This is a rather large word for the average 20th Century human being to use. It literally means SECOND CANON. This is the Canon that the Catholic Church accepted as the INSPIRED Word of God. Why? In order to answer this question we must first go back in history to the time of Jesus. The Bible used by Our Lord was of course the Old Testament, (The New Testament has obviously not yet been written). Jesus used what is called the SEPTUAGINT, the Greek Version of the Old Testament. It literally means: "Translation of the seventy elders." It is often abbreviated as LXX, (Roman numerals for 70). The Book probably owes its name to a story related in the LETTER OF ARISTEAS, according to which Hebrew Scholars, summoned from Jerusalem by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who was determined to have the largest library in the world at that time, achieved a perfect Greek translation of the Pentateuch, which was deposited in the Alexandrian Library. The story was embellished with time until the 72 interpreters were credited with the translation of the entire Hebrew Bible. It was maintained that although each of them had worked independently, their finished versions were identical and moreover, superior to the original as a result of Divine Inspiration. This Old Testament, as time went on, eventually grew to contain 46 Books all acclaimed to be the Inspired Word of God, therefore making God the True author. Ptolemy II, was the son of Ptolemy I, who was the leading General in Alexander the Great’s army. When Alexander the Great died, Ptolemy I became Ruler of Egypt and desired to have the world’s largest library. This is how the Books of the Old Testament came into being under one roof. I can hear the wheels turning in your minds right now. Some of you are saying to yourselves, "This sounds all right, what’s all the fuss? The fuss is that sometime after Martin Luther’s split with Rome in 1517, he took out seven books of the Old Testament and parts of eight others, and sandwiched them in-between the Old and New Testament. Luther called these Books, "Apochryphil." Hence the name, "Apocrypha." The British and foreign Bible Societies in 1823, removed them altogether from the Sacred Scriptures. They said something like, "If we are not going to use them, let’s get rid of them." That is why the present day Protestant Bible, King James Version, contains only 39 Books, in their Old Testament. Why did Luther sandwich them? Before I answer that question let me take you back to Jerusalem somewhere between 90-100 A.D. to the Jewish Council of Jamnia. This Jewish council, by the way, is according to legend. There is no physical proof that it ever existed, but, like other traditions, it is believed. before we get into the Council of Jamnia, let us first establish this important fact: We as Catholics believe the end of Public Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle, John, about 100 A.D. . The Jews maintain that public revelation ended with the death of the last Prophet Ezra, about 400 B.C. . Any other Books were not considered as "Inspired Word of God." As you all are well aware that King Nabuchodonosor destroyed Jerusalem in 597 B.C. and took almost all of the Jews captive in Babylon; leaving behind only the very poorest of the Semitic race. As with most people who came to America from another country, learned English, the Jews back then learned how to speak Greek, for that was the language of Babylon. It was during this Babylonian Captivity, that lasted sixty years, the Jews were released in 539 B.C. A great many of them migrated to Egypt. Egypt, was open to them and had a great many people living there who spoke Greek. A few of the Jews returned to Palestine, and others scattered themselves elsewhere. It was during this sixty year Babylonian Captivity that these Seven Books began to be written. We know the Book of Maccabees was written about 100 B.C. and deals with the events from 175 B.C. to 135 B.C. These Seven Books and parts of others then, were written after the death of Ezra, some were written in Greek, and of course; some were written outside of