Summa Contra Gentiles Book I: God's Nature Can't Be Defined by Adding Any Significant Change

From Contemplating History

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 7 March 1274), was a Doctor of the Church, Philosopher, Theologian, Jurist, Dominican Friar, and Priest. Known as Doctor Angelicus "Angelic Doctor," and the Doctor Communis "Universal Doctor" his writings serve as a defense and proof of the validity of Christ's authority over all. The Summa contra Gentiles (also known as Liber de veritate catholicae fidei contra errores infidelium, "Book on the truth of the Catholic faith against the errors of the unbelievers"). The Summa contra Gentiles consists of four books. The structure of Saint Thomas's work is designed to proceed from general philosophical arguments for monotheism, to which Muslims and Jews are likely to consent even within their own respective religious traditions, before progressing to the discussion of specifically Christian doctrine. Book I begins with general questions of truth and natural reason, and from chapter 10 investigates the concept of a monotheistic God. Chapters 10 to 13 are concerned with the existence of God, followed by a detailed investigation of God's properties (chapters 14 to 102). When demonstrating a Truth about God which can be known through reason, St. Thomas gives multiple arguments, each proving the same Truth in a different way. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a student of religion, or simply curious about the impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the world, this playlist is designed to provide an informative and engaging journey through its captivating past. Subscribe to the Contemplating History channel for more educational content and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history.

Artificial Intelligence & The Catholic Church

Fr Mark Baron, MIC, sits down with Dr Eugene Gan, Professor of Communication Arts at Franciscan University of Steubenville, to discuss the impact of Artificial Intelligence on our world today, what it means to be human, and much more!

The Holy Rosary

Saturday, the Glorious Mysteries, in Latin with Cardinal Burke.

The British Empire (1700s-1945)

From The Romanian Monarchist

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and colonisation attempts by Scotland during the 17th century. At its height in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it became the largest empire in history and, for a century, was the foremost global power. By 1913, the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23 percent of the world population at the time, and by 1920, it covered 35.5 million km2 (13.7 million sq mi), 24 per cent of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was described as "the empire on which the sun never sets", as the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories. Which is still true, though the Empire is much diminished.

Creation Isn't What You Think It Is!

With Fr Dominic Legge, OP, JD, STD, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the Thomistic Institute.

Why Is St Isidore of Seville Patron Saint of the Internet?

St Isidore, "the last scholar of the ancient world", was the Wikipedia of his day. His Etymologies, were a compendium of all known knowledge in the 7th century.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

St Isidore may seem like a strange choice, having lived in the 7th century, but his academic works make him a perfect fit for the Internet.

It may seem strange that a 7th-century saint was chosen as the patron saint of the Internet, but after a careful examination of his life, St. Isidore of Seville turns out to be the perfect choice.

Isidore (not to be confused with St. Isidore the Farmer), was the Archbishop of Seville during the 7th century. He was a great scholar whose encyclopedic knowledge was far reaching.

Encyclopedia

Before his death, Isidore wrote a collection of books called Etymologiae, which, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, was "a vast storehouse in which is gathered, systematized, and condensed, all the learning possessed by his time. Throughout the greater part of the Middle Ages it was the textbook most in use in educational institutions."

Interestingly enough, Isidore did not contain himself to only theological topics, but successfully collected information on all subjects, both secular and religious. Pope Benedict XVI explained in a General Audience, "The wealth of cultural knowledge that Isidore had assimilated enabled him to constantly compare the Christian newness with the Greco-Roman cultural heritage, however, rather than the precious gift of synthesis it would seem that he possessed the gift of collatio, that is, of collecting."

For this reason, Isidore has been regarded as the patron saint of the Internet. He was, in a certain sense, a human "Wikipedia," possessing a vast storehouse of information on every topic available at that time.

St. Isidore is a great intercessor for all those logging on to the internet, a saint who can help us find what we need as well as protect us from the darker side of the World Wide Web.

As a note, his patronage of the Internet is often linked to Pope John Paul II, with various online authors claiming that he named him the patron saint of the Internet in 1997. Whether or not this is true, his patronage is also an expression of popular piety and a variety of Catholics around the world coming to a similar consensus as to who would be the best patron saint for humanity's largest compilation of knowledge.

Canada Just Outlawed Parts of the Gospel

Jesus Redeems Adam: An Ancient Holy Saturday Sermon

Tenebrae for Holy Saturday

From the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem.

The Truth About Medieval Knights

From J. Draper

Experience the reality of wearing 15th-century German Gothic armor at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Discover how the suit's weight and fit truly affect mobility and comfort, defying common myths about medieval knights.

