ASK A PRIEST
"Although I have a deep hatred for Islam and some Muslims, I feel a
moral Dear Father Kevin: My name is Charles and I am a university student in Canada. I am not a Catholic but I come from a Catholic family, was educated at a Catholic school and basically consider myself to be Catholic at the end of the day. Since I was young, I have grown up around Muslims, and as I got older I began to study Islam for interest sake. In the past four or five years, I have felt this deep hatred for Islam itself, as well as for some Muslims. I would never hurt a Muslim or make them feel bad about being who they are. At the same time, having educated myself in depth about their religion, I get quite upset when I hear hate-mongering and ignorance being spread about their community and their faith. I suppose the purpose of this email is to ask for guidance. On the one hand I feel like I have a deep hatred for their religion and their beliefs and many of their followers, but on the other hand, I feel like I have some moral obligation to stand up for them when they are treated unjustly. I feel sometimes that my feelings towards them are contrary to how Jesus would have felt and that's where my dilemma lays. Thank you very much for your time, In Christ, Charles
HI Charles, We are a very small planet in the greater scheme of things, so it makes little sense at any level to live with hatred for anyone. I am puzzled that you say you have some understanding for Islam and yet you have a hatred for Islam. The five key pillars of Islam accord very well with the gospel and our tradition. The Prophet Mohammed urged his followers to be respectful of the “people of the Book”, namely the Jews and the Christians. I know that there are people who have distorted the real message of Islam and turned it into something violent and evil. We can also say the same thing about people who profess to be Christian. We have a long track record of sanctioned violence, prejudice and murder for the sake of the Christian religion. A recent stand-out example is that Southern US minister who threatened to burn many Qu’urans on September 11th just past. Jesus got into trouble for talking with , healing and eating with just about anyone. It would be really good if all His followers could be known by the same quality. We do live in dangerous times and I do understand our feelings of fear, mistrust and anger towards different peoples and groups. Our growth in God’s Spirit really requires us to challenge ourselves when we have these feelings and to make a different world happen within and around us. Every blessing to you and thank for asking your important question. - Father Kevin
Father Kevin: As a woman, wife, and mother in today's world, what am I to make of this scripture from 1 Timothy 2:12? "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. " Thank you. – Jina Dear Jina: Thank you for your question. If you could sit down with Saint Paul and have a meal with him, I’m quite sure you could successfully challenge him on this point! The Scriptures are written in certain social, political and historical contexts and some of the directions we find there, such as the one you quoted, bear careful scrutiny. So what are you to make of this text? I think when you get to heaven decide to have a good yarn with Paul. In the meantime, by your living, your gifts of mothering, leadership, and the exercise of whatever authority is rightly yours, demonstrate that the Scriptures, while they contain God’s Word for us, are not always the last Word God has spoken! In our Catholic Tradition, we believe that God continues to speak through the Tradition of the Church, just as God spoke through the Scriptures. It’s pretty silly to think that He stopped speaking when the Bible was finished. During the thousands of years covered by the Bible texts, we see huge shifts in the people’s understanding of God and the things of God. Always there is more to learn, for you and me, and the same was true for the writers of the Scriptures when their work was done. That’s why we believe that the Holy Spirit is still alive and working in our saintly, messy, wounded, sometimes heroic Church. All good wishes. - Father Kevin Father Kevin: About lying: Some years ago I had problems at work. I was fired, among other things for drunk-driving. However, after a few years it did not show up on my police check, I mean it returned clean, probably that incident is now considered ‘spent’, which means my employers do not know about my past. Recently I applied for another job and I lied about ‘not having any previous criminal convictions’. If I told the truth about that incident, it would cost me everything- I mean, professionally. But I do not want to lie and live in a lie. What should I do in this situation?
