NOV/DEC 2014
ASK A PRIEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
FATHER KEVIN BATES, SM
FATHER LAZARUS CHAWDI
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF
PRIEST STAFF
FATHER KEVIN BATES, SM
"The
Jehovah Witnesses believe that in 1917
Satan and followers came to the earth and we
are near the Second coming. Do we believe
this?" - Richard
Father Kevin:
Does the Catholic Church believe as
Jehovah's Witnesses do that 1917 was the year that Satan and his followers were cast down
to earth and therefore we are nearing the second coming? Richard
_______________________________
Hi Richard:
As Catholics we
dont know when the Second Coming will be or exactly what will be involved. The
prophecies in the New Testament are very colourful and dramatic, and give us some
clues. They may not represent the literal truth however.
Catholics are prepared
to wait and allow Gods purposes to be worked out in Gods good time. Our real
energy into living with love now, changing our hearts, healing our world where we can and
being thankful for the gift of time and space we enjoy right now. Matters such as the
second coming are not in our hands. However, the care of our Mother the earth is
somewhat in our hands. Perhaps the second coming will come as a result of global
warming. God often works with natural events.
We wait and hope in
Gods good promises to us all. Blessings to you. - Father
Kevin
"If G-d gives us everything
we need, why do we need to
pray to Him?" - Dina
Father Kevin:
If G-d gives us everything we need, why do we need to pray to
Him, i.e. to ask for health, sustenance, children, etc? Thank you.
- Dina Strauss
________________________________
Hi Dina,
Asking God for things is only a tiny part of
Christian prayer. The essential prayer of the Christian is one of praise and
thanks. If you listen to the prayers of the Mass for instance, there are some
prayers that ask for Gods grace in various ways, but the main prayers of the Mass
are prayers of thankfulness and praise.
Having said that, we are often in need, the need
to grow, the need for forgiveness, the need to be healed, the need for good relationships
and so on. It makes sense that if we have a good intimate relationship with God,
then we can talk about anything including asking God for what we need. Its a sign
that we trust God to look out for us and an expression of faith that God has our best
interests at heart. We dont always expect God to change things miraculously, but
rather we want God to know that we believe that he is the one who sustains our whole
existence and that we trust him. Blessings to you. - Father Kevin
"Why was the 'Gospel of Mary' not published
by the Council of Nicea?" - Rayna
Father Kevin:
When the Council of Nicea was deciding what should go into the Bible, why was the 'gospel'
of Mary Magdalene not published and what historically does the Catholic Church know about
Mary? - Rayna
______________________________
Dear Rayna:
I dont know why
the gospel you mention was not published or acted by the Church. Youd
need a scriptural and historical expert to answer this question really.
What we know about Mary
is very little from the gospels. She agreed to carry Gods Word, she gives
birth to Gods Word and then nurtures and nourishes that Word in the person of
Jesus. Wherever she appears in the gospel she is fruitful, always drawing attention
to her Son rather than herself. She is also there at the birth of the Church at Pentecost,
a gentle, quiet, unobtrusive presence.
It is this presence
that inspire the Marist Congregation to which I belong as we strive to re-create her
presence in todays world and Church.
We become extra
conscious of her important role during this Advent and Christmas season and pray that we
too will give birth to Gods Word according to our own gifts just as she did.
Every Blessing. - Father Kevin
FATHER LAZARUS CHAWDI
"I am 49 years old and want
to marry. Can
I marry late and not have children?" - Tadhg
Father Lazarus:
I am nearly 49 years old and thinking
of marriage. Is it too late to marry considering the fact that if I had children my first
born would be 10 yrs old on my 60th birthday. Can I marry late and not have children or is
this wrong? Tadhg
_____________________________
Dear Tadhg,
Peace be with you. God loves you.
According to the law there is minimum
age that is prescribed but otherwise no one can stop you from marrying at any age. May the
good Lord bless your marriage plans.
Children are the fruit of the love
between husband and wife and one cannot keep it aside. If you receive the gift of child
you must accept it as Gods gift. Besides at the marriage ceremony you also vow to
accept children lovingly from this marriage.
For a moment, just imagine if your
parents had delayed their marriage and planed not to have child, would you be there today?
C.C.C 1601 says The matrimonial
covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the
whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation
and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by
Christ the Lord to the dignity of sacrament.
YOUCAT 418 Says A child is a
creature and a gift of God, which comes to earth through the love of parents. True love
does not desire a couple to be self-contained. Love opens up in the child. A child that
has been conceived and born is not something made, nor is he/she the sum of
his/her paternal genes. He/she is a completely new and unique creature of God, equipped
with his/her own soul. The child therefore does not belong to the partners and is not
their property.
God bless you. He cares for
you. Wish you Jesus. - Fr. Lazarus Chawdi
"Is it wrong for me to refuse the cup during Holy
Communion when given by an Extraordinary
Minister?" - Asa
Father Lazarus:
Is it wrong for me to refuse/not
receive the cup during Holy Communion when administered by an Extraordinary Minister of
Holy Communion?This is the case at most all Masses at this parish. Asa
_____________________________
Dear Asa:
Peace be with you. God loves you.
What is the reason that you refuse
it? Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion are appointed by church as ministers and when
you refuse to receive from them: 1) You are refusing the Lord to come into your heart
because of your preconceived idea about E.M.H.C. 2) In rejecting them you are rejecting
the authority of the Church.
I have personally experienced the
edifying lives these ministers lives and my faith has grown speaking to them.
By the very fact you are baptized you
share in the office of Prophet, Priest and King.
C.C.C. 903 says Lay people who
possess the required qualities can be admitted permanently to the ministries of lector and
acolyte. When the necessity of church warrants it and when ministers are lacking, lay
persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply for certain of their
offices, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside over liturgical prayers,
to confer baptism and to distribute Holy
Communion in accord with the prescriptions of law.
