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“While making love, is it a sin for my husband to withdraw as to avoid conceiving?” - Sherri Father Kevin:
Hello Sherri: Are you asking what the law says, or what God really might think of you? A sin that is normally regarded as mortal, is one which completely kills our relationship with God. Therefore it takes a really "expert" sinner to accomplish this, since God is pretty determined not to let go of us. A sin is an action, thought, word or omission, which takes us away from God's love, and is an action that is therefore, in some way deficient in love. Is this what you experience with your husband? I somehow doubt it. If you are pretty much on good terms with God, and feel comfortable doing so, how about you put it all in his hands with trust and talk with him about what is really in your heart. The Church's law as a
guide to us says that in our sexual behavior we need to be as open to life as possible.
This challenges us to live generously in our sexual lives. It is also a
challenge to know when we have been as life-giving as we can, and then take responsibility
for our own actions without asking the law to answer all our questions for us, since no
law can ever cover all our circumstances. Every best wish to you. - Father
Kevin
"Why do we need to pray for the dead?" - Carl Father:
Hi Carl: It's a long tradition in the Church, both to honour those who have gone before us, to pray to them if you like, and also to pray for those with whom we have shared the journey here on earth. We have no way of knowing whether people are in heaven, hell or purgatory. All that is totally between each person and God. So it makes perfect sense to ask God to keep an eye on those we have known and loved. We ask God to bless our loved ones with life and eternal peace. We ask that they be held safe in God's heart just as we hold them safe in our memory. Not knowing exactly how heaven-hell-purgatory works, it is just fine for us to pray for our loved ones in the hope that all is well with them. Sometimes we pray too in thanks for their lives. Cheers. Father Kevin
"Was Judas truly a guilty man since his actions were pre-ordained?" -Lee Father Kevin: If I believe that Judas was not a guilty man and that he was only doing his part to make true the prophecy of Christ, is that a sin? - Lee
Hi Lee: The answer to your question is no! You can believe what you like about Judas. Hopefully one day we will find out the whole story about him. Kind regards. – Father Kevin
“What was the name of the second centurion who helped to torture Jesus?” - Michael Father Amaro:
Dear Michael, Actually, there are
no scriptural references to the other centurion. Even St Longinus's name can only be
confirmed through "tradition" and no history. This doesn't mean that he didn't
exist. It means that there is no historical evidence other than scripture of that
existence. But even scriptures keep him nameless. The gospels aren't interested in historical data’ as much as telling us about the One who brought us salvation. Even the name St Longinus could have been attributed to the centurion because he was wise enough to recognize who Jesus is. The other is not necessary, for he was not seen to have a place in salvation worth giving him credit. Hope this helps. – God bless, Father Amaro
”Is it acceptable to incorporate Latin into daily Mass? - Pegg Dear Father Amaro: Dear Pegg, The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is one of the oldest litanies of the celebration of the Eucharist. Even though we most often use the English, there is a romance to occasionally connect with our roots through its use, much like the Greek "Kyrie Eleison”. It's a way to remind ourselves that we're not merely the "Vatican II Church" or the "Tridentine Church," but rather the Catholic Church that is timeless and connected. If you approach the use of these customs with that understanding, you might even find yourself more connected with the many, many saints who used those particular phrases, as future generations will also surface our customs of this era for the same reasons. Catch the romance! Our worship is a love affair. God bless, Father Amaro
“How does a Catholic know if they are "SAVED?" - Michelle Father Amaro:
Dear Michelle, Well, there’s nothing really wrong with going to any bible study. But remember, there are many who seem to think that the bible was written in English with little numbers before each verse. They take things line by line to rationalize their own behaviors.... usually in judging others. There are two different kinds of “certitude.” There is “Absolute” certitude and “Moral” certitude. Only God Who knows all can have “Absolute” certitude. Salvation is and “Absolute.” If one pronounces her own salvation, one is pronouncing his or her own judgment, thus taking the place of God, thus disobeying the first commandment, thus blaspheming God. Even St. Paul only said, “I’ve run the good race...fought the good fight...” He didn’t pronounce “I’m saved!.” A lot of people say they believe that the
truth, the way, the life is their Lord Jesus... but they will not research to find the
truth, only what they've been told in bigotry. If
Jesus is the "truth" the way and the life we cannot use anything that is false
or rumored. That would be participating with Satan. That is bearing false witness to one's
neighbor. Judgment is upon them when they break this great commandment. There are many
groups that prey on the insecure. They slap a
bible in their hands, tell them that they are "saved" so that they can judge
others, teach them a few lines of scripture to quote, and get them going to get
members. Be very careful of these groups. I know that these are provocative questions and they are not meant to “put down” your bible study peers. But think about them carefully and pray! - God bless, Father Amaro
