FATHER KEVIN BATES Father Kevin: Hello Bonnie - Thanks for
your letter. In brief, this Catholic priest is praying for you right now, that you
might find a new peacefulness in God's presence. Even if you don't sense God's
response at this time, you can be sure there is a listening heart there who also longs for
your peace, and who forgives you unconditionally. You have turned to God in trust,
and that trust will never be disappointed. That sense of God responding is simply a
gift that God gives at certain times. It's not something we particularly
earn, but rather something we wait for and give thanks for when it comes. Waiting
with trust is a key part of living the gospel, and this is one way we can learn that
important lesson. Every blessing to you, Bonnie.- Father Kevin
Father: G'day Bryan from Sydney: Thanks for your question. First of all,
the Catholic Church teaches that once we are baptized we are baptized. I will be baptizing
three little babies this coming Sunday. Does that mean that they are not really members of
God's family then, or that their baptism to use your words is not "true"?
Does that mean that God can't relate to babies? Does is also mean that parents should not
welcome their infants into the heart of God's family at the same time as they
welcome them into the heart of their own family? There are many ways to reaffirm our baptism, to
accept Jesus and to commit ourselves again and again to the living of the gospel. we can
be born again every day as we wrestle with our sinfulness, as we strive to contribute to a
more just world, as we learn to be gentler, merciful, honest, as we commit ourselves to
love, and to peace-making - and so it goes. Once you are baptized you are baptized - it's
then a matter of living out this baptism ever more deeply each day. If you
wish to celebrate that you are baptized by being immersed in water again in a ceremony
that is up to you of course and may well be an occasion of life and grace for you.
It would not be a baptism however. It's a bit like being circumcised - once
you're done, that's it!! As for visiting the Holy Land and being
immersed in the Jordan - a lovely idea - and I am sure that there are agencies in the U.S
that could help you with that. I do not have contacts for them. There is one
tour organizer here in Sydney, Harvest Pilgrimages who do good work in this regard - you
might like to Google them sometime and see what they have on offer.
FATHER AMARO SAUMELL 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.
Father: Dear Tenar: There is not one of us in all of creation that does not have some kind of sinful inclination. Do you know that there are actually heterosexuals in the church too? Don'tt think for a minute that a proclivity separates anyone from the Church. However, how we act on those proclivities has everything to do with our integrity. It is when we rationalize our sinful proclivities as being "normal" that we make our mistake. It is normal to be plagued with these effects of original sin. However, we as Christians don't want to be part of the "norm." The "norm brings hurt to others. Wars have been normal activities for human beings for years. That doesn't mean that it's correct. What God desires of us is love. Real love never ever does harm. Real love would not misuse the body of another or even oneself. So, it is not "being homosexual" that would impede your relationship with God. What offends God is the rationalized behaviors that homosexuals can often get caught up in. But don't' feel alone with these temptations. Heterosexuals fall under the same commandments. They often abuse their own bodies or exploit each other on a very adolescent and masturbatory level. So, to answer your question, yes, you are allowed to convert. But again, converting will not take sinful inclinations away. Instead, your conversion will be to look to God's will for your life rather than being centered on your impulses or desires. How will you lead your life to protect others and do no harm? In exploring that question, if sincere, you will find a faith of integrity. Whatever you do, don't join the Church because of the pastor, the music, the environment, the type of community, or any other vain reason. Join the Church because you believe in its authenticity, its mission as commissioned by Christ, and the fullness of loving God and neighbor through communal worship. Don't go by warm fuzzies either. Emotions come and go. Convictions are eternal. Mother Theresa had no warm fuzzies or even sense of God through the last 40 years of her ministry. She acted on her convictions, not her feelings. She was not looking for "group therapy." So, if you're going to be a Catholic, be a good Catholic, it means to surrender the old understanding and embracing the new. No matter what cross you carry, some kind of ingenuity, talent, and creativity will be born from it. So, hold on to that Cross. Embrace it. Develop you relationship with God. And may he bless you with sufficient strength to be the best of Catholics. God bless. - Father Amaro
What do Catholics
believe about the end times? My son’s
friends believe in the rapture theory. Even though I am Catholic I don't know what we
believe. Also, he hears about Martin Luther a
lot from the priest at my parish who believes that Martin Luther truly loved God and was
trying to turn people toward him. This priest
says at that time there were many people in the Catholic Church who were corrupt. What do you believe in regards to this? I am
trying to keep my son Catholic when amongst Protestant friends. He is 11 years old and an altar server. He is Catholic in his heart, believes in the
Eucharist as Jesus’ true body and he believes and loves Our Blessed Mother. Thanks for your time. - Kathy Dear Kathy: What I think you are
really asking is "how come, as a mother, I do not know what to teach my child?"