Hi Ben: Thanks for your question. It’s clear that when God forgives us then our sin, whatever it is, is no more. Your conviction for drink-driving is no more either. You have no previous convictions, at least for a long time. I think you can peacefully give yourself the same benefit of the doubt that the law gives you when the law says that you have no conviction on your record. Good wishes to you. - Father Kevin
Father Bill: Where does it talk about praying to the rosary in the bible and what gives us the right to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? - Peter
Dear Peter, Thanks for your questions, and let me start my answer by clarifying some terminology in your first question. You used the phrase “praying to the rosary”, and that’s a phrase that no one familiar with the rosary would ever use. The rosary is simply a string of beads and usually has a small crucifix that hangs down from the circle of beads. No one prays to a rosary, but many people use a rosary to help them pray. Actually, you don’t even need a rosary to pray the rosary; one can just as easily use one’s fingers. In its simplest form, the rosary is prayed using the Apostles Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the doxology (“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,…”) and the Hail Mary. Some people add a few other prayers. The Hail Mary, much of which comes from chapter one of the Gospel of Luke between verses 28 and 42, is repeated many times during the praying of the rosary. This repetition is meant to serve as a background for meditating on the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. Far from being a mindless multiplication of words, the praying of the rosary is intended to lead one more deeply into the life of Christ, with the gentle help of the mother whose love brought Him into our world. Many lives have been enriched through this beautiful way of praying. Of course there is nothing in the bible about praying the rosary, although the rosary is very much a biblical prayer. There are many elements of our Christian faith that have their roots in the bible but are never mentioned there. The hymns in our hymnals are not found in the bible, yet we use them often in prayer (and nowhere in the bible does it tell us to use hymnals). To my knowledge there is nowhere in the bible that it tells us to build churches, yet most Christians have done so for many centuries. My point is that not everything that is a part of our Christian faith has to be explicitly found in the bible in order for it to be a valid expression of our faith and spirituality. Regarding the Sabbath and Sunday, the change came about very early in Christian tradition, and those earliest Christians felt that they had every right to make the change. After all, the most important event in all of God’s plan happened on a Sunday—that glorious, joyful, wondrous event as Jesus burst forth from the tomb of death and established a New Covenant between God and us. In the hearts of most of those Christians there was hardly even a question that Sunday must replace the Sabbath. God has created a whole new order, a new creation. Sunday was now “The Day of the Lord”, and Christians knew that they must celebrate it. Yes, God rested on the Sabbath, but He began His new creation on a Sunday. Again, thanks for your questions, and may God bless you. - Father Bill
Father Bill: I recently moved to an area where Catholics get petrol bombed. I've been told not to tell people that I'm Catholic. I'm scared. How do I practice mine and my son's faith? - Angela
Dear Angela, The intolerance that you describe has tarnished the reputation of religion from the time that human beings first began to establish communities of worship and became threatened by their differences. It becomes even more problematic when, as happens in many cultures, the boundaries of religion, culture and politics inextricably overlap. Emotions run high and paranoia runs deep. Bigotry, fed by ignorance and fear, takes over, and homes get petrol bombed. So how can you and your son practice your faith? My first suggestion would be for you to quietly seek out other Catholics in your area. The easiest way to do that would be to contact a Catholic church. You can do this by telephone from the privacy of your home. Explain your fears. Seek the advice of those who have lived in your neighborhood for a while. Their wisdom will be valuable and, I suspect, reassuring. No matter where we live, there is no guarantee of absolute safety. Life has its risks. So does practicing our faith. With that in mind, another suggestion I would make is that you realistically assess the risks of practicing your faith in your new environs. For example, is your risk of having your home petrol bombed because you are Catholic greater than your risk of having a serious car accident on the way to church? There is a rather intriguing human tendency to exaggerate some remote risks while ignoring or minimizing others that are an accepted part of our daily lives. I’m not saying that this is what you’re doing, because I don’t know your exact circumstances; I’m just suggesting you think about it. If it turns out that you truly are in serious danger, then probably the best you can do is to practice your faith as circumstances allow. As far as I know, no one has an obligation to seek out martyrdom. If Mass attendance is not an option, look for some Catholic websites where you can often find the daily and Sunday scripture readings, as well as some prayers for the day. You can also pray the rosary as often as you’d like; if it’s risky to hold a rosary, you can always use your fingers. I’m sure you and your son can find a way to practice your faith, Angela. Don’t be afraid. May God bless you. - Father Bill