“How do we respond to the issue of “Gospel of Judas?” - Omar Dear Father Amaro: We've all recently heard about the so called
"Gospel of Judas", and that has also reminded me about the So called Gospels of
Thomas, and Mary Magdalene, which I heard about upon reading the Da Vince Code. My
question is how do we respond to such an issue.... Especially now that some people of
other faiths are using this against us... For example they're saying things like "You
see your faith is based on a conspiracy..." Dear Omar, I’ll make this simple. Study the Albigension and Gnostic Heresies. That should clarify it all. None of this is new by any stretch of the imagination. - God bless, Father Amaro
“Can my son and his pregnant girl friend get married in the church?” - Kristi Father: My son who is 21 and an active Catholic is expecting a child with his girlfriend. They have both been to confession and would like to get married in the church, but the priest is refusing to marry them. They will get married outside the church even though they would rather have a valid Catholic marriage. Can the priest do that even though they are prepared to fulfill the requirements set by the church for preparation? - Kristi Dear Kristi, One of the most commonly used grounds for annulment of marriage is “force or fear.” And, a good part of the time, that “force” is an unplanned pregnancy. Marriage vows must be taken in complete freedom. Even the civil marriage that they plan is because of circumstances. Otherwise they would not further compromise their faith with waiting as they should. If they are willing to compromise their faith and reject the Church’s authority, it could be a sign that there are other compromises they would make in their lives. Can a civil authority witness a baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, ordination, and Holy Communion? Why would any believing Catholic think that a civil authority could validate a marriage? For a Catholic to do this is to say that the government has more authority than the Church that Jesus established when He said, “Whatever you hold bound on earth shall be bound in heaven.” To put it in the vernacular (and I’m sure you won’t want to hear this...) For a Catholic to be married outside his or her faith is nothing more than a “civilly legalized” living in sin. It is an outward rejection of baptism and the authority of the Holy Spirit within the Church. This is powerful stuff. Tell them to wait until after the baby is born and do it right. - God bless, Father Amaro
“If a person goes to Heaven and later decides to go to Hell, can
they?” - Charles CatholicView Staff”
Charles: Yours is indeed an odd question. Consider this: If a person has attained heaven and all its eternal perfection, being able to live forever with God Who created the universe, Jesus Who died for you so you could be in paradise, and be able to see the suffering of others in hell including Satan and his legions of demons, would you want to exchange heaven for hell? - CatholicView Staff
”Is there anything I can do that is going to truly save me? “ - CJC CatholicView Staff:
Dear CJC: Your desire to know more plus your belief in God and His Son Jesus is going to be the foundation upon which you must build. First ask God to forgive you for the sin you committed and truly mean it when you say you are sorry. Promise God that you will refrain from further sin and ask Him to help you. Ask Jesus Christ, your Savior, to come into your heart then seek a church base so you can be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son Jesus Who died for you, and the Holy Spirit Who will dwell in you and strengthen you always. When you accept the Lord as your personal Savior, you will have nothing more to worry about because your sins will then be forgiven and you will start a new life in Christ. You will then be able to forward with your beliefs and live the way He taught. May the Lord bless and strengthen you to make the decision to live for Him. – CatholicView Staff
“In what form does forgiveness have to take place? - Phil Dear CatholicView Staff
Dear Phil: I am so sorry to hear that you lost your
brother in such a tragic way. Forgiveness is the ability to live in the present and not in the past. And in Matthew 6:14 we are told “For if you forgive someone when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” And you have already made that choice to forgive. You don't need to forgive the person face to face to forgive. But you must act on your decision to forgive: which means, live in the present. There is no need to try to figure out the past, no need to point fingers and accuse and judge. Don't let the past and all its terrible and painful emotions entrap you and take the spirit of life out of you. Forgiveness is really for ME, not for the other though it will heal the other when the other accepts your forgiveness and change their life. When I forgive, I make the decision to live now, today. Ephesians 4:32 tells us all ”Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.” And you and your family have shown great compassion in not seeking the death penalty. There is no way to fix the past. Let the wheels of justice go forward. Human justice will take its course and I know that it moves at a snail's pace. But human justice will be accomplished. Meanwhile, do what must be done to help the prosecution in its case against your ex-sister-in-law, Terri. But live in the present and let go of the negative and life-destroying resentment, anger, betrayal, and the desire for vengeance. Leave that in God's Hands because God has a way to make things right. God's justice is different from human justice and both divine and human justice will be done in this case. We trust that God has everything in His Hands. So, God will take care of His justice in making things right, and the judge and jury will do their role in procuring it in giving sentence and punishment that rightly belongs to them alone. You have done the right thing in forgiving Terri. The bible says in Matthew 18:35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother (sister) from your heart." Please know that the Lord is well pleased with your Christian actions and will reward you with His grace, peace and strength as you move forward in your faith in Him. – CatholicView Staff
