Father Bill: My daughter is marrying a wonderful man and was told by the deacon that she will not be allowed to receive the sacrament of marriage because her fiancé has never been baptized in any church. Her marriage will be blessed and recognized, but she will not receive the Sacrament of Marriage. How can this be? In all my years as a Catholic, I have never heard of such a thing. I am very confused and do not understand how this can be. Please help me understand my religion. My son marrying in the Methodist Church has committed a mortal sin in the eyes of the church since he did not ask the bishop's approval and can no longer receive communion and now my daughter marrying a man not baptized in any religion cannot receive the sacrament of marriage but can have a blessed marriage. I thought I understood my religion, but these two situations are causing me to question the faith I have believed all my life. Please help me understand before I lose my whole family to the faith we have shared all of our lives. - Helen
Dear Helen: First of all, I think it’s wonderful that your daughter will be marrying a man that you and she obviously love and respect very much. This is cause for celebration and joy. The deacon who worked with your daughter and future son-in-law has stated the truth: a marriage between a baptized person and an unbaptized person cannot be a sacrament. I will explain this more in a moment, but let me stress that this does not mean that your daughter’s marriage will lack holiness or God’s blessing. The fact that your daughter’s marriage will not be a sacrament has nothing to do with whether she or your future son-in-law are good people. It has everything to do with who can receive a sacrament and what it takes for marriage to be a sacrament. Simply stated, only a baptized person may receive a sacrament. Without getting too deeply into the theology of Baptism, perhaps some simple questions might help: Can you conceive of an unbaptized person being confirmed? Can you conceive of an unbaptized person receiving Holy Orders? Of course not, because it is the supernatural life we receive in Baptism that opens up for us the riches of the other sacraments. You are probably thinking, “But my daughter is baptized, so why will her marriage not be a sacrament?” The reason is that when a baptized man and woman marry, they are conferring the sacrament on each other; this is what defines a sacramental marriage. It is not the priest or even the Church who are conferring the sacrament; it is the man and the woman who make a solemn promise before God and each other who are the celebrants and recipients of this sacrament. A person who is not baptized cannot receive a sacrament. Therefore, while the marriage is a valid marriage in the eyes of the Church (assuming that the couple has met all the other requirements), such a marriage cannot be a sacramental marriage. It has to be a sacrament for both, or it’s not a sacrament for either. One last point: your daughter is not being denied a sacrament. It is just a simple fact that, for the reasons stated above, a marriage between a baptized person and an unbaptized person cannot be a sacrament. This is not a Church rule. It is the very nature of the sacrament of marriage. Your son’s situation is quite different. In his case, it is Church rules that are involved. For a Catholic to be validly married in the eyes of the Church, the following requirements must be met: The two parties must be free to marry. This means that neither has been married before, or that previous marriages have been dissolved by death or a decree of nullity. In the case of marriage with a non-Catholic, all the necessary dispensations and/or permissions have been granted. If these conditions have been met, then a Catholic may be married either in a Catholic church or in some other church. (Yes, your son could have been married in a Methodist church, if he had met the above requirements. I wonder…did he consult his pastor at all before he and his wife made their marriage plans?) I am assuming that in your son’s case, at least one of the above requirements was not met. Since Catholics are required to follow the Church’s rules about marriage, his marriage would not be considered a valid marriage in the eyes of the Church, and he would not be allowed to receive the sacraments—unless he and his wife would proceed to have their marriage convalidated (“blessed”) in the Catholic Church. I hope this helps, Helen. I know that there are a lot of misunderstandings about the Church’s teachings and expectations when it comes to marriage. Usually a simple visit—or even a phone call—to one’s pastor can be a great help. May God bless you and your family. Fr. Bill
Father Bill: I am an organ transplant recipient. Seven years ago I was 23 years old and on my deathbed. Now I am healthy, married with a little girl and generally living a wonderful life (thank GOD). However, I deal with what I would call Survivor's Guilt. Lately a handful of my "transplant friends" have died and I ask myself why I'm alive when so many others have died. I see people in the paper who die of cancer at 40 with children and a husband or wife and I think, "Why does God let this happen?" and if he lets it happen to them, "why not me?" These thoughts rob me of much of my joy in life as I feel somehow guilty when I am enjoying myself when others aren't 'able to because of illness or hunger or some other tragedy in their lives. What does the bible/the church have to say about enjoying our earthly life despite the tragedy all around us? Any help/advice you can offer would be much appreciated. – Mark
