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PRIEST STAFF
Father Francisco:
I have a question
regarding desire. I am 39 and a Catholic however, I have not
been a practicing Catholic since I was a child. My grandparents
were Polish so I always went to a Polish church etc. Recently I
have been drawn back to the church. I have been going to a
church near where I live but I had some questions. My cousin is
a priest and living in Africa so he put me in touch with a
friend of his who is a Polish priest who I went to visit.
We chatted for a
couple of hours and I left feeling more confused. I have always
loved my life, I am so grateful for what I have, I love the
world I live in and I try and travel as much as I can to
experience all the wonderful things the world has to offer. I
always try and find ways to make myself a better person and I
like to make people smile and bring positivity into their life.
People always come to me for advice because I make them feel
better by showing them to have faith in themselves and always
expect good things to happen.
However, since my
meeting with the priest I feel most of this is a sin. I was
told that if I wanted a better job it is a sin to desire this.
If I want to travel it is a sin to desire this. I was told if
its Gods Will it will happen and yes I believe this but I feel
like since this meeting with this priest my life has stopped. I
don't feel as happy anymore and I don't uplift people anymore
because somehow I feel this is a sin. I wanted to take my Mum
on holiday later this year but now the excitement has gone
because I feel its a sin. I haven't been happy in my job so
decided that perhaps there is something better for me but now
believe I should stay because wanting this is a sin to want a
better job.
I am so confused,
can you please help because I feel the person I was before was
much more loving, looked upon the world as a wonderful place but
now I feel I walk with a cloud around me. - Kelly
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Kelly:
Maybe you misunderstood this priest. He was probably trying to
say that relying on material things will only bring
disappointment while depending and trusting in God will bring
all you want and seek in life. But that doesn't mean that
enjoying life and its material goods is sinful or wrong. If you
desire to travel, then do so!
There is nothing wrong nor sinful in wanting to treat your
mother to travel or to something exciting. God gave us life to
enjoy to the full. Life is a blessing and everything in the
world is a blessing, meant to bring us joy.
Just remember that all life, all gifts, all joys are from God.
And these blessings are for you. It is NOT a sin to want a
better job. It is NOT a sin to want to travel. It is NOT a sin
desiring to take your mother on holiday. Live life to the full
always giving thanks to God for everything. Be a thankful
person and take you mother on a journey. Your mother deserves
it! And find a better job! You will enjoy even more success!
And just remember, all good things are from God. Be a thankful
person! Your mother is blest to have a loving daughter like
you! -
Father Francisco
Father Cervantes: Is picking up trash along the road in garbage bags a good deed? Its serving the community, but I worry that its not 'worthy' because the town I live in is (not rich but) certainly not poor...?i.e. Proverbs 22:16? One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. - TP ________________________________________________________________ TP:
If you pick up trash along the roads as a service to your fellow
human beings, then you are doing a beautiful act of love for
your neighbor. It doesn't matter where you do your good deeds.
All that matters is that you do it with a loving heart for God
and your neighbor. The economic status of your neighborhood
doesn't diminish your loving act for God and others.
Instead, it may even enhance your good deed! I wish I
had people like you in my neighborhood!
Father:
My Aunt had the last rites when she was very ill 8 years ago.
She is now very ill. Does she need the last rites again. She
is 94 yrs old.