I think you really are saying, "When my child was baptized, I made a promise to be
the first teacher of my child and even I don't know my faith." Now is a wonderful time for you to make a commitment to use all the resources at your parish of Adult Education. We know that Jesus made it very clear that no one knows the time and that "today has troubles of its own." We will not blaspheme God by trying to be soothsayers and second-guess Him. Now is the time to learn that the "rapture" is a theory less than 200 years old and is very flawed. It is also a time to learn your history and to discover that while Luther did start out with valid concerns, he then, through his own arrogance, formulated personal opinion as more important than the full witness of faith through the living organism of the Body of Christ, the Church. And yes, there is corruption in the Church. You can share with your son that, even among those who Jesus the Son of God called to be Apostles, one betrayed Him. As long as humans are in the Church on earth, there will always be corruption among its individuals. The difference is, we as Catholics present those faults in the light of Christ to be healed. Hope this helps. God bless. - Father Amaro Dear Father: My wife Martha,
although we are divorced civilly, is dating and has been having sex with her
neighbor’s spouse before he was divorced civilly.
He is now divorced. She doesn't believe she has broken any of God’s
commandments. She is very adamant about this.
She left the church and has taken our 5 small children with her leaving the Sacraments and
the Oaths she made in them behind. I have prayed, fasted and sought the Holy Spirit to
bring her to understanding and conversion. I
have read Jesus' words and the prophet’s words to her and she still doesn't
understand the truth. What else can I do? God
is not willing that any should perish but that all repent.
Please give me prayers that I can pray and an understanding as to what Jesus and
the prophets say about this mess. I am a
horrible sinner and I feel my prayers and sacrifice has not been pleasing enough to God
for Him to change her heart towards this man or me. - John Dear John: Keep doing what you are doing. Pray to God. St. Monica prayed for years for her son, St. Augustine. Don't expect your prayers to be answered via your time frame. Just keep praying. In the meantime, be kind so that your children will see a stable source of authority to look to in troubled times. Be a witness for your children. God bless. - Father Amaro I really do not get
what hell is. Can you explain what hell is and how you get there? Thanks. Scott Dear Scott, No words can describe
the horror of Hell, just as no human language could possibly describe the wonderful
happiness of Heaven. However, we do know through Divine Revelation that Heaven is a state
of being with God in total communion with Him Who is love. Hell is total separation from
the love of God or others. It isn’t that
God judges us to be in either as much as our will wanting to be with Him, desiring all
good with now compromise. This is a great
mystery, which doesn’t mean that it’s a secret.
It means “something of which there is always more to know.” Father Amaro: I am a
Catholic, but not able to receive the Sacrament of Communion. I am divorced and
re-married. My question is; why do we say "Lord I am not worthy to receive you but
only say the word and I shall be healed"?
Can I be healed in God's eyes? Jesus
said “do this as often as you may in remembrance of me” (meaning communion) but
did not give any oral orders as to who should not. Why
can't I take communion? I love my Savior and struggle everyday with this. Please give me some advice. (Previous marriage
was abusive) Present Husband went through RCIA but did not have willing witnesses to
marriage (family is Pentecostal). What do I
do? I am praying for an answer and guidance.