Palestine. Therefore; the Books of the Second Canon were rejected by those Jews whom rejected Jesus. It is this Canon of the Old Testament that our separated brethren use. The Council of Jamnia was split in its decision. Thus, two Canons were adopted; the Palestinian-39 Books and the Alexandrian-46 Books. Depending on the numbering system, the Jews had between 45 and 46 Books. For example: They would combine Jeremiah and Lamentations, making a total of 45 Books. I think you can figure out which one Jesus used and the Catholic Church uses to this day. It was not at this early year that the Church chose this Canon. Bishop Miledo, in the year 180 A.D., was the first to produce a list that should be accepted as Sacred Scripture. There were a variety of Christian writings in circulation in the several Churches of the East and West. We had over 50 Gospels and 22 Acts of the Apostles. Various letters from St. Barnabas, St. Clement, St. Polycarp, the Protevangelion of St. James, etc. For some three hundred years it rested with the local Churches to select from those authors what seemed best suited to promote religious life. Yet, it was but natural that there were rather sharp differences as to the authority, the apostolicity, of some of these writings. As is ever the case when the need of definition is felt, universally, the Church enters upon the scene to make known the truth in the case. It was in the year 393, at the SYNOD OF HIPPO, that the Bishops of the Catholic Church came to an agreement as to the books that should make up the Canon of the Holy Scriptures, that is, the official catalogue of inspired writings. And it was in the COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE in 397 that Pope Saint Siricius, approved this list to be used exclusively for use in Mass. The Bible is a Book written by Catholics for Catholics! Again in the SECOND COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE in 419, the former decree was reaffirmed. So also in the COUNCIL OF FLORENCE in 1442 and in the COUNCIL OF TRENT in 1546 The Bishops determined the Canon and decreed that the decision be binding upon the conscience of Catholics for all time. Pope Paul III convened this Council, Pope Pius IV ratified it, thus, reaffirming the Canonization of Sacred Scripture. Since we have the self-same Bible today that was given to the world in the year 397, at the Council of Carthage, the inquirer as to the authoritative establishment of the Sacred Canon should be satisfied that the Catholic Church does not change her mind, and furthermore that the entire Christian world was content to take the Bible and to retain it, as it came into their possession during all those centuries, up to the time of Protestantism. Catholics rejoice in the possession of God’s Holy Word, given to mankind by an Infallible Church. Catholics believe the Bible, the whole Bible, with no additions and no subtractions, to be the inspired word of God. Catholics say today what St. Augustine said in the fourth century: "I would not believe the Gospel unless moved thereto by the authority of the Church." Simply stated, there is all the difference in the world between the authority accepted by the Catholic and that accepted by the Protestant, with regard to the make-up of the Bible. I would like to quote from the Encyclopedia Judaica, concerning the Septuagint. I think you will agree that these Jewish authors are in no way bias concerning Christian writings. “ Together with the New Testament, the Septuagint constituted the Bible of the Greek Orthodox Church. The number of extant manuscripts is therefore considerable. Over 30 uncials, dating from the fourth to ninth century: a few of them date back to the second century B. C. E., and a number of fragments from Qumran caves also bear witness to the pre-Christian Septuagint, (these are the Dead Sea Scrolls). The old Testament contains a translation of all the books of the Hebrew canon. Some of them have different titles, some have discrepancies in the order of the chapters (especially Jeremiah), and others have additional sections (Ester, Jeremia, Daniel). It also