Sources: Breiding, DH. “Arms and Armor: A Farewell To Persistent Myths and Misconceptions”, in Heller, EG & Pongracz, PC, eds. Perspectives on Medieval Art: Learning Through Looking. Capwell, T. 2021. Arms and Armour of the Renaissance Joust. Edge, D. & Paddock, JM. 1996. Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight. Jaquet, D. 2016. Moving In Harness: Visualisation of the training of Boucicaut.    • Can You Move in Armour?   Jaquet, D., Bonnefoy Mazure, A., Armand, S., Charbonnier, C., Ziltener, J. L., & Kayser, B. (2016). "Range of motion and energy cost of locomotion of the late medieval armoured fighter: A proof of concept of confronting the medieval technical literature with modern movement analysis". Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, 49(3), 169–186. Nickel, H. “The Mutual Influence of Europe and Asia in the field of Arms and Armour”, in Nicolle, D., ed., 2002. A Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour. Phillips, C. 2014. The Illustrated History Of Knights & The Golden Age Of Chivalry. Talhoffer, H. 2000. Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-Century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat. Rector, M. ed. Thompson, PE, 1956. The Hundred Years War. Woosnam-Savage, RC (2021) Of knights, cranes, hoists and winches…; the myth of how knights mounted horses, Arms & Armour, 18:2, 224-255

Traditional Catholic Morning Prayers in English | April

Traditional Catholic morning prayers to help start your day in a godly way! The month of April is dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. May our devotion to Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist ever increase! We've included the litany of the Blessed Sacrament and a Spiritual Communion. Give your first thoughts and energy to daily morning prayer. This video is a compilation of many traditional morning prayers Catholics say, and should not be considered a replacement for those who have an obligation to pray the Divine Office morning prayers.

This Rabbi's Passover Discovery Just Broke Protestant Arguments

From Totus Catholica

The Passover meal has four cups. Every Jewish family for 3,500 years has known this. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus drank three. Then he stopped, told his disciples he would not drink again until the kingdom of God comes, sang a hymn, and walked out into the darkness toward Gethsemane. The Passover sat there on the table, unfinished. The Mishna in Pesachim 10:1 states that even the poorest person in Israel must not eat on Passover night without drinking all four cups. Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. He carried the unfinished Passover through Gethsemane, through the trial, through the scourging, and up the hill of Calvary. John 19:30. Tetelestai. It is finished. The fourth cup had been drunk. CHAPTERS: 0:00 The Passover Meal Jesus Left Unfinished 1:04 The Four Cups: Exodus 6 and the Four Promises of God 2:31 The Third Cup: How Jesus Instituted the Eucharist 3:51 Gethsemane: Father, Let This Cup Pass From Me 4:31 Hyssop: The One Word That Connects the Cross to Exodus 12 5:09 Tetelestai: The Passover Is Complete 5:45 Zikaron: Why the Mass Is Not a Reenactment 🌍 Website: https://totuscatholica.org/ 📿 Rosary Guide: https://totuscatholica.org/rosary ✉️ Contact: https://totuscatholica.org/contact 🔍 Examination of Conscience: https://catholicexaminationofconscien...

Why Holy Saturday Is a Day of Prayer and Silence

The Tabernacle on the High Altar is empty,  the Church is in silence, while the world waits in anticipation of the Good News, "Christ is Risen".

From Aleteia

 By Philip Kosloski

Very few public liturgies would ever take place before the Easter Vigil, marking the church with a deep silence.

After the commemoration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, the Church is engulfed in silence. The Eucharistic host is placed back in a tabernacle and remains there until the Easter Vigil on Saturday night.

In many churches, a custom was developed where a tomb was created to place a statue of Jesus' dead corpse and the lay faithful were then encouraged to remain in prayer before the sorrowful tomb.

For most of history, there were few, if any, public liturgies before the Easter Vigil, leaving the church completely silent from Good Friday afternoon all the way until the late evening hours of Holy Saturday.

For many centuries there was even a strict fast on Holy Saturday, permitting no food to be eaten in observance of this painful day. Many would stay in the church throughout the night of Good Friday, keeping Jesus company in the tomb.

Great silence

A homily from the 2nd century confirms this general atmosphere in the church, "What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled."

One of the reasons for this "great silence" is to enter into the pain of Jesus' death and the loss the apostles must have felt. Think about it for a minute.

While Jesus taught them continually about his resurrection, the apostles likely had some doubts, seeing the death of their master. They might have thought to themselves, "If he is the Messiah, why did he die? I thought he said he would rise from the dead?" In this way Holy Saturday is that day of doubt and sorrow, not knowing what to do or what to believe.

Even the Easter Vigil begins in silence, in the complete darkness of the church.

However, the good news is that Jesus, the light of the world, has truly risen and dispels the darkness and any doubts we may have had. The church erupts in pure joy at the Easter Vigil and music, bells and light lift up our hearts to God.

Only after experiencing the silence of Holy Saturday can we truly appreciate the loud and joyful celebrations of the Easter Vigil.

Every part of the Sacred Triduum has meaning, and when we are able to enter into it fully, our hearts are lifted up in a way that is difficult to describe.