God bless you. He cares
for you. Wish you Jesus. - Fr. Lazarus Chawdi
"The man I am dating is struggling with his faith.
How do I help him?" - Annie
Father:
I have been dating the same man for 1
1/2 years now, and I'm very much in love with him, but recently, he told me that he was
struggling with his faith and I offered to help and he said he doesn't believe. He
said he believes in philosophy and science and he just can't come to believe the Catholic
teachings. How do I deal with something like this? How do I handle the situation
myself? And how do I help him? Annie
_________________________
Dear Annie,
Peace be with you. God loves you.
Kindly do not get offended with the
following quote Psalm 14:1(Please read it from the Bible). I would like to share a story
with you. The author is unknown.
A barber started a conversation with
his customer who was a Catholic, Surely God doesnt exist he said,
if he did there would be no pain and sufferings that I have seen. Would God allow
all these things?
The customer thought for a moment,
but didnt respond because he didnt want to start an argument. The barber
finished his job and the customer left. Just after he left the shop, he saw a man in the
street with long, stringy, dirty hair and untrimmed beard. The customer turned back and
entered barbers shop again and said to the barber, you know what? Barbers do
not exist.
How can you say that?
asked the surprised barber. I am here, and I am a barber and I just worked on
you! No! the customer exclaimed. Barbers dont exist because
if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that
man outside.
Ah, but barbers do exist!
Thats what happens when people do not come to me.
Exactly! affirmed the
customer. Thats the point! God too does exist! Thats what happens when
people do not go to Him and dont look to Him for help. Thats why there is so
much pain and suffering in the world.
To conclude I like this quote
Those who have faith, need no proof, but those who do not have faith even hundred
proofs are not enough. Let your love for God and your life in Jesus Christ through
the power of the Holy Spirit give him the grace to see God face to face.
God bless you. He cares for
you. Wish you Jesus. - Fr. Lazarus Chawdi
PRIEST STAFF
My brother is in a
hospice. A man who said
he was a priest with a dispensation from Rome
to marry was administering to him. Is this
acceptable? - Madonna
Father Francisco:
Since 1963 I have been praying for my brother Donald to return
back to the Church. He went into a rest home two years ago and started to receive
the sacraments by a lay person. I asked him if a priest heard his confession and he
said he told the priest He had not been to mass in seventy years and the priest answered,
"I just heard your confession. I asked, "Did you receive absolution and he
said he did not know. My brother is in a hospice and a man called a minister was in
the room with my brother. My sisters came in and asked him if he was a priest and he
said he was but got a dispensation from Rome to marry. He could not say mass but can
he give last rites of the Church? I don't see how he could hear confession. I
know God is a merciful God and our brother wanted to go back to the Creator, our
Father. I want to make sure my brother is taken care of spiritually in his last
stages of life. Thank you Father. - Madonna
__________________________
Madonna:
I am sorry to hear that your brother, Donald, is in hospice and being taken care of
medically as he comes to the end of his earthly life's mission. I know that
this has been a stressful and painful time for you and your family. To your
question, please know that your brother was taken care of "spiritually" in every
way at the hospice. The "minister" who says he was a priest but now is
married in the Church (hence, the dispensation that he mentioned) is ALWAYS a priest even
if he is not an "active priest" and has no license (faculties) to perform the
public duties of a priest in his diocese. The Church cannot
"un-priest"anyone.
When a priest is released from all his duties of the church and is returned to the
"lay" state (as versus "clerical" state), the bishop of his diocese
reminds him that the Church expects him to be available for confession and the sacrament
of the anointing of the sick in case of "emergency," which means that the person
is near death. Your brother's situation at the hospice fulfills this
expectation of the Church for this inactive priest (who seems to have been hired
to serve the spiritual needs of all the residents of that particular hospice) to
hear his confession and administer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick (last
rites). For your information, the Council of Trent, the 23rd Session dated July 15,
1543, states that even though a priest has been dismissed (censured) from the
clerical state, that this inactive priest is still a priest with the "power" to
confer the sacraments, a power that cannot be taken away though bishops have the legal
authority to limit the use of these spiritual powers in the public sphere.
Please
know that your brother was taken care of spiritually. Please be at
peace. As a point for our readers, always ask your parish priest, an active
priest with faculties (license to minister) from the diocesan bishop to sacramentaly
serve the faithful, to come and pray with your loved ones when they are sick or near
death. Father Francisco
My retired husband wants to
leave me and our
children permanently and live in another country.
When should I get a legal separation? - Michelle
Father Francisco:
My retired husband says that he will soon be leaving me and our
children permanently to live his remaining years in another country and I'd like to know
how long I should wait and pray for him to come back to our family before seeking out an
attorney to legalize the separation - as he has been absent from our family now for the
better part of a year. We are both practicing Catholics married in the Church so don't
take divorce lightly but neither do I want to be stuck in a dead-end marriage. I would
really appreciate some advice from a priest regarding the position of the Catholic Church
in this situation. - Michelle
_________________________
Michelle:
I
am sorry to hear about your situation. Your marital situation is confusing since
your husband doesn't seem to give a reason for wanting to leave his wife and family for
another country. Your sacramental marriage is forever. I don't understand why
your husband wants to sever any ties with you and his children. But I certainly
understand that you don't want to be "stuck" in a dead-end marriage with no
hope of reconciliation. It seems that he just wants to leave everything behind and
hide from all his responsibilities and his marital vows. You don't have to wait any
period of time to seek a legal separation. Do what you need to do and keep moving
forward.
But
as I have already stated, your sacramental marriage is forever unless you can prove that
the marriage was invalid from the beginning through an annulment process.
Until then, either of you would not be able to marry in the Church unless an annulment is
secured from a Church tribunal.
