FATHER AMARO SAUMELL
FATHER WILLIAM
G. MENZEL
Father Bill: ____________________________ Dear Marie: It would be very
interesting to know more about you than what you provide in your question. For
example, I'd like to know what specifically underlies your interest in the Episcopal
Church. It could be many things. I'd also like to know who gave you the information
about receiving communion in other churches—not that it's necessarily wrong; I'm just
curious as to whom you talked with. Since I don't have that information, I'll have
to plug along as best I can.
Father Bill: I am a 72 year old Catholic, who feels he is a "Disposable Catholic". A lot of parishes/churches today are 'youth culture' oriented. I feel the longevity given me by God was for a purpose. Am I wrongly interpreting my need for help in my remaining years? – Dennis __________________________________ Dear Dennis: You and I are from the same generation. I'm 71. I don't know if that will help me answer your question, but I'll give it a try. Let me guess: by “disposable Catholic” you mean that you feel that churches and parishes in general are ignoring your needs; you feel left out and left behind. I hope that my guess is reasonably close, otherwise my answer will miss the mark. First of all, I think there are some questions that you need to answer—not to me, but for yourself as you turn this matter over in your mind. Here are some of those questions: What do you perceive are the needs of a 71 year-old man? What would you like to see the Church and your parish do to meet those needs? Have you looked around to see if there are parishes in your area that may be more suited to your spiritual needs? Have you sought out a priest or other spiritual adviser for counsel? Since you feel that God gave you longevity for a purpose, have you given thought as to what that purpose may be? Do you have some talents that you feel could benefit your parish or community? What might be some reasons that so many church congregations focus on the needs of the young? Are you currently involved in any kind of volunteer work in your parish or community? I know that there are many people in communities and parishes who tend to wait until help seeks them out. I don't know if you tend to be that way, but if so, I would definitely suggest being more pro-active in expressing your concerns. Pastors are not mind-readers, and your pastor may have no idea that the aging members of his parish are looking for the same kind of attention to their needs as is being given to the younger members of the parish. If our generation is being ignored, then you have a legitimate concern that deserves attention. Talk to somebody who can make that happen. God bless you - Father Bill
Father Bill: My wife prays everyday for a sign that her blessings are being heard, but there is nothing. Why does God allow so many bad things i.e. abuse as a child, rape and surviving my affair happen to good people like her? – Eric _______________________________
Dear Eric: A Jewish rabbi named Harold Kushner and his wife tried desperately to understand why their young son was afflicted with progeria, a cruel disease that causes rapid aging and premature death in children. Out of his pain and searching came a wonderful book titled When Bad Things Happen to Good People. It was published in 1981 and is still available from many sources, such as Amazon, and no doubt can be found in many libraries. I highly recommend that you and your wife read it together, as it is a profound and very readable reflection on the meaning of human suffering. Since he is a Jew and does not believe, as we do, that Jesus is the Son of God, there is one step that Rabbi Kushner can't take when it comes to human suffering and injustice that we as Christians can take. We can look to the sufferings of Jesus and realize that even God, when he dwells among us as one of us, cannot escape the pain and occasional terror of human life. The truth is that there is no easy answer as to why good people suffer bad things, and God's silence can truly be maddening. Still, I believe that the fundamental message of Jesus Christ is that God walks with us in our suffering. He understands our pain and frustration, and even though it may often seem otherwise, he does not abandon us—ever. There are a couple of things I try always to keep in mind as I wrestle with this question. One is my firm belief that God does not micromanage the universe. Not everything bad that happens is God's will or even something that he willfully allows. Sometimes it's just the way this mysterious universe behaves. Sometimes it's the result of human sinfulness. And that brings up the other thing I always try to keep in mind: God does not interfere with human free will. God did not allow your wife to suffer because of your affair. You did. I'm not trying to add to whatever guilt you may have over this, but I am trying to point out that God does not stop us from doing bad things, even things that may cause pain to the innocent. And God does allow us to seek forgiveness, but he doesn't force us. God bless you, Eric, and your dear wife. - Father Bill
Father Amaro: I recently saw a person in the news that I knew in high school over 30 years ago. He was dressed in black and had a cross around his neck. The news story said that he was an ordained minister. I looked up the church he was affiliated with and it is a Catholic church, but he is not listed anywhere on the website. Many years ago this person was heavily into drugs and was not a very smart person, not a person that was at all spiritual. I am afraid he is perpetrating a fraud or hoax. Is there such a thing as a ordained minister in the Catholic Church? - Joseph _________________________________
Dear Joseph: How astute you are! It is very unfortunate that there are many parading as priests. Some go online and mail away for a “certificate of ordination” from false or fake churches. Some are men who were once ordained in the Catholic Church, but left or were dismissed for moral or legal reasons. Some went off and got married and pretend that they are still active priests. Some just like to play “dress-up.” You were very wise to check with your Diocese. In fact, it is good to actually call the Diocese or Religious Order to assure that one has the proper credentials. I'm known many who have used “Rent-a-Priest” services, only to find out later that their marriage is not recognized in the Church. There are those who have had funeral services and graveside services with a “let's pretend” priest the Funeral Home provided. It's a terrible blaspheme to the Authentic Church and her faith. As I said... you were very wise! Keep it up! Our Church and Sacraments are worth protecting. Yours in Christ, Fr. Amaro
Father Amaro: ________________________________ Dear Aaron, I'm so glad to see that your attention is on the Lord. That is so positive. You do want to remember that you are human. All humans have some challenge to some particular desire that is not what God desires for us. “Bearing false witness,” or lying is on the same list as “adultery,” which is any sex outside of marriage. We all have sexual desires. So, don't qualify your life by “desires. But to be realistic, you have to remember that you would be putting yourself in the company of men all through the eight or more years of the seminary. That could be like putting a heterosexual man into a school with a hundred Olivia Newton-John's. (Now you know my age group. (LOL) Don't confuse “celibacy with “chastity.” The media does that all the time. “Celibacy” is an “unmarried state.” When one takes a vow or promise of celibacy, one is promising not to marry. Obviously, that is not in your plans. The “chastity” of marriage, by virtue of Baptism, is to express married love through the conjugal union to celebrate the “unitive” and “procreative” calling. The “chastity” of single life, by virtue of Baptism, is to remain abstinent of all sexual activity. Those things are not the only things worth considering when examining a vocational call. Yes, there is the Presbyterate (priesthood), as well as other vocations of consecrated life. Even within the Presbyterate, it might be through an Order, where you take vows or promises of chastity, poverty, and obedience, to various degrees. It is a communal life. And, there is the Secular Priesthood, which is commonly known as a Diocesan Priest. This life is out in the world. It also means that one is financially responsible for oneself. The bottom line is surrender to God's will through superiors. Could you say “yes” under the worst of conditions. Could you submit to that. I'll give you an example. My term was coming up at my previous parish. At the same time, I had just moved my mother from Florida to California so I could take care of her needs. Now she was dying. I also had been going through medical tests, which I was not able to finish. In addition, since we are responsible for our own retirement, I had a little house that I owned for that time that needed to be cared for. Then came the news. I was being transferred four hours away. Under obedience, I had to say yes. As a result, I could not take care for my mother as I would have liked to. She actually died alone in a nursing home. Because I had not had my test completed and time had passed because of insurance problems, I ended up with colon cancer and had to have surgery. Because I was so far away from my house, I first rented it and had lots of damage done. I also had to hire someone to take care of the normal maintenance, which put me in a lot of debt. Could you handle that and be obedient without taking it out on your parishioners? Could you just suck it up and say yes to God's work? A vocation is not merely a profession... unless one means a “profession of
faith.” It means dealing with things, but always putting god and His people first. No
one is going to bail you out. Is your love for God and His people that strong? There is
only one way to find out. And, prepare to face rejection. I've been ordained for 20 years
now. But I was rejected in many places before I was finally accepted.
Father Amaro: My boyfriend is Muslim; he is aware that I love my religion and I want to get married in Church. He accepted to baptize our children and grow them up in the Catholic church. However, he got married previously to a woman in the Muslim ceremony and registered his wedding in England civilly. His previous marriage is valid to the Catholic church? Can we still marry in the Catholic church? – Anna ___________________________ Dear Anna, First of all, pay very close attention to what goes on in his family's life. That is what you can expect for yourself. While he may be very sincere, he does come from a culture that you are not going to change. It disturbs me that you said, “he is aware that I love my religion...” I would have preferred to read, “I love Jesus and His Church above all things, even above this man.” A Catholic would never even consider being married in any way that would separate his or herself from Holy Communion, because Jesus is always first. And, rejecting Him in the Sacrament means to reject Him … period. It is this love for the Trinity that every Catholic wants for his or her children. No other love can take precedence. There is a form of divorce in the Muslim religion. If he believes in his
Muslim faith, he will always believe that divorce is an option. He “may, because of
his emotions, at this time submit to certain things. But just because a child is baptized
in the faith, it doesn't necessarily follow that the child will be brought up in the
faith. In addition, if the child is male, certain things are expected later on.
