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Father Bill: According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), using artificial contraception is a grave offense. Since 95-97% of Catholics use some form of contraception, does that mean that 95-97% of Catholics that die unrepentant are in a state of mortal sin and go to hell? – Matt ____________________________________ Dear Matt: While I would question on several grounds your statistic that 95%-97% of Catholics use some form of contraception, that assertion is really not central to your question. Your question really is: Do married Catholics who use artificial contraception and die unrepentant go to hell? My answer has just a couple of parts. One is that no human being knows who goes to hell—if anyone. Only God knows that. While the Church has taught authoritatively that certain people are in heaven—canonized saints, for example, she has never taught authoritatively that certain people are in hell. The second part of my answer is the traditional teaching as to what constitutes serious sin. For a sin to be mortal, three elements are required: 1) Grave matter, meaning that one has done or is contemplating doing something that is seriously evil. 2) Full knowledge of the evil of the act. 3) Full consent of the will, meaning that one not only had full knowledge of the evil of the act but went ahead and did it anyway. Before proceeding with the rest of my answer, I would like to quote Paragraph 2370 from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" [this quote is from the encyclical Humanae Vitae] is intrinsically evil: Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality. . . . The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle . . . involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.” Although the language is convoluted, I wanted to cite this paragraph for a couple of reasons. One is to note that, other than a brief mention in another paragraph, this is the only reference to contraception in the CCC. The other reason is that I think it's important for readers to understand that the Church's teaching in this regard is based on a profound appreciation for the covenant of marriage and the role that sexual intimacy plays in the spousal relationship. The Church's teaching celebrates the conjugal act as a true high point of human life when it is entered into as an unselfish expression of love and openness to life. Unfortunately, in our hypersexualized culture this does not play well. The playful joy of sex within the context of a loving unselfish marriage relationship has been overshadowed by the cheapened casual sex promoted by the entertainment and pornography industries. Sex without sacrifice can so easily lead to marriage without commitment. The use of artificial contraception does not inevitably lead to a bad marriage. Still, one can't help but wonder if the high divorce rates of the last several decades might somehow be related to a contraceptive mentality and the easy availability and convenience of the most common methods of contraception. With that, I'd like to return to your question. It is true that many Catholic married couples use artificial contraception. Does it then follow that they are all committing mortal sin? The CCC says that using artificial contraception is “intrinsically evil”, so this does meet the first condition for a mortal sin. It is with the second and third conditions where I think that guilt is often mitigated, for the Church's teaching alone would not constitute “full knowledge”. The human mind is complex. Learning and knowledge are influenced by many factors and circumstances. Things that are clearly understood at one time can be badly muddled by unforeseen influences later on. Likewise, full consent of the will is not easily defined. It is influenced not only by one's knowledge and perceptions, but also by many of life's circumstances, including one's habits and patterns of behavior, as well as the pressures that one deals with in daily life. Just as it is true that only God knows who is in hell, it is also true that only God—and the sinner in question—knows who has committed a mortal sin. - Father Bill
Father Bill: Where in the Bible does it talk about the Ascension of Mary? – Vickie ________________________________ Dear Vickie: I think you probably mean the “Assumption” of Mary, as I don't know of any Christian Churches that use the word “ascension” for Mary's entry into the heavenly kingdom. Perhaps this is quibbling about a word, but I would suggest that “ascension” implies a “climb” that one accomplishes without aid, while “assumption” implies a “climb” that is accomplished with the aid of another. Jesus ascended into heaven on his own; Mary was taken up—assumed—by the power of God. To answer your question: there is no mention of Mary's Assumption in the New Testament. However, the belief that Mary was taken to heaven body and soul is an ancient Christian belief. It was finally defined as Catholic dogma in 1950, and it does have biblical justification. Here's how the Catechism of the Catholic Church expresses the Church's teaching about the Assumption of Mary: The Most
Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was
completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven,
where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection,
anticipating the resurrection of all members of His Body (974).
None of these
passages “proves” that Mary was assumed into heaven, but they
certainly can be used to support that belief.