Please talk to your Parish
priest about your situation. May God give you courage to remain strong during this
sad situation.
Father Francisco
My brother teaches his son to rebuke
those
who sin against him and forgive. But he also
says avoid the person in the future. Is this
following Christs teaching? - Patrick
Father Cervantes:
My brother Stephen teaches his son to rebuke
others who sin, and to forgive them, just as we are told in the Bible. He goes a step
further though, and teaches that it is fine to have nothing else to do with the sinner
after we forgive them. I believe this is simply a continuance of the rebuke, and is not in
line with Christ's teachings. If Jesus forgave us, then wanted nothing else to do
with us, how would we ever reach the Blessed Kingdom? - Patrick
____________________________
Patrick:
Your brother Stephen has
certainly misinterpreted the message of Christ's forgiveness of all sinners, including
himself. The story of the prodigal son, found in Luke 15: 11-32, shows a father who
was wronged by his son. Yet he waited for his son to return and forgave him and
rejoiced, even having a big party with the fattened calf. The father of the son forgave him
abundantly but he didn't ignore him or turned his back on his son (as you say,
continued the rebuke).
Interestingly enough, the other son wanted to ignore his brother and forget about
him. The gospel story painted this other "good" son's unforgiving attitude
as an unacceptable way for Christians to behave. You are correct in what you stated
in your question. Your brother Stephen must have had some major issues with
forgiving others and found that they betrayed him in some way even after he forgave
them. You can rebuke all you want, but a Christian's heart is always open to accept
and move forward. - Father Cervantes
When the apostles were sent out
in pairs to
heal who went with who? -Michael
Father:
When the apostles were sent out in pairs to heal who was with
who? -Michael
___________________________
Michael:
In the
Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6, Verse 7, states:
[Jesus] summoned the Twelve and began to send
them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. The bible does not
tell us how Jesus paired the apostles and other disciples as they went two by two to
proclaim the Kingdom of God. I do know through church history that Saint Jude
Thaddeus and Saint Simon were an apostolic team and preached in Syria, Iraq, Iran, and
Armenia. They were both martyred together and their remains were transported to
Beirut and then to Rome by the third century. Otherwise, we do not know the other
apostolic pairings.
Saint Paul had many people who followed him, including the writer of
the Gospel of Mark, John Mark himself (see Colossians 4:10 and
mentioned by Paul in other New Testament letters). Also, this
same John Mark (who later became the first bishop/patriarch of
Alexandria, Egypt...founding the Coptic Church) accompanied Saint
Peter as described in I Peter 5:13. The same John Mark, the writer
of the Gospel of Mark, was the one who ran naked from the Garden of
Olives when Jesus was arrested. Mark makes reference to himself in
his gospel in Mark 14:51 when he wrote:
Now a
young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized
him but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked. (John) Mark accompanied
Peter in his apostolic journeys and also journeyed with Paul as well.
But as to the other
apostles, the bible does not tell us their apostolic pairings.
Father Francisco
If and man and a woman had
mortal sins on
their souls before getting married in the Church, Is
that marriage valid? - Nola
Father:
If both people had many mortal sins
on their souls and get married in the Catholic Church without either of them going to
confession before the marriage, is that marriage valid in the Church's eyes? - Nola
___________________________
Nola:
The
marriage is valid unless proven otherwise. Being in a state of "mortal"
sin does not invalidate a sacramental marriage. For a sacramental marriage to
be declared null and void by a church tribunal, there are other factors that must be
considered, such as the maturity of the parties to enter a life-long marital bond as one
example. You do not describe what the "mortal" sins are and if these sins
show a defect in the marital consent.
Once again, a marriage is
considered valid and sacramental unless proven otherwise by a church tribunal (annulment
process). Father Cervantes
I suffer with a mental illness and at
one point
wanted to end my life. I regret this now. Will
God forgive me? - Clara
Father Francisco:
I suffer with a mental illness and a
while back I did not want to live any longer and wanted to end my life. I began to
pray for strength. But I also constantly think about hell and am now trying to find
meaning in my life even though I have this mental illness. I love God and I am so
sorry for wanting to kill myself. I now know that I was wrong. Will God
forgive me for thinking of killing myself? - Clara
____________________
Clara:
You said that you struggle with
mental illness, and I am so sorry that you have that burden to
carry. Everyone that I have met, including myself, have some
burden, a cross, to carry to keep us humble and dependent on God's
love and grace. Saint Paul writes about his burden and weakness in
2 Corinthians 12:7-10: Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a
thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being
too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that this might leave me, but
He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in
weakness." God knows about your
struggle with mental illness. He knows your struggle intimately because He shares it
with you. He knows you try, He knows your victories and your defeats. He knows
that there are more VICTORIES than defeats.
Hell is for those who, THROUGH THEIR OWN FREE WILL, decide to turn their backs completely
on God. You have not done that. Hell is not for those who commit multiple
numbers of sins. Hell is for those who FREELY CHOSE not to accept the forgiveness of
God the Father offered through our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God
always forgives because He UNDERSTANDS YOU. He KNOWS you. He WALKS
with you. He LOVES you.
You are not going to hell because you know Jesus Christ. Be at peace and never give
up. You may not see it, and may not know it, but you have had more victories than
defeats!
Keep going. Keep your eyes on Jesus. As long as you do that, you are saved! Father Francisco
Will Brittany Maynard spend eternity
in hell because she chose to end her
life? - Erika
Father Cervantes:
Will Brittany Maynard spend eternity
in hell? Or is it more likely that her soul is in purgatory, since she was a non believer?
Will my prayers help her? - Erika
_________________________
Erika:
Brittany Maynard was a 29
year old woman, diagnosed with terminal and inoperable brain cancer. She
decided to end her life rather than deteriorate and allowing "nature" to takes
its course in regards to her physical body dying on its own (for more
information, please see this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany_Maynard ).
