FATHER KEVIN BATES FATHER AMARO SAUMELL CATHOLICVIEW STAFF  FATHER KEVIN BATES
”Please explain
how the Church can grant an annulment to someone who committed adultery?” - Larry Father Kevin: Dear Larry: Thank you for your question. The Church grants an annulment when it can establish that there were some substantial required elements missing at the time of the wedding. These include a lack of due freedom, the intention of permanence and the openness to having children on the part of both partners. If it can be established that one or other of these elements was missing at the time of the marriage in one or other partner, then an annulment may be granted. It is a thorough and quite exhaustive process, carefully conducted. Such annulments are not granted lightly. It's also important to note that the granting of an annulment makes no judgment at all on the legitimacy of any children born of the marriage, as it does not address the status of the marriage civilly. The annulment simply addresses the question of whether a marriage was valid sacramentally. Good wishes. - Father Kevin
Hi Alicia: What a thoughtful and interesting question. I don't know the answer! I suppose all we can say is that the conditions for a valid marriage which include the consummation of the marriage, were not part of Church law at the time Mary was alive, since the Church hadn't been born then. I don't know what the conditions for valid marriage were in Jewish law at the time although the requirement for consummation seems to be common to all cultures and traditions. I think we can say that this one matter we leave in God's hands. I think it's worth noting too, that while being a virgin means at one level, that you have not had sexual relations with anybody, the essential thing about Mary's virginity, (and that of anybody who commits to a life of celibacy), is that her heart was God's first and last and that her whole self was dedicated to the service of God. Her virginity was not an end in itself, but rather a symbol or sign of the total commitment of her heart. All good wishes and blessing as you journey through the RCIA. - Father Kevin
Hello Pam: Thanks very much for your question. Of course we have our teaching about masturbation being sinful in itself and I'm sure you've known all that since you were young which is why you are asking the question. We can look at the question in another way. God's purpose and hope for us is that we be as life-giving as possible, and it sounds to me as if you have been wonderfully life-giving both with your husband and your children. My sense is that you can trust God's compassion and understanding in all this and that you continue to be as life-giving as you can and enjoy your intimacy with your husband in whatever way works for you, knowing that God understands all your needs. If you are really in touch with God through your own prayer, I think you will come to the answer to your own question maturely and at ease in God's company. I think God is quite relaxed with the wonderful gift of our sexuality, often more relaxed than we have been ourselves! All good wishes and good health. - Father Kevin
“I have confessed my sins through prayer. Do I have to go to confession to take communion?” Dan Father Kevin:
Dear Dan: I'd
encourage you to find a priest that you trust and feel comfortable with and celebrate the
sacrament of reconciliation with him. While it is the place where we confess our
sins, our sins themselves are not the main focus of the sacrament.
Fundamentally it is an act of praise and thanks to God for his mercy and compassion.
I think it was St Jerome who wrote, "When we confess our sins, we confess our
faith." It's a bit like saying, these are my sins, and God still loves me
- how good is that! I often think our sins are just a chance for God to show off how
merciful he is! I can
identify with your schooldays' experience when everything was so scripted and controlled.
I think you can trust yourself to open your heart and free yourself of your
burdens through the sacrament. Of course we can bring our sins privately to God and
God already forgives us. In part, the point of the sacrament, is that it reminds us
that we are part of the Body of Christ and when we love or when we sin, it has its effect
on the whole Body, and celebrating the sacrament is a beautiful way to free ourselves and
make ourselves once again at one with the community. The
church's law does say in essence that we should confess our serious (mortal) sins prior to
receiving communion. However, it's very hard to commit a so-called mortal sin, as it
cuts us off completely from God's grace. Now since God is so determined to have us
in his heart, it's almost impossible to cut ourselves off completely from his love and his
love is stronger than any failing of ours. You
might be surprised what a wonderful and freeing moment it could be to celebrate the
sacrament with a good confessor who would gently guide you through the whole process.
