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JANUARY 2013 Father Bill: _________________________________ Dear Teresa: PTSD is not demonic. Modern psychological insights have shown that the collection of symptoms that are now labeled as PTSD stem from the way one's mind and body respond to overwhelmingly difficult circumstances. While no two people are exactly alike in their response to horrible events in their lives, it is very clear that the effects can be devastating and very troubling. This does not imply that they are demonic. I sincerely hope that you have sought counseling and that you continue to do so as needed. You ask whether you need to confess those raw emotions that sometimes consume you. Given the circumstances of your life, I don't think that those emotions are necessarily sinful. In fact, generally speaking, emotions just “are”, and we are not morally responsible for them. Sin exists only if we respond to emotions in inappropriate ways. It seems to me that the emotions themselves are best dealt with in a counseling setting outside of the Sacrament of Penance. On the other hand, if you let those emotions control your actions, then that may well be matter for confession. In that case you should briefly explain to your confessor that you are dealing with PTSD, so he can better understand your struggles. I'll conclude with something that you no doubt already know, but it can't hurt to reinforce: You can't change your past, but you can build your future by not allowing your victimization to be the factor that determines it. You do have a choice about that, and it takes courage to pursue it. May God who loves you hold you close as you escape the darkness of the past and walk in his light.- Father Bill
Father Bill: ____________________________________ Dear Vincent: Let me begin this answer by noting that I am not a Scripture scholar. Whenever a question such as yours comes up, it affords me the opportunity to do a little research and learn something new (or relearn something that my 72 year-old brain has filed in an irretrievable location). So … thanks for the question. While chapter 13 (and 14) of the Book of Daniel are not included in the Hebrew Bible, nor are they accepted as canonical by Protestants, these chapters are, in fact, included in the Septuagint and have always been included in the Catholic Bible. The earliest Christians used the Septuagint as their Bible, so it is easy to see how it became the source for determining the canonical books of the Bible. Since this is where the Catholic Bible gets Daniel 13, it might be helpful to just briefly review what the Septuagint is. It is a translation of the Hebrew Bible (and some related texts) from the original Hebrew into the Greek that was spoken by ordinary people near the end of the second century before Christ. It gets its name from the Latin word for seventy, since tradition holds that the translation was done by seventy interpreters. I hope this answers your question, Vincent. May God bless you. - Father Bill
Father Bill: ____________________________________ Dear Glen: I don't know. As you and I both know, there are many people who believe that salvation will be limited to a select few. Their certainty about his comes from their understanding of the Bible or from what is taught by their particular religion. They typically include themselves among those to be saved. For my part, I think that there is a certain arrogance that surrounds this certainty. It implies that one can know the mind of God. While the Catholic Church teaches that “outside of the Church there is no salvation” (“extra Ecclesiam nulla salus”), there needs to be lots of discussion about exactly what “outside of” means. One perfectly reasonable interpretation would be that the Church is the instrument by which God has chosen to bring salvation to humanity. It would be similar to saying that “outside of Jesus there is no salvation”, in the sense that Jesus has brought the hope of salvation to all. The Church, as the Body of Christ, continues His saving work, and its members are not so much the saved as those who are called to do the saving. In my own extended family there are many members who are not formally religious but are living what I would term exemplary lives. They are people of integrity, they are faithful in their marriages, they are raising children with sound values, and they are generous in their relationships with others. Frankly—and I don't think that I'm prejudiced in saying this—their lives outshine what I see in many who claim to be religious. Will they be saved? Will they go to heaven? Only God can answer that question, Glen. With that in mind, it's helpful to remember Isaiah 55:8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Then there is 1 Corinthians 2:11: And Romans 11:34: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?" Whether practitioners of religion or not, we are all sinners in need of salvation. Because of that he sent his Son Jesus, who in turn founded his Church upon that wonderful—but strange—group we call the Apostles. God's ways are not our ways, but they are marvelous indeed! - Father Bill
__________________________________ Dear Sally: Let me begin by noting that there is nothing wrong with watching Mass on TV. However, it does not fulfill the Mass attendance obligation. Of course, it is a suitable option for those who are unable to attend Mass, since the obligation only exists if it is able to be fulfilled. Watching Mass on TV is a great consolation to many shut-ins, as well as others who may be prevented from getting to Mass by bad weather or other good reasons. The situation you describe obviously presents you with a dilemma. I have to admit that I am loathe to judge another pastor and his parishioners without actually personally experiencing at least some aspects of that parish's life. Some things you mention would trouble me, too, but others would not. I also am curious about the cultural make-up of the parish, as this often affects many aspects of parish life, including things like applauding during Mass. I would point out that centrally locating the tabernacle seems to be more related to culture and custom than to theology. You would be hard pressed to find the tabernacle in most of the great churches in Rome, for example. I've been in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican many times and would not be able to tell you if there is a tabernacle anywhere; there probably is, but it's definitely not on or near the main altar. I think it might be in the apse behind the main altar, but I'm not sure. The cathedral in my diocese, which was dedicated in 1960, has the tabernacle off to the side in a beautiful Blessed Sacrament chapel, and I've seen similar settings in many other churches in the U.S. and elsewhere. This actually is very conducive to prayer and meditation in the presence of the Holy Eucharist, and it surprises me how often this is overlooked in favor of placing the tabernacle in the sanctuary. Eucharistic adoration itself is a relatively late addition to Catholic piety, and it certainly is not mandated by any Church rules. Like so many of the choices in Catholic piety, it is wonderful for those who find it important for their spiritual lives. However, I