This action and decision is called euthanasia which refers to the taking
of one's life to relieve pain and suffering. This is the cornerstone of the DEATH
WITH DIGNITY movement that Brittany Maynard supported. In my time as a priest
attending to those who are terminally ill, I can appreciate the desire of those trapped in
a terminal illness to end their lives so that they do not have to continue to
suffer and literally deteriorate in front of themselves and their loved ones.
But the Church also teaches that no one can kill or murder or take life outside the
context of self-defense. A terminally ill person cannot willingly take their own
life because of the fear of pain and suffering that lies ahead before their death.
So, what Brittany Maynard did in her particular situation, would be considered suicide by
the Church.
But NO ONE, not you, not me, not any believer in God, can sit in judgement on
Brittany's actions. We have not walked in her "shoes." I am not God,
and only God can judge. So as to your first question if Brittany is in hell, that is
NOT for me to say. Nor is it for you.
You do not know anything about her relationship with God. We are not in any position
to judge. But we can say that euthanasia is not an acceptable decision for any
Christian.
We are admonished by Jesus Himself to carry our cross, not to discard it. In
the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16, Verses 24 through 27, Jesus says this: "Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny
himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will
lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. What profit would
there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give
in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in His
Father's glory, and then He will repay everyone according to his conduct."
The Church calls all Christians to carry our cross, our burdens, as part of our
following of Christ as Lord and Savior. All suffering, all pain is considered a
prayer as we unite our sufferings to the cross of Christ. Saint Paul writes
about this in Colossians 1:24: 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 which is the church."
Our
sufferings are a prayer for the salvation of the church (our loved ones and our brothers
and sisters in Christ) for we share in the sufferings of Christ on the cross on
Calvary! That is part of what is expected of us as followers of Christ: to
bear our cross, our sufferings, as an offering of prayer for the salvation of those around
me. If one has a terminal illness, as Christians, we are expected to carry our
cross to the end, in effect, allowing nature to takes its course. Now, in regards to
DO NOT RESUSCITATE orders and not accepting medical procedures (such as
chemo-therapy) that have no hope of CURING a person of a terminal illness, that is
acceptable and encouraged by the Church. I can as a Catholic not accept a medical
procedure and allow nature to take its course.
But as a Catholic, I cannot
kill myself because I do not want to
suffer anymore. That is contrary to the Gospel and the discipline of the Church
that has asked all of us to carry our cross to the end. - Father Cervantes
Is cross dressing a mortal Sin?
- RD
Father:
In and of itself is cross dressing a
mortal sin? If a mortal sin what is the occasion of the sin? - RD
_____________________________
RD:
Cross
dressing is defined as the wearing of clothes that are considered by a particular society
as for opposite gender use. It is so frustrating to answer such a question as you
stated as if the wearing of clothes can somehow be sinful. Clothes in
itself are not sinful. It is the motivation of the human heart that makes
something sinful. As the Lord Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 15,
Verses 18-19: "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart,
and they defile. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery,
unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy. These are what defile a
person...."
This is
once again affirmed in Mark 7:15 - "Nothing that enters one from outside can defile a
person; but the things that come out from within are what defile." I bring
these gospel verses to your attention because the wearing of any kind of clothes is in
itself not sinful. Clothes are not the problem. It is the motivation of the
person that defines whether something like clothes is sinful for that person.
A man
who wears so-called women's clothes for any kind of sexual gratification becomes a serious
even mortal sin because it is an impure act that is contrary to God's Will for us to
be chaste in thought, word, and deed. For a man to wear women's clothes because they
are transgender (or in case of a transsexual person
in transition) and not for sexual gratification but because of their gender
identification "disorder," then there is no sin because the motivation of
the heart is not skewed to sexual sin, but is motivated by gender identification.
There
are some who wear opposite gender clothes because it is part of a costume for some
event, or because of a stage drama, and there is no sin there. So, actually the
answer to your question resides in your heart and motivation. Is the
wearing of defined opposite gender clothes a matter of sexual gratification? Then it
is sinful.
Is the
wearing of women's clothes part of a gender identification issue free from
un-chastity? Then it is not sinful. Father Francisco
My husband has lost faith in the Church and
wants to conduct his own mass. How should
I handle this? - Stacey
Father:
I am deeply Catholic, my husband has
lost faith in the church and he wants to start conducting his own mass. He thinks
the concept of "Ex Opere Operato" means the sacraments can be given by those
other than priests because they are really done by the power of God and Christ, not the
Church. Stacey
_____________________
Stacy:
Your
husband is badly in error to have the opinion that the sacramental theology of
"Ex Opere Operato"
(translated as from the
work, worked) can ever apply to his situation. He is not an ordained person
with a specific ordained ministry to administer the sacraments as the Church wills the
sacraments to be administered. The theological term, "Ex Opere Operato," applies to the moral
standing of the sacramental minister and not to any non-ordained person who wishes to
administer the sacraments on their own. The
sacraments
are valid even if the deacon, priest, deacon is in mortal sin. And the sacraments
are valid even if the recipient of the sacrament is not properly disposed to receive the
sacrament. In other words, the sacraments are valid if the ordained minister of the
sacraments administer them according to the will of the Church. Your husband is not
an ordained minister and does not enjoy the "protection" of the validity of the
sacraments that "Ex
Opere Operato" implies. Father Francisco
My husband and I are in the
upper
seventies and we watch Sunday Mass
on TV. Is this okay? - Georgia
Father Cervantes:
My husband and I are in the upper seventies, he has fought colon
cancer 3 years ago and I have my own less threatening health issues. Sometimes we don't
technically qualify to being "ill" but will remain at home and watch Sunday mass
on TV. Then when we do go to the parish receive Communion with no thought of having
sinned. He does not wish to be left alone and so I think of the reading which says,
"where ever 2 or three are gathered....." and think we are OK in doing this. Is
that true in fact? I understand about judgment of conscience but still now wondering.
