[Sethomas]

Paying for atonement is a type of indulgence that prevailed in the Middle Ages. Indulgences still exist, but the Council of Trent forbids selling them. That was in the 1540s. There were several bad priests back then who demanded a fee for their magic, id est reconciliation and transubstantiation. There you go, if you want an argument for literalism, go for "this is my blood". I buy it.

The Friday fast and abstinance (from meat, you perv) was restricted per necesitas to Lent by Vatican II. So, I ate lamb for lunch today.

There are few things more dangerous to Catholicism than an ill-informed Catholic.

The thing about the Bible is that it's recited systematically at mass, that is, all parishes worldwide are supposed to go in the same cycle. What I hear in English, Spanish, or Latin on Sunday, other people hear in French or German or Zulu that very day. So, scripture is considered a priori. Therefore, a good Catholic spends her time reading the Catechism, which digests meaning from Scripture into morality, theology, and life. That's the ground for why Protestants accuse Catholics of not being bible-thumpers, even though we have to hear the fire and brimestone shit once every two and a half years while they just recite the happy stuff every sunday.