would not judge a parish by how often it offers Eucharistic adoration or how many attend when it is offered. Neither would I judge fellow Catholics by whether or not they attend Eucharistic adoration. In the case of the parish you describe, it does not seem likely that much would be gained by talking with the pastor. You have your ideas as to what a Catholic parish should be like, and I doubt that you would be able to convince the pastor to change accordingly. On the other hand, it occurs to me that you could meet with him to learn more about the history of the parish and how it came to have the customs that it has. If you do this, it should not be confrontational, as no good would come of that either for you or for the pastor. If you feel that it's justified, it probably couldn't hurt to contact the archbishop. I suspect he would already be aware of this parish, so I would suggest that your approach should not be to inform him of what you see going on in this parish, but rather what your options might be in view of your inability to feel at home there. Finally, just a gentle reminder that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass re-presents the infinite merits of Jesus' total gift of himself on Calvary—even if it isn't always done in the best of taste. God has always managed to break through the imperfections of our humanity in order to accomplish his redemptive will. Surely God is working in the parish you cite. Please be assured that I'm not trying to downplay the urgency of your concern. I am only trying to gently suggest that, as we so often must do in life, you try to see past the things you don't like about this parish and perhaps find some things that you do like. This may not be an answer for you, but it seems worth a try. Thanks for your question, and may God bless you. - Father Bill
"Did Palestine exist in the 1st Century?" - Rose
CatholicView Priest Staff: ____________________________________ Rose: Palestine is the historical name that was accorded to the area that is now the state of Israel. Even the ancient Egyptians, in a source dated 1150 BC, called the area Palestine. Yes, Palestine existed in the first century! It goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians. It wasn't until the Hebrew People were freed from Egypt and entered the area of Palestine that we knew it as the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Later, the conquering Romans during the first century B.C. called the area Palestine. Here is a reference for you that will help you understand that the area was not only called Israel and Judah, but was also called Palestine in the Bible as well (from Jacobson, David M. (February 1999). Weinstein, James M.. ed. "Palestine and Israel". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research (The American Schools of Oriental Research) (313): 65–74, p.70 n.2): The Hebrew name Peleshet (פלשת Pəlésheth) – usually translated as Philistia in English, is used in the Bible more than 250 times. The Greek word Palaistinē (Παλαιστίνη, "Palaistine") is generally accepted to be a translation of the Semitic name for Philistia; however another term – land of the Philistieim (γῆ τῶν Φυλιστιεἰμ , transliteration from Hebrew) – was used in the Septuagint, the second century BCE Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, to refer to Philistia. In the Torah / Pentateuch, the term Philistia is used 10 times and its boundaries are undefined. The later Historical books (see Deuteronomistic history) include most of the biblical references, almost 200 of which are in the Book of Judges and the Books of Samuel, where the term is used to denote the southern coastal region to the west of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. I hope this helps. - Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: ________________________________ Will: I am sorry about your fight against cancer. I pray for your healing and strength. The Lord is with you and He loves you always. In answer to your question concerning the biblical verse from the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) of Deuteronomy Chapter 23: Verse 1, which reads: "No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD," you have terribly misinterpreted this verse in regards to your medical condition. As Christians, the old Mosaic Law was abrogated, meaning destroyed, by the establishment of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection. The Old Law, with all its prescriptions, no longer is valid and no longer hold power over Christians. Saint Paul writes extensively on this subject of the Old Law being totally replaced by the New Law of Jesus Christ. Saint Paul devotes a whole book in the Christian Scriptures (the New Testament) to this subject in his letter to the Romans. I ask you, if you have the time, to read the entire letter to the Romans. But in short, here is a summary in Romans, Chapter 7, Verse 5: "In the same way, brothers, you also were put to death to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the flesh, our sinful passions, awakened by the Law, worked in our members to bear fruit for death. But now, we are released from the Law, dead to what held us captive, so that we may serve in the newness of the spirit and not under the obsolete letter." Please know that your condition in NO WAY violates God's Law. For Christians, the New Covenant made with Jesus Christ is one based on faith, not the Old Law of the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled the Old Law through his one sacrifice on the cross. The shedding of His blood fulfilled the Old Law, ended animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins, and abrogated the entire Old Law in favor of Jesus' New Covenant with His Father, the law of faith and love. In the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 15, there is a description about one of the first church controversies that was about the Old Law and should the Gentiles (non-Jews) be forced to accept the Old Law and its command for circumcision and its dietary laws to be part of God's assembly. The Apostles, knowing that the Old Law was gone through Jesus Christ, told the new converts to Christianity that they were free from any obligations to the Old Law, concluded in Acts 15:10-11: "Why then are you putting God to the test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they." That first council of apostles in Jerusalem affirmed the spiritual reality that the Old Law was dead forever because we Christians are alive in Jesus Christ. So, what is the New Covenant and its commandments? It is stated quite clearly in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 16:31 when a prisoner asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, " Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved." That's it. Simple. No more complicated old detailed laws to follow to the letter to gain salvation, including the obsolete law you mentioned from Deuteronomy (which is no longer valid for Christians). Salvation is gained through a faith relationship with Jesus Christ in the Church.
For those
who might ask why such a law was deemed necessary for the Jewish
community at Moses' time, one would have to understand the
historical context that it was written.