Also, I'd encourage if you have the hunger for the Eucharist to get back to receiving it
as soon as you can. I heard someone say recently that the only reason we should not
receive Eucharist is if we are perfect! Another way of saying the same thing is that
we receive because we are hungry and in need, not because we are perfect. Every good wish to you. – Father Kevin
FATHER AMARO SAUMELL
“If God answers
your prayer, does He later revoke it? “ - Debbie Father Amaro: If God answers your prayer, does He later revoke it? I thought God always keeps His promises? – Debbie Dear Debbie, Ahhh... What makes you think that God is revoking answered prayers? Maybe He’s telling you that He did his part already and that it’s time for you to take over. Maybe He’s calling you to a new level of responsibility. Or, maybe He’s not doing anything at the moment because it’s not the proper time... that He alone knows. Be patient. Often, we think that God only answers prayers when He does it the way we wanted. But God knows the long range results of every request. He also knows the motivation of every request. I think most of us have that emotional response of “Well, what I asked for didn’t happen, so God didn’t answer my prayers...” at times. The ultimate goal to all prayer is eternal peace. That’s why we pray for peace “in our day” in the mass after the Lord’s Prayer. Our day” is the day of judgement. In the meantime, there will be many challenges. They teach us not only about the world, but our response to it and where we find our strengths and areas for growth. In all of that, God does answer prayers. He doesn’t revoke. He gives us what we need. - God bless, Father Amaro
“I had trouble
with the Church’s position on violation of its “rules”. Is this still the
case?” - Ed CatholicView Staff: I have been away from the Church for a number of years. I would like to practice my religion again, especially receive Communion. Although I have not been going to Church regularly, I do say my daily prayers. Must I still go to confession and if so what must be confessed. I am somewhat confused on what is and is not "sin". I believe that I live a good life. I just don't participate in weekly services. One of the things I had trouble with was the Church's position that violation of its "rules" was the same as committing sin. Even damnation was a consequence of violation of some of these rules i.e. eating meat on Friday. Is this still the case. I was raised by nuns and would really like to get back into the church, but cannot be a hypocrite or a "cafeteria" Catholic. Thank you for your time. - Ed
Dear Ed, You know, I think you’re making a mistake that many people do. They look at our days of fast from the past and relegate it to “man made laws,” which is very far from the reality. You are asking about receiving Holy Communion. What do you think that signifies? It signifies not only communion with God in the Real Presence, but also with humanity, since the great commandment was to love God and neighbor. You see, Holy Communion is not a “God and me” experience.” It is a “God and Church” experience, for we are also in “communion” with each other. Therefore we do many other things in communion too...one thing of which is fasting. To depart from communal fast is to depart from the “communion” of the living organism of the Church. If we don’t want communion with each other, then we don’t want the Kingdom of God. And yes, that supports the result of damnation by choice. Again, a “God and me” spirituality is out of the question. Now, if you really want to be with God
eternally with your neighbors, do you practice that relationship? That means sharing
in the Lord’s day in communion with your neighbor at the Altar of God, the Table of
the Blessed Sacrament. When we receive Holy Communion that we have a moral certitude
that we are ready for the final judgement and are in a state of grace at that moment. We
must be fully restored to the innocence of our baptism, which can only be done through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation or “confession.” If we are afraid of facing
those truths of our faults in the midst of the Church or our neighbors, how can we
possibly approach the One who is the truth, the way, and the life? St. Paul puts it
this way in 1Corinthians 11:27: There is an examination of conscience on my web site that I hope you’ll take a look at. In the meantime, be in love with God and neighbor. A person in love cannot stand to be away from the object of his or her love. That includes not only God, but also neighbor. Go to mass every Sunday and even more. Immerse yourself into the devotions to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as well as the reconciliation to your baptism. Savor the love affair. God bless, Father Amaro
“Is it required that I drink the wine at communion?” - Mary Father: I have been a Catholic since birth and have completed all of the Sacraments, except for the very last one! At any rate, I just read today that Catholics are suppose to (required) to drink the wine that is offered at communion, because it is the blood of Jesus Christ. I was stunned after having read this, because I never knew that it was a requirement and thought that it was optional. Do I have to drink the wine from the chalice? Please let me know, as this has worried me all day! Thank you. – Mary
Mary: Oh nooo...you need to go back to catechism. Catholics NEVER drink wine from the chalice during mass. There would be no room for the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus in the chalice. And why would anyone want to avoid communion with Him? You might want to re-think your position. God bless, Father Amaro