Father Bill: What is the Black Pope? And is this still part of the Jesuits Oath? "I furthermore promise and declare that I will, when opportunity present, make and wage relentless war, secretly or openly, against all heretics, Protestants and Liberals, as I am directed to do, to extirpate and exterminate them from the face of the whole earth; and that I will spare neither age, sex or condition; and that I will hang, waste, boil, flay, strangle and bury alive these infamous heretics, rip up the stomachs and wombs of their women and crush their infants' heads against the walls, in order to annihilate forever their execrable race. That when the same cannot be done openly, I will secretly use the poisoned cup, the strangulating cord, the steel of the poniard or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity, or authority of the person or persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as I at any time may be directed so to do by any agent of the Pope or Superior of the Brotherhood of the Holy Faith, of the Society of Jesus". For this to be my faith is crazy.. I believe in God. Does my God believe in this? Does my church? It's hard to take in. - Daniel
Dear Daniel, Until I received your question, I had never heard of the so-called Jesuit Oath, so I’m really glad you asked. It gave me the opportunity to learn something…and I learned a lot! First of all, as regards the term “black pope”, this is simply a nickname that is sometimes given to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). There is nothing at all sinister implied by this nickname, since it merely contrasts his black priest vestments with the white robes worn by the pope. Neither is this nickname meant to suggest that he in any way enjoys some kind of equality with or opposition to the pope. It’s just a nickname given to the man who heads what is probably the world’s best known religious order of priests. Because of that, he’s obviously a very influential person. Frankly, I don’t think that the term “black pope” is used very often. Probably the most common use nowadays is by anti-Catholic bigots and conspiracy theorists. It’s been years since I’ve heard it. Now, about the so-called Jesuit Oath. First, let me reassure you: in spite of what some of the most virulent anti-Catholics would like people to believe, this has absolutely nothing to do with our faith, our Church—or the Jesuits! After a little research on the Internet, I found that there is more than one version of the so-called Jesuit Oath. I also found that a similar oath has been attributed to the Knights of Columbus. In simplest terms, all of these so-called oaths are fabrications, with one version of the so-called Jesuit Oath being a fabrication of the seventeenth century forger Robert Ware. The truth is that anti-Catholic individuals and organizations as well as conspiracy theorists will swallow and promulgate just about anything that fits their distorted perspective. They are clever at giving the impression that they have checked their facts, but what they invariably do is distort whatever facts they may uncover and then feed off of each other. It is easy to give the impression that one is doing thorough research by quoting multiple sources, but if all those sources are quoting each other, no real research is happening. But then most anti-Catholic bigots and conspiracy theorists are not interested in doing real research anyway. Incidentally, Catholic organizations are not the only targets of bigots and conspiracy fanatics; Freemasonry has also been so targeted, and I would have no doubt that many other organizations have suffered similar indignities. Personally, I think the best response to the proliferation of bigoted trash is simply to ignore it, rather than dignify it with point-by-point refutations. People who promulgate and propagate such vile material are not interested in reasoned dialogue or even the truth. They are only interested in promoting their distorted views, and frankly, they’re pretty good at it. The next time someone tells you that the Jesuit Oath is true and that every Jesuit has to take this oath upon admission into the order, ask that person when the last time was that he knew of a Jesuit to “hang, waste, boil, flay, strangle and bury alive these infamous heretics, rip up the stomachs and wombs of their women and crush their infants' heads against the walls, in order to annihilate forever their execrable race”. I don’t think that this kind of conduct would escape the notice of CNN. Again, thanks for your question, Daniel. I had an interesting time researching it. God bless you. - Father Bill
CatholicView Staff: Can a gentleman, who was a girl's confirmation sponsor, date the confirmandi he sponsored? - Jesse Jesse: Thank you for your question. Canon Law (sacramental law) recognizes that a sponsor for baptism and/or confirmation takes on a relationship to the person as if they were blood relatives. The reason is that the sponsor takes on the role of spiritual mentor (hence the term godfather/godmother) that creates an unequal relationship. A sponsor is not a friend but a spiritual parent of sorts. Before 1983, in the eyes of sacramental canon law, you could not have an intimate (or even dating) relationship with your "god child." Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents a baptismal or confirmation candidate for full communion in the Catholic Church. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it. A little history from other sources: By the 5th century AD, male sponsors were referred to as "spiritual fathers", and by the end of the 6th century, they were being noted to as "compaters" and "commaters", suggesting that these were being seen as spiritual co-parents. This pattern was marked by the creation of legal barriers to marriage that paralleled those for other forms of kin. A decree of Justinian, dated to 530 AD, outlawed marriage between a godfather and his goddaughter, and these barriers continued to multiply until the 11th century, forbidding marriage between natural and spiritual parents, or those directly related to them. As confirmation emerged as a separate rite from baptism from the 8th century, a second set of sponsors, with similar prohibitions, also emerged. The exact extent of these spiritual relationships as a bar to marriage in Catholicism was unclear until the Council of Trent, which limited it to relationships between the godparents, the child, and the parents. This spiritual relationship is so strong that, in former days, the Church would not allow a godparent and godchild to marry. While this prohibition to marriage no longer exists in the Western Church as of the revision of Canon Law in 1983, it does exist in the Eastern Catholic Churches. This means that in the Eastern Catholic Churches, one may not serve as the godparent of a prospective spouse, although this may be dispensed by the local bishop. Furthermore, this spiritual relationship is so important that the Church recommends that the one who undertook the role of sponsor (godparent) at baptism be sponsor for confirmation. (canon 893 §2). So, I would recommend to you to search your conscience and your motivations in regards in entering a dating relationship with your confirmation candidate. Your spiritual relationship with that person is special. And even though dating and marrying your confirmation candidate is no longer prohibited by marriage sacramental law, I would really suggest that you do not take this relationship to a romantic level. My fear is that if this relationship doesn't work out, that this person would lose her faith in Jesus because of how she may judge our Church by your relationship. Think. Think about the consequences. Pray and ask God for guidance. My opinion is already expressed.....please, do not cross the line and date your spiritual charge. - Priest Staff at CatholicView CatholicView Staff: Why can't the church go back to the dipping of the sacred host into the cup of wine? Everyone drinking from the cup just seems too unsanitary. I now have a duzzy of a cold (not that I blame drinking from the cup the reason) but I do wonder. I would love to have the wine also ( the blood of Christ). I do know that receiving the host only does contain the body, blood soul and divinity of Christ. Why has the church changed the practice of dipping the host? Thank you;. - Joann Dear Joann: Thank you for your question. This question was asked last month and here is the reply CatholicView gave: In the Roman Catholic Church the communicant receiving the host in the hand must not dip the wafer into the wine. This is expressly forbidden. The action you are referring to is called intinction. This practice of dipping the consecrated Host in the consecrated Precious Blood is customary in the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. This must be done only by a priest or deacon under strict conditions. The bread used for Communion is leavened, so it is cut into cubes and the priest or deacon dips it into the wine, then places it on the tongue using a spoon. The receiver does not touch anything either before, during, or after the intinction. To continue reading about this subject: Reader Question: Communion and Intinction Hope this helps you to understand the Church's position on this. -CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I know we are suppose to forgive someone who has wronged us and I do. But what about being wronged over and over continuously and the person has no remorse for what they do to me. Am I supposed to keep on forgiving? - Elizabeth Dear Elizabeth: I am pleased to hear that you forgive those who wrong you. It is the Christian thing to do and CatholicView applauds you for this. Matthew 18:22, reads "Then Peter came up to him (Jesus) and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times but seventy times seven." And so, we must forgive. But, Jesus does not tell us to allow others to disrespect you over and over, especially if they are well aware that they are doing this. In your case and if at all possible, avoid contact with this unfeeling person. Yes, Elizabeth, it is hard to continually forgive someone who intentionally wrong you time after time, but that is what the Lord asks us to do. Sometimes people do not realize that they are taking advantage of your kindness. For you peace of mind, be cordial and smile but keep your distance. Last month CatholicView published an article on forgiveness. Perhaps it will be helpful to visit it at: "SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN" . May the Lord bless you and strengthen you during this time. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I had an abortion as a young (15) teenager and deeply regret taking a life. I have lived the whole rest of my life trying to cope and work through the many after affects but I am torn as I feel that it was the right decision for me at the time. I don't know that I would make the same choice now after experiencing the life long emotional struggle after and I ask for forgiveness many times in my prayers, but since I feel it was the right choice then how does that affect being forgiven and my standing as a Catholic? Thank you for your time! - JP Jp: I am so sorry to hear that all these years you have been struggling for such a long time. Thank you for your letter. When we ask God for forgiveness with a contrite heart, He forgives. Your part in this is that you avoid that sin in the future and accept and honor His forgiveness. Every single human being commits sin. It is what we do about that sin. As Christian Catholics, we seek forgiveness. God knows the sorrow you feel about aborting your child. When you prayed, asking for forgiveness for this mortal sin, He granted it. Take hold of that forgiveness and be re-united to your Church family. Please go and talk to a priest about your situation during confession. Do not be afraid. You are loved by Jesus Christ so much that He died for your forgiveness. Believe it in your heart and move forward in your faith. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I understand that Jesus lived a life of ultimate sacrifice and giving of Himself out of true love. As we prayerfully do out best to follow his example, how do we draw a line between a loving service verses simply being used by others? Maria: This is a very good question. It is clear that you are generous in helping others as Christ asked us to do. He said in Matthew 25:40, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, you did it unto me." There is a difference between need and selfishness. Genuine need is apparent and is a condition of need, perhaps poverty-stricken, poor or destitute. Selfishness uses another for their own gain. Selfish people are devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others. If someone sees your goodness and acts on it by misusing that goodness, you must then kindly but firmly say "No" and truly mean it and move on to those who genuinely need help. Do not let others use you for their own selfish purposes. It feeds their own egos while depleting and taking away the resources which you can use to help the impoverished. Thank you for sending your question. May the Lord continue to bless you always. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: I answered God's calling to become a Catholic priest on 2 occasions in my life, once with a community of priests, and 8 years later with my own diocese. I decided not to pursue with the community of priests for personal reasons. When I completed my second calling with my own diocese, I was refused by the committee after 3 years of being a seminarian. I have no idea why I was refused, even after meeting with my bishop for half an hour. He simply told me at the end of our conversation: "You have done enough", and we ended the meeting. I've always been faithful to my celibacy "I'm a 48 year old virgin" and proud of it. Does God really acknowledge that I've done everything in answering my calling? I'm deeply saddened by this event and I still want to become a priest. Does that mean that God has made His decision that I'm not called to the priesthood via the dioceses' priesthood committee decision? - Richard Dear Richard: I rejoice in the Lord when I heard that you are hearing God's call to serve Him in some capacity! It is difficult to discern whether that call to serve by God is to serve Him as a priest or to serve Him elsewhere within the Church and community of faith. As a priest myself, I know of these evaluation committees that look over records of seminary students that desire to fulfill God's call to serve as priests. These evaluation committees look at various different aspects of a candidate for Holy Orders and discern whether that person would fit the personality and spirituality profile as described by either a religious order or diocesan policy. The call to serve God and His people is not only reserved for Holy Orders (deacon, priest, bishop). God's call extends to many areas of service and ministry within the larger community of faith. So, it is time to look at other avenues of serving God. God is calling you to service. I have no doubt about that. But the call to Holy Orders may not be for you. Instead, God wants you to serve Him in other ways that you may not see yet. Now is the time to pray and be silent for a while. Instead of asking God, "Why can't I be a priest?", instead say, "Lord, here I am. I want to do Your Will." And let's see what kind of inspiration that brings you. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: I'm divorced since my children were small. I have now remarried through the Catholic Church. My son is 48 and will not work. He is on welfare and I support him also. He is always depressed and blames me for his miserable life. When does my responsibility end? My prayers just bounce back. - Frank Frank: I am so sorry that your son has played on your guilt and continue to rely on your support. At the age of 48 years old, he should not be a dependent unless he is physically unable. As for his depression, I would suggest that you seek professional care for your son. He may need care for his state of mind. This is something you cannot fix. Please try to get him medical help. Talk to your priest. He will be able to refer you to a dependable professional. Your son may be unable to do this on his own. And pray that he accepts the care you will find for him. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: First off, I would like to say that I know that there are questions similar to this, but I wanted to ask this one because of the personal details: I am 18 years old and I have been dating my girlfriend for almost a year and a half. I love her very much. She is not Catholic, she is an inactive Lutheran. Needless to say, we have become very close and recently she has been asking me more and more about sex and if we should have sex. I told her that waiting until marriage was the right thing to do, she agreed, but she asked me why. I need some help on what the church's teachings are regarding this subject. I have a general idea, but I would like some concrete teachings to tell her. What are the reasons that we should wait other than our moral beliefs and knowledge of what is "right"? Thank you very much for your help. - Kyle
