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Catholic| DenominationalStatementsontheSabbath

Catholic|DenominationalStatementsontheSabbath

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Catholic

ItiswelltoremindthePresbyterians,Baptists,Methodists,andallotherChristians,thattheBible
doesnotsupportthemanywhereintheirobservanceofSunday.

Sunday
isaninstitutionofthe

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RomanCatholicChurch
,andthosewhoobservethedayobserveacommandmentofthe

CatholicChurch
.PriestBrady,inanaddress,reportedintheElizabeth,NJNewsonMarch18,1903.
"Protestants...acceptSundayratherthanSaturdayasthedayforpublicworshipaftertheCatholic
Churchmadethechange...ButtheProtestantminddoesnotseemtorealizethat...inobserving
Sunday,theyareacceptingtheauthorityofthespokesmanfortheChurch,

thepope
."

OurSundayVisitor
,February5th,1950.
Ofcoursethesetwooldquotationsareexactlycorrect.TheCatholicChurchdesignatedSundayas
thedayforcorporateworshipandgetsfullcreditorblameforthechange.ThisRock,The
MagazineofCatholicApologeticsandEvangelization,p.8,June1997

Q.Haveyouanyotherproofsthatthey(Protestants)arenotguidedbytheScripture?
A.Yessomany,thatwecannotadmitmorethanamerespecimenintothissmallwork.Theyreject
muchthatisclearlycontainedinScripture,andprofessmorethatisnowherediscoverableinthat
DivineBook.
Q.Givesomeexamplesofboth?
A.Theyshould,iftheScriptureweretheironlyrule,washthefeetofoneanother,accordingtothe
commandofChrist,inthe13thchap.ofSt.Johntheyshouldkeep,nottheSunday,butthe
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Saturday,accordingtothecommandment,"RememberthoukeepholytheSABBATHday"forthis
commandmenthasnot,inScripture,beenchangedorabrogated...Rev.StephenKeenan,A
DoctrinalCatechismNewYorkin1857,page101Imprimatuer
Q.HaveyouanyotherwayofprovingthattheChurchhaspowertoinstitutefestivalsofprecept?
A.Hadshenotsuchpower,shecouldnothavedonethatinwhichallmodernreligionistsagreewith
hershecouldnothavesubstitutedtheobservanceofSundaythefirstdayoftheweek,forthe
observanceofSaturdaytheseventhday,achangeforwhichthereisnoScripturalauthority.Rev.
StephenKeenan,ADoctrinalCatechismNewYorkin1857,page174
Q.InwhatmannercanweshowaProtestant,thathespeaksunreasonablyagainstfastsand
abstinences?
A.AskhimwhyhekeepsSunday,andnotSaturday,ashisdayofrest,sinceheisunwillingeitherto
fastortoabstain.Ifhereply,thattheScriptureordershimtokeeptheSunday,butsaysnothingasto
fastingandabstinence,tellhimtheScripturespeaksofSaturdayortheSabbath,butgivesno
commandanywhereregardingSundayorthefirstdayoftheweek.If,thenheneglectsSaturdayasa
dayofrestandholiness,andsubstitutesSundayinitsplace,andthismerelybecausesuchwasthe
usageoftheancientChurch,shouldhenot,ifhewishestoactconsistently,observefastingand
abstinence,becausetheancientChurchsoordained?Rev.StephenKeenan,ADoctrinalCatechism
NewYorkin1857,page181

