JANUARY 2014
ASK A PRIEST
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
FATHER WILLIAM G. MENZEL
FATHER KEVIN BATES, SM
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF
CATHOLICVIEW PRIEST STAFF
FATHER WILLIAM G. MENZEL
"Who
designed the Rosary?" - Steve
Father
Bill:
Who
designed the Rosary? Why are there 10 Hail Marys per decade instead
of 10 Our Fathers? Why do we pray to God through an intercessor
instead of going directly to Almighty and Merciful God? -
Steve
_____________________
Dear Steve:
Let me begin
with a bit of “full disclosure” on my part. The rosary is not
a prayer that I am particularly fond of. I rarely pray it.
That being said, I think it is a wonderful prayer for those who find
that it draws them closer to our Lord and his Blessed Mother.
It is a way of praying that is steeped in our Catholic traditions,
and it truly is rich in its potential, especially when it is prayed
as intended.
The
history of the rosary was explained quite well in
an article written by Fr. William Saunders in 1994. Rather than
repeat what he says, I'd encourage you to follow this link:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/answers/rosaryhs.htm
I think
it's important to note that Fr. Saunders wrote this brief history
before Pope John Paul II added something very important to the
rosary. As the article explains, a person praying the rosary
“meditates on the saving mysteries of our Lord's life and the
faithful witness of our Blessed Mother.” For many years there were
three sets of mysteries: the Joyful mysteries, which embraced the
birth and early part of Jesus' life; the Sorrowful mysteries, which
tell of the passion and death of Jesus; and the Glorious mysteries,
which celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and events which followed.
Thanks
to Pope John Paul II, we now have the Luminous mysteries, which
portray the life and ministry of Jesus. In my opinion, this
was a very wise and important step, as the Luminous mysteries help
to clarify that the rosary is not so much about an aimless
multiplication of words as it is about using those words as a
backdrop for prayerful meditation on the life of Jesus and the
faithful witness of Mary his mother. This how the rosary is supposed
to be prayed, and the Luminous mysteries add so much to that.
You
ask why there are ten Hail Marys in each decade rather than ten Our
Fathers. The only answer I can give is that this is the way the
tradition evolved.
It
is
important to remember, though, that the first part of the Hail Mary
is taken directly from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke—the
greeting of the angel Gabriel and the words spoken by Elizabeth.
It's all right there in the Bible. When we pray the Hail Mary,
we are doing what God himself did through his angel. We are
acknowledging the most significant event in all of human history, as
the Son of God begins his presence in human life and human time in
the womb of a woman remarkably chosen by God himself to make that
possible. We are honoring the will of God, as Mary herself
did, and we honor this woman who is so much loved by her Son.
The
second part of the Hail Mary is an intercessory prayer. We are
asking the holy mother of God to pray for us. This type of
intercessory prayer is a wonderful example of the richness of our
Catholic spiritual heritage. There is, of course, no reason
why we cannot pray to God directly, nor is there any rule which says
that we must go through an intercessor. However, one of the
elements of our creed proclaims that we believe in the “communion of
saints”. This affirms our belief that all of God's people,
living and dead, are united by virtue of the all-embracing love of
God and that those who have gone before us in death and share in the
fullness of God's love in heaven can listen to us and can add their
prayers to ours in the presence of God. Whose prayers could be
more powerful than those of the mother of our Savior? Whose
motherly concern could be more devoted, generous and loving than
that of the woman specially chosen by God Himself to join our
humanity to His divinity?
The
rosary, prayed well, is a profound prayer with a potential for
endless riches.
Thank
you for your question, Steve, and may God bless you.
- Father
Bill
"How can you justify Purgatory, praying to
saints, repetitive
prayers, Mary as an
intercessor to
Jesus and "limbo", when
scripture directly
indicates otherwise?"
- Daphne
Father
Bill:
I was raised in
the Catholic Church all my life. Now considering leaving it
due to realizing that so many practices and traditions directly go
against scripture! How can you justify Purgatory, praying to
saints, repetitive prayers, Mary as an intercessor to Jesus and
"limbo", when scripture directly indicates otherwise? - Daphne
_______________________________
Dear Daphne:
Thank you for
your question, and please do not be too hasty to leave the Catholic
Church!
My first
reaction to your question is to wonder who told you that our
practices and traditions go directly against scripture. While there
may be some Catholics who practice and teach things that are
contrary to scripture, this simply is not true of authentically
Catholic practices and traditions. There may be some outside
the Catholic Church who think this, but they are wrong.
My next reaction
is to wonder what these “many” practices and traditions are to which
you refer. You point out five, and I will get to those in a
moment, but I wonder if there are others that are included in that “many”.
I
would first like to point out something that many Christians,
including some Catholics, seem to be unaware of or simply ignore.
It is the truth that the Church as we know it existed before the
bible as we know it. It is not the bible that formed the Church, it
is the Church that decided which books would be included in the
bible. The bishops of the Church, gathered in council and
inspired by the Holy Spirit, decided which books of the bible were
authentically inspired by the Holy Spirit. This was not an
easy task, and it was more than three centuries before the Church
made this final determination. Looked at another way, the Church
existed more than three centuries without the bible as we now know
it. During that time it was practices and traditions that
inspired the spiritual lives of Christians. Many of these
practices and traditions are not mentioned in the bible, nor did
they need to be. They were simply understood as being part of
the Christian life.
Moving
on to the practices and traditions that you specifically mention in
your question, I'd like to start with limbo. Simply stated,
this is not an official teaching of the Catholic Church. It is not
mentioned at all in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).
It is true that many of us were taught that limbo was a nice place
where infants who died without being baptized would go, but it was
never official Church doctrine. It was a theological opinion that
tried to answer a question on the minds of many, and it gained a
measure of popularity for a long time, but it was never more than a
theological opinion.
The
Church's teaching on Purgatory can
be found in paragraphs 1030-1032 in the CCC. It's important to note
that Purgatory is not a “place”.
In brief, here's what the CCC says:
All
who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly
purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after
death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness
necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
The Church
gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect,
which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.
As far as
repetitive prayer is concerned, I would simply ask when repetition
of prayer becomes wrong. If I pray the Lord's Prayer five
times a day, is that wrong? If I pray ten or fifty Hail Marys
while meditating on the life and death of Jesus and the faithful
witness of his beloved mother, is that wrong? If I pray over
and over again asking God to heal someone I love, is that wrong?
If I pray Psalm 23 multiple times while lying on my deathbed, is
that wrong? Yes, our Heavenly Father knows our needs, but
prayer is not always about asking for needs, nor should it be.
Ideally prayer is about becoming closer to God, and this is what St.
Paul meant when he counseled the Thessalonians to “pray without
ceasing” (I Thess. 5:17-18).
Besides being a
long-standing tradition with roots in the Old Testament, praying to
and seeking the intercession of saints is a wonderful way of putting
into action a belief that we profess every time we recite the
Apostles Creed. There we say that we believe in the communion
of saints, which means that we believe that there is a joyful and
holy union of those who already have died in Christ and those of us
who are still here trying to live his life. Death does not
separate us from those who now share in the glory of eternal life.
The Church never
has taught that we cannot pray directly to God, but she does teach
that we can also seek the intercession of our brothers and sisters
who already are in his holy presence. The fullness of God's
love which they now share is so powerful that it can reach into our
own time and our own lives, and if we can go directly to God with
our prayers, so can they. It can't hurt to ask them for their help
and intercession.
Before you make
a decision to leave the Catholic Church, I would strongly encourage
you to spend some time with your pastor or other knowledgeable
Catholics who could help you in the search for the truth about our
faith. You might also want to read about the faith journeys of
people like
Scott Hahn
and
Marcus Grodi.
These are just two of many faith-filled, knowledgeable people from
other Christian faith traditions who have come to realize that the
Catholic Church is faithful to the bible and is, in fact, the
authentic teacher of its truths.
May
God bless you, Daphne, and guide you
on your journey of faith. - Father Bill
“If Heaven is a place of immeasurable joy, will we be
incapable of feeling sorrow if a loved one in Hell?”
- Patrick
Father Bill:
If Heaven is
supposed to be a place of immeasurable happiness and joy, it seems
that one would not be capable of feeling sorrow even if he knows
that a loved one is in Hell. How is this problem accounted for?
Are we really even ourselves anymore if we cannot feel pain for the
sake of others, as in Heaven there is no pain or suffering? –
Patrick
Dear Patrick:
Yours is a very
interesting question. It made me ponder that scenario, and I don't
think I really have an answer.
On
this Catholic View website I have answered some other questions
about heaven, and I have always been careful not to say too much.
I just don't know what we will be like in heaven. The bible
and the teachings of the Church only give us hints. In the Gospel of
John Jesus speaks of preparing a place for us and coming back to
take us to himself. The Book of Revelation gives us the metaphorical
image of the heavenly banquet. In an answer to a trick question by
some of the Sadducees, Jesus tells them that we will be like angels.