Thank you,
Pam Pam: The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction), sometimes called in error as the Last Rites, is mentioned in the New Testament in the Letter of James, Chapter 5, Verses 13-15: Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters [priests] of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Your aunt can receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick as often as she desires! The reason why some called it the Last Rites is that usually a priest is called when person is near death, and as the scriptures says, the anointing of the person will bring total forgiveness of sins! But this Sacrament can be repeated as long as the person is alive! So, get the priest to see your aunt! There is no limit to how many times your aunt can be anointed with holy oil in the name of the Lord. As a pastoral practice, priests usually will give the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to a person once a month, but once again, there is no limit to how many times a person can receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick! - Father Francisco
Father Francisco:
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Kathy: Usually, a monetary gift is appropriate since new priests need some financial help to purchase some priestly vestments or other things that he may need! So, if you wish, you can send him a financial gift! It will be greatly appreciated! - Father Francisco
Dan:
As you know, the Church doesn't recognize your civil divorce as
the end of your sacramental marriage! You are still
sacramentally married. Yet, you both chose to separate and seek
that civil divorce. My concern is that instead of trying to heal what divided your marriage, you will move in together without any expectation that you have addressed your marital problems that caused the divorce. Please get rid of the decree of divorce by re-marrying civilly with a new marriage license. By doing this, you will show that you are ready to get back together as a married couple. If you cannot do this, or unwilling to do the new civil marriage certificate and the reaffirmation of your marital vows in the Church, then you cannot morally move back together into the same home. - Father Cervantes
Father Cervantes: I am Catholic. I am a practicing Catholic as well. My question is this: Can I have my grandson baptized? My daughter, sadly, has all but totally abandoned him. She rarely sees/visits him. His father and I share the responsibility of raising him. I feel it is crucial for this child to be Baptized. I fear for his safety when he is around his mother. - Jennifer ____________________________________________________________ Jennifer: What a sad situation that your grandchild is in with a mother who is unable to complete her duties as a mother. You do mention the grandchild's father in passing. Is he involved in any way in your grandchild's life? Normally, parents (not the grandparents) present their child for baptism, promising God and Church that the child will be brought up in the Catholic faith. But your situation is different. If you can get the written permission of the mother and father of the child to have your grandchild baptized, then you can present your grandchild for baptism in the Church. You will have to present these letters of permission to the priest or deacon of your parish so that the date of baptism can be set. - Father Cervantes
Father Francisco: Tanya: Living together before marriage is not an option for a practicing Catholic or Christian in general. The Church would objectively consider living together before marriage sinful. As to Pope Francis' encyclical on family life called THE JOY OF LOVE, there is no reference to a couple living together outside of marriage. Instead, the encyclical reaffirms the Church's position that marriage is a sacred bond, a sacrament that represents Christ's love for his Church (see Ephesians 5:31-32 and Revelation 21:1-2) and calls all Christians to respect the bond of marriage. Living together without marriage would be considered disrespecting the sacrament of marriage. I do not know if you read THE JOY OF LOVE. It is important that you read this encyclical for yourself and not listen to the secular interpretations of the media that have reported its content without a Christian interpretation, even taking words out of the context of the document. Please read this document on your own and make your life decisions accordingly. If you are not ready to marry, then you are not ready to live together. Please see this link to the actual document. You can print it out. It's FREE! It is worth reading and studying: http://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/pap a-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf - Father Francisco
Father Francisco: I would like advice on how to heal the wounds from past mistakes that constantly play on my mind. - Darren ____________________________________________________________ Darren: You are not the only one who has to struggle with past actions and regret. It has been my experience in pastoral ministry and in my own personal experience that most people have difficulty in forgiving themselves and accepting God's forgiveness for past mistakes and sins. But the wonderful gift of God's mercy is His forgiveness so that we can move on. God doesn't want us to be living in the past, and doesn't want us to stagnant in the present by being anchored by our past regrets. When God forgives, He forgives in hopes that you learn from your past and live solely in the present, planning for a peaceful and joyful future. Many of us have this nagging memory that enjoys bringing up the past to upset our joyful present. This thinking of the past and reliving the past is Satan's way of distracting us from the good we are doing for God and our neighbor; Satan's way of making us think that we are unlovable. We are loved by our Creator beyond our human understanding. I am sure that you have used the Sacrament of Penance (confession) as a way to leave the past behind. The consequences of our actions resonate throughout our lives. And that's the rub on our search for peace of mind and heart. So we must live with the consequences of our actions, but we are free from guilt by the Blood of Christ. Please don't second guess God. He has already forgiven you because you asked. You have learned some important life lessons. Now move on. Focusing on the past doesn't allow God's Grace and Mercy to work within you. Because you are a child of God, and Jesus died for you, and His Blood washed you clean by your faith in Him, you deserve being loved to sinlessness (called salvation)! Alleluia! - Father Francisco
Father Francisco: I’m a 22
year old practicing Catholic. I’ve been dating this boy for over
a year now (he is a practicing Catholic as well) and have had a
big doubt on my mind for some time. I go to mass with my
boyfriend every Sunday, and I noticed from the beginning that he
never takes Holy Communion. I know I’m his girlfriend, not his
spiritual director, and I don’t like breaking such intimate
boundaries, but should I mention it? Ask him if something is
wrong? He doesn’t have a spiritual director, though he does talk
to a priest friend from time to time. Should I talk to try and
help him or just keep praying? I really love him, but seeing as
I actually need to receive Holy Communion (for physical
and spiritual strength), it’s hard for me to understand how he
can have been going on so long without it. As I said, he goes to
mass every Sunday at least, and knowledgeable of catholic values
and considers himself a Catholic… just why not Holy Communion?