embodies the Deuterocanonical books of the Catholic Church (Judith, Tobit, I and II Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Ben-Sira, I Baruch) and a few other Apocryphal books ( I Esdra, III and IV Maccabees, the Odes, and the Psalms of Solomon). The Sequence is based on a literary classification: Law, History, Poetry, and Prophesy." INSPIRATION AND TRUTH OF SACRED SCRIPTURE The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:Article 105 "God is the Author of Sacred Scripture. ‘The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit." ‘For Holy Mother Church, relying on canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have handed on as such to the Church herself.’ Article 106 God inspired the human authors of the sacred books ‘To compose the sacred books, God chose certain meant who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more.’ Article 107 The inspired books teach the truth. ‘ Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures. Article 108 Still, the Christian faith is not a "religion of the book." Christianity is the religion of the "Word" of God, "not written and mute word, but incarnate and living." If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, ‘ open (our) minds to understand the Scriptures.’" With all of this proof it is very clear that the following books were included in the Bible used by our Lord: 1. Tobit 2. Judith 3. Wisdom of Solomon 4. Sirach 5. Baruch 6. 1 Maccabees 7. 2 Maccabees Some of the books in part of the Second Canon are: That is to say that the King James version excludes parts of these Books, just as those Jewish Rabbis whom rejected our Lord. Daniel Ester Jeremiah In the Book of Daniel, The last two chapters are the stories of Bel and the dragon and Suzzannna. It is really a shame that our separated brethren have no knowledge of these chapters. They are wonderful edifying stories that show how strong the power of God really is. BIBLICAL REFERENCES TO THE DEUTEROCANONICLES: You will be interested to know that Jesus and the Apostles referred to the Deuterocanonical Books over 300 times in the New Testament. Gee, I wonder how they knew that if these Books did not belong in the Old Testament to begin with?Anyone have any suggestions? I’ll give you the Facts! They belong there just as much as the Gospels do in the New Testament. Let’s take a look at the references. I would like to encourage you to research these at home; we will look up a few here in class.IN THE FOUR GOSPELS:MATTHEW: 1. 5:34 refers to Sirach 23:92. 6:14-15 refers to Sirach 28;1-5 3. 7:2 refers to Wisdom 12:224. 11:29 refers to Sirach 51:26 5. 18:15 refers to Sirach 19:136. 18:33 refers to Sirach 28:4 7. 21:16 refers to Wisdom 10:218. 26:67 refers to Wisdom 2:19 9. 27:43 refers to Wisdom 2:12-2010. 27:45 refers to Wisdom 2:45-46MARK: 1. 2:27 refers to 2 Maccabees 5:192. 5:26 refers to Tobit 2:10 3. 13:4 refers to 2 Esdras 4:514. 9:12 refers to Sirach 48:10 5. 13:44 refers to 1 Maccabees 1:54LUKE: 1. 1:18 refers to Sirach 48:10 2. 1:19 refers to Tobit 2:153. 1:29 refers to Judith 3:18 4. 1:52 refers to Sirach 10:14 5. 2:9 refers to Tobit 5:4 6. 2:36 refers to Judith 8:4-5 7. 6:31 refers to Tobit 4:15 8. 12:20 refers to Sirach 11:19 9. 12:22 refers to Sirach 11:22-32 10. 13:34 refers to 2 Esdras 1:30 11. 16:9 refers to Tobit 4:9-11 12. 16:22-23 refers to 2 Esdras 7:36 & 8:59 13. 18:7 refers to Sirach 35:19 14. 18:22 refers to Sirach 29:11 15. 21:24 refers to Tobit 14:5 16. 21:26 refers to Wisdom 5:22 17. 24:4 refers to 2 Maccabees 3:26 18. 24:51 refers to Sirach 50:20JOHN:1. 1:1 refers to Wisdom 9:1-2 2. 1:3 refers to Wisdom 9:1 & Sirach 42:15 3. 1:5 refers to Wisdom 7:29-304. 1:14 refers to Sirach 24:4-8 5. 1:21 refers to Sirach 48:10 6. 1:49 refers to Wisdom 2:18 & Sirach 4:10 7. 2:1-3 refers to Tobit 11:88. 2:25 refers to Sirach 42:18 9. 3:13 refers to Baruch 3:29 10. 3:12-13 refers to Wisdom 9:16-17 11. 3:14 refers to Wisdom 16:5-7 12. 3:21 refers to Tobit 4:6 13. 4:9 refers to Sirach 50:25-26 14. 4:10 refers to Sirach 24:20-2115. 4:49 refers to Wisdom 8:8 16. 5:18 refers to Wisdom 2:16 17. 5:22 refers to Tobit 13:2 & Wisdom 16:13 18. 