Thank you and God bless. - Georgia
_________________________
Georgia:
As a pastor of a large
congregation, I know that there are some in our parish that cannot make it to Sunday Mass
because of health issues and related issues to family members that they are
care-givers. You are in the care-giver category and even though your husband may be
in control of his colon cancer, you may not want to leave your husband alone in his
precarious health situation. You could arrange to have communion brought to you by
your parish priest, deacon, or Eucharistic minister to the sick. You don't have to
be on your death bed or "officially" ill to have holy communion brought to
you. By calling your parish and explaining your situation, you would never have to
have a Sunday in which you did not receive our Lord Jesus in communion. Please call
your parish ministry to the sick and feel free to either stay home and receive communion,
or to go to Sunday Mass at your parish church and receive communion with the body of
believers. Your husband is my prayers this day as are you. Being a care-giver
is always a demanding role but you do it because of your great love for your husband and
family. The Lord will repay you generously! - Father Cervantes
Can one get baptized, confirmed and
given Sacraments by a priest if that
person is believed to be dying?
- Natalie
Father Cervantes:
Is it possible for one to get baptized and
confirmed and given Sacraments by a priest if one thinks he or she is on the death bed?
and what happens if one does not die during this period? are they considered a Catholic?
Thank you for your response. - Natalie
__________________________
Natalie:
Yes,
a priest has the faculty (license, permission) from the diocesan bishop to administer
all the sacraments to a person who is dying. And if by God's grace this particular
person should live and overcome this deathly illness, they are considered Catholic and do
not have to have these sacraments of baptism and confirmation administered again.
You
may, however, wish to participate in the Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults so that
you can fully participate in the grace of the sacraments of initiation into the church
which are baptism, confirmation, and the reception of the Holy Eucharist.
Please talk to your parish priest or deacon and explain that you received baptism and
confirmation under emergency conditions and that you would like to be formally
received into the Church! God bless you abundantly! - Father Cervantes
My fiancé and I are planning for an
April wedding. Can we marry civilly
in December if we do not engage in
sex? - Hanna
Father Francisco:
My fiancé and I have been planning
for our wedding next April. We have booked the church already and is currently finishing
all the church requirements. However, my student visa will expire next May and I recently
talked to my counselor and told me that I will be out of status after May. So we thought
about getting a civil wedding this December for paper purposes only. He lives in DC and
visits me here in Texas once a month. After our civil, we won't be living in the same roof
and will wait for the blessing of the church before we engage to sex. Can we still have
our church wedding with mass next April? Thanks for your time! - Hanna
______________________________
Hanna:
Congratulations
on your upcoming marriage in the Church! I am so happy for you both! God has
blessed you abundantly! May the Lord bless you with every good thing and
may the Spirit of God be your strength in good times and in bad times. If your
immigration status expire in May 2015, and you are getting married in April 2015, I don't
see why you would wish to have a civil marriage in December 2014. Just keep on your
schedule and your immigration status should not be harmed. But if you do marry
civilly in December 2014, then yes, you can still have your Church wedding in April
2015. Just present your civil license to the priest/deacon presiding at your wedding
as soon as possible and continue with your marriage preparation. As long
as you do not live together until your church wedding, all will be fine. Once again,
congratulations and I pray that your immigration status will be resolved in your
favor!
- Father Francisco
Is it better not to vote or to
vote for one
who is considered the lesser evil? - Adrian
Father:
Thanks for your help on this matter. I know you cannot
tell me for which party to vote, but this is about comparing catholic moral values and two
different political platforms/programs. So, I believe we are at the public policy level,
which is legitimate. My first question is, if the two proposed platforms are not in
complete agreement with Catholic values, is it better not to vote, or to vote for what one
considers the "lesser evil" as referred to the "common good"?
Second question is, generally speaking, economic inequalities -including access to basic
health care and good education- have a deeper influence on the "common good" of
a Country than, for example, the abortion and contraceptive issues? Thanks again, Adrian
__________________________
Adrian:
As a citizen of the
United States of America, we have a civil duty to vote and have our voices heard through
our representatives. No political party in the USA are always in "agreement
with Catholic values," as you say. As a citizen and believer, I must look at
the BIG picture, the WHOLE platform and judge accordingly with prayer and the guidance of
the Holy Spirit. I personally, as a priest and citizen of the USA, am not a one
issue voter. I have to take into account the whole platform and see how it will
affect the good of all citizens. I am really concerned about the economic
inequalities that exist in our country.
I have thousands of hard-working faithful in my parish who make very little in
regards to income. They live simply and try to make ends meet, and they are
concerned for their welfare and future of their children. For me, the economic
inequalities are something to fight about. This is an important issue for me
when it comes to voting. Life issues such as abortion and artificial means of
contraception concerns also figure into my voting. I take it all in and make a
decision to vote. I always vote for the greater common good, or as you
say, the "lesser evil." Remember, in politics, especially USA
politics, there is NO ONE political party that supports the whole Catholic moral
agenda. But I am required to vote, so I will. Father Cevantes
I feel alone in my faith.
Does that mean
I dont have enough faith? - Alex
Father Cervantes:
Former Southern Baptist. I feel
alone in my faith, like it's a one-sided relationship. I've prayed for answers, never got
any. Does that mean I don't have "enough faith" to be able to hear what God is
"saying" or is He not "speaking" or do I not know the
"signs" or is this a free-will thing? - Alex
_____________________________
Alex:
If
you say that you feel that you have a one-sided relationship with God, then something is
wrong in your spiritual maturity and your walk with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
I do not know what you are praying for, but each prayer is answered, each prayer is heard,
and the energy of each prayer is responded in like by the power of God.