Dear Kyle: I applaud you for your chastity and living as God taught us to live. The bible gives us many reasons to avoid sex or fornication before marriage. Having sex with each other outside of marriage lacks commitment and responsibility. It is the behavior of irresponsible, immature people and is a sin, for it breaks God's commandment. Sex before marriage is a moral issue that is called fornication and God expressly forbids it. It is defined as voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other. The Catholic Chu The bible warns us against fornication. It is a mortal sin. 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." 1 Thessalonians 4:3, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication." Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P. has this to say,
"Having sexual relations with someone to whom one is not married is
a mortal sin. One may not receive Holy Communion in such a state. To
do so is another mortal sin. If this is true of you, I suggest that
you ask a priest to hear your confession as soon as possible. You
don't want to remain in the state of mortal sin for any amount of
time." Ordained in 1968, Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P. has worked in
radio, parish ministry and as novice master for the Dominican
Order's western province. In 2000 he joined Catholic Answers where
he serves as an apologist and chaplain to the staff. Hope this helps a bit. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: When I was 28 I sold my soul for the love of another person. Now I am in love with the Catholic Church and do not know what to do. Can God forgive me for this? - Charlotte Charlotte: I am so happy that you want to be part of the Catholic Church. You do not say if you have ever been baptized or not but I am assuming that you have. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, your soul belongs to Him. It is not for sale. It is only when you move into sin and turn your back on the Lord that Satan can lay claim on you. As a believing Christian, the Lord puts a seal on you and you can only break that seal by living in sin, using your “Free Will” to embrace Satan through your actions and turning your back on God. In the future stay away from evil promises. Ask God instead, through prayer, for what you need. Please go to talk to a priest and begin RCIA which is 'The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults' for those who want to become part of the Catholic family. Go in peace and continue to move forward in the Lord. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Hi, My girlfriend means then world to me and we have been together for 2 years. I respect and love her to the end of the earth. I do not believe in God but she is devoted catholic. I attend mass because I respect that's what she believes. I want to marry her but I don't know if it is allowed. She wants a Catholic wedding and I love her. Is she allowed to marry me? - Daniel Daniel: Yes, a Catholic may marry a non Catholic person (it is called a 'mixed marriage') so long as he/she promises to do his/her best to raise any children in the Catholic faith; the non-Catholic is to be aware of this promise. It is normally sufficient for the priest or deacon acting as Church witness to fill out some brief paper work. The ceremony usually takes place within the church building. Please go and discuss your plans for this with your girlfriend's parish priest. He will explain all that is involved in marrying a Catholic. May the Lord open your heart to His goodness. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: I went to confession & the priest asked if I was sorry. I said yes but heard inside myself, "No". Feeling guilty, a week later I confessed what happened but said maybe I self-doubted. Still feeling bad, a week after I confessed again that I lied both prior times. What should I do? Mike: Sadly, you have defeated the purpose of the confessional. You miss the opportunity of being freed from the sin of lying and other sins. Please make an appointment with your parish priest to discuss this problem of habitual lying. Do not delay. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Is it possible to sell your soul to the devil for material goods or money, and if you have, if you still love God and repent and are a follower, can you still get into heaven? - Matthew Matthew: Another email came in this month similar to yours and I am sending you that response which applies to you as well. You cannot “sell” your soul. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, your soul belongs to Him. It is only when you move into sin and turn your back on the Lord that Satan can lay claim on you. If you live as Jesus taught, Satan cannot have access to something that belongs to Jesus Christ. As a believing Christian, the Lord puts a seal on you and you can only break that seal by living in sin, using your “Free Will” to embrace Satan through your actions. You have nothing to worry about. Satan cannot touch you unless you let him. He does not have that power. Our God's power is greater. In the future stay away from evil promises. Ask God instead, through prayer, for what you need. You did not sell your soul. Do not allow fear to keep you away from your faith. Ask God to grant you forgiveness and move forward in the mighty name of Christ, knowing without a doubt your soul is safe. Go in peace to continue on God's path. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: When one decides not to have a medical test, for example, a colonoscopy or a vaccination for example, pneumonia, is that decision morally sound?- Bill Dear Bill: Please bear in mind that your body does not