Dear Father: ____________________________
Father Amaro: I'm a registered nurse who works in a hospital. I'm required to work every other weekend which are 12 hour shifts. Therefore, unable to attend mass on those weekends. Am I required to go to mass one day during the following week, or is it alright to watch mass on the Catholic channel? I'm struggling with this issue. Thank you. – Gail ___________________________
The point is to draw from those gifts of the Holy Spirit of which you were sealed at the time of your Confirmation. They weren't just tokens for a ceremony. We must remain conscious of those gifts and purposely “use” them. Tell your wife that she must be VERY observant. Then she must carefully consider what would “disarm” those who would bully. There are various ways, but she must show that she is the wiser one and use that knowledge skillfully. It may be as simple as having a recording device nearby. But whatever she does, she must not use vengeance as a motivation and reduce herself to the level of her opponent. She IS the Christian. She IS the saint in the making! (And, she must be smart... she married you. Right?) God bless, Father Amaro
Father Amaro: _________________________ Dear Robert, Surely, these people find these
behavior “sensual.” But can it really equate to “married love? ”It may be “covered up” by publically stating that it is something
to be “proud” of. But seriously, if one were gay and proud, one wouldn't
have to hide behind heterosexual terminology such as marriage or husband and wife” to
try to legitimize such behaviors. So, the bottom line is “No, we cannot support such
a thing as Catholics, even in the civil arrangements.
Father Amaro :I worry that Muslims are so wrong, but feel as strongly that they are right as Christians do. How can Jesus come from what seems to be a troubled, even evil place? - Kathy ____________________________
The whole world is full of evil. In our country, we kill 4000 unborn babies per day. As much horror as we see in extremist Muslim parts of the world, we have enough violence, and even more, right in our society. It's just done in a sterile operating room. So, psychologically and emotionally, it doesn't appear so horrific. Don't get caught up in the trap of putting your focus in one place. There is only “one place” that evil exists and that is “the world.” Jesus came into that “one place” to bring us hope of transforming it for the sake of others who need the choice in their lives of finding salvation. That is our ever day work as the Baptized. You are one of His ministers by virtue of that baptism. Just do the work. Let Him worry about the results. God bless, Fr. Amaro
"Please,
what are the scriptural basis for priestly
Father Kevin:
Please, what are the scriptural basis for priestly celibacy? – Michael
______________________________
Hi Michael:
Thanks for your question. Firstly not everything we do in the Church needs to have a scriptural basis. As you would know in our Catholic Tradition, the sources of revelation are the Scriptures and the living tradition of the Church. It’s because of this living Tradition that the Bible came into being as it is. It was the Church which determined which books were truly inspired and were to be included in the Bible. For the first hundred years the Church did not have the Bible as we know it now. We had to work out what was to be included. This was the Church’s tradition at work.
If you are looking for an example of celibacy in the Bible look no further than Jesus, Joseph and of course, Mary.
In the early Church there were people who decided to live as hermits or in community, living celibate lives in as a witness to the fact that a total fascination with the Kingdom of God was possible for us. Later on this discipline of celibacy was applied to Catholic clergy. People still argue of course as to whether we should be celibate or married. I expect that argument to continue for some time yet. Every blessing, Father Kevin
Father Kevin:
Why did God create hell? Being a loving and merciful creator, why would he create a place for infinite agony and torture. Wouldn't it be more merciful and loving to those who reject him to end their soul when they die rather than have them suffer for eternity? - Matthew
____________________________ Hi Matthew:
I think we
can safely say that God didn’t invent hell. Rather He created human
freedom. He gave us choices and we have the power to choose badly. The
consequence of our bad choices logically is hell if our choices are bad enough. The
Church has never said, and can never say that anybody is “in hell.” That
is strictly between a person and God. To deny the existence of hell is to deny human
freedom, one of God’s great gifts There is a hell. It is one of our own
making and choosing. Good wishes. - Father Kevin
Jesus told his disciples that He would be dead for three days and three nights like stated in the book of Jonah. Easter has Him dead for almost 2 days not three. I am asked this all the time, but have no scriptural answer. So how do I answer this? Blessings to you. - Scott
_________________________________
HI Scott:
Blessings to you too. There is actually a Scriptural answer to your question. For the Jewish religious person, Friday, Saturday and Sunday would be counted as three days in their religious calendar, even though we seem to think Jesus was only in the tomb for 48 hours. Having said that, the stories in the gospel are meant to reveal the truth of the resurrection and we are never sure as to the accuracy of the stories when it comes to how many days the whole adventure took. All good wishes. - Father Kevin
CatholicView:
So I ask of you, is it acceptable to not include this man in my life after I leave after all the misery he has caused? I ask this because I know not God's will, for I have never had the blessing of having a father who cared about me as an individual, all I have ever had is a man who disliked me for being myself. - Justin ______________________________
Justin:
I am so sorry to hear that your biological father was not a real father to you nor a loving husband to your mother nor a Christian head of the household and family. This will certainly have psychological and emotional consequences in your life. That's where your prayer life becomes even more important for your well-being. There is nothing you can do on your own to "fix" your father, or change your father from his self-centered ways. The damage has been done.
But your trust and faith in God's plan for you is what is going to make you stronger, wiser, and more mature. And it will certainly make you a wonderful loving father if that is God's vocation for you. Certainly, he will make you a mentor to others who find themselves in a similar family situation like yours.
The commandment to honor your father and mother means that you always show respect to your parents, even if one of those parents are not acting like a loving parent. Showing respect means that you have control of your own reactions to your father's painful actions. You do not have to always respond negatively to your father's decisions. Your father will be held accountable before God for all the damage he has done to you all. You are not the judge and jury of your father's life. Instead, you will pray for his conversion, pray for your resolve not to let your father push all the wrong buttons and bring you down to his lowly and sinful level. Do not react to your father. Instead, honoring your father may mean that you do not react to him at all.
Once you cross the line and yell, scream, make a scene, saying profane words, acting violently, you become your father. That is something you do not want. Honoring your father may mean that you need to separate yourself from him and live your life as God wants you to without allowing your father to ruin your destiny. When things get crazy, talk to God. Walk to the park and sit in silence and let go of your expectations of wanting your father to be something he cannot be at this moment in time. Let God the Father be the father you need right now. Pour out your feelings and thoughts to God the Father and let God take care of the details. You can leave your house and that would set you on the road to maturity and your own destiny. But don't think that leaving your house is a way to punish your father. It isn't. Leaving your house should be for you and your future. You must separate yourself from your father if you truly want to be the person you dream about. And God understands what is going on in your life. He will open the doors of opportunity for you when you need them. Do not be afraid of being on your own.
Part of our Christian life is the very powerful tool of forgiveness. You will have to forgive your father. But the act of forgiveness is not necessarily for him. It is for you. You must forgive your father. Forgiveness is the ability to leave the past in the past. Some people can't live in the present because they feel burdened by past events. The past does not exist. The present is the only real thing. So, let go of the past. By doing so, you no longer burden yourself with the pain and unfulfilled expectations. You begin to live for the present and plan for the future. That's what forgiveness is all about. Your forgiveness of your father does not mean you give license to his abusiveness.
Forgiveness is not saying to your father that everything is just fine. Forgiveness is your gift to yourself. You no longer live in the past. You no longer are defined by your father's actions. You no longer are a prisoner of your father's disaster of a life. That's why Jesus gives His forgiveness so freely. Jesus doesn't want us to be prisoners of the past and its hurts. He wants us to live life to the full. Here is a prayer for you:
Father in heaven, be my Father now. I give to You all my hurts, all my unfulfilled expectations, all my hatred, all my anger. Father, in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, take my pain and change it into resolve to be the wise, mature, controlled person You want me to be. Send me Your Spirit of strength to overcome every obstacle to my happiness and fulfillment in life. Father, I forgive my father of all his actions against me and my mother. I forgive because I need to live a life free from my own deep anger and frustrations. I forgive so that I can move on and make my destiny and make this world a better place through my own talents and gifts. I forgive because I receive Your forgiveness when I sin and ask for Your mercy. Father, You are my father now. I love You. And I know You love me as I am. I praise You for all the good and blessings I already enjoy. In Jesus Name, Father, I praise You. Amen.