So, a man taking on a life as a temple eunuch meant that he was worshipping a false god and that was certainly against the first two commandments that were written on the stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai. Also, another aspect of this particular law was that men were expected to produce children for the greater good of the family, the tribe (remember, there were 12 tribes of Israel) , and for the greater good of the entire Israelite nation. The idea of self-mutilation was so unthinkable that a law was made to make sure that no man would ever think of doing such a thing. Of course, some pagan nations surrounding Israel and Judah also had the practice of having eunuchs in service of the king's wife (the Queen-Consort) or his many wives. In this historical context, eunuchs were seen as servants of false gods, and kings of other nations. In the Hebrew people's estimation, eunuchs could never be loyal to the one God and to the Israelite nation. Knowing this, the question today of a man losing his testicle to cancer could never be seen within this historical context. And it doesn't matter anyway because such Mosaic Old Laws are now abrogated in favor of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. In the New Covenant, everyone is welcome to come to feast on the love of God through our faith in Jesus Christ. If I may be so crude to make a point, and please forgive me if I offend, having testicles is not the key to heaven, your faith in Jesus is. Such surgeries and by the way, anything outside of you, does not prohibit anyone from enjoying full participation in the assembly of believers called the Church. I am reminded of what Jesus said, totally contrary to the Old Law in the Old Testament (signifying the end of that Mosaic Law), in Mark 7:14: Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from the outside can defile that person; but the things that come from within are what defile." For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. (Matthew 6:21). Your treasure is Jesus and His Church. And your heart is in Jesus and He will be your strength as you fight cancer. Once again, my prayers for your immediate recovery and may you live in peace knowing that you are being cradled in the loving embrace of God forever, no matter what. Now, get to Church. Go in peace, Will. - Priest Staff
________________________________ Dawn: Your friend who is a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ (LDS) who teaches that Joseph would have been deeply ashamed of Mary's pregnancy outside of marriage is not far from the truth of the matter. In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 1, Verses 18-25, Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married, but her pregnancy threw a "wrench" into the whole engagement between them. So much was Joseph distressed yet wanting to protect Mary from being accused of terrible things by the neighbors and the consequences of the Mosaic Law that he decided to end the engagement by, as Matthew writes in his Gospel, divorcing her as it says in verses 18-19: "Mary was betrothed to Joseph, BUT BEFORE THEY LIVED TOGETHER, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly." Yes, Mary was with child before marriage, before living together with Joseph as her husband. Joseph wanted to protect her and did what the Mosaic Law required. But an angel intervened in a dream to Joseph and told him to take her as his wife which he did. I would disagree that Joseph was DEEPLY embarrassed and ashamed. Joseph wasn't concerned about himself and how it looked for him. Instead, Joseph was really protective of Mary -- because he loved her -- and wanted to spare her all the negativity that comes from being pregnant outside of marriage at that time. So, he married her by the angel's request (verses 20-24). - Priest Staff
_________________________________ Samantha: I must say, I have not heard of or do not know Conner Nash as a Catholic writer. He is known for his evangelical Christian (Protestant) style of prayer using a Roman Catholic form of verbalizing prayer to God. So, I did look up his book, CATHOLIC PRAYER BOOK (also known as CHRISTIAN PRAYER BOOK) in AMAZON.COM. His prayers are very directed to Christian perfection using the Roman Catholic style of prayer. There are some powerful prayers of deliverance (from evil, devil, sin, curses) in this particular book. The prayers are a particular style of spirituality that does not contradict Catholic theology. A Catholic can use these prayers without any worry about spiritual error. - Priest Staff
________________________________ Tony: On December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, a young man named Adam Lanza entered a school and killed 20 children and 6 adults as well as his mother and later himself. Twenty-seven souls were thrust into the presence of God by Adam Lanza's act. Such a tragedy is too great to bear for the people of Newtown, and an unspeakable fear of any loving parent for their children. Trying to understand and get human control over this situation is proving to be difficult for anyone. You have stated that you have heard priests and preachers say at funerals that "God has asked for your loved one to come home to Him." This platitude is simplistic but it does hold truth. I am not saying that God "wanted all these kids killed today" as you say. On the contrary, God had nothing to do with the killing. The murder of these beautiful people happened at the hand of one man, Adam Lanza, by his free will and his decision made in the darkness of his mind. But the scripture states that even though God wasn't responsible for the killing of these people in Newtown, He was there to take them all "home to him." When I saw the events unfold on the television news reports, my mind immediately went to the Gospel of John, Chapter 14, Verses 1 through 6, which Jesus states:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God, have
faith also in Me. Notice what John is saying. John does not say that God wants or wills the death of anyone. The Apostle John knew what the Book of Wisdom, Chapter 1, Verse 13 and 14, said: "Because
God
did not make death,
nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living. On the contrary, John is saying that at the moment of death, God is right there to take that person home to heaven. As Jesus said, "I will come back again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you also may be." Why? Because "God did not make death." God did not have anything to do with the killing of these innocent souls. But He did, as you stated, "asked for your loved one to come home to Him" as John quotes Jesus to say. Death came not from God, who didn't make it. Death came through sin and man's willing it, as Saint Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 21: "For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life."
The death of these people in Newtown came through a human being
and Jesus was right there taking them each home to Him as He
promised, to a mansion (dwelling place) built just for them. But
as the Book of Wisdom stated, God "does not rejoice in the
destruction of the living." He too felt and experienced each
bullet and each emotional crying pain of those who lost their
loved ones. So, why didn't God intervene and stop this shooter?
Here is the biggest mystery that is difficult to accept and
understand. God has given us all free will, and therefore the
ability to make my own destiny and to influence (and even
destroy) the destiny of others by what I personally do. God does
not interfere in our free will because to do so would make us
unable to freely love Him or freely hate Him, and also to freely
love others or to freely hate others. God so much values our
free will that He will rarely, if at all, interferes in our free
will decisions, even if the consequences of our actions have
such a destructive impact on others to the point of changing
another's destiny. That's the hardest part of this mystery of
free will to accept. But it points to the fact that we are all
responsible and will be held accountable for every action of our
entire life at all times before the God who gave me free will.
The shooter, Adam Lanza, freely chose to do what he did, even
though his culpability was limited by his own mental and
emotional illness that isolated him from others and played
tricks on his own reality.