"Did Jesus drink wine?” - Moshin
Dear Moshin: Thank you for your question. You are right to not be satisfied with the view of the speaker who said Jesus did not drink wine. He did say however that all things, and that included wine, was to be done in moderation. He drank wine with His disciples at the last supper. And in Saint John Chapter 2 Jesus turned water into wine. See also 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 for the the Last Supper in which Jesus drink wine and told His disciples: ” For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. You will be able to find many references concerning the drinking of wine in the bible (I Timothy 5:23). The main is to remember to drink always in moderation so that others can take an example from us as Christians. – CatholicView Staff
“Because Jesus died willingly, isn't it considered suicide?” CatholicView Staff:
Dear Jeremy: Thank you for writing to CatholicView. Suicide is the taking of one’s own life by one’s own hands. And it IS a mortal sin. Jesus DID NOT commit suicide by His own hand. He was crucified in order to save mankind from destruction. Through that crucifixion He gave us salvation by accepting all our sins as He asks us to accept Him in our lives and acknowledge Him as our Savior. Our sins were nailed to the cross with Christ. Our only requirement to receive this salvation is to accept His gift and live as He taught us. Hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
“Should my child be Jewish or Catholic?” -
Blayne
Dear Blayne: First of all you do not give sufficient information for a clear cut answer. Is your soon to be husband a Catholic in good standing with the Church? Did you fiancé agree to your daughter being raised in the Jewish faith? And when two people of different denominations marry and one is Catholic, the children are promised to be raised in the church whether the non-Catholic is male or female. If you plan to be married outside the Catholic Church, your marriage will not be acceptable in the eyes of the Catholic Church. But you are correct in saying in the Jewish religion that a child born of a Jewish mother follows her religion. So you have strong opposite views. Because we do not all the facts, I would suggest you go to see a priest so that all details of this upcoming marriage be talked through. If you do not feel comfortable, then your fiancé must go. I am sure there is a viable solution for you both. May the Lord send you both understanding of each other’s beliefs. – CatholicView Staff
Dear CatholicView Staff,
Dear Emy: It is not clear what is meant by “private vows”. If a child makes a vow to God but has not reached the age of reason where she or he knows what is meant by a private vow, then I would say that God will take this under consideration. Parents cannot annul a vow for their child. Only God can do that. But we can pray for understanding and guidance. God knows all things. As human beings we make mistakes. Please discuss this with your parish priest. He will sit down and talk to you about this matter. God bless. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Rich: Thank you for your very interesting question. In three words I give you the answer, HE WAS HUMAN. He came to earth in a very human body like you and I. There is no place in the bible that expresses "worry" as you put it. At the time He was going to be handed over for crucifixion, He expressed a very human plea by saying, "Father, let this cup pass from me." BUT He endured and earned for you and all of us an eternal salvation should we accept His incredible gift. Read Luke 12: 22-31 and know the words of our Lord spoken about worry. When Jesus, the Son of God, came to this earth, He had to come as a human person in order to suffer and pay for our sins. If He had come as a Supreme Being, His sacrifice would not have meant human suffering and death on a cross. He became a living sacrifice for all of us. He gave us our salvation through the spilling of His human blood. And yes, He knew He would return to heaven but first He had to be tortured, nailed to a cross and die first...as a human being with human feelings. Jesus said “Let Thy will be done” and allowed the soldiers to carry Him off to be crucified for us all. I hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
“How do I dispose of blessed palm branches?” - Peter
I was wondering what the correct way is for Catholics in the home to dispose of palm branches from the previous year or even extra palm branches from this year. It seems improper to simply throw blessed articles in with the trash. Please advise. - Peter
Peter: A good way is to incinerate or bury them, whatever is most convenient for you. Hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
“Can a person have a relationship with God and not be a baptized Roman Catholic?” -RCB
Dear R.C.: Thank you for your inquiry about the changing of doctrine concerning those who follow outside of the Roman Catholic Faith. In the past, many people thought the Roman Catholic Church was the only true church. This is NOT true for us today. It would be wrong for ANYONE to say that others following another denomination and who are faithful to our Lord and Savior is not saved. God judges the person and the heart not the denomination. If one truly believes in the teachings of Jesus and follows Him in ALL THINGS that person WILL surely be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven. Likewise, if a Roman Catholic DOES NOT follow what the bible teaches he or she WILL NOT enter God’s paradise. Anyone who accepts the Lord, believes in Him as Savior and who lives by His Word shall be saved, no matter what church he belongs to. Hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
