1. We have many concerns.
One may join the discussions going on in Rome. A hot topic is; whether there is one Pope or two Popes. If there are two Popes that cannot be; which mean one is a Pope and the other one is an anti-pope. There is, of course, the discussion for the next Bishop’s Synod on the Family where so much conspiracy and secret meetings are taking place. Then there is the latest interest in global warming. What would you think is the most important topic……I think, the utmost important topic is which is the true Church of Christ and whether we are inside our outside that Church.
2. Why is the topic on the ‘Church’ the most important.
Even if there are two Popes, even though there is a great schism, even though the next Bishop’s Synod approve bestiality,even though global temperature rise to 200 celsius……if you know the true Church of Christ and you are inside that Church, you have nothing to worry. You will surely attain to eternal life.
But though you are able to solve the enigma of the two Popes, though you have kept true marriage be between a man and a woman, though you can keep world temperature at a temperate level but if you do not know the true Church of Christ or you are outside that Church, you are in big trouble.
3. How can you find the true Church and the true religion?
From the beginning God knew that after He has established His Church, the devil will fill the world with fake churches to deceive the people. So from the beginning God gave His Church visible signs by which she can be recognized and He saw to it that all men can know these visible signs using merely philosophy, a human science.
Philosophy is the science of right reasoning. It is within the human or natural level. So all men can use this science to see the visible signs of the true Church of Christ.
Why, then, do men have countless wrong religions? Ronald Knox answered; ‘because of original sin men have the misfortune of always choosing the wrong things. Hilaire Belloc specified the reason; because man does not want to think. Gilbert Chesterton insisted on the idea; that if all men used their heads well, they would all be Catholics. So because of men’s refusal to think, most men are in the wrong religion. And they have no excuse because the science of Philosophy is there to aid anybody who is zealous to learn.
It is for this same reason that Protestants are in the wrong sect. They use the same Bible as the Catholics. How come Catholic know the true religion and they do not. Again because they read the Bible without thinking.
But then, how come many Catholics do not know the visible signs of the true Church of Christ and think that they are inside when actually they are outside. For the same reason; they are not using their heads. Man who was created like the image and likeness of God is not using that image and likeness properly.
4. How can we know the true Church and how can we know if we are inside that Church. From the earliest form of writings, Divine Revelation. It is earlier than all the founders of all other religions. Therefore, it cannot come from other religions, but vice versa. All other religions are distortions of the old, original religion.
5. First, know the true religion. Afterwards, find out if you are inside the true religion.
From the beginning of creation God gave His true religion four signs that gradually became more perfect as the world progressed. Today those signs are summarized in the Nicene Creed. ‘ I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Those are the four visible signs of the Catholic Church that can be seen by all men.
And how can we know if we are inside that Church? By, also, showing those four qualities. There is no other way by which we can know the Church or whether we are inside or outside the Church.
6. Many wrong signs of the true Church.
Some have the wrong notion that the true Church can be found in groups with huge, big buildings. If so, then the big business commercial buildings are the true church. More common mistakes among Catholics is the notion that the ones celebrating the Tridentine Mass is the true Church. The Tridentine Mass was never the visible sign of the true Church. Others think that those men wearing purple habit, with skull caps and pectoral crosses are the men of the true religion. Actors and thieves can wear the same things. The presence of statues of saints are not signs of the true Church.
Perfect knowledge of Sacred Scriptures itself was never the visible sign of the true Church. Because even the devil knows Scriptures perfectly and he is not a member of the Church.
A sign posted signifying this is the Catholic Church of St. Pancratio is no sign that it is a Catholic Church. The official teaching of the Church is that Christ taught that the visible sign by which His Church can be known are One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.
7. These four visible signs are the signs of a community and not of an individual.
So we can use these signs to check if a parish or a diocese is Catholic or not. If a religious community or an organization is Catholic. If a conference of Bishop or major religious superior are Catholic. We can use these signs even on the Vatican to check if it is still Catholic. And we should check. Otherwise we could end up being heretics or schismatics without knowing it and be condemned as such. Though the signs Holy and Apostolic can aptly be applied to individuals. Usually if it can be proven that a group or an individual has one sign, it will be easier to prove that they have the rest of the signs.
8. The crisis of the Church.
The true Church and her members must automatically show these signs. If the signs are there, no effort have to be exerted to show them. St. Paul wrote describing the Romans, their signs can be known effortless through out the world. There is no need for help from anyone. And there is where the problem lies. That most Catholics, both laymen and bishops have no visible signs, cannot show any of the signs, and even with the help of theologians cannot show the visible signs of the true Church.
Religious communities and organizations, parishes and dioceses cannot show the signs. In fact, we cannot see the visible signs of the true Church today anywhere.
Most laymen and members of the priesthood cannot define the four signs though they can, at least, enumerate them. The worse beings today are not criminals that can only harm the body but bishops who can harm both the body and the soul. “Corruptors of the youth” the prophecies described them because they get the young and increase the evil in them.