- Jessica Dear Jessica, We, as those who live
in Communion with Christ, do everything according to our baptism. To receive Holy Communion means that we are doing
just that and are in a state of grace. It is
also a statement that we believe that by His grace, we are ready for judgment at that
moment. To say, “Lord, I am not worthy...” is to
formally acknowledge that it is not by our own design that we may receive, but only by His
Divine grace. In your situation, you made
vows before God with one man, which are binding unless proven invalid. They were made with witnesses in the name of the
Trinity. While those vows are a public witness to your faith, you cannot be living with
another man. A Justice of the Peace or civil
government contract cannot validate a Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, or any other
Sacrament, or in this case, Marriage. You have placed a civil contract above the status of
your baptism by putting its responsibility aside and saying government holds more power
than the discipline of your Baptism. You are
married to one man as a witness to your baptism, and living with another. In this, you have proclaimed that you are no
longer in full communion, signified and witnessed by the fact that it is not appropriate
that you receive the Blessed Sacrament. This
is a very serious disorder to faith as St. Paul attests: 1 Corinthians 11:27 “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 to eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and
drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many
among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned
ourselves, we would not be under judgment; but since we are judged by (the) Lord, we are
being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” Please go to your pastor and find out what can be done and if your first marriage is indeed valid so that you may rectify your situation. God bless.- Father Amaro Father
Amaro: Dear Steve, Are there not hungry people in this world? Does not that hunger illustrate our hunger for God, especially for those of us who have no natural hunger because of our gluttony? Regarding the poor in the world, who in their material poverty teach those of us who have material goods how impoverished we may be spiritually? And doesn’t slavery of human beings illustrate to us who are free that we are often slaves to our own compromises? All these things can be remedied by charity. We have that choice. These martyrs shall be blessed eternally for their lessons, while many of us who refused to learn by their valuable suffering may find themselves outside the walls of the kingdom. As the Lord says, “The poor you shall always have with you..” He wasn’t speaking merely of their financial or social status. He was speaking of them as teachers. It is most profound. We must learn. God bless. - Father Amaro
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF
CatholicView Staff: Dear John: CatholicView published an article last year entitled “God the Creator versus The Mystery of Evil” that speaks of Satan or Lucifer and I quote “Satan who was one of the most beloved and talented angels in God's kingdom. [see Isaiah, Chapter 14, Verses 12-15] This beautiful and mighty angel became so prideful and self-important he wanted to emulate God by ruling his own kingdom. He caused a rebellion in Heaven, taking part of God's angels to his side. He was jealous of God and wanted to establish honor, glory, worship and reverence for himself. And because he hated God and all that He created, he decided to bring evil to God's perfect creation. Satan's kingdom became a place of hell; a place of absolute darkness. With Satan came the advent of sin and evil; a place devoid of God's grace and the light of God's love for all creation. The devil has spent his whole career making sure that the light of God is completely shut out in his kingdom of darkness. [see Job, Chapter 2, Verses 1-2] Hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff “ CatholicView Staff:
Dear Van: I think you are missing the point concerning the unique gift of life that God has given to you. We, as His disciples, are asked to minister to others and bring them to salvation. What will sinners learn or benefit from your suffering? The price for sinners has already been paid by Jesus Christ Himself. I suggest you try to maintain your health by
following doctors’ orders so you can share your faith and beliefs, gain more souls
for the Lord, and do the work that Christ asked us all to do as He left to return to His
father. As noble as your desires are, I do
not think the Lord expects you to endure the pain and suffering you mention. I would strongly suggest that you take this matter
to your parish priest. May the Lord bless and
give you wisdom. – CatholicView
Staff.
CatholicView Staff
Dear Ann: Yours is an interesting question. Speaking of being positive about God’s existence and quoting from a previous article in CatholicView last year entitled “God, the Creator versus The Mystery of Evil”, take a look at Hebrews11: 1 where it says “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. This brings home the reality of our faith in God the Father, and God the Son without our ever having seen Him or having "in hand" proof of His existence. We just know by the power of the Holy Spirit Who clarifies and acknowledges that truth for us. Can we explain it? No, we cannot. Then how can we receive faith or know for certain that God exists? By the same power of the Holy Spirit that calls us and is so strong and persistent we cannot turn away or find peace until we answer God’s call. This is what Christ speaks of when it says in John 20:29 “And Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Then again in 1Peter 1:8 it tells us “Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.” Can we prove
God’s existence by our limited knowledge? No,
we cannot. If we open up our physical hearts
can we find love within, or grief and suffering? Should
our brains be examined by a surgeon, will the things we believe such as our faith in
God be found there? No, this cannot be seen
or verified. And yet we know the things we
know are truths and once recognized can never be denied.