So, our own impending death is dependent on many complicated factors, our free will decisions, the free will decisions of others, our own bodies, and our own environmental situations. We will all meet death and Jesus will be there to take us home. You could leave your faith in God behind in your confusion, anger and your judgment that God should have intervened and stopped the carnage. And by not having any faith and instead even, as you say, believe in "alien intervention" for the reason of our existence, then life would become so burdensome and hopeless. But I know that my God is real, and that He Himself made all life and did not make death (remember, man made death a reality by that original sin of Adam and Eve.) It is because of faith that I can make such a negative and evil event into something positive, change that will prevent such tragedies in the future. And the people of Newtown will do the impossible through their faith in a loving God who pushes us by His love into action. For free will human decisions can be directed to good by the actions of others. And the more good we can accomplish to change, the more that human free will decisions and actions can be directed to the greater good. Without faith, there is no reason to do anything but just to sit and watch the world go by. I noticed something that touched my heart. The first thing that the people of Newtown did was run to their local Catholic parish, Saint Rose of Lima, to find solace and strength in their faith in Jesus risen from the dead. Even though they had doubts about a loving God like you and many others do, they did not abandon their faith. Instead, they together embraced their common faith so that they could use their common pain to build a better world. And that's your destiny. Use your anger and frustration to build a world without violence and untimely death. Use your faith to give you the emotional strength needed to overcome all obstacles. You have no idea how much power you have in your free will. God gave you the power to mold not only your destiny but the destiny of others. That is the great human responsibility that we all have. God will not stop us in making free will decisions, though obstacles could be placed to stop us, though once again through our free will power, we could overcome the obstacle placed before us. He respects our free will no matter what. But He will pick up the pieces when things go wrong. And the goal of everything we do is directed to this end as stated in I Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 25 and 26: "For He must reign until He has put all his enemies under His feet." The last enemy to be destroyed is death for He subjected everything under His feet." Jesus is accomplishing His mission to destroy death by what we do here on earth. So, instead of focusing on your frustration of God not intervening in stopping this tragedy, focus your energy instead on protecting your loved ones by influencing others in making decisions for life not death, for love not hate, for action not apathy, for faith not doubt. There are no easy answers here. But through faith, I can say to those who lost so much in Newtown, "Jesus is risen from the dead, and God has asked for your loved one to come home to Him," Alleluia! My prayer for those in Newtown is one of great hope: Father, Abba Father, Our hearts are broken, our emotions are raw, we cannot understand why such tragedy happened to good people who love you and have faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Yet, we will not be overcome by evil, we will not be conquered by pain, we will not be imprisoned by fear or victimhood. Our faith in the risen Lord impels us to take action, to use our free will power to build a better world. We will not be conquered by death for we have conquered death by our faith in Jesus. Nothing can stop us. So, Lord, we confidence in your healing Spirit, we go forward while grieving those we lost to such senseless violence. We go forward because that is what those whose lives were cut short want us to do. Father, send your Spirit of peace and healing upon all who are in indescribable spiritual and emotional pain. Heal broken hearts and lives. And with your Spirit's inspiration, we will together ensure that no one will ever have to experience such tragedy again. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen. - Priest Staff
____________________________ Ritchie: I rejoice with you as you want and desire to keep Jesus Christ (Yeshua) as the center of all our spirituality and actions and daily life. Your heart is in the right place! But I must say, we do not know when Jesus our Lord, Savior, and Messiah was born. There were no birth certificates kept at that time. To say that Jesus was born on the first day of the Hebrew harvest celebration of Sukkoth (usually in late September or very early October) would be somewhat a different theory than what is generally accepted by Christian biblical scholars. I have the opinion that Jesus was born sometime in March or early April as can be discerned from the account of Jesus' birth in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, Verse 8: "Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping night watch over their flock." Shepherds living in the fields and the sheep grazing show that it was spring time and not the dead of winter that the date of December 25th is set. I would somewhat disagree with you that the birth of Jesus happened during the feast of Sukkoth in the autumn time when the harvest was finished. No matter. Since we do not know the date of Jesus' birth and we can only theorize when he was born, the Catholic Church in the third century decided to celebrate Jesus' birth in the dead of winter since Jesus was born to bring the Light of God into a dark and confused world. Yes, the Roman Church in particular in the third century took an existing pagan winter holiday and Christianized it. And why not? The Church wanted to sanctify everything around it to bring greater glory to God and bring people to a salvific relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son. But, I must say, you do have a major point concerning the celebration of Christmas on December 25th. Today, in this epoch, Christmas has been hijacked by commercialism and materialism, and the message of the birth of our salvation has been utterly sublimated by Christmas and holiday stories that have nothing to do with Jesus Christ. We as Christians must keep Jesus Christ as the center of all our earthly celebrations. - Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: _________________________________ Mark: Your question concerning the status of young children who die without being baptized brings to mind this scripture from the Christian (New Testament) Bible in the Gospel of John, Chapter 3, Verse 5: "Jesus answered, Amen, Amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of heaven without being born of water and the Spirit.” The sacrament of Baptism brings Christians into a relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior, with God as their Father. That's why the Church puts such emphasis on the reception of baptism for all believers no matter what age. And in an emergency, anyone (not just an ordained minister) can baptize another person using this formula: I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, while pouring water over the person or by immersion if that is possible in an emergency situation. So, in an emergency, one does not have to call a priest, as you say, for a person to be baptized. But even if a young person is not baptized and dies, we leave all judgment in the Hands of God who knows the hearts and minds of all created beings. I am also reminded that Jesus also said, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19, Verse 13: "Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." With that in mind, unbaptized children are in the Hands of God always, and Jesus Himself will bring them to His Father in heaven. The unbaptized child will not go to hell for Jesus bought the rewards of eternal life for these innocent children through His death on the cross. I am saddened to hear that your left Christianity to follow Islam. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is our Savior. This is truth and this truth is eternal. I don't understand why you have turned your back on our Savior Jesus Christ who died for you and is risen from the dead. All for you. – Priest Staff
Priest
Staff:
Hunter: The Bishop of Rome, presently Pope Benedict XVI, is the universal pastor of the entire Catholic Church, which includes the Roman Rite, many other rites and the Eastern (Oriental) rites. There are cardinals of other rites than the Roman Rite. These cardinals of the Eastern rites participate fully in the election of the Bishop of Rome. And yes, an Eastern rite cardinal could be elected pope of the Catholic Church. There are presently these eastern rite cardinals and they could be elected the next pope: · Nasrallah Sfeir, Patriarch Emeritus of Antioch for the Maronites · Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch Emeritus of Babylon for the Chaldeans · Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria for the Copts · Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch for the Maronites ·
Moran Bar Baselios Cleemis,
Major Archbishop of Kerala, India, for the Syro-Malankara