God go with you. - CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Has a connection ever been made between the veil of the temple that Mary worked on in the Protoevangelium of James, and the veil torn in two at the crucifixion? If so, by whom? - Dan
______________________________________
Dan: The Protoevangelium of James, or commonly known as the Gospel of Saint James, was written not by James but by an early Christian writer trying to fill in the missing areas of the narrative of the birth and young life of Jesus. This early Christian telling of apocryphal events of the early days of Mary and the birth of Jesus was written about 140 AD to 150 AD. It is an interesting historical study of Christian thought before the Christian Scriptures (the New Testament) were canonically settled after the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. To our readers, here is the link to read the English translation of this old document: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm The Gospel of James was not accepted as part of the Christian Scriptures because it was written much later than the apostles and not written by James. Therefore, the Gospel of James (Protoevangelium of James) is not considered the Word of God as inspired by the Holy Spirit. As for the matter of the question asked, if there was a connection ever made between the temple veil that Mary made in her youth (see section 10 of the Gospel of James) and the temple veil that was ripped open during the crucifixion of Christ (please see Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, and Matthew 27:51), I cannot find anything about it nor do I remember anything about this subject in my theological, scriptural, or historical studies. The tearing of the temple veil during the crucifixion of Jesus is an important message for all believers in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The tearing of the veil in the temple shows that all humankind, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, has FULL access to God the Father. No longer is access to the Father in heaven mediated by high priests making animal sacrifices. God is available to all. God is available and present to all of us just by calling upon Him. Jesus made that possible with His life, death, and resurrection. The temple veil was torn because it no longer served any purpose of separating God from His people. As an interesting side note, I am aware of the writings of the Catholic mystic, Sister Ann Catherine Emmerich, an 18th century German religious woman who wrote down her mystic visions of the life of Jesus. She wrote an amazing set of books called The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Meditations of Anne Catherine Emmerich. In these volumes, you may find even more fascinating connections about the life of Mary, the life of Jesus, and God's amazing plan for our salvation. You may find an answer there concerning the veil of the temple. - CatholicView Priest Staff
ask the doctor to turn the defibrillator off?" - Ed
CatholicView Staff:
I have heart disease and rely on medications to keep it under control. I also have a bi-ventricular defibrillator which has saved my life once. Would it be considered suicide if I had the Dr. turn the defibrillator off and quit taking my meds and just let nature take it's course? - Ed
___________________________
Ed:
I am sorry to hear that your health is precarious, yet life itself is so precious. Life with all its ups and downs, with all its burdens and blessings is something that we can all be thankful for. I am amazed at life. I am amazed at the material world around me. I am amazed at the different sensations that I experience. How is life possible at all if not given to us by God Himself? We have a duty to safeguard this gift of life. We are stewards of our own personal gift from God. Your health situation is difficult. These are painful burdens and the fear of the unknown and the fear of the future. Your health limitations are also causing your depression and sadness. This comes from not being in control of much in your life. At this moment, your life is stabilized by medications and the defibrillator. These things are not considered "extraordinary" means of preserving life. To stop the medications and not availing yourself of the defibrillator would certainly be seen as an act of desperation and be seen as an act of suicide.
"Nature" will take its course despite the use of medications and machine. So, instead of trying to figure out ways of ending your life, try instead of living life now while you have it. Don't give up. Live it up. And when it is time for you to go home to the Lord, there is nothing you can do to stop it. So, don't figuratively die now. Live now. Don't focus on the pain and fear. Focus on how to make the best of what you have! And when everything is done and you have lived your life well despite the limitations, the gospel words will be proclaimed: (Matthew 25:34) "Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." May the Lord give you courage and peace. –CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff:
___________________________
Poppy:
As a parent, one must always train a child in Christian ways. Sadly, in
these troubling times, children become adults faster but if you have laid a good
foundation for your daughter and she refuses to listen, you must continue to pray for her
and get help if you can. Start by being an example for your daughter. Make
sure you secure her computer so that she will be unable to view pornography. There
is a web site which may be beneficial to you at Pornography
Harms Children - How to Keep Your Children Safe It states that "the best method for keeping your
children safe is to install a so called pornography filer or 'porn blocker'. This type of
software is linked to a network of computers which continuously scan the internet for
adult material and blacklists any files, websites or pictures that contain pornographic
imaging. This means that even pornography sent by email or on messaging systems will be
blocked before it reaches the viewer. There are several programs available. The most
recent product [http://safeinternetsurfing.info],
looks to be the most effective program ever developed, able to completely block
pornographic content in any shape or form. Click the link to go the product website and
keep your children safe!"
Dear Father:
I am going to attend RCIA classes in September and convert. In 2007 I stole $300 or $400 from an employer. I felt terrible about it. He would never reimburse me for a trip that I did for him daily. I am a single mom of three children and it took away from my kids. It was hard to feed them and pay bills and run errands for him. I had to lie for him so many times. I began having medical problems from all the stress and fighting going on between the owners who were brother and sister. He was ousted from the store for a few months and when he regained control we were all let go and a restraining order put on everyone who stayed working for his sister. We cannot come there or contact them at all. My question is how does this look in GOD'S eyes? What do I need to do? What would I need to do when I go to confession? Please help me understand what I need to do about this. Thank you. - Debbie
__________________________
It is frustrating to know that you may not be totally appreciated by your employers, especially when it comes to your sacrifices that you make without any recognition and thanks. And your own financial situation of your family certainly has placed much stress on you even now that you find yourself unemployed through no fault on your part. Yet, no matter what kind of unjust situation we may find ourselves facing, our first duty is to stay true to our own personal moral integrity that has been implanted in our conscience by the Spirit of God.
The question here is not "how does this look in God's eyes?" The question here is "Does this action of mine help me grow and mature in the Lord Jesus?" Taking anything without permission or stated policy, and stealing from the workplace, is never acceptable for a Christian. Never. No matter what the various arguments that we make up to "justify" these immoral actions, stealing is stealing. Such actions go against your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that is why "you feel terrible about it," as you say. You sacrificed your own moral integrity knowing that what you did went against your own beautiful moral character.
When it is time for participating in the Sacrament of Penance (confession) in preparation for your acceptance into the Catholic Church, please make sure that you mention this situation to your confessor. It is time to let go of the past and move on. That is what forgiveness is all about; letting go of the past and live for the present and plan for a better future. This is the wonder and miracle of our walk with Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is given freely so that we can always grow, mature, and become what God wants us to be. So, don't be afraid to approach the Sacrament of Penance with the confidence that comes from our love and faith for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And may the Spirit of God continually inspire you and fill you with joy in knowing that you are loved unconditionally. And may the knowledge that you are being saved in Jesus give you always the strength in acting and living the commandments of the New Covenant: love God with your whole and entire being, and love your neighbor as yourself. Now walk in the Lord and don't look back! - CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Is it a sin to read a non canon book such as the book of Enoch? Has any Priest from this web site ever read that book? if so what are your thoughts? – Jeffrey
____________________________________
Jeffrey:
The Book of Enoch, written in pieces sometime between the third century B.C. and the first century B.C., was never accepted as part of the Hebrew canon of scriptures or the Christian canon of scriptures, with the exception of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church which considers it the inspired Word of God. Otherwise, the Jewish and Christian communities see the Book of Enoch as an interesting study of biblical history and development, and the basis for the gnostic movement in Judaism and Christianity during the first century A.D. It is of great interest to biblical historians that the Book of Enoch is actually quoted in scripture! In the New Testament, in the Letter of Jude, Jude writes in chapter 1, verses 14-15 from 1 Enoch 60:8: Enoch, of the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied also about them when he said, "Behold, the Lord has come with his countless holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone for all the harsh words the godless sinners have uttered against Him." In the Old Testament, the Book of Enoch quotes a biblical verse from the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 33, Verse 2 in 1 Enoch 1:9: "The Lord came from Sinai and dawned on his people from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and advanced from Meribath-kadesh, while at His right hand a fire blazed forth and His wrath devastated the nations." The name, Enoch, shows up quite often in the scriptures as a known and well-respected prophet. It is clear to biblical scholars that the teachings from the book of Enoch was known to most biblical writers and known to Jesus Himself as well as His apostles. The story that we accept as truth about the fallen angels being driven out by Michael the Archangel from heaven come NOT from our scriptures but from the Book of Enoch! There are several allusions to the Book of Enoch all throughout our accepted canon of scriptures, too numerous to list here. I have studied and read the Ethiopian translation of the Book of Enoch (the only full translation that we have in the present time other than some fragments from the Dead Sea scrolls) as part of my seminary studies of non-biblical writings of the Jewish and Christian traditions. I found it an interesting study of biblical history and its influence on early Christianity. The reason that it was never accepted as part of our biblical canon was that it was used by the gnostics of the first and second century A.D. to prop up their heresy of "secret knowledge" as the SOLE key to salvation. The gnostic way also demeaned the physical and placed all their attention and energy on perfecting the spirit. For all Christians, the orthodox view was that faith in Jesus is the key to salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection and His complete obedience to the Father. And that salvation involves the WHOLE person, not just the soul or spirit. Jesus saves the body and soul, hence the resurrection from the dead at the end of time. So-called secret knowledge is useless without faith in Jesus. To answer your question about whether it is a sin to read non-canonical books, there is NO SIN involved in the study of Jewish and Christian non-biblical writings. These writings are part of our history, influencing our thought and informing our oral and written traditions. I encourage everyone not only to study scriptures itself, but to study these non-biblical historical writings to have a deeper understanding of the cultural and theological influences on the writers of scripture and of our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. For those interested in reading this very strange and interesting book, here is a link to a 1960 translation of the Ethiopian copy of the Book of Enoch. This link takes you to the web page then click on the left chapters to read each of the many sections: http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/ethiopian/enoch/index.htm - CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Young couples are encouraged to be married without a Mass in my Parish saying it detracts from the importance of the sacrament of marriage to mix the two. Does the most perfect prayer, the Mass, detract from the sacrament of marriage when performed together? Did not Jesus ordain and consecrate the bread and wine together at the Last Supper? - Larry