Father Bill: I have been a part of the church for many years now, I have tried my hardest to be as faithful as I can. I always go every Sunday. I refuse to get confirmed because I am gay. I can't be "fixed." Because being gay is not a choice. Why does God do this to me? I've done everything I can. Can you help? - Matthew __________________________________ Dear Matthew: I hope
I can help. I'll try my best. Since you are a man who is truly striving to be a faithful Catholic, I would strongly encourage you to approach your parish about being confirmed. You don't have to mention your sexual orientation any more than a straight person would have to do that. Just tell the parish representative that you've put off being confirmed for too long and that you would really like to complete the Sacraments of Initiation. Now for the more difficult part of your question: Why does God do this to you—or anybody else. I don't know. Perhaps it's for the same reason that there are different cultures, different religions and different skin colors. These differences may be God's way of challenging us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Notice that there are two parts to that. We are all challenged to love ourselves. God wants you to love yourself as you are, because He loves you as you are. When we meet the challenge of loving ourselves, then we can address the challenge of loving our neighbor. Also keep in
mind that through Jesus God has challenged us to bear our crosses in
life. We all have them, Matthew. Don't assume that your cross of
homosexuality is any more burdensome than the crosses borne by
others. For the most part, we don't ask for these crosses. They are
given to us—and I think that they are given to us not so much to see
how strong we are, but to see if we are willing to let Jesus help us
carry them.
Father
Kevin: __________________________________ Hi Joseph, There’s no need for any embarrassment. Nor is there a need for you to consider what you have done is somehow wrong. We go to receive Communion because Jesus invites us to do so. It has been a long-held custom to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to receiving First Communion. I don’t imagine God is too upset with you! We priests are here to serve you in your life of faith and not to judge you. I suggest you talk to a priest to whom you have access and with whom you feel a good trust, and discuss the whole matter with him and let him guide you gently through the process. If you were in Sydney I’d be delighted to talk with you myself! Every blessing. - Father Kevin
Father Kevin: Hi Tom:
Thank you for your question. We
believe in the Catholic Church that Jesus is our way to salvation.
The Church also teaches that any person of good will and who has
done their very best to live a good loving life, will find his or
her way home to God. The only thing that can ever block our path to
God is our own sin, and we have to be pretty expert sinners to
accomplish that.
Father Kevin:
Hi Samantha:
____________________________________ Don: The original Greek text shows the action verbs that denote the petition of "lead us not into temptation," and "deliver us from evil." The Our Father is split into praise and then petition, as should all our prayers be. The first part of the Our Father is praise and thanksgiving. The second part is petition. Here is the original Greek text that denotes that the prayers are petitions and not statements that God doing something. We are asking in this prayer for our "daily bread," and "lead us not into temptation," and "deliver us from evil." Those are petitions. Here is the Greek text for the verses you mentioned (the petition part of the Our Father) for you to see:
καὶ
ἄφες
ἡμῖν
τὰ
ὀφειλήματα
ἡμῶν,
I hope this helps.
-
CatholicView Priest Staff
__________________________________
I am grateful to God for your faith and for your faithfulness to
Sunday Mass. All your life, you have shown an immense love for God
and a love for the Eucharist, seeing Jesus not only as your Lord and
Savior, but as Food for your entire being. I pray that many of my
parishioners were like you. The Lord understands, and the Church
understands, your limitations due to age and illness. As you
already know, when one misses Sunday Mass because of illness or
unforeseen events, no sin is incurred.
CatholicView Priest Staff: I have been out of work for over a year. Finally, I have an opportunity for work. The conflict is that I would be required to work Saturday and Sunday 9-6 but would have 2 other days off. Would going to mass on one of those days mean I am committing a mortal sin? I wouldn't even consider this except that I am desperate for work and have prayed daily for a job. What should I do? - Gary __________________________________ Dear Gary: In these difficult times, a job is a job, and God has blessed you with employment. Sometimes, in this type of economy that we have, working on Sunday has become necessary, not only for you but for the community at large. You, as a Christian, are committed to setting apart one day to be the Lord's Day, dedicated to His service and to communal prayer with other Catholics around the altar of the Lord. Since Sunday is a day of employment for you, you are required to set aside one day during the week to participate at Mass, receive the Eucharist, and set aside a day for praising God. Your question, "Would going to Mass on one of those days be am I committing a mortal sin?" The answer is no. Praise and thank God for your job and set aside one day during the week and prayer, a day dedicated to the Lord. I am happy for you! See you at Church during your days off. – CatholicView Priest Staff
CatholicView Priest Staff: ________________________________ Josh: I praise God for your wonderful and large family! I can't wait to see how your love demonstrated in your children will bring change to world! I just know in my heart that your children will make a difference! God knows your heart and He knows your love and He knows your situation. Your children need a healthy father and mother. That is the priority here. Your wife's health is number one. What is not a number one priority in your unique circumstance is keeping the Church's teaching against artificial means of birth control. You have fulfilled the ends of a sacramental marriage, unitive (becoming one flesh), and procreative (bringing children into the world through your creative physical and intimate love) Because you have fulfilled the procreative part, the immediate moral consideration now shifts in maintaining the health of the mother. Your children need their mother, a healthy mother, a present mother. That is the priority here.
Please talk to your doctor
about having a more suitable birth control method for your needs.
