FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016

ASK A PRIEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

FATHER KEVIN BATES, SM
FATHER LAZARUS CHAWDI
PRIEST STAFF
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF

PRIEST STAFF

"I live in a rural area and there are no Catholic Churches
close by.  How can I join and be saved if no Churches are
in the area?  Will I be condemned to hell?" - Nick

Father Francisco:

I was wondering how one would become a Roman Catholic when one does not have the resources to become a Catholic. I come from a rural area in the south where there isn't a Catholic church hours from here.  It got me thinking about other people from North Korea and other Muslim countries where there are no churches, and how they too could become Catholics when they need baptism and the Eucharist, but we don't have a physical church to go to. In summary, how could one receive the sacraments, join the Church, and be saved, when they simply don't have the resources to do so?  Are we condemned to hell even though we want to join, but can't due to our socioeconomic or political environments?  Thanks.  - Nick

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Nick:

Nothing can separate you from the love of God, and that means that distance from a Catholic congregation cannot separate you from the love of God  Your faith in Jesus will save you.  You will never be condemned to hell because you cannot be close to a Catholic parish church.  God sees everything, and He sees your heart and your faith.  He rejoices in your faith and has made a place for you in heaven, your own mansion (see John 14: 1-4). 

Though you will one day be accepted into the Catholic Church through a parish community of faith, you can start now by studying the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.   Here is the official link of the Catechism in English from the Vatican website:    http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM  
The whole Catechism is there and all you have to do is click on the chapter links and read that Chapter. 

It will take you a while to digest the truths of Catholic teaching, but take as long as you want.  Read each chapter from the beginning and take some notes.  And as a good start, please read the Gospel of Mark first as you read the Catechism.  When you finish, you will be ready to make that long journey to your nearest parish church.  You may want to call them first to see if there are any missions or visiting priests or deacons or catechists coming to your area. Tell them that you want to be a Catholic but distance keeps you away.  Since they know what is involved in your part of the world, they will advise you what to do next.

Meanwhile, you will study the Catechism from the link I gave you, and you will read the Gospel of Mark.  After that, you can read the whole New Testament from Matthew to Revelation.  After that, you will be ready to be brought into full communion with the Catholic Church.  God bless, and move forward in studying the Catholic faith.  Jesus is Lord and Savior!  He is with you now.  You are in His Hands now.  Trust Him and He will find a way for you to come to the altar of the Lord to receive the sacraments! -  Father Francisco

"My husband and I have been away from the Church for a while.  Now
my husband has Stage IV Lung Cancer and wants to be cremated
when he dies.  He wants a Memorial Mass.  Will he be denied since
we have not attended Church?"  - Kathy

Father Francisco:

My husband and I are both Catholics.  We have been away been from the Catholic Church for a while.   My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer.  His wish is not to have a viewing or a funeral home service.  His wish is to be cremated.   He was wondering if he could have a Memorial Mass when he passes?  Would he be denied if we have not been to church?  -  Kathy

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Kathy:

Yes, your husband can have a Memorial Mass in the parish church if he wishes.  You can have the cremated remains there in the parish church for the Mass if you wish.  Please talk to your parish church to make any arrangements if you have any concern.  It is best you talk to your parish priest so that your husband can now receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick as soon as possible.  To receive this sacrament, one doesn't have to be dying.  I know that the reception of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will bring comfort to your husband.  Plus, having your parish priest administer this sacrament will introduce your husband to your parish priest so that when he is asked to preside at the Memorial Mass for your husband, the priest will know whom he is praying for.  

I am saddened to hear of your husband's fight with lung cancer.  I will say a special prayer for him today and I will pray that the Spirit of God give you strength and peace as you say goodbye to your husband.  Remember, our faith in the Risen Jesus as our Lord and Savior gives us the confidence in knowing that we will see each other again in our heavenly home.  -  Father Francisco 

"I have seen a lot of articles lately about stories that are
identical to Jesus' story that predate the time He lived.  
I'm so confused and this really worries me.  Does this mean
that the story of Jesus or Jesus himself could be false?"
- Jennifer

Father Cervantes:

I have seen a lot of articles lately about stories that are identical to Jesus' story that predate the time he lived.  For example: http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/03/17/5-near-identical-jesus-christ-myths-that-predate-jesus/

I was born and raised a Catholic, but I'm so confused and this really worries me.  Does this mean that the story of Jesus or Jesus himself could be false? How could these stories that are identical the story of Jesus that predate him come about what the bible teaches is true?  Please make sense of this for me. Thank you.   -  Jennifer

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Jennifer:

Jesus is a historical figure.  The apostles and disciples are historical figures.  Mary is a historical figure.  Their earthly existence has been proven by other historical documentation, such as Josephus, writer of Jewish and Roman history during the first century.  Pontius Pilate is a historical figure and archeology has found stones with his name on it.  The Egyptian gods mentioned in the article from LIBERAL AMERICA are figments of the human imagination that answered people's metaphysical questions at that time.  Mythology was the language of people who were seeking answers and setting up cultural expressions of a people. 