Dear Mark: It must be hard to be going through what you’re going through. I think you are probably quite accurate in calling this “survivor’s guilt”, and as is the case with guilt in general, it is not easily cast aside. Your specific question asks what the Bible and the Church have to say about enjoying life despite the tragedy all around us. I could be wrong, but I don’t think that the Bible or the Church directly address this. There is a lot about tragedy in the Bible and a lot about joy, but tragedy most often seems to be related to sin and human failure, while joy seems to be related to living a life that is righteous, just, and pleasing to God. Neither can I think of any official teachings of the Church that tell us how to find joy in life in spite of its many sorrows. However, many of the saints have had their say in this regard. I would suggest that you look into the life of St. Theresa of Avila. Although she was a mystic and suffered many indignities, she was still very down-to-earth and witty. I think you would enjoy reading about her life. An Internet search should lead you to plenty of books by and about this amazing saint and doctor of the Church. Mark, I’m sure that you realize that even though we don’t all experience the weight of survivor’s guilt, just about everyone has to live in the midst of tragedy. Whether it’s the broad human tragedies like war, hunger, terrorism and poverty, or the more immediate tragedies like the illness or death of a loved one, we all live in a world that contains plenty of what Psalm 23 calls the “valley of darkness”. Still, the overall tenor of Psalm 23 is one of a quiet kind of joy found in knowing that, even in the midst of life’s travails, “the Lord is my Shepherd”. That psalm has helped many people on their walk through life. I admire your empathy, Mark. You obviously take upon yourself the pains of others. Such empathy is both a gift and a burden. It is a gift because you are a compassionate presence in the lives of others, but it is a burden in that such empathy casts a shadow over your joy. I wonder…what would your deceased transplant friends want for you…joy or guilt? I’m guessing that they would unanimously and vigorously stand on the side of your joy. (If you were the one who died, and your transplant friends were the ones who survived, would you want them to feel guilty about being glad that they were still alive?) We don’t know why bad things happen to good people, but they do. We don’t know why a young mother dies of breast cancer or a young father dies in a car accident coming home from work. It sucks…it really does, and we feel helpless and more than a little angry. Personally, I don’t think that God does these things. I think they just happen, and God weeps with us when they do…but that’s just me. Others would disagree. So much really comes down to our mortality and how we perceive that inevitable aspect of human life. We will all die. Is death really a tragedy? Not, I suspect, if we have embraced life. Mark, you really can’t do anything about your transplant friends whose deaths have left you with a burden of guilt. You can’t change the fact that they have died and you have not. I wonder if I can be bold enough to speak for them by telling you to embrace the life you have. It is a gift from God that holds great potential. Embrace your wife. Hug your daughter. Thank God every day that you are still alive. Pray the Morning Offering. Pray the Serenity Prayer. Pray the Lord’s Prayer…”thy will be done”…and leave what you can’t control in the hands of God. – Father Bill
Father Bill: It's been a couple years since I slowly started getting back into the faith, and I am very glad for it. However, I've recently been in the company of many who do not share my faith. They talk about their religions constantly, intent on "saving" me, constantly pointing out how the Church is a false church and Catholics are damned to hell the same way Jews and Hindu's are. I don't believe what they say, but their words are starting to hurt, to make me depressed and anxious. What can I do to keep my position of faith and to be able to ignore these feelings of anxiety? I didn't believe in God for so long, and I feel like some parts of me are still on delicate strings. – Machelle