I am reminded of the movie, SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN, starring Anthony Quinn, who plays an Eastern rite cardinal (Ukrainian-Rite) who was elected pope (please see this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shoes_of_the_Fisherman). It was a great movie, and even a challenging one for those who saw it as a call for the Church is always have a "preferential option" for the poor, the voiceless and powerless, and those who are in great need for emotional, spiritual, and physical healing. The office of the Bishop of Rome is open to all Catholics, no matter the rite, by election of the College of Cardinals. – Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: _______________________________ Samisoni: Your question is vague and I do not know how to answer your query. Your state that the "Spirit" is telling you to do things and you do not mention what those things are. Discernment of the Spirit is an important gift from God and to have such discernment, you must first be able to talk to someone about what the "Spirit" is telling you. Since you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, the "Mormon" theology of God is very different from the general Christian theology of God as a Trinity. I would suggest that you talk to your local Latter Day Saints bishop concerning your questions and ask for his advice. Priest Staff
______________________________ Jon: I am praising God that you have such a deep devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as present in the Holy Eucharist. You are to be commended for your love of the Lord Jesus! And you should spread that devotion to Jesus as Lord in the Holy Eucharist to all you see! You are certainly a blest person! But your practice of keeping the Eucharist (the consecrated communion host) in your home is not accepted by the Church as a condoned practice. I presume that you are an Eucharistic Minister to the Sick which would explain how you have the Eucharist in a pyx (holder for Holy Communion to the sick and house bound). Private eucharistic devotion in your home is not allowed by liturgical norms of the Church unless approved by your bishop. I ask that you please return the Eucharist to your local parish or consume the consecrated host immediately. Otherwise, please continue your devotion to the Eucharist in your local church's eucharistic chapel. And please spread that devotion to all you see. My heart is gratified by your eucharistic devotion. Please say a prayer for all of us involved with A CATHOLICVIEW web site. – Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: _____________________________ Richard: The answer to your question is simple: NO. The pope does NOT speak infallibly in regards to the spiritual disciplines of the church. Celibacy for Roman Rite priests is a discipline for ordained ministers of the Church but that discipline can be changed either by a papal decree or by an ecumenical council decree. The Pope is only infallible in matters of faith and morals, and then, only under the strictest conditions, always done with the approval (and in union) of the bishops of the entire Church. The Pope cannot just make an infallible statement on his own out of the blue. Any infallible definition of a doctrine of faith is done with the deliberation of the entire Church, then spoken from the chair of Saint Peter in union with the bishops of the entire Church. Clerical celibacy is NOT a matter of faith. It is a discipline matter. An example of a discipline matter is something such as abstinence from meat on Fridays. An example of an infallible statement of faith is this: God is a Trinity; Jesus is both human and divine in one person; Mary is the mother of God since Jesus is both God and man at the same time (theotokos). The biblical reference to the church's infallibility (as embodied in the office of the Bishop of Rome as universal pastor of the entire Church) in regards to faith and morals is stated in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16,Verse 18: "And so I say to you, You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." The doctrine of papal infallibility ensures that the truth will always be preached to the ends of the earth for all time. Since the office of the bishop of Rome (papacy) is always linked to Saint Peter, the first pope and bishop of Rome, the promise that Jesus made to Peter is also made to his successors who sit on the chair of Saint Peter -- the 265 successors of Saint Peter so far! - Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: _____________________________ Pam: The sacrament of marriage has two goals (ends): 1- Unitive Love: the bringing of two souls into one; 2- Procreative Love: the procreation of children and building a family together. The fact that you stated your intentions that you do not want to have children or family, my immediate question is WHY? Since you will not, by your own choice, not fulfill the procreative love requirement and expectation of marriage, then you cannot enter into a sacramental marriage in the Church. The scripture has given us these two goals (ends) of a sacramental marriage as seen in Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 28 (here is the procreative end of marriage): "Be fertile and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it." And the unitive love end of marriage is seen in Genesis, Chapter 2, verse 24: "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body." Your parish priest's advice to "keep going to church and pray about it" is very good advice. Your intention of not having children, even by adoption, is against what marriage is all about. Sadly, with your present intention of not fulfilling the procreative end of marriage by your free choice, no deacon or priest could preside at the exchange of your marital vows. – Priest Staff
_______________________________ Kathleen: The season of Advent is NOT the Christmas season. Sadly, due to the commercialism of Christmas, people think that Christmas begins on the Friday after Thanksgiving. For the Church and our liturgical practices from the beginning of Christianity, Christmas begins on the first evening Christmas Mass of December 24th and the Christmas season is celebrated by the universal Church for 12 days (remember the song, The 12 Days of Christmas?) until the feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. Then for good measure, the Christmas season continues until the Sunday after January 6th that commemorates the Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John the Baptizer. The season of Advent is a period of four Sundays, four weeks, of spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the birth of our own salvation! During the four weeks before Christmas, the priest wears purple vestments as a way to remind people that Advent is a time for spiritual awareness and spiritual exercises in preparation for the celebration of Christmas (and also awaiting the second coming of Jesus at the end of time). Your pastor, though blunt, is saying something that is totally correct. There should be no Nativity scene or Christmas decorations in the Church until December 24th, Christmas Eve, in time for the first Christmas Mass which could be any time after sunset on December 24th. Advent is NOT the Christmas season. Christmas Day until the commemoration of the Baptism of Lord Jesus is considered the Christmas Season. In my parish church, our church is simply decorated in purple throughout the Advent season. On December 24th, we have a host of volunteers who decorate the entire church in festive Christmas decorations. After the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus, those same volunteers take down all the Christmas decorations and put them away in storage. You ask what your pastor is basing this on. Simple. The entire church tradition from the foundation of Christianity is the basis of your pastor's homily on this issue. Christmas begins on the evening of December 24th and ends on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus. Christmas does NOT begin after Thanksgiving. – Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: ____________________________ Perera: I do not know where you "heard that organ donation is not allowed for Catholics." On the contrary, we are encouraged to give the gift of life and donate our organs when we die for the benefit of others. Please, do not hesitate to be an organ donor. I have on my driver's license a notation that I am an organ donor. Most priests in my Archdiocese also are organ donors and stated clearly on their driver licenses or state identification cards. Here is the official statement on organ donations from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, approved by the Archbishop of Milwaukee: Catholic Teaching on Organ Donation (Father Andrew L. Nelson writes: In his 1995 Encyclical Letter, The Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II wrote movingly about the new cultural climate that so often readily disregards the sacredness of all human life. Current accepted practices in science and legislation, as well as in public opinion, are changing – for the worse - the way life and relationships between people are considered. He exhorts us to build up a new culture of human life, with special concern for the weak and defenseless in our midst. Who might some of these be? The Wisconsin Donor Network tells us that nearly 80,000 Americans are currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and that each year, more than 6,000 die because there are not enough donated organs.