Using what God chose to give us, we believe through faith that is
backed up by the power of the Holy Spirit.
" CatholicView Staff:
It is good that you want to be in good standing with your Church. I am strongly suggesting that you speak with a priest because you have two issues to address, the first being the annulment that would nullify your first marriage. From what you say about your former wife, it appears you have very good grounds for an annulment. You need to see your priest and begin the process of annulment from this prior marriage. Unless you do this, you are still “married” in the eyes of the Church to your first wife. That is the first order to business to be taken care of. Secondly, you then must have your present marriage validated by the church after the annulment process is complete. Please go and talk to your priest as I am sure these two issues can be addressed and taken care of but you must take that first step to gain full communion with the Church. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Dear Ken: You are a caring husband. You feel a responsibility to care for the child your wife gave life to before you married her. However, I do not think it is wise to override what your wife wants to do. Unless you can speak openly and honestly with her to fully understand why she does not want to pursue the mother\daughter relationship, there is little you can do. There can be reasons your wife has distanced herself from her daughter. Keep in mind that she willingly accepted the young woman at first and put her through college. Something important changed. I would suggest you both have a discussion with your parish priest and try to sort things out. Perhaps he can give you the help you need. – CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: I'm with the Church of England but thinking of becoming a Catholic, how do I do this please? - Ross Dear Ross: Thank you for writing to CatholicView. I see no obstacle to your becoming a Catholic. You will need to speak to a priest in your area to sort out the details. He will give you the information you need for this process. May the Lord bless you. CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Joe: We are all sinners and that is why God sent His Son to die for us. God is a forgiving God. He wants to forgive you. But you must first ask for it and promise that you will never repeat that sin again. Because you have recognize the enormity of your sin and want to be forgiven God will wipe away all traces of that sin. Christ has already paid a high price for all of our sins. All He asks in return that you follow the path that He has set before you and avoid the occasion of sin in the future. You are not excommunicated. You will need to recify this sin however by taking the proper steps to reunite with the Church. Go to your priest and make things right by seeking forgiveness. May the Lord grant you the strength and courage to move forward to a Christian future. - CatholicView Staff. CatholicView Staff: Dear Joan: This is a very interesting question. The bible is filled with passages of God telling
us how much He loves us, and the most important one is when it says in John 3:16 "For
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life.” That
is a mighty statement! God sacrificed His
only Son for you and for me and all the world. To
name just a few see also John 13:34, And 1John 4:8. And
Romans 5:5 tells us that God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
whom He has given us. Romans 5:8 “But
God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.” Jeremiah 31:3:
“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting
love; I have drawn you with
loving-kindness.” Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD your God is with you, He is
mighty to save. He will take great delight in
you, He will quiet you with his love, He will
rejoice over you with singing." And
again in John 16:27: it says “No, the Father Himself loves you because you
have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.” Take the time to read your bible. God’s love will shine through for you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Justin: Sometimes we have a misplaced sense of duty. It is NOT your place to bring such news to your friend’s wife. If your friend himself knows that you know and is still maintaining the love affair, perhaps you could have a word with him. Please do not feel compelled to tell the wife. It is something your friend must see his way to do and you MUST NOT enter into this matter. Hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: I have children born outside of marriage. I wish and hope to have them raised in the Catholic faith and wish to return to the church myself. I am not sure what I need to do. Please help me. Dear Albert: You did not supply any details regarding the mother such as if she is Catholic and if she agrees to the baptism. Nonetheless, if the mother has no objection, your children can be baptized in the Catholic Faith. You will need to see your parish priest to determine what steps must be taken to get your children baptized and what steps you need to take for your own return to the church in good standing. Yes, these issues can be resolved. Go and talk to the priest and look forward to the future. CatholicView Staff Dear CatholicView Staff:
Dear Constantin: CatholicView is sorry to hear of your misfortunes concerning the number 13. Change your Social Security number if this will help. Do not allow a number to rule your life. Remember that a state of mind can affect a person’s thinking as well as their actions, turning positive things into negative patterns. Ask the Lord to help you to rethink your focus so you can move forward with your life in the positive way He has prepared for you. The number 13 is just a number and should have no significance on your life. Hope this helps. CatholicView Staff.