In your case, and because of your wife's health needs, artificial
means of birth control would be acceptable to the Church. Pope
Paul's encyclical, HUMANAE VITAE, does not in any form deny
artificial use of birth control for your particular situation. It
does clearly forbid artificial means of birth control for those who
are not married (no sexual intimacy without responsibility and
accountability), or if they are married, who do not want to have
children because of self-centered reasons. –
CatholicView
Priest Staff
Priest Staff: ______________________________
Madina:
CatholicView
Priest Staff:
Dear Father, I'm considering converting to Catholicism and I would like your advice. I’m Jewish and divorced and I’m hoping those aren’t disqualifiers. What would the process be for me to convert . . if it’s even possible. I do accept Jesus as my Savior.- Steve ___________________________________
Steve:
Priest Staff:
____________________________________
CatholicView Staff: I met a woman on Catholic Match who is divorced but in the process
of getting an annulment. There is no dating she lives in another
state. We have just sent messages back and forth. This has been
going on for a month. Am I breaking any laws? - Steven Before you decide that this lady is the one for you, have a physical face to face meeting for this can allow you to see the real person beyond the words or the photo they choose to send. You are not breaking any Catholic laws. You are not involved in a sexual relationship, and must not, since this lady is still married until she gets her annulment. I sincerely hope this works out that the your friend will get her annulment from the Church and you both can move forward with this relationship. God go with you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff: _____________________________________ Dear Brenda: I am sorry to hear that that you are unable to find work in your chosen field. And we are happy to hear that your son was helping you financially. Is he still sending money to you and is he your only child? Are you married? I am concerned
that your son believes that you have manic depression. Although he
has helped you in the past, it seems that he does not want to take
responsibility for your welfare anymore, although he has commitments
to the US Air Force, commitments to CCD and R.C.I.A classes, and is a
Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. Even though he has involved
himself in these ways, certainly he can make a quick call or send a
letter to check on you, his mother.
CatholicView
Staff: ____________________________________ Kenny: Thank you for your question. Yes, a Catholic man can become a priest if his wife dies, and many have done so throughout the ages. When the wife dies, the bond of marriage is broken so therefore the widowed husband can enter into a religious vocation of priesthood. Hope this helps. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ____________________________________ Dear Mark: Please tell your friend that unless he listens to your advice, you cannot help him. Although you love him as a good friend, you must return home. Let him know that unless he decides to stop his drinking and go to rehabilitation, there is nothing you can do, except stay and watch him slowly destroy himself. You are a good and decent person who is trying to help him. You cannot do more than that. May the Lord bless you for giving your time and money for trying to save your friend from destruction. Know that God is well pleased with you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ___________________________________ Jay: There is nothing wrong in watching horror movies. Most people enjoy the suspense. A problem may arise if it contains material of porn, unusual gore, or suggestive violence, etc.. Just make sure it does not condone such behavior. We all like to be "scared" sometimes because we know we are physically safe from these horrors. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ___________________________ Beth: It is not a sin to throw away Catholic items, but out of proper respect, one should dispose of them by burning or burying them. Cards, pictures, etc. can be burned as well. For more information go here: Dispose of Religious Items - About Catholics. May the Lord bless you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff: ____________________________________________ Chris: Thank you for your question. Yes, this is true that they cannot be godparents of the new baby. This is because the first obligation of a godparent is to support the parents with the Catholic upbringing of the child should it be needed. And in a case where one parent is a lapsed Catholic and the wife is not Catholic, by Canon Law they should not be godparents of the first child because if the parents be unable to raise the child in Catholic teaching, the godparent promises to do so. And so, the only reason your oldest son was able to stand as Godparent for the now 5 year old had to be when your oldest son was active in the Catholic faith, otherwise the wife who is not Catholic and your son who is a lapsed Catholic would not have been acceptable by the Church. And so, the Church states they cannot be the Godparents of this baby. you oldest son and his wife can stand as witnesses, however. Please talk to your parish priest and have him explain the protocol concerning this matter. God bless. - CatholicView Staff
_________________________________ Frank: Lust is one of the seven deadly sins and must be avoided. Sometimes it is hard to stop focusing on the lustful feelings that hit us, but we must be careful how we respond to it. In answer to your question on how to rid yourself of this problem of sinful lust, please remember and understand that your lustful thoughts only become a sin when you deliberately choose to indulge yourself with them. If you find yourself looking at someone in a lustful way, say a short prayer each time this situation arises and turn your attention elsewhere and remember it's only if you act on these feelings that make it a sin. If you do act on this, then it becomes a serious and mortal sin. Stay focused by reading your bible and praying to God for strength. Do not spend your time obsessing on this problem. Perhaps you might say this prayer in the midst of temptation:
Almighty and Merciful
God, free me from this bondage of lust. Remember to read your bible. Find a quiet place and talk to our heavenly Father about your situation. He will strengthen you to turn away from your obsession. Here is a link that deals with this subject: On How To Defeat Lust, Impurity, and Pornography - Catholic ... God bless you always. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: ________________________________ Lindsey: It has been the practice of the Church to marry non-Catholics and Catholics for quite some time. Only one member of the couple must be Catholic in order to wed in the Catholic Church. The Catholic person must promise to see that the children are baptized and raised Catholic. And the non-Catholic has to agree to this.
