of this.
9 ‐ In Roman Catholic teaching, the Bible proclaims without error that truth which God intended for
the sake of our salvation. The Bible is not a science book, and is not meant to answer problems in our
modern world that the biblical authors never envisioned.
Peace and love,
Father Bruce
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