belong to you. God gave your body to you for safekeeping. This
means caring for it, maintaining it as it is the temple for your
soul. And so, Bill, take care of yourself as the Lord intends for you to do. I hope this helps a bit. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: 8 yrs. ago I was deceived into false doctrine that I now know was Satanic. Ever since then I have battled with intrusive thoughts and despair. (I ended up going to a mental hospital for a week) It is as if the person that deceived me is always on my mind telling me I am not forgiven. How do I know if God still loves me and I am forgiven? - Steve
Steve: I am so sorry that you were led into false doctrine. Satan wants you to believe that you cannot be forgiven. But Satan is a liar. The good news is that God FORGIVES!!! Not only that, He waits for you to come to Him through prayer and take His forgiveness. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die in order to pay for the sin(s) you and I commit. Please talk to a priest or a minister and get this matter straightened out. Do not let anyone tell you that God will not forgive you. Always remember you are loved and special in His eyes! Here is a link to one of CatholicView's article on this subject of forgiveness: "SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN". God go with you. May you find the peace that only He can give you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I have a heavy heart and a deep, deep regret. At the age of 21, I had an abortion. At the time, I was a Lutheran. I am now 53, married to a catholic and have had 3 children. I converted to the catholic religion when I was 28 years old. I have confessed my horrific sin to God many times in prayer and have asked for forgiveness. I know that he hears my prayers, but I have a so much guilt that I feel I don't deserve his forgiveness. I have never verbally confessed this sin to a priest, in fact, I have never had a verbal confession and was not required to do so when I converted. My reason to write this is to ask should I talk to a priest? I am fearful to do so, fearing that I will be excommunicated. Thank you for your time, please advise. - Trowme
Trowme: Let's make this very clear. Once you were accepted into full communion with the Catholic Church, all your past sins were forgiven by a merciful God and by the community of faith. When you sadly procured an abortion at the age of 21, you could not be excommunicated from the Church because you were not a member of the Church yet the sin of abortion cried to the heavens. You felt guilt. You had remorse. You suffered the pangs of righteous guilt. Then you reached out to God and asked for forgiveness and it was given because God saw repentance in your heart. Then you reached out and God touched you to become a believer in Jesus Christ within the Catholic Church. When you were accepted into full communion with the Church, everything before that was forgiven, lost to the past. All that mattered then was the present and a future with the Lord within the Catholic Church. But as you say, you still need to be reconciled to your own past and leave it in the Lord's Hands. The Sacrament of Penance (confession) is the way to do that. In confessing your sin of the past, you will not be excommunicated. Instead, you will find relief and peace that the Spirit of God will give you. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: Is there hope for everyone to go to heaven? Even if they had done so many sins, such as drug abuse and disrespecting their family? Kendra Yes, Kendra, There is hope for everyone who wants to share in God's eternal life. No one is refused as long as they are alive to ask God for forgiveness and give their burden of sin to Him. God stands ready to forgive if the person truly repents, is sorry for committing sin(s), promises to change in the future, and avoids living a lifestyle contrary to what Jesus taught us. As long as there is breath in us, we can ask God to forgive us of any sin. None is too big for our God. Remember you are loved by Jesus Christ and through Him our Father. Seek the Lord and let Him give you the peace only He can give. God bless you. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: I have some questions about the Church teachings that I have been struggling with recently. I have researched the Catholic teachings on these topics in the Catechism and in Church documents, as well as Catholic websites, yet I still do not agree with certain decisions of the Church— mainly I do not understand: 1. Why women cannot be priests, 2. Why gay people cannot marry, and 3. Why premarital sex is always a sin. Mostly I worry a lot in general what the implication of my disagreements are. When I discuss these things with my family they are disappointed, and pray that I will “see the truth” and come to agree with the Church. However, I do not believe I ever will. (I actually tend to think that in years to come the Church may actually change its mind.) Yet, despite my disagreements, I still identify myself as a Catholic Christian. I still believe in the main tenants of the Christian religion and the Catholic Church. I believe Christ died for us, and I believe the Catholic church is the true Church. Am I right in claiming I am still a “good” Catholic? - Kelly Kelly: We all have doubts about many things. Some may seem unfair to you or to me. No one can lay these doubts aside, but you can pray and ask God to open your heart on some of the issues. Ask Him for the peace that will be yours as a good, believing person. We all grow each day, for instance, as we read our bibles. You believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior. That is vital and most important. Yes, you are indeed a "good" Catholic Christian. I will pray along with you that you find solace in your strong faith, knowing that God is in control of all things. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Last year our family stopped attending Catholic Church and began attending a non-denominational Christian church. It has led to many positive changes and brought us closer in our relationship to God. This year, however, my oldest son would have begun preparing for his holy communion sacrament. If I have no plans to take our family back to a Catholic church, should he still participate in preparation for holy communion? - Brad
Dear Brad: I am saddened by your decision to leave the Catholic Church. If you and your family have broken ties with the Catholic Church, there is no need for your child (presuming that he is younger than 18 years of age) to prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Communion (Eucharist). Perhaps there is something similar within your own new congregation? Of course, you son is always welcome to remain Catholic. As a pastor of a church, I know of children whose parents have left the Catholic Church yet remained active Catholics all their lives. If your oldest son is able to make that decision on his own, I hope you will respect that. But if your son is very young, then his spiritual and his relationship with Jesus is your responsibility. God go with you always. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: I am considering becoming a priest but I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease which is a chronic disease. I do not have any problems or pains and I just regularly have to take my medication. My question is could this prevent me from becoming a priest? Thank you. - Patryk
Dear Patryk: Crohn’s Disease, an intestinal and digestive problem, does not have at this time a "cure," and the symptoms can only be controlled by medication. Since the symptoms of Crohn's disease is under control and would not inhibit your ability to be a priest, this disease is not considered a impediment by canon law for Holy Orders. Please talk to your diocese's vocation director concerning this. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: My fiancé and I plan on getting married in May 2011 in the Catholic church. We are just about to start our marriage prep classes, and we are both very excited about getting married. Here is my question: I recently lost my job, and with it any health insurance I had. My fiancé's job says that if we are married, I can be put on his health insurance. I have health problems that need to be checked out and soon, so we are trying to decide what to do. My older sister suggested that we get married in a civil ceremony, so then I can get health insurance, and still get married in the Church next year. Is this possible? I've read online that it's not allowed, or that the Church simply doesn't recognize the civil marriage so that we could either work to get it validated or just carry on like we planned to and get married officially next year. I've heard that if we do that, then we'd have to wait 5 years to get married in the Church, and I've heard my aunt and uncle got married in a civil ceremony and then later with the Church. Does it just depend on the particular parish's rules? I'm so confused! - April
April: Your situation is a common one in these financial troubles we are having in our country and around the world. I understand the need for health insurance and the need for medical care even if you do not have a health insurance plan. You have lost your job and you find yourself in a serious bind. Your sister's advice is not exactly what the Church prefers. But under these financial circumstances, getting married civilly (outside the church) would give you what you need. If you do get married civilly, you are still going to get married in the Church in May 2011. Your marriage would be convalidated (solemnly blessed through the sacrament of marriage). In my diocese, there is no stated time to wait between a civil marriage and a sacramental marriage except for the preparation period. You are now in that preparation period. So, there is no problem with having your civil marriage now and being married in the Church in May. But, and here is the requirement that the Church expects from you both, even though you are married civilly, you cannot live together until your sacramental marriage day in May 2011. There are some things that must be done, such as getting married civilly, to make sure that your medical needs are taken care of. Please ask your parish priest for advice on this issue before you do anything and see what he says. Please bring this answer with you as a starting point of your conversation. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: If when you take your wedding vows, and God sanctions the unity of man and woman to become one under God to forsake all others, how would this choice play out? If your wife and child are in the ocean and you can chose only one to live and you took a oath under God's eyes to forsake all others who do you chose? - Chris
Chris: All that is required is that you must do all you can to save both. - CatholicView Staff
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