I
am reminded of the biblical verse from Ephesians 4:12-16 in which Saint Paul talks about
growing up in Christ: "To equip the holy ones for the work of the
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of
Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind
of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful
scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into Him who
is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's
growth and builds itself in love." This isn't an issue
of enough faith.
You wouldn't be asking this question if you didn't have faith in Jesus. You have
enough faith. It is a question about your spiritual growth and maturity. As I
said, all prayers are answered according to the Will of God and according to YOUR greater
good and the greater good of those around you. In other words, God answers your
prayer in regards not only to yourself but to those around you. You are an important
link to those around you, to God's plan not only for yourself but for God's plan for those
you meet and touch. Maturity in Christ means that you are able to see the
consequences of your prayers and trust that God will fulfill your needs and even bless you
with more according to the BIG PICTURE called God's eternal plan as you bring others with
you on the road to salvation.
God is speaking to you, He
is showing you signs, but instead of focusing and even obsessing on your desire and wants
which blind you to what God is doing in your life, be thankful always. Your gratitude of
the heart will open your eyes to the wonders of God's plan for you and those around
you. Your question really is a wake-up call: grow up in Christ. God is
not a genie in a bottle that will give you everything you wish for. On the
contrary, God is our loving Father, who like your earthly parents, will only give us what
we truly need for our growth and maturity. Let's begin this growth in Christ by
being thankful and allowing ourselves to accept that God will ALWAYS do what is best in
our lives and for those around us. Our faith in Christ is not about YOU. Our
faith in Christ is about ALL OF US.
Once that realization is set
in our hearts, then spiritual maturity can begin and peace will reign in our lives no
matter what happens. Trust in the Lord always! 2 Peter 3:18
says "But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ!To Him be
the glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen." Father Francisco
I am Ukranian Catholic married to a man
who divorced his first Catholic wife who
got an annulment. Can I receive
Communion?- JoAnn
Father Cervantes:
I am Ukranian Catholic. I married a divorced
non-catholic (methodist) in a Lutheran Church by a minister. He was married in a Roman
Catholic Church to a Catholic and divorced and his ex-wife got an annulment. Why can't I
get married in a Roman Catholic Church (mass) and why can't I receive communion? - JoAnn
__________________________
JoAnn:
Your
husband can get married in the Catholic Church. He received a decree of nullity of
his first marriage and is free to marry in the church. You are Catholic
(Ukrainian-Rite) and were not married before. As I understand it, you were never
married before, and you married your husband in a Lutheran congregation though your
husband had his first marriage annulled by a church tribunal. You are BOTH free to
marry in the Church. You can marry in the Catholic Church, and after your marriage
has been solemnized in the Church, you can receive communion. Please, talk to your
parish priest about this!
By the way, traditionally, the Catholic marriage should happen in the parish church
of the bride which is you. You should, if you are able to plan it, be married in a
Ukrainian Catholic Church! If not, you can get married in the Roman Catholic Church
of your husband. There is no obstacle for you getting married in the
Church.....unless there is a condition on the annulment of your husband's first
marriage.
Please
bring this question and answer to your parish priest or deacon to start the conversation,
and get planning on getting your marriage in the Church solemnized in the sacrament of
marriage (convalidation is the official term). God bless
you. - Father
Cervantes
My Catholic friend is in love with a
Hindu
girl whose parents disapprove of the
marriage. Please advise? - Jo
Father Francisco:
My friend is a Catholic and he is in love with another
girl who is a Hindu. She was in a relationship previously where she was blinded into
getting her marriage registered. Now, she never had any sexual relations with that person
nor did she stay with him for more than a day. Her parents were not willing for her to get
married to that person and so she decided that she would not proceed with that even though
at the back of her mind she was not sure if the registration of marriage would cause an
issue. She is very innocent and my Catholic friend is in love with her but he is not sure
if he should proceed with it as for him to get married to her she would have to first get
divorced. And he is not sure if annulment is something which he should encourage her to do
keeping the Catholic faith in mind. She is also in love with my Catholic friend and they
are not sure where to go and how to proceed with this. Please advise. - Jo
___________________________
Jo:
I have always advised against inter-religious marriages as there is
always the conflict of religious belief that can be the cause of
great disagreement and suffering, especially when it comes to the
raising of children in which religion. But love is love and the
church permits inter-religious marriages in the Church if both
parties agree to bring up their children in the Catholic faith, the
faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
In regards to your specific question about non-consummation of the
marriage of the Hindu party, yes, she can receive an ecclesiastical
decree of annulment of her civil marriage because she did not seal
that marital bond with intimate sexual relations. She would have to
receive a decree of nullity before they can marry in the Church
because the Church recognizes her marriage as valid unless proven
otherwise. Your parish priest can help your friends in this
regard. Proving non-consummation of the marriage depends on the
accepted testimony of the husband and wife in this marriage. Once
the testimony is given, the annulment of marriage will be given and
both parties will be able to marry in the Church. Remember, the
Hindu party must get a
civil
decree of divorce or annulment before a church annulment can be
given.
- Father Francisco
"I am Catholic and
my fiancé has not
attended pre-cana classes and
is
worshiping Buddha. What should
I do? - Sophia
Father Francisco:
I came to the US as an international student. I had
been a good Catholic since my first communion. I got civilly married with my fiancé
who was not Catholic. We had done pre-cana, and would go back to my
country for the ceremony because my family lived there. Because of moving from place to
place, my fiancé couldn't attend any Catholic classes, and has been worshiping Buddha. I
felt very guilty so I hadn't been receiving communion. I went to confession for
others sins except my intimacy relationship with him. What should I do Father? Am I
not allowed to receive communion until we get married at the Church?
