Here is the first of many articles answering common myths and misconceptions against the Catholic Church. Whether through ignorance, negligence, or just plain anti-Catholicism, we will set the record of truth straight. Sadly, the vast majority anti-Catholics have never ever read a single book written by a Catholic. It is no surprise that they know absolutely nothing about Catholicism, and their anti-Catholic prejudice blinds them. 

#1:  “Call No Man Father” (Mt. 23:9):

Protestants love to tell Catholics not to call priests father because the Bible says to “call no man on earth your father.” However, this is a very primitive and elementary understanding of Scripture. A person cannot take one passage out of context to prove a point the Bible itself is not trying to make. When we look at the rest of Scripture in context, it actually disproves the arguments that anti-Catholics make. For example, just look at Mt. 15:4; Romans 4:1, 11-12, 16-18; Mt. 19:5; 1 Tim 5:1-2; 1 Jn. 2:13-14; 1 Cor. 4:13-15; Heb. 12:9; and many more. All of these verse refer to men as fathers, both physical and spiritual. Romans 4 calls Abraham our father in the faith six times in that one chapter alone. 

Anti-Catholics never mention the following verse (verse 10) which says “Call no man on earth your teacher.” Yet, Protestants and Catholics alike call people teachers all the time. This is because we know that Jesus was not being literal but speaking in Rabbinic Hyperbole to make a point to the hypocritical and vain Pharisees.

Answer to #2: (Confessing sins to a Priest)

Catholics are told not to confess their sins to anyone except God alone, this would include priests. Scripture says to confess to God alone, they inform us. Little do they know that we do confess to God alone, even in confession. While the priest is the channel and has the authority to forgive, it is to God that we confess the sins to.

They also do not realize that this is biblical. Let us take just one example. Jn. 20:21-23 shows clearly that Jesus gave the power to men to forgive sins in His name (among with other verses). It is still God (Jesus) who forgives the sins, but the priests are the vessels by which that forgiveness comes about. Jesus said to the apostles (men!), “Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven, whose sins you retain, they will be retained.”

Jesus clearly gives the apostles the authority to forgive sins in his name. Protestants claim to go by Scripture, yet, Scripture is clear on the matter.

Answer to #3 (Prayers to “dead” Saints)

Catholics are often told not to pray to the Saints because they are dead, and the Bible condemns talking to the dead. However, the passages from the Bible that they quote to us always come from the Old Testament. This was before Jesus died and destroyed the power of death. He freed us from death, which is why Scripture states that, “God is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Lk. 20:37-38). Before Jesus came, nobody could go to heaven. They went to a “waiting place” known as Sheol or Hades (See 1 Peter 3:20, for example). However, now that Jesus has freed us, people go to heaven and are alive there, made perfect by Christ’s grace.

The Bible clearly shows that these people are alive in heaven, not dead. Just look, for example, at  Revelation 6:9-11. It shows not only that people are alive, but that they are cognizant and remember what happened to them on earth.

Rev. 6:9-11: “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

And there are other verses too. Many times, anti-Catholics have a very Old Testament and Jewish understanding of heaven instead of a Christian one. If you would like excellent resources to learn your faith or learn more about the real Catholic faith, see resources at the end.

Answer to #4 (Mary can’t help in the salvation process)

Catholics understand that Jesus is the only Savior and that Mary did not die for us or shed her blood for us. However, she absolutely participated in the salvation process. She participated by giving birth to Jesus, the Messiah, and giving birth to his body which would be the instrument of our salvation. 

Additionally, all Christians help in the salvation process in some way, whether it’s preaching to a sinner and calling out their sins, or preaching the Gospel to someone, or praying for them, etc. We all have a part, though it is still the work of Christ and his Spirit and grace. Even St. Paul said he was a “co-worker” with Christ. Does that mean  He is equal to Christ? Of course not. And neither is Mary. She is only a mere human being, yet she was blessed to be chosen by God to have a special role in bringing forth the Savior of the world in a way that no one else did.

Answer to #5 (Praying to Mary and the Saints is Idolatry):

Revelation 5:8 says the saints pray for us and bring our prayers to God. In regard to Mary, we don’t “pray” to her as an end. Rather, we ask her to pray for us as we would a pastor, friend, or family member. The Saints pray for us and we pray for each other – all without breaking the role of Christ as one mediator who alone brings all our prayers to the Father. He allows us to participate with Him and is not threatened by us praying for one another. Rather, He loves His children praying for each other and helping each other to heaven. 

Answer to #6 (Catholics worship idols): 

This is another misinformed argument against the Catholic Church. What is an idol? Idols are created things that someone worships instead of God or as God. For example, pagans had idols (statues) of gold, wood, and other materials that they actually considered gods. We all remember the Israelites participated in this false worship by making a Golden Calf and worshiping it as the God who brought them out of the land of Egypt.

By contrast, Catholics only worship God. For us, statues are just art. They tell a story about the people’s lives. For those who think we worship statues, we would ask them to find us just one official quote written by a pope or a Council telling us to worship idols. You will not find it. Both Scripture (Revelation 22:9) and the Catholic Church condemn worshiping anyone or anything other than God.