In part IV of the same
encyclical, the Holy Father addresses us as "people of life and
for life," and stresses strengthening our many relationships,
and writes: "The Gospel of life is to be celebrated in daily living, which should be filled with self-giving love for others…in the many different acts of selfless generosity. Heroic actions…are a sharing in the mystery of the cross, in which Jesus reveals the value of every person, and how life attains its fullness in the sincere gift of self."
"Everyday heroism, made up of gestures of sharing, big or small, builds up a culture of life. A particularly praiseworthy example of such gestures is the donation of organs, performed in an ethically acceptable manner, with a view to offering a chance of health and even of life itself to the sick who sometimes have no other hope." (86) (emphasis added)
The Wisconsin Donor Network also tells us that the demand for organs is far greater than the available supply, despite public support and the high rate of success of transplantations. Yet while medical science can now do so much for so many, they cannot create human organs. The generosity and vision of each of us is called into play, to offer a specific gift to a person in profound need, and to help foster a culture that once again reverences all life. Whatever misgivings we may have entertained: that once one signs a donor card, one might receive less than adequate medical care in case of an accident; that one's family will be charged; that the procedure will disfigure one's body; that only rich people will benefit from the donation; and many others; are carefully addressed and dispelled by the Wisconsin Donor Network in their publications and interviews.
"Organ donation after death is a noble and meritorious act and is to be encouraged as an expression of generous solidarity." (2296) What a wonderful gesture of life-giving love! - Priest Staff
Priest
Staff: ________________________________ Sonia: I am sorry that you have misunderstood the writings of Blessed John Paul II on the issue of inter-faith dialog. John Paul II NEVER said that all gods are the same, or that all religions are the same. On the contrary, there is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior of all humankind. If you read the actual writings of John Paul II on this issue of ecumenism and inter-faith dialogs, you would know that Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to salvation, the only WAY to the Father. There is no other way to the Father and to salvation than Jesus Christ. With that in mind, understand that the Jewish people, the Christian people, and the Muslim people all worship the one true God as each understands God. The Jewish people worship the Father as the one God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but do not see Jesus as the Messiah or Divine. The Muslim people worship the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but do not see Jesus as Divine and as Savior. The Christian people like us believe in the one God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and see God as a Trinity: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as revealed to us in the New Testament. So, as a beginning point of inter-faith dialog, we start on something we all agree on: there is only ONE GOD. There may be many paths to our Father in heaven as there are many people of faith. But salvation is a grace given only through Jesus Christ. I have given you a link to see all the encyclicals and writings of Pope John Paul II as universal pastor of the Church. Please, read them and study them carefully. You will see why many accept without any doubt that Pope john Paul II is a saint in heaven! http://www.papalencyclicals.net/JP02/index.htm . - Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff: _________________________________ Dear Joyce:
One does not convert
into the Christian faith
unless they have faith in Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and
is ready to
__________________________________ Poppy: CatholicView is pleased that you have found a loving husband. Because you are widowed, you do not need a church annulment as the death of your previous spouse ends the legal union of husband and wife. This makes you free to marry in the Church. But the church requires you to have your marriage blessed before you will be able to take communion. The Church may/may not require you to submit a copy of your former marriage license. Having your marriage blessed means you must make an appointment to speak to your parish priest. You can have your marriage blessed privately in the parish office if you like. Your priest will give you alternatives for this. Once this is taken care of, you will be on your way to receiving Holy Communion. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Hello Jerry: Thirty years is a very long time to live with someone without the sanctity of marriage. You are living in sin. That you are legally domestic partners does not legalize your union in the eyes of God and within the Church. From your email, you are engaging in sexual actions that requires marriage. It seems that you have found a special, beautiful, and compatible union with your daughter's mother that has lasted these many years. Honor the Lord by getting a church sanction. . Please see your parish priest as soon as possible. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView: ______________________________ Mary Ann: Thank you for your question. To babysit for someone who will commit adultery would be enabling on your part and this would be wrong. If you know this person well, tell them how you feel and just say "no". God bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff _____________________________ David: I am sorry to hear that your wife does not want your children baptized. One good thing is that she does want your children to be enrolled in religious instruction at a Catholic Church. This is a great beginning for as your children grow up with this background of Catholic instruction and the children will begin to ask questions and show interest in your church. Keep praying about this and know God hears your prayers. Your intentions are sacred. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Paula: I am so sorry to hear that your daughter does not attend Church and is critical of the faith. You are correct in saying that she should not take communion at this time. Sadly, you can only pray for her, asking the Lord to move within her, letting her see that she must not give up her faith. When your daughter comes to visit is an opportunity to let your own faith show. Continue to go to mass. Say grace at mealtimes. Let her see your own beliefs in action. The main thing is not to make her feel bad if she does not want to attend mass. But if she goes with you and wants to have communion, tell her nicely but firmly that it is wrong to take communion unless she is a practicing Catholic. Don't harass or have a conversation about this unless she wants to know more. Set an example for her to see. Keep in mind always that you are a good parent. What is happening is not your fault as you have taught her well. Pray hard for your daughter.. Be patient and know that God will touch her heart in His own time. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: __________________________________ Rebecca: I am very sorry we could not send you an answer sooner. Here is what the Church teaches about suicide: The Code of Canon Law does not list suicide as a reason to deny a person a Catholic funeral or burial in a Catholic cemetery. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2009/09/chris-kelly-catholic-funeral.html has this to say in part about burial rites for those who commit suicide: " Gone are the days when Roman Catholic leaders denied church burial rites to members of the flock who took their own lives, left their marriages or failed to uphold other church teachings. “After all, funerals are occasions to pray for the deceased and console the survivors, church leaders have concluded. The Order of Christian Funerals also offers two prayers that are often recited publicly in the case of suicide. "As Catholics we recognize that mental illness is something that needs to be taken into consideration in pastoral practice," Fragomeni said. "We still acknowledge that killing is against God’s command. In this kind of case, the catechism says there are conditions we just don’t condemn people to hell or refuse them God’s mercy anymore." In fact, according to the Catholic catechism: "Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide." The catechism also reminds Catholics of the belief that God can provide opportunities for repentance. "In moments of stress and psychological breakdown or anxiety, such as must have been in this case, we give the benefit of the doubt. God is rich in mercy," Fragomeni said. "Temporary insanity is an argument in the courtroom. So why wouldn’t that work in ... God’s courtroom?" I hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Frank: I am so sorry that your children want no contact with you as their father. Sadly, there is not much you can do since they are middle aged. You can only pray for them, asking the Lord to soften their hearts and their thinking while there is time left to do so for none of us knows how long our lives will be. If you feel that you have tried to no avail and there is nothing else that you can do, give them up to the Lord, asking for His intervention. He will take care of all things, in His own way and in His own time. You have taken the first step over and over again, and so you must let go of the past and count on the strength of our heavenly Father. Move forward now, knowing that if your three children have a change of heart as grownup adults, they will try to reach you. As you say, your door is always open, God sees it, and will honor your persistence. Keep praying that at least one of your children will change. Don't give up but continue the prayers. It may be those prayers of yours that are sustaining them even in their distancing from you. May you find the peace that the Lord wants you to have. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ____________________________________ Barry: Thank you for your question on how to recognize the voice of God. Many people have asked about this.