These Egyptian gods and others were not historical figures with the exception of the first Buddha.  Jesus is not only historical fact, Jesus died and rose from the dead.  The New Testament was written to explain the whole existence of Jesus on earth as the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God.  But also, Jesus is the Messiah, Lord, and Savior of the whole human race, and the Holy Spirit inspired the myths of other peoples to prepare themselves for the reception of Jesus as Lord. 

Since God has an infinite view of all creation (He sees the BIG picture while we only see a small part of the picture), and has a infinite view of the destiny of humankind, the Holy Spirit was talking and inspiring people for all time to seek the Father in heaven.  God just didn't abandon people after the first sin and breaking of our relationship with our Creator through the act of disobedience by Adam and Eve.  On the contrary, God was busy trying to guide and communicate with all humankind to reestablish their relationship with our Creator. 

There are certainly interesting similarities with the mythology of old and the facts of the life of Jesus as described in the gospels.  God was busy preparing all humankind (through time) to accept and welcome Jesus as Lord and Savior so that all can come to salvation through faith in Him.  The mythologies of old prepared our ancestors to literally come to Jesus!  Jesus wasn't ONLY for the Hebrew people.  Jesus is for ALL of us.  Jesus is real.  No one disputes that, not even the publication LIBERAL AMERICA.  LIBERAL AMERICA did find some similarities between the Jesus gospel story and ancient religious myths.  But Jesus is real.  The gods of ancient myths are not.  I recommend you to do this:  sit in silence one day, away from the noise of everyday living.  Open your mind to the peace and quiet of the place.  Then ask Jesus to show Himself to you.  In your silent meditation (no talking other than your invitation to Jesus to reveal Himself to you), you will experience a spiritual connection with Jesus and then you will know that Jesus is real and the gospels are truth.  When that happens, you will know with all your heart that Jesus is your Lord and Savior and you will have no more questions about His existence. -  Father Cervantes

"I was baptized in a Gospel Church but wanted to be Catholic.  I
showed a priest my baptism certificate showing I was baptized in
the Name of the Father, the Son. and the Holy Spirit  but he re-baptized  
me not saying the names of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Am I going to be condemned?  - Daniel

Father Cervantes:

When I converted to Catholicism a few years ago the Priest asked me if I had been baptised previously I let him know I had been Baptized in a Full Gospel Church when I was 14.  He asked me for a copy of my baptism certificate which I gave him, he also asked me if when I was baptized was it done in the Name of the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit.  Again I let him know yes that is how I was Baptised.  After he spoke to the arch diocese he was told that he was to do a conditional baptism on me.  I read up on it and felt that as long as the Priest said it was conditional as he was told to do I would go ahead.  When it came time for the conditional baptism, the word conditional was not uttered.  I spoke to the person in charge of RCIA about this and they said that the Priest had said he would not do a conditional baptism (even though he was instructed to do so).  Now this has been bothering me, as even in our Creed (we confess one Baptism), as a child I was taught that if you were baptised more than once it was like saying the first one didn’t take or it didn’t come from God.  Now I 100% believe that my first baptism was done correctly and that God recognized it, it was done through the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  So my question is, do I need to confess having a second baptism?  Am I going to be condemned?  Please help. -  Daniel

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Daniel:

You are not going to be condemned.  I do not know why you are thinking so negatively.  You are correct in saying that your baptism in the Full Gospel Church is valid which means that your Christian baptism was done correctly, as you say.  But a conditional baptism means that you are baptized again "just in case."  Your parish priest wanted to make sure that your baptism by the Full Gospel Church was valid, and when the Archbishop of your Archdiocese gave the order to do a "conditional baptism," it means that baptism by water and the Trinitarian formula is done again.   

Usually the words, "I conditionally baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," are said.  But if he left out the word, "conditionally," he still intended that baptism to be conditional even if he didn't say it.  You now know for sure that you are baptized according to the direction of Jesus in the gospels.  I know that this is confusing for you, but in reality, you were not baptized twice; you were validly baptized by the Full Gospel Church and conditionally baptized in the Catholic Church.  You are not condemned at all.  You have nothing to confess.  You are extremely blest to have this conditional baptism as you enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.  You are so blest! 

And welcome to the Catholic Church, an apostolic Church founded by Jesus upon the foundation of the apostles.  I will say a special prayer for you as you continue to grow in Christ in the Catholic spirituality, tradition, and discipline.  Welcome home, brother Daniel!   -  Father Cervantes

"When is God going to answer my prayers for healing
 from depression and anxiety?"  - Christian

Father Cervantes:

When is God going to answer my prayers for healing from depression and anxiety? When is he going to heal me from the mental and emotional damage I suffered in childhood? When is he going to give me justice for these things? I'm tired of praying and not getting answers for these things. - Christian

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 Christian:

I am sorry to hear of your struggles with depression and anxiety.  I am even more saddened that this mental and emotional damage came from your painful childhood experiences.  You have an immense cross to carry, but as Jesus said to us in the Gospel, Luke, Chapter 9, Verse 23:  Then He said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me."  You have carried your emotionally painful cross for a long time. 