In
my own faith life I have come to understand what I consider to be
two very important things about heaven. One is that the exact
nature of heaven is among those many questions that I simply must
leave in the hands of God. The other is corollary to this, and it is
that God will not disappoint those he loves. In other words,
I'm simply not going to worry about my heavenly questions. Our
life here on earth is all we really know,
and this makes it nearly impossible to envision what God has planned
for us in eternity—an eternity in which He will not disappoint us.
- Father Bill
"I
just found out my son is gay. What can
I do?" – Patricia
Father Bill:
I
have found out that my son is gay and I just want to die. I
have prayed and prayed about this but nothing seems to change.
He is coming out about this more and more and I am embarrassed and
ashamed. I just want to die. I tried to raise him as a
practicing Catholic and he was always a wonderful son but he is
convinced this is what he is and he has no choice. I feel
overwhelmed with grief and disappointment. At the same time, I
just found out that my sister is dying of lung cancer and she is
only 50 years old. I am lost and I just want to die. I
cannot deal with these problems any more. Praying just doesn't
seem to work. I have been visiting the blessed sacrament every
Saturday for ten years and I plead with God to please help me with
these awful problems, but I don't seem to get any relief. I
wish I never existed. I want my son to go to heaven but if he
keeps up what he is doing I am not sure he will make it. I
cannot accept not seeing him in heaven when we are gone. I
cannot reach him. He says he is lonely and my heart breaks.
I don't want him to be alone but he certainly shouldn't be involved
with another man. There is no answer. - Patricia
_________________________
Dear Patricia:
You
are bearing some very heavy burdens, and I'm very glad that you took
the time to share your pain with others. That is a good first
step toward seeking answers. It is also good to know that you are a
person with a deep faith. While God doesn't solve all of our
problems or take away all our pain, our faith assures us of God's
constant presence with us in both our joys and sorrows.
You
say that there is no answer to your anguish, but I don't think you
would have written to The Catholic View if you didn't have some hope
that there might be one. Ultimately you will have to find the answer
within yourself, but others may help you to find it.
My first
suggestion is that you have a good heart-to-heart talk with your
pastor or another trusted spiritual adviser. It is good to
talk things over with God in prayer, but God has placed people in
your life who can help. Don't be afraid to seek them out, as
they may very well be an answer to your prayers. God does not
work alone. In fact, he usually works through people, so it's
important to be open to what other people can do for you.
You
specifically mention two problems that are breaking your heart: the
sexual orientation of your son and the serious illness of your
sister. These are two people whom you obviously love very
much. Love is a gift from God, and it is indeed a great gift.
It opens us up to the possibility of great joy, but it also makes us
very vulnerable. Your love for your son and your sister
highlight that vulnerability, as you ponder the suffering of your
sister and her imminent loss and your concern for the consequences
of your son's sexual orientation.
There
is no easy way to explain why your 50 year-old sister should be
dying of lung cancer. But honestly, Patricia, there is no easy
way to explain why anyone should die before what we believe to be
their time. Death is a reality of life, and there are no
guarantees as to when that is supposed to happen to any of us.
When
a loved one is dying, often the best thing we can do is to lovingly
accompany them on their final journey. There is no one way to
do this, because there are so many variables, but it usually means
trying as best we can to be sensitive to the needs and wishes of the
one who is dying. If they need rest, let them rest. If they
need a hand to hold, give them yours. If they want to pray,
pray with them. If they're ready to die, let them know it's okay,
and let them go. There is not much we can do about death, but
there is a lot we can do for the dying.
You
say that your son was always a “wonderful son”. Let me ask you
this, Patricia. Other than his sexual orientation, is he a good
person, a decent human being, and still a loving and wonderful son?
Do you love him? Do you think God loves him?
Please
remember that the Church has never taught that being gay is a sin.
The Church does teach that sexual activity outside of marriage is a
sin, but even at that, as Pope Francis has pointed out, we need to
let God be the judge.
I would
suggest that as much as you love your son, God loves him infinitely
more. What that may mean in terms of his eternal salvation is not
ours to know or decide. It is best left in the hands of our God who
has loved us so much that he would send his son die for our sins
that we might have life.
You
can't change your son's sexual orientation, Patricia, but you can—in
fact you must—continue to love this wonderful man to whom you helped
give the gift of life. Love him. Love his friends.
It's okay that you do not agree with his lifestyle, and it's even
okay if you occasionally remind him of that—but do it lovingly, not
with judgment or condemnation. If he is a good son and a good
man, be grateful. There are many mothers who would do anything
to have that.
I'll
keep you in my prayers, Patricia. Your faith has made you
strong. Your love has given life to your faith. -
Father Bill
CATHOLICVIEW PRIEST STAFF
“I had to
"pull the plug" on my husband because
of illness. If I take my own life will I be able to
join my husband? - Ottavia
Priest Staff:
In
April after 2 months of suffering in the hospital I had to "pull the
plug" on my husband and desperately want to join him. If God is all
forgiving and if I take my own life will I join my husband in heaven
even though suicide is a sin? He was my whole world and I cannot
forgive myself and need to be with him. I cry every day and take
antidepressants but all I want to do is join him. - Ottavia
Ottavia:
I am so sorry to hear of the death of your husband after such a
catastrophic illness. Making the decision to take his body off
extraordinary means of maintaining life is one of the most difficult
decisions to make. Your husband was your soul partner and to be cut
off by death makes this separation painful beyond description. I
understand your depression and your emotional pain. I appreciate
your desire to join your husband in heaven. But you are here on
this earth for a reason, though that reason is not clear to you
right now.
Your intense sadness blinds you presently to God's plan for your
life. You are here because your life's mission is not complete. I
want to remind you of a biblical verse, a New Testament gospel verse
that Jesus said. I want you to pay attention to it. In the gospel
of Saint Mark, there is this verse from the mouth of Jesus (Mark
3:29): "Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that
people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is
guilty of an everlasting sin."
The reason that I am bringing your attention to this gospel verse is
that if you commit suicide so that you can join your husband in
heaven is basically a sin against the Holy Spirit, an unforgivable
sin. And by committing an unforgivable sin means that you will
never ever see your husband again and you will languish in a hell
that you have devised by your own hand. Why is such a decision be
considered a "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?"
Here are the facts: you are here. You have life on earth. You
have a mission to complete. God has NOT called you (yet) to
join Him and your husband in heaven. Until God has called you to
him through natural (or outside) means (not by your own hand), you
have a life mission to complete. You must do something here. Life
is from God. Only He can take it at His appointed time. If you
decide to turn your back on your God-given destiny, if you decide to
take your own life despite the very clear fact that you have a
mission to complete to your family and those around you, then you
will have basically turned your back on God and you will have
blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (the ONLY unforgivable sin
described by Jesus Himself) because you have decided to say NO to
God and the gift of life He has given to you for a reason. You must
find this reason why you are here.
You must find your way back on the road of your destiny and how you
can make this world a better place because that is what God wants of
you now. You will need help to open your eyes to the reason of your
present life on earth. You will not leave this world until your
mission is complete.
Leave this world by your own hand is a slap in the face of God, the
ultimate blasphemy against the Spirit of God. There will be no
forgiveness for this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So, suicide
is not, never, an option for you. The only option is to find help
to get your life back on track for the "next chapter" of your life
mission. You can find such help either by talking to a professional
counselor or therapist, or by calling a hotline such as this:
http://www.christiansuicideprevention.com/
Please get in touch with them and please explain your pain.
You are a gift to the world. You are here for a reason. You are
special. You are the love of God made in the flesh for all of us.
Time to get back on the road to heaven. You are going to achieve
great things! I believe in you! By living your life to the full,
you will be reunited with your husband in that heavenly place where
there will be no more tears or sadness. Live! And trust in God Who
has a big plan for you!
- Father Cervantes
"Canon Law forbids a priest to
absolve an
accomplice in a sin against the 6th
Commandment. How should this be
interpreted?" - Father Thomas
CatholicView Priest Staff:
Canon Law forbids a priest to
absolve an accomplice in a sin against the 6th Commandment. Should
this be interpreted strictly, i.e. actual sexual relations? Thanks.
I hear the confessions of many priests who ask this. - Father
Thomas
______________________
Father Thomas:
Thank you for writing to A CatholicView. In Canon 977, in
regards to the administration of the Sacrament of Penance by the
minister (the presbyter with faculties from the local diocesan
bishop), it does state in very clear words that the confessor cannot
absolve an accomplice in the sin against the sixth commandment (Do
not commit adultery). There is no "liberal' interpretation of this
Canon.
This Canon has always been strictly interpreted. The integrity of
the sacrament of Penance must be preserved at all costs.