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Larry:
This is very strange. I have never heard of this. This is not an accepted practice in the Church. The Eucharist is symbolized in the sacrament of Marriage since the union of man and woman is the living symbol of the marriage of Christ and his Church (see Ephesians 6:31-32, and Revelation 21:1-4.) The exception to this is the marriage between a Catholic and non-Catholic. In such cases, the Eucharist is not encouraged to be celebrated since it would become a symbol of separation since the non-Catholic could not receive communion, making it scandalous to the unity that holy communion suggests. The sacrament of marriage and the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist have always been tied in sacramental theology. The Church STRONGLY recommends (though not required) that the Sacrament of Marriage be solemnized during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist (with the exception of one Catholic and one non-Catholic solemnizing their marriage in the Church). I should mention another exception when the sacrament of marriage is solemnized outside the Mass: deacons also are canonically authorized to preside at marriages and when a deacon presides at the sacrament of marriage without a priest, the Mass is not celebrated since the deacon cannot confect the Eucharist. But communion can be given to the bride and groom by the deacon. If you wish, please share this answer with the leaders of your parish. I have included for you the actual OFFICIAL teaching of the Church from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (section 1621): II. The Celebration of
Marriage 1621 In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments with the Paschal mystery of Christ.120 In the Eucharist the memorial of the New Covenant is realized, the New Covenant in which Christ has united himself for ever to the Church, his beloved bride for whom he gave himself up.121 It is therefore fitting that the spouses should seal their consent to give themselves to each other through the offering of their own lives by uniting it to the offering of Christ for his Church made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice, and by receiving the Eucharist so that, communicating in the same Body and the same Blood of Christ, they may form but "one body" in Christ.122 1622 "Inasmuch as it is a sacramental action of sanctification, the liturgical celebration of marriage . . . must be, per se, valid, worthy, and fruitful."123 It is therefore appropriate for the bride and groom to prepare themselves for the celebration of their marriage by receiving the sacrament of penance. 1623 According to the Latin tradition, the spouses as ministers of Christ's grace mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church. In the traditions of the Eastern Churches, the priests (bishops or presbyters) are witnesses to the mutual consent given by the spouses,124 but for the validity of the sacrament their blessing is also necessary.125 1624 The
various liturgies abound in prayers of blessing and epiclesis asking God's grace and
blessing on the new couple, especially the bride. In the epiclesis of this sacrament the
spouses receive the Holy Spirit as the communion of love of Christ and the Church.126 The Holy Spirit is the seal of their
covenant, the ever-available source of their love and the strength to renew their
fidelity.
CatholicView Staff:
As a Sociology Professor who knows a lot about economics, I don't understand why the Bishops support illegal immigration when it makes rich Americans richer and poor Americans poorer. Do they not care about Americans who are suffering? - Rick
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Rick:
The bishops of the United States do not "support" illegal immigration as you state it, nor is it about focusing on "suffering Americans." The guiding biblical MANDATE on this question is found in Deuteronomy, Chapter 10, Verses 17-19: For the Lord your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty and awesome who has no favorites, accepts no bribes, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him. So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. In Exodus 22:20,the Lord God GIVES a COMMANDMENT: You shall not molest or oppress an alien for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. Needless to say, the scriptures (and there are many more references in the bible about this subject) are VERY CLEAR about aliens or as we call them, immigrants. Instead, the bishops and myself see that immigrants are people, and in God's eyes, there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant. We support the dignity of all people to seek a better life. The question of "illegal immigration" is an artificial term that has no place or meaning in the Church. The Church sees people with souls and dreams, needing salvation in Jesus Christ. The Lord will provide for all no matter what the study of economics suggests. God is not limited by our foolish anti-immigrant laws, nor by our concepts of economic principles. The Church as the body of believers in Jesus as Lord and Savior have seen governments come and go, and have seen the rise and collapse of economic systems throughout its 2,000 year history. For the Church, such things as economic systems are always changing, and always seem to be controlled by those who have power and resources to use such systems for their own profit with little concern for others who do not have such resources. The Church finds all this talk about objectifying people as aliens or illegal and blaming them for any country's economic woes as against God's own law of life and love. God does not act within our own artificial borders and limits and therefore neither does the Church. Scripture is quite clear about this in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave or free person, there is not male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The Church cannot make such distinctions about so-called legal or illegal immigrants or citizens of the USA. And as a son of immigrant parents, I find the whole discussion of illegal immigration to be so anti-Christian that it makes me angry that people cannot see that they are disparaging the hard work of my parents and those like them. I find it all so insulting. As a believer in God's grace and mercy, economics are not as important as accepting and loving people as they are and encouraging them to achieve what God has called them to do. For the economics of God will always provide. Here is the official United States Bishops' Conference statement on immigration issues specific to the United States of America:
Biblical Vision of Love for Strangers
Both the Old and New Testaments tell compelling stories of refugees forced to flee because of oppression. Exodus tells the story of the Chosen People, Israel, who were victims of bitter slavery in Egypt. They were utterly helpless by themselves, but with God's powerful intervention they were able to escape and take refuge in the desert. For forty years they lived as wanderers with no homeland of their own. Finally, God fulfilled his ancient promise and settled them on the land that they could finally call home.
The Israelites' experience of living as homeless aliens was so painful and frightening that God ordered his people for all time to have special care for the alien: "You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for him as for yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt" (Lv 19:33-34).
Jesus reiterates the Old Testament command to love and care for the stranger, a criterion by which we shall be judged: "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me" (Mt 25:35).
The Apostle Paul asserts the absolute equality of all people before God: "There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).
In Christ, the human race is one before God, equal in dignity and
rights.
Although
Catholic
theology has always promoted human rights rooted in natural law and God's revelation, it
was the encyclical Rerum
Novarum (On the Condition of Labor) in 1891 that
developed a systematic presentation of principles of the rights and responsibilities of
people. Rerum Novarum commented on the
situation of immigrants; in later documents, popes and bishops' conferences have
synthesized the Catholic theological tradition to articulate three basic principles on
immigration.
Every person has an equal right to receive from the earth what is necessary for life—food, clothing, shelter. Moreover, every person has the right to education, medical care, religion, and the expression of one's culture. In many places people live in fear, danger, or dehumanizing poverty. Clearly, it is not God's will that some of his children live in luxury while others have nothing. In Luke's Gospel, the rich man was condemned for living well while the poor man starved at his doorstep (Lk 16:19-31).
The native does not have superior rights over the immigrant. Before God all are equal; the earth was given by God to all. When a person cannot achieve a meaningful life in his or her own land, that person has the right to move.
Second Principle: A country has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration:
The overriding
principle of all Catholic social teaching is that individuals must make economic,
political, and social decisions not out of shortsighted self-interest, but with regard for
the common good. That means that a moral person cannot consider only what is good for his
or her own self and family, but must act with the good of all people as his or her guiding
principle. Ordinarily, people do not leave the security of their own land and culture just to seek adventure in a new place or merely to enhance their standard of living. Instead, they migrate because they are desperate and the opportunity for a safe and secure life does not exist in their own land. Immigrants and refugees endure many hardships and often long for the homes they left behind. As Americans we should cherish and celebrate the contributions of immigrants and their cultures; however, we should work to make it unnecessary for people to leave their own land.
Because there seems to be no end to poverty, war, and misery in the world, developed nations will continue to experience pressure from many peoples who desire to resettle in their lands. Catholic social teaching is realistic: While people have the right to move, no country has the duty to receive so many immigrants that its social and economic life are jeopardized.
For this reason, Catholics should not view the work of the federal government and its immigration control as negative or evil. Those who work to enforce our nation's immigration laws often do so out of a sense of loyalty to the common good and compassion for poor people seeking a better life. In an ideal world, there would be no need for immigration control. The Church recognizes that this ideal world has not yet been achieved.
Third Principle: A country must regulate its borders with justice and mercy.
The second principle of Catholic social teaching may seem to negate the first principle. However, principles one and two must be understood in the context of principle three. And all Catholic social teaching must be understood in light of the absolute equality of all people and the commitment to the common good.
A country's regulation of borders and control of immigration must be governed by concern for all people and by mercy and justice. A nation may not simply decide that it wants to provide for its own people and no others. A sincere commitment to the needs of all must prevail.
