SEPTEMBER 2006

FATHER KEVIN BATES
FATHER AMARO SAUMELL
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF

“Are we to believe that God actually ordered Saul
to kill women and children in the Old Testament?” - Russell  

Father Kevin:

I have recently been reading the Old Testament Book of Samuel.  As Catholics, are we to believe that God actually ordered Saul to kill women and children?  This seems to occur quite often in the Old Testament, and I am having trouble squaring this with Jesus' descriptions of God in the New Testament.  I find that my non-denominational friends like to use these Old Testament passages to justify war.  Thanks for your help in clarifying this for me. - Russell

 Hi Russell:

 Thanks for your thoughtful question.   It is not only your friends sadly who use this kind of Scriptural text as an excuse for war!  Some people in high places in your country and mine are quite good at it too!

Catholics are not obliged to believe that God ordered these killings.  The development of the Scriptures is complex and multi-layered. The Scriptures, while inspired by God are written in cultures that at various times saw war as a normal thing and the violent sacrificing of family, flocks, herds, was seen as a test of loyalty and faith.  I often think of the Old Testament as being pregnant with the New Testament, and when Jesus arrives of course, he renounces violence completely - and that is what Catholics believe if they are true to their deeper tradition. 

There is much violence in the Old Testament as a people struggled for survival.  As time went by we might have hoped that they had learnt that violence simply doesn't work and attributing violent intentions to God is utterly foreign to the gospel and to our tradition.

Could a God who is love do or intend such things?  I think not. 

I think we can safely say that the people of Israel of biblical times gradually came to understand God's ways and purposes as they journeyed in faith, and that bore ultimate fruit in the life and teachings of Jesus.   He is always our ultimate reference point.  Those earlier stories are stories of a people on the way to God's revelation of all truth in him.  They are not to be taken as the last word.

Sadly some fundamentalist Christians, including some Catholics, buy into this mentality and treat people of other traditions with this kind of righteous violence and arrogance.  This behavior is totally out of line with our Church's teaching.  All good wishes. - Father Kevin

“I am an atheist but I am attracted to the church.  What does this mean?” - Lisbeth                   
 

Father:

I was raised loosely Catholic but the reality is that I've been a lifelong atheist.   After about seven or eight years of not having been, I find that I'm attracted to the idea of going to church. I feel a touch of guilt that my attraction is perhaps superficial rather than spiritual, and for all my self-examining I still remain a non-believer. What do I make of this situation? I'd appreciate your perspective. - Lisbeth

Hi Lisbeth.,

What a wonderful question and a wonderful spirit of honesty you bring to this moment!  When you sense the presence of love in your life, I think the only thing to do is to run with it and let it go free.  The Scriptures cry out "who has known the mind of God?" God is an ultimate mystery and as much as we like to think we know all about God, the mystery remains.and is best explored by people like yourself who come to it fresh, open and wondering.  

Let go of guilt and wondering whether your yearning is superficial.  I think we are all made to explore this amazing unanswerable question.  Absolute certain religion is  as untenable as absolute certain atheism.  

On the other hand, humble searching hearts and minds encountering life's ultimate mysteries are bound to find deep and lasting meaning for themselves and for those with whom they share their journey.

I loved your question  and encourage you to keep searching with a trusting spirit and your lovely honest mind.  Every good wish. - Father Kevin

“I am an army officer and will be deployed soon. 
Can I marry civilly for legal issues until I return home?” - Matt

Father,

I am an Army officer and a Catholic, and am planning to marry an amazing Catholic woman at the earliest opportunity. It is my understanding that the Church recognizes a difference between sacramental and civil union. I am scheduled to deploy this year, and as such we would not have time to plan a proper ceremony. The Army does not recognize any relationship other than marriage - for insurance purposes, next of kin notification, and housing allowances, I want to be civilly married - that is, legally married.. Just 'on paper,' for the Army - we would not tell anybody else. We would not lie or live together as man and wife until we are able to be married in the Church upon my return. What is the status of this plan under Church teaching? - Matt

Hi Matt:

My sense is that we do what we need to do here.   The Church's teaching has a lot of wisdom about it and a priest can easily arrange to have your civil marriage blessed and regularized by the Church at some later time.   God is a God of common sense and compassion, and my guess is that in God's heart your commitment is held safe and sacred whatever form of civil or church status it has at a particular time.   Maybe a chat with a wise military chaplain might help settle your concerns.  With every good wish for your marriage and a safe return home from your military deployment. – Father Kevin

FATHER AMARO SAUMELL

“Was Mary assumed into heaven without dying first?” – M. Maru

Hello Fathers,

If I understand this correctly Pope Pius XII stated in his Munificentissimus Deus that Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven "having completed the course of her earthly life....without passing through the change called death." I further read that being she was born incorrupt that she would not suffer the corruption of the grave. This being said my question is, according to Catholic doctrine did she or did she not first die as Christ did before she was "assumed"? M. Maru

Dear M.Maru

This is an ongoing discussion about whether Mary died or not physically.

“Death” is the beginning of the process of corruption and decay of the body.  This is why we do not associate the end of Mary’s existence on earth with death. Usually, the terms “dormition” or “sleep” are used in its stead so that there will be no confusion.

But to answer your question, we don't know exactly know for sure.  We just know that she was assumed into heaven.

When the Holy Father made the clarification, it was only because it took so long for people to get into arguing about it. Actually, the cathedral in Pisa for which the tower was built in the 12th century, among other churches, is named in honor of the Assumption.  God bless, Father Amaro

“My friend is having an affair. Should I interfere?” – Lorraine

Father Amaro:

I have a good friend who has begun an affair with a married man who lives with his wife and his son. I have told her that I cannot continue our friendship as if this is not occurring and close my eyes to it. She believes that what she is doing is not wrong and says that I am judging her. She says that true friends do not abandon each other. I told her that I would be very glad to be with her to talk about a new direction in her life and I would help her with that. Am I wrong to step outside our friendship in this way? - Lorraine

Dear Lorraine,

Actually, it seems that she’s right. True friends do not abandon. However, she is the one who has abandoned the principles of friendship by choosing the immoral act of adultery over her time with you. And, you haven’t judged her from what I can see here. You’ve judged the act for which God has informed us that he abhors. On top of that, if a man will cheat on one, he’ll cheat on the next one. Sad, isn’t it?  God bless, Father Amaro

“How do I help my daughter get rid of the demons that possess her?” - Sandra

Father Amaro:

How do I help my daughter get rid of the demons that possess her????
I am not joking she herself says she is a demon and there are 6 others that live inside her. They are fighting a war in some spirit world and my daughter says she too goes and fights other demons and these beasts called Nephlims. When her others get hurt she feels the pain and she has been getting bruises and not knowing how they got there. I have faith in Almighty God and I pray for her soul, but I feel that my faith is not strong enough. She met some other kids and they too have these experiences. What can I do to save my daughter's soul, please HELP ME, HELP MY DAUGHTER.- Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Possession is a very serious thing. But the Church always relies upon competent psychiatry first to make sure that the dysfunction is in fact supernatural. That is the best help you as a lay person with no psychiatric or advanced spiritual training can do and can provide the proper filtering. It has been my experience that everyone I have come in contact with who claimed possession merely found out that they had another type of problem that was easily remedied through balancing chemicals or medications. Usually, possessed people have no idea of possession because they are not conscious when the possessions take place. This doesn’t sound like your daughter’s case. I think you’ll find this a very valuable procedure.

Meanwhile, pray for her.  Pray for her deliverance.  Even pray over her and anoint her with Holy Water.  The Lord hears your prayers.  – Father Amaro

 “Can you explain what the term "New Jerusalem" means?” - Toni

Father Amaro:

Can you explain what the term "New Jerusalem" means? Our Lord speaks about the end of the age and the New Jerusalem. Someone said it means the merging of heaven and earth together at the end of the age. I am not clear on this concept and would like to know how the church defines this term, and what it really means. - Toni

Dear Toni,

Jerusalem was always the center of worship of the Hebrew people. It was perceived to be the place for the Presence of God. But there were impediments of insincerity and sin around it.