Any kind of sexual relationships, even merely kissing another with
sexual overtones, is considered a sin against the sixth commandment
and the presbyter cannot absolve his accomplice in confession. The
absolution is invalid, according to Canon 977. Priests must always
be men of integrity. There is no wiggle room in regards to the
interpretation of Canon 977. Here is the canon in question:
Can. 977 The absolution of an accomplice in a sin against the
sixth commandment of the Decalogue is invalid except in danger of
death. I presume that you are a spiritual director
of priests in your diocese or religious community.
I am concerned that you ask this question. Our priestly
spirituality and integrity is to be upheld with the strictest
interpretation of this Canon. I hope this answers your
question.
- Father Cervantes.
"Does God forgive suicide?" - Joshua
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
Does God forgive suicide? As a corollary, what prayers or acts
should a person do prior to this act to be on good terms with God at
the moment of truth? I did not ask for this life and do not want
it, and I'm tired of living miserably and wretchedly with mental
problems (think Jonah 4:3). I do not want to die out of God's grace
however, but do not know how to ensure such. - Joshua
____________________________
Joshua:
Being overwhelmed by emotional and mental illness is a burden and
cross that is so difficult to bear that it blinds a person to the
reason why he or she is alive. I can appreciate your pain and
burden. But you have a reason for life. I have written about why
suicide could be considered an act of blasphemy against the Holy
Spirit, the only unforgivable sin described in the scriptures. Here
is what I have written to another person who asked a question
similar to yours:
You are here on this earth for a reason, though that reason is not
clear to you right now. Your intense sadness blinds you presently
to God's plan for your life. You are here because your life's
mission is not complete. I want to remind you of a biblical verse,
a New Testament gospel verse that Jesus said. I want you to pay
attention to it. In the gospel of Saint Mark, there is this verse
from the mouth of Jesus (Mark 3:29)"Amen,
I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be
forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting
sin."
The reason that I am bringing your attention to this gospel verse is
that if you commit suicide so that you can be free of your mental
illness is basically a sin against the Holy Spirit, an unforgivable
sin. And by committing an unforgivable sin means that you will
never ever see heaven and your desired freedom from mental
illness, and you will languish in a hell that you have devised by
your own hand.
Why is such a decision be considered a "blasphemy against the Holy
Spirit?" Here are the facts: you are here. You have life on
earth. You have a mission to complete. God has NOT called you
(yet) to join Him in heaven. Until God has called you to him
through natural (or outside) means (not by your own hand), you have
a life mission to complete. You must do something here. Life is
from God. Only He can take it at His appointed time. If you decide
to turn your back on your God-given destiny, if you decide to take
your own life despite the very clear fact that you have a mission to
complete to your family and those around you (and those who share
the burden of mental illness like yourself), then you will have
basically turned your back on God and you will have blasphemed
against the Holy Spirit (the ONLY unforgivable sin described by
Jesus Himself) because you have decided to say NO to God and the
gift of life He has given to you for a reason. You must find this
reason why you are here. You must find your way back on the road of
your destiny and how you can make this world a better place because
that is what God wants of you now. You will need help to open your
eyes to the reason of your present life on earth. You will not
leave this world until your mission is complete.
Leave this world by your own hand is a slap in the face of God, the
ultimate blasphemy against the Spirit of God. There will be no
forgiveness for this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So, suicide
is not, never, an option for you.... and no prayer or anything you
can do can change that for you. The only option is to find help to
get your life back on track for your life mission. You can find
such help either by talking to a professional counselor or therapist
which I am sure that you are already doing, or by calling a hotline
such as this:
http://www.christiansuicideprevention.com/
Please get in touch with them and please explain your pain.
You are a gift to the world. You are here for a reason. You are
special. You are the love of God made in the flesh for all of us.
Time to get back on the road to heaven. You are going to achieve
great things! I believe in you! By living your life to the full,
you will be in God's time in that heavenly place where there will be
no more tears or sadness. Live! And trust in God Who has a big
plan for you!
You see: God has a plan for you despite your mental illness. You
mentioned the verse from JONAH 4:3 which states: "And
now, Lord, please take my life from me; it is better for me to die
than to live."
But you seem to take this verse way out of context. Notice what God
said in the next sentence (Jonah 4:4):
But the Lord asked, "Have you reason to be angry?"
The Lord dismissed Jonah's frustration and anger and told Jonah to
shut up and finish the mission and destiny that God gave him to do.
And the rest is history: Jonah, despite his frustration and wanting
to die, finished his mission and the great city Nineveh repented of
its sins and turned to the Lord and Jonah became the great prophet
that God wanted him to be. And his story will be told until the end
of time! Despite Jonah's wanting to die, God worked wonders through
him. And so will God for you: He wants to work wonders through
you.
Do not frustrate God's plan! You too are a Jonah for this world.
So, take your frustration about your mental illness and turn it into
a challenge to others to appreciate the burdens and limitations of
mental illness and do something positive that will make the world a
better place. You can do it because God made you to do it. - Father
Cervantes
"I'm not Catholic but dedicated my life to Christ. As
a Police Officer I use violence. How do I apply the
gospel to my job?" - Charley
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
I am not a
Catholic but I have recently re-dedicated my life to Christ after
several years of running headlong into sexual sin, substance abuse,
and just about everything else imaginable.
I still struggle
with these things but I feel like God is making me into the man he
wants me to be more and more. My problem is my job. I'm a police
officer, in a very rough part of town, and I often find myself using
violence a lot. I probably point a gun at someone twice a week. I've
broken bones, knocked teeth loose, and acted quickly and totally
without any thoughts of mercy or grace or "Godliness".
Now I've never
acted outside the law. I've never used force in a manner that was
unjustifiable or illegal. I've never been violent because I enjoy
it, although I confess that I have been very, very angry at times.
Still, I haven't made a habit of "Turning the other cheek". To an
extent, I can't. Even if I was ok with one of these people killing
me, they may also kill my partner, other victims, etc. So what am I
to make of the Gospel? How do I apply this to my job? - Charley
______________________
Charley:
I am so happy that you have rededicated your life to Jesus Christ as
your Lord and Savior. I rejoice with heaven itself for another soul
returning to the Lord. This rededication is just the beginning of
becoming more and more like Jesus Christ each day.
Being a Christian and a follower of Christ demands that I make sure
that I place Jesus in every situation, even in a life and death, law
enforcement situation as you have described. In law enforcement,
situational awareness is demanded not only for your safety but the
safety of all the others around you, and society at large. But one
thing is demanded of you as a Christian: respect each human being
no matter who they are. Each human being, no matter how you judge
them, has been made in the image of God just like you are. You are
no better than anyone else that you encounter, even though you may
judge the other as less than you or evil, a type of judgment that
Jesus condemns.
In any law enforcement situation, listening before judging a person
is important so that no mistakes are made. This is what Jesus would
do in this situation. Split second decision making is something you
are called to do, but always have in the back of your head this
famous line: what would Jesus do now?
As you have stated, "turning the other cheek" (please see Matthew
5:39) is not something you can do in a serious law enforcement
situation. But you must! Jesus has demanded that of all of us
to "turn the other cheek" no matter what. There can be no excuses
in regards to following the gospel. Yet, how can I turn the other
cheek when I am being threatened and others around me are
threatened?
We are also tasked with defending those around us from evil (please
see John 15:13) when Jesus said:
No one has greater
love than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
That particular verse doesn't mean that we just lie down and die,
like a passive object. On the contrary, this verse is an active
participatory decision to do something that will protect all those
around me from any kind of evil. I take the initiative and I react
out of love. And that is the key to your question: not to react
out of anger or judgment, but to react out of love. Instead of
reacting out of judgment, anger, and hatred, react in love, total
love for those around you and love for yourself. This demands a
change of total attitude and view of life.
Instead of reacting out of the negative, I react out of love, a
positive and life changing positive energy that will stop any kind
of evil. The best law enforcement officers I have met and dealt
with are the ones who have learned this life lesson: react out of
love for those around them and for themselves. The worst law
enforcement members that I have met and dealt with are those who
have no respect for anyone or have no love in their hearts, or have
no patience, and are filled with hatred for others which is
understandable since most law enforcement people deal with the evil
in people's hearts. But these kinds of people should not be in law
enforcement at all because they have lost their vision of building a
better society and have fallen into cynicism and negativity.
So, to you, I issue this challenge: what is the basis of your
decision making in law enforcement? Is it Jesus and love, or is it
anger and hatred which leads to destructiveness in all you do? This
is truly a challenge for you. It is a challenge for all of us who
have chosen to follow Jesus not only as Lord and Savior, but as His
disciple. No excuses. Follow Jesus. Change your heart. And love
with all your heart. Doing so will bring the respect of all around
you and bless your career with a Godly success. May the Lord bless
you and keep you safe in His loving embrace! - Father
Cervantes
"If I commit suicide, will I see my dad again?"