Each of us has a cross to bear, and we actively carry that cross so that we can learn a lesson for our spiritual and emotional growth.  I know that you are tired of carrying the cross that has come to you through no fault of yours.  The cross you carry come from others who have damaged your self-worth and your joy of life.  But there comes a time when you must stop being the victim of others' negative actions and decide to take control of your own life and destiny.  Your prayer to God to deliver you from this indescribable pain has been heard and has been answered.  But it takes some work on your part to see how God has answered that prayer.  God is not some kind of magic genie that with a wave of His Hand will instantly heal you of your childhood damage.  That damage can only be healed by you taking the initiative to free yourself from the past and live in the present. 

You must no longer view yourself as a victim of the past but as a victor of the present.  As long as you hold on to the past, and as long as you keep the grudges against those who harmed you, then you will not be able to proceed into the future -- for you will be stuck in the past.  To be healed of your depression and anxiety, God has given you therapists to help you manage your emotional pain, understand your pain, and overcome your pain. 

To be healed of your emotional pain, you must let go by forgiving those who damaged you.  Forgiveness is the ability to live in the present and not in the past.  Forgiveness is not to be seen as it was OK that these people damaged you.  Forgiveness means that you let go and leave judgment to God in His time and place.  Forgiveness means that you move forward as you live in the present and plan for the future.  Forgiveness means to let go of being a victim.  You have been a victim so long of evil people.  You have grown accustomed to being a victim.  It will take some work for you to be a victor!  A victor in Jesus Christ! 

"Father, I am hurting.  I am confused about my past.  But I trust you and I know 
that You have already answer my prayer to be free from my depression and anxiety. 
Help me see your Hand in my life.  I thank you for helping me, for hearing my prayer. 
Help me forgive and live in the present.  Help me be free from the past.  I trust You and
have total faith in You.  In Jesus' Name, send your Holy Spirit of joy and peace upon me. 
 Amen.

"I know that our life must concentrate on the love of God and the others.
To love what is worthy to be loved, beautiful and pure is quite simple.
But how can we love all people?"  - Madeleine

Father Francisco:

I have a question and I hope you might help me with some guidance. I know that our life must concentrate on the love of God and the others. To love what is worthy to be loved, beautiful and pure is quite simple. But how can we love all people altogether? What positive characteristics can we attach to those people that disseminate only hatred, evilness, envy or indifference? What good parts should we find in order to love them? Next to God, alone in prayer, everything is simple but, next to the others the flame of faith, tranquility, goodness and joy are shattered. I should love all people but because of their distance to God I feel troubled and I have the tendency to avoid them. I know that I shouldn’t but how can someone love them and what is to be loved in them because I don’t think that I should love their sins and evilness. Thank you and God bless you.  -  Madeleine

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Madeleine:

Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew the following (Matthew 22:34-40):  He said to them, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second is like it:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."  The teaching is clear.  The commandment is to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  But what is the definition of love?  The word love is tossed around these days so easily that it becomes a cliche.  The Greeks in Saint Paul's time had an understanding that love can be defined in three ways, brotherly love (phileo), sexual love (eros), and Godly love (agape).  The Greeks also had a word for parental love (storge).  Jesus is asking us to love our neighbor with a Godly love, agape as the Greeks would say.  Saint Paul defines Godly love in the First Letter of the Corinthians, Chapter 13.  In summary, Saint Paul says this about what love is:  Love is patient, kind; it is not jealous, is not pompous, not inflated, not rude, does not seek its own interests, is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injuries, does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth, and love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  

What concerns me about your question is that you say you have a difficulty in loving people who are, as you judge them, evil, filled with hate and other disgusting ways.  You say it is easy to love what is beautiful and divine, yet you can't translate that Godly love to people around you that are not like you.  I must say that your judgmental attitude about other people who are not like you remind me of the parable that Jesus told in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 18, Verses 8-14.  Jesus told this story of a Pharisee who went to the temple and prayed this:  O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.  But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.  Your question smacks of such deep judgmental attitude that was condemned by the Lord Jesus Himself in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 1-5, Stop judging that you may not be judged  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.  As soon as you began the question on how to love others around you who are so far from God (as you say, "because of their distance to God"), you sat in judgment against those not like you or have the same religious attitude as you.  You become the Pharisee before God Who loves all He has created and made no matter what their status is in regards to their relationship with Him who is Love.  You cannot judge anyone, nor can you point to anyone around you who doesn't match up to your standards of what it means to be in relationship with God.  How can you judge if someone is distant from God?  How can you?  You should be on your knees and praying the simple prayer of the sinful tax collector judged by the self-righteous Pharisee:  Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner.  The first problem in loving your neighbor is your judgment of them without even knowing who they are, and even if you did know who they are, your judgment of their relationship to God is not in your realm of expertise since you are NOT the Judge who sits on the throne in heaven.  