In our modern world where communication and travel are much easier, the burden of emergencies cannot be placed solely on nations immediately adjacent to the crises. Justice dictates that the world community contribute resources toward shelter, food, medical services, and basic welfare.
Even in the case of less urgent migrations, a developed nation's right to limit immigration must be based on justice, mercy, and the common good, not on self-interest. Moreover, immigration policy ought to take into account other important values such as the right of families to live together. A merciful immigration policy will not force married couples or children to live separated from their families for long periods.
Undocumented immigrants present a special concern. Often their presence is considered criminal since they arrive without legal permission. Under the harshest view, undocumented people may be regarded as undeserving of rights or services. This is not the view of Catholic social teaching. The Catholic Church teaches that every person has basic human rights and is entitled to have basic human needs met—food, shelter, clothing, education, and health care. Undocumented persons are particularly vulnerable to exploitation by employers, and they are not able to complain because of the fear of discovery and deportation. Current immigration policy that criminalizes the mere attempt to immigrate and imprisons immigrants who have committed no crime or who have already served a just sentence for a crime is immoral. In the Bible, God promises that our judgment will be based on our treatment of the most vulnerable. Before God we cannot excuse inhumane treatment of certain persons by claiming that their lack of legal status deprives them of rights given by the Creator.
Finally, immigration
policy that allows people to live here and contribute to society for years but refuses to
offer them the opportunity to achieve legal status does not serve the common good. The
presence of millions of people living without easy access to basic human rights and
necessities is a great injustice.
"Should the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit be
CatholicView Staff:
According to the Catholic religion is the "Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit " the same? Should they be idolized as the same? - Alfredo
______________________________
Alfredo: God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (therefore all the same because they are one God). God is one in three distinct manifestations or personalities (not three separate Gods). God is worshiped as Creator (Father), Savior (Son), and Love of God (Holy Spirit). Each "person" of the Divine Trinity are worshiped the same and as God since God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is no distinction between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is God.– CatholicView Priest Staff"
I visited several denominations, and baptized
CatholicView Staff:
I was first Baptized as a Baptist as my parents
religion. As I became older I went to RCIA and was baptized a Catholic over 30 years ago.
I raised my daughter in the Church and always been a devout Catholic and very
active. Due to a terminal disease limiting my ability to get to a Catholic Church I
visited a Baptist Church with a friend. I only went a few times and think I joined,
but was NOT baptized Baptist again. I think I also visited another denomination to
this brain disorder totally disorienting me and my thought and did only have the means at
the time to go to another denomination. Am I still considered a Catholic? I am
terminal and want to go with my sister who is now Catholic to Mass . All my
decisions in life are based on my Catholic beliefs. Will the Catholic Church
welcome me back? I need to be able to attend Mass and all Holy Days and now
have the means. I must go back to my TRUE CHURCH, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Thank you, Father for any advice you can share with me. I have a brain disorder, so please
excuse my errors. - Cindy
Cindy:
Be at peace. You are always a Catholic. The Lord understands your particular situation. You never left the Church. You worshiped with other Christians. This does not break your relationship with the Church. Go back to church and receive the sacraments. The Catholic Church welcomes you as you are. God knows your struggle with illness. He knows the effect of this illness. Be at peace. You are loved. Go with your sister to Mass and receive communion. If you wish, you can talk with your parish priest and show him your letter and this answer as a way to begin to talk about your life situation. God is with you and walks with you in this struggle with this brain disorder. I pray now for your healing from this brain disorder. Please also pray for yourself. Go forward! Keep looking up to heaven. God loves you always! – CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff:
I have a two part question. One, can a Roman
Catholic who is going on a business trip to Russia licitly fulfill his Sunday obligation
in an Orthodox church? The nearest Catholic church, which is an Eastern Rite Catholic
church, is more that fifty kilometers away from where he will be. I know that normally he
should attend the Eastern Rite Catholic church, but considering the distance, is it
permissible for him to licitly attend an Orthodox Church. Secondly, if the Orthodox
priest will allow him to receive communion, may he licitly do so according to
Catholic cannon law? I have been told the Catholic Church does consider Orthodox
sacraments to be valid, and that the Orthodox priesthood is also valid through Apostolic
succession? Am I correct on that? - Thank you, Hutch
Hutch:
The simple answer to your
particular questions is YES, you may receive communion and participate in the Russian
Orthodox Divine Liturgy to fulfill your Sunday obligation. The Roman Catholic Church
recognizes the validity of the sacraments and apostolic succession of all Orthodox
Churches. Of course, some Russian Orthodox clergy may not like (and may
not allow) Roman Catholics receiving communion even under the circumstances that you
describe. Enjoy your experiences in Russia and rejoice in participating
in an ancient liturgy that is amazing, mystical, uplifting, and heavenly in its
expression. May the Lord bless your business transactions with success! -
CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Staff
I am currently enlisted into the marines. I do not intend to kill people but for the freedom and to keep my country safe and those I love safe, I would do anything. I really don't want to kill anyone. I'm a nice person I don't ever mean harm or violence to any body. Will God forgive me if I kill, will He still let me in to heaven? - Jose
_____________________________
Jose:
We must always be aware that one is following orders to preserve lives and is not a personal immoral action. Remember, in a battle or war situation, when a Marine is forced to defend himself and his country, he is also defending his fellow Marines as well. Being a Christian Catholic and being a Marine is not necessarily at opposites. Jesus Himself on several occasions dealt with the Roman soldiers during His earthly ministry and at no time did He ever preach to them to leave the military and leave behind their military life. On the contrary, He cured a servant of a centurion and said of this centurion that He could not find faith like this centurion had in all of Israel --- and the centurion was a non-believer! See Matthew 8:5. So, be at peace. Serve God and your country without fear! Taking human life is always the last option. Protecting life in general is always our priority.
Being in the Marines is a worthy and wonderful calling; one that our country needs for the protection and the safety of our nation. In your role you are protecting your loved ones and all Americans from the destruction that enemies would bring to this country if they were not stopped by courageous people like you. Of course, all of us would wish there were no wars, but that is not the reality.
And there you have it. Hope this helps you. May God bless you for this patriotic service to our country. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
In an answer given on the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the answerer wrote: "Mary had to be sinless, without sin, to carry the God-man Savior, Jesus Christ." I think this presumes that Jesus could not be touched by a sinner or by one "unclean." If this is so, how do we explain that Jesus both touched and was touched by sinners and the unclean in His ministering? David
_______________________________
David:
You are presuming that because Jesus Christ was without sin, and being sinless He could not touch humanity. But Jesus could be touched by sinners and the unclean and He welcomed all. As you already know many were touched by Jesus. Mark 1: 40-42 tells "A man with leprosy came to Jesus and knelt down. He begged, 'You have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.' Jesus felt sorry for the man. So He put his hand on him and said, 'I want to! Now you are well.' At once the man’s leprosy disappeared, and he was well.
And again In Matthew 8: 1-3 it tells "Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Jesus. He knelt before him, worshiping. "Lord," the man said, "if you want to, you can make me well again." Jesus touched him. "I want to," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared."
The touch of Jesus was a healing touch and although He was sinless He offered that touch for all who came to Him. And it is the same today. For the sinner it can be the touch of faith, the mending of lives, an inner healing that we need.
There are different ways of being touched by Jesus Christ but we must be willing to come to Him, submit to Him, and let Him write His truth on our hearts. It is an inner healing that takes place. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
I have not been able to attend mass for years due to the sexual crimes committed by priests and the cover up by the hierarchy. I have not joined other churches either. I am totally disgusted and revolted. Yet I miss going to church. My family feels the same. What should I (we) do? - Michael
________________________
Michael:
Catholics were appalled to know that some of our priests whom we always held in high esteem were guilty of molesting our young. Most were shocked, disgusted, saddened, angry, sickened, and outraged over not only the actions of our clergy but by the incompetence, cowardice, and selfishness of those in charge of our churches.
But we must remember these actions were limited to some but NOT ALL priests.
Is it hard to trust the “good” priests? Yes, but over time we are beginning to trust again. Our trust is growing in strength once more.
You see, Michael, we are dealing with human beings; imperfect people just like us. Too often we hold priests, bishops, and yes, even the Pope in such high esteem that when some, not all, fall from the pedestals we have placed them on, we collectively blame the good and faithful priests. We are not able to see the good people, the ones who have given up much to be a priest, a bishop or even the pope. We expected perfection; we expected better and now we have lost credibility because of this.
But what happened had nothing to do with Almighty God, our faith, and the promises of salvation that Jesus Christ wants each one of us to have. The Church is simply a man made building where the Holy Spirit of God resides, where we go because God wants us to honor the Sabbath, hear His word, accept His Holy Communion, to rejoice with other Christians and partake in the sacraments; coming together in the house that God made holy in spite of the bad deeds that occurred there. You see, it is our God that makes our Church special. God sees everything.
