We hold at the center of our Catholic values the inherent respect and dignity for all human life, especially the lives of the most vulnerable, the unborn. Please keep the pro-lifers attending the March on Friday in your prayers as they attempt to evangelize the world through their presence at this important event.

A recent question from an adult student asked: “Can a person be pro-contraception and pro-abortion and still demand to be recognized as a practicing Catholic?”

Even Jesus Christ couldn’t give a simple answer to a complex question. When the lawyer asked him what the single greatest commandment was, He answered that the first greatest commandment is to love God, and the second greatest is to love neighbor. He presented the issue of love as a two-sided coin. You really can’t have one side of a coin without the other. The issue of life is the same. Abortion is one side of the coin; Contraception is the other side of the coin. Yes, we Catholics must fight abortion, but at the same time we must be engaged in the clear exposition of Catholic moral teachings on contraception. Many people in our culture recognize this implicitly by claiming that abortion is the most effective form of birth control. Imagine that!?

CatechismClass.com has prepared two short courses dealing with these complementary issues. We assume that the vast majority of our members are already committed to the Catholic teaching on these two issues. These two separate short courses are designed to give the committed Catholic the power packed facts to defend these critical teachings in casual conversations, cocktail parties, and formal debates.

Abortion Short Course: Learn the basics of this issue, including the various types of abortion, the history of the issue, the involvement of Planned Parenthood, the prevalence of abortion in and among certain cultures, it's connection to euthanasia, the primary nature of the pro-life issue, and the importance of voting pro-life.

Contraception Short Course: Learn the basics of Church teaching as it is found in both the Old and New Testament, it's effect on the body, it's interference with chastity, it's negative effect on both Marriage and the Family, it's close link to abortion, the use of Natural Family Planning, what the recent Popes have said about contraception, it's vicious exploitation of women, and finally, the real meaning of love.

You can now order both courses for only $10.99 save 30%!  Click here to read more and order!

INTROIT 
Isaias 9: 6
A Child is born to us, and a son is given to us; upon his shoulder is supreme sovereignty, and his name shall be called the Angel of great counsel. Ps. 97:1. Sing a new canticle to the Lord, for He has done wondrous things. V.: Glory be to the Father . . . A Child is born to us . . .

Merry Christmas!

The priests, religious, and lay staff of CatechismClass.com wish you and your families a most Blessed and Holy Christmas on this Octave Day of Christmas.  On this day, we as Catholics are bound to attend Holy Mass as we commemorate both Mary as the Mother of God as well as Jesus' Circumcision.

All of us here wish you continued joy and peace during this New Year.  Please know that your intentions are remembered in our prayers, especially as we pray the Divinum Officium at the altar of God each day.

Please consider, as part of you and your children's religious education, to add our Catholic Liturgical Year Program to your schooling plan.  Our Program is meant to provide you with dozens of lessons for Catholic Feasts and Fasts throughout the year.  Best of all, if you purchase it now for $59.99, you will lock in at that price and any future lessons added to this program will be uploaded automatically and freely into your account.  But, please purchase now before the price increases in 2013.

Nos cum Prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria.

May the Virgin Mary bless us with her dear Child.

The CatechismClass.com Family

As part of Cyber Monday, CatechismClass.com is pleased to announce the following sales.

Use Discount Code DELIRITAS and take 30% off The New Translation of the Roman Missal Guide, which is already 10% off price, or with DELIRITAS take 30% off our Marriage Preparation Book: Marriage in the Heart and Mind of the Church! This discount works on the Lulu Website for both of these titles.

Or, enter discount code CYBER2012 on the CatechismClass.com website as the discount code, and take 20% off any K-12 lessons or series.  Stock up now for future years!  All materials are also available on flash drive for an additional cost (available upon request).  To receive flash drive units of lessons, formatted for printing, contact CatechismClass.com's support system.

In honor of today's Feast Day of St. John of the Cross (1962 Calendar), we present the following excerpt from a summary of his "Dark Night of the Soul."  You may purchase the remainder of the summary online. 

