What Can St. Ignatius of Antioch Teach Christians Today?

Last updated on: January 26, 2022 at 9:45 am by William Hemsworth

What Can St. Ignatius of Antioch Teach Christians Today? 2022-01-26T09:45:35-07:00 William Hemsworth

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Our church has a rich tradition. This tradition goes back to the very beginnings of the church and was passed down via the apostles. When I first started looking into the claims of the Catholic church, I turned to the church fathers. I thought I would read them to prove that he early church fathers were not Catholic. One of those church fathers I came across was St. Ignatius of Antioch.

His words hit me in a way that is hard to describe. The Holy Spirit worked through his words to show me that the early church was indeed Catholic. Here are 7 totally Catholic quotes from St. Ignatius of Antioch. These quotes give us much that we can learn from today. I also include an interview I did which Joe McClane who is a host on Guadalup

e radio about this great saint.

Ignatius Of Antioch. Ancient church icon. One of attributes of christian religion royalty free stock photo

Ignatius of Antioch icon

Seven Catholic Quotes Of St. Ignatius Of Antioch

1. Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ, which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. . . . [7, 2] They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, Flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes.- Chapter 6, Letter to the Smyrnaeans

2. See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is administered either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude of the people also be; even as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.- Chapter 8, Letter to the Smyrnaean

3. Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the Church that has found mercy in the greatness of the Most High Father and in Jesus Christ, his only son; to the Church beloved and enlightened after the love of Jesus Christ, our God, by the will of him that has willed everything which is; to the Church wich also holds the presidency in the place of the country of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of blessing, worthy of praise, worthy of success, worthy of sanctification, and because you hold the presidency of love, named after Christ and named after the Father; here therefore do I salute in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. -Introduction, Letter to the Romans

4. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is administered either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. -Chapter 8, Letter to the Smyrnaeans

5. Those indeed, who belong to God and to Jesus Christ–they are with the bishop. And those who repent and come to the unity of the Church–they too shall be of God. . . Do not err my brethren: if anyone follow a schismatic, he will not inherit the Kingdom of God. . . . Take care, then, to use one Eucharist, so that whatever you do, you do according to God: for there is one Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup in the union of His Blood; one altar as there is one bishop with the presbytery and my fellow servants, the deacons. -Chapter 3, Letter to the Philadelphians

6. In like manner let everyone respect the deacons as they would respect Jesus Christ, and just as they respect the bishop as a type of the Father, and the presbyters [priests] as the council of God and college of Apostles. Without these, it cannot be called a Church. -Chapter 2, Letter to the Trallians

Ignatius of Antioch

7. Indeed, when you submit to the bishop as you would to Jesus Christ, it is clear to me that you are living not in the manner of men but as Jesus Christ, who died for us, that through faith in His death you might escape dying. It is necessary, therefore,–and such is your practice,–that you do nothing without the bishop, and that you be subject also to the presbytery, as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ our hope, in whom we shall be found, if we live in Him. -Chapter 13, Letter to the Magnesians

Interview About Ignatius of Antioch With Joe McClane

About Joe McClane

Joe is the program director of the Guadalupe Radio Network, and the host of “Catholic Drive Time,” a morning drive-time talk radio show. He authored the book “Muscle Memory: Beating The Porn Temptation,” as well as the first chapter of “Delivered,” published by Catholic Answers. Joe has also produced hundreds of hours of evangelization, apologetics and inspirational written and audio/video content.

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