By Kathy Schley
Here are my responses to some of the ridiculous claims called "Catholic inventions" regarding Catholic doctrine that was discussed on a message board several years ago. I had saved my responses to claims with the plans to put them up on my website. Finally after several years it's up here. My responses are in blue.
Praying for the dead dates earlier than 300 A.D. The practice is found in the Old Testament, 100 B.C, Maccabbees 2, 12:46. If the Book (a Dueterocanonical Book) included in the Catholic Bible is rejected as the inspired Word of God, then it is still regarded as a history book, and history cannot be denied. It proves praying for the dead was a custom before Christ, and never forbidden by Christ. The Christian practice is found in early Church historical writings such as St. Tertullian in 211 A.D, a century before the supposedly invention. In fact, there are inscriptions in the Roman Catacombs dating back as early as the first century.
Making the sign of the Cross is a Christian practice seen as early as Tertullian. Tertullian states, “We trace upon the forehead the sign.” (The Chaplet, chapter 3, 211 A.D.) Tertullian’s readers must have been familiar with his statement and leaving us the assumption that this outward sign representing our seal in Jesus’ Cross and in the Trinity possibly may have existed in the Church before Tertullian made the statement. But regardless of the exact date this practice of making an outward sign to represent our seal in Jesus’ Cross and in the Trinity entered the Church, is the outward sign an error or a sin?
The light of the lit candle symbolizes Jesus who is “The Light of the World.” The flame (or fire) symbolizes God. The wick symbolizes God (the fire) in the Person Jesus in His Human Nature. And the wax symbolizes Jesus’ spotless Body because wax is spotless. The wax candle is a beautiful and truthful symbolism of Jesus Christ (and 2nd Person in the Godhead). Who cares when THE SYMBOL entered the Church? It’s a symbol of true doctrine.
“The centurion then, seeing the strife excited by the Jews, placed the body in the midst of the fire, and consumed it. Accordingly, we afterwards took up his bones, as being more precious than the most exquisite jewels, and more purified than gold, and deposited them in a fitting place, whither, being gathered together, as opportunity is allowed us, with joy and rejoicing, the Lord shall grant us to celebrate the anniversary of his martyrdom, both in memory of those who have already finished their course, and for the exercising and preparation of those yet to walk in their steps.”
(St. Polycarp, CHAPTER XVIII -- THE BODY OF POLYCARP IS BURNED, 156 A.D..)
It looks like the veneration of dead saints existed earlier than the 4th century.
Breaking bread has been a celebration EVERY DAY since the beginning of the Church as seen in Scripture. “And DAY BY DAY, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.” (Acts 2:46-47).
The term “Mother of God” has been recorded and applied to Mary as early as 250 A.D. “We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all the dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.” (Sub Tuum Praesidium (translation, Under Your Protection), prayer, found in the third century, 250 A.D, in the Coptic Christmas liturgy on an Egyptian Papyrus.) In fact, it was St. Elizabeth who used the term first when she exclaimed at Mary’s visit, “Why is this granted me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1:44).
Who cares about clergy garment? This is not doctrine.
The Sacrament, “Anointing of the Sick,” dates back earlier than the sixth century. We see its first recording in Scripture in the Letter of James. James says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of the faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James, 5:14-15). And the apostles' successors passed down this sacrament.
"In addition to these there is also a seventh, albeit hard and laborious...In this way there is fufilled that too, which the Apostle James says : 'If then, there is anyone sick, let him call the presbyters of the Church, and let them impose hands upon him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.' "
(Origen, Homily on Leviticus, 2:4 (244 A.D.), in JUR, I:207)
Let’s see…praying for the dead was supposedly invented approximately three centuries before the doctrine of Purgatory. Why pray for the dead if there was no such thing as Purgatory during that time???
The technical term “Purgatory” means final purification. While the technical term is not found in Scripture, the doctrine, final purification, is rooted in Scripture. The early Church fathers also taught souls would undergo a state of final purification before entering the final state of glorification (known as Heaven).