Dear Machelle: Your return to the practice of your faith is truly a sign of God’s grace at work. This is a blessing for you, of course, but it’s also a blessing for all of God’s people, as I’m sure you bring many gifts to the community of believers. Before I get to your question, I have to commend you for something you said. You said, “I don’t believe what they say, but their words are starting to hurt,” I commend you because I have found that there are so many Catholics who let other people tell them what Catholics believe. They let people who are ignorant of the Catholic faith define the faith for them! That would be like someone who knows nothing about soccer (like me!) trying to tell a soccer player how the game is played. It baffles me that Catholics let people outside of the Church tell them what Catholics believe. You aren’t doing that, and I admire you for your common sense. Now to your question. What can you do to keep your faith strong and to be able to ignore your feelings of anxiety? I think that there are two things you can do to keep your faith strong. Number one, practice your faith. Attend Mass regularly. Develop a deep love for the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Join in the prayers and singing of the liturgy. Pray every day. (You might even consider making a habit of praying Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church’s official daily prayer.) My second recommendation for you is to take advantage of some Catholic adult education opportunities that may exist in your parish or in your area. There is nothing like learning more about the treasures of our Catholic faith if you wish to strengthen and deepen your appreciation for the gift that it is. If your parish has the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), you might consider volunteering as a sponsor for someone coming into the faith. If you did this, you would not only be sharing your gift of faith with someone else, but you would also be learning more about our faith. The more you learn about our faith, the stronger your faith will become, and the less you will be inclined to let the opinions of others make you depressed and anxious. Finally, may I suggest that you pray for those whose ignorance or hatred of the Church make them blind and deaf to what the Church really is and what it teaches. Jesus didn’t want a Church in which every preacher with a new idea would lay claim to the truth. He wanted a Church that would be guided by the Holy Spirit to authentically interpret Scripture and be a life-giving mother to all of God’s children. The Catholic Church isn’t perfect, but it has preserved the truth of Christianity for almost 2000 years. I doubt that a false church could have so long endured. – Father Bill
"If I volunteer
time or extra prayer, could this Father Amaro: My husband and I are on the verge of a home purchase. I am unable to work due to form of agoraphobia. We are on an extremely tight budget and afraid of not making house payments. Does volunteering time or extra prayer count in replacement of money tithing? Thank you - Christina
Dear Christina: We are to tithe in three different areas. They are time, talent, and treasure. Your time is perfect for the prayer life, especially where your neighbor is concerned. Only you and God know what your talents are. They could be baking for bake sales or helping with cleaning God’s house. It could be almost anything. Treasure has to do with material wealth. The Church has always suggested 5% to the Church and 5% to other worthy charitable causes. It is these types of participation that are represented in the bread and wine that proceed to the altar before the consecration. They are "work of human hands" and "what human hands have made." God provides the wheat and the grapes. But it takes human participation to make the bread and wine. It has always amazed me that Jesus chose to use these elements to provide his Body and Blood to us. Only you and God know what a worthy tithe is for you. But I hope this helps you in your consideration. - God bless. - Father Amaro
"My daughter is
well educated and a honor Father Amaro: My daughter is 29 years old. Catholic. College degree. Honor student and superb athlete all through school. I love her very much and am proud of all she is and does to make this a better world. She is a lesbian. I am at a loss as to why. I do not know how to handle this aspect of her life? Help? - Bill
Dear Bill: If you could figure out what makes someone a homosexual, you would be a very rich man. But if you could find out what makes a gossip a gossip or a thief a thief, you’d ever be richer. If you knew why people would turn away from the sacraments, you would be a miracle worker. I always thought it strange that we worry so much about the sexual aspects of our lives, or the lives of others, but pay little attention to the other things that are impulses that make us stray from the Ten Commandments. They’re all on the same list and all as offensive to God. We do know that "all sin and fall short of the glory of God." There is not one of us who doesn’t have some kind of disordered impulse. The important thing is to bear that impulse and try to keep the Commandments. It’s also important that we remember that real love does no harm. These are the things that need to be shared with your daughter, no matter what her impulses are. You might want to be open with her about the impulses you have to keep in tow. We all need salvation. And we all admonish and encourage each other. But we can’t "fix" these things. We men like quick fixes. Please don’t apply that technique to your daughter. Your job is to teach... and teach humbly with patience. Your daughter will decide how she is to proceed from there. God bless. - Father Amaro
"Can an