- Sophie
__________________________
Sophia:
I am always concerned
when people enter an inter-religious marriage, especially with two distinct belief systems
such as Christianity and Buddhism. These differences will be a cause of great pain
in the future if certain things are not resolved before the marriage in the Church, such
as what religion will the children be brought up in. Of course, you alone can make
the decision to go forward with this marriage. But think of the future, and ask your
own family for advice about your fiancé. It seems that your fiance does not want to
partake of any instruction concerning our Catholic faith. If he did, he would have
done it by now. Be careful and wise and ask the Holy Spirit of God to guide you in
your decision to marry this man who may not want to have anything to do with
Christians. As to your question about receiving communion, if you are living
together in your civil marriage, then you cannot receive communion until your marriage is
solemnized (blessed) in the Church. May God guide you. Father Cervantes
A group from the
Ambassador For Christ are
stating that Priesthood in the Catholic Church
has no biblical essence. Can you help us
respond? - Gabriel
Dear Father:
I would greatly appreciate if you can help me
respond to issues currently being raised by a group from Ambassador For Christ, these
Christian fundamentalist are stating that Priesthood in Catholic Church has no
biblical essence other of their comments range from degrading to insulting, Can you
help us please, thank you Father and look forward to some assistance. Below is a
brief glimpse of this organization. In Gods grace. - Gabriel
The issue of Catholic Priesthood is under attack from a Christians
fundamentalist the Ambassador for Christ this is the same group that produce
the magazine The Plain Truth by !!!! Armstrong form the USA. The
Catholic priesthood has no bible significance, the Jewish priestly system and how God
substituted the physical nation of Israel to a new people in spirit. God's people are not
an ethnic group anymore but those who inwardly bear his Holy Spirit. Romans 2:28-29.
There is no Jewish temple today therefore there is no need for a temple priest. The Jews
now stand and mourn at the "Wailing Wall" in Jerusalem at the remains of the
Jewish temple just as prophesied by ancient prophets of God.
Furthermore, the appointment of priests in the Bible
was restricted to men from the tribe of Levi from the descendents of Aaron and not any
other Jewish tribe or even any other Levite clan.
Catholics should know by now that the Jewish priestly system did not pass on to any
Gentile nation, it ceased at the Crucifixion and Jesus is now the High Priest representing
all who believe in Him as Saviour - Hebrews 4:14-16.
No human agent today can claim the position that is currently being occupied by the Lord
Jesus Christ. Those who worship God, must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
John4:24
.end of text
..
___________________________
Gabriel:
The AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST, is a discredited Christian group based in Pasadena, California,
is what was left when the original congregation founded by
their "prophet", Herbert Armstrong, who died in 1986. His
death left the various congregations of the World Wide Church of Christ to
go on their separate ways because of internal disagreements, with the AMBASSADORS OF
CHRIST staying in Pasadena at the campus of Ambassador College. Since their
publications have caused you to question your Catholic faith, I wanted to send
you a clear and biblical apologetic concerning the ordained presbyterate
(priesthood). Here is a discussion from Eternal Word Global
Catholic Television Network (EWTN) led by a former Evangelical Christian who became
Catholic, James Akins, concerning your question.
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/PRIEST3.htm
THE PRIESTHOOD DEBATE - James Akin
The above link
should be able to dispel all doubts about Catholic Church teaching
that is directly given to us by the apostles themselves. You may
want to print this answer out so that you can study it with your
bible by your side and make notes on your copy of the answer.
This will give you
an insight on what the Ambassadors of Christ is all about.
God bless and
may the Spirit of God strengthen you as you grow in our faith in
Jesus Christ, the High Priest.
– Father Francisco
Will my brother who was a soldier and
killed in combat go to heaven? - Wilson
Father:
I have a
question for you that has been on my mind. My brother served in war
and died in battle. Do soldiers go to heaven even after they must
kill people in battle? - Wilson
_______________________________
Wilson:
Yes, soldiers go to heaven. I hope so, since I was a member of the
U.S. Air Force as a chaplain for 24 years! The principle of
self-defense is always at work when it comes to war and battles
between armies. Elite soldiers (special forces) must defend their people, their country,
and their fellow soldiers.
The military life is a special vocation that demands everything of
the military member. Self-defense sometimes leads to the death of
the aggressor, though not intended as the primary motivation
(survival is the primary motivation of self-defense, the death of
the aggressor is secondary). Remember, Jesus loves soldiers too,
even Roman ones that occupied Israel in Jesus' time (see Matthew
8:5-13)! The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs
2263-2267, states this in regards to self-defense:
Legitimate defense
2263 The
legitimate defense of persons and societies is not an exception to
the prohibition against the murder of the innocent that constitutes
intentional killing. "The act of self-defense can have a double
effect: the preservation of one's own life; and the killing of the
aggressor. . . . The one is intended, the other is not."65
2264 Love
toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality.
Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one's own right
to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even
if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:
If a man in self-defense uses more than necessary violence, it will
be unlawful: whereas if he repels force with moderation, his defense
will be lawful. . . . Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man
omit the act of moderate self-defense to avoid killing the other
man, since one is bound to take more care of one's own life than of
another's.66
2265 Legitimate
defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is
responsible for the lives of others. The defense of the common good
requires that an unjust aggressor be rendered unable to cause harm.
For this reason, those who legitimately hold authority also have the
right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil community
entrusted to their responsibility.
2266 The
efforts of the state to curb the spread of behavior harmful to
people's rights and to the basic rules of civil society correspond
to the requirement of safeguarding the common good. Legitimate
public authority has the right and duty to inflict punishment
proportionate to the gravity of the offense. Punishment has the
primary aim of redressing the disorder introduced by the offense.