Question:WhichistheSabbathday?
Answer:SaturdayistheSabbathday.
Question:WhydoweobserveSundayinsteadofSaturday?
Answer:WeobserveSundayinsteadofSaturdaybecausetheCatholicChurchtransferredthe
solemnityfromSaturdaytoSunday.Rev.PeterGeiermannC.SS.R.,TheConvertsCatechismof
CatholicDoctrine,p.50
Q.MustnotasensibleProtestantdoubtseriously,whenhefindsthateventheBibleisnotfollowedas
arulebyhiscoreligionists?
A.Surely,whenheseesthembaptizeinfants,abrogatetheJewishSabbath,andobserveSundayfor
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which[pg.7]thereisnoScripturalauthoritywhenhefindsthemneglecttowashoneanother'sfeet,
whichisexpresslycommanded,andeatbloodandthingsstrangled,whichareexpresslyprohibitedin
Scripture.Hemustdoubt,ifhethinkatall....
Q.ShouldnottheProtestantdoubtwhenhefindsthathehimselfholdstraditionasaguide?
A.Yes,ifhewouldbutreflectthathehasnothingbutCatholicTraditionforkeepingtheSundayholy
...ControversialCatechismbyStephenKeenan,NewEdition,revisedbyRev.GeorgeCormack,
publishedinLondonbyBurns&Oates,LimitedNewYork,Cincinnati,Chicago:BenzingerBrothers,
1896,pages6,7.
"TheChurch,ontheotherhand,afterchangingthedayofrestfromtheJewishSabbath,orseventh
dayoftheweek,tothefirst,madetheThirdCommandmentrefertoSundayasthedaytobekept
holyastheLord'sDay.TheCouncilofTrent(Sess.VI,can.xix)condemnsthosewhodenythatthe
TenCommandmentsarebindingonChristians."TheCatholicEncyclopedia,CommandmentsofGod,
VolumeIV,1908byRobertAppletonCompany,OnlineEdition1999byKevinKnight,NihilObstat
RemyLafort,CensorImprimatur+JohnM.Farley,ArchbishopofNewYork,page153.
''The[RomanCatholic]ChurchchangedtheobservanceoftheSabbathtoSundaybyrightofthe
divine,infallibleauthoritygiventoherbyherfounder,JesusChrist.TheProtestantclaimingtheBible
tobetheonlyguideoffaith,hasnowarrantforobservingSunday.InthismattertheSeventhday
AdventististheonlyconsistentProtestant.''TheCatholicUniverseBulletin,August14,1942,p.4.
"AllofusbelievemanythingsinregardtoreligionthatwedonotfindintheBible.Forexample,
nowhereintheBibledowefindthatChristortheApostlesorderedthattheSabbathbechangedfrom
SaturdaytoSunday.WehavethecommandmentofGodgiventoMosestokeepholytheSabbath
Day,thatisthe7thdayoftheweek,Saturday.TodaymostChristianskeepSundaybecauseithas
beenrevealedtousbytheChurchoutsidetheBible."TheCatholicVirginian,"ToTellYouTheTruth,
Vol.22,No.49(Oct.3,1947).
"...youmayreadtheBiblefromGenesistoRevelation,andyouwillnotfindasinglelineauthorizing
thesanctificationofSunday.TheScripturesenforcethereligiousobservanceofSaturday,aday
whichweneversanctify."TheFaithofOurFathers,byJamesCardinalGibbons,Archbishopof
Baltimore,88thedition,page89.Originallypublishedin1876,republishedandCopyright1980by
TANBooksandPublishers,Inc.,pages7273.
'DenytheauthorityoftheChurchandyouhavenoadequateorreasonableexplanationor
justificationforthesubstitutionofSundayforSaturdayintheThirdProtestantFourth
CommandmentofGod...TheChurchisabovetheBible,andthistransferenceofSabbath
observanceisproofofthatfact.''CatholicRecord,September1,1923.

