Sources & Citation Policy

Effective Date: October 2, 2026

Publisher: Prayer Warrior USA (prayerwarriorusa.com)

Doctrinal Alignment: Fully Submissive to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church

Scope: Universal across all published articles, devotionals, prayer guides, theological commentary, and educational materials.

1. Doctrinal Alignment & Scope

Prayer Warrior USA is an explicitly Catholic digital apostolate. All content published on our platform must reflect the fullness of the Catholic faith as handed down through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the authoritative teaching of the Magisterium (the Deposit of Faith).

Because theological clarity and spiritual fidelity carry eternal weight, Prayer Warrior USA operates under a strict Catholic-Only Sourcing Directive. We do not utilize Protestant, non-Catholic, or ecumenical translations, commentaries, or theological frameworks. Every quote, scriptural reference, historical assertion, and doctrinal explanation must be drawn exclusively from approved Catholic sources and Magisterial documents.

2. Hierarchy of Catholic Sources

To protect our readers from doctrinal error and preserve Catholic truth, writers and editors must strictly prioritize primary Magisterial texts over secondary Catholic commentaries.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEVEL 1: SACRED SCRIPTURE                                    │
│ 73-Book Catholic Canon (Church-Approved Translations)       │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ LEVEL 2: SACRED TRADITION & THE MAGISTERIUM                  │
│ Vatican Documents, Catechism, Councils, Papal Writings, CIC  │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ LEVEL 3: DOCTORS, SAINTS & PATRISTIC WRITINGS                │
│ Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church, Liturgical Texts      │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ LEVEL 4: APPROVED CATHOLIC SCHOLARSHIP                       │
│ Works with Nihil Obstat / Imprimatur, Pontifical Academic    │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Catholic Source Classification Matrix

3. Sacred Scripture Standards (73-Book Canon)

Catholic biblical teaching relies on the complete 73-book canon of Sacred Scripture defined at the Councils of Rome (382), Hippo (393), Carthage (397), Florence (1442), and reaffirmed by the Council of Trent (1546).

3.1 Mandatory Catholic Translations

Only Church-approved Catholic translations containing the Deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and additions to Esther and Daniel) are permitted:

• Primary Standard: New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) or Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition (RSV-CE / RSV-2CE).
• Traditional Standard: Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner Revision).
• Liturgical/Ecumenical Catholic Standard: Jerusalem Bible / New Jerusalem Bible (Catholic Edition).
• Prohibited Translations: Protestant or non-Catholic translations (e.g., NIV, ESV non-Catholic editions, KJV, NLT) are strictly prohibited across all content.

3.2 Scripture Citation Formatting

Scripture references must include book name, chapter, verse(s), and the specific Catholic translation abbreviation in parentheses.

• Single Verse: Matthew 16:18 (RSV-CE)
• Deuterocanonical Passage: Sirach 2:1–5 (NABRE)
• Gospel Quote: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, NABRE)

4. Magisterial, Vatican & Tradition Sourcing

Catholic doctrine is rooted in the living teaching office of the Church. Content discussing dogmatic, moral, or liturgical topics must cite authoritative Church documents directly.

4.1 Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the primary benchmark for explaining Catholic doctrine. Citations must reference paragraph numbers (§ or CCC), not page numbers.

• Format: CCC § [Paragraph Number]
• Example: (CCC § 1831) or Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 881–882.

4.2 Papal and Conciliar Documents

When quoting or explaining Papal Encyclicals, Apostolic Exhortations, or Conciliar Decrees, writers must cite the Pope/Council, the Latin title, the publication year, and paragraph number.

• Second Vatican Council: Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium (1964), § 11.
• Papal Encyclical: Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum (1891), § 42.
• Apostolic Exhortation: Pope St. John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendae (1979), § 5.

4.3 Code of Canon Law

Legal and canonical references within the Roman Rite must cite the 1983 Code of Canon Law (CIC); Eastern Catholic contexts must cite the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO).

• Format: CIC c. [Canon] or CCEO c. [Canon]
• Example: (CIC c. 916) or (CIC cc. 212 § 3)

4.4 Doctors of the Church & Sacred Tradition

When citing Doctors of the Church (e.g., St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Augustine), writers must reference specific works and traditional structural divisions:

• St. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 94, a. 2.
• St. Augustine: De Civitate Dei (The City of God), Book XIX, Chap. 13.
• St. John of the Cross: The Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book 2, Chap. 5.

5. Catholic Verification & Fact-Checking Standard

To maintain strict alignment with Catholic orthodoxy and avoid apocryphal claims, content must pass through a four-tier verification review prior to publication.

[1. Catholic Drafting] ➔ [2. Magisterial Verification] ➔ [3. Canonical & Marian Audit] ➔ [4. Publication]

5.1 The Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur Requirement

For secondary commentaries, study guides, and educational materials, priority is given to works that carry ecclesiastical approval:

• Nihil Obstat: (“Nothing hinders”) Certification by a diocesan censor that a work is free from doctrinal or moral error.
• Imprimatur: (“Let it be printed”) Authoritative permission for publication granted by a Catholic Bishop or Religious Superior.

5.2 Private Revelations & Marian Apparitions

In full submission to Church authority, Prayer Warrior USA handles private revelations with extreme caution:

• Approved Revelations Only: Only private revelations and Marian apparitions that have received explicit approval from the local Ordinary or the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) (e.g., Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe, Divine Mercy) may be presented as spiritually beneficial.
• Status Requirement: Apparitions classified as constat de non supernaturalitate (established as not supernatural) or unapproved by the Church will not be cited, promoted, or presented as authentic Catholic devotion.
• Dogmatic Precedence: Private revelations can never add to, modify, or override Public Revelation (the Deposit of Faith closed with the death of the last Apostle).

5.3 Saint Attribution & Quote Auditing

Spurious or misattributed quotes (often falsely assigned to St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa of Calcutta, or St. Padre Pio) are strictly forbidden. Every quote attributed to a saint must be verified against their canonized writings, documented homilies, or official cause for canonization records.

6. Secondary Catholic Scholarship & News Outlets

When secondary analysis or current news regarding the Catholic Church is required, writers must source exclusively from reputable, orthodox Catholic platforms.

6.1 Approved Catholic Media Outlets

• Vatican News / Holy See Press Office
• Catholic News Agency (CNA) / EWTN News
• National Catholic Register
• Catholic News Service (CNS) / USCCB News
• Diocesan Official Publications

6.2 Approved Catholic Academic Publishers

• Catholic University of America Press (CUA Press)
• Ignatius Press
• Franciscan University Press
• Pontifical Biblical Institute / Pontifical Gregorian University Press
• Dominicans / Thomist Press

7. Hyperlinking & Citation Governance

1. Direct Magisterial Linking: All inline references to Vatican documents, Council decrees, or the Catechism must hyperlink directly to official text on Vatican.va, USCCB.org, or established Catholic digital archives (e.g., New Advent).
2. Typography for Sacred Texts: Quotations from Sacred Scripture, Papal Encyclicals, and the Catechism longer than two sentences must be formatted as indented blockquotes with standard attribution:

“The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows.”
— Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), § 10

8. Editorial Corrections & Doctrinal Integrity

If a factual, translation, or theological inaccuracy is identified within any Prayer Warrior USA publication:

• Doctrinal Corrections: Any statement found to contradict Catholic dogma or official Magisterial teaching will be corrected immediately upon discovery.
• Transparency: A clear Editorial Note detailing the date, nature of the theological/factual adjustment, and corrected Catholic source will be published at the foot of the affected article.