The New Jerusalem cannot be perceived by our speculative imagination. It is something that defies time or measurement. We can only speak analogously of it. In that analogy, we find the unimpeded Presence of God surrounded by the love of all those who worship and adore Him.  Hope this helps.  God bless, Father Amaro

“I am struggling with depression.  Am I a failure to God?” – Ann Marie

Dear Father,

I have been struggling with depression. I had several back to back losses of loved ones. I know God is with me but, am I hurting or letting God down by hanging on to my sorrow? I don't want to hurt or be a disappointment to God. Please pray for me and thank you for taking time to read my question. I feel I'm a failure to God. I want to be of service to God but I don't enjoy life anymore, I hurt so bad, I'm just so sad inside. Ann Marie

Dear Ann Marie,

You know, you’re in good company! Mother Theresa of Calcutta didn’t even have a sense of God’s presence in the last 40 years of her ministry. She didn’t act on feelings. She rose above her mortal nature and acted upon her convictions.

I am not a psychologist or a psychiatrist. You might want to check out if what you think is depression might just be deep sadness. It could be possible that your situation is one or the other, or possibly both. But you need to check with a professional, just as you would if a wart started growing on your nose.

And you know something else, I can guarantee you that if you’re praying, you’re not letting God down. Your sorrow is a sign of your compassion. Jesus had compassion. Your sorrow may be because of loneliness. Jesus was lonely too. You’re in great company. There are many people who can’t be bothered with compassion or loneliness because they’re too wrapped up in superficial things. Maybe your heavy load can be offered for them too. But know one thing, God is with you and loves you. And I have a sneaking suspicion that He thinks you’re doing great.  God bless, Father Amaro

 
”Am I making too big a deal about my daughter’s Halloween costume?” - Donald

Father Amaro:

My eight-year-old daughter wants to dress up as a devil for Halloween. I was dead-set against it, but my wife—not thinking it would trouble me—already promised my daughter she could wear that costume to go trick-or-treating. I'm troubled by it. Am I making too big a deal of her wearing this costume? - Donald

Dear Donald,

Hallowe’en? Through the centuries, the Church has used every means possible to help others to know Christ. In the conversion process, the use of celebrations common to the people was most helpful. This process is called "enculturation." Many pagan signs and symbols which carried insight to a deepening understanding toward conversion were used. One of these celebrations was a Druid custom of celebrating the dead returning from their graves to walk the earth as a form of "ancestor worship" and to celebrate their new year.
While this does not follow the Christian understanding of the use of the grave, it did help in obtaining the attention of the pagans in their understanding of life after death, particularly the resurrection and the Communion of Saints. So, rather than encouraging an erroneous cult, the Church encouraged practices that would spread the Gospel and our hope for full Communion with those who have gone before us who have attained full perfection in Christ and of His Kingdom.
Rather than dressing up as ghosts, goblins, walking dead, witches and things that are signs of cults or the netherworld, we at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church in Crestline California continue to support the Christian custom of spreading the Gospel through costuming as those who have been successful in serving God. Each year we like to encourage the children of our parish to continue this practice by dressing up as saints, angels, and biblical characters who participated in God's plan of Salvation, which leads to the celebration of All Saints. In the same manner that we celebrate Christmas Eve and Easter Vigil, we would encourage our children to participate in the Eve of All Saints, commonly known as Halloween (from the former title "all Hollows Eve" or "Eve of all Hollows, Eve of all that is Holy"). It is in one respect a second celebration of Easter, "our" Resurrection.
Since parents are the "first teachers" of their children, and since we still have time to plan, we strongly encourage parent support of this project and will support any enthusiasm they instill in their children in their Christian education. It may mean doing a little research to help the children become aware of some "new" saints, but as an investment of the Kingdom and the future of the Church, we hope that all will be just as enthusiastic.

Let’s Share our faith. Let’s act on our true convictions rather than compromise with worldly ways. This is OUR Holy Day!  Does this help?  God bless, Father Amaro