Orthodox priest give the Last Rites Father Amaro: Is it licit according to Catholic law for a Catholic who is very near death to receive last rites and Holy Communion from an Orthodox priest if there is no Catholic priest available? – Hunter
Dear Hunter: Although we are separated brethren from the Orthodox Church, we do recognize that they have valid Apostolic Succession, and therefore, valid Sacraments. If an Orthodox person does not have a worshiping community, we may extend the sacraments to them. However, this "favor" is not always returned in kind. The Church is working on such things. If you can get an Orthodox priest to administer the sacrament in such a scenario, it is validly received. But it truly must be one of those rare cases where there is no Catholic priest available. God bless. - Father Amaro
Father Amaro:
Dear Michael, One of the most beautiful things about our faith is that there is always a place for reconciliation. Depending on the matter, the sincerity of the penitent, and possibly a new declaration of the Creed it is always possible. Contact your bishop with the certain matter and, depending on the offense, he will tell you the proper procedures. A priest can do some. But others must be done by the bishop, or even Rome. But all sins can be forgiven when approached with true repentance. I hope this gives you hope. God bless. - Father Amaro
CatholicView Staff: I myself am not Catholic. I really don’t know what I am for that matter I just know that I’ve done a horrible act and I need to confess it. While I was living with my friend and his wife I slept with his wife, not the proudest moment in my life I was weak to say the least anyway the guilt is getting to me and I don’t know what to do any advice will be helpful. – David
David: Do you have ties to any faith or religious belief? If so, then I would suggest you talk to someone from your religious background. If you do not have a religious affiliation, then you can call your local Catholic parish and see if you can make an appointment with the priest there and confess your actions so that you can get it off your chest. Confession is the first step in making amends for your actions. When someone who was trusted by one member of that marriage has violated the ties of marriage, the betrayal is deep. You may have to sever your ties to your friend and his wife for the rest of your life. Not to do so would do two things: put you in the same situation of temptation for both of you, and when something should happen and this violation of trust is made known, then you will be thrown out of the relationship by your betrayed friend. So, no matter what, this friendship is broken and cannot be healed. It is time to walk away. Not to do so will only delay the inevitable. –
CatholicView Staff: I want to join the Catholic Church. I am a
baptized Episcopalian. I am once divorced (to
a Protestant) and am remarried to a baptized Protestant.
Also, I have a son from the first marriage (who is baptized Protestant and
confirmed in the United Church of Christ) who lives with my current wife and me. My situation appears so complicated. Can I become Catholic? My wife will undoubtedly not convert. Daniel
Daniel: Your baptism in the Episcopal Church is valid and recognized by the Catholic Church. As to being a full member of the Catholic Church, your previous marriage must be reconciled with the church. We recognize your first marriage as valid. So, there will be a process called a decree of ecclesiastical nullity that must be done first before you are accepted fully into the Church. Your wife does not have to be a Catholic for you to be a Catholic. And your son is not required to be a Catholic either. So, it is not as complicated as you think. What is needed is a decree of ecclesiastical nullity (annulment) of your first marriage and your desire to be a Catholic. Your second marriage would be blessed in the Church. Then you can be received fully into the Church after going through the Rites of Christian Initiation (RCIA). Please make an appointment with your local priest and talk about your spiritual journey that has brought you to the Catholic Church. God’s blessings always. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: What are the rules for a priest's retirement? Our priest is getting to be quite elderly, severely diabetic, and has no family. There is a widow in our parish who wants to care for him in her home. Is this allowed? – Ava
Ava: One of
the confusing things about being a diocesan priest in the USA is that each diocese
has its own retirement fund and retirement expectations. In my diocese, when a
priest retires at 70 years of age or more, the diocese gives the priest a pension and can
either live in a rectory somewhere or find his own place to live. In other words, a
retired priest is on his own. If your retired priest is sick and his diocese does
not have a program for caring for its sick elderly priests, then the widow of your
parish is very kind to offer her home and her support for this retired
priest. God will certainly bless this lady who does this. She is doing a
great work of charity. Yes, the lady can care for him in his old age. There