- Diane
Father:
I know in my heart that my dad is in heaven. I can see no other way
out for myself except suicide; the pain is too intense and I'm too
weary to fight. But if I go to Hell, I won't see my dad again. I'm
torn, but if there's a chance I will see him again some day, then I
will finally be at peace in my heart, if not in God's. - Diane
Diane:
I am so sorry to hear of your father's passing, and you are correct
in saying that your father who believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord
and Savior is in heaven with God, enjoying eternal love and peace,
and joy in knowing he fulfilled God's plan for him. That's what I
want to say to you.
You are alive precisely because God wants you to fulfill the destiny
He made you for. Did you understand what I am saying to you? You
are alive now because God has a plan for you. You must fulfill this
plan like your father did in his life. If you cut short your life
by your own free will, then you will be in eternal pain and
depression, forever, hell. As you said, you will not see your
father ever again and you will be cut off from God Himself because
you did not fulfill God's plan and destiny that He has for you.
You have entrapped yourself in self-pity. This is the cause of your
severe depression. Your focus on the negative is the cause of your
grave sadness. It is time to seek professional help so that you can
help others. The only way you can see your father and enjoy his
love again in heaven is to fulfill your life's mission. It could be
that your healing of your severe clinical depression could be part
of what you need to do before God calls you to heaven to be with
your father.
You need to overcome
your depression with the knowledge that you are loved by God and
that He has a mission for you to complete. There are many others in
this world who feel the same abandonment you feel right now. You
could be of great help to them by your own experiences now. You are
being called by God to be a healer, but first, you must seek healing
from God and with the help of others you will overcome.
I know you can be a healer. I have "faith" in you! I see you
guiding people through the maze of depression and bringing them into
the light of thanksgiving and joy. I see a great fulfilled life for
you. I know that you will work hard in making this happen and this
work will give meaning to your life that you do not have at this
moment. So, time to get in touch with a medical professional
and start the road to recovery from your sadness. And then learn
all you can from this struggle so that you can guide others who want
to give up. You are a healer by God's design. So, fulfill your
destiny. Here is a special prayer for you:
"Lord Jesus, I am overwhelmed by loss and sadness. I miss my father
so much. But I know that he lives forever in Your embrace. I want
to be there too. So, please, Lord, send me the Holy Spirit to heal
my broken heart and spirit, and fill my heart and soul with the joy
of living. Send me the right people to help me, and enable me to be
a healer to others who feel loss and sadness like me. I place
everything in your hands. I live day by day in knowing that You
have a plan for me. Help me fulfill that plan. Lord Jesus, you are
my Savior and Lord. Hold me in your loving arms. Thank you, Lord,
thank you for everything. Amen."
Here is a link for you to start on your journey to health and
peace:
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Please call them. Or, if you wish to talk to fellow Christians,
please try this link:
http://www.christiansuicideprevention.com/
You are in our prayers
and thoughts. Time to stop staring into the abyss of sadness and
look up and see the beauty of what is around you. When you feel
really sad, just say to yourself, "Thank you, Jesus, thank you,
Jesus" until you calm down.
Please, get in touch with someone so that you can talk out your
pain. And believe that God has a plan for you!
-CatholicView Priest Staff
"My school gave me permission to receive the
Eucharist and
confession but I was not
baptized. Should I do this? – Joe
Father:
My old parochial
school, five years ago, gave me permission to be receive the
Eucharist and confession and I did. They knew I was not baptized.
I have not done either since. Would it be improper for me to
endeavor to return to those practices? Thanks. - Joe
_______________________
Joe:
Your parochial school staff were probably concerned that you would
feel left out and separated from your classmates. I understand
their concern for your inclusion. They cared and loved you as you
are and didn't try to "force" you into any sacramental commitment to
the Catholic Church. But you now know better as regards to
receiving Holy Communion within the Church. If you wish to be part
of the sacramental life of the Church, please inquire of your parish
priest about becoming Catholic and following and accepting Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior within the spiritual disciplines of
the Catholic Church! -
CatholicView Priest Staff"
My
understanding of Communion is all believers in
Christ can take it. What scripture supports why
non-Catholics cannot?" Corey
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
I was raised in the Catholic Church, but when I was 21, I changed
churches, based on my studies of scripture. Sometimes I like to
visit the Catholic Church with my parents, however, to show them
respect and support. Today, during Communion, the priest offered it
to me, but I declined because I knew it would offend my parents. My
understanding of Communion in scripture is that it is for all
believers--meaning believers in Christ as LORD and Savior. The
priest was eager and willing to give me communion, but my parents
object. What is your position on the matter? And do you have
scripture to support your position? - Corey
_______________________
Corey:
If
you really study scripture, you would be a Catholic. I am saddened
by your comments since the Catholic Church itself wrote (through the
apostles), and put together the Christian Scriptures (the New
Testament) during the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. The Catholic
Church has always been and will always be the pillar of truth in
regards to our relationship to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
As
stated in I Timothy 3:15,
"the church of the
living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."
That Church, the Church founded by Jesus Christ on the foundation of
the 12 apostles was given this promise in Matthew 16:18:
"And 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 of 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."
To
me it is quite clear that the Catholic Church, founded by Jesus and
built on the apostles (with Peter as presider over all) will always
be protected by God, and the gates of hell, deceit or error will not
prevail against the Church, and the keys of the kingdom have been
given to the Church forever. Now, with all that in mind, you have
stated in your question that you no longer believe the truth of the
scriptures and the truth of the foundation of the Catholic Church on
Jesus Christ. Instead, you believe now that the Catholic Church has
fallen into error, somehow that Jesus did not keep his promise
to make sure that the Church would not fall into the hands of hell.
This
is the same Church that has ensured that we have the New Testament
throughout the ages and now you erroneously state that the Church
doesn't know how to interpret scriptures. With all that in mind,
receiving Holy Communion in the Catholic Church implies that you
are united with all Catholics in belief and in accepting the fact
that Holy Communion is the real and true body and blood of Jesus
Christ Himself as stated in scripture (John 6:47-71).
Here
is what Saint Paul says about division between believers in I
Corinthians 1:10:
"I urge you,
brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you
agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you but
that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose."
Since you have separated yourself from the Catholic Church and have
separated yourself from the truth of the scriptures as revealed to
the Catholic Church (and the Orthodox communion as well), receiving
communion in the Catholic Church would be hypocritical since
communion implies that you accept ALL that the Catholic Church
teaches and accept the spiritual discipline of the Catholic Church.
Saint
Paul writes this in I Corinthians 11:26-32:
"For as often as you
eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the
Lord until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks
the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and
blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat
the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without
discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself."
The answer to your question becomes quite clear.
You
are not in communion with the Church (the body of Christ on earth:
see I Corinthians 12 - the entire chapter). Therefore, you cannot
receive communion in the Church without being in union with the
Church. Both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches have the
same biblical policy concerning the reception of Holy Communion:
communion is only for those who accept the teachings of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ as taught and interpreted by the
Catholic/Orthodox Church. Those who do not accept the teachings of
the Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself cannot receive
communion. You have made a decision to separate yourself from the
communion of the one, holy, apostolic and Catholic Church. Because
of that, you cannot receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church.
By the way, nowhere in scripture does it say that communion is for
"all believers." On the contrary, Saint Paul says that communion is
for those that are worthy (I Corinthians 11:27).
- CatholicView Priest
Staff
"What should a priest do after performing a
sacramental marriage
then realizing after
completion that one party was not free
to
marry? - Michelle
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
What
is the correct thing for a priest to do if he has performed a
sacramental marriage then realizes that one of the persons was not
free to marry but the ceremony has been completed. Essentially the
priest has been duped. What should he do? - Michelle
Michelle:
Sadly,
this has happened to me as a parish priest. I would find out later
that the marriage I presided at was fraudulent and invalid. You
could mention to the presiding priest what has happened but there
isn't much anyone can do until the marriage in question comes up
before an annulment process and your diocesan marriage tribunal. In
the eyes of the state, the marriage is a valid civil bond. In the
eyes of the Church, the marriage is invalid and not considered a
sacramental marriage. But not much can be done at this time.
Probably, the parties in this marriage don't care about
the sacramental validity of their church marriage. If they did,
they would not have deceived their presiding priest. Let God figure
this one out. These people have to answer to Him for their deceit
and actions. -
CatholicView Priest Staff
"I have a condition called Peyronie's Disease
which affects my
penis. I use a extender
to lessen the
pain. Is this sinful?" – Brody
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
I have a
condition called Peyronie's which gives me a bend in my penis when I
have an erection. Sometimes the erection is painful. I have been
using a nonsurgical "extender" to help lessen the curvature. It is
working well to correct the curvature and making my penis longer and
more normal looking. Is there anything sinful in this as long as I
am not using my newfound normalcy and size to sin? Thanks. - Brody
______________________
Brody:
I
am sorry that you are struggling with this condition. But it is
amazing that medical technology can fix more and more things that
are wrong with the human body. As long as you follow your doctor's
orders for your health and well-being, no sin is committed in your
particular situation. May the Lord heal you and give you a grateful
heart. -
CatholicView Priest Staff
"Should I receive communion in an Anglican Church while visiting
relatives in the UK? Would I have to confess later?" - Tom
Father:
I will be
traveling to the UK over the Christmas season and will be attending
a mid-night mass at an Anglican church, as you know the closest to
Roman Catholic. We’re doing this, as my wife is a convert and we
will be visiting relatives, two of which will be singing it the
choir of that mid-night mass. I’m assuming the doubt as to the
consecration of the host, but will it be acceptable to partake in
communion? Will I be required to go to confession later to receive
communion at a Catholic Church? - Tom
__________________________
Tom:
As
a Catholic, you are NOT in communion with the Anglican Church.