Once you accept your own sinfulness, and once you accept that you cannot even hold your head up high before the presence of God Who is perfect, once you accept that we are all sinners, then you can begin the journey to love your neighbor even if that neighbor is a sinner too.  At the moment, it seems by your own words that you are no where near loving your neighbor as Jesus commands us.  Loving your neighbor, as Saint Paul writes, demands patience, openness, kindness, and not inflated with self-righteousness or rudeness.  I accept people as they are.  I don't judge them.  I don't place them in a category.  I don't say in my mind that they are evil and not like me.  When I see someone, I accept them for who they are, and I am patient in dealing with them.  That is what is demanded from you by the Lord.  Saint Paul didn't say that love means that you are best friends with everyone, or that you have these positive fuzzy feelings for everyone.  Love does demand that I never judge anyone.  I am not better than anyone.  I am patient and kind.  But I am not seeking fuzzy and good feelings here.  I am seeking to do God's Will, not mine.  I am seeking to bring God's patience to others.  Love is not always fuzzy positive feelings.  Love is openness to the other without judgment.  Accept people as they are.  Do not judge.  In your dealings with anyone, respect who they are even if they do not respect you for who you are and for the faith you profess by your actions.  And finally, love is truth.  Sometimes, your love for others may impel you to share with them the truth of your faith in Jesus, especially if you see someone who is sinning or see someone who is self-destructive in their actions.  It is then that you can speak with great patience and kindness the words that they need to hear to change their lives.  If they accept your love for truth, you have gained a soul for heaven.  If they don't accept your love for truth, then you pray for them, not judge them.  

After I just gave you a little shaking, I want to praise God for you.  There are not enough Catholics, and Christians in general, that would even think of asking the question that you did on how to love their neighbor.  The focus on love being fuzzy and positive confuses the Christian who thinks that loving neighbor always means that I have these wonderful close feelings for people.  That only confuses the Christian trying to live a life of Godly love (agape).  Love does mean that I do not judge, for, as someone once said, save for the grace of God go I.  Love means that I am accepting.  And love has a responsibility:  to act in truth always.  And when someone does not accept your Christian message, you pray and not condemn.  You pray and not get angry.  You pray and leave it in God's Hands without judgment.  Lending your hand to help your neighbor to salvation is what God wants.  He doesn't need OUR judgmental attitude.  He is the ONLY Judge.  I do not exclude anyone from my "world," for exclusion is also judgment.  I accept all not because I love them, but because God loves them, even if they are the worst of sinners.  Thank you for your question, but I also praise God for your faith.  Your prayer life is wonderful since you say that it is easy for you to contemplate the love and beauty of God.  Now it's time to take your prayer life and see in your neighbor the image and likeness of God that God created in all of us.  Be Jesus to all, for that is what is meant by loving your neighbor as yourself.  Loving yourself also means that you do not judge yourself destructively.  Instead, love the sinner that you are and in doing so, you will love the sinners around you, loving them to salvation in Christ. -  Father Francisco

"I was molested by my brother's best friend.  I turned to drugs
and alcohol and I felt no value.  I don't feel strong enough to
fight the devil off.  Any guidance?" - Shanna

Father Francisco:

I have been battling this question for thirty seven years starting at the age of 10.   I was molested by my brother's best friend.   At that time, the little girl Shanna before she went to bed said her prayers was murdered that night the first time that he touched me.  A new Shanna  was born one that was sad and angry and hated herself who lost her faith in God. I was assaulted and raped more times.  I turned to drugs and alcohol and I chose men who were physically abusive to me because I hated my myself.   I had no respect for myself.   I lost my faith in God.  Everyday I fight to get my faith back.  I have religious statues, pictures, Rosary, prayer books, and my Bible is in my house to guide me.  The problem is is that I feel that God doesn't love me .  If he did why did he let those terrible things happen to me?   Why am I still suffering today?  Everyday I feel like I'm being punished.   I have PTSD, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, disassociation, and etc.  I feel as if everyday Lucifer is trying to pull me to his side and I really need God's help because I don't want to be a part of Satan.  I don't want to go to hell.  I don't drink, I don't do drugs anymore.  I don't have a relationship right now.  I'm by myself. I don't know if I'll ever really know how to love someone or how to let them love me.  I'm so scared.  Please help me.  I feel Satan behind every door just waiting for me.  I do believe in God and His Son Jesus Christ with all of my heart. I just don't know if they believe in me.  How do I know if they love me?  How will I know if they're with me?  Please help me.  I'm so scared that I'm not strong enough to fight the devil off.  I did go to therapy for my issues but this is different.  It's hard to talk to a therapist and when I do, I don't think they understand just how much this means or how I feel about it.  Thank you for listening.  Any guidance or help would be grateful and appreciated. - Shanna

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Shanna:

Your pain, your nightmare, has lasted too long.  You are a suffering victim of a person's criminal actions.  This man took your childhood innocence and left you with nothing to replace it other than pain and disgust.  Your broken heart speaks volumes about your pain and this burden that you have carried alone.  I am also sure that your family probably didn't give you the support you needed when you were most vulnerable.   You also held this secret much too long.  The good news is that you have progressed and have made great strides in getting back to some kind of control over your life.  Now, it is time for the "birth" of a new person!  It is time for you to be the victor not the victim anymore.