“Now to know is more than to believe, as to be dignified with the highest honour after being saved is a greater thing than being saved. Accordingly the believer, through great discipline, divesting himself of the passions, passes to the mansion which is better than the former one, viz., to the greatest torment, taking with him the characteristic of repentance from the sins he has committed after baptism. He is tortured then still more -- not yet or not quite attaining what he sees others to have acquired. Besides, he is also ashamed of his transgressions. The greatest torments, indeed, are assigned to the believer. For God's righteousness is good, and His goodness is righteous. And though the punishments cease in the course of the completion of the expiation and purification of each one, yet those have very great and permanent grief who are found worthy of the other fold, on account of not being along with those that have been glorified through righteousness.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 6:14, 150-215 A.D.).
“If a man departs this life with lighter faults, he is condemned to fire which burns away the lighter materials, and prepares the soul for the kingdom of God, where nothing defiled may enter. For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones (I Cor., 3); but also wood and hay and stubble, what do you expect when the soul shall be separated from the body? Would you enter into heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God; or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones? Neither is this just. It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials; for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature, but what the creature has himself built, wood, and hay and stubble. It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our transgressions and then returns to us the reward of our great works.” (Origen, Patres Groeci. XIII, col. 445, 448, 185-232 A.D.).
“To this effect does he tamper with the whole of that allegory of the Lord which is extremely clear and simple in its meaning, and ought to be from the first understood in its plain and natural sense. Thus our "adversary" (therein mentioned) is the heathen man, who is walking with us along the same road of life which is common to him and ourselves. Now "we must needs go out of the world," if it be not allowed us to have conversation with them. He bids us, therefore, show a kindly disposition to such a man. "Love your enemies," says He, "pray for them that curse you," lest such a man in any transaction of business be irritated by any unjust conduct of yours, and "deliver thee to the judge" of his own (nation ), and you be thrown into prison, and be detained in its close and narrow cell until you have liquidated all your debt against him. Then, again, should you be disposed to apply the term "adversary" to the devil, you are advised by the (Lord's) injunction, while you are in the way with him," to make even with him such a compact as may be deemed compatible with the requirements of your true faith. Now the compact you have made respecting him is to renounce him, and his pomp, and his angels. Such is your agreement in this matter. Now the friendly understanding you will have to carry out must arise from your observance of the compact: you must never think of getting back any of the things which you have abjured, and have restored to him, lest he should summon you as a fraudulent man, and a transgressor of your agreement, before God the Judge (for in this light do we read of him, in another passage, as "the accuser of the brethren," or saints, where reference is made to the actual practice of legal prosecution); and lest this Judge deliver you over to the angel who is to execute the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until the smallest even of your delinquencies be paid off in the period before the resurrection. What can be a more fitting sense than this? What a truer interpretation?” (Tertullian The Soul 35, 210 A.D.).
“The faithful widow prays for the soul of her husband, and begs for him in the interim repose, and participation in the first resurrection, and offers prayers on the anniversary of his death.” (Tertullian, Monogamy 10, 213 A.D.).
The Latin language in the liturgy existed before Gregory I, 600, dating back to the second century. In the Western Church, Latin became the popular spoken language as the faith spread. Some of our early Church fathers such as Tertullian wrote writings in Latin. And Jerome made the new Latin translation of the Bible, The Vulgate, that Pope Damsus wanted him to do due to the Latin language popularity in the Western Church. And what is the big deal on the chosen language used in worship? Certainly the Catholic Church offers a translation for those who do not understand. I’ve seen the English translation to the Latin language in missals.
