Ecce Fides

Pillar of Truth

Fr. John J. Pasquini

TABLE OF CONTENTSDedicationForewordIntroductionChapter I: The Holy Scriptures and Tradition

Where did the Bible come from?Would Jesus leave us in confusion?The Bible alone is insufficient and unchristianWhat Protestants can’t answer!Two forms of RevelationWhat about Revelation 22:18-19?Is all Scripture to be interpreted in the same way?Why was the Catholic Church careful in making Bibles available to individual believers?Why do Catholics have more books in the Old Testament than Protestants or Jews?

Chapter II: The Church

Who’s your founder?Was Constantine the founder of the Catholic Church?Was there a great apostasy?Is the Catholic Church the “Whore of Babylon”?Who founded the Church in Rome?Peter, the Rock upon which Jesus built his Church!Are the popes antichrists?Why is the pope so important?Without the popes, the successors of St. Peter, there would be no authentic Christianity!Why is apostolic succession so important?The gates of hell will not prevail against it!The major councils of the Church and the assurance of the true faith!Why is there so much confusion in belief among Protestants?What gave rise to the birth of Protestantism?

Chapter III: Sacraments

Are sacraments just symbols?What do Catholics mean by being “born again” and why do they baptize children?

Baptism by blood and desire for adults and infantsDoes baptism require immersion?Baptism of the dead?Where do we find the Sacrament of Confirmation?Why do Catholics believe the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus?Why do Catholics have a Mass?Is the Mass a true sacrifice?Why do we celebrate the Lord’s Day on a Sunday?The Mass, completely BiblicalWhere do Catholics get the idea of mortal and venial sins?Why do we need priests to forgive sins?What does it mean to be excommunicated?Why indulgences?Is there a Sacrament of Holy Orders?Why celibate priests?Why “Father”?Why do Catholics not allow woman priests?Is there such a thing as the Last Rites?Prayer and the Doctor?What about blood transfusions?Is marriage a sacrament?What is an annulment?

Chapter IV: The Trinity and the Communion of Saints

Is there a Trinity? Who is Christ? Who is the Holy Spirit?Jesus is God!God, not gods!Do Catholics worship saints?What about the communion of saints?Jesus, the fulfillment of Judaism’s hopes!

Chapter V: Mary

Is Mary the Mother of God?What is the Immaculate Conception?Brothers and sisters of the Lord?Why was Mary assumed into heaven?Mary, the “woman” (cf. Jn. 2:4; 19:26)How much should we love Mary?

Chapter VI: End-time Issues

Hell, a realityWhere do we get purgatory from?Is there such a thing as temporal punishment?Is hell eternal or are the souls of the evil or dead annihilated?Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, Amillennialism and the RaptureWhat about the 144,000?Celestial marriages?What are we to think of Bible prophecy?

Chapter VII: Salvation

Do Catholics have a different understanding of the human person than Protestants?“Proofs” for existence of GodPredestination or providence?Is salvation assured?What about this faith and works?Why do Catholics believe that so-called “non-Christians” can be saved?

Chapter VIII: Miscellaneous Issues

Do Catholics practice idol worship?Why relics?Are Catholics pagans?Why do some Catholics believe in the theory of evolution?Are Catholic doctrines invented?What is a heretic?What gave rise to the birth of Protestantism?The Real Jesus!The health and wealth gospel!The New Age

Chapter IX: Understanding the Religion of Secularism

Birth pangs of secularism!Implications of the turn toward the self What was lost!More consequences!The media, secularism’s evangelizing toolSecularism, in conclusion

Chapter X: Moral Doctrines under Attack

The Ten Commandments and their implications for CatholicsThe natural and moral law, essential dimensions to moral theologyWhy is homosexual activity (and same-sex marriages) contrary to the Word of God? No such thing as pro-choice Catholics!Why are contraceptives evil and why is Natural Family Planning holy?Why do Catholics believe in legitimate wars?The death penalty revisitedEuthanasia?Genetic engineering and assisted reproductionEmbryonic stem cell research

Chapter XI: Concluding Remarks

There are no new questions!The future of ChristianityThe ship continues moving!

Appendix:

An Apologetics Debate Handbook