So why did He allow this to happen? Personally I think He wanted us to learn an important lesson here; we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and not one of us is without sin. What we must do as Christian Catholics is pray for those who committed these crimes in our midst and then thank God for giving us the priests who are still working for the good of us all, and those in high office who willingly give up their lives for the Church. There is still good among us; there are many people with pure and Godly intent. We must concentrate on the good and let God handle the bad.
Remember always, the Catholic Church is run by HUMAN BEINGS. Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:22 to forgive those who have sinned against us. He tells us to forgive not once but seventy times seven. None of us is perfect. Even the most noble persons can commit sin and fall from grace, but with God's loving help we will be able to get past the desire for sin. All we can do is try harder to be more like Jesus Christ. We must pray for our priests that they be more and more like Christ. Yes, the Catholic Church has lost a huge amount of credibility that will take many years to restore. But again remember all of us are all flawed beings. Those who are now acting in faith are taking steps to correct these problems.
Michael, come home and feel God there! By the grace of God and through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Church and all its people will continue to stand because we know that God Who loves you and all of us imperfect beings. Will you stand with us, Michael? God bless you always. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
I am going through an annulment and am sorta dating a man who already has
one. We are 65 years old. We are having dinners together, going to movies, going to
mass, to adoration and bible study together. He is not as devout as me and is rather
sensual. We kiss and embrace and stop there. We have been alone a long while. It is nice
to feel warmth and love again. Is that ok? We are taking this one day at a time. Listening
to the HS. No sexual intimacy happening. Julie _______________________________
Dear Julie:
I am sure the Lord is pleased with the restraint you and your friend have exhibited. And that you have found a man to date and who respects you in intimate matters. We are happy that he has already received his annulment, but until you receive yours, you are still married in the eyes of the Church since you have not received it yet.
A simple kiss or caress is fine providing you are aware that you must avoid the occasion of sin.
We wish you the best of happiness. Once all things are settled, yes, you will be free to pursue marriage within the church. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
_________________________
God wants you to take good care of yourself. Seek help! God loves you, Alex. And you are very special in His eyes. - CatholicView Staff
I recently came across a situation where I had to defend my political views
against my parents, and I feel that I may have offended my father in doing so. I was being
incredulous to what he was saying, and without thinking I rudely questioned his knowledge
on the subject. I felt terrible afterwards. I just want to know if I've committed a mortal
sin. Thank you for you time Father. - Joe
Yes, it is morally wrong to disrespect your parents. The good thing is that you realize what you did and are sorry. This goes a long way in showing that you were raised in a Christian manner. You are a good and decent person at heart. It is now up to you to get your parents' forgiveness. Apologize to them.
Make an appointment to talk to your parish priest as soon as possible. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Why can't I get ahead in life? I have had lost 2 jobs in three months and can't ever catch a break. It's hard to believe this God's plan for me and family. I don't understand. - Theodore
__________________________
Theodore
I am so sorry to hear of your misfortune in finding work. God is good and He will provide your needs. Keep your faith and have patience and endurance that He will see you through during these tough times. We will pray for you that you are successful in your job search.
Please pray this simple prayer tonight, knowing that sees your distress. But always know that the Lord will provide:
Heavenly Father, I need You. You see my struggles to support my family. Please help me according to Your will. And give me the courage to rely on Your goodness and Your grace. Strengthen my faith, hope, and trust in You, as my Provider. In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen.
Theodore, we will pray for you. May the Lord give you courage to keep moving ahead. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
My new roommate has recently told me she has had "dark presences" follow her all her life. I do not believe in ghosts, but I do believe demons exist. Besides praying to St. Michael, what else can I do to ensure my apartment and my own safety against demonic presences? - Lindsay _________________
Lindsay:
I am sorry to hear that you have demonic forces present in your home.
Speak to your parish priest and have him come to your home and bless it through prayer and sprinkling of holy water. Pray and ask the Lord to send His mighty angels to protect you from evil forces. Please keep your bible near and walk through your house and say a prayer in each room. And always remember that God is bigger than Satan's demons.
May the Lord give you peace. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
My son and daughter-in-law were married by a justice of the peace. What must they do to receive the sacrament of matrimony? - Donna ____________________________________
Donna:
Having your son and daughter get their marriage recognized is a simple matter. Tell your son to make an appointment to see his parish priest. The priest will arrange for their marriage to be blessed. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff:
CatholicView:
35 years ago I committed an act which I am not proud of and have since confessed and received absolution. Now that I am further along in my spiritual journey, I am not happy with the way I confessed it back then. I feel I should have been more specific in the details. At the time I felt I told the priest enough of the details but now I am not sure. Should I confess the sin again and tell the priest I wasn't detailed enough or just thank the Lord for his forgiveness and move on with my life. I do not want to go to hell on a technicality. How detailed do we have to be? For example, if I say I looked at a woman and lusted do I need to say I was looking at her breasts? Thank you for your time. - Fred
_______________________________
I think your priest understood the nature of your confession. If this matter continues to hang heavy on your heart, please go back, explain that you want to be clear about this confession. Be specific. Move forward now, knowing that God has read your heart and knows that you have repented of this sin. He is pleased with your faithfulness in wanting to do the right thing. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Can a good person who is an atheist go to Heaven? - Lazaro
___________________
Dear Lazaro:
CatholicView Staff:
Growing up in the Catholic Church, I always had questions, but the answers were always black and white. I have heard “no sex before marriage” for years, but the answer doesn’t justify the complexities of life itself. What about when it’s not the couple’s choice to wait to be wed? What if the parents of the couple are pushing it off for various reasons? - Cecelia
________________________________
Cecelia:
God does not look kindly on those who do not obey His commandments. Sex before marriage is condemned by God and Church. It is a choice that God laid down.
If you decide to indulge in fornication before marriage, explicitly going against teaching, then yes, it is your choice to live in sin. You will not be able to take the Sacrament of Communion in that state.
God gave you free will. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Decide for yourself whether you want to relinquish eternal life by disobedience to God. - CatholicView Staff
“My priest asked me to be a Minister of the
Eucharist but my
CatholicView Staff:
My priest recently asked me to become an extraordinary minister of holy communion. I am really pleased to be asked. My boyfriend lives 2200km away from me in Italy. He wants to move to where I live, and for obvious reasons, particularly logistically, he wants to live with me. I love him, and I do not want to be with anyone else, and we have even spoken about marriage. If he comes to live with me, I assume I wont be able to take communion? I also don't know whether I should be a EMOHC if I am aware I may be living in sin in two years time. I am 26. - Anna
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Anna:
You are giving up a beautiful thing as a Minister of the Eucharist if you decide to live in sin with your boyfriend. Why not marry him and work for our God instead of committing an adulterous affair? You are doing something that has been forbidden by Our God and also the Church. Think hard about this, and remember once you decide to sin, you will not be able to take the sacrament of communion, and your actions, although you believe you are in love, may put you on the road to eternal damnation should you die in that state. Think hard! - CatholicView Staff
“If I commit suicide after confession, will I
answer
CatholicView Staff:
If I suicide me after confession, I will answer only for that sin? - Gregory
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Gregory:
I do not know the details of why you ask "if I commit suicide, will you answer only for that sin?" But you see, only God will decide that. Because He sees our comings and our goings and He can read your heart, only He is the judge.
Life is sacred, a gift of God, to be cherished and clung to. You see, God wants you to live for life is sacred, a gift of God, to be cherished and clung to.
Your letter is only one sentence long with no details. CatholicView does not know the circumstances surrounding your question and we do not know why or if you are contemplating suicide. If you are, please get some professional help immediately!
We beg you to see a priest in person and tell him what you are feeling and why you feel the way you do about life so he will understand and help you. Do not despair. One thing that you must know is that you are loved. Our heavenly Father loves you. - CatholicView Staff
"My husband has a well paid job but his
health is bad.
CatholicView Staff:
My husband has been blessed with a fantastic well paying job so we transferred from Florida to another state, and now we have all the money we need but his health has been bad. I would rather us be living paycheck to paycheck back in Florida than to see him kill himself working long hours. I have asked him to give it all up but he won't. He feels it’s our last chance for retirement. What do I do? - Carol
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Carol:
I am sorry to hear that your husband is not well. Perhaps it is that very fact of his health that he keeps working. He might want to save enough to see you both through his illness.
Is there a family member who could talk to your husband about his overworking? Certainly to overwork cannot be good for him if his health is at risk.
Please make an appointment with your parish priest for you and your husband. If this matter is shared with your priest, it may carry enough weight to make him slow down and cut back on his hours. God go with you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
I am and have the honor being Eucharist Minister for many years. My wife and I have a good friend who is Protestant and wants and does receive Holy Communion. What's a good answer I can give her why see shouldn't? - Ed
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Dear Ed:
Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the Real (transubstantiated) Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearance (species) of Bread and Wine.
Catholics have always taken Jesus at His Word; He really meant that the Bread IS His Body and the Wine IS His Precious Blood – truly, really. Protestants do not believe this.