The bible speaks of this in John
10:27: "Jesus
said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow
me” Those who hear God’s voice and recognize it are those who
belong to Him—those who have been saved by His grace through
faith in the Lord Jesus. These are the sheep who hear and
recognize His voice, because they know Him as their Shepherd and
know His voice.
CatholicView Staff: ________________________________ Jonathan: This is a very difficult situation and you are sadly in the middle trying to placate both your dad and your sister. Perhaps your dad is worried that his daughter is making a colossal mistake. It may not be that he is racist, but fear is there, as well as worry about his child. If you can, try to understand why your dad is troubled. Ask him why he feels this way, since our loving God loves each and every soul that He created equally. No race is higher than another. He might consider that when we reach our eternal home, there will be no racism, no differences there, and everyone will live together in harmony forever. It might be a good thing if you can both go to see your parish priest who will help your father understand that he is hurting his family because of his unkindness toward your sister's boyfriend. Sadly, it is not always easy to change someone's mind if it is closed. The good news is that you can pray for your father, for with God all things are possible. Through your prayers, God can open your dad's eyes and his heart to allow him to see the goodness of your sister's longtime boyfriend. It will take time though, but Almighty God can do all things. Please continue to pray hard for your dad and for your own peace. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: __________________________________ Morten: You have a kind heart to consider others instead of yourself. God will bless you for this. BUT, if your medication gives you pain and possibly life threatening conditions including heart attack, you must report this to your doctor. There may be an alternative to this medicine that may be beneficial to your health. Please seriously think about this. Unfortunately, we do not know the extent of this medication you speak of or why exactly it was given. Remember, your life is very important. Stop thinking of what others may feel about your condition and think of the whole. You need to find a medication that is agreeable for your health and your safety plus will be acceptable to those who love you. If it is possible, you must contact your doctor immediately and listen CAREFULLY to how the medication is truly affecting you AS WELL as to others!!! I hope this helps! - CatholicView Staff
"
_________________________________ Jim: We are sorry to hear that your friend was involved with an abortion. But thankfully, God is a forgiving God. All of us face sin, but Jesus Christ offers forgiveness through repentance on our part. Your friend's past will not keep your friend from becoming a Christian Catholic. It is through his wanting to become a Catholic, asking for forgiveness of his sins, that renews his soul, making it brand new through baptism; his past will be erased. Please tell your friend the church waits for him; most importantly, God waits for him to receive forgiveness and love through Jesus Christ Who has already paid the price for this, and for the precious gift of eternal life. Tell him not to dwell on the past sins but to move forward in the Lord. Have him make an appointment to see a priest who will explain how he can become a member of our Church family. God bless you for helping your friend. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: You state that your brother wants to become a Vicar in the future. Being a Vicar demands a life that is pleasing in the sight of Almighty God but your brother is living in sin. As to becoming a Vicar, this would depend on whether he gives up this lifestyle and asks God to forgive him for how he is presently living. Please pray for him. - CatholicView Staff
____________________________ Leo: If you did not intentionally withheld a sin, it has already been forgiven. Sins forgotten can be confessed at the next available opportunity. You might consider making a list of sins that you have committed before you go to confession as this is an easy way to keep them in memory. God bless. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ___________________________________ Dear Ricardo: Breaking the law is abusing the laws set out for specific purposes beneficial to many, and so it is wrong and sinful as well. Some we vote for because it serves a need, others could be for safety, duties of citizens, government, immigrants, gun control, etc. Mark 12 verses 13-17 tells, "They sent some Pharisees and Herodians to him to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at." They brought one to him and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied to him, "Caesar's." So Jesus said to them, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.' They were utterly amazed at him." And so, Ricardo, it is sinful not to obey or to break a law. Here is a link which will clarify what you are asking: http://www.catholicity.com/catechism...l_society.html I hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff
_____________________________ Jen: It takes great faith and prayer to come to peace with something so horrific as this happening in Connecticut. We simply do not know the answers to this monstrous tragedy but as believers we know that life is not without promised eternal value. Even this sadness will be made right someday. Yes it is so hard, so wrong, and so useless. It took the cold reality of unexpected death and destruction to gain our full attention and remind us that we live in a temporary, imperfect, sinful, unstable, and frightening world. We cry to the Lord, why do you allow such tragedies to happen? Why? Where were the guardians you promised to send to protect our loved ones? Why didn't You intervene? But think. We know the Lord gave each of us free will. He does not take it back even though our choices are wrong. It is not our God Who causes horrific things to happen; it is man exercising free will in a sin filled world. But know every time we do things arbitrary to His will, He sees and one day we will have to account for each and every action that went against His teaching. This evil perpetrated by man is never the end or the final word. The final word belongs to Almighty God, Who sees and knows all things. When we ask, "GOD, where were You?" we must, through faith, confidently answer "He was right there, saddened by the choices of man, but one day, be sure, when He comes back in glory all things will be made right, for vengeance belongs only to our God.