And I give catholicvu the permission to publish my question.
Thank you! Maria Since you have discussed many things, you can bring up your question on why he doesn't receive Holy Communion. Just accept his answer as is without prying any further or adding undue pressure. Maybe you can suggest that he talk to his priest friend about this situation. Or any priest for that matter. You can share your spirituality when you say that you "actually NEED to receive Holy Communion for physical and spiritual strength." Then let things go for now. No need to go any further and let him take some time to think about your concern for his spiritual life. When you love someone, you love everything about the person, including their spiritual life, because spiritual life impacts life in general. And continue to pray for him. Always pray! Sit in silence with the Lord and let your mind wonder. No need to say words. Sit in silence and let the Spirit of God guide you in your innermost thoughts. Enjoy your relationship and pray that this man can grow with you in Christ. - Father Francisco
Father Cervantes:
Me and my fiance' are engaged. She's Catholic and I am Eastern
Orthodox Christian. I see no issue with attending mass with her
or getting married in the Catholic tradition. With that being
said I would like to know if us both being of different
Christian faiths would be an issue for the Catholic Church to
wed us. Thank you for your time Father, and may peace be unto
you. - Star Star:
There is no problem for you and your fiance to be married in the
Catholic Church. You do NOT need to leave your Eastern Orthodox
faith to marry in the Catholic Church. You do not have to
become Catholic. The Eastern Orthodox Church is an apostolic
Church and therefore we are united in our common apostolic roots
and teachings.
Father:
I am a Eucharistic Minister. A few weeks ago I assisted in
distributing communion when a man approached in line with a
small pyx. He requested two hosts to take to the sick. After
hesitating, I proceeded to give him the hosts. I now feel
absolutely sick about it and feel I should have told him to
receive from our priest. What if he was taking the host for
profane uses? I'm so sick over it and am experiencing so much
anxiety and guilt and shame. What do I do? -
Filomena
Filomena: Please stop obsessing about this incident. In my experience, the only people who have a pyx (a container that carries Holy Communion to the sick or those unable to leave their homes for Mass) are Eucharistic ministers, deacons, priests, and bishops. I am sure, and it sounds like it, that he was at least an Eucharistic minister to the sick (if not a deacon, priest, or bishop attending that Mass). I am sure that he was a legitimate Eucharistic minister. Be at peace. Very rarely does someone who wishes to profane the Holy Eucharist have a pyx. I have found that those who want to profane the Holy Eucharist usually take communion in their mouth (or hand) and then take it out of their mouth for their nefarious reasons. People with a pyx are usually true ministers of the Eucharist. By the way, please ask your parish priest for his specific instructions on what to do when this should happen again and you do not know the person who has a pyx. Be at peace and praise God each day for the privilege of giving the Eucharist to your fellow believers! You are blest! - Father Cervantes
Father Cervantes:
I have been suffering from anxiety, specifically irrational
thoughts and worries. At least i hope they are irrational. I
also need some advice. I am Catholic and married to a Catholic
man for three years and have two kids. When we dated in the
beginning i had sexual relationships with my ex boyfriend. My
husband found out about this shortly before our wedding and i
wasn't completely honest with the details, being afraid of what
he would think of me. Now, I am haunted by my sins for one
betraying him while we dated and two not being completely
honest. I fear if I tell him now he Will be devastated but I'm
afraid that if I don't tell him God will punish me for my sins
by taking away my children. (Perhaps my irrational thinking)
Not sure if it's the best idea to tell him the whole truth and
is it true God would punish us even after confession for our