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"ButsinceSaturday,notSunday,isspecifiedintheBible,isn'titcuriousthatnonCatholicswho
professtotaketheirreligiondirectlyfromtheBibleandnottheChurch,observeSundayinsteadof
Saturday?Yes,ofcourse,itisinconsistentbutthischangewasmadeaboutfifteencenturiesbefore
Protestantismwasborn,andbythattimethecustomwasuniversallyobserved.Theyhavecontinued
thecustom,eventhoughitrestsupontheauthorityoftheCatholicChurchandnotuponanexplicit
textintheBible.ThatobservanceremainsasareminderoftheMotherChurchfromwhichthenon
Catholicsectsbrokeawaylikeaboyrunningawayfromhomebutstillcarryinginhispocketapicture
ofhismotheroralockofherhair."TheFaithofMillions
"Perhapstheboldestthing,themostrevolutionarychangetheChurcheverdid,happenedinthefirst
century.Theholyday,theSabbath,waschangedfromSaturdaytoSunday."TheDayoftheLord"
(diesDominica)waschosen,notfromanydirectionsnotedintheScriptures,butfromtheChurch's
senseofitsownpower.Thedayofresurrection,thedayofPentecost,fiftydayslater,cameonthe
firstdayoftheweek.SothiswouldbethenewSabbath.PeoplewhothinkthattheScripturesshould
bethesoleauthority,shouldlogicallybecome7thDayAdventists,andkeepSaturdayholy."Sentinel,
Pastor'spage,SaintCatherineCatholicChurch,Algonac,Michigan,May21,1995
IfProtestantswouldfollowtheBible,theywouldworshipGodontheSabbathDay.Inkeepingthe
SundaytheyarefollowingalawoftheCatholicChurch.AlbertSmith,ChancelloroftheArchdiocese
ofBaltimore,replyingfortheCardinal,inaletterdatedFebruary10,1920.
TheobservanceofSundaybytheProtestantsishomagetheypay,inspiteofthemselves,tothe
authorityofthe[Catholic]Church.MonsignorLouisSegur,PlainTalkabouttheProtestantismof
Today,p.213.
WhatImportantQuestionDoesthePapacyAskProtestants?
Protestantshaverepeatedlyaskedthepapacy,"HowcouldyoudaretochangeGod'slaw?"Butthe
questionposedtoProtestantsbytheCatholicchurchisevenmorepenetrating.
Hereitisofficially:""YouwilltellmethatSaturdaywastheJewishSabbath,butthattheChristian
SabbathhasbeenchangedtoSunday.Changed!butbywhom?Whohasauthoritytochangean
expresscommandmentofAlmightyGod?WhenGodhasspokenandsaid,Thoushaltkeepholythe
seventhday,whoshalldaretosay,Nay,thoumayestworkanddoallmannerofworldlybusinesson
theseventhdaybutthoushaltkeepholythefirstdayinitsstead?
Thisisamostimportantquestion,whichIknownothowyoucananswer.YouareaProtestant,and
youprofesstogobytheBibleandtheBibleonlyandyetinsoimportantamatterastheobservance
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ofonedayinsevenasaholyday,yougoagainsttheplainletteroftheBible,andputanotherdayin
theplaceofthatdaywhichtheBiblehascommanded.
Thecommandtokeepholytheseventhdayisoneofthetencommandmentsyoubelievethatthe
otherninearestillbindingwhogaveyouauthoritytotamperwiththefourth?Ifyouareconsistentwith
yourownprinciples,ifyoureallyfollowtheBibleandtheBibleonly,yououghttobeabletoproduce
someportionoftheNewTestamentinwhichthisfourthcommandmentisexpresslyaltered.""*Library
ofChristianDoctrine:WhyDon'tYouKeepHolytheSabbathDay?(London:BurnsandOates,Ltd.),
pp.3,4.
"Thereisbutonechurchonthefaceoftheearthwhichhasthepower,orclaimspower,tomakelaws
bindingontheconscience,bindingbeforeGod,bindingunderpenaltyofhellfire.Forinstance,the
institutionofSunday.Whatrighthasanyotherchurchtokeepthisday?Youanswerbyvirtueofthe
thirdcommandment(thepapacydidawaywiththe2ndregardingtheworshipofgravenimages,and
calledthe4ththe3rd),whichsays'RememberthatthoukeepholytheSabbathday.'ButSundayis
nottheSabbath.AnyschoolboyknowsthatSundayisthefirstdayoftheweek.Ihaverepeatedly
offeredonethousanddollarstoanyonewhowillprovebytheBiblealonethatSundayisthedaywe
areboundtokeep,andnoonehascalledforthemoney.ItwastheholyCatholicChurchthat
changedthedayofrestfromSaturday,theseventhday,toSunday,thefirstdayoftheweek."T.
Enright,C.S.S.R.,inalecturedeliveredin1893.
''OfcoursetheCatholicChurchclaimsthatthechangewasheract.Andtheactisamarkofher
ecclesiasticalpowerandauthorityinreligiousmatters.''C.F.Thomas,ChancellorofCardinal
Gibbons,inanswertoaletterregardingthechangeoftheSabbath,November11,1895.
Tradition,notScripture,istherockonwhichthechurchofJesusChristisbuilt.AdrienNampon,
CatholicDoctrineasDefinedbytheCouncilofTrent,p.157
"ThePopeisofsogreatauthorityandpowerthathecanmodify,explain,orinterpretevendivinelaw".
Thepopecanmodifydivinelaw,sincehispowerisnotofman,butofGod,andheactsavicegerent
ofGoduponearth"LuciusFerraris,PromptaBibliotheca,art.Papa,II,Vol.VI,p.29.