You asked why if God loves you that He allowed this horrible set of nightmarish acts to happen to you.  I must tell you quite openly and honestly: what happened to you is NOT God's fault.  It is the complete and total fault of your brother's best friend who violated you again and again during your most vulnerable childhood.  Let me repeat again:  what happened to you is not God's fault.  He loves you totally.  But in the mystery of human free will, God could not stop what people want to do.  God could have put obstacles to stop us from doing evil acts, but if a person through his own free will wants to do something, that person will do it even if God doesn't want it to happen.  God respects the free will of each of us and will not intervene in our free will decisions, even if it is a destructive decision.  God loves you, but your brother's friend did not.  God cares for you, but your brother's friend did not.  God lifts you up, but your brother's friend through his free will act against you stopped God's Hand from lifting you up from your pain.

Now, it is your free will to make a decision to move on and leave behind the pain and the loss of your innocence.  It is time to decide on your own to live in the present and not in the past.  It is time for you to make the free will decision to be the victor and not the victim of your perpetrator's evilness.  

Let's look at your victories so far:  no more drugs, no more alcohol abuse, and an awareness of your mental and emotional state.  You know the problems, and you know how to talk them through with a therapist.  These are victories!  You are slowly, on your own schedule, leaving behind victimhood for the freedom of being a victorious person in charge of your life and destiny.  God does not want you to live like a victim.  God wants you to live as a victor, a winner of life's challenges and problems no matter how dark these problems are.

You say that you have spoken to therapists and you feel that "they don't understand how much this means or how I feel about it."  No one, and I mean, no human being on earth can truly understand your pain.  No one has walked in your shoes.  No one has felt your confusion and disgust of the events of 36 years ago.  But that doesn't mean your therapist doesn't care or have no concern about your situation.  It doesn't matter if anyone understands your pain.  All that matters is this:  that you talk about your painful experiences so that you can be a victor over these bad experiences.  It doesn't matter if the therapist understands you.  It only matters that you continue to talk about your pain to someone who can listen and not judge you.  It is in the talking about what happened to you and the consequences of those acts made against you that will set you free.  And there is one person who understands everything:  that is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  I want you to talk to him about everything.  I want you to share with Jesus your shame, disgust, confusion, your sense of being lost with Him in your daily prayers.  Every day, talk to Jesus as the One who will keep your confidences and who understands what you went through.  When He died on the cross, He saw you from that cross 2,000 years ago and died for you and loves you infinitely.  

God loves you but I know that you don't "feel" that.  You are so focused on those terrible acts by that evil person that you cannot move.  You have been spiritually and emotionally paralyzed.  The devil is not around the corners of your life, but the devil does present a terrible temptation to you:  the devil wants you to remain a victim.  The devil does not want you to be the victor.  The devil wants to keep you in your present state.  God wants you to progress to freedom, to victory because of God's love for you.  As long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, and keep talking with Him, you will be in heaven.  Do not fear about going to hell.  God has you in His Hands.  He will not let you go.  But you have free will!!!!  You must make the decision to ask God to make you victorious!!!  All you have to do is to take God's Hand and say,"Lord, let's go forward.  I'm not looking back."  And when you become a victor, you will be able to help others who have had similar horrible experiences.  One of the things that will happen when you become a victor is that God will want you to help other victims to become victors!  You are not alone for there are others who like you have been made victims by monsters like your brother's friend.  Through your victory over the past, you will become a healer of others' souls.  God will work through you if you ask Him to do so.  

Free will:  that is what we all have and God will not intervene in our free will decisions.  God loves you as you are and He loves you to victory!  You have free will too.  You must decide to accept Jesus Christ truly into your heart and soul, and move on.  You can do it.  With the help of others, such as your therapist, you will be a winner.  Remember, it doesn't matter if your therapist understands you or anyone else understands you.  What matters is that you talk freely about your pain so that you can gain self-knowledge and understand why you do what you do.  You are loved.  You are special.  Believe it.  Accept that you are loved and unique in this world.  Here is a little prayer for you to say every day, even several times a day:  "Jesus, with you I am victorious!  Jesus with you, I am loved no matter what.  Jesus with you, I am saved."  Just say this prayer every day, as often as you like.  The more you say this prayer, the more you will be closer to complete victory in Jesus Christ!  And you will be truly victorious when you are able to forgive your brother's friend for what he did to you. 