are no canonical restrictions in caring for a sick and elderly priest by anyone. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: My employment as an Animal Control Officer requires that I perform euthanasia. This tears me up when it is not for the 'right' reasons. The reasons that I feel are not the 'right' reasons include, but are not limited to time, space, and a lot of times no assessment has been done. I am conflicted because what am I going to say to God? It was my job? I had to feed my kids? Any advice is truly appreciated. - Rosalee
Rosalee: Your role as an animal control officer for your community is one that demands a great respect for all life including animal life. Animals are also created by God for His purpose and His plan. All life is an extension of God Himself. You are correct in stating that animal euthanasia should only be used in a restricted sense of releasing the animal from its terminal illness suffering. Even though God has given to humankind authority over all animal life, nonetheless, we human beings must exercise that authority with the greatest respect for life. If you feel that you are being asked (or even ordered) to do something against your values of respect for all life, then you must not do it. To do so would compromise your beliefs and damage your relationship with God, the source of all life. Blessings to you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Is God mad or ashamed of me if I am afraid? I have a mouse in my apartment and I am terrified. I feel like I am letting God down because I am scared that God wants me to be brave and don’t let God down. I love Him. - Ann
Hello Ann: Thank you for your question. God made us and He knows the fears we have. He understands that we are human and there are things we are all afraid of. You are not alone. God does not require bravery in small things such as a mouse in your apartment. Ask someone to set some mousetraps for you or do it yourself. Some traps are made so the mouse goes in and does not come out again. Then you can dispose of the container without ever seeing or handling the mouse directly. One can pick these up for around 5 or 6 dollars. To keep this from happening again, try not to leave food around that may be tempting to rodents. Put food into tins, plastic containers or in the refrigerator. You will be just fine. Mice do not attack nor are they predatory. THEY are afraid of people!!! They are just hungry and are looking for food. God go with you. You have done nothing wrong. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: John the Baptist was baptizing the Israelites with water for repentance. I can't find this ritual in the Tanach nor Talmud. Was John the Baptist Jewish or Mandaean? Thank you. – Ali
Dear Ali: John the Baptist (John the Baptizer) was, according to the Bible, the cousin of Jesus Christ. He was the son of Mary's sister, Elizabeth. He was a little older than Jesus. And so, John was Jewish and lived in Israel. As with Jesus, we don't have any information from that time about John the Baptist except what the Bible says. Here is a brief history of Jewish Baptism: Jewish Baptism was a ceremonial washing as preparation to approaching God in prayer was a common feature of many religions. It was a natural symbol of purification. Water was used for this purpose by the Jews and is commanded in the Old Testament. [Lev. 8:6; Lev. 14:9] This was called a Mikvah which was a ritual purification bath taken by Jews on certain occasions, as before the Sabbath or after menstruation or ejaculation. Jewish
proselytes were baptized and said to be born again, a new creature as in II Cor. 5:17. The baptisms’ of John were preparatory to the
coming of the Kingdom. It was a water baptism
of repentance. Jesus’ disciples
performed similar baptisms during his life on earth. - John 4:1-2. I hope this helps a bit. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: If you write a fiction novel and the novel is meant to be taken as fiction, however it goes against everything the Church teaches and portrays weaknesses (not evil) characteristics of God, is this blasphemy? - Sean
Sean: As a Christian, I would not feel comfortable writing a novel that portrays God as weak and against the teachings of the Church because I know this to be an untruth and it dishonors the God we serve. I strongly suggest if you love the Lord, that you do not write this novel. There are people who are weak in the faith and this type of book would be detrimental to their beliefs. Even in fiction, some will believe what you write to be true. Tread very carefully as your soul is worth more than a published book. Do not offend God and Church with such blasphemous writing. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Does the Catholic Church have an official, or unofficial, position on the question of evil? Particularly, "If God created all things, and if evil exists, did God then create evil"? The only answer I have been given is that "evil is the absence of good", similar to darkness is the absence of light. - Randy