“My husband stopped relations because I won’t become Catholic. What can I do?” - Lou Father Amaro: My husband is studying to become a Catholic, I am not. He stopped sexual relations almost 5 months ago. I believe he is angry with me because I won't concede to become a Catholic. Help--thank you. - Lou
Dear Lou, You know, one of the things we as Catholics are not supposed to do is to proselytize. We only share and invite. The Holy Spirit does the rest. (We tried the “forced stuff” during the Spanish Inquisition and it didn’t work out very well because it contradicted the faith.) Y our husband needs to talk to his pastor about his approach. And sex is never a bargaining chip. It’s hard to judge why he’s abstaining. The only reason that I can think of is that one or both of you have had previous marriages that have not been declared invalid by the instrument of the Church. If that is the case, he’s probably very conscious of Jesus’s command. You might go with your husband to the pastor and get that resolved too. Neither of you wants to be seen as being married to two different people at the same time. Invalidity of the previous unions must be proven and a divorce doesn’t do that. If there were no previous marriages, and there are no real reasons of a spiritual nature, you might consider going to a professional marriage counselor to re-build a bit. God bless, Father Amaro
“We want to return to the Church but I also have HPV. Can we validate our marriage in a Catholic Church?” - Kim Father Amaro: My husband and I were both raised Catholic and confirmed. However, we fell away from the Church before we met. We lived together in sin for three years and then got married seven years ago, so we have been together for almost ten years. I have recently been to Confession, because I have come to believe that I was raised in the true Church and want to return. My husband has indicated that he is 100% in favor of raising our children Catholic, when we have them. He is also very open to returning to the Church himself and I am confident that with time this will happen. In the meantime, is our marriage valid even though it took place in a non-Catholic church? If not, can I do anything to rectify this, as I believe with all my heart in the sacrament of Holy Communion and want to participate. I have another problem. During my years away from the Catholic Church, I contracted HPV (HPV stands for human papilloma virus). My husband knows about this, as I told him before we ever had intercourse. I read somewhere that people with STDs should not date or marry. Is my marriage invalid because of this? Thank you for your help. – Kim
Dear Kim, If your civil husband is so willing to see you return to the Church, raise children Catholic, and possibly return to the Church himself, I am very confident that have would have no problem in proclaiming your marriage a Sacrament so that you would be validly married. Not being a doctor, I cannot really comment on your type of STD. But obviously, your husband doesn’t have a difficulty with it. And, if you plan to have children, well, er... do you really need a celibate guy to explain that to you? LOL Seriously, your situation is VERY workable. Go and see your parish priest. I think you’ll be amazed as to how simply these things can be resolved. - God bless, Father Amaro
Father Amaro: I know that it says in the Bible that Jewish people are God's chosen people. Does this mean that they will attain salvation in Heaven? On the other hand if they do not believe in Jesus? Thank you in advance. - Dan Merline
Dear Dan, What were God's people"chosen" for? Think about it. It was to bring the Messiah to the world. they have fulfilled that role. Now go to the parable of the talents and ask yourself if they have invested wisely. Remember, they actually DO believe in the Messiah. They just haven't recognized Him among them.... yet. :-) God bless, Fr. Amaro
“What does it symbolize when a statue or picture of a holy person have their index finger and thumb pressed together?” - Linda Father Amaro: I have been asked by someone "what does
the symbol mean when you see a statue or picture of a holy person having their index
finger and thumb pressed together". I assume it means something but as a
Catholic I can't answer her. -Linda
Dear Linda: Here is your answer. The thumb and index finger together symbolizes the two natures of Jesus Christ, divine and human. The three fingers extended mean that there are three persons in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The hand is upheld in blessing, God bless, Father Amaro
CATHOLICVIEW STAFF “I have always had a certain attraction to the same sex. How do I handle this?” - Sarah
Dear Sarah: I am sorry to hear of the breakup with your fiancé. It is always a painful thing to lose someone to whom you gave your heart and lose the future you had hoped to enjoy. The Catholic Church believes that to practice same sex intimacy is considered immoral. It bases its belief in Scriptures (Genesis 19 and 20:13, Romans 1:24-27 and Timothy 1:9-10). The attraction itself is not considered sinful but to act on it is a grave sin. We are not psychologists so we cannot make an assessment of your attraction to the female sex. That is something you need to talk to with a qualified professional. Perhaps this attraction, in part, could mean that because your fiancé and perhaps men in general let you down, you find yourself looking for something that may be safer. These feelings and desires may also be an indication of your own sexual orientation and identity. This is a matter only a certified person can determine. As to speaking to your priest, I would suggest that this will not be a new subject for him to hear. Simply explain what you wrote here and listen to his advice. Please see him and be frank so that he can help you. And do not feel ashamed to explain this matter. Pray for strength and courage first and move forward to untangle these feelings that are disordered. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Marilyn: Yours is an interesting question. You are correct in that God put us all here for a specific purpose. It is not a naïve presumption. And it is a wonderful thing to know family members have completed their life’s mission according to what God wants. Your family took that opportunity to live as Christians practicing the faith by accepting what Christ offers to us all. God is a God of love and wants all of us to enter His kingdom. He loves us so much He allowed His Son to pay the price of death on a cross to entitle us, in spite of our sins, to be forgiven. But God also gave us “free will” which means we can decide to ignore the teaching of Christ, and live a life that will separate us from God forever. This is why there is a place of eternal damnation for those who turn their backs on Him. Those who die without changing their lives did not use that “free will” to worship God. They decided to close their ears to God’s constant invitation and chose going their own way, pursuing their own missions, and ignoring the sacrifice Jesus Christ gave to all who believed in Him. – CatholicView Staff “I missed mass on Sunday. Can I take communion without confession?” – Cecilia
You do not mention why you had to miss Mass on Sunday. There are extenuating circumstances that may cause one to miss Church such as illness, no transportation, a sick child or anything that MUST be done during the hours of Sunday mass. When this is an unavoidable situation and you miss mass God knows this. If you miss Mass because you prefer to go to the movies, say, or there is something you would rather be doing that is not necessary, or is not a life threatening emergency, then this is considered a grave sin and therefore needs reconciliation. One of the commandments given to us is that we should keep the Sabbath holy and we do that by being present in the house of God. We show that we honor Him and want to spend at least an hour with Him on Sundays for worship. We show that we honor Him and want to spend time in public worship and thanksgiving with Him on Sundays. Public worship is an important and required way to show our faith in Jesus Christ. Taking communion (receiving the body of Christ) requires a state of grace, therefore one MUST be careful not to accrue another grave sin by taking it without confession. Hope this helps. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Dear Robert: God hears all prayers. Prayers are not limited offerings to God nor made less valuable by our perceptions of prayer. Everyone benefits from prayer and prayer cannot be quantified or measured. So, your deceased friend has already received from God Himself the power of your prayer and all prayers said on his behalf. Consider that we ask all our friends to pray for us when we need them. There is power when we pray collectively or separately for something. In Matthew 18:20 Jesus says “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." – CatholicView Staff
“Is it possible for my relationship to culminate in a Catholic marriage?” - Maria Catholicview Staff:
Dear Maria: I am sorry your boyfriend has had an unfortunate marriage and that he no longer practices his faith. Let’s keep in mind you are dating someone who does not belong to a church of any kind and shows no inclination to change this. Because he attends mass with you, it will not culminate in his becoming Catholic. In your letter, you did not give full details. There are several things here that need to be discussed with your priest. There is the matter of his divorce that needs sorting out. In order for him to marry you, you need to go to your parish for counsel, either together or alone because your boyfriend may need an annulment from his first marriage. Please consider that he has no interest in sharing your Catholic faith with you. Could you be happy with this? May the Lord give you the courage to get the guidance you need. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff:
Dear David: I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with your faith. When our faith begins to weaken, we cannot feel God’s presence. We feel bereft for we need that inner peace and security of knowing He is always with us. No one can give you faith. They can encourage it by teaching God’s word. Faith is something you cannot see. The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” No one can give it to you, analyze it, or even explain it fully. It is a gift given to you by God and your acceptance of Jesus Christ in your life. It lives within you through the Holy Spirit. You say that you don’t feel that God knows
you are here. Jesus tell us in Matthew 6:26
“Matthew 6:26: ”Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or
reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much
more valuable than they?” Then again
in Mathew 10:30 “And even the
very hairs of your head are all numbered.” This