Remember, forgiveness doesn't mean it's OK.  Forgiveness means that you move on and live in the present and not in the past.  The last challenge for complete victory is forgiveness of that monster and forgiveness of yourself.  You are almost there!  I see victory in Jesus Christ for you!  The future looks so bright for you!  Alleluia!  - Father Francisco 

"In the Papal Encyclical of 1864, which appeared as The Syllabus,
it is said that the view that freedom of conscience and of religion
is given to each human being as his own right is a folly and a
delusion. Where does the Church of 2016 stand in relationship
to this?"  -  Jeff

Father Cervantes:

In the Papal Encyclical of 1864, which appeared as The Syllabus, it is said that the view that freedom of conscience and of religion is given to each human being as his own right is a folly and a delusion. Where does the Church of 2016 stand in relationship to this?    I am a Christian, but not Catholic though I am considering become one.  Thank you.  -  Jeff

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Jeff:

The papal encyclical, The Syllabus of Errors (promulgated in 1870), written by Pope Pius IX, was written to combat the many errors of thinking that was going on at that time that have their basis in the anti-religion, anti-clerical bias that was being practiced in post-revolution France, and in post Benito Juarez Mexico, two Catholic countries that were fighting against secularism and the destruction of the moral life as presented in the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Syllabus of Errors was also a reaction to the growing antagonism against the Catholic Church in Europe and the many attacks by leaders of countries to destroy the Church's voice in matters of public concern.  Pope Pius IX set forth 80 thesis, written in the negative (meaning that the thesis is what was being told as truth by a condescending and secular elite of the time), that outlined the errors of thought as anti-Christian.  In regards to your specific question, you quote the following:  that the freedom of conscience and of religion is given to each human being as his right is a folly and a delusion.  The words you quote are not an exact translation of point 79 which states in the negative (meaning that this sentence is false) the following in a more exact:

X. ERRORS HAVING REFERENCE TO MODERN LIBERALISM

77. In the present day it is no longer expedient that the Catholic religion should be held as the only religion of the State, to the exclusion of all other forms of worship. -- Allocution "Nemo vestrum," July 26, 1855.

78. Hence it has been wisely decided by law, in some Catholic countries, that persons coming to reside therein shall enjoy the public exercise of their own peculiar worship. -- Allocution "Acerbissimum," Sept. 27, 1852.

79. Moreover, it is false that the civil liberty of every form of worship, and the full power, given to all, of overtly and publicly manifesting any opinions whatsoever and thoughts, conduce more easily to corrupt the morals and minds of the people, and to propagate the pest of indifferentism. -- Allocution "Nunquam fore," Dec. 15, 1856.

So, point 79 states that the pope and the teaching Church at the time saw unfettered liberty to do whatever one wants as destructive to the human person, an anarchy of moral behavior that does not serve the good of all humankind.  The Church sees itself as the true instrument and the keeper of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and does not recognize anything that acts against the truth of Jesus Christ. 

Just to give a CRAZY example of the "civil liberty of every form of worship," I think about the liberty of people sacrificing animals for their worship, or the worship of Satan through human acts that can be best described as pornographic and destructive of human dignity.  The Church only sees the worship of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the only true form of the worship of God.  That worship of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was revealed to us as a universal truth through the words of Jesus Christ Himself who is Truth.  Once I belong to Christ, the truth of the Gospel is the only truth that matters.  The rest is delusion.  Moral laxity is an illusion.  Either the Gospel is totally true or it is not totally true. 

As a Christian, I accept the totality of the Gospel as truth and guide for my life that leads to salvation.  There is no wiggle room for truth in Jesus.  The Syllabus of Errors, written and promulgated in 1870, is still the guide the teaching Church uses to this day in regards to teaching the truth in the midst of moral laxity, intellectual indifference to Christian truth, and subjectivity in regards to one's own actions to what is good for the individual as versus in what is good for all.  So, the so-called "freedom of religion" that is considered by many as my own individual right is folly in God's eyes because in reality, even though each of us searches for the truth, Jesus Christ is the Truth no matter what anyone believes otherwise.  The teaching Church then and now speaks clearly to all Christians:  Jesus is Lord, Savior, and Truth.  Everything else is folly.   - Father Cervantes

"I know you will have entirely adopted a faith-based monotheist
religion and would like to understand how devotees are able
personally to reconcile the beliefs required by your religion. 
How you reconcile the ‘faith-based’ religion you have adopted
with contradictory verifiable knowledge?"  - Julian

Father Francisco:

I write to you because I know you will have entirely adopted a faith-based monotheist religion. I would like to understand how devotees are able personally to reconcile the beliefs required by your religion where they contradict the findings of scientific enquiry. For instance, you probably know something of the progressing scientific evidence concerning the origins of our Universe, and the evolution of life including ourselves. Similarly, we know how the monotheist concept of a ‘creator God from ‘beyond, before and outside’ existence was developed in the early Middle East, because as with all the content of all religions and other spiritual traditions, none of those ideas existed until people created them.  Please can you explain in personal rather than doctrinal terms, how you reconcile the ‘faith-based’ religion you have adopted with contradictory verifiable knowledge?  With best wishes and thanks for any thoughts you can offer and some minutes of your time.  - Julian.