Again, there is contradiction in this invention list. Why pray for the dead if during that time (according to the date mentioned in this invention list) the Catholic Church didn’t ask Mary and the saints for their intercession until three centuries later??? Praying directly to the angels dates back to before Christ (B.C.). In Psalms 103:20-21 we see a prayer directed to angels: "Bless the Lord, O YOU HIS ANGELS, YOU MIGHTY ONES WHO DO HIS WORD...." Since God wants us to pray the Psalms, we cannot help but also pray directly to the angels in this Psalm. Prayers directed to Mary date back earlier than 600 A.D.. “We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all the dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.” (Sub Tuum Praesidium (translation, Under Your Protection), prayer, found in the third century, 250 A.D, in the Coptic Christmas liturgy on an Egyptian Papyrus.)
The title pope (Latin, papa) means Head of all Bishops. Another Latin term is “Pontifex Maximus” (translation, Supreme Pontiff). Another Latin term is Vicarius Christi (translation, Vicar of Christ). Early Church writings prove there was an earlier existing papal primacy before Bonifice III dating back to St. Peter (Head of the Apostles).
This practice is a gesture of respect. It is not a form of worship that belongs to God alone.
Gaining possession of one spot of territory in Italy does not make the Church having possession of the entire world and moving away from the Gospel as a spiritual Church who is not part of this world, but a part of God’s World.
Are there any official Catholic teachings and/or documentation that crosses, images and relics are to be worshipped? There is NONE. The Catholic Church does not worship anything or anyone EXCEPT God (The Blessed Trinity) alone.
Holy Water dates back to the Old Testament. (Numbers 5:17; 8:7; 19; Exodus 30:18-20; Lev 11:28,32,40). It is a Jewish Rite for purification.
Again, are there any official Catholic teachings and/or documentation that the Catholic Church worships anyone other than God alone? And it was in 1870 Joseph was proclaimed a saint and given a feast day on December 8.
Objects are not baptized like people in the Sacramental sense for Heaven’s sake (pardon the pun). The bells are blessed.
The veneration of saints was a common practice of the early Church, but it was later the Pope and bishops made the declaration to who is a saint.
The Mass has always been a sacrifice, as predicted by Malachi (1:10-11). And the DIDACHE (the teachings of the 12 apostles) also tells us the Mass is a sacrifice, and also quotes Malachi’s prediction.
“Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day. But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one who is at odds with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: "In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations."” (THE DIDACHE, Chapter 14, first century)
Celibacy is a practice of apostolic origin. St. Paul lived a celibate life for Jesus Christ and His Gospel. St. Paul said, “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do.” (1Cor. 7:8) Jesus said some will make themselves Eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of God. (Mt. 19:12). The Spanish Council of Elvira orders that all bishops, priests and deacons live in celibacy for their ministry, or they will be dropped from the clergy.
“We decree that all bishops, priests and deacons in the service of the ministry are entirely forbidden to have conjugal relations with their wives and to beget children; should anyone do so, let him be excluded from the honour of the clergy.”
(The Spanish Council of Elvira, canon 33, third century)
“Aurelius the bishop said: When at the past council the matter on continency and chastity was considered, those three grades, which by a sort of bond are joined to chastity by their consecration, to wit bishops, presbyters, and deacons, so it seemed that it was becoming that the sacred rulers and priests of God as well as the Levites, or those who served at the divine sacraments, should be continent altogether, by which they would be able with singleness of heart to ask what they sought from the Lord: so that what the apostles taught and antiquity kept, that we might also keep.” (Council of Carthage, Canon 3. Of Continence, 419 A.D.)
Celibacy in the priesthood has been a practice of apostolic origin, but later in the Church’s history the practice that had slacked was affirmed as a discipline with a strict Church law. No Catholic man is forced to join the priesthood and live a celibate life.
The rosary is a form of MEDITATION on the Gospels. In the ninth century monks used pebbles as a prayer count. Then the form of meditation moved up to a rope with knots, and then to beads on a string. Meditation and reciting prayers is Biblical. Who cares if beads are used for meditation? I have heard of a lady praying the rosary prayers on her baby’s fingers as she was nursing her baby.