sins in such a harsh way? Thanks for the advice!! Kathleen Kathleen: You are thinking irrationally. First, God does not punish us in any way because Jesus took the punishment of our sins on the cross. Second, God would never punish you by taking away your children. What kind of sick God would that be if we believe in a punishing God that takes away the gift of children as a way of punishment. When you asked for forgiveness from God, He gave it freely because Jesus died for your sins, His Blood was shed for you, and He nailed your sins to that cross on that Good Friday. When Jesus was on that cross, He was totally present to your sins and He died for your sins that you may be free from guilt and live in the present. Move on. Your husband already knows about your sexual history with your "ex-boyfriend." He has moved on, and so should you. You have been to confession. You have accepted God's forgiveness and the Church's forgiveness. Stop obsessing on the past and live in the present. Move on. No need to talk about the past when it has already been dealt with, maybe not totally truthfully, but it has been dealt with. God has forgiven you. Accept it and live your life to the full. Your husband and your children need an active and loving mother free from the past! Be that loving mother now. The past is gone and dead. The ONLY reality is the present. - Father Cervantes
Father Francisco: In Amoris Laetitia, I understand that
the Pope leaves room for divorced/remarried Catholics to discern
on their own if they can returnto full communion with the
Church. My brother and his wife are in a second marriage. They
have been married 30 years. Their first marriages were brief: my
brother was married in the Church and the marriage was
annulled; his wife is Presbyterian and has not sought a
Catholic annulment. Can my brother return to the Eucharist
without his wife needing to annul her previous Protestant church
marriage? I am praying for a quick answer. Thank you and God
Bless, Trish Trish: Pope Francis' encyclical letter, THE JOY OF LOVE, does not leave room for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion until their situation is corrected. With the streamlining of the annulment process, your brother's wife could go through the annulment process if she wishes. She will need to have an annulment for their marriage to be solemnized in the Catholic Church. I see that you have not read the actual letter, THE JOY OF LOVE. Please do not depend on media coverage of this letter as the secular media have no idea what they are reporting in regards to Church teaching. Here is the actual encyclical that you can read for yourself and judge what the Church teaches: http://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf The question you asked is dealt with in SECTIONS 296-299. Please read it yourself. You can print it out for your studies. It does not change any church teaching on the permanence of a sacramental marriage. - Father Francisco
Father Francisco: I just want to ask. if you are not Catholic but you want to be one, where would I start? I've just started to read the bible and I need a little help. - Hedash _____________________________________________________________ HedashI am happy that you have been searching for the truth concerning God and His plan of salvation for humankind through Jesus Christ (our Lord and Savior). Please do not hesitate to go to your local Catholic Church office and make an appointment to see the parish priest or deacon. They will guide you in your journey to be a Catholic Christian. Welcome to the road to salvation in Jesus! - Father Francisco
Father: ___________________________________________________________
Allena:
Your relationship
impacts the whole family on both sides. There is no way
that your relationship can be had just
for yourselves. So, time to get, as you say, "real." His
Muslim family will expect you to be a Muslim, though your
boyfriend can marry you anyway in the Muslim faith even if you
don't convert (it doesn't work the other way around with a
Christian man wanting to marry a Muslim woman). I have found that in my experience as a priest, mixed inter-faith marriages have such great pressures that such marriages fall apart in time. Yes, there are a few inter-faith marriages that survive. But most fail because of family, cultural, and religious pressures and expectations. As a Catholic Christian, you know that Jesus is Lord and Savior. You cannot deny the truth of that statement. You know that Jesus died on the cross for you, and rose from the dead. You know that we will all be judged by Jesus who is the Judge of all creation. You cannot deny Jesus without eternal ramifications.
Converting to Islam is not an option for you and all believers
in Jesus as Lord and Savior. So, now what? As your family will
do, I will not recommend you to continue further in the
relationship with your Muslim boyfriend. Unless BOTH of you are
willing to cut your relations with your family, your marriage
will not last the heavy pressures from both sides of the
family.