“I am not Catholic and a relative committed
suicide. Can I pray in a Catholic Church? -
Robert CatholicView Staff:
Dear Robert: I am so sorry to hear of your relative’s suicide. When a family member commits this act, it affects everyone concerned on many levels. Because the person did not share their intentions, the family was unable to offer help and therefore feel guilt even as they feel helpless in the wake of this action. Do not blame yourselves. Remember that God knows ALL things and knew her suffering and sadness. He understood everything that made life so difficult for her. Of course you are most welcome to come and pray in any Catholic Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ will be there to comfort you through your prayers. Please, come and find the peace you seek in His place of worship. God is not looking at your denomination but He is looking at the faith you have in Him. Know He waits for you with much love. - CatholicView Staff
“What happens to miscarried babies?” - John CatholicView Staff:
Dear John: CatholicView is sorry to hear of your loss. Take comfort in knowing that you baby is safe in the arms of our Lord. The angels in heaven are comforting your baby. There is no need to worry. Do not grieve but serve the Lord until the time when you are reunited with your child. – CatholicView Staff
“What
is the difference between a vow and a promise?” - Liz Dear CatholicView Staff:
Dear Liz: If one makes a promise to God it should be kept if it is humanly possible. It would be better not to promise anything if you cannot validate that promise. The wonderful thing is that God knows the heart and will judge you accordingly. Please be careful therefore of what you vow or promise God for we do not want to offend Him with foolish vows. Now the good news is that He does forgive...if we seek that forgiveness. Know that God loves you and wants you in His friendship. See your pastor at church and ask him for guidance and remember to pray and ask for forgiveness for your wrongdoing. – CatholicView Staff
“Do non-believers in Jesus go to heaven?” - Bonnie Catholicview Staff:
Dear Bonnie: It is through our belief and faith that Jesus died and rose from the dead thus paying for the sins of mankind that we are saved. And He set the path we must follow. He also told us that we are to go into all the nations bringing the gospel so others can likewise be allowed heaven. Now does this mean that those who do not know the Lord will go to Hell? Well, that judgment rest with God and not man. We can only follow what Jesus the Messiah taught us. If we know Jesus but refuse to follow His teachings, choosing to go on our own paths of sin, then we know we are in serious trouble at the final judgment. – CatholicView Staff
“My wife is a fundamentalist and I want to be Catholic.” - Michael CatholicView Staff:
Dear Michael: I am sorry to hear that you and your wife cannot share your choice of religious beliefs. Religion is a very personal thing and we cannot make another understand each other’s views. Perhaps through example and actions, along with prayer, she will come to see something in you that will soften her heart. I think now would be the time to see a priest and make your choice a reality. At the same time it would be good to talk with your parish priest about your situation. He will be willing to listen and offer suggestions on how to go about this disquieting religious difference. You have our prayers that you and your wife can be sensitive to each other’s beliefs. May you find peace in the Lord always – CatholicView Staff
“Where can I purchase a chalice?” – Leslie CatholicView Staff:
Leslie: I do not know what you are looking at on the internet concerning chalices, but you can purchase a chalice at your regional religious goods store. The chalice must be made of a non-porous material, something of precious value such a gold, silver, crystal, or metal (no wood for wood is porous). Plastic and other materials are not acceptable for a chalice. Hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
“I’ve been a practicing witch. Can I return to Church?” - Henry CatholicView Staff:
Dear Henry Everyone is invited to come to church.
No one is stopped at the door demanding your credentials as a Catholic. And
you can come to church as often as you wish. But if you wish to have a full
relationship with the church and with Jesus Christ, then you will have to let go of
your practice of witchcraft. God demands that we fully rely on Him alone.
– CatholicView Staff
Dear CatholicView:
Jessica: As a Catholic Christians we believe that God is our heavenly Father. As Christians we HONOR Him, we LOVE Him, and we OBEY Him. It is when we disobey him that we fear Him. We DO NOT have to fear God if we are living as He WANTS us to live. He loves us... so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. He wants our love. Now if we choose to live without Him, but know what He wants of us, then we will fear Him. Remember the prophet Jonah? God sent him on a mission to warn the people of Ninevah about their sinful ways and he hid from God and was afraid. Please read the first chapter of Jonah in the Old Testament. There numerous other references that speak of the fear of God but this is just one. As Christians we must HONOR Him, LOVE Him, and OBEY Him. It is when we disobey him as Christians that we fear Him for He is a supreme being, the creator of all that is, the fullness of being and of all perfection. He is without beginning and without end. God is love and the binding force in all that is. – Catholicview Staff
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