There was more than one Inquisition. And despite the evil that took place against heretics during the Inquisition, it does not prove the entire Church was evil and guilty from living the Gospel. A good example is the early Church in Jesus’ Day. He built His Church on 12 apostles, and 1 out of 12 was evil and betrayed Jesus. That alone proves corruption has existed in Jesus’ Church since the day He was here and established it. Unfortunately during the Inquisition evil had taken place, but the gates of hell did not prevail as Jesus promised (Matthew 16:18).
The Church herself has never imposed a sale of indulgences, however indulgences have been abused by some in the Church and sold.
Transubstantiation is only a TECHNICAL TERM to describe the change that takes place in the Sacrament. And the "term" was adopted in 1215 by the Fourth Lateran Council to describe this doctrine in their decree. The doctrine of the change that takes place in the Sacrament existed since the Last Supper when Christ himself, after He blessed the bread and wine, said “This IS my body…this IS my blood.” (Matthew 26:26) St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians passed down Jesus’ own Words and doctrine. And the successors of Jesus’ apostles, the early Church fathers, passed down Jesus’ doctrine in which the change that takes place in the Sacrament is described. For example:
“Then having sanctified ourselves by these spiritual Hymns, we beseech the merciful God to send forth His Holy Spirit upon the gifts lying before Him; that He may make the Bread the Body of Christ, and the Wine the Blood of Christ; for whatsoever the Holy Ghost has touched, is surely sanctified and changed.”
(CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, Lecture 23:7, 315-386A.D.)
We see a loud open confession to John the Baptist before baptism (Mt. 3:6; Mk. 1:5). There’s also early recorded history of loud open confessions to priests.
“Moreover, that this Marcus compounds philters and love-potions, in order to insult the persons of some of these women, if not of all, those of them who have returned to the Church of God -- a thing which frequently occurs -- have acknowledged, confessing, too, that they have been defiled by him, and that they were filled with a burning passion towards him. A sad example of this occurred in the case of a certain Asiatic, one of our deacons, who had received him (Marcus) into his house. His wife, a woman of remarkable beauty, fell a victim both in mind and body to this magician, and, for a long time, travelled about with him. At last, when, with no small difficulty, the brethren had converted her, she spent her whole time in the exercise of public confession, weeping over and lamenting the defilement which she had received from this magician.”
(IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Adversus haereses, Book I, Chapter 13:5, 178 A.D.)
“For although in smaller sins sinners may do penance for a set time, and according to the rules of discipline come to public confession, and by imposition of the hand of the bishop and clergy receive the right of communion: now with their time still unfulfilled, while persecution is still raging, while the peace of the Church itself is not vet restored, they are admitted to communion, and their name is presented; and while the penitence is not yet performed, confession is not yet made, the hands Of the bishop and clergy are not yet laid upon them, the eucharist is given to them; although it is written, "Whosoever shall eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."”
(CYPRIAN, Letter 9:2, 200-258A.D.)
Also the Sacrament of Reconciliation are sins confessed to God through a priest, and God doing the actual forgiving. The same is said to a non-Catholic Christian’s baptism sacrament (or outward sign). Would the participant baptize themselves in their bathtub and proclaim their baptism in Christ valid? Or would they need to go through their pastor to be baptized for a valid baptism in God? Certainly they would know it is God who made the actual declaration. It’s the same with the Catholic sacrament of Reconciliation. The sins are actually confessed to God through a priest, and God doing the actual forgiving through the priest.
It is JESUS CHRIST Who is present in the Sacrament that is adored (not a wafer). Again there is contradiction in this invention list. What does “Transubstantiation” mean?
The Index of Forbidden Books was first published in 1559, and there was no Council of Valencia in 1229, so the claim cannot be correct. The Bible in the vernacular languages was forbidden to laymen by the Council of Toulouse, France, 1229, because of the Albigensians’ heresy and the Bible’s vernacular language being twisted to support heresy doctrine. This prohibition was for southern France only because the Albigensians’ heresy had flourished in southern France during the 13th and 14th century. It was also 1229 the Inquisition of heretics was established (following an Albigensian crusade) to wipe out the Albigensians’ lingering heresy.