5:35 refers to Sirach 48:1019. 5:39 refers to Baruch 4:1 20. 6:22 refers to Sirach 3:17-2121. 6:27 refers to Sirach 48:10 22. 6:31 refers to Wisdom 13:20 & 16:2023. 6:63 refers to Wisdom 9:13-18 24. 8:7 refers to Daniel 13:3425. 8:12 refers to Wisdom 7:26 26. 8:32 refers to 1 Esdras 4:3827. 8:44 refers to Wisdom 1:13 28. 10:11 refers to Sirach 18:1329. 10:22 refers to 1 Maccabees 4:54-59; 2 Maccabees 1:18; 2:19; 10:10 30. 10:29 refers to Wisdom 3:131. 11:24 refers to 2 Maccabees 7:22-23 32. 12:13 refers to 1 Maccabees 13:51 & 2 Mac 10:7 33. 14:6 refers to Baruch 3:13-1434. 14:15 refers to Wisdom 6:18 35. 14:21 refers to Sirach 4:14 & Wisdom 6:12-18 36. 16:14 refers to Wisdom 9:1137. 17:3 refers to Wisdom 14:7; 15:3 38. 17:12 refers to 2 Esdras 2:2639. 19:11 refers to Wisdom 6:3 ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: 1 3:25 refers to Sirach 44:19-21 2 7:10-11 refers to Wisdom 10:13-143 10:34 refers to Wisdom 6:7 4 14:17-18 refers to Wisdom 13:15 14:19 refers to Wisdom 13:19-20 6 17:27 refers to Wisdom 13:67 20:35 refers to Sirach 4:311 PETER: 1 5:4 refers to Wisdom 5:15-16EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES: 1 1:5 refers to Wisdom 9:4, 9-122 1:13 refers to Sirach 15:11-20 3 3:2 refers to Sirach 28:12-264 3:17 refers to Wisdom 7:22-23 5 5:3 refers to Judith 16:176 5:6 refers to Wisdom 2:10-201 TIMOTHY: 1 6:15 refers to 2 Maccabees 13:42 TIMOTHY:1 3:8 refers to Wisdom 5:16 2 4:17 refers to 1 Maccabees 2:601 THESSALONIANS: 1 2:16 refers to 2 Maccabees 6:14ROMANS:1 1:19 refers to Wisdom 13:1-9 2 1:20 refers to Sirach 17:7-93 1:22 refers to Wisdom 13:1-9 4 1:23 refers to Wisdom 11:15&12:24&13:10-19 5 1:24 refers to Wisdom 12:25&14:22-316 1:27 refers to Wisdom 14:26 7 2:3 refers to Wisdom 16:15-168 2:4 refers to Wisdom 11:23&15:1 9 2:7 refers to Sirach 16:1410 2:11 refers to Sirach 35:12-13 11 3:9 refers to Sirach 8:512 4:13 refers to Sirach 44:21 13 4:16 refers to Sirach 44:1914 5:12 refers to Wisdom 2:24 15 9:19 refers to Wisdom 12:1216 9:20 refers to Wisdom 12:20-21&15:7 17 9:22 refers to Wisdom 12-20-2118 11:34 refers to Wisdom 17:1 19 11:35 refers to Wisdom 9:1320 12:15 refers to Sirach 7:34 21 13:1 refers to Wisdom 6:322 15:4 refers to 1 Maccabees 12:9 This last reference in Maccabees is a direct reference to "the Law, the Prophets, and other Books," as mentioned in the prologue to Sirach (v1), after 132 B.C.. 1 CORINTHIANS:1 2:16 refers to Wisdom 9:132 6:2 refers to Wisdom 3:8 3 7:18 refers to 1 Maccabees 1:154 15:30 refers to Wisdom 2:5-72 CORINTHIANS: 1 9:7 refers to Wisdom 2:5-7HEBREWS:1 1:1 refers to Wisdom 7:22 2 1:3 refers to Wisdom 7:263 4:12 refers to Wisdom 18:15-16 4 11:3 refers to Wisdom 9:15 11:6 refers to Wisdom 4:10 6 11:7 refers to Sirach 44:17-18 7 11:17 refers to Sirach 44:20&Maccabees 2:52 8 11:28 refers to Wisdom 18:259 11:33 refers to 2 Maccabees 6:18 10 11:38 refers to 1 Maccabees 2:28-3011 12:7 refers to Sirach 30:1 12 12:12 refers to Sirach 25:23GALATIANS:1 3:7 refers to Sirach 44:19-21 EPHESIANS:1 6:1 refers to Sirach 3:1-62 6:14 refers to Wisdom 5:17-20 REVELATIONS:1 8:2 refers to Tobit 12:152 8:3 refers to Tobit 12:12 3 9:3 refers to Wisdom 16:94 16:7 refers to Tobit 3:2 Don’t you find it most interesting that the Apostles and the other New Testament authors refer mostly to Sirach, which was the Catechism for the Jews and Wisdom, which teaches Penance and forgiveness of sins? D.S. Russell, a noted Bible scholar, in his book "Between the Testaments" says: "It is fairly obvious from a reading of the New Testament that its writers and its readers in the earliest days were familiar with at least some of the apocrypha books, not only those which they inherited from the Jews in the Septuagint, but also with the wider range of writings." “The words, ‘Woman received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance,’ recorded in Hebrews 11:35, remind us of the martyrdom of Isaiah whilst the phrases ‘the-effulgence of his glory’ and ‘the very image of his substance’ in Hebrews 1:3 remind us forcibly of the Book of Wisdom 7:26. Echoes of the Book of Wisdom are probably to be heard