is how much He cares about you. Earnestly pray with confidence that God strengthens your faith. Throughout the day make contact with the Lord by acknowledging Him even with a short prayer, asking Him to make His presence known in your life. Establish a relationship with God. You do this by sitting in silence with your thoughts and speak to God from your heart. There is no need for formal words or formulas. Just come as you are. Share EVERYTHING that is in your heart, then watch your faith grow and grow. Please speak to your parish priest about this. He will give you spiritual guidance to help you to move forward in your faith with confidence. – CatholicView staff
“How wrong is it to have sex before marriage?” - Nadia
CatholicView Staff:
Dear Nadia: Sex before marriage is a serious sin. Being in love does not excuse it. The reality is that the bible condemns it. Sex belongs within the Sacrament of Marriage and is the union of a man and a woman with the purpose of procreation and unitive (completing the love bond) Hebrews 13:4 states "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge." If you love someone, you always put the loved one first and not encourage or engage them in an act of sin. To engage in the act of fornication before marriage becomes a selfish and self centered act. - Catholicview Staff
“How do I dispose of a broken crucifix?” - Susan
Dear Susan: There is a tradition of burying blessed objects of devotion in the ground. Blessed objects of devotion such as this crucifix was set aside for sacred use. Once that use is completed, then as a sign of respect, please bury the remains of this sacred object. – CatholicView Staff
“I am now NeoPagan. Do I have unfinished business with the Catholic Church?” – Terence
Dear Terence: If you choose to not attend the Catholic Church, it is your decision and you are no longer considered a member if you go elsewhere. No one is forced to be a Catholic. As far as baptism is concerned, baptism CANNOT be rescinded. You can choose to ignore the baptism by choice for God gave us free will to do so. But you see, God does not forget you once belonged to Him through that baptism. By a formal declaration of renunciation (this
can be done by simply saying this to another person as a witness) of your faith in Jesus
Christ and His Church, you declare yourself not a Catholic, and not a Christian. You
are no longer a menber of the Church.
“Can you help me feel more comfortable
about confession?” - Lara CatholicView Staff: Dear Lara: Please do not be afraid to go to confession. We are all a little nervous about going because none of us really wants to face the fact that we are not perfect and in need of help. I am giving you a Catholic link to explain what confession is: http://www.catholic.com/library/Confession.asp . As to the fear of the confessional, perhaps you might find it easier to write everything down beforehand. There is a small book by Msgr Louis Gaston called “A LITTLE BOOK FOR THE RELUCTANT” that you can order online. It costs $3.00 and will cover what you need. Here is the link to order: When you first go into the confessional you
will say, “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It
has been (give the time of the last confession) since my last confession. I have committed the sin of…(use your written
guide if necessary) After dialogue with the
priest you will end with the Act of Contrition: O my God, I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven, and
the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good and
deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my
sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
“Does the bible tell us how to deal with
depression?” - Christopher Dear Christopher: You do not say if there is a situation in your life that is weighing you down. Yes, the bible does show us how to deal with depression. God is aware that life itself and the things that happen to us will bring our spirits down. We feel cast away and isolated and we sometimes feel depressed. But, as Christians we have an intercessor to pray to, sharing our pain and all our sufferings for He, Himself knows all things, even our humanity. The bible tells us in Psalms 34:17 “When the righteous cry out, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of their troubles.” Ezekiel 36:26 states “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Isaiah 43:2 says “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Psalms 34:17 tells us “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Then again in 1Peter 5:6-7 “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” The most wonderful thing about the bible is that it is a true guide for right now living and the way to eternal life. We can find all things there. These are just a few examples, however the list is endless. Do not give up! Know that God Who has created you knows your heart and knows your pain. Surrender all to Him. Do not give up! If you are facing a particular trial in your life, do not be afraid to pray about it and ask God to help you. Please go and talk to your parish priest for counsel. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Marie: I am saddened that you had this experience. It is time to accept the Lord’s healing forgiveness in your life. Part of your healing is to exactly name the sin committed, which means that you must explain the details of this adulterous relationship to a confessor that is not this adulterous priest. You may even want to report this affair to the local bishop of your diocese. Why, you ask? Because if this priest had an affair with you, could he do it again with another person? And if he does have another adulterous relationship, it will certainly have a negative and disastrous effect on the person….like it might have had with you. As believers in the Lord, we must hold each other accountable for our actions, especially if those actions are made under the cover of religious authority. So, even though you have confessed your sin and you are forgiven by the Lord and the Church, sometimes forgiveness and repentance demands action. Reporting this adulterous relationship to your bishop will help you heal and leave behind the past and will also stop this priest from sinning in this matter again. There are both positive and negative consequences in reporting. But do not fear. The Lord is with you. - CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Ron: My salvation and my place in heaven do not depend on a funeral service or Mass. It depends on my faith in Jesus Christ. Everything is judged by God according to my faith (please read the Gospel of John, Chapter 14:Verses 1-6). Absolutely a person can go to heaven without a funeral. There are those who perish at sea or perhaps in a fire, but God does not forget those persons. Souls are indestructible. Funerals are a respectful and religious sendoff. Families want the blessings and honor given by the priest and want to show the love they feel for the deceased member of the family. Remember the soul has already left the body so it has nothing to do with the funeral itself. But I can understand your concern. Our Catholic tradition has always had a place to pray for those who have died. Our prayers are a sign of support and love for the deceased person. Praying for those who have died and their families are noble and important ways of showing our Christian love for one another. But, remember, my salvation depends on Christ and my living and daily affirmation of His primacy in my life, not on whether I had a funeral service. – CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff: Dear Bernadette: I am sorry you are having a problem getting your son to attend mass. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to convince him as his age. BUT, you can pray hard for him. Pray that he will feel the yearning to be part of God’s worship each Sabbath, that he will see and understand that all good things come through God’s goodness and therefore He is worthy of worship once a week. If you cannot get him to church, ask him if he will set aside a few minutes each day and pray with you. If he refuses, don’t give up on praying for him. Prayers are always heard by God. – CatholicView Staff
“My friend has only received a sacramental first communion. Is he eligible to take communion?” - Ken CatholicView Staff: Dear Ken: It is wonderful that your friend wants to participate in communion. However, the party receiving communion must be in a state of grace. That goes for everyone who takes communion. It is a simple matter to resolve. Your friend should speak to a priest, either in the confessional or in person. The priest will advise him in all matters connected to becoming a member of the church in good standing. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Patrick: I am surprised you do not realize that Catholics are Christians too. I believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. That is the fundamental core of our Catholic Faith. I can only give you my opinion. Final judgment belongs to God. You chose your road and I am happy you are living each day as Christ would want you to do. Remember that we all serve the Lord as our Master and Savior. If you are following the precepts of Jesus’ teachings you are SAVED as are Roman Catholics. Denominations do not determine eternity. Our lives and actions do, especially our action to put Jesus Christ in the primacy place in our lives. When we stand before the Lord, He will not ask if we are Catholic or Protestant, He will ask us if we believe in Him and followed His teachings. He will ask if we love Him and brought the message to others that Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins in order for us to gain salvation. He will ask if we believe that on that cross all our sins were nailed there. If we can answer this, we will ALL be welcomed into His kingdom. Hope to see you there someday. May the Lord bless and strengthen you. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Abraham: You are correct in your statement that God’s Words are for everybody for He is our Creator. Read Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It is eternal and forever and reaches through time for all. Abraham, just as His promises live on beyond the grave so does His Word. - CatholicView Staff CatholicView Staff
John: Our ways are not His ways nor our thoughts His thoughts. In Job 33:14 it says “ For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive. A simple death without the shame, the cruelty of humans, the pain and the suffering was to show us how much we are loved by God. Jesus was the Sacrificial Lamb Who took on a human form and shed His blood so all of us might be cleansed of the sin we have on our souls. Without His crucifixion and the shedding of His innocent blood, we could never be pure enough to enter perfect heaven. On that cross, Jesus looked down through time and saw you and I in need of His salvation and He took on our sins there. All He asks is that we believe and have trust in Him. What a glorious sacrifice of love. This is an act of great magnitude that lives on eternally. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear William: A "perfect act of contrition" implies that I am totally aware of what I have done to damage my loving and nourishing relationship with God and I am sorry because simply I love Him with my whole being. Hence, the fear of hell is not there because the repentant person is not focusing on punishment but rather on the love that God has for the person. So, here is the "rub:" we human beings are not perfect. If we were, there would be no need for the sacrificial act of Jesus on the cross. So, are sinful human beings capable of a perfect act of contrition? I must say, I don't know. This kind of spiritual maturity is rare, very rare (certainly, I am not there yet). So, let me frankly put it this way: an "imperfect act of contrition" or a "perfect act of contrition" is STILL an act of contrition that renews and heals my broken relationship with God and opens the doors of heaven. In my opinion, this discussion of perfect and imperfect acts of contrition is a waste of time. God requires from us repentance and the acceptance of Christ into our lives. At first, in our spiritual growth, we fear hell and punishment. God accepts this and through His plan and love will bring us to the level of spiritual growth (if we are truly open to God's work in our lives) when such fear of punishment will no longer rule our lives. Instead, God's love will rule our lives (so much so that fear of punishment is gone) but this takes a life time to accomplish with the Holy Spirit's help. When God's love rules our lives, we follow the commandments because we love not because these are the rules. We do good and moral things because I love God and His creation, not because I get something from it or think I am making points with God. A prefect act of contrition IMPLIES a total change of attitude and thinking from the negative to the positive, from punishment to love. So, step by step, those of us who struggle to truly live Christ's teachings will come as close as we can to a perfect act of contrition in time. Until then, God is pleased with our growth and understands our hearts when we cry out for forgiveness and healing. He generously gives and forgives whether our "act" of contrition is perfect or imperfect. He knows..... – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Dear Rosemary: The “lack of form” petition is a very simple procedure of determining the validity of a marriage involving a Catholic Church member. This involves usually proving that one party is Catholic (for example, a baptismal certificate) and that the marriage was not convalidated (blessed solemnly) through a specific church rite presided by a deacon, priest, or bishop. As you describe your situation, your first and second marriages were not convalidated by the Church. The “lack of form” petition is simple and is usually granted by the local bishop and/or diocesan marriage tribunal within a few days (in some dioceses, a simple form is mailed with accompanying documents and the decree of nullity is received within two days). In some dioceses of the USA, the local pastor has the authority to grant the decree of nullity because of “lack of form” without having to go through the bishop or diocesan marriage tribunal. I suppose that your local priest did everything required to prove “lack of form” of your two previous CIVIL marriages. Be at peace and rejoice in the marital love that the Lord has called you to. CatholicView Staff
“I am divorced
but not remarried and I want to return to the Church.
Is this possible?” Nancy CatholicView Staff: Nancy: Yes, you
can be reunited with the church. I advise you
to go to confession and explain your marital situation.
Then you are free to participate fully in the sacramental life of the
church. If you wish to get married in the
church in the future, then petition the church for a decree of nullity of your first
marriage through a simple procedure called “lack of form” petition. As for now, all that is required is going to
confession. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Meghan: Canon Law states that a godparent be Catholic, have received the Sacraments of Holy Eucharist and confirmation. Also a godparent must be in full unity with the Catholic Faith in order to qualify as potential godparents. One main reason is that a non-Catholic person cannot responsibly help the child in the faith and this is the main role of a godparent. However, the Church will allow a Christian person to become a witness to the baptism. May God bless you with a beautiful child. – CatholicView Staff
CatholicView Staff: Recently I've started attending church regularly and going to confession, but I'm afraid of making certain confessions, like this vision, because the priest might think that I am mad, or even worse, possessed by the devil. I went to one confession on the spur of the moment without being fully prepared and I started babbling away uncontrollably, not knowing what I was saying. Now I'm afraid of going back to church, because it might have sounded like I was talking in tongues. It has made me wonder if there are some things that we have to keep to ourselves, and not tell the priest during confession, especially if we don't know what they mean, if they are sins or special graces that in their own time will become clear to me by the grace of God. Apart from praying to St Joan, what should I do? Should I tell my priest everything, even if I feel that I shouldn't? -Adrian Dear Adrian: I am sorry to hear you are troubled by the unusual dream you had. Many times people have dreams that seem to hold significant meaning yet it is not clear what that meaning is. CatholicView is not qualified to interpret dreams. I would strongly advise that you talk to your priest about it either in the confessional or face to face. You might be able to give information to him that you did not include in your letter to CatholicView. Do not be afraid to share your dream. May God give you the peace you seek. – CatholicView Staff
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