Randy: God did not create evil. But through Free Will, He allows it in order that we might have a free choice to love and serve Him or go our own way. Through Satan’s own free will, he brought evil to pass through a decision he made in wanting to be as powerful as God. When he was thrown out of heaven he came to earth, bringing evil into the world and he wants to take as many people as he can to eternal hell with him. And so, we might say that God allows it to exist in order that we genuinely have a choice using our free will whether to choose to follow His teaching or to choose evil. We live in a world where evil does exist, where our choice is to follow evil or follow good, knowing that our choices have consequences. God desires us to obey Him in this life, forsaking evil choices, so that all may live with him eternally. This is God’s desire. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: My husband has been married four times (I'm number 4) and he was raised in the Catholic Church, but has not been in decades. Is he still considered to be a catholic, or does he even have an option to come back to the church? His first wife has now passed away but all previous marriages ended in divorce. – Shannon
Shannon: I am sorry that your husband has had such upheaval in his life. He, although Catholic, is not a Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church and he cannot participate in the sacraments until he talks to a priest about his previous marriages and other details. In his present state, he is not considered an active Catholic. However this can be changed if he is willing. He needs to sit down with a priest for discussion concerning what he needs to do. Encourage him to seek counsel with his parish priest. Hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Upon having a conversion around 19 years old, I can only remember going to confession twice and probably not too seriously. Since then I have gone to confession so many times (even done like three general confessions) and went through agony trying to remember all my sins, discern if they were mortal or not, write them down, and confess them. Unfortunately I've discovered I have a bad case of scrupulosity and I feel guilty a lot about if I confessed all my sins, whether sins I remembered and left out were mortal, this causing me to sin again, and if I am in a state of grace or not because at times I feel damned. What should I do? – Andrew
Andrew: Thank you for writing. Do not feel guilty about sins you have genuinely forgotten to confess. Since you are worried whether you are in a state of grace, go to confession and tell the priest that you are not sure if you confessed all of your sins. He will be able to help and guide you. If you, in all conscience, want to make a thorough confession, try as best you can to list your sins on paper so you will not forget the next time you go. God does understand that you are human. Your will is there. Talk to your priest, knowing in your heart that you want to do the right thing. Do not worry. God will be with you. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff I was baptized as a child, then last year I was baptized as a Christian in the ICO, I have left that church and want to go back to being Catholic, do I have to be baptized again to be considered Catholic? - Mike
Mike: Thanks for writing. You were already baptized in the Catholic faith. One baptism is all that is required in the Catholic Church. However you will need to talk to a priest about the Sacrament of Confession and to see if you will need to attend RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). We welcome you back to our Church Family. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I’ve been deeply involved in occultism/witchcraft for over half of my life, I am in dire need of getting out before it's too late, can you please help me?
Dear Elaine: Thank you for writing to us. God bless you. All is not lost. I believe that God has touched your heart and wants you to make changes in your life. In order to get started, call the nearest Catholic Church and ask to speak to a parish priest. Theyare qualified to help you with such matters. Tell him what has happened and that you want to change your beliefs. He will guide you through what needs to be done. Please do not delay. None of us know when we will be called to account for the things we have done in our lifetime. Time is not promised to us. I will be praying for you. If you need to write again for more information, you may do so. May the Lord give you the strength to move forward in a new life with Jesus Christ and find the happiness that you seek. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Is it ok for a wife to go dancing in a bar in another town while on a girls’ getaway? I feel very uncomfortable with this. How do you feel?
Dear Tim: We are asked to avoid the occasion of sin. To go dancing with “the girls” is inviting possible sin, especially in a bar where alcohol is served. This does not mean your wife did anything wrong or mean that your wife violated her marriage vows by being unfaithful. Please take this under consideration and give your wife the benefit of the doubt. If you feel unsure with her actions, talk reasonably to her. Let her know that you are not comfortable with this. May the Lord bless both of you always. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView: I’m Christian but is the Holy Spirit God? I said many bad things about Him and if that is the unforgivable sin does that mean I'm going to hell and if so what's the point of being good anymore?