I am just enquiring if it is ok for Catholics to burn floral incense for the aroma just to have a nice smell in my house. I was reading a lot on other sites saying that Catholics can't burn incense.. I am Catholic. Thanks. -Sean
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Father Francisco: I am not 18 yet I am 17 and I recently attended a Marthoma camp though I am a catholic Christian. There they told me that those who don't accept Jesus will be damned to hell. So I asked them what would happen to a non Christian who lived a very good life helping others but didn't believe in Jesus. They said that they would be damned to hell unless they accept Jesus. I was surprised and they quoted some bible verses saying that I am the only way and that no one enters heaven other than through me. They also said that we must not believe in saints as another bible verse says so. I am very much confused and I don't know what to believe . It was my conviction that God looks into our hearts and deeds and then judges us. When I said this they rebuked me. Please help me. - Joseph Joseph: You are correct in one sense in regards on how God judges all of us. God does judge us by looking into our hearts and our faith. God does not judge us by our appearances. He looks at our love. And because Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we are saved from eternal death because of our faith in Him. As to others who are not Christian, they are judged by how they respond to God's promptings in their lives. This is very clear in the New Testament in the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 2, Verses 12-16: "For when the Gentiles (non-Jews and non-believers) who do not have the law by nature observe the prescriptions of the law, they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conflicting thoughts accuse or defend them on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge people's hidden works through Christ Jesus." So, we leave God's judgment on the lives of non-Christians in God's Hands. We do not judge. We cannot judge. We are not God. I cannot speak for God in regards to others who are not Christians. Saint Paul in his letter quoted above states that we are all judged by God according to our faith and love that is in our hearts. All that matters is that I am in a saving relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior. And I am commissioned by Jesus to spread His gospel to everyone around me. But it is not my place to say that if someone doesn't accept Jesus as Lord and Savior means that this unbelieving person is going to hell. Only Jesus is the Judge. I am a sinner who is dependent on the Mercy of God. Let God judge. I will not judge anyone who is seeking the spiritual truth in their lives. May I suggest that in the future, do not participate in any retreats or workshops that are not sanctioned by the Catholic Church. And may I direct you to study your bible daily! Pray and praise God each day! - Father Francisco
Father Cervantes: As I was recently watching a movie based on the Passion of Christ, I came to wonder why Jesus would have chosen St. Peter to lead His church when Peter denied him three times and it was St. John who walked with Mary all the way to the foot of the cross and remained there until Jesus was taken down. Wouldn't it appear St. John would have been the better choice as a loyal follower and much loved by Jesus to lead the Church? The bible has referred to St. John as "the apostle Jesus loved". I am certain He loved them all, however with that reference it would appear St. John was very special in some way to Jesus. It is what it is, however, I am simply curious if there is any reference anywhere as to why He chose St. Peter? Thank you, Helen Helen: Jesus certainly did love all his apostles because He chose them to be the leaders of His newly formed Church. Jesus did love Saint John as his "beloved apostle." And John did not run from and did not hide his love for His Savior and Lord. And Jesus gave the care of His mother, Mary, to John. And John is the only apostle that wasn't martyred for the Name of Jesus. He died of old age in Ephesus. Yet, for some reason known only to the Lord Jesus, Peter was chosen to be the leader of the Church. Even though Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus also asked Peter three times if he loved Him. And when Peter said, "Yes, Lord, I love you," Jesus replied three times, "Feed My lambs." And it was Saint John in his gospel that recounted this choice of Peter as leader of the Church (and Peter's successors) in JOHN 21:15-19. Jesus wanted someone who knew what it was like to fall flat on one's face in sin and who knew what it was like to be forgiven by the Lord. Jesus wanted a strong headed man with a strong faith to be the rock on which His Church was to be built (see Matthew 16:16-19). Peter's rock faith in Jesus became the foundation of the Church because it is through faith in Jesus that we have our salvation assured. Saint John was loving and loyal to the Lord. There is no record in the scriptures that John sinned as terribly as Peter and Judas, though that is not to say that John was not a sinner for he was a sinner and needed salvation like all of us. The difference between Peter and Judas was that Peter asked and begged for forgiveness while Judas did not (hence, the sin against the Holy Spirit, the unforgivable sin, is the inability to ask and receive the free gift of forgiveness from our Merciful Father in heaven. Please see Matthew 12:31-32). Since Peter intimately knew and understood the mercy of God through forgiveness of his betrayal, Peter became the prime example as the one forgiven. And that is what Christianity is all about: forgiveness, reconciliation, and spiritual healing that leads to eternal life in heaven. Peter became the rock of faith and the leader of the Church in which Jesus gave him the keys of the kingdom. To this very day, the successor of Saint Peter, Pope Francis, holds those same keys to the kingdom of heaven through the forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Amazing Grace, I call it. That Amazing Grace of forgiveness and healing given to all through an active life faith in Jesus! - Father Cervantes