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Julian:

You asked for my personal explanation of my faith in one God and how I reconcile that faith (my love relationship with the Creator) to the empirical evidence of science.  I must tell you, I see NO CONTRADICTION between my faith in God and what science has so far uncovered about the origins of the universe.  I see science with its empirical evidence as the uncovering of how God does things in the universe.  I see Intelligence in the universe, and science is showing me how that Intelligence is working around me.  

As science begins to answer some questions, science also poses new questions in our scientific search for the origin of all things.  For me as a believer in one God, I know that all things have emanated from God, and has its origins in God.   Science is providing me the proof of the existence of God, the Prime Mover, the Intelligence behind all things in the universe, the Lawgiver of the universe that keeps everything in proper order, even in creative chaos, there is order.  

For me, faith in God does not contradict science at all.  How does it?  How can it? - Father Francisco

 
"I know this is the year of Mercy.   But when do
we hear about God’s Justice?"  - Christopher 

Dear Father:

I know this is the year of mercy.  Does not a good Father also discipline His children when they misbehave?  I know God does not punish but when is His Justice shown?  Thank you.  -  Christopher   

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Christopher:

Wonderfully and thankfully, God is NOT like us.  When we humans talk about justice, we talk about pay back or revenge.  For example, if someone kills someone, then we expect a death penalty for that crime as if killing someone else makes things right.  It doesn't. 

When God talks about justice, He shows us His Son on the cross.  An innocent and sinless man who was crucified on our behalf as the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin.  God's Justice is not revenge or sentencing, God's Justice is described as making things right, healing of anything that is broken.  Healing and reconciliation is God's Justice.  Jesus' one and final sacrifice on the cross healed the rift between God and humankind, broken by the original sin of Adam and Eve.  Now, we have full access to God no matter how sinful anyone of us are.  But, as you put it, when God's children "misbehave," the price to be paid for sin is not imposed on us by God.  The price of sin is imposed on ourselves.  Every action that I do has consequences, good and bad.  If I sin, there are consequences and God will not intervene to keep us from suffering the consequences.  God doesn't punish, nor does He exact "human justice."  On the contrary, He allows the consequences of our sins to do its job of "punishing" us.  God doesn't have to punish or discipline because we do a great job ourselves.  When people say, "God is punishing me," I respond why they did what they did to themselves?  I am the cause of my own punishment.  Hell is a place for those who through their own actions (not God's) condemn themselves to that place through their own free will.  Hell exists because God respects my choice to either love Him or not.  And God respects my free will and does not intervene when the consequences of my actions deliver a painful punishment to me.  God's Justice is healing and reconciliation.  Human justice is vengeful and negative.  God's Justice is making things right, putting together what is broken.  Human justice seeks to inflict pain in an effort to punish for one's need for payback.  God's Justice is salvation.  Human justice is destruction.  The Church has been proclaiming God's Justice since the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached. 

I do appreciate your concern, though, that the Church can slip into talking more about God's love (in a fuzzy and love-y way that speaks nothing of consequences.. and hell) instead of talking about the consequences of sin on ourselves and those around us.  And we will be held accountable before God for what we do!  But our Christian faith is about living without fear because we are basking in the love of God.  The problem, though, is when peoples' consciences are not formed according to the Word of God, an uninformed conscience can certainly blind itself to the consequence of sin.  And that is the problem today!  Sadly, we have people whose consciences are not formed by the Word of God and the disciplines of the Church.  Their consciences are being formed by selfishness and individualism that does not take into the account of the morality of their actions and the consequences not only on themselves but on others around them.  People without Christian consciences bring pain to those who are Christians.  The challenge is for us as Christians to form the consciences of all who seek Christ.  Yes, you are correct in saying that the Church's preachers and teachers need to emphasize the consequences of sin not only on the sinner but on the innocent.  My frustration is that in recent times, the Church has floundered on the forming of consciences for Christ.  We can talk about salvation, but we need to emphasize the forming of consciences.  We can talk about God's love, but we need to talk about God keeping us accountable for what we do (the final judgment, for example).  We need to teach and challenge our young people so that they can think like God thinks (that is what is meant by forming consciences...we need to think like God thinks).   And when consciences are not formed in Christ, there will be more crime and sin, consequences of individualism and narcissism.  You can do your part by speaking loudly about the consequences of sin and the formation of mature consciences.  Church -- we need to preach the Gospel of Christ fully, not only about the love and salvation of God (the amazing free gift called grace), but of the price of sin on ourselves and others. -   Father Francisco

"Can I offer my suffering up for forgiveness for my own
sins?"  - Scasper

Father Cervantes:

Can I offer my suffering up for forgiveness for my own sins? - Scasper

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Scasper:

Of course you can!  Saint Paul writes this in his letter to the Colossians, Chapter 1. Verse 24:  "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His Body, the Church."  Not only do your sufferings help you in your walk to salvation but your suffering is a prayer of atonement for all those in the Church.  Your sufferings are a prayer that is universal and affective for the salvation of those who follow Christ as their Savior.  Saint Paul also writes this in his letter to the Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 3-5:  "Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint."  Through your suffering, you are being formed into the image of Jesus Christ.  You are extremely loved and blest!  Through your prayer of suffering, you are not only ensuring your own salvation through faith, you are prayerfully ensuring the salvation of others, like myself, through your suffering.  Thank you for your prayer!  We all need it as we journey to heaven. -  Father Cervantes

"Is it possible for modern science to determine the racial group
Saint Peter belonged to?" - Salahuddin

Father Cervantes:

I would like know whether it was possible for modern science to determine the racial group Saint Peter belong to through scientific analysis drawn from the remains contained in the Confession of St. Peter's Basilica? - Salahuddin

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Salahuddin:

I am not a scientist, but such studies have been done with the remains of a body that was in the tomb that is directly under the papal (high) altar in Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.  The tomb is a first century (61 A.D.) edifice.  On the tomb are the words, "Peter is here."  When Peter was martyred in Nero's circus near Vatican Hill around 61 A.D., his followers, the first Christians of the Church of Rome, took his body and buried the body on Vatican Hill where later, Saint Peter's Basilica was built.  Here is a link to one of the archeologists, Margherita Guarducci, who worked on authenticating the remains of Saint Peter, Apostle and the first bishop of Rome:  http://www.stpetersbasilica.info/Necropolis/MG/TheTombofStPeter-1.htm  There are also other documents there concerning the remains of Saint Peter!  We do know that the remains under Saint Peter's high (papal) altar belong to a man who was between the ages of 65-70, and a strong man.  His feet are missing which makes sense since his death was done by crucifixion, upside down.  The Roman executioners chopped off his feet to take down his body.  The Christians buried Peter's body after that.  - Father Cervantes

FATHER KEVIN BATES, SM

"When I was a teenager I committed sins that
I knew were wrong.  What if I did not know they
might be mortal sins when I committed them?  - Dennis

Father Kevin:

Sins from my long ago past came to mind and although they don't seem to be earth shaking, they may be objectively mortal sins.  At the time of committing them I was a teenager or younger and I am almost certain I knew that they were wrong.   My question is What if I did not know they were mortal when committing them but knew they were wrong?   Are they still mortal and I am I required to confess?-  Dennis

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Dear Dennis:

Thank you for your question – you remind me of myself when I was a young bloke!!  Every second though we had, especially if it was a sexual one, was thought to be sinful.  Did God make us the way we are?  Yep! Does God know the way we tick? Yep. Does God love us unconditionally, forgive u unconditionally, open his arms and run towards us each time we turn even a little bit in his direction? According to Jesus, yep again!  It doesn’t mean that we haven’t sinned, but it does mean that whatever we come up with is no match for God’s tender mercy. 

So it’s high time we took the spotlight off ourselves and onto the love the Father for us as Jesus suggested and get over ourselves!  Life is too short too precious and crying out for us to do something for the bringing forward of the kingdom of Love, which leaves no time for self-absorbed regrets.  Every blessing,-  Father Kevin

"My non-Catholic wife and I have been married for 40 years.
I have been away from the Church but now I attend and
receive the Eucharist.  Do I need to marry in the Church
and does my wife need to become a convert?"  Jerry

"I have not taken communion in 30 years and I lost my
mother last year.  I have been struggling with questions
of faith.  How can I find faith again?" - Deanna

Father Kevin:

I haven’t taken communion in 30 years, even longer for confession.  Since I lost my mother to cancer last year, I have been really struggling with questions of faith.  I don’t know how to believe anymore.  I have never seen or felt anything that has made me believe.  I wish I could have had the comfort of faith when my mother passed but it did not come to me.  I just felt empty.  How is it possible to put aside all my skepticism and find faith?  Thank You.  -Deanna 

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Dear Deanna: 

I am sorry for your loss and the death of a mother contains a grief that never leaves us, as I well know myself. However, death should be no surprise.  We are all queuing up for one of those!  So what is it that damages your faith about your mother’s death:  its timing, things that were left unsaid or undone?  It can’t be death surely, it’s a normal as birth.

Here in Sydney I journeyed with an eminent surgeon as he died from the very form of brain cancer he had been pre=eminent in treating in others. He expressed to me a scepticism about God, the afterlife and so on, and as he neared the end he asked for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  I asked him why he longed for this and he told me he wanted to be in God’s grace. Something was shifting in him. In a book published after his death, he had written that following our conversation, he had decided to put aside his scepticism and simply trust.

His heart and the hearts of many benefitted from his last journey here.

Feeling empty is part of the journey of faith for each one of us, you, me,  the great saints and best of sinners, so you are not on your own there even though you feel as though you are. You may now need to find faith, but maybe, just maybe love may need to find you.  I pray that when you are ready, you are open, for love is always open to you, whatever your emptiness and grief.   Love and prayers.  -  Father Kevin