also in the words of the chief priest concerning the dying Jesus in Matthew 27:43, ‘Let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the ‘Son of God’ (Wisdom2:18); so also in Paul’s letters such as Romans 1:20-32 (Wisdom14:22-31), Romans 9:21 (Wisdom15:7), 2 Corinthians 5:4 (Wisdom9:15), and Ephesians 6:13-17 (Wisdom5:18-20). Again, certain sentiments and phrases familiar to the Christian reader in the Gospels have their near-parallels in the testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, expressions like forgiving one’s neighbor (Matthew 18-21,cf.Test. of Gad6:3,7), loving with whole heart (Matthew 22:37-39,cf. test. of Dan 5:3), and returning good for evil (Luke 6:27f, cf. Test of Joseph 8:2). These show how close the contents of Jesus’ moral teaching were at times to the moral ideals of Judaism." “ The dispute between Michael and the devil for the body of Moses in Jude 9 derives form the Assumption of Moses, and the doctrine of the ‘imprisoned spirits’ in 1 Peter 3:19 is drawn from Enoch 14-15. The Epistle of James has much in common with the apocryphal books; the writer was no doubt familiar with Ben Sir whose store of thought and experience he shared (cf., for example, James 1:19 and Ben Sira 5:11). References are made in the New Testament to unknown writings (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9; Ephesians 5:14; 1 Timothy 3:16) and quotations are given from unknown sources (Matthew 23:34-35; cf. Luke 11:49-51), whilst in one place 2 Timothy 3:8) allusion is made to Jannes and Jambres whose names were taken for the title of an apocryphal book known to us from later writings." No doubt the early Christians found these books religiously edifying, not only in their private devotions, but also in their training of catechumens. The question of canonicity would not enter at this point at all. That problem was yet to be raised and settled by the growing Church." It will serve now to list in comparable columns the canons of the Old Testament as accepted by both Roman Catholics and Protestant Evangelicals. Jews have the same canon as Protestants. THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES ROMAN CATHOLIC O.T. PROTESTANT O.T. The Palestinian Canon The Alexandrian The Palestinian Canon or LXX Canon The Law The Pentateuch The PentateuchGenesis Genesis Genesis Exodus Exodus ExodusLeviticus Leviticus Leviticus Numbers Numbers NumbersDeuteronomy Deuteronomy Deuteronomy The Prophets Historical Books Historical BooksEarlier Prophets Joshua Joshua JoshuaJudges Judges Judges ******************************Ruth Ruth1 Samuel 1 Samuel 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 2 Samuel 2 Samuel1 Kings 1 Kings 1 Kings 2 Kings 2 Kings 2 Kings LATER PROPHETS************ 1 Chronicles 1 Chronicles Isaiah 2 Chronicles 2 ChroniclesJeremiah Ezra Ezra Ezekiel Nehemiah NehemiahHosea *Tobit Esther Joel *Judith **********Amos Esther ********** Obadiah *1 Maccabees **********Jonah *2 Maccabees ********** Micah *********** **********Nahum THE WISDOM BOOKS POETICAL BOOKS Habakkuk Job JobZephaniah Psalms PsalmsHaggai Proverbs Proverbs Zechariah Ecclesiastes EcclesiastesMalachi Song of Songs Song of Songs ******* *Wisdom ****************** *Sirach *********** THE WRITINGS PHOPHETICAL BOOKS PHOPHETICAL BOOKSPsalms Isaiah Isaiah Proverbs Jeremiah JeremiahJob Lamentations Lamentations Song of Songs *Baruch EzekielRuth Ezekiel Daniel Lamentations Daniel HoseaEcclesiastes Hosea JoelEsther Joel Amos Daniel Amos ObadiahEzra Obadiah Jonah Nehemiah Jonah Micah1 Chronicles Micah Nahum 2 Chronicles Nahum Habakkuk********** Habahhuk Zephaniah ********** Zephaniah Haggai********** Haggai Zechariah ********** Zechariah Malachi********** Malachi ******** Note how the King James Version uses the same Canon of Scripture taken by the Jews who rejected Jesus; but how close it is to Catholic Theology in terms of grouping of Historical Books, the Pentateuch, and the Prophetical Books. They call our Wisdom Books Poetical Books. CONCLUSION All the evidence we have just reviewed gives clear concise proof that the Deuterocanonical Books did in fact exist in