Tell your friend that since she is not Catholic and if she does not accept the teachings of the Catholic Church about communion she should not partake. To accept would mean she believes that the communion is truly the body and blood of Jesus Christ. If your friend wants to discuss this more fully, ask that she read I Corinthians11:29 which states "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." Hope this helps. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
My fiancé who is not Catholic views pornography. I tell him that it's a mortal sin. He thinks that he will go to heaven just because him believes in Jesus. My question is - Is pornography not a mortal sin for him? - Joan
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Dear Joan:
If a Catholic views pornography, yes, it is a sin for it conjures up sexual feelings and can certainly lead us into sin and sinful behavior. Pornography is the misuse of another person for material gain and we must not indulge ourselves in this infiltration within our homes.
Pornography is sinful for any Christian to view for the same reasons noted above. It leads to sin.
Please encourage your boyfriend to stop. It is not something that can be conducive to your relationship as a Catholic Christian. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Where do you draw the line for a sexual sin? If a girl asks you what you've done, or what you like to have done, is it a mortal sin, or is it okay as long as you're not sending sexually inappropriate text messages to her?- David
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David:
If a girl will boldly ask such private and provocative questions, beware! You have not committed a mortal sin so far with text. We are told as Christians, to avoid the occasion of sin. This is one of those instances where one is led into something that could prove not only inappropriate but could lead to sin. Avoid this! - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
My question is I have paranormal activity and my son was dragged off his bed recently. I am terrified for our lives. Can someone come and exorcise my house. I hear voices in my pillow every night when I lay down. I need help. - Christian
____________________________
Christian:
Do you attend a church? If so, you ask your minister to pray at your house, going from room to room with his bible. Or you may try to get a priest to come and do this for you. In the meantime, take you bible and pray in each room of your house, asking the Lord to cleanse all evil spirits from your home and protect you from harm.
Here is a prayer for you:
CatholicView Staff:
I am no saint. I have sinned in my past life. But I have really turned to God these last few years. I am 70 years old and live with my son who works. I feel I have not sinned and yet I want to go to reconciliation. What do I do? What do I confess? - George
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George:
If you feel the need to go to reconciliation by all means go. Given the social dimension of even venial sin, it is appropriate that every Catholic makes use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation occasionally, even when not conscious of mortal sin. When you enter the confessional, tell the priest that you are unaware of any sin but feel the need to be there and ask for forgiveness should you have unknowingly said an unkind word or a slight to someone. God bless you, George. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Recently I had to terminate my baby, as I had the German measles. I was 3 months pregnant. I feel very bad, angry about this, when ever I see some one else pregnant I feel hurt, and angry that it had to happen to me, it was my first child. I try to forget but it comes to me over again and I keep asking why this happens to me. - Patricia
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Patricia:
I am so sorry to learn about the termination of your baby. No one should have to face such a grievous decision as yours. In your case, surely the doctor could see no hope for a survival of your child.
As sad as this has been, the Lord wants you to move ahead with His strength and love. Let Almighty God heal your heartbreak. Let Jesus Christ heal your pain. Pray often, knowing that He is there listening and holding out His hand in comfort. Move forward now, Patricia, for God will see you through this. We will pray for you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
How do I talk to a priest in private. I really need to talk to one, I broke a lot of sins I need to talk about it. Please email me at casieamorpoco@yahoo.com. - Cassie
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Dear Cassie:
Call your parish office and make an appointment to see your priest. They will set up the appointment for you. God bless - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I masturbated. Once. But I feel absolutely terrible! Is it a mortal sin? I'm very holy otherwise. Also I'm embarrassed to confess. - Emily ___________________________________ Emily: You are not the first to confess to this sin so
not feel embarrassed to confess it. Remember God forgives. Please read the
article published in CatholicView on this subject. May the Lord strengthen you to go forward in the faith. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I left the Church 30 years ago then I went back. I couldn't go to Communion until confession. Went to confession, confessed to lust, flesh, and masturbation, without giving details to actual sexual acts. Am I forgiven? Please reply. - David _______________________________ David: The priest (confessor) who heard your confession would have asked for particulars if the confession was not clear. Unless you committed acts that were violent or not consistent with what you have written about, your confession is complete. If you are uncertain, re-visit the confessional and be more explicit. Please pray and ask God to forgive you. Make sure you have repented and are able to now move forward in the Lord. Go in peace. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I married at 18 in a Protestant ceremony. I was divorced after he admitted cheating and was arrested for attempted rape. I was married again by JP 20 years ago. This is my husband's only marriage. Returned to Church 3 yrs ago, my husband is converting and wish to be remarried in the Church. Is there any hope of this? Can we both receive communion as long as we remain celibate? Thanks. - Bekki ____________________________________ Dear Bekki: I am sorry to say neither of you may receive communion unless you talk to a priest about your divorce for you are still married in the eyes of the Church to your first husband. You will need an annulment from the first husband. Until your husband becomes a baptized Catholic he cannot receive communion. But since he wants to become Catholic, this is only a matter of time. But, yes, there is hope for you and your present husband. Makes an appointment with your parish priest to discuss how this can be done. I am sure everything can be worked out to your satisfaction. May the Lord go with you as you make your way back to the Church. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I've had trouble getting a clear answer to this question, so I hope you can help me. My husband is not Catholic, but was married in a Catholic Church to his first wife. They divorced shortly after, but never got an annulment. I married him in a civil ceremony 5 years ago, and we would like to have out marriage blessed by the Church. What do we need to do to have this happen? Does he still need an annulment even though only his wife was Catholic? Thank you so much. - Shannon ________________________________ Dear Shannon: Your husband was married in the Catholic Church and will need an annulment, and actually is still married to his first wife according to the Church. Once your husband's annulment is obtained, you can then make things right with the Church through confession and arranging to have your marriage blessed. Call your parish priest and ask him to clarify the above. Once all things are sorted out, you will be able to partake in all the sacraments of the Church again. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I've been married before and have since been divorced from that marriage. My question is, since I got married in the Catholic Church, can I still get a blessing from a priest in my new union? We have been married 3 years now and thinking of renewing our vows, it would be my second marriage and my husband's first. - Carmen ________________________________ Carmen: Yes, you can get your second marriage blessed if you have received an annulment for your first marriage. If you have not, you are still married to your first husband in the eyes of the Church and therefore cannot have the second marriage blessed until you have received your annulment. Please see your parish priest and set up an appointment to discuss what has to be done. -CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Can a woman be a lay minister if she has lived with a man for 48 years and they have never been married? - Betty ____________________________ Unfortunately you cannot be a lay minister in the Church while you are living in sin. Contact your parish priest about having a private marriage ceremony. In the meantime you must not take holy communion until you do. I urge you to make things right. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I have a question, and I don't know if everyone can help me out... My fiancé and I are planning to get marry. However, he is not baptized and has not done his confirmation and first communion either. However, I have done my first communion, confirmation and I am baptized. Can we still get marry in a catholic church? Does he has to do those sacraments in order for us to get marry? Thank you for your time and concern. - Martha ________________________________ Martha: A Catholic can marry an unbaptized person, but such marriages are natural marriages only; they are not sacramental marriages. The Church, therefore, discourages them and requires a Catholic who wishes to marry an unbaptized person to receive a special dispensation from his or her bishop. Still, if the dispensation is granted, a non-sacramental marriage is valid and can take place inside of a Catholic Church. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView: Is it possible for a Protestant Christian to attain salvation, if they are aware of Catholic dogmas and teachings, but in good conscience wish to remain Protestant? - Iain _______________________________ Iain: Thank you for your question. Salvation can be had by obeying, through faith, what the Lord has taught us. We must trust that Jesus Christ paid for our salvation. If you believe this, and live a good Christian life, you will be welcomed into the sacred kingdom of heaven. When Judgment Day comes, and we stand before the Lord, He will not ask us what denomination we were, He will ask us: "Do you love me? If we followed His commandments, if we lived according to what He taught, and if we love and honor God and Himself, then your answer will be a resounding, "Yes, Lord, I love you!"