Father Cervantes: At 63 you'd think my faith would be more sure and precise and instead it has been vacillating for over four years now. My wife and I have been missionaries in Jamaica where we worked in the slums for four years. I was known as a good teacher, preacher, evangelist, lay minister in my parish, and still am. The neo-atheist literature makes a lot of sense to me and I find myself doubting the basics of the faith. Miracles, Genesis, Adam and Eve, the REd sea story, the Resurrection, salvation, sin, and the rest. It all seems strange to me at this point. I have found solace in practical Buddhism. Meditating really helps me a lot in many ways that prayer never does and never did. I have the "gift" of evangelism for real. There is not a person I cannot contact or reach and I had no fear when working in those very dangerous areas of Kingston. Nevertheless I stray away from the faith. Eastern things appeal to me a lot...I practice and teach Tai Chi, acupuncture, meditation. I love Buddhism because it is simple, practical, non theological, and it encourages me to inquire and not close my mind to anything. As a Catholic I cannot really embrace UFO's, Eastern mysticism, evolution, modern science, and more of the same. For example, if indeed there was no Adam and Eve, and if even rudimentary evolution is true, then there was no Adam and Eve...then Romans 5 is not true and there goes salvation and the salvation metaphors. Go figure, right? I love church, I love Mass, I love ministry, but I no longer believe it all. Is it possible to "just" be a Catholic, go through the motions, and hope it all works out? I don't think so. AND, recently I was told I have heart problems and need to see a cardiologist. That scared me and shook me off my Buddhist path a bit. You tell me. I look forward to hearing from you soon. - Rico _____________________________________________________________ Rico: I am concerned that you have come to accept that being a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior within the Catholic Church means that you, as you describe it, "cannot embrace UFO's, Eastern mysticism, evolution, modern science, and more of the same." I don't understand what made you say that. My Catholic apostolic faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has opened my mind and heart to scientific inquiry, mysticism both Christian and other religions, and the evolution of humankind by the guidance of God's Holy Spirit. You seem to think that Christianity is a closed minded faith that demands closed minded people. On the contrary, my faith in Jesus as Lord opens my eyes to everything that is true. To me, there is no escaping the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, that my active life faith in Him saves me from sin, my self-destructive tendencies, and opens the way to eternal life in union with the Godhead. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a historical fact that only those who are blind can deny. Not only do we have apostolic witnesses to this event, not only do we have the fact that the Church has continued to grow in faith believers, not only has people's lives changed into happiness, you yourself have seen the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in what you do, or you wouldn't have done it with such energy and power. Your very witness is a valid affirmation of the reality of the truth of the Gospel. To me, there is no escaping the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, that my active life faith in Him saves me from sin, my self-destructive tendencies, and opens the way to eternal life in union with the Godhead. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a historical fact that only those who are blind can deny. Not only do we have apostolic witnesses to this event, not only do we have the fact that the Church has continued to grow in faith believers, not only has people's lives changed into happiness, you yourself have seen the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in what you do, or you wouldn't have done it with such energy and power. Your very witness is a valid affirmation of the reality of the truth of the Gospel. The Bible is not a science book, but it is the Word of God, and it is how God communicates to us using our own words, our own culture, and our own emotions. God speaks to us in the stories of human beings through history that are written in the bible. God's Word is in the bible. And the continuing study of archeology shows clearly that the historical references in the bible are true, such as the Exodus story of the Hebrew people escaping Egypt and coming to the promised land, Israel. Your spiritual journey through the use of meditation in "practical Buddhism" shows that you have a mistaken notion of what prayer is. Meditation is prayer, silence is prayer, as well as saying words is prayer. Prayer is a dialog with God, and that dialog is manifested differently by each person. Each Christian has full access to God through Jesus Christ our one Mediator. So, when I pray, I start by quieting my mind and sitting in silence. No need for words since God knows my inner core and knows my needs before I ask. Meditation for me is focusing on Jesus and nothing more. You say that your use of Eastern mysticism is not accepted in the Church. On the contrary, mysticism is part of our maturing in Jesus Christ. I grow up in the Spirit of God by stopping of thinking of God as some kind of magic genie that grants my requests...God is not a genie nor will I talk to Him like one. Instead, God is the focus of my being. To have a dialog with God, I sit in silence and quiet so that I can hear the voice of God in my inner being. Meditation is a way to be in the presence of God which is prayer. The Eastern Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches have understood that mysticism is an absolute part of my Christian journey to salvation. The Western Church (we Romans) have been more practical, and concerned about careful biblical and theological dogmatic inquiry while encouraging prayer and dialog with God in Jesus Christ. It is time to get on your knees and place yourself in the Hands of God and rededicate yourself to Jesus as your Lord and Savior within the Catholic Church. Time to open your mind to the power of spiritual connection to the Creator who alone can satisfy all your needs and questions. Time to stop reading atheistic pamphlets and writings that can confuse and bring darkness and doubt. Without God, there is no sense in the universe. Without God, there is no meaning in life. As a Catholic priest, I am open to all around me and I am also extremely aware that Jesus is Lord and everything He has taught in the Gospel is true. I accept science and its provable conclusions as God's way of doing things. I accept mysticism that is based in Jesus. And I am even amiable to extraterrestrials since that does not destroy my Christian faith. Even Pope Francis said that he would baptize extraterrestrials if they profess faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior (see this fun article: http://www.christianpost.com/news/pope-francis-talks-about-aliens-says-he-would-welcome-martians-to-receive-baptism-119630/ ).