When it is willingly accepted by the guilty party, it assumes the
value of expiation. Punishment then, in addition to defending public
order and protecting people's safety, has a medicinal purpose: as
far as possible, it must contribute to the correction of the guilty
party.67
2267 Assuming
that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully
determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude
recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of
effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect
people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to
such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete
conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity
of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the
state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has
committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely
taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the
cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute
necessity "are very rare, if not practically nonexistent."
- Father
Francisco
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF
In these
times of selfish evil and greed, what
can be done to bring more good? - Tinkle
CatholicView:
In these times of selfish evil and
greed, is there anything, besides good deeds and thoughts, that could be done so as to
bring more good into this world? - Tinkie
____________________________
Tinkie:
Thanks for your query. You are
correct in asking what can you do as a Christian to bring good in a world that is filled
with so many things that is contrary to Gods teachings.
I would suggest that you not only
continue to do good deeds but be a living example of Christianity. So many do not
know the Lord. Be that example that will make others think about the serenity that
shows on true Christians. Continue to help others as much as possible.
Encourage those who are afraid or suffering with a smile and understanding and watch the
change. This is what the Lord wants us to do.
Remember, as Jesus went up to heaven,
He asked us to spread the gospel to everyone we meet. And we can do this with loving
caring for others. In Mark 16:15 Jesus tells us: Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.' You can do this with a caring Christian
attitude, bringing kindness to others and doing good deeds, knowing that our Lord
sees all we do.
Thank you for writing in. May God bless you abundantly. CatholicView
Staff
If I have been morally wronged by
someone,
am I obligated to forgive him? - Tory
CatholicView:
If I have been morally wronged by someone, I
believe that I am obligated to forgive him. Do I need to go to confession to make
that forgiveness effective? Tory
Tory:
You do not say how this person wronged you
morally. If this is a serious wrong, then, yes it is difficult to forgive.
Even so, you are correct in saying that as a Christian Catholic, you must forgive.
If you have done this already and meant it sincerely, God is well pleased with your
action. If you have not forgiven this person but are considering it, then move
forward and forgive him if you are able to do so.
I would suggest you
speak with your parish priest if you have lingering doubts about your forgiveness,
especially if this is a serious and morally wrong situation. May the Lord
bless you greatly for the caring you have shown
this person who wronged you. - CatholicView Staff
Do I still go to heaven if I commit
suicide?
Rich
CatholicView Staff:
Do I still go to heaven if I commit suicide? Rich
___________________________________
Rich:
This is a question that
has been asked many times. In the past, the Church had thought that suicide was the
decision of a free act of the will and that people who killed themselves were acting with
their full mental capacity. With the strides made in medical knowledge, the Church
now knows that most people who commit suicide do so after a long and torturous mental,
physical, and emotional pain that cannot be appreciated by most people. This pain
clouds the decision making process of a human being and disables the mind from making a
free act of the will. To be able to overcome the built-in instinct for survival is a
sign that the person is in mental distress that does not allow for free will to
function. Sin happens ONLY by a free act of the will. Depending on the
particular situation, the Church does not see suicide as an automatic ticket to
hell. Notice that I said in my answer to you that most people who
commit suicide do so outside of their complete free will and therefore are not
culpable of sin.
There are those who
commit suicide fully aware of what they are doing, fully aware of their options, making
fully aware plans (pre-meditated action), and fully aware of their situation. People
who are fully aware and free who commit suicide will have to answer to God for
their actions. Usually, though, suicide is an act of a person not able to make a
free will decision, thereby not guilty of sin. CatholicView Staff
I want to believe, but
dont know how. Advice?
Noelle
CatholicView::
I think I want to believe, but I apparently just don't know how. Do you have any advice?
Noelle
__________________________________
Noelle:
The fact that you have written to us means you are
on the road to believing in the Lord. Have you taken the time to pray about
this? A simple prayer will do. If you
don't know what to say, ask the Lord to help you, tell Him of your struggles to
believe. Ask boldly. You will get His help. It is God Who is calling you
to believe.
Here is a short prayer for you:
Dear
Lord Almighty, I come before You, asking You to show me how to believe in You. Touch
my heart and let me know You are right here for me. I have so many doubts, but I
want to believe in You. Take away my indecision and give me faith to believe in
You. I humble ask this through the power of Your Son, Jesus Christ."
Know that God hears all prayers. If you continue to
pray, He will answer you.
Noelle, most importantly, make an appointment to speak with a
priest or minister. Tell what you feel and that you want to believe in our
Lord. You will be able to discern God's love for you as you talk to them. What
a glorious day that will be. May God and His Son, Jesus Christ bless you.
CatholicView Staff
My girlfriend and I are both 68 years old and are
expressing our love sexually. Are we
condemned?
Ukrainian
- George
CatholicView:
I am a divorced man (annulment in process), who
reconnected with a friend of 50 years, now a widow after 40 years of marriage. We have
grown to love each other very much and would get married immediately, but both of us have
circumstances that will not allow us to marry right away,. One of the circumstances is
that she's in CA and I'm in DE, so we can't see each other very often. We are both 68
years old and are expressing our love sexually, although sometimes physically challenging.
There is no seed to spill and no egg to fertilize, but we feel that God has given us to
each other and it is very special. Neither one of us wants to go against God, but we want
to take advantage of the time we have, especially at our age. Are we condemned for wanting
to show our love to each other? - George
______________________________
George:
I am pleased to hear you have found someone to
spend the remainder of your life with. However, although you cannot have children at
your age, you are committing adultery. This goes against God's teaching. And
Church teaching. Although it will be difficult, you must refrain from sexual
activity until your vows are taken. You are committing adultery.
The wait will be worth it. Please
visit your parish priest and discuss this further. God will bless you as you
move forward on your marriage journey. - CatholicView Staff
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