Rob: I am going to refer you to the Catholic encyclopedia Wikipedia which states: “The
Eternal Sin or unforgivable sin or unpardonable sin, is a concept in
Christian theology of a sin which cannot or will not be forgiven, whereby salvation
becomes impossible. It has its origin in several biblical passages. One
sin frequently considered 'eternal' is that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit however
this phrase is rarely taken to have its literal meaning. Some sins that a frequently
considered eternal include deliberate rejection of the mercy of God, and ascribing the
work of the Holy Spirit to the Devil.” You
are citing Mark 3: 28-30 which reads "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven all
their sins and all the blasphemies they utter. But
whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will
never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin. He said this because they [the
Pharisees ) were saying, ‘He has an evil spirit’." But Rob, there are no limits to the mercy of God. None. And why? Because Jesus Christ paid on the cross for all sin. It is only if we turn ourselves away from God’s goodness that we will remain unforgiven and past redemption. If we truly repent, God promises to forgive. There is no person, no matter what sin they commit, who cannot hope for God’s salvation if they truly come to the Father in honest supplication. BUT, you should seek that forgiveness, promising never to insult our God by turning away. Make sure that you do not ever do this again. Make things right, Rob, and pray for forgiveness, seek confession at the Church, and strive for a clean life, knowing that God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to be your advocate of mercy. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Does the Church have the right to name specific people we must forgive and love? Our Deacon told the congregation that we must forgive and love the men who invaded the home in Cheshire, Ct., raping and killing a mother and her daughters. Also love and forgive the Afghanistans who recently killed two of our boys. He said he was quoting scripture. I thought who I love and forgive is between our Lord and me. Anthony
Anthony: You are right in that, the will of the
Christian must be there in the heart of a person before a personal request for forgiveness
and love will be valid. To say something
without meaning it nullifies the whole process. But
then, perhaps your deacon was asking that you open your heart to those who have hurt
others or us. God hold us accountable for our love and mercy of others. It is a personal and heartfelt action and it cannot be forced. Each of us stands liable and answerable for what we do in this life. Hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I'll be eighty my next birthday. I live sixty mountain miles round trip from the nearest Catholic Church. I have been living here for nine years and until now have managed to get to Sunday Mass. However, here of late, it is becoming hard to make it. I go each time I feel up to it, but have this conscience problem about missing Mass. If I make it a couple times a month, am I okay? I get EWTN and watch Mass on it. Thank you for your input. Billie
Dear Billie: I am so sorry to hear about your problem getting to Church. But God sees and understands this and He knows your intentions are to attend Mass if you could. Just do the best you can to get to Mass. When you cannot, spend an hour reading the bible and praying. Give God yourself in remembrance of the Sabbath by these things. Watch the Mass when you are able and know that God is not judging your inability harshly but with supreme love. You might inquire whether a Minister of the Eucharistic from your church could bring communion to you at home. This would be a way of connecting with your church. God bless you for your faithfulness to Him. I hope this helps a bit. –CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff: I am a
Church Sacristan. I have stolen a lot from
the Church, possibly thousands of dollars. I
have bad debts at home, but now I want to confess.