Christianity is not a closed minded faith. On the contrary, you
may have closed yourself to the expansion of your mind through
the Spirit of God by thinking that God is boxed in by your
closed-minded assumptions. Jesus is all in all (see Colossians
1:17). If so, then Jesus is in everything from science to
theology. I see God's Hand in everything. That is Christian
maturity: to see God in everything and everywhere, and with
your spiritual eyes open, your heart rises in thanksgiving and
joy! -
Father Cervantes Father Francisco: This is a quick question which stems from thoughts I had from a daily mass homily about 2 months ago. Daily evening masses at my parish are frequently offered by a priest with a very thick accent (I think German) who mumbles quite a lot. He isn’t impossible to understand but it definitely takes more concentration on each word in order to understand each sentence. I guess that wasn’t important to mention other than the fact that I may have heard him incorrectly, but I’m 90% sure that he said that Mary herself is not only the Immaculate Conception but also the incarnate form of the Holy Spirit. This didn’t agree with any theology that I had ever been taught and I was wondering about the legitimacy of this claim. Thanks! - John _______________________________________________________________ John: You write that your heavily accented priest who gave the daily Mass homily might have said that the Blessed Virgin Mary was the "incarnate form of the Holy Spirit." The implication of such a heretical statement is that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the third person of the Blessed Trinity, God Himself. I am sure that you misunderstood your priest. He probably was saying that the Blessed Virgin was conceived without original sin, which means that she was in complete union with God and not conceived and born into a broken sinful relationship with God that all of us were (hence, the words from the Gospel of Luke, "Hail, Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee." See Luke 1:28). And that she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and not through human sexual intimacy. I can't imagine your priest actually saying that the Virgin Mary is the incarnate form of the Holy Spirit (hence saying that she is the Holy Spirit). That is wrong, heretical, and diabolical. Now, there are some so-called theologians that say that the Holy Spirit is the feminine side of God (who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.) These so-called theologians say that the Holy Spirit is feminine because the Greek and Hebrew words for spirit are in the feminine gender (English doesn't have this language grammar of words having a masculine or feminine gender). God is God. The Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit.God cannot be limited by our human thinking of gender. God is beyond male and female designations. God is both male and female (we were created in His image and likeness -- see Genesis 1:27), and more than male and female. He is infinite. He is, as He describes Himself in the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament), "I am who I am." (see Exodus 3:14) But the scriptures passed down to us the masculine description of God, and that has served us well since the beginning of humankind. Maybe your priest was making a reference to the thought that the Holy Spirit is the feminine side of God. Since I was not there to hear him, you might want to ask your priest what he meant by his homily at that Mass. Hopefully, he would say, "oh, that's not what I meant!", and would go on to explain himself. It is not heretical to say that the Holy Spirit is the feminine side of God, though it is a non-traditional and unnecessary commentary on God Who is greater than that (can't box God into a human category). But it is heretical to say that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the incarnate form of the Holy Spirit. The Blessed Virgin Mary was saved from sin (from her conception) by the one sacrifice of her Son, Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, on the cross. She was, in a sense, predestined by God's Plan for our salvation to be the mother (a pure vessel for the Divine) of our Lord and Savior, the second person of the Blessed Trinity. Since she was TOTALLY dependent on God's Grace all her life, she could not be anything more than a human being like you and me, though conceived without original sin. The Holy Spirit she is not. I hope your question has been clarified. - Father Francisco
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