Receiving holy communion in the Church of England means that you are
accepting their teachings and accepting their spiritual disciplines
as your own. But you are not doing that since you are Catholic.
You may attend the midnight Mass but you may not receive communion
at their liturgy. If you attend the liturgy at the Anglican Church,
you do not need to confess that. If you received communion at the
Anglican Church, you do need to confess that.
- CatholicView Priest Staff
"How can I
have faith in God to answer my prayers
when He never does?" – Kathy
Dear Father:
I am struggling
with my prayer life and faith. I do not question the existence of
God, or doubt the validity of the Catholic faith. My struggle is in
asking for and receiving blessings from God. I can't think of a time
God has ever answered my prayers, and I no longer believe God cares
about my needs or happiness. I read James 1:6-8 …"but he must ask
in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the
surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought
not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a
double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
My question is
how can I have faith in God to answer my prayers when He never
does? The "unstable" part of the verse really upsets me also. Let
me explain: I have recently been diagnosed with Dysthymic disorder,
which is a chronic, low to medium grade depression and one of the
effects of this disorder is a pessimistic thought process, and a
sense of hopelessness about the future. My doctor has explained that
this is simply how my brain has been "programmed" and it's not
something I can control. So, I guess in that sense, I am
"unstable" Does this truly mean that God will never hear or respond
to my prayers? It makes me feel a little abandoned by God. I know
it's sinful to doubt God's love, but I do, I just can't help it.
What do I do? Not bother with supplication in my prayer life at all?
– Kathy
________________________
Kathy:
I
am grateful to know that you have not given up your faith in God and
yourself. To do so would also mean to give up hope and hope is the
food that gives me the desire to achieve and overcome. What James
is writing about does not imply your disorder. James was writing
about people who are not faithful to God and His commandments. You
are faithful to God despite your disorder and your recognition of
your limitation concerning your ability to overcome depression and
pessimism. God is always answering our prayers but what has
happened is that your disorder blinds you to see God's Hand in your
life. You are constantly being blest by the Lord. But you need to
be thankful for all the good that is around you.
You
have not been abandoned by God. If you were, you would not be alive
or talking with me. God wants you alive. He gave you life. He has
given you the support system that you rely on to try to deal with
your disorder. You have food each day on your table. Your have a
place to live. You have more blessings than most people in the
world.
Instead
of praying for specific things, thank God each day for anything,
even if you see a colorful bug on a plant, give thanks for the bug.
That's what I do all the time. By being grateful always, I see how
God is blessing me so clearly and I am peaceful and confident in the
future. I know that your brain plays terrible tricks on you. But
you can control your disorder simply by stop praying for things and
expecting them and replace it with constant prayers of thanksgiving
and praise. In doing so, you will have some control over your
disorder and find that indeed God is blessing you all the time!
Never lose hope. God's healing is at hand. God knows what you need
before you ask. If so, then there is no need to be specific about
the things you want. Just know that all your needs will be met.
May God bless you, Kathy
-
CatholicView Priest Staff"
My
brother is having an affair with a married Baptist
woman. Should I tell her husband about this?" - Pat
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
My brother is
Catholic, and divorced for 9 years now. He has been in an
adulterous affair for 5 years with a Baptist woman. He thinks
because she is Baptist, it's not a "marriage." Should I tell the
Baptist woman's husband of the affair since neither of them think
they're doing anything wrong? - Pat
_______________________
Pat:
I am to
understand that your brother is having an affair with a married
woman and doesn't think that the woman is in a "sacramental
marriage?" First, sexual relations outside of marriage is
considered a mortal sin, the sin of adultery, one of the deadly
sins. That's a non-negotiable sin. Second, your brother is still
bonded sacramentally to his "divorced" wife unless he acquired a
petition of annulment from his own diocesan marriage tribunal.. And
the woman in the other marriage is bonded sacramentally to her
husband since the Catholic Church recognizes all non-Catholic
marriages as sacramental and valid in the eyes of God.
As to speaking
to the husband of the woman your brother is having an affair with,
please think this through. The consequences could be catastrophic.
Are you willing to accept the backlash from this action of
notification? Is this something you want to do? Have you spoken to
your brother first about his sin? Show him this answer as a starter
of a conversation about this. Please speak to your brother first.
If he doesn't want to listen and ignores you, then you can speak to
the husband of the woman. Please ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. -
CatholicView Priest Staff"
If we are all sinners, what is the difference between
being simply a sinner or wicked?" - Jessica
Father:
If we are all sinners, what is the
difference between being simply a sinner and wicked? Most people I
encounter are good people. The bible says the narrow is the gate to
heaven. If most people are good in my eyes, why will plenty of us be
condemned? -Jessica
_________________________
Jessica:
We
are all sinners because our relationship with God is not always
complete. Sin in Catholic theology is seen not solely as breaking a
commandment or not fulfilling a specific church law. Sin is seen as
a
breaking of a relationship
with our Creator and God, and
my fellow human beings.
Sin is always seen in relationship and so is Grace.
Grace is relationship with God,
not some kind of substance that can be physically measured. So, sin
is a breaking of my relationship with God,
and in effect,
breaking the relationships with others.
In
the First Letter of John, Chapter 5, Verse 16 (I JOHN 5:16)Saint
John writes that:
"If anyone sees his
brother sinning, if the sin is NOT DEADLY [mortal sin], he should
pray to God and He will give him life. This is only for those whose
sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which
I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there
is sin that is not deadly [venial sin]."
So, our relationship with God is imperfect because we do not love
God fully with all our being. Hence, the wrongdoing, sin, on our
part.
This
is similar to a couple in love. When the couple is in love, they do
not hurt each other or try not to hurt each other. When the love is
not totally there, there is hurt, misunderstanding, and pain. This
best explains my relationship with God.
Most sin hurts my relationship (grace)with God and others
but it can be repaired through forgiveness. Some sin is deadly,
mortal, and it destroys everything in my relationship with God.
Wickedness on the other hand is someone who has no relationship with
God and selfishly hurts everyone around him/her and doesn't care
because all they want is their own will, not God's Will. Wickedness
is mortal [deadly] sin in action. A wicked person is someone
without any kind of relationship with God. Only the wicked will be
condemned by God because they have condemned themselves through
their own actions and decisions.
Because of
our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are saved. I try
to enter the narrow gate, as you say, but by the GRACE of God,
I have my place in heaven (please see John 14:1-3) through the
death and resurrection of Jesus. There are no wicked people in
heaven. There are saved people in heaven, people who have a
relationship with God. Grace is the key to heaven. Wickedness is
one's ticket to hell. Remember, our destiny is in our hands. We
send ourselves to heaven by our love and relationship with God. Of
course, we can send ourselves to hell by our decision to live in
wickedness. I love God, and I love Jesus, even though my love for
God and Jesus can be flawed. But my eyes are fixed on God and my
desire to see Him face to face is what drives me each day. That is
my key to heaven.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like
me.
Alleluia! Sadly, the wicked wouldn't even say those words at all.
Thank you for writing to us, Jessica.
- CatholicView Priest Staff"
I was a witness at a civil marriage and feel I
have sinned. Can I
get my name removed
from the documents?" - Jenni
Father:
I
was a witness at a civil marriage and now realize the sin committed.
Is there any way I can have my name removed from the documents? I
feel awful. – Jenni
__________________________
Jenni:
I don't understand why you think it is a sin to be a civil marriage
witness, as versus a witness for a church wedding. There is NO sin
in being a civil marriage witness. And there is no legal way to
remove your name from civil documents. Let me repeat: there is no
sin in being a civil marriage witness. I have been a witness to a
civil marriage before I became a priest. I have not sinned. I am
at peace with God. Please, stop this beating up yourself over
something that is NOT sinful.
- CatholicView Priest Staff
"I am a fireman and a
Catholic Priest is our
Fire Chaplain. I am uncomfortable calling
him
Father.
