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Without Peter there is no certainty, no security, and no unity in Christianity
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. There are certain events in the Gospels that synthesize what a Catholic is supposed to be. These events are at once both mysteries and challenges. They are mysteries because, though revealed, we cannot fully understand them. That, by the...
Vincent de Paul: He had early become the confidant of the royalty
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. First, looking at your chart, you wonder what else is there to write about Vincent de Paul. His principle biographer is Coste Leonard – Coste, and then in the English translation, Leonard – in thirteen volumes, of the correspondence, the...
St. Joseph: ever the upholder of Jesus and His Virgin Mother
St. Joseph, Patron of Dedicated Souls by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. There are many good reasons why St. Joseph should be the special heavenly patron of dedicated souls - in the religious life, in the priesthood, and among the laity. But as the Church teaches, he is...
Salvation by an act of perfect love
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Part One : Chapter V :: Grace in the Old Testament Justification in the Old Testament. Justification may be described simply as the acquisition of sanctifying grace (or of infused justice). If a man is in the state of sin (original or...
There are roots of disorder in man’s very nature
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Part One : Chapter IV :: Grace to Adam Deiform Man. What graces were given to Adam in the state of original justice? The array of graces that made him supernatural man: the Indwelling Trinity – sanctifying grace – infused virtues – gifts of...
Neither angels nor we could merit heaven by natural powers
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Part One : Chapter III :: Grace to the Angels We might ask many questions about the angels. Did all angels have grace? Did they have these “big” graces we have mentioned? Which graces do the angels in heaven have now? This last question is...
Our Lady is in Heaven not only with Her soul but also with Her glorified body
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin means that after Her life on earth, Mary was taken body and soul into Heaven. Unlike other saints, therefore, Our Lady is in Heaven not only with Her soul but also with Her glorified body. Pope Pius XII...
He felt from the very beginning that this kind of error cannot be conquered by human wisdom alone
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. We will take an analysis and a rundown of ten of the outstanding statements in the Dominican tradition given by St. Thomas Aquinas, who was on the scene early in the Dominican Order and whose writings have influenced the whole Church ever...
His suffering was totally, utterly voluntary
Christ made sure he was transfigured before his passion, so that the disciples… you remember who were the three disciples, Peter, James and John; the same three, remember, who later on fell asleep on him in Gethsemane…. to prepare them for his passion. In other words,...
Grace is a supernatural gift of God to rational creatures to help them attain the Beatific Vision
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Part One : Chapter II :: What is Grace? If we were to single out one word with which to start our definition of grace, what would it be? Gift. Grace is a free gift, a supernatural gift of God to rational creatures to help them attain the...