Go in peace, continue to live a clean life by walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. And always remember, our doors are always open. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Someone has hurt me deeply. I have forgiven them but the hurt is still there. Do I have to acknowledge them or associate with them any more? - Sue _______________________________ Sue: You have done what the Lord has asked us to do and that is to forgive those who unthinkingly hurt us. By forgiving the one who has inflicted emotional or physical pain you have made your peace with that person. But, like all human beings, we do not want to pursue or associate with them. If you meet them in Church, at work, or wherever, as a Christian, you must show that forgiveness by acknowledging them by a simple quiet greeting and move on. You do not have to engage in conversation. If that person insists on talking to you, keep it short and do not open yourself to being hurt. Forgiveness means to let go of the hurt but avoid a repetition of that hurt. We learn from the past. Remember, when we forgive we free ourselves from anger and bitterness. God strengthens us to move pass the pain. As He forgives us He tells us we must forgive in return. God is well pleased with you. Go forward now with a clear heart and mind. May God bless you greatly. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: My Catholic and
honorable best friend was murdered and did not receive last rites. He was a good Person
but did not practice religion. He lived an honorable life. Does God forgive him? Dear Phil: We are so sorry to hear about your friend being murdered. Although he did not practice religion, we cannot judge him. Only God can. God can forgive all things and we do not know if he talked to God during his last moments and made things right. Keep in mind that God sees into the heart. We cannot. Do not be concerned. Know that now your friend is now in God's hands. Be at peace. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: My 9 year old son is an extremely holy child and has wanted to be a priest since 2 years old. He attends a Catholic School where he is badly bullied and is finding life difficult, the school continues to do nothing. How can I help him, life is very hard for us? - Andrea _______________________________ Andrea: It seems that the children who try the hardest to do the right thing sometimes becomes the target of abuse from other children. Have you spoken to the teachers and the principal about these bullies? And if they do not punish the bullies for these terrible actions, then you have no recourse but to seek out the parents and tell them you will not take their child's actions lightly. If nothing works, then report the school staff to the School Board. Usually when a parent has a conference with the teachers with the principal present, they will see they must do something about this terrible situation. If this persists, take your child to another school. Pray about this, ask God to show you how to handle this problem and do not be afraid to confront the school staff. - May the Lord help you to find a solution to this matter. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
What is the obligation of someone who is a charity case but who has been given a large amount of money to be able to survive for the coming few years, to lend to someone? Jesus said that if someone asks to borrow, then lend to him. I am afraid to break into this money and I am overcome with anxiety because I love Jesus and want to obey his commands and I don't know what my obligation here is. I would be living in my car were it not for the blessed family who gave me funds. - Janice
________________________________
Dear Janice:
What a wonderful thing to find a blessed family to give you enough money to survive for the coming few years! Thank God for sending you this family! As He sent them to you, you must, however small the amount, give back what you can afford. This would be a beautiful way to thank our God for providing for you when you were in serious need. When we give, the Lord sees this and will provide for you as He did before. He will bless you greatly for that small amount because you will be fulfilling what Jesus taught us to do. Be at peace and do what the bible commands in Matthew 7:12: "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." God bless you always. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: Hi, I'm a little overwhelmed...if there are over 1 billion humans living on earth and even 1/2 of them believe in God, how can He possibly know and love me, much less find me in a huge overpopulated world that I'm a ridiculously tiny portion of? - Darren
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Darren: You are limiting our all powerful God Who has infinite knowledge and understanding of His creation of human beings. He is Omniscient. He even knows the number of hairs on your head.
Matthew 10:29-30 Jesus tells us that God created you in your mother's womb and He knew your name before you were born.
He is all seeing, all knowing, and in Matthew 10:29-30, Jesus tells us "For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!"
Jesus, when talking to the Pharisees also makes a point of each person's worth. Our Creator sees and know all things about you, and me. This means He knows what we say and what we do. He knows our past, our present, and our future.
What a wonderful God we serve! God loves you so much that He sent His son to die for your salvation. YOURS! Because He wants YOU to live one day in His kingdom forever IN HAPPINESS AND GLORY! Your God cares for you and for me. And yes, He knows exactly where you are in this moment of time. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
I just had a miscarriage and I'm doubting God exists or if He does He doesn't care about my suffering at all. What proof can you offer to my logical mind that He exists and does in fact care? - Katie
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Katie:
CatholicView is saddened that you lost your unborn child. The doubt that you feel is a natural thing. You feel angry that God would not intervene and make your pregnancy end with a beautiful baby. If you have been faithful to the Lord, you are feeling somehow He has let you down, because He could have stopped the loss. For some reason He did not. And then the doubts gained in strength.
Sometimes it is hard to continue praying when your prayers are unanswered. The God you counted on seems far, far away. The trust you felt seems to dissipate as you feel God, if He even exists, is indifferent to your pain and suffering.
Please read Luke 12 where Jesus states “Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."
Katie, God is love. And God's love is personal. He knows each of us individually. His is a mighty love that has no beginning and no end.
Then why, you ask, does did He let me lose my baby?
I do not have an answer for you. I can only tell you to trust God. There can be no perfect life here for anybody. This is why we must hang onto Jesus Christ to carry us through the good and the bad. When you say you want proof that He exists and that He cares, 1 John 4:8 tells us that "God is love". This is quite a strong statement. If He does not love us, would He have sent His only Son to die for our salvation? Yes, He is real and you can feel His "love" each time you earnestly pray.
God's love is personal. His is a mighty love that has no beginning and no end. God loves you whether you doubt Him or not for God's ways are not your ways. He has a reason to allow what happened. We do not presume to know why. We can't explain it but we must continue to hold on because He is there crying with you, He is there with open arms wanting to hold you tight in comfort. Through the grief, He is there.
But this I know that even now He is giving comfort to your precious baby in heaven, and one fine day you WILL see your baby in all glory.
As Christians we rely on faith. God's ways are not our ways. Consider Job who lost everything he had. But His faith was strong even though his friends laughed as he lost everything he had including his precious children.
Allow your faith to grow to the point where you can command the mountain of despair and doubt out of your life and ask Him to bring healing and strength to your heart, your mind, your body and most of all to your soul and your spirit.
Katy, God's never ending love can give you peace if you can believe again. God can replace the sorrow you are feeling with love. He will renew your faith. Go to Him and see it happen.
Here is a prayer for you:
Heavenly Father, I turned my back on you when my unborn was miscarried. But Lord, I have no one else to turn to but You, my God. Let me believe again in You. Let me feel your comfort and Your eternal love. Let me know through Your Holy Spirit that I am NOT abandoned for You never left me. I, in disappointment, left You. But my will is not Your will. Your ways are not my ways. Help me, strengthen me to come back to You, to feel Your warm presence beyond my loss. Let me wait with peaceful patience for what you have in store for me. You have not left me, You are still walking at my side. I cannot see beyond my pain but I know You will make all things right. I put my hope in You. I am asking this through Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen!!
Be at Peace, Katie. We will pray for you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Can I get married to a Christian believer and still attend Catholic Church after already being married to my ex-husband by the Catholic Church? - Rosa
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Dear Rosa:
As a Catholic, you are still married to your first husband according to the Church if you did not get an annulment from your ex-husband. If you marry again without an annulment, you will not be able to take communion.
Yes you can attend the Catholic Church but you cannot receive any of the sacraments until you receive your annulment. When you do, you will be able to have your marriage blessed and partake in the Church Sacraments. Please discuss this matter with your parish
priest. He will be able to sort these
CatholicView Staff: I've been married before and have since been divorced from that marriage. My question is, since I got married in the Catholic Church, can I still get a blessing from a priest in my new union? We have been married 3 years now and thinking of renewing our vows, it would be my second marriage and my husband's first. - Carmen _________________________________ Carmen: Yes, you can get your second marriage blessed if you have received an annulment for your first marriage. If you have not, you are still married to your first husband in the eyes of the Church and therefore cannot have the second marriage blessed until you have received your annulment. Please see your parish priest and set up an appointment to discuss what has to be done. -CatholicView Staff
CatholicView staff: I try to tell my friends about Jesus, but without much success. Aside from quoting scripture and telling how my life has changed, how can I impress upon them that Jesus Christ is Lord. Why should they believe me?" ____________________________ Susan: How wonderful that you are trying to tell your friends about the Lord. This is what our Lord asked of us. But sometimes people become resistant when we continuously try to explain salvation. They close up. If some are open to listening this would be easy to do. The answer is to pray for those who shut their ears, asking Jesus Christ to touch their hearts, to open their minds to truth. Be an example for them. Without saying anything, you will be an example they can see without words. Keep doing what Jesus wants you to do. If friends do not want to hear, keep praying for them and maybe they will someday see what you tried to tell them. God bless you always. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Can a woman be a lay minister if she has lived with a man for 48 years and they have never been married? ________________________________ Unfortunately you cannot be a lay minister in the Church while you are living in sin. Contact your parish priest about having a private marriage ceremony. In the meantime you must not take holy communion until you do. I urge you to to make things right. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I have a question, and I don't know if everyone can help me out... My fiancé and I are planning to get marry. However, he is not baptized and has not done his confirmation and first communion either. However, I have done my first communion, confirmation and I am baptized. Can we still get marry in a catholic church? Does he has to do those sacraments in order for us to get marry? Thank you for your time and concern. - Martha ______________________________ Martha: A Catholic can marry an unbaptized person, but such marriages are natural marriages only; they are not sacramental marriages. The Church, therefore, discourages them and requires a Catholic who wishes to marry an unbaptized person to receive a special dispensation from his or her bishop. Still, if the dispensation is granted, a non-sacramental marriage is valid and can take place inside of a Catholic Church. - CatholicView Staff
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