However, if the non-Catholic
has not been baptized then the marriage may require a dispensation
from the bishop in order for the union to be considered valid.
CatholicView: I have a problem with confession. I should go once a month but do not know what to tell the priest since I am 88 and past the many occasions of sin. Thank you, Jane ______________________________ Jane: Thank you for writing to CatholicView. God is blessing you with a long and beautiful life. As time passes you may feel you have nothing to confess that is a sin but, every sacrament imparts its own particular grace. And this is what you want. The sacramental grace of confession is primarily the forgiveness of sins, but it is also the spiritual strengthening of the soul. This is why it is called a sacrament of healing. It also reconciles our relationships with the Church which may have been wounded or broken by small sins. At the same time it strengthens our relationship with God. Think about this. If small sins such as say, a sharp word to a friend or neighbor bother your spirit and you want to clear the unrest, then confess them and feel better for it. If you have not sinned, even in small things, you will still benefit from those moments spent in closeness with God. Frequent confession is not a duty imposed by the Church; it is simply a heartfelt, wise recommendation. Remember, the Church only requires us to go to confession annually. May God continue to bless you for wanting to always strive to do the right thing in His eyes. - CatholicView Staff
Terri: There is nothing wrong with having a Christian friend of another denomination if she accepts that you are Catholic as you accept her denomination. The phrase “unequally yoked” comes from 2 Corinthians 6:14: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” This verse generally refers to a marriage where a Christian man or woman is married to a non-Christian. Instead of working together, they are at odds with one another and problems surface. You are a
Christian Catholic, not an “unbeliever”. And yes, you can still be
friends. If your friend believes in God and our Savior, you must
not judge nor should she judge your faith. You see, God knows her heart as
well as yours. Remember, one day we, as Catholic Christians will stand before the Lord and He will not ask, “What denomination were you? Instead He will ask, “Did you love me and follow my teachings?” Were you faithful to Me?” Hope this helps. God bless you! - CatholicView Staff
________________________________ Dear R.C. I am so sorry about the loss of your husband. This is truly a trying time for you and we sympathize with your loss. CatholicView also believes this is also the time for you to be reunited with your church family and draw strength and courage from believing Catholics like yourself. Please talk to
your parish priest about your circumstances before you take
communion. Or go to confession before you take the Eucharist. May the Lord be with you and guide you back home
with your Church family. -
CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff: Thomas: Because of your age and immaturity, you may have said in a moment of turmoil that you would sell your soul for something you really wanted or thought you needed. You were not mature and certainly not old enough to sell your soul except in a moment of wishing for something you thought at the time you wanted. You are an adult now, and if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and live as a Christian Catholic, your soul belongs to Jesus. Satan cannot touch it because Jesus bought and paid for it when He died on that cross over two thousand years ago. Keep in mind that if God is in your life, have faith and belief in Him, your soul is safe and you can only lose it by living in sin, using your “Free Will” to embrace Satan by your actions or promises. You did not sell your soul. Move forward now, knowing it is safe in the hands of Jesus. Go in peace. –CatholicView Staff. –
CatholicView Staff: Bolton: Let the past be the past. What you did as a teenager was very wrong but you did not know this at the time. But God knew. Now move forward and make things right. God wants to forgive you if you ask and promise never to repeat this sin again. God forgives. If you truly want to be a Catholic, make an appointment with a local parish priest. When you talk to the priest, tell him of your concerns and that you truly would like to be a Catholic. Through faith, trust, and obedience, you will be saved. See you in heaven!! God bless. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView
Staff: ____________________________________ Hello Gail: When you watch "porn", you are sinning and using others for your own gratification. Watching porn can lead to actual sinfulness on your part. Pornography is a stimulator that opens the door to action. Keep in mind that what you are watching is an exploitation of what others are doing for money. Read 1John 2:16 which tells: "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world." Ask God to cleanse and renew your mind. Viewing pornography is a grave sin. Stay away from it! - CatholicView Staff
________________________________ Miranda: Of course you can go to heaven. All you need is faith that you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and arrange to be baptized. Please make an appointment to see a priest at your local parish. The priest will explain everything you need to know. We look forward to welcoming you within our Church family. God bless you and strengthen you to move forward in faith and trust in the Lord. – CatholicView Staff
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