How else can I address him?- John
CatholicView Priest Staff:
I am a non-believer and I work as a
firefighter. Our department employs a Catholic Priest as our Fire
Chaplain. He is a very nice man and he visits the firehouses on
occasion. I enjoy his visits, however I feel uncomfortable calling
another man "father", who is not my father. I've always just avoided
addressing him by name. My question is, how else can I address him
without offending him or creating an awkward situation? - John
_____________________
John:
The
title, CHAPLAIN, is the correct title for your priest in the fire
department. You don't need to call him any title that is not in
keeping with your belief system. The proper title for any rabbi,
minister, priest, or other religious leader within an organization
such as yours is CHAPLAIN, such as Chaplain Smith, or Chaplain
John. I was a military chaplain for 24 years, and those who were
not Catholic always called me "Chaplain." Of course, those who were
Catholic called me "Father." -
CatholicView Priest Staff
"What is the Catholic teaching on "charismatic"
spirituality?" – Craig
Priest Staff:
What is the
Catholic teaching on "charismatic" spirituality? My sister is a
Pentecostal who believes that every dream or private inclination she
has is somehow the Holy Spirit guiding her. Every time she babbles
incoherently at church it's a "angelic" language. I'm aware we have
charismatic churches but are we as subjective as the Pentecostals in
our interpretations of what the Spirits gifts really are? – Craig
Craig:
The Church
is always open to spiritual movements that propel people into a
secure, faithful relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The "charismatic spirituality" is one that serves many people in
their walk with God. Charismatic spirituality is based on an
emotional relationship with God the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit
of God always touches our souls and emotions. My spirit soars when
touched by the Spirit of God. But as you have correctly observed,
some "charismatic" people think that every dream and every inkling
is God talking to them. They sometimes take these dreams and
inklings to be on par with the Sacred Scriptures. In that sense,
they are in error. I have had to fight people with a charismatic
spirituality who say that the Spirit of God says to do this, or to
do that, or that someone is sinning. I say that each "prompting" of
the Spirit must be discerned in regards to reality around us.
Saint Paul
writes about this in I Corinthians, Chapter 14. He doesn't
take too kindly to those speaking in tongues. He sees that prophecy
[no. not telling the future], another way of saying preaching, is
more important than anything else. Always discern every prompting
that you receive. Not all promptings are from God. Some promptings
are from someone's selfish desires. I had someone tell me that the
Spirit of God told him that God wanted me to know that I should give
him $50. Really? I discerned that this was just his way to get
money to support his own selfish desires. All gifts of the Spirit
must be discerned by what is already known as the truth given to us
from our apostolic traditions, teachings and in Holy Scriptures. No
subjectiveness here.
- CatholicView Priest Staff
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF
"Why does God forgive us?" -
Sarah
CatholicView Staff:
I have a difficult question. I'm an Anglican who recently
started worshiping, but as I read the Bible I find myself wondering:
why does God forgive us? We are sinners who can never hope to
live to His image. The Book of John even says that 'If we say we
are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us'.
And yet God chooses to forgive us, despite the fact that we will sin
again, even sending down His only Son to die for our sins? Why? -
Sarah
________________________
Sarah:
It is all about forgiveness...God's forgiveness. And He stands on
His promises. But remember, when we ask for forgiveness, we must
repent of our sins, otherwise that forgiveness is invalid.
When we
sin, we are turning away from what our Father asks us not to do, but
He is still willing to give us a chance., The "catch" is, none of
us knows when we will be called in judgment. And then it would be
too late if we haven't been forgiven. If we don't come back to God,
we will be separated from him forever.
As human beings we
sometimes are caught in a cycle of sin. Try as we might, sometimes
we can't seem to break free. Not on our own. And so, we
must pray, promising to avoid sin and not
repeat the sin again. Make things right by going to
confession, relying on God’s goodness and forgiveness, promising once again
that we will repent. God is good and is willing to do this for us,
however we must not go into sin counting on forgiveness later. We
cannot play games with Almighty God.
God sent His Son Jesus to
purify and redeem us by paying the price on a cross for our sins.
On our own, we could never repay Him for this.
God gave man free will. The
question is what each of us will do with that Free Will. What will
you choose?
I hope this helps you to understand the great magnitude of God’s
love for us so much that He will forgive us over and over again, as
long as we are alive, and promise to truly repent each
time we come to Him. Thank you for this question. God bless you.
-
CatholicView Staff
"My husband was a reformed Jewish Man who
recently died. He believed
in God and prayed
often. Is His soul with God?" Fran
CatholicView Staff:
My husband was a very reformed Jewish man. He was decent and
honest. A good father and a loving husband. Recently he has passed
away. He believed in God and prayed frequently. Is his soul with
God? - Fran
__________________________
Fran:
Your husband sounds like he
was a wonderful man who prayed frequently and was a good father and
husband. I am saddened that he has passed away.
Please be assured that God has seen
all the good things that your husband was in this life. Please be
at peace, knowing that God reads all hearts and has seen the caring
and the love your husband not only extended to his precious family,
but also that love transcended to God through prayer. Depend on
God's mercy and His everlasting love for those who loved Him. Do
not worry, your husband is in loving arms and I believe that you
will see him again one day. God bless you. -
CatholicView Staff
"Is it considered gossip to talk about
someone in the news?" - Betty
CatholicView Staff:
Is it gossip to talk about someone in the news? I mentioned the
recent news about brain death and my good Catholic Friend told me it
was none of my concern and is was gossip to discuss the family as it
did not affect me. - Betty
_______________________
Betty:
You ask if it is gossip
to talk about people in the news. It is true that people speak of
what they read in the newspapers or from other sources, such as
television. And it is normal to talk about weather,
rising prices or even about people in high places or happenings in
the world around us. Everybody enjoys reading about the good times of
others, and sharing what they read or heard to friends and family. But in the case
of public figures, some are inclined to believe the stories circulating
about how others are living even if the news is being inflated by
the press. And it is true that there are those who enjoy gossip, especially the
plight of others because it makes them feel better about
themselves. It is okay to be interested in the people that we
admire, but if we feed ourselves on the downfalls of others then
this becomes wrong, particularly if we are gleeful concerning
the sadness of others.
http://catholicexchange.com/whats-wrong-with-gossip has this to say
about gossip: "...The topic of gossip is also on the mind of
Pope Francis as well. Since his election less than two months ago,
the Pontiff has already spoken three times about the dangerous
consequences of gossip. In a recent homily in the chapel of the
Vatican’s Santa Marta, Pope Francis said, “When one prefers
gossiping – gossiping about another, it’s like clobbering another.
This is normal, it happens to everyone, including me – it is a
temptation of the evil one who does not want the Spirit to come and
bring about peace and meekness in the Christian community.” The
Pope went on to say, “The struggle against such harmful chatter is
something that continually sows tensions in parishes, families, in
neighborhoods and among friends.”
The Bible is also very clear about gossip – “Do not spread
slanderous gossip among your people” (Leviticus 19:16). Likewise the
Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks to the importance of
refraining from actions such as gossiping that can tarnish the
reputation of another –
“Respect
for the reputation of
persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust
injury” (Para. 2477). Gossiping involves the sin of detraction in
which a person discloses another’s faults and failings to someone
who did not know them. Therefore, one commits the sin of detraction
when he makes known the faults of another without a very good reason
for doing so. Further, it can be a serious moral offense if it does
great harm to another’s reputation by having his or her faults
spread about when they otherwise would not be.
Gossip can be true, partially
true, or completely false and while it can be motivated by good
intentions, it always contains negative personal information about
another that puts them in a bad light. Similarly, we can also
participate in gossip by remaining silent or using approving body
language such as nodding our head in agreement."
Being curious about how those who make headlines is a normal action
and is acceptable. To be interested in the people we admire is
human but to be envious of them or be judgmental about their
failings can be sinful. Gossip
comes from weakness and is a way of self-defense by attacking first
and falsely thinking that I am above their behavior. Being
confident and relying on God alone without worrying about who said
what is a sign of a deep, strong faith.
"
Pope Francis finished his homily by saying, “Today we ask the
Lord Jesus to give us this grace not to ever get involved in the
lives of others, not to become Christians of good manners and bad
habits, it is to follow Jesus, to walk behind Jesus on his way.....”
In closing, Betty, we are all human and curious at times. But
just telling someone about a happening in the news does not mean you
wish harm to anyone. It could be a sympathetic mention which is
acceptable. It is when we gloat about someone else's misfortune or
if we delight in the pitfalls of others that it becomes wrong. It
really depends on whether we want to talk about uplifting news about
people and make a comment to friends, but if we are looking for fuel
that will make us feel better about our own lives then this is
wrong. Thanks for your interesting question.
-
CatholicView Staff
"My family member is dating a divorced man
getting an annulment.
Can I suggest she
stop dating him until he gets it?"- SVH
CatholicView Staff:
A female family member is dating a Catholic man who is divorced, has
5 daughters with his ex-wife, and he and his ex-wife were married in
the Catholic Church, and were married for 10 years or so. He does
not have an annulment, but is 6 months into the process. My family
member and this man have been dating, and sharing "I love you's" and
making gestures of "giving their hearts to each other." I asked my
family member, who is Catholic and not married, if she would stop
seeing this man until he gets an annulment, as he is spiritually
bound to another woman, and she is loving him in a way that is a
prelude to marriage. If he does not obtain an annulment (in
process), she will have to choose between him or the sacraments.
