The CHURCH can never be brought down. Indeed it grows under persecution, and those who attack it are destroyed.
~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~
Acts 5:29-39 New International Version (NIV)
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
"You lunatic if I must, I will crush the Roman Catholic Church!"
~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~
"If in 1800 years, all the Catholic priests and bishops and popes together have not be able to destroy the Church (by their sins and abuses), do you really think you'll be able to do it?"
~ Pope Pius VII ~
~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~
Acts 5:29-39 New International Version (NIV)
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
"You lunatic if I must, I will crush the Roman Catholic Church!"
~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~
"If in 1800 years, all the Catholic priests and bishops and popes together have not be able to destroy the Church (by their sins and abuses), do you really think you'll be able to do it?"
~ Pope Pius VII ~
"The duration of the Church is even more remarkable. The states in which the Church first arose have disappeared, the cultures with which she grew up have collapsed; only the Church has remained, immutable in her internal essence, a permanent factor in the constant change of time. She has always held the same doctrine, the same sacraments, the same supreme leadership. "She survived the collapse of the Roman Empire, with all its many crises; she was not bowled aside by the great Migration; she could not be overcome by the internal weakness of her authority during those days that witnessed the deepest degradation of the Papal See(tenth century), nor through the external power of the emperors and French nationalism, nor by human sins and failings in the days of humanism and the reformation, nor the monstrous spiritual revolution of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, capitalism, socialism, and modern technology. In all these crises and storms she has maintained herself victorious, and to such a degree that her interior essence, her dogmas, her cult, and her law, have not ever changed. She has never made a single concession to human weakness and she has never surrendered a single one of her rights and prerogatives."
(Lang, Der Auftrag der Kirche, p.188) : (Ref. Dogmatic Theology for the Laity, Rev. Matthias Premm p.301-302)
__________
Daniel 2:44 New International Version (NIV)
44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
Matthew 16:18-19 New International Version (NIV)
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 7:24-27 New International Version (NIV)
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
1 Timothy 3:15 New International Version (NIV)
15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Luke 1:33 New International Version (NIV)
33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
John 15:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
(Lang, Der Auftrag der Kirche, p.188) : (Ref. Dogmatic Theology for the Laity, Rev. Matthias Premm p.301-302)
__________
Daniel 2:44 New International Version (NIV)
44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
Matthew 16:18-19 New International Version (NIV)
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 7:24-27 New International Version (NIV)
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
1 Timothy 3:15 New International Version (NIV)
15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Luke 1:33 New International Version (NIV)
33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
John 15:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.