Be at peace, Jen,
and pray for those who are hurting because of their losses. Ask
the Lord to strengthen them during their suffering in this time
of sorrow. Take heart, keep praying and continue to stay close
to our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who has promised to walk with us
through the trials and the miseries of this life. One bright day
He will take us home to live forever in a perfect place where
there will be no more crying, no more suffering or dying. Praise
God
forever! -
CatholicView
Staff
_________________________________ Sean: God is the Creator of this world. Satan is not. God is mightier than Satan. You can break this deal with Satan through intense prayer. Ask the Lord for forgiveness for what you have done. Be repentant of your sins. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, your soul belongs to Him. It is not for sale. It is only when you move into sin and turn your back on the Lord that Satan can lay claim on your soul. If you believe or if you come to know Jesus Christ, He puts His seal on you and you can only break that seal by living in sin, using your “Free Will” to embrace Satan through your actions and turning your back on God. In the future stay away from evil promises. Ask God instead, through prayer, for what you need. I hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff
_______________________________ Dear Jim: Your Intent
was good. Accept your priest's assurance that all went well and
move forward in the faith, being careful to avoid the same sins
in the future. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. -
CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ________________________________ Priya: When a marriage takes place, the newly wed couple should be prepared to live apart from the in-laws, never on a permanent basis unless there are circumstances such as lack of finance. The bible tells that In Mark 10:7-8, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh." If there are financial problems forcing a couple to live with the parents for a time, the couple should take the responsibility of finding living quarters for themselves as soon as they are able. If there are circumstances whereby a couple must care for elderly or sick parents, this might require the new couple to live with the parents until such time that they are able to care for themselves. But the newly married are to set up their own household as soon as they are able to do so. We hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff
_____________________________ Dear Jim: I am so sorry that you feel you failed your dying mother. This is a common syndrome when caring for a parent who dies, because no matter how much you gave, you now feel your were inadequate. But through loving her, you gave her the best you could and I believe she knew and appreciated this. Pray and ask God to remove these feelings of guilt, for you gave whatever you could to your wonderful mother. I know that she knows this, and would not want you to punish yourself this way. I am going to suggest that you talk to your parish priest. Tell him your feelings about caring for your mom. Perhaps in discussing it, you will be able to see that you gave all you could as a caregiver. The main thing is that you loved your mother. Not one of us is perfect. Continue to have faith that you WERE there for her, doing what was necessary with loving hands. One day when you see your mom again in heaven, she will thank you for all the tender love you gave to her. Be at peace. - CatholicView Staff
_____________________________ Dear Lauren: I am sorry to hear that your health condition forces you to use an IUD for uncontrolled hormonal bleeding. Yes, it is a form of birth control, but in your case it seems a necessary device to control your problem. To get this answer verified, make an appointment with your parish priest and please bring your medical paperwork from your doctor. He will be able to talk to you and settle your mind about this. Please also consider that that are many babies and young children who need homes. It would be a blessing to adopt a needy child. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage to your fiancé. May the Lord be with you always. - CatholicView Staff
_____________________________________ Holli: God bless
you! Reading the bible is a very special and spiritual
experience. Don't
be afraid to read it!
When you read the scriptures, ask the Lord to open your heart to His Word. If there are footnotes at the bottom of each Bible page referring to a verse you are reading, you might find these helpful in clarifying the verse you are reading in another section or Book in the bible. If you find that a passage is not clear to you, you might want to ask your priest to explain it. And if possible, check other nearby Catholic Churches within your vicinity. You may be fortunate in finding a Bible Study group fairly close. Don't give up! Pray and ask God's guidance as you read His Word. Welcome back to your Church family! - CatholicView Staff
: CatholicView Staff: God has
suddenly disappeared from me for almost a year now. I feel
incredibly abandoned and no matter what I try, he isn't
responding. How can I grow in faith but also try and seek him? _____________________________________ Dear Kasey: God hasn't abandoned you. God does have a plan for you. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." You can't always change your circumstances but you can focus on what you can do and leave the rest to God. Put all worries in the hands of our merciful and loving God. Continue to pray even though you think He has forgotten you. Keep in mind He knew you even before you were born. The love God has for you is so great He sent Jesus to die for your gift of salvation so that one day you will live in paradise with Him. Continue to talk to Him, knowing He hears every single word. Ask Him for the help of His grace and thank Him for what He has already given to you. And continue to thank Him for the things He WILL provide for you. Satan wants you to lose hope but don't give up! Before Jesus left to be with His Father, here is what he said in John 14:16-21: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." God doesn't cause bad things to happen to us, but sometimes He lets us go through things we don't understand in order to build our character or our faith. Proverbs 3:5 tells - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." God's ways are not our ways. I encourage you to keep turning to Him in this time of need, for He is the one source of strength you can depend on in this time of trial. Don't turn your back on Him, but rather unite your suffering to the suffering our Lord experienced on the cross. Grow from this valuable experience. Read your bible. You may be surprised at how He is working in your life even though you don't see or feel His presence right now. Pay attention to the things that He is blessing you with, and thank Him for those blessings and know that He never changes. He promises to be with you always. We inhabit a world of imperfections and trials. God does not promise us heaven on earth. He asks us to bring all our cares and put them into His capable hands and He will help us to carry them. Whatever the outcome might be, He will give the strength and courage you need to bear all hardships as He reminds us that earth is only a way-station, a temporary place to get ready for our eternal home. Know that each burden that becomes heavy provides an opportunity for us to depend upon Him and see the greatness of His loving mercy. If we surrender everything to the Lord by relinquishing our hold, we can rest in His goodness, confident He will intervene for us. Though many things weigh heavily on us, we must depend on Jesus Christ, our advocator and Savior, Who has promised to share all burdens if we bring them to Him in prayer. Psalms 27:14 tells us "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord". - May God continue to bless you, Kasey, and keep you in His care. You're in my prayers. - CatholicView Staff
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