She indicated that she would have to decide down the road - she
actually considered not receiving the sacraments! My question is
how do I react to this situation when this family member has always
very vocally stood up to defend the Catholic church's teachings,
anytime, anywhere with anyone, including family members, but now is
considering her options - acting inconsistently with all previous
behavior? - SVH
________________________
SVH:
It is sad to see a relative who is faithful to the church allow
themselves to stray away from its teaching. As you already know,
until this man gets his annulment, he is still married in the eyes
of the Church, and as long as your relative continues in this
relationship she cannot take the Eucharist. Plus, if she is
committing the sin of adultery with this man, it becomes more serious. I
am sure that she, as well as her "boyfriend" are both aware that
this man is still married until the annulment is finalized.
Nonetheless, she is an adult and
must make her own decisions. If she continues, you might remind her
that should she die in this sin, she could lose her soul. If she
will not listen, you can only continue to pray for her. God go with
you in this matter. - CatholicView Staff
"My fiancée is Protestant and wants us to marry
in her Church. Will
our marriage be recognized
by the Catholic Church?" - James
CatholicView Staff:
If I am Catholic and my fiancée is not could we get married in a
Protestant Church and it be recognized by the Catholic Church? We
are both baptized. - James
__________________
James:
Yes, it could be recognized by the
Church, but in order to marry outside of your Church as a Catholic,
you will need a dispensation from the local bishop first. The
couple must meet with a priest or deacon and fulfill the same pre-cana
preparations as all practicing Catholics must do. The Catholic
priest or deacon will fill out the necessary forms. If this
procedure is not followed, the Church will consider this is an
invalid marriage for the Catholic party. -
CatholicView Staff
"I struggle believing God has forgiven me. Does
God forgive sin such as this?" - Devan
CatholicView Staff:
Thank you for taking my question. I was a practicing Catholic, fell
away, became Pagan and 2 years ago came home to the Catholic Church.
Sometimes I struggle believing God has forgiven me. Does God
forgive sin such as this? - Devan
______________________
Devan:
Congratulations on coming back home. The following explanation is
for those who do not know what Pagan is: "Catholic and Pagan are
two very opposing religious beliefs, mainly in that Catholicism, i.e,
Christianity, is a monolithic faith (one god). paganism revolves
around the belief in several "natural gods".
Devan, always remember
that God does forgive if we repent. And the sins that
you committed in the past have been forgotten. Hebrew 8:12 reads,
"For
I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
So you must let go of
your guilt and move forward in the Lord. If you truly believe in
Jesus, know that He has already paid the price for your admittance
in Heaven if you trust in Him and live according to His word.
Please
talk to your priest about your feelings. If you haven't gone to
confession, GO! Do not let Satan taunt you about the past. Know
that God is well pleased that you have returned to the fold.
Here is a short
prayer you might say when you feel like you feel unsure.
"Lord Jesus,
I am so sorry for all past sins I have committed. Let me realize
that Satan tries to make me believe that You have NOT forgiven me.
Send Your Holy Spirit to encourage and quiet my doubts and let me
know that You, through your love for me, have forgiven all my sins.
They have been erased from my soul. I invite
Jesus to reign in my heart from this day forward and I ask this
through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen"
Have you talked to your
priest concerning your doubts about forgiveness? Make an
appointment if you haven't. May God give you courage and peace.
- CatholicView Staff
"The man I married is gay. What should
I do?" - Tammy
CatholicView:
The man I married is gay ... He hasn't, to my knowledge, been with
someone one, but he's ALWAYS looking on the internet. I'm
devastated ... Was this part of my wedding vow? Or can I walk
away? He's a good man, but I want/need more. Please help me
figure this out. Tammy
_____________________
Tammy:
I am so sorry that you have found
yourself in this predicament. I know that this revelation was one
of shock, despair, and a feeling of betrayal and I am assuming that
you did not know beforehand that your husband was gay before you
married. This is an important point. If you did not, then you
should see about an annulment immediately since this was not told to
you in honesty before your marriage vows were taken.
If you agreed to this marriage
knowing your husband was gay, this is a matter to be discussed with
your priest. If your husband, in spite of
his homosexuality, promises and wants to be faithful to his marriage
vows and is willing to get the marriage counseling that he needs to
keep his vows, then it may be possible to move forward with the
marriage. But this is no guarantee that your husband can.
Please make an appointment to talk to your priest. I believe you
may be entitled to an annulment. - CatholicView Staff
"What is the Church's preference regarding
the
debate between
"Christmas" or
"Xmas"?" - Daniel
CatholicView Staff:
What is the Church's stance or preference regarding the debate
between "Christmas" or "Xmas"? Thank You, have a great day and a
Merry Christmas! God Bless! - Daniel
______________________
Daniel:
Some people who want to avoid the
religious Christian meaning of Christmas may use the word "Xmas".
Actually the word "Christmas is
derived from an old English word "Cristes maesse" which translated
means "Christ's Mass" and dates back to the 14th century. It
formally came from the Greek word "Christos" meaning Christ. Missa
is a Latin word meaning "mass".
Others consider "Xmas" as a
shortened word for Christmas and may not have any connotations,
except for its shortened usage. But it should not be used for
formal writing.
http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-xmas-and-christmas
reads, "A common
misconception today is that Xmas is a secular attempt to remove the
religious tradition from Christmas by taking the ‘Christ’ out of
‘Christmas’. However, some fail to realize that X is actually an
abbreviation for Christ, one that has been in use for over a
thousand years. Xmas has just gotten a lot of recent popularity as
it is shorter to write, and is often used by youngsters and by
advertisements targeting the young."
Christmas is a celebration of the
birth of Christ among Christians worldwide. As we celebrate
Christmas, Christ is set as the priority and for me the center of my
celebration, and so, using "Christmas" is an honor and would
be the word I would use. - CatholicView Staff
"My friend's husband has a mental illness and
bought a gun. Can she divorce him?" - Pam
CatholicView Staff:
My friend's husband has a serious mental illness but refuses
treatment. His episodes are scary and now he has purchased a gun
and decided to leave my friend (his wife) and their three children.
They are now living separately. Does she have grounds for divorce?
Pam
______________________
Pam:
Please tell your friend to not let her husband into their home when
he is in a mental state. He
sounds dangerous. If he tries to get into the house, have her call for
help. Also tell her that she must make an appointment to talk to
her priest to discuss whether she is entitled to an annulment.
There are children involved in this.
Please see that she protects herself and her children. Please!
And if things start to happen and she feels afraid, she MUST call
the police. Their lives, hers as well as the children, must have
protection.
See that she protects herself and her children. Please!
And if things start to happen and she feels afraid, she MUST call
the police. Their lives, hers as well as the children's, are at
stake.
May the Lord keep your friend from
harm. May He bless you for helping and being there for your
friend. - CatholicView Staff"
I get attacked at night by an entity. How
do I get rid of it?"- Zandria
CatholicView Staff:
There is an entity in my house. I get attacked at night, by getting
choked. How do I get rid of it? (I prayed and asked for protection
before I sleep). - Zandria
_____________________
Zandria:
I am so sorry to hear that there is an entity in your house
especially since you
have been physically attacked. If you are unable to move to another
location, please call your parish priest and have him come to your
house to pray and bless it. You might want to keep a bible near
your nightstand so you can read it and pray at night, asking God to
remove this evil from you. - CatholicView Staff
"What happens to a person who has not
been baptized when they die?"
– Debbie
CatholicView Staff:
What happens to a person who has not been baptized when they die? -
Debbie
_____________________
Debbie:
This depends on how their lives were lived. We do not know if, at
the last moment, they asked the Lord to forgive them of all their
sins.
You see, Debbie, God know all things
about each of us. God will decide whether a person is worthy to be
saved. We must not make judgments either way. Let's leave this up
to God Who knows everything. I hope this helps. - CatholicView
Staff
“I am an
Episcopalian. Can I partake in
Catholic Communion?” - Robert
CatholicView Staff:
I was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church. I routinely
attend and take communion in my Episcopal Church. If I attend a
Catholic Mass with a friend, is it appropriate to partake in Holy
Communion. - Robert
______________________
Robert:
A non-Catholic cannot
receive the Eucharist (Holy Communion) in the Catholic Church. Only
baptized Catholics who
believe that the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ is
truly and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist may receive
this Sacrament.
What you can do when communion is
being served is to join the line with your arms crossed which
signifies that you would like to receive a blessing
Please know that you are most
welcome to visit with us at any time. - CatholicView Staff
“I suffered abuse from my first husband.