CatholicView Staff: Hello Dean: Thank you for your letter. You have come back to the Church and you have
asked for forgiveness and received it. In confession, all was forgiven and you are
in full communion with the Church again and you should forget that phase of your
life. Go forward and get on with your life in
Christ. If you have any doubts, please seek help from your parish priest. God bless you.
CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: Dear Sean: Although you forgot to mention one sin during confession, your full intent was to confess all sins in its entirety. If you feel uncomfortable about this particular sin, when you next go to confession, express it along with any other sins. God knows your heart and if you fully intended to confess everything, He has already forgiven you. CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Marianne: In a case where a person is mentally deficient
and cannot comprehend the mass you are doing the right thing in not taking your daughter
to Church. Remember God understands and that
is the most important thing. It appears you
are doing the very best you can for your daughter. God
knows all and sees all. Continue to serve the
Lord and be faithful in going to mass with your other daughter and continue to pray for
your other daughter who has Cerebral Palsy. God
be with you always. – CatholicView
Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Mark: I believe you know the answer to your question. Your protein bars, although considered health bars, are still a form of candy. You should refrain from eating them if you have given candy up for Lent unless they are necessary to your health or prescribed by a doctor. Hope this helps you. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff:
Kelly: I am sorry to hear that your friend’s child died. A child’s death is tragic and sad. Yet, we know, through the resurrection of Christ (see I Corinthians, Chapter 15 for the historical witness of the resurrection), that the child lives forever with the Lord. But sometimes, we need something more to get us over the sadness and depression. Death is not the end. The fear of death is the last of human fears to be conquered. Our faith in Jesus Christ risen from the dead enables us to live outside the fear of death and live FULLY and WITHOUT FEAR in the present, acting always as Jesus taught us. With all that in mind, I am going to say something that is very strong: the feelings you have, feelings of despair and sadness caused by the death of this child, have been chosen by you. It does not come from anywhere else. It is time to stop feeling sorry about you and start living today for others. That is a decision you make about how you want to live your life. It is because of my faith in the resurrected Lord Jesus that I can live each day and say in the words of Saint Paul (I Corinthians 15: 55-56): Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?...thank God for giving us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Even though we all have “an expiration date,” a day that we will pass through the gates of death, this does not imprison us in fear. Instead, we know through the resurrection, the gates of death open to eternal life with the Everlasting and Infinite Love called God our Father. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
I am sorry that you are having problems in your new married life together. But it seems that this marriage is not feeding your soul and spirit with what is important, love and spiritual food gained from your relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church. The fact that your husband is forbidding you to go to church and feed your soul puts you in a serious situation that must be addressed. You must make some decisions. You were married outside the church and therefore did not invite the Lord Jesus to be part of your marriage. That was your first mistake. It seems that your husband wants to control you and manipulate you and that is not true love (please read, I Corinthians, Chapter 13:1-8). He is trying to keep you away from your Creator and Lord. If your marriage does not feed you and help you mature in your Christian way of life, it is time to make some decisions as to the future of your civil marriage. Please talk to someone in person about your concerns. Then, pray. Ask the Lord Jesus to send His Spirit of wisdom upon you to make the right decisions in regard to your marriage. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff:
Dear Vanessa: You are to be commended in wanting to be of
service to the Lord. There are many ways to
do this such as working in the church office, assisting at Mass as an Usher, becoming a
Minister of the Eucharistic, becoming a Lector, visiting the sick and the poor, and being
available for taking food or communion to those who cannot get around. As to being a saint, this is an elevation that
should come from those who feel you deserve the title.
But remember, God is NOT interested in titles but is interested in the work
you do for Him. He commands us to harvest
souls for Him. Feed the hungry. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus tells us that
“Whatever you do for the least of my people, you do it for me. Be a beacon for the Lord. May the Lord be with you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Maria: You are correct in thinking it is sinful to
have feelings for a married man. Stop and
think about what you are doing and contemplating on doing!
It is wrong to become entangled with someone who belongs to someone else. To consider sexual relations with ANYONE who is
not your married partner is a mortal sin. You
must move away from this “relationship” before you are in danger of losing your
soul. Be strong! Have faith that you will find an appropriate and
single man who will honor your commitment to God.
– CatholicView Staff
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