However, I am frightened of what the priest will ask me to do or
won’t forgive me. Please help. Bill
Bill: CatholicView is sorry that it has taken so long
to reply concerning your theft of monies at your church. You obviously realize that you have done wrong and committed a grave sin, one that the church may seek compensation for in the amount taken. You have stolen a lot of money from the people of God. Sadly, your church trusted you with the parishioners’ hard earned money and some gave their last to fulfill their obligation of tithing. It is actually a police matter, but this will be at the discretion of the local pastor. It is time for repentance. Difficult as it may seem, this is your only option. Because of the seriousness of this deed, you may feel more comfortable going to a parish some distance away, or perhaps even in another diocese for confession. Talk to the priest-confessor and explain everything including your money problems, which were at the root of this theft. Though this is not an easy matter to be resolved, always know that forgiveness is a gift from God and from each other. God will offer you forgiveness, but you must sincerely ask for it, with a promise that you will never commit this sin again. You can then move on. You must excuse yourself from taking the collection. You must be relieved of this duty as a collector of the monetary offerings until the Church feels you are ready to resume this position. You do not want to be tempted in repeating this sinful crime again. Nonetheless, if you are asked to continue, make sure another person is always with you so there will be no repeat of the past. You say that you want to make amends but you must be ready to face the repercussions of your past actions. It is time now to move forward once you are forgiven by God and Church. This is the only way you can be free. Pay attention to what the priest will tell you to do. Follow his suggestions to the letter. And never, ever commit this sin again. Remember that your eternal soul is at stake. Be free by seeking to make restitution for your sin if you are asked to do so. May the Lord go with you and give you the strength to own up to your actions. We will be praying for you. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: God has
been good to me however I haven’t been good to him.
I have the same dream for years being myself preaching over and over again. My question is how do I fulfill this dream or
calling or what is it? I should be dead but
yet I am here. So many unanswered questions. Please help.
- Carl
Dear
Carl: It sounds like the Lord may be calling you to do His work. How wonderful to be selected to do this! I would suggest that you go to see your parish priest. After talking to you and ascertaining exactly what is happening, he will be able to discern if you are receiving a true calling to the priesthood. If he feels you are ready to make this commitment to God, he will advise you about possible seminaries, etc. Don’t delay. Find out and put your mind at ease. May the Lord bless you and give you peace. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff: My
husband and I have been married over 30 years and we have 2 adult children (29 & 31). He takes medication for hypertension, which
affects his sexuality. I have a lot of sexual
desire but he cannot satisfy me unless he does it manually.
Are we both sinning every time we are intimate in this manner? - Rose
Rose: I am
going to give you the answer that CatholicView addressed to another couple having a
problem similar to yours: I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying your marriage and I am grateful for your love and commitment to each other. You are certainly blest by God! In the study of moral theology and Christian sexuality, the sexual union within the sacrament of marriage has two ends or goals, (1) unitive, and (2) procreative. The unitive end means that a man and a woman, two people, become one flesh and fulfill the call to be the life partner for each other in all areas of intimacy. The procreative end acknowledges the creative power of human love through the birth of children. There are many in our Church that focus solely on the procreative end of the sexual union and do not even acknowledge the unitive aspect of human sexuality (the unitive and procreative ends of human sexuality are equal in moral value). By excluding the discussion of the unitive end of human sexuality, these misguided people see sin in everything that is sexual. Human sexuality is a gift from God and therefore is good. For you, you have been open to life and you have given birth to children and have fulfilled the procreative end of your sexual intimacy. It seems that it is time for you both to celebrate the unitive end of your intimacy. This can be done in many ways, and sexual intimacy is one of those ways. You asked if masturbation is an option. Masturbation (a solitary and narcissistic action) is not an option if it is practiced simply to fulfill your own sexual needs to the exclusion of the other. But experimenting with other ways of sexual intimacy between married couples is moral if it meant to fulfill the other as well as you. So, be at peace. I encourage you to grow and appreciate the gift of the unitive aspect of human sexuality. May your love grow and mature so that your marriage can truly be the symbol of Christ's love for His Church. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I lost a good friend, a former Catholic turned Born Again attending the Assembly of God Church. She insulted me by sending me a bad joke about Catholics and telling me we are committing a sin when we drink wine with dinner or any other time. I told her this was offensive to me. I was always there for her - doing and giving and helping and loaning money. She is supposed to be a woman of God. She is down on Catholic religion and right now I am not pleased with hers. I don't think God is happy about this. I will not stand to be insulted. Who is right? - Carol
Carol: You are right. Being a Christian means showing others the love of Christ and your friend is definitely not showing that side to you, her former friend. One of the things that Jesus told us to do is respect and not to criticize each other. You have shown tolerance for her religious change and she owes the same to you. If she wants to keep your friendship she must back off by showing the Christian faith she is promoting. – CatholicView Staff
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