"TheleaderoftheCatholicchurchisdefinedbythefaithastheVicarofJesusChrist(andisaccepted
assuchbybelievers).ThePopeisconsideredthemanonearthwho"takestheplace"oftheSecond
PersonoftheomnipotentGodoftheTrinity."JohnPaulII,CrossingtheThresholdofHope,p.3,1994

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"...pastoralintuitionsuggestedtotheChurchthechristianizationofthenotionofSundayas"theday
ofthesun",whichwastheRomannameforthedayandwhichisretainedinsomemodernlanguages.
(29)Thiswasinordertodrawthefaithfulawayfromtheseductionofcultswhichworshippedthesun,
andtodirectthecelebrationofthedaytoChrist,humanity'strue"sun"."JohnPaulII,DiesDomini,27.
ThedayofChristLight,1998(ProminentprotestantleadersagreewiththisstatementSeeherefor
astatementbyDr.E.T.Hiscox,authoroftheBaptistManual)
"TheSunwasaforemostgodwithheathendomThesunhasworshippersatthishourinPersiaand
otherlands.Thereis,intruth,somethingroyal,kinglyaboutthesun,makingitafitemblemof
Jesus,theSunofJustice.Hencethechurchinthesecountrieswouldseemtohavesaid,to'Keepthat
oldpaganname[Sunday].Itshallremainconsecrated,sanctified.'AndthusthepaganSunday,
dedicatedtoBalder,becametheChristianSunday,sacredtoJesus."WilliamGildea,Doctorof
Divinity,TheCatholicWorld,March,1894,p.809
"TheretentionoftheoldpagannameofDiesSolis,forSundayis,inagreatmeasure,owingtothe
unionofpaganandChristiansentimentwithwhichthefirstdayoftheweekwasrecommendedby
ConstantinetohissubjectspaganandChristianalikeasthe'venerable'dayofthesun.""ArthurP.
Stanley,HistoryoftheEasternChurch,p.184
"WhenSt.Paulrepudiatedtheworksofthelaw,hewasnotthinkingoftheTenCommandments,which
areasunchangeableasGodHimselfis,whichGodcouldnotchangeandstillremaintheinfinitely
holyGod."OurSundayVisitor,Oct.7,I951.
"Question:HowproveyouthattheChurchhathpowertocommandfeastsandholydays?
Answer:BytheveryactofchangingtheSabbathintoSunday,whichProtestantsallowofand
thereforetheyfondlycontradictthemselves,bykeepingSundaystrictly,andbreakingmostother
feastscommandedbythesameChurch."HenryTuberville,AnAbridgmentoftheChristianDoctrine
(1833approbation),p.58(SamestatementinManualofChristianDoctrine,ed.byDanielFerris[1916
ed.],p.67)
"SometheologianshaveheldthatGodlikewisedirectlydeterminedtheSundayasthedayofworship
intheNEWLAW,thathehimselfhasexplicitlysubstitutedsundayfortheSabbath.Butthistheoryis
entirelyabandoned.ItisnowcommonlyheldthatGodsimplygaveHischurchthepowertosetaside
whateverdayordaysshewoulddeemsuitableasholydays.Thechurchchosesunday,thefirstday
oftheweek,andinthecourseoftimeaddedotherdaysasholydays."VincentJ.Kelly,Forbidden
SundayandFeastDayOccupations,Washington,DC,CatholicUniversityofAmericaPress,Studies
inSacredTheology,No.70.,1943,p.2.
"IfweconsultedtheBibleonly,weshouldstillhavetokeepholytheSabbathDay,thatis,Saturday,
withtheJews,insteadofSunday..."ACourseinReligionforCatholicHighSchoolsand
Academies,byRev.JohnLauxM.A.,BenzingerBrothers,1936edition,Part1.
"SundayisaCatholicinstitution,and...canbedefendedonlyonCatholicprinciples....Frombeginning
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toendofScripturethereisnotasinglepassagethatwarrantsthetransferofweeklypublicworship
fromthelastdayoftheweektothefirst."CatholicPress,Aug.25,1900
"TheSabbathwasSaturday,notSunday.TheChurchalteredtheobservanceoftheSabbathtothe
observanceofSunday.ProtestantsmustberatherpuzzledbythekeepingofSundaywhenGod
distinctlysaid,'KeepholytheSabbathDay.'ThewordSundaydoesnotcomeanywhereintheBible,
so,withoutknowingittheyareobeyingtheauthorityoftheCatholicChurch."CanonCafferata,The
CatechismExplained,p.89.
''Reasonandsensedemandtheacceptanceofoneortheotherofthesealternatives:either
ProtestantismandthekeepingholyofSaturday,orCatholicityandthekeepingholyofSunday.
Compromiseisimpossible.''JohnCardinalGibbons,TheCatholicMirror,December23,1893.
Articles

Couldn'twerestontheSabbathbutworshiponSunday?

FromearliestapostolicdaysChristianskeptSundayinhonorofChrist'sresurrection.Thisisclearly
revealedintwoscriptures,Acts20:7and1Corinthians16:2.

WhatabouttheLord'sDay?

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SabbathAudioLibrary

WhatAreBlueLaws?

FulfilledorAbolished?

SabbathDelight

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