the Bible used by Our Blessed Lord, the Septuagint; and in No way shape or form did the Roman Catholic Church "add" these books to Sacred Scripture. One cannot add to something to that previously existed. They can however; be altered and removed by dissenting groups just as they were first sandwiched between the Old and New Testaments by Luther, and then removed altogether in 1823 by the British Bible Society. This Act prompted Pope Pius VII to Condemn the Bible Societies for their alterations of the Bible. In 381 at the Synod of Rome, Pope St. Damasus commission St. Jerome to translate all the Books of the Bible and put them into One Book. This became the world’s First Bible as we know it, the Latin Vulgate. The Synod of Hippo in 393 approved the Bible to be used and read at Holy Mass. This was reaffirmed at the Council of Carthage in 397, where the Bible was First Canonized by the Catholic Church. The Bible was then reaffirmed by the other Councils mentioned earlier. These Deuterocanonical Books by the way, were known in Africa in the time of Saints Augustine and Jerome as the "African Code." Code, meaning the African Canon of Scripture. The world owes its thanks for the Bible to the Catholic Church and her Bishops, Saints Augustine and Jerome. I found it very interesting that St. Paul, whom our separated Brethren adore, referred to the Deuterocanonical Books so frequently in his writings. The fact that the Gospels and the letters of Peter, James, and Jude, all the Apostles, all eye-witnesses did the same. Jude did something else, he referred to Enoch! It is clear to me that these Books, the Second Canon, not only belong in the Bible, but should never have been first sandwiched by the arrogant Luther and given that bogus name, "apocrypha" meaning "hidden" or "Spurious," which is another word for False; and then eventually taken out altogether by the British Bible Society. Which bring to mind yet another question, if these seven Books, and parts of eight others were false to begin with, why then were they part of the Septuagint? Why did Our Blessed Lord and the Apostles reefer to them? How then could anyone deny the Deuterocanonical Books? They were good enough for Jesus and the Apostles to reefer to, shouldn’t they be good enough for those who call themselves Christians living today as well? `One final question which was first asked by Vic Claveau, owner of Catholic Footsteps Bookstore in Hesperia, California: "Because there are no direct quotes from the Deuterocanonicals in the New Testament, does that mean that there are in fact direct quotes from ALL of the other 39 Books? What about these other 39 Books? How do Protestants answer this? If they claim the Deuterocanonicles are not Scriptural because there are no direct quotes, then why are the books of the Old Testament that are not quoted from, or even referred to in the New Testament valued as inspired works of the Holy Spirit? Once again, if the Deuterocanonical Books are not Scriptural, then why did the New Testament authors refer to them so frequently? I am delighted out separated brethren read their Bibles, even though theirs is incomplete. I think it is a shame they do not know about the Angel Raphael. It is a tragedy they don’t know about the Holy Macabees. It is absurd they disregard the writings and teachings of the Early Fathers, it is even more an outrage they limit the words of Jesus. Many have fallen for false beliefs that there are "Many paths" to Heaven. Jesus said "the road to Salvation is narrow and few find it. The road to destruction is wide and many take this road." Today there are 28,000 churches in the world, all claiming their way is the "Road to Salvation." In spite of all this hoopla, the fact remains, Jesus Founded One Church, He did not write a book, and that Church is still on this earth today just as He promised it would be. The Catholic Church was founded by Christ, and everything she teaches can be traced back to His mouth or the mouth of an Apostle who received it from Him. Jesus said the path to Salvation is narrow and the path to destruction is wide, which path are you on?