BOOK ONE: A Treatise on the Night of the Senses

One dark night, fired with love's urgent longings -ah, the sheer grace!- I went out unseen, my house being now all stilled.

Explanation:

The soul mortifies itself through purgative contemplation of all attachment to self and all things to reach the life of love with God. The soul was only able to achieve this negation through the strength of its loving Bridegroom. None of the soul's three enemies (the world, the devi,l or the flesh) could impede it, because the purifying contemplation deadened the passions and appetites of the soul.

Chapter 1 : Quotes the verse and begins to discuss the imperfections of beginners.

God draws souls through three states to divine union. Beginners are those who practice spiritual meditation. Proficients are those who are already contemplatives. The Perfect are those who are in divine union of the soul with God. Beginners should understand their feebleness of state and take courage that God has placed them in the dark night to strengthen the virtue of their soul to receive the delights of love of God.

God nurtures and caresses the soul who is newly converted to his service as a mother nurtures her child at the breast. As the child grows the mother withholds her caresses and puts the child down so the child may put away childish habits and grow to greater things. At this stage the soul, through no effort of its own, receives great satisfaction in performing spiritual exercises. The soul finds great joy and consolation in the prayers, penances, fasts and sacraments. However, the motivation of the soul is the consolation and satisfaction received from these acts. They have not long practiced virtue so they still possess many faults and imperfections. Their habits are feeble like a weak child.

We will describe, using the seven capital vices, some of the many imperfections beginners commit. The dark night purifies the soul of these childish imperfections.

Chapter 2: Some of the imperfections of pride possessed by beginners.

Beginners feel a secret pride due to their fervor and diligence in their spiritual exercises, so that they become complacent with themselves. They become vain and speak of spiritual things in the presence of others, sometimes instructing, condemning, or criticizing the practice of others, like the Pharisee in Lk. 18-11-12.

The devil uses this growing pride by increasing their fervor and readiness to perform spiritual works. But he does this to negate the worth of these virtues turning them into vices. These
beginners will condemn and detract others, seeing the splinter in their brother?s eye, rather than the plank in their own. (Mt. 7:3)

When confessors or spiritual directors disapprove of their spirit and methods, the beginner will say the director does not understand, or will seek a new confessor who will praise them. They will make many resolutions with little result, and will also make public displays of raptures so others will take notice.

Beginners want their confessor to think highly of them, so rather than accuse themselves of their true sins, they will excuse their behavior. Or they might seek out different confessors to confess so that their regular confessor thinks they commit no sins at all. They confess their good behavior. It would be better for them to make light of the good they do and wish no one consider it of any importance at all.

Beginners minimize their faults or become discouraged by them, since they felt they were already saints. They become impatient and angry with themselves, which is another fault. They wish that God would remove all their faults, but it is for personal peace rather than love of God. They don't realize that removal of their faults might make them more proud and presumptuous. They love praise from others, but dislike praising others, like the foolish virgins who had to borrow oil, (Mt. 25:8)...

Continue reading here

The online catechism programs through CatechismClass.com are an incredible way to help others grow closer to God, and we have some excellent ideas for your parish this Year of Faith. This is such an important time for all Catholics to deepen their faith or learn the Catholic Faith which they were never fully taught... and you can help.  

TAKE THESE 3 SIMPLE STEPS:

1. Tell your pastor about our programs and how they have helped you and/or your children. Priests are encouraged when they hear about the spiritual growth of their parishoners.

2. Mention to your pastor that we have some fantastic, simple ideas for the Year of Faith for every family in the parish. We would be happy to send Father free content for his review.

3. Ask Father if he would like to speak with us for 5 to 10 minutes on the phone about these ideas and let us know the best time for him. Please tell him to email us at admin@catechismclass.com or call 423-228-0405 if he has any questions.

A CatechismClass.com representative can contact you to arrange a phone appointment or offer additional support.  We have been blessed. Let's share that blessing with others.  There is no greater way to help others than to share with them the teachings of the Catholic Faith, the Faith founded by Christ and without which no man can be saved.