I later remarried. Is
this marriage valid?” - Teri
CatholicView Staff:
I am a victim of physical and mental cruelty. I had to leave my
ex-husband to seek safety and peace. Four years later, a met a
Catholic man who shares the same beliefs as I, and we were married.
Have I committed adultery? Is our marriage valid in the eyes of
God? - Teri
______________
Teri:
You have suffered
through your first marriage. We are assuming that you obtained a
divorce from your previous husband. Did you get an annulment from
the Church? If not, you are still bound by your first marriage
therefore you are
living in adultery. But this can be taken care of.
With your circumstances of marital abuse, there should be no problem
attaining an annulment.
Please see your parish priest who can settle this for you. I am pleased
that you have found peace and happiness and wish you the best. Go
now and straighten this all out so you will be free to move ahead
with your new life. - CatholicView Staff
“Would you pray that I get money for
my jaw surgery?" - Laura
Catholic View Staff:
Would you all please pray for me that I would get the necessary
funds for sleep apnea jaw surgery I cannot sleep properly
and am having a terrible time. Thanks very much in advance for any
and all prayers.-
Laura
______________________
Laura:
I am sorry to hear that you are suffering and unable to sleep. We
will pray for your need of money for sleep apnea jaw surgery. Here
is a prayer for you to pray:
Heavenly Father, I come before you today to ask for a financial
blessing. I have to get a much needed surgery. Lord, you know my
pain. My faith keeps me strong because I know somehow you will
take care of me. I only ask for enough money to relieve my
financial woes so I can get the medical care I badly need.
If
it is Your Will, dear God,
grant me the means to get this surgery. Please Lord, I beg of you
to intercede on my behalf. Provide me with the financial means to
be able to sleep without pain again.
I ask this
through the mighty name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. AMEN!
Laura, we will keep
you in prayer. May the Lord bless you abundantly. - CatholicView
Staff
"My
in-law is offended by our saying grace at
dinner at my home. Any advice?" - Steve
CatholicView Staff:
I have a non-Catholic (LDS) in law who states she is "offended" by
our saying Catholic grace before holiday meals in our own home.
What is your best advice on how we should handle this? Thanks. -
Steve
_____________________
Steve:
If a relative comes to
your home for dinner but does not believe in God and is offended by
you thanking our Father for what He has provided for you and family,
you might try this: You and family could say a silent prayer of
thanks to God before eating with heads bowed. No words out loud.
Arrange before hand that you will do this. If the relative is still
offended, please explain that saying grace and thanking God is very
important to you and your family. If this does not work, then
explain that our Heavenly Father Who created her and all of you,
would be offended also by her denying prayer in your own home.
You might inform this
lady that since this is your home and not hers, perhaps it would be
best for her not to visit at mealtimes when prayer will be said.
She would be welcomed at any other time if she wishes to do so.
In any case, please pray
for your in-law. Hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff
"A Episcopalian relative insists on taking Catholic
Communion. Are we sharing her sin?" - Kathy
CatholicView Staff:
We have a family member coming to stay with us for three weeks. She
is an Episcopalian and will be attending Mass with us
on Sunday.
She has asked if we could alternate between her church and ours. Of
course we said no; however I would gladly attend her service with
her after attending Mass. Don't think she was happy with that
answer. My problem is she plans to receive communion even though she
knows it is wrong for her to do so. She says it is between her and
God. Are we sharing in her sin if we do not tell our priest? - Kathy
_________________
Kathy:
If your Episcopalian
relative goes to the Catholic Church, she may not receive and would
not be allowed to do so if the priest is aware. The Church is happy
to see people of different faiths attending, but they do request
that only Catholics participate in the Communion portion of the
service. The reversal is the same: If a Catholic attends another
denomination with a friend, that person should not receive
communion.
You are not sharing your friend's sin if you make
it clear that she should not receive communion. She is a
grownup and must make her own decisions. You are not
responsible if she chooses to receive communion even after knowing
it is wrong for her to do so.
As a thought, you might ask your
family member to get in the communion line with arms folded which
denotes she would like a blessing only. Remember to tell your
family member that we are always honored to have all faiths attend
our mass. I hope this helps you. -
CatholicView Staff
"I have been struggling with my faith.
Any advice? - Lulu
CatholicView Staff:
When I was a kid, I will pray every single night and was really
faithful. But when I turned 10, something changed. I stopped praying
and my faith for God decreased at an alarming rate. Nothing has
changed till now. I have been struggling and don't know what
happened. Any advice?
Lulu
__________________
Lula:
I am so sorry that you
have lost faith in God. Without faith, you slowly move away from
your Heavenly Father. You lose the trust that you need to be in a
close relationship with God, our Father, and our Savior, Jesus
Christ.
However, I am so happy
that you want to renew your belief in God. The first thing you must
do is pray asking God to show you the way back to Him. Tell Him
that you want to be closer to Him, and ask this in the name of His
Son, Jesus Christ. John 14:13-14 tells us
"Whatever you ask in my name, this I
will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me
anything in my name, I will do it."
Please find a quiet moment to pray
to God, and take a few minutes to read your bible. Here is a
simple short prayer that you might pray:
Heavenly Father, I want with all my heart to believe in You as I
did many years ago. I struggle with my faith, and I ask You to let
me feel Your presence and Your guidance in my life once again.
Renew my faith, dear God. Open my heart, and let my faith shine
forth again. I ask all this through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Please
make an appointment with your priest and ask for prayer. Keep your
eyes fixed on Jesus. Continue to go to Church. Pray, asking God to
strengthen you. I am incredibly proud that you want to come back
home. May the Lord strengthen you and keep you on His path. -
CatholicView Staff
“I fell in love with my friend’s wife.
What should I do?” - Don
CatholicView Staff:
I have fallen in love with my friend's wife and we kissed and
hugged. She also feels the same. I know it's wrong but find it
difficult keeping my feelings in check. She has been abused in the
past and I lost my wife 2 years ago and she has been with me through
the dark days. I'm going to confession today. What do you think?
- Don
_______________________
Don:
I am so sorry that you
lost your wife two years ago. And I can certainly understand how
you might grow to love the person who offers comfort during your
time of sorrow. But, you must put these unclean feelings aside and
get on with your life. This love you feel for your friend's wife is
adultery. To continue this would be destroying a friend's marriage.
Think. Think about this destruction you will cause your
friend. Think about the fact that you can no longer take the
Sacraments because of sinful behavior. Please, do not continue
this. Ask God to forgive this trespass and move forward. God loves
you and has a plan for your life. Don't mess it up. -
CatholicView Staff
"My Franciscan Priest supports things the
Pope
does not. Should I change parishes?"
- Sheila
CatholicView Staff:
I moved and am in a parish that is very liberal. The Franciscan
Priest supports things the Pope does not. Such as women Priests,
inviting active gay/lesbians into the Church & to take Communion.,
bringing in nuns to speak that are rebelling against teachings of
the Pope. When I questioned some of these things I was told it was
because I am bipolar. Am I wrong to question and am being too
"dogmatic" or should I change Parishes? - Sheila
________________
Sheila:
I am so sorry to hear
about this situation at your church. Have you spoken with your
Vicar of Clergy or written to the diocese in your city about the
behavior of the priests at your parish?
Please call or write
about these issues. Report this activity immediately. And outline
whatever is not in accordance with Church teachings.
If you can, make an
appointment with the priest involved and share directly with him the
concerns you wrote to us about. If he refuses to explain and
continues this behavior, write or contact your Vicar of Clergy or
your diocese as soon as possible. Hope this helps. -
CatholicView Staff
"Is an adult child obligated to "honor" their
elderly mother?" - Christine"
CatholicView Staff:
Is an adult child obligated to "honor" their parents (in my case my
elderly mother) if they are often verbally hurtful, accusatory, and
speak ill of your husband. My mother has also come into our home and
regularly attacked my husband and verbally in front of our four
children. She is not Catholic and pretty much despises us while
claiming to love us. My husband is so hurt after 18 years of this he
is ready to shut her out. Lately she has demanded we pay her money
she claims my 15 year old son stole from her. We did our own
investigation and found him to be innocent, but she wont accept the
possibility he is innocent. Help me please. - Christine
_________________________
Christine:
It is sad to hear that your mother
is hurtful and accusatory to you and your family. Perhaps she has a
health issue that you are not aware of? Nonetheless, she is being destructive to your
entire household. It is also clear that you want to honor and love
your mother as the bible says.
I would suggest that you make a
lunch date with your mother. Give her this honor. And talk to her
about her behavior to you and your family. Try to find out why she
is behaving this way. I am assuming that she was more loving in the
past. Also, if your dad is alive, you might want to talk to him
about this. Use this lunch time to perhaps find a cause as to why
she has become this way.
If you cannot come to any
conclusions, limit her coming to your home. This is important, not
only for the children, but also to you and your husband. Lovingly
visit with her alone and try to see if she needs help mentally or is
going through some traumas of her own. Old